June 2017, I had the pleasure of visiting the London Office through Coleman’s Point-to-Point program, which offers employees with three years of work experience the opportunity to visit and work from another Coleman site for one week. It was wonderful to experience another culture and to finally meet many of the colleagues that I have worked with over the past three years.
My trip started with a red-eye flight from Raleigh to London on a Saturday night. I landed at 6am on Sunday, leaving me with a day to explore the city. I spent most of it walking up and down the Thames and visiting a few of London’s amazing sights. I still remember how surreal it felt to be in a foreign country while also being able to communicate in English, though the three hours of sleep on the flight the night before may have contributed to a bit of the surrealism.
During the week, I collaborated on projects with several managers which gave me a fresh perspective of how our work is both similar and different across the Atlantic. The whole team made sure I felt at home during my stay and also well fed! They pointed me to number of amazing places in London, including a restaurant with one of the best views I have ever seen called Duck and Waffle.
They also suggested I attend the Taste of London, a food festival located in Regent’s Park each summer. Restaurants from all over the city gather to show off some of their dishes. I was lucky enough to show up during the week of the festival and had a great time both exploring the beautiful park and trying amazing dishes.
After working in the office for a week, I extended my trip for another week to explore Europe. I met my girlfriend in Groningen (a small city located in the northern part of the Netherlands), where she had been attending a medical conference. We then spent a few days exploring Amsterdam before flying to Romania to visit her grandparents and cousins for the rest of the week.
This trip was a wonderful experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am very thankful to my colleagues in London who were so welcoming and to Coleman for the opportunity to both collaborate with colleagues overseas and explore all that London has to offer.