I Left London: Time to Reflect

Hello! My name is Danai Mandebvu and I am a rising senior pursuing a double major in Theatre and Global Studies at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, United States as an international student from Zimbabwe. I studied abroad in London in spring 2024 with IES Abroad London’s Theatre program.  My experience abroad was one of the best experiences of my life for so many different reasons. I had the opportunity to spend four amazing months accumulating beautiful and challenging experiences that excited and stretched me professionally, academically, emotionally, mentally and relationally. My program ended two weeks ago and I left London. However, my memories of joys, challenges, and achievements, from the last four months came with me to my home in Zimbabwe where I have been visiting family and reflecting on my study abroad experience. Leaving London allowed me to transition from living that experience in the present to finally reflecting on it from a new perspective. The last two weeks have been a great opportunity for me to draw realizations and lessons from my experience and this video is my way of sharing some of them. However, this video also marks the beginning of a lifelong process of drawing from my experience in London and continuing to learn from it. Studying abroad in London is the gift that keeps on giving because even after I have come back home it continues to gift me memories, perspective and a sense of fulfilment, as well as connections that have stayed with me. My experiences in the U.K. also shaped me and my perspective on life. So, I have gained a new version of myself that I carry forward into whatever comes next. In this video, I talk about what I loved about my experience in London in the hopes that someone who resonates with what I enjoyed is inspired to study abroad there too.