The Hladys, Home, and Hogwarts (Hlady)
By Annie Hlady.
My life is centered around the most important thing: family. When coming to London, I knew the hardest challenge I would face was leaving them for 4 months. Although I do live at PC, my family being only 20 minutes away has always been a huge comfort for me. Now, they are a whole ocean away. Although this is something which I was nervous about, I knew that coming here would allow me to grow as my own person. Even still, I miss my family and was beyond excited when my Mom and sister Gennie came here to visit me. I was able to show them my home for the past 4 months, which was so special to me. Although my Mom could not figure out how to stand on the right side of the escalator and my sister did fall off the seat in the tube, we had a great time exploring the city. I was able to show them unique aspects of London, such as their cuisine. Although my mom was nervous about me ordering a steak and ale pie, she actually enjoyed it!
While they were in London, we explored iconic touristy areas such as Big Ben and the London Eye. However, we were able to see how London has been shaped by the world beyond its shores through our tour of the Warner Brothers Studio. My family and I are major fans of Harry Potter, and it was unreal to see the sets, costumes, and special effects of the series which I have grown up with. Although the book and movies have been produced in the UK and right outside of London, fans from around the world come to see the Warner Brothers Studio. There were audio guides in all different languages, and I saw a variety of different people touring the studio. The love of the Harry Potter franchise extends beyond the borders of the UK, and it is something that can connect people of all cultures. Even as Americans, we are immense fans of the series! Although Harry Potter originated in the UK, its popularity spread throughout the world. Without all the fans from all parts of the globe, Harry Potter would not be the industry that it is today.
