Comfort is a surprisingly multi-faceted concept. We elect to put ourselves in new, unknown situations with the hopes of being able to acclimate and transition so that eventually they become comfortable and familiar. But, if you’re like me, as soon as you feel comfortable again you start looking for a new adventure.
After living in London since early fall, I am comfortable now. I have my favorite (and fastest) route to school. I’ve found supermarkets selling certain foods cheapest. And I’m on a first-name basis with people at my neighborhood‘s 24-hour convenience store.
Now when people ask me directions I am not only able to give them correctly, but also with confidence. I pass people on the street studying maps and lament how my first London map has been used so much that it’s full of rips, missing pieces and water stains.
Recently, I started thinking back to late summer: the packing, the nerves and excitement of going abroad and figuring it all out.
I wrote columns about my first impressions of London, getting stuck in the rain and being proud of only getting lost twice. Five months ago when I began reporting my experiences I talked about how pushing myself outside my comfort zone was one of my main motivations for choosing to spend a year abroad.
Of course I anticipated a major difference between studying abroad for a semester and studying abroad for the year, but as of late that difference has really been cemented. London is my home, not my semester-long vacation. This will always be the year I lived in London and studied at the London School of Economics rather than the four months I gallivanted around Europe (granted I’m still doing my fair share of gallivanting).
Having not touched American soil since September, I am past the “Oh my god, I’m in Europe” stage, and the “Oh my god I miss America” stage.
Instead, there are no more stages for the moment, just here, living, studying, being content and comfortable in London.
Comfort. You always seek it, but then as soon as you find it, you don’t want it anymore.
When we have the world at our fingertips, with spur-of-the-moment trips to Barcelona and Paris, it seems like any adventure is possible. Everything should be new and amazing and spontaneous all at the same time.
As I started out on my customary Sunday morning run in Regents Park this week I decided to veer away from my usual course and explore a new area. As I stumbled on a beautiful garden complete with ponds and statues, I realized how lucky I am to have London not as my semester long vacation, but as my home.
Being in London for the year gives me time to experience the small pleasures, have “favorite” places and “typical” Friday nights, to try a new museum, finally go see that show and get to that certain bar before the cover charge (so what if this took four times to actually accomplish this).
Being comfortable and content doesn’t mean you aren’t living your study abroad experience to the fullest — rather it’s just the opposite. Thinking about it, perhaps being comfortable is good.
But that doesn’t mean the occasional last minute weekend trip to Spain isn’t part of the plan.
ostitiltis@theeagleonline.com
