You wake up early to the sound of your alarm clock. It takes you a moment to register where you are; the room is small, the bed uncomfortable. Outside, the sky is black and the breeze is quite strong. You stumble to your bathroom and take a hot shower. The clothes you wear are warm, and you pick up an umbrella because you know you’ll need it.
You take the elevator down and exit the building. Outside, the busy street greets you, and puddles are already forming. But you love it, you relish the feeling of knowing that you currently live at the very heart of London, the city of eccentrics. To your left, Trafalgar Square, and not far away, Hyde Park, Picadilly Street and Covent Garden. You don’t have time to stop and think, however, as you have a lecture to attend. And this lecture is in one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
You debate whether you want to walk there. That would take 20 minutes or so, and the rain does not seem to want to stop anytime soon. So, instead, you choose the underground. No matter how many times you ride the trains, you wonder at how organized English transport really is. The number of people briskly walking around is astonishing, and there are constantly announcements on the radio. Around you are people off to work, some holding coffees, some reading newspapers, but all wearing suits. In a few minutes, you arrive. The building where your lecture is being held is old and traditionally English. You sit in class where an old, but obviously very clever man, teaches you about the economics of the world. His teaching leads you to wonder about how distinct the English really are. Forming little queues, being very polite and very good at following rules.
Your daily walk home is always interesting. What you love most is how naughty you feel crossing the street when the little man is still red. People here are always in a rush, always anonymous, and this makes seeing a familiar face a pleasure. Tonight, it’s a talented but unknown musician playing his guitar on the streets. You pass by him, wondering if you will see him again tomorrow. Here, nothing is definite.
Where will you spend the rest of the day? The choices are infinite. Will it be in the massive Hyde Park, feeding the ducks? Will it be shopping on Picadilly Street? Will it be visiting one of the many cultural museums? Tonight, you decide to see your friends at Covent Garden. You meet in a small pub with a low ceiling. The drinks are typical, but the atmosphere is not. Suddenly, you feel free. This is where you have no boundaries to do what you want to do. You are with the people you love most, the friends who will never judge you or betray you. The sip of your drink and squeeze of your loved one make you feel warm. Now, you can take your time. People around you are laughing. The pub is warm and you are safe. When you’re done, you all decide to take a walk. Covent Garden is dotted with little restaurants and cafes. It is so full of life, all the time, that it’s almost a blur. During the night, it is cold. But the hugs, the laughter and happiness make you feel satiated and warm.
Tonight, you don’t mind that the night might soon end, because you know that there are many more like these to come. London will be your gracious host again soon. Back at your tiny room, you get to bed feeling tired but content. You fall asleep to kisses, and you have never felt more comfortable in your life than in this cramped bed.
