Remembering with a Minute of Silence

The mood in London for the past week has been very somber, but there is good reason for it.

Last Friday, we had a minute of silence for the victims of the Tunisia attacks. 30 of the 38 innocent people killed were British and the UK marked the one week anniversary with a minute of remembrance.

Then today, we also had a minute of silence. 10 years ago on July 7, 52 people were killed and 700 injured during the London bombings. There were four attacks carried out by suicide bombers on the transportation system; three separate lines of the London Underground and one bus in the city.

It is kind of a scary time to be in London. As one of the most thriving Western cities in the world, it is a logical target for terrorists because of it's proximity and business culture.

Aaron and I both work in financial and tourist hubs of the city, so we take busy tube lines every day. The city is also massive, and realistically, I know that more people die in car crashes every year than terrorist attacks, but today was the first day that I've really felt scared living here. I was incredibly nervous on my commute to and from work for both Aaron and I.

Thankfully, nothing happened and it was just another day. I write this not to make people worry, but because I want to remember how I was feeling. There are so many amazing things about living abroad but being so far away from home during a time like this is not one of them.

I should say that in general, I feel safer in London when it comes to violent crime. There are no guns here, and the crime that we mostly hear about is thefts. But with all that's going on in the world, I can't help but feel a little on edge.