December 7, 2009 to December 14, 2009
Wednesday night I saw We Will Rock You. This show was pretty good. While the plot line was terrible, the singing was nice and I think brings Queens songs to a new generation.
Thursday night I saw Legally Blonde. It was in previews and so it was only the sixth time that they had had a live audience. I love the show and the music. This production was a bit rough though. The leads were famous pop stars from Britain and that was why they were in the show. Hopefully they will replace them soon and actually put some musical theatre people in there.
Friday was the Mountview Christmas Concert. This was sort of an emotional night for everyone. The Mountview kids were upset since their headmaster was leaving to start another school and I was upset that this would be the last time that I would see most of these people that I had grown so close to in the past 4 months. A few of our IES Administrators were there to see the show and I was able to say goodbye to them as well.
Saturday I moved out of Chester House. This was the last time that I would see the Kellys. Evan and I told the girls goodbye and they headed off to the airport. I’m not gonna lie, it was a little sad to tell the girl goodbye. I mean, people that I had shared so much time and life experiences with that I had only known for four months had come to mean so much to me. Hopefully our paths will cross again! Since I wasn’t leaving until Monday I went to spend the next two days with Leonie. Evan and I took the bus down to Wood Green together. I was heading to Leonie’s and he was heading to Alana’s. This would be the last time that Evan and I would see each other. He was the first one of the group I met and the last one I would leave. He was the only other guy from the States and we actually had a lot in common, more than I feel like he led on to. Evan was a great guy, had fun where ever and whoever he was with, and had an amazing spirit about him. I left Evan at the bus stop in Wood Green. He walked one way and I the other. At last, I had left the only other study abroad student and headed to Leonie’s. That night, Leonie and I made dinner and fell asleep while watching Steel Magnolias, a movie she had never seen before.
On Sunday I played Beer Pong with the Brits! J We set up the table in the kitchen of Leonie’s place and I proceeded to teach them how to play. The entire day was wasted away with drinks and friends. It was so nice to spend my last day with Leonie, someone that I had grown so close to while in London. I’m not sure why, but I absolutely fell in love with Leonie. She is such and caring, sweet, fun, loving person who absolutely loves Americans and our culture (I guess that gave me a one up! J). That night, Leonie and I talked for hours…I mean like we didn’t fall asleep until 4:30am! We sat in her bed, looking through her skylight to the stars, and just talked about life and the end of my journey. While some say that I should have gone out and had a crazy night on my last night in London, I couldn’t have imagined anything better than just lying in bed with Leonie and spending my last night with my best friend in London.
Monday I flew home. Oh how I will miss London! Went to bed at 4:30 and was up by 7 am to get to the airport in time. Leonie was going to travel with me since she was heading back to Bath and her tube stop was only one stop past mine. We left Leonie’s place and headed toward the Airport with all of my luggage as well as Leonie’s things. I had two big bags and two carry-on items and she had a bag and two smaller bags as well. Getting on the tube with all of our stuff was hilarious. The tube was already crowded and trying to squeeze in there with all of our luggage wasn’t easy. I had to stand up on the tube, holding my luggage for at least 20 stops. Once we were on the outskirts of the city on the west side, I was able to read adjust the luggage and grab a seat. When I got to the airport it was time to say my final goodbye to Leonie. This was more difficult that I thought it would be. We unloaded my bags onto the platform and then just looked at each other for a few seconds. It was obvious that neither of us wanted to say goodbye. We hugged for a few minutes and allowed a few tears to fall from our faces. This was hard, the hardest of all of the goodbyes. But hopefully this won’t be the last time we see each other. She promised to visit me during her 3rd year, my senior year in college. Hopefully she plans on keeping that promise! J
I boarded the plan around noon and went straight to watching my first movie, 500 Days of Summer. In the middle of this movie, the captain came on the intercom and said that the engineers had found a problem with the plane and that it would be a few more minutes. A few more minutes turn into an hour or so and I finished my movie. After the movie, the plane was finally ready and I flew home. Seeing Momma and Daddy in the airport was so nice, but a little sad too. The trip, this amazing opportunity, this semester abroad, was finally over.
This was it. This was the end. This was the final part of study abroad experience. I couldn’t believe it was over. Something that I had planned and worked so hard for was over. I had traveled to several countries, seen friends from home, made new friends in London, partied and drank in London club and bars, worked hard for Mountview, and found a new drive in my theatre training. I have learned so much about theatre and about who I am as a person. I struggled through a lot during this time but feel like I grew and came into my own. I can’t explain it fully in words but this trip, this journey, changed my life.
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