A Brief Post on the East

On Sunday I went to Columbia Road Flower Market. I am normally a west London girl, as it's where my mum grew up and I get the train to Paddington.

My only real two experiences of East London are going to Brick Lane on a Wednesday (not a good plan it's pretty darn empty) and Stratford Westfield. I had been underwhelmed compared with these glorious sunny days of Kew and the Maids of Honour and Portobello Road and curry in Chiswick and the rocky road ice cream in the basement of the Science Museum and going to Richmond.

Columbia Road made me fall in love with East London.

It had this atmosphere which was just so natural to me. Even just walking around made me feel so utterly at home and I realised this was a very real post-uni option for me. I want to live in London more than I can say and being a GP in East London would just be glorious.

Home is this very odd concept. I swore when I was 13 and didn't quite fit at school without changing who I was to conform that I felt like I truly belonged at my first ever concert (Paramore, NIA). I won't deny that those were real feelings because I still love Birmingham and Brindlyplace and the lift in Waterstones that makes you feel like you're going to die and I loved Paramore.

Now though? Home is where ever I can be myself and not feel self conscious. It's where ever my surroundings make it.

East London felt like home. Far more than the countryside because I know people like knowing the names of your neighbours but I found everyone was friendly and like me. I talked to an old lady about the sun and loos for about 10 mins (don't ask me). I felt more at home than I usually do in London because there weren't workers and it felt like a community.

So you can tell me that the North of the uk is friendlier and maybe it is, but London is where I belong and always will belong.

Home.