Leah

The hardest part about London was the plane. Going, I knew that once I stepped foot on that plane, there would be no going back; no going back to who I had been before this past summer and no returning to my past notions of the world. After my six weeks had concluded, the hardest part was getting back on that plane. London became such a part of who I am in those short six weeks that I no longer wanted to return to who I had been or to my naïve view of life. I loved everything about London, from the quiet residential street Wigram house was on, to the packed Tube ride to school in the mornings. I found myself annoyed with people who stood on the left of the escalator, taking comfort in a hot cuppa on a rainy day, and avoiding places too “touristy” for my liking. When my plane lifted off, I am not ashamed to say that I shed a few tears for the city I was leaving behind that had earned such a place in my heart.

My academic global experience in London can be narrowed down to a single room, in a small school building, on Wells Street. The room, number 311 to be exact, was hot, held about 30 people, and was my personal UN for the summer. This is the room where my Middle Eastern/Tunisian professor lectured us on the basics of International Relations theory, where our heated debates on 9/11/2001 and freedom of speech caused many an angry outburst in non-English languages, and where we listened to a former Iraqi-government Minister tell us of his friends who have been killed in the war for peace. I grew to love this room and the knowledge it held in the minds of my professor and classmates. This non-descript, cramped room forced me to look at the world from a perspective not my own and to grow as a person.

The memories I will keep with me, however, cannot be made in a classroom. I have two pieces of advice for future students: participate in the social programme provided by the University of Westminster, and to wander. The social programme gives student more of an opportunity to meet fellow international summer school students and to interact with the summer school staff. I chose to participate in all six weeks so I had the pleasure of going on weekend trips to Wales and York, day trips to the mythical Stonehenge and the city of Bath (among others), singing along with Billy Elliot the musical, and having guided tours around London such as the Jack the Ripper walk. This programme is where I met all the friends that I made on this trip and I highly recommend it. The second thing all future students should do is to wander. Get out and explore this fantastic city! After class adjourns or on the weekends, grab a map and simply head in a direction to visit real pubs (not the ones crowded with tourists), small shops that are located just off the beaten path, and some of the best restaurants I found during my stay. My favorite place in the entire city was Kensington Gardens. I love Peter Pan so I attended a summer production located in the park and I enjoyed relaxing by a fountain many afternoons, perhaps trying to catch a glimpse of J.M. Barrie’s magical world. One last thing I can say is don’t be afraid to spend money. Yes, London is one of the most expensive cities in the world but things like plays, books, and trips end up being priceless when you remember the experiences.

Being able to spend six weeks in London this past summer was a dream come true, one that was brought to fruition with your help and I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am. London and the London Bridge Rotary will always be close to my heart for teaching me that I’m very capable of surviving in a foreign city and boosting my confidence. I have no doubt that in the future, travelling will help me learn more about myself and this wonderful world that I live in. Now the only thing I need to do is get on another plane…