London. A place illustrated through music and often seen in movies; I felt as if I was in a different world! The language was the same, but the atmosphere was different. A new place full of similarities, and yet, the differences make you feel as if this piece of the World never knew Covid existed!
As I walked the streets, and diligently tried my best to look the appropriate direction whilst crossing said streets, I couldn't help but notice that masks were something of the past and social distancing was an alien practice; especially in spaces such as Selfridges, Harrods, the Tube . . . and Macdonalds, which not-so-surprisingly carries my favorite chicken select snack as an option on the menu! So off I went nibbling on my favorite fast food delicacy, and traversing into the illustrious and massive Hyde Park, stopping through secret Rose gardens to smell the flowers.
With hints of New York in the air, the Tube is a multicultural portal to people from all over the world! And with so many different people sharing the same space, the same air, one would understand the slight trepidation when it comes to Covid-19 and this pandemic. Traveling outside the country is a special opportunity - add the challenge of Covid-19, and you have yourself an adventure suited perfectly for a Covid Ninja, as Dr. Blessman calls our community!
Wearing a mask, using my hand sanitizer, and keeping my situational awareness on full alert, I was able to venture around town, partake in the night life, and experience different parts of the city I may not have thought to if the pandemic weren't reality.
Besides seeing the monuments on the beaten path, I took a step outside of London and visited the Chelsea Psychedelic Garden! An open space full of flowers, trees, and
foliage straight from a picture book.
I felt confident that I could make my way around London, regardless of the culture's decision to live life mask-less and as if Covid was a feat of the past.
Traveling via airplane, train, and taxi was an experience I was prepared for, due to following Auset Isis's biosafety protocols!
My adventure to London allowed me to see the world from a different lens. Attending political rallies, conversing with UK street police, sitting down with one of our most devoted community members, and much more . . .
To know yourself, is to leave your comfort zone! And to leave your comfort zone, you have to try something new.
At Auset-Isis, we live by the creed "thriving, not just surviving!" and my trip across the pond was just that!