I Will See You Again

"This is not where it ends. I will carry you with me, till I see you again." These lyrics are from a song called See You Again, by one of my favorite country artists, Carrie Underwood. These were the lyrics that played in my head during my last week in London. Of course, I missed my friends and family back home terribly, my summer in London was everything I hoped it would be and more.

During my last week at ICS, I started with the 5-6 intermediate class and moved to the 5-6 advanced class. The kids in both classes were fantastic. Most of them could speak a good amount of English which made the days a lot easier. On Wednesday we went to the Battersea Children's Zoo in Battersea park! Granted, it was a children's zoo so there weren't any huge animals, but it was such a fun trip. The kids were studying animals, so it was really rewarding to hear them call some of the animals by name or ask about ones they didn't know. We spend the morning walking around the zoo and letting the kids play on the playground before we went back to the school. Since the 5-6 classes are pretty young, their trips are only half day trips. We saw some pretty cool animals including different birds, monkeys, otters, and rabbits to name a few.

My last day of work was my last full day in London, which made it a really tough day. In the morning when I got to work, there was a full breakfast laid out in the staff room with a note for me and a coworker who was also leaving that day. It was so sweet! I spent the end of the week with the 5-6 advanced class who made me a book called, "How to be a Great Teacher" full of their writing and drawing. It includes things like, "Play games" and "Teach kids."It's one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever gotten from a class! I also recieved a thank you note signed by everyone and a very nice Swarovski pen from the school. I was shocked that I was so thought of. The people I worked with were truely amazing in every sense of the word. I am so luck to have gotten the chance to work with people who I learned from and was inspired by. I have such a global perspective on teaching thanks to these people, and I couldn't have asked for a better internship!

Some of my staff at ICS

After work my coworkers and I spend the afternoon and evening in the park and at a local pub. Friends I had met came to see me as well which made it a really fun night.

London has been a dream for me since I was in the fourth grade. I opened my blog by telling you how the history of this city has fueled my passion for reading from such a young age. The love I've had for this city has only increased in my two months there. It's a vibrant city full of modern culture and breathtaking historical sights. I know in my heart that someday, hopefully in the not to distant future, I'd like to go back there on a more permanent basis. From the global education program I experienced at ICS to the amazing people I met, I am sure this is a place I could someday call home. It might not be home forever, but I think I'd love to spend a few years really living and working in London. It's a beautiful place and I couldn't imagine saying goodbye to it or the friends I've made. So to quote Carrie, "I will see you again!" Thank you to all who read my blog! I'm so happy I could share my European adventures with you!

Cheers!