Studying abroad at King’s is a daily adventure. Every morning at 10 a.m. I would wake up and begin my walk across the Thames from Guys Campus to Strand Campus. Passing the shard, I watched the line for the tube snake out of the London Bridge Station. Veering off course, I would walk into Borough market to grab breakfast and a coffee from one of the food stands. Then I continued my walk along the bank to the Thames. Each day I passed the Globe Theater and the Tate to get to the Millennium Footbridge. Crossing the bridge, I would always look down to find Ben Wilson’s gum art stuck to the ground in the shape of flowers or animals. Once I crossed the bridge, I followed the bank to Strand Campus, stopping only for a coffee at Pret. The walk was stunning, even when it rained, which happened a lot.
Being in the heart of London makes King’s a unique study abroad experience. During lunchtime or after my classes, I would sit on the terrace at Somerset House an observe the bustle of the city and watch the boats sail down the Thames. Occasionally, I would walk to the British Museum or Oxford Street between classes. All of the sites you see on postcards you pass on your way to campus. You get a hybrid experience of being both a student and a tourist on a daily basis. Throughout the semester, you start to feel like you have found your place in London. The tourist mentality fades away. However, the awe of the views and historical sites that surround campus never goes away.