England: Delaney Lehman (Interact)

Interact

As of recently, I’ve found myself missing my dogs back home and the familiarity of being near farm animals. I researched and found an enticing park, Mudchute Park and Zoo, and decided to make a day out of it. However, the journey there was challenging, as it required three different train lines and took around an hour. The last train was on the overground line, which I had never been on, but it was excellent, we got to see views of London that I hadn’t seen before. Once I arrived, the park was vast; there was an area of sports fields and a playground. After some walking, though, we came to where the farm animals were. Immediately off the bat, there was a smile plastered on my face. Not only did a sense of familiarity reach me, but also extreme happiness. The animals ranged from pigs, horses, goats, llamas, etc. However, the London skyline could still be seen, as it was on the border of zones 2 and 3. While walking around, I practiced my five senses exercise, which I occasionally do to ground myself.

Grounding myself in new areas has been a good way for me to remain calm in such a bustling city. First, I stopped in a secluded area and focused on five things I could see: Trees, horses, the skyline of some parts of London, people, and a dog. Then I moved on to 4 things I could touch: my coat, the grass under my feet, a fence that bordered the horse stable, and my phone in my hand. Then, there were three things I could hear: birds, voices, and the leaves rustling in the wind. 2 things I could smell two things: farm animals and a campfire. The final being one thing I could taste: N/A. Grounding myself in this new environment through the five senses breezed back an air of familiarity and appreciation for taking a step back and just admiring.

This intentional pause helped me realize how much I missed these small joys, which can be challenging under the constant busyness of London. Don’t get me wrong, I love London, but sometimes it’s nice to reach a state of tranquility outside of the noise. I plan to return next semester whenever I need to escape and enjoy the company of animals for free. I would recommend coming to Mudchute Park and Farm for anyone who wants an escape from the city that is still relatively close to inner city London—anyone who wants a dose of serotonin from animals and wants to add spice to their park walk.

Delaney Lehman

Major: International Studies with a Language

Hometown: Neenah, Wisconsin