This past summer I had one of the most unique and wonderful experiences of my life. I was one of the selected students to go study at the University of Westminster for the summer. Having been to London for a brief time before I had some experience with the local culture, but this opportunity really opened my eyes and let me experience London at its fullest.

 

The accommodation that the University provided was amazing. My companions and I stayed on the sixteenth floor of the Marylebone residence hall. Marylebone is a fantastic location on the western side of London. It is a bit more residential, lacking any noisy nightlife that comes with the East end. There is food shopping nearby and an incredible selection of restaurants just down the road. Especially for a quick bite to eat after class. Down Baker Street there was plenty of quick stop-in/ take out restaurants available for enough choice in day to day eating without having to go to far out. Down a block from the corner there was also a Sainsbury’s and a Tesco’s pretty much covering any extra food shopping needed.

 

Baker Street Station is right across the street from the hall, so no matter what we had easy access to public transportation. The month travel pass included both tube and bus fees, so even if we were out past the last train, we could always reliably get home at the end of the night. Even the location in proximity to the main campus was convenient, lending only a fifteen to twenty-minute walk if you wanted to get fresh air and enjoy the city. The rooms, although small, I could have stayed in for a year. It was just the right size for a college student to live in, plus having a housekeeping service that changed towels daily and sheets weekly really cut down on the need for laundry.

 

            Regent’s street campus itself was an incredible building. Located just two blocks north of Oxford Street station, getting there in the morning during rush hour was not a problem. The building is incredibly secure with tight access control consistently monitored by security. On the first floor is a coffee shop, but if one needs something more substantial there is an Itsu next door and a Pret across the street for good, cheap take away food. The classroom sizes varied but tended to favor smaller sizes only allowing for a maximum of fifteen to twenty-five students at any given time.

 

            I chose to take the Working Cross Cultures in a Global World module. In the class we covered cultural models and applied them to the different nationalities represented in the classroom. I was ubiquitously chosen as the representative of the United States.  We did plenty of in-class exercises revolving around cross-cultural problems. The primary examples were identifying a problem in a work/business related setting and putting together a plan to deal with the problem and resolve it in a way that worked well for both parties involved. The class only had two assignments which were simple but required a very introspective application of the skills we had learned in class.

 

           

The time we spent with the corporation of London was amazing and really made the whole experience that much more memorable. I had already met Mr. Double briefly two years prior, but with his outward welcoming attitude, it felt as if I was meeting an old friend. He showed high interest in everything that we were doing back in the U.S. at our respective Universities. Meeting the Lord Mayor was also an incredible experience. One of the more interesting scheduled events through was being able to attend the Court of Common Council. I only wish we could have stayed there a bit longer. I know meeting proceedings may be boring to some but having the opportunity to see how the guilds of the City of London operate was not lost on me.

 

Afterwards they asked if we minded staying a bit longer and gave us the extra opportunity of visiting one of the ancient Livery Companies. When we arrived at the Worshipful Company of Cutlers, they welcomed us with open arms and smiles. After offers for refreshments we were given a tour of the building and got to hear about the storied history of the guild. A week later the Company got in contact with us again wondering if we would like to go tour St. Paul’s. I feel incredibly lucky that we were able to be hosted by the Company with them going out of their way to ensure that we had the most memorable experience in London by far.

 

            During my time with the University, I participated in the extra Social Program. I cannot recommend this more for future students. I would never have met the people that I did if I did not participate in this. From the events, not only did I get to do and see unique things, I also made a group of very good friends that still stay in touch with each other to this day. We even got to go to Wales for a weekend with everyone in the Social Program. I think without the friends that I made the whole experience would have been very different, but with them it felt like I was back home enjoying myself in the city with people close to me.

 

            One weekend after the program trip to Wales, one of my friends decided to rent a car and book a hotel near Portsmouth in the South. She gathered a few of us together and we all got to go on an unforgettable road trip through the English countryside to Stonehenge, Bath, Portsmouth, and Brighton. Thanks to them and their lastminute antics, dragging me out of my dorm and along with them, I have made so many unforgettable memories. We’re even already planning for us all to reunite in London a few years in the future. I can’t wait for another opportunity to go back and make more priceless memories!

 

 

            I just wanted to thank the London Bridge Rotary Club for such a unique and amazing experience. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I feel like it has affected my life for the better. Now I feel reinvigorated returning to school and more dedicated to my studies. The time I spent in London helped open my eyes to the wide world. I will not forget the things I experienced and learned there and will continue to apply them in my daily life back home. While there I truly feel in love with the daily city life. I hope someday I can get the opportunity to go back as a student or as a worker.