Then a smell hit my nose for the briefest of moments. I knew that smell.
For a split second I caught a whiff of the same smell I grew acustomed to in London walking through the small park by our hostel. I love that smell. I never found the flowers that produced such a fragrance but that just made me crave it more. I don't really know what caused me to smell it here. It's winter in Texas. Nothing grows. The grass is yellow, the trees are bare, and the only somewhat fragrant thing nearby would be the school gym, which isn't excatly pleasant. But for that split second, I knew I had smelled it.
Of course the moment I tried discovering the scent, it disappeared. It had a tremendous effect, whether it was an illusion or not. I felt relaxed and calm; a feeling that had escaped me since school started. I felt like I was back in London in the small park, the small piece of green countryside in the middle of cold gray buildings. It gave me just enough momentum to carry my day forward.
The scent brought back memories as well. It's been a year since my flight left for London. This time last year I was fighting my way through London traffic and getting used to the time difference. I miss it. I miss the way the city is imbued with history and stories just waiting to be told. I miss everyday tasks like getting food at Waitrose or catching the Tube or the bus. I miss the sense of adventure that you get when you're in a foriegn country; as if there's something exciting waiting for you if only you're brave enough to find it. I miss the countryside. I miss Scotland and its hairy coos. I even miss having toast and jam in the mornng in the small kitchen of our hostel, looking out the window at the small courtyard in the back.
But beyond just missing it, I hope to go back. Not as a tourist or a student, just a traveler waiting to see what the city and country has in store for them.
