It’s Monday night in London. It’s sad to think that our trip is coming to a close on Wednesday, but there has been no shortage of incredible experiences on this trip.

Tonight we took a tour of the Tower of London with a tour guide that was both hilarious and knowledgeable. We saw the Ravens of the Tower of London and learned some terrifying tales of ghosts that haunt the once-home of the rulers of Great Britain. We walked the walls of the tower and explored the room where prisoners were held and the courtyard where those convicted of crimes against the state were executed. We also learned of the grisly ways the convicts were tortured to extract confessions and information. I was deeply interested but also chilled to the bone.

This city is incredibly rich in history, both local and foreign. The culture here is so distinctly British, but there are moments where the rest of the world’s history seems to bleed through the cracks, with people of every race, gender, and creed taking to the streets to explore the (nearly) thousand year history of London. Everywhere I go I hear a new language and see a new face. It’s both impressive and intimidating.

Early this morning, we explored the Globe Theatre and the exhibition hosted there using audio guides to take us on a journey through the (relatively new) reproduction of Shakespeare’s original playing house. I would have preferred a live tour guide, but I suppose beggars can’t be choosers – it was thrilling to visit the place and to be able to explore. We even caught a glimpse of their crew dismantling one set to get ready to put up another.

Our night was full of incredible laughs as the whole group shipped off to see “39 Steps”, a play that parodied Alfred Hitchcock films and the novel of the same name. It was a cast of only four – all but the lead male playing multiple characters, sometimes with only a few lines to change completely. Some changes were done completely on stage in a clever way that only added to the comedy.

We had front row seats and by the end of it, our whole group was on their feet giving a standing ovation. No luck with meeting the cast at the stage door, but an incredible experience nonetheless. Watching other incredible actors act has done nothing but fuel my desire to do the same.

The rest of the week has been amazing as well; we’ve explored theatres, museums, and the streets of London.

My roommate Emily and I had the extraordinary opportunity to see “Memphis” – a musical on the West End – and meet the star of the show: Killian Donnelly. Being that he is one of my favorite actors, I was beyond ecstatic. His talent and his charm know absolutely no bounds. We also met Andrew Scott (known for playing Moriarty on BBC’s Sherlock) after our tour of the National Theatre. He was very kind and risked being late for his show to take a picture with us.

I don’t ever want to leave London, but I know for certain that even though I’ll have to say goodbye to this wonderful city on Wednesday, I’ll be back soon enough. I feel at home in London… maybe in the future I’ll be able to make this city mine.