With a month left before I go back to the States, I'm thinking about all the little things I want to hold on to about my time abroad in Bath, England. One of the many memories is my walk to class. I thought I'd guide you through my routine path to show why this walk is one of my favorite things about living this city.
My walk to class is the reason I wake up every morning. Well, at least the reason I wake up 20 minutes earlier so I can get to class on time. This walk greets my sleepy self with the chill of morning and an uneven sidewalk crookedly smiling at me. My walk understands I'm not a morning person and keeps the streets near my flat quiet. I'm so thankful for that little detail.
The slight slope of the road motivates me to continue down my street and towards a row of quiet shops. This early in the morning there's nothing more lively than the display window of the bridal shop full of lace and tool fitted on the mannequins. Before I know it, there is a quick turn towards The Circus. The buildings stop blocking the wind, allowing a gust to give my neatly brushed hair a blowout. I pushed the strands away from my face. My sigh isn't nearly as powerful as the wind that continues to push me towards the next street.
A steeper slope down, eases my walking and puts me back in a sleepy state. Until one of the uneven stones catches my foot across and I'm fully awake again. This happens every time, not matter how awake I am.
While waiting at a cross walk, I listen to the British accented conversations around me. The cross walk signal has picked the most snooze-worthy sound which draws attention to the green walking sign. Once I'm across the road, my route brings me toward the busy centre of Bath. All the fancy boutiques and retail shops are ready to open up for the day. I'm tempted by the smell of coffee in the numerous cafes around every corner. This distracts me from the crowd of people I'm walking through as I dodge in all directions to find a clear path. My walk to class has taught me that tour groups and pigeons have one thing in common: they never move out of my way.
The rest of my walk in motivated by walking by the towering structure of the Bath Abbey. The stone architecture reminds me of the history of Bath. Then looking to my right, at the entrance to the Roman Baths, truly reminds me of the history this medieval city holds. My brief step into the past is broken by the three different ice cream shops on the narrow street behind the centre. My mind instantly turns to thoughts of secretly wishing they were open for breakfast.
Another cross walk alarm signals me to the final sidewalk. I approach the small building ASE has made into a comfortable environment for all their students. As I push the door open I think about how much a love my walk to class. After a moment, I think about my walk back to the flat and my shoulders drop realizing all those helpful slopes down have just become steep hills to climb up.
