I think the biggest thing I gained from our trip to London was a better understanding of the conditions surrounding British women writers. I was fascinated by all of the tours we took. Hearing about the conditions of the poor in the manufacturing areas and seeing the recreated drawing rooms from the Victorian period helped North and South come to life. I loved being able to smell and eat the food on Brick Lane. And it was incredible to be able to have class in a room Virginia Woolf once used. I was able to connect to the literature like never before. I’ve always had a stronger connection to American writers, but I think that visiting England will expand my appreciation for British writers. The trip was an amazing experience all around, both for my education and personally. This was my first trip out of the country, and it was world expanding. I didn’t expect to feel so at home so far away, but part of me really felt a connection with London. I think the literature made me feel a little bit like I already knew London almost as much as seeing the city in person helped the reading become more real. I honestly don’t know how to articulate it any more. It was an amazing time.