Just Jenn: My Neighborhood: South Kensington

South Kensington, London

South Kensington, my neck of the woods for the next few months, is known to be one of the poshest neighborhoods in all of England. And I must say, at first I did feel rather "out of place" living in this area. When does a naive college student ever feel "at home" amongst diplomats and businessmen? Regardless, I absolutely adore the neighborhood. When I'm not passing by immaculate and grand row-homes or foreign embassies, I'm walking around prim private schools for uniform-clad children. Every afternoon there are always young students skipping down the Mercedes-gilded streets.

And to top it all off, some of the most beautiful and world-renowned museums in London are just a couple of blocks away. I'm very much so a museum geek, so I can totally imagine myself spending a quiet day at one of the museums, just enriching my mind while simultaneously taking a breather (which I think I will need quite often here).
Beyond my usual route to and from class, there is still so much beauty just a few arm's reaches farther, from Kensington Garden to Royal Albert Hall. When I first moved into the area, I would take long strolls around the area to get closer acquainted with South Kensington. And honestly, it truly never gets old. London does not have the same grid plan that cities back in the States have, so it's not difficult to end up on the unintended track. But luckily for me, this totally makes for a great way to explore what's around. I've taken wrong turns many times and found myself in other beautiful neighborhoods and more rows of wonderful buildings. After a week of living here, I can say that I am much more familiar with South Kensington than I was a few days ago, and it's an extremely comforting feeling. After all, I will be living here for some time, so I would like to think that this will be the "home away from home" that I will know inside and out.