The good news is that I will be home again in a few short weeks, and I will stay in Chicago until shortly after our wedding. Did you hear that? I will be home for almost 2 months this summer {Weeeeee! Yipeeeeeee!!!}. And did you also hear that? Our wedding is so soon {insert happy dance and clapping hands emoji}.
Being back home for long periods of time help me to reflect and focus on new parts of London {and Chicago} that I did not know or realize before. So, this post is all about what I learned about London while not actually being in London. And the bottom line is: London isn't terrible, but as I said previously, it's just not home {which means that it's not the best ;)}.
1. The food is so bland in London. On the other hand, the food is too salty in Chicago (and this is coming from a salt-a-holic).
2. The L is just as convenient and easy to use as the tube, and I wish I had taken advantage of it and appreciated it more when I lived at home; however, the L is certainly filthier than the tube. Chicago needs to take a hint from London and step up its train game.
3. America definitely has an obesity problem. I've tried to defend Americans and our weight issues while living overseas, but after being in Chicago, I've noticed just how unhealthy we are. That being said, not all Americans are like that. Just like not all Europeans are healthy.
4. British people do not enjoy making small talk with people they don't know or just meet. Americans {at least Chicagoans} seem to talk to anyone.
5. I feel much safer walking alone on the streets of London rather than walking the streets of Chicago by myself. Maybe it's because in England, there are no guns {question mark?}. Whatever the reason may be, Chicago definitely is not the safest city {and there are more articles just like that one}.
6. London needs to build a Target. ASAP. Preferably, right next door to our flat.
7. Pedestrians do not have the right of way in London. I can't tell you what a sigh of relief it was to cross the streets in Chicago and not be terrified of getting plowed by a car, motorcycle, bike, bus, or lorry {truck, as them Brits call it}.
8. London water is hard and it makes my clothes hard. Since being home, I learned that I hate how my clothes feel in London. My clothes are much softer when washed at home.
9. Londoners walk. A. Lot. They walk everywhere. I missed this about London {*gasp* did I just say I missed something about London?}.
10. London is nice, but no matter where I travel, Chicago is the most beautiful city I've ever laid eyes on. I almost cried when I saw the skyline from the plane into O'Hare {photo below}.