After my busy and action-packed first week, I was super excited to see more, as much as I possibly could. Afterall, London is such a big city and that’s not even taking into account all the trips around and outside of the UK that I was eager to plan. However, before any of that could happen, I needed to go to class. This semester, I am taking 4 classes; Public Economics, Political Sociology, Environmental Ethics, and Political Economics. As a sociology major with a minor in economics, I am really looking forward to experiencing these topics taught in the context of another country. I am ready to compare the content and analytical lenses between my university in London and home university in San Francisco.
Admittedly, it was a bit difficult being in class after such a fun week of sightseeing and exploring. I had to remind myself I was in London to study abroad, emphasis on the “study” part. On the other hand, I was also excited to see how college, I mean Uni, is in the UK. See, I’m already starting to catch onto the lingo. Anyway, what I can say about Uni here so far is that its similar in a lot of regards to school in the U.S. but different as well. For instance, the grade for each class I’m taking is solely based on a midterm and a Final, rather than homework assignments, participations, and a mix of projects, essays, and exams. It is very reading and lecture-based without many assignments. That just means I have to be diligent about keeping up with all the readings and finding a balance between exploring and studying.
This week I was able to see the London eye again. It’s a beautiful structure, but I am content appreciating it from a distance rather than actually riding it. I walked from the Westminster Victoria to the London Eye, which was great because I got to see so much on my trek over, but it was also very cold. It’s true what they say about London weather: it does rain a lot and can be very unpredictable. I have no complaints though; I love the rain, even when I can’t feel my face with the frigid air.
After class on Wednesday night, I went to see the play, Wicked in Westminster- Victoria. Since coming to London, I have come to realize that I will have many opportunities to go to the theater, which I am very excited about. During the weekend, I visited the Camden Market, and I must say it was thus far, one of my favorite places to visit. The Camden Market has so many different unique shops and a wide variety of street food. There is so much to see that one trip doesn’t seem like enough. I am definitely going back to explore more and eat something different as well. So far I have tried their Dutch Pancakes. I approve.
ZJ Abroad 