England: Logan Hanson (A Home Away from Home in London)

A Home Away from Home in London

Growing up in a town of only 1,500 people and a state of only 6 million and coming to a city of nearly 9 million, it truly is far and away from everything I am used to at home. Yet, so much of it that I have taken for granted and will surely miss when returning back home.

I am going to miss the luxury of walkability. It is a luxury having the freedom to walk everywhere; to walk to the grocery store, to school, to a five-star restaurant, or to the quietest bookstore and the busiest tourist traps. Furthermore, I will miss the public transportation. Even if the Piccadilly Line can’t handle leaf-fall, or if the Northern Line fails every time it rains, or if the buses are slow, they have been a reliable and easygoing friend. On top of that, with the national rail network, there is no better way to travel the country than by train. It is such a pleasant and whimsical experience compared to driving through miles of highway. I will miss not having to drive everywhere.

I will miss having world-class food and drink so tantalizingly close. I will especially miss the variety and abundance of quality, independent coffee shops. I love that every couple of streets I can find cafe owners and workers who care about the service and craft of coffee. From spiced, Persian coffee, to thick, Italian espressos, to delicate, japanese-style pour overs, there has been a whole world of coffee to explore here in London. Likewise, I will miss the diversity of foods. I will miss Mediterranean desserts, Britians’ hearty foods, and particularly 24/7 beigel bakeries on Brick Lane. Having such freedom of cuisine can be a curse of overwhelming options and opportunities, but it will all be missed when I leave.

I will also miss the extravagance and richness of South Kensington because having a palace in my backyard, walking past millennia of history every day, and studying in replicas of Roman columns at the V&A has not gotten old. The architecture, too, will be greatly missed, as it brings so much life and heterogeneity to the city; quaint mews built behind great lumbering townhouses and cozy houses not far from looming skyscrapers and imposing cathedrals. Moreover, I will miss the Ferraris, Aston Martins, and Roll Royces that appear on my street or roll past the window of the cafe I am sitting at and I will miss texting my dad about every one of them.

But most of all, I will miss London’s culture. There is such a diversity of culture, ideas, and experience that it brings me to challenge beliefs and values and explore them deeper. Differences may spark conflict, but through the conflict there is also growth, compromise, and community. I am excited to eventually return home, and to learn at Madison, but I will miss the energy of a truly large city where the world can feel just a tad bit smaller.

Logan Hanson

Major: Physics

Hometown: Wittenberg, Wisconsin