My Year In London

In April 2018, I got accepted to do my masters at the University College London. At the time, I was really eager to get away from home and have the opportunity to study a subject that I’m really passionate about. I figured that as someone who loves to experience new places, moving to London would be incredible. In the months leading up to my move, I was beyond excited about embarking on this new journey. On the morning of my flight, I was actually quite nervous but once I landed in London, I quickly fell in love with the whole experience. Don’t get me wrong, living in London was definitely a challenge at times. But it’s an experience that I would not change for anything! I realize that I never shared my experience on here after a whole year (which is kinda crazy), so for the one-year anniversary of myopenborders.com (WOOHOO) I wanted to share some of my favorite moments from my year in London!

1. Fela Kuti’s Birthday at The Jazz Cafe

Fela Kuti is the revolutionary pioneer of afrobeats, so when my friend invited me to a show that fervently celebrated his music and legacy, I was so excited. Hearing the band’s lively performance of “Zombie” and “Water No Get Enemy” brought back all the memories of my dad playing Fela cassette tapes in his car while growing up. It’s safe to say I need to start going for more live band performances (especially considering #2).

2. Jazz Nights at L’Oscars Hotel

Realizing my love for jazz was definitely an unexpected moment of self-discovery. I absolutely love how soothing it is to listen to, especially after a crazy day at uni. During my first term, I became slightly obsessed with going to L’Oscars Hotel for a night of live jazz music accompanied by some much-needed chardonnay and hors d’oeuvres. The hotel is located in a restored baptist church, so in accordance with that theme, they have drink menus for both saints and sinners – for you to pick whichever best suits you. Unfortunately, they don’t have it as often but if you call, they can tell you about their upcoming events.

3. Dinner at Hutong – The Shard

I’m 100% addicted to Chinese food so dinner at Hutong was fantastic! Aside from their mouthwatering dim sum, I especially loved the view of London from The Shard and the ambiance of the restaurant. This was probably one of the nicest dining experiences I had in London since I was such a homebody but it’s actually regarded as one of the best Chinese restaurants in London by Conde Nast and British GQ.

4. Lion King Musical

For my birthday, my sweet cousin got us tickets to see The Lion King Musical at Lyceum Theatre. This was arguably one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. The Lion King is my favorite childhood movie, so I may be a bit biased, but it was definitely the best musical I’ve ever seen. The vibrant colors on set, the undeniably talented cast, and all the nostalgia that came with it was awe-inspiring!

5. Arsenal Game

If we’re being honest, I don’t really know anything about football (soccer) besides that fact that you need the ball to go into the goal. But my cousin told me that everyone in our family supports Arsenal so clearly, I had to get on board. Going to the Arsenal game at the Emirates Stadium was on my London bucket list, and it did not disappoint! The energy was crazyyy and luckily Arsenal won that day so it was a lot of fun!

6. Uni!

Going to UCL is something I definitely do not take for granted. Although I was damn near crying from stress every other day, overall it was amazing. For the most part, I actually enjoyed the courses I took (a very unfamiliar feeling)! I met amazing people and got to travel to so many beautiful European cities. I’ll definitely miss uni life!

I really hope you enjoyed this post! If there’s anything else you’d like to know about my year in London please feel free to comment below!