Week Seven

© James Kenvin

James Kenvin checks in weekly from his study abroad semester in London; catch up with him every Wednesday on Trazee Travel.

It’s weird to think I have been living in London for more than a month now. This semester seems to be going by so fast, especially relative to past semesters in Philadelphia when I would be eagerly counting down the days until winter break. My life here and my life at home seem so different — as if from two completely different worlds — so it was a strange feeling to see my parents here when they came for a visit over the weekend. I was so excited to finally see them, and to show them the city I’ve been living in. (Of course, having them take me out to dinner and go to places I normally couldn’t afford was a plus too.)

We decided our first stop would be the London Eye. I’ve heard the enormous Ferris wheel is a must-do in London, so I was looking forward to going. When we got there, however, I realized the London Eye was merely another tourist trap. Everyone in our “Plexiglas bubble” was bustling around to each window, frantically taking pictures of buildings and places.

I noticed this same type of behavior the next day when we went to the Tower of London to see the crown jewels. While we were in the exhibit reading about the history of the monarchy in Britain, I overheard some lady rush over to a window exclaiming, “Here’s something else that’s shiny!” It made me think about the difference between being a tourist and being a traveler. One of my professors said tourists find importance in the things that they are told are important, but travelers fully experience and connect with the places they visit. Seeing this lesson play out in front of me encouraged me to rethink how I go about my travels while I’m here. I often go to places because others tell me where to go. I want to know what it would be like to see a foreign city with no itinerary or schedule of any kind — to be a traveler instead of a tourist.