I can't believe I'm halfway through the semester. It's my first time seeing the leaves change colors and experiencing the temperature fall to the 50s. The sun now sets at 4:30 PM, and the days feel shorter. My classes are definitely picking up the pace, and I'm nearing midterms. However, every Monday the Student Union provides free breakfast, and that's definitely a perk. At Roehampton, they have formative assessments that serve as checkpoints for our final reports. I have a formative assessment due for my global strategy class and ethics class. I was given a case study for both classes in which I have to apply the theories learned in class. For my entrepreneurship class, I'm working on a group project in which we have to create a start up and apply business models. These assignments are ungraded, but serve as a way for the professors to give us feedback on the progress of our final assignments.
Besides classes, Roehampton gives us a lot of opportunities to destress and get involved. The college I'm part of, Froebel College hosted a formal Welcome Dinner for the new students. The head of the college made a speech followed by a Student Union representative. It was a great way to spend time with my flatmates, and although I'm here for a very short period of time, I'm glad I was able to participate in this. They also celebrated Bonfire Night - the anniversary celebrating the safety of King James from a planned attack on the House of Parliament. Roehampton lit up fireworks in the middle of the lawn. It was a great fireworks show and the first time I've ever seen aerials so close! For the rest of the week, I'll be working on my assignments to prepare for my final paper.
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Getting out of the city and visiting Stonehenge and Bath made me realize how much art and history is held within this country. It's truly amazing to be able to get a glimpse of the past and see how it is represented in our present. BATH, UNITED KINGDOM We spent a day in Bath and visiting the historical Stonehenge. Bath was a cozy city about an hour from London. There, we visited the Roman Baths, a spring water bath housed within a stone structural complex which was believed to have healing waters. We went around 10 AM - which I assume was peak hour since the museum was really crowded. Despite that, it was really interesting to learn about how the Roman culture affected the United Kingdom and the history behind the spring waters. After touring the museum, we were given free time to walk around the town. You can really see Roman influence by just walking around and looking at the buildings. The honey-colored bath stones are prevalent in the town's architecture. We were able to grab a lot of delicious snacks and visit several small shops before heading to Stonehenge. STONEHENGE MONUMENT
The Stonehenge is one of the oldest structures on Earth. I learned that these 25 ton sandstones were transported 18 miles from a quarry by the Druids about 5,000 years ago. It was amazing to see this structure still preserved and standing against the test of time. The transition to living here in London was a lot easier than I expected. I've created a routine for myself on weekdays to run errands and complete my readings. On some weeks, the UH study abroad group will get together and explore a new part of the city! HIGH TEA One of the activities planned for us through the Study Abroad Program was high tea - a British tradition of drinking tea and eating small savory and sweet delicacies. In the 18th century, the concept of high tea evolved to a social event for all classes to take a break for food and tea. We were given a wide variety of tea choices ( I chose English Breakfast tea ), and platters of food organized by levels. The first level were savory foods such as avocado toast, smoked salmon, and a chicken sandwich. The second level included various sweet pastries such as tarts, cakes, and cupcakes. The third level included a denser pastry that complements the tea. There were many people who stopped by in the middle of the day to drink tea and spend hours talking with their friends. GREENWICH DAY TRIP We took a cruise on the River Thames to Greenwich as part of the Roehampton Social Programme. I didn't realize the important history within this borough until we got here. The Greenwich Mean Time was essentially created here - the time each day when the sun crosses the Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude) at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. It was the standard of time for the world during the 1800s. We were able to visit the Royal Observatory, overlook the Greenwich Park, walk through the Old Royal Navy College, and visit the Greenwich market. The market was selling an assortment of antiques and hand-made products. They also had a lot of pastries and food. I love finding markets with baked goods - they're all so delicious! ADVENTURES AROUND LONDON Some of London's best places with the best company |
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