I left my heart in Brighton

It's difficult to explain to others how my semester abroad in England went. From someone who has been stuck in her hometown for 21 years, any location would have been a nice change. But if I could go back and choose again, Brighton would have been selected without any hesitation.

While it may have been better to be housed closer into town, I grew to love the bus rides. I rarely ever used public transportation at home, but the bus system here seemed pretty efficient. It was a pain to pay for bus fares, but you can easily compare it to the amount you spend on a car, gas and insurance.

As for academics, the "modules" I took were relatively easier than the ones I took at home. I kind of had a freebie semester, but for my flatmates, it was difficult for them to get classes they needed for their major. HOWEVER, I recall USAC letting us know beforehand that this location should only be chosen if the student has flexibility in class selections.

Brighton reminds me a lot of San Francisco. It's gloomy and diverse... it's a student town! There's ALWAYS something going on, no matter what day of the week it is. If pubs, pebble beaches, cute little shops, and concerts aren't your thing, London is only an hour train ride away. And then from London, your destinations are (almost) unlimited. Hello Europe!

Now that I am back in the States, there is not a single day that goes by where I don't think of Brighton and all the friends and memories I made there. If anything, I wish someone warned me about this four-months-and-going homesick feeling I have for marvelous Brighton...