One of my favorite parts of my Laidlaw experience has been exploring new places whenever I had free time. I have always loved walking around new cities, trying different foods, and seeing what makes each place unique. Living in London gave me so many opportunities to do that. I spent time wandering through neighborhoods like Notting Hill, where I picked up souvenirs for my friends and family and got to experience a completely different side of the city.

One of the most memorable trips I took was visiting Phoebe (another laidlaw scholar) in Paris. It was my first time taking the Eurostar, and I was excited to see what all the hype was about. Before I left, everyone kept joking that I would see fish because the train goes underwater. I can officially confirm that it is definitely not true, but it made the trip even more fun because every local seemed to tell me the same story!

Something that surprised me was how casually people in London talk about traveling to Paris. My coworkers at Maggie's explained that taking the train to Paris feels almost like traveling to another state in the U.S. That completely changed how I thought about travel in Europe. Everything feels so much more connected, and hopping on a train to another country is just a normal weekend trip for many people.

Phoebe and I spent the day walking around Paris and trying one of the highest rated croissants in the city, which definitely lived up to the hype. The photo I attached is from that moment. Throughout the rest of my trip, I also made time to visit the Palace of Versailles, see the Eiffel Tower, try Angelina's famous hot chocolate, and sample plenty of macarons. It was one of those days where I felt like I was constantly seeing or trying something new.

Looking back, these experiences became some of my favorite memories from Laidlaw. They reminded me that learning does not just happen in a classroom or at a placement. Sometimes it happens while talking with coworkers who completely change your perspective on travel or navigating a new country for the first time.