Well this is it, my time in Leeds is at an end. I should note, however, that one British trait I did not pick up during this time is the stiff upper lip, so this post is a bit on the sentimental side. Disclosure out of the way, here we go:
Rewind one year ago, I was excited for the new journey that I was about to embark on, unsure of what lie ahead, but ready to make a go of it. Well I certainly did that. This past year has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It has not always been easy, but it sure has been a lot of fun.
-When I first moved here I knew very little about the city, much less anybody in it. While I had been to London several times prior to visit family, Leeds was 200 miles away and totally new. Yet, despite the initial questioning of my own sanity, I soon settled in and met a great group of people. Over time, I came to embrace Leeds and Yorkshire, feeling like a local faster than I initially thought was possible.
-I found the masters course to be interesting and engaging, yet the lack of routine provided by the student lifestyle caused a bit of pause. I have aways thrived on a go,go,go type mentality, filling up every minute of my calendar. This course forced me to embrace a year of slowing down, yet still staying on top of school and remaining as active as possible. While there was perhaps too much downtime for my liking (with a hefty dosage of Netflix), I still managed to earn strong marks in my course, work part-time for a semester, travel across the England, visit 9 countries, and enjoy great times with friends. In short, I found my place in Leeds while still embracing the ability to venture out a fair bit.
-The uncertainty of this year has also caused a bit of anxiety over what I'm going to be doing next. Transitioning into a new industry is not going to be easy, but this year has confirmed that a move into global development/policy is what I want to be doing. While I am not necessarily excited about moving 'home', I feel confident that this past year can set me off on a path I've long been wanting to pursue.
Was this the perfect year, nicely packaged with a bow on top? No. Was this year an incredible blessing, and an opportunity to experience real life somewhere new? Absolutely yes. More importantly, if someone were to ask me which of the two options I would prefer, I'd honestly take the latter.
I joke that this year was 60% relatively mundane average days, but the other 40% was so much fun it easily made up for it. In all honesty though, the everyday, anywhere is an essential part of life. Whether it's here, San Francisco, Denver, or Timbuktu, its important to embrace whatever life throws your way. The big and the small. The ups and the downs. While Instagram posts paint a nice picture, it's the moments in-between that truly count.
The friendships I have developed over the past year have also played a huge role in making this experience what it was. There is no reason to list out names, because well, that's a bit silly and you all know who you are. While I have seen and done some awesome things, I have become to feel truly at home here, and that is because of you all. From pints, to concerts, to Sunday roasts, to ventures further afield, you have all made for some great memories (and perhaps some hazy ones as well...) Discussions ranging from British politics to even the best tea biscuit, have made for great conversations and a seemingly never ending quote list...which may not make the best stories to outsiders, but will surely make for a good laugh on my part....
More importantly my friends and family have made this place home.
A while back I noted in a post, 'its possible to feel at home in different places, and it's not necessary to close out one in order to embrace another'. With that said, while I may be moving back to the US, I have no intention on closing the door on my home across the pond. I will be sure to keep in touch and visit as much as possible (starting in December for graduation).
So I guess the last thing to say is thank you. Cheers to an absolutely 'quality' year!
Rewind one year ago, I was excited for the new journey that I was about to embark on, unsure of what lie ahead, but ready to make a go of it. Well I certainly did that. This past year has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It has not always been easy, but it sure has been a lot of fun.
-When I first moved here I knew very little about the city, much less anybody in it. While I had been to London several times prior to visit family, Leeds was 200 miles away and totally new. Yet, despite the initial questioning of my own sanity, I soon settled in and met a great group of people. Over time, I came to embrace Leeds and Yorkshire, feeling like a local faster than I initially thought was possible.
-I found the masters course to be interesting and engaging, yet the lack of routine provided by the student lifestyle caused a bit of pause. I have aways thrived on a go,go,go type mentality, filling up every minute of my calendar. This course forced me to embrace a year of slowing down, yet still staying on top of school and remaining as active as possible. While there was perhaps too much downtime for my liking (with a hefty dosage of Netflix), I still managed to earn strong marks in my course, work part-time for a semester, travel across the England, visit 9 countries, and enjoy great times with friends. In short, I found my place in Leeds while still embracing the ability to venture out a fair bit.
-The uncertainty of this year has also caused a bit of anxiety over what I'm going to be doing next. Transitioning into a new industry is not going to be easy, but this year has confirmed that a move into global development/policy is what I want to be doing. While I am not necessarily excited about moving 'home', I feel confident that this past year can set me off on a path I've long been wanting to pursue.
Was this the perfect year, nicely packaged with a bow on top? No. Was this year an incredible blessing, and an opportunity to experience real life somewhere new? Absolutely yes. More importantly, if someone were to ask me which of the two options I would prefer, I'd honestly take the latter.
I joke that this year was 60% relatively mundane average days, but the other 40% was so much fun it easily made up for it. In all honesty though, the everyday, anywhere is an essential part of life. Whether it's here, San Francisco, Denver, or Timbuktu, its important to embrace whatever life throws your way. The big and the small. The ups and the downs. While Instagram posts paint a nice picture, it's the moments in-between that truly count.
The friendships I have developed over the past year have also played a huge role in making this experience what it was. There is no reason to list out names, because well, that's a bit silly and you all know who you are. While I have seen and done some awesome things, I have become to feel truly at home here, and that is because of you all. From pints, to concerts, to Sunday roasts, to ventures further afield, you have all made for some great memories (and perhaps some hazy ones as well...) Discussions ranging from British politics to even the best tea biscuit, have made for great conversations and a seemingly never ending quote list...which may not make the best stories to outsiders, but will surely make for a good laugh on my part....
More importantly my friends and family have made this place home.
A while back I noted in a post, 'its possible to feel at home in different places, and it's not necessary to close out one in order to embrace another'. With that said, while I may be moving back to the US, I have no intention on closing the door on my home across the pond. I will be sure to keep in touch and visit as much as possible (starting in December for graduation).
So I guess the last thing to say is thank you. Cheers to an absolutely 'quality' year!
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| Flying out just over a year ago! |
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| Great Hall on campus...where I will be (hopefully) grabbing my diploma in December. |
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| One of my locals...The Eldon should also get an honourable mention |
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| View of my old flat building from my new flat |
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| Beautiful Yorkshire |
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