It’s proving to be a cold and wet summer: my international friends have been most confused about this English weather. “The weather is very strange in England!” seems to be the general consensus. Nonetheless, despite the bittersweet inevitability of losing people to different futures and different countries, I am managing to enjoy my time.

People are making plans, moving away, leavings others behind. We walk around, drink cups of tea and snap silly photos of each other. This carefree feeling may not last forever. Informality is more enjoyable than formality, even if it makes for less crisp photographs. The upsides of having friends that hail from countries far across the globe are too numerous to list. The downsides are generally bureaucratical: visa issues, wages, duty.

It’s a period in life where things change constantly, sometimes without any clear consciousness or reason. Despite being young still, an impending fear of age and decay begins to enter. Tomorrow is my twenty-first birthday, and I hope it is fun!

-Anushka