I’ve officially passed the halfway point between arriving in London and coming home for Christmas! And let’s start off by saying this… I’m counting down the days. My time here so far has been a rollercoaster ride – to say the least. But things are looking up, and I’m going to share some of my favorite memories and things about London so far.

For starters – there are cute neighborhoods to be discovered, e v e r y w h e r e ! London can feel so massively overwhelming at times, finding the charming spots makes it feel more intimate and cosy.

One of my favorite things to do is pick a cute coffee shop and explore a new neighborhood. You can find everything from beautiful brick homes to colorful rows of houses, and everything in-between.

Some of my favorite neighborhoods are Notting Hill, Kensington, and Chelsea. And surprise, surprise – these happen to be some of the wealthiest neighborhoods too.

Another thing that has made me fall in love with London – my church. I came here expecting to dive right in to Hillsong London, but God had a different plan. I found myself on a chilly Sunday at warm and cosy Holy Trinity Brompton – better known as HTB. It has been one of my absolute favorite things here. I look forward to Sundays every week for the time I get to spend meeting new friends, worshipping God, and learning scripture. And here’s a perk – it’s in gorgeous South Kensington where there’s loads of cute homes, charming coffee shops, and dreamy cars.

Glowing sunsets reflecting off the River Thames and Canary Wharf skyline can’t be beat either. I cross Waterloo Bridge every day going in and out of central London and am always in awe of the pretty views along the river. When you look to the left you can see Westminster Abbey and Big Ben (who is under wraps right now!) and to the right is modern skyscrapers. G o r g e o u s !

As the weather’s cooling down (it was a frigid 41 degrees yesterday!), London is warming up to me. Things I love – the cute coffee shops and neighborhoods, the skyline, my school (sometimes – it’s getting intense!), my friends, my church, and the fact that I have Europe at my fingertips to explore.

So far I’ve spent weekends away in Austria and Switzerland – more to come soon on that! I take off for Barcelona in just a few days for a much needed long weekend, and hope to visit Christmas markets in Germany or Belgium before heading home for the holiday!

Madeline x