Greetings from London!

It still doesn’t really feel like I’m in another country. I’d never been to another country until this trip, and I guess I thought being in another country would feel different. I thought that I would feel a change in my stomach or see everything through a new lens. Everything is really the same. Trees look the same. The wind feels the same. Food tastes how it should. However, I think there are a two things that make London feel different (that I’ve discovered so far!).

1. The people. I’ve yet to encounter someone who wasn’t so aggressively polite and helpful. There is so much diversity here that I feel like I’ve barely spoken to anyone with a British accent. Everyone dresses so nicely; I think largely due to the fact that they don’t sweat when they simply walk outside like in Texas. Everyone’s walking, talking, moving, but no one is in a huge rush (except my brother!).

2. The buildings are beautiful. Every building has a story and it shows on its exterior. I’m not used to looking up when I walk because there’s nothing exciting to see. I’ve never seen so many unique and intricate pieces of architecture in one day. The streets themselves are just as beautiful in my eyes despite their outrageous trip hazards (I won’t embarrass myself by telling you how many times I’ve tripped already).

A city is no place without its people. London has great people and the landscape to prove that good people have been there for a long time.

I’m excited to explore more and to share more with you. You can check my Facebook, Twitter (@HopeRouse) or Instagram (@HopeRouse) to see when I post more on the blog. If you would like to watch my trip in video form, you can subscribe to my YouTube Channel (Hope Rouse) to watch my vlogs. You can watch my first vlog here:

Signing off from London,

Hope Rouse