Pit Stop in Wales

After the euphoric month I spent in Prague, I am lucky enough to have been welcomed back to Wales for a visit before returning to New York. I am staying with one of my best friends, Annie, who was my flatmate in Uni Hall when I studied at Cardiff University. This is my second time meeting up with her since studying in Cardiff, but my first time coming to her home in Wrexham.

Not only was the cool, rainy weather comforting after an extremely hot summer in Prague, but Annie’s parents and house are even more comforting. They’ve made me feel so welcome that I’ve talked of being adopted into the family.

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Annie took me on a tour to Chester, England on Sunday and then we had a study session when we returned. We went to ride her horse on Monday before a cheeky night out for old time’s sake. Tuesday was recovery day and I continued to work on my essays. Wednesday we met up with another flatmate from Cardiff, Kym, in Chester. They took me to Afflecks, and indoor indie commerce shop with a variety of different shops. It was basically the whole village of New Paltz in one building: tapestries, records, henna… very hipster and I loved it. Unfortunately, my budget was super tight at this point and I had major baggage restrictions so I had to resort to window shopping, but it was wonderful. We eventually went to the Manchester Art Gallery which was free and HUGE. I love art, and it almost made me feel like it was another day in Prague.

All in all, it was so great to spend time with my friends that I made during my first study abroad experience. I remember being miserable when I had to leave Cardiff, not knowing when I’d see all my Welsh and English friends next… 1 and a half years later, I’ve been back to Europe two more times and some of them have even came to visit me in New York.

Traveling is really the most beautiful, indescribable, surreal thing I’ve ever done; I don’t ever plan to stop.

Ja'Lisha, a Creative Writing major with a minor in Black Studies, is studying Summer 2015 at Charles University. This is her second study abroad experience, with her first being in Cardiff, Wales in Fall 2013. She is thrilled to have another opportunity to study abroad and this time she plans to document as much of it as possible.

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