EF Stories: Manuel from Mexico at EF Bournemouth
/)
Nervous and anxious, that's how I felt at the beginning of my trip to Bournemouth last summer. At the age of 14, I traveled abroad for the first time without my parents. It was undoubtedly a life-changing experience that I want to repeat as soon as possible.
My sisters had traveled to the same destination in 2012 and 2016, and this year it was my turn to experience the freedom and adventures that this city had in store for me.
I went on a group trip during the summer with 36 other students to Bournemouth, England. While it might not sound as glamorous as London, it was the perfect city for us. Located on the south coast of England, it's a small city, but you never get tired of it. There, I could be myself without worrying about others.
We arrived at the Lyme Regis residence at 1:40 in the morning. The next day, we had to wake up at 7:30 for breakfast and start classes at 9. On the first day, we were given a tour of the city, and over the weekend, we took a trip to London. It was a very different city from what I was used to, beautiful and a bit old. I visited Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, and the Tower Bridge.
I also had the opportunity to visit Stonehenge, Oxford, Stratford, Salisbury, the Jurassic Coast, Sandbanks in Bournemouth, Venice, Paris, Rome, Siena, Florence, and even slept on a train 🚊. All of this was accompanied by a leader who always looked out for us.
During the month-long trip, I met people who earned a special place in the story of my life and in my heart. Among them were another Mexican, a Colombian, an Ecuadorian, an Italian/Swiss, a Turkish guy named Ete, many French people, and more Mexicans who, like me, were exploring the world.
One of the things I didn't like was the food. Honestly, it's very, very different from Mexican food and what I was used to, so I had a hard time acquiring a taste for it. Although there were always fast food options like Subway or KFC available.
Without a doubt, what I take away from this experience is that the world is not just where you go every day, but it's how far you're willing to go.
Thank you for letting me share a bit of my experience with you, and I hope this inspires you to venture out and try new things.
