Submitted by Sheila Ward on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…
This past weekend, I went to Cambridge and had a chance to explore the city as well as the university. The city was surprisingly very crowded. There were a lot of cute shops and restaurants as well as pubs. One thing, I did not realize is how Cambridge University is divided into many different colleges. Each student belongs to a specific college where they have access to their own library, dining hall, and student union. But, one thing, I noticed is each college has a great sense of community. The students within each college pretty much know all the other students in their college. For me this created a very friendly and almost welcoming atmosphere.
I also got the opportunity to visit the headquarters of the European Union in London. My Finance professor took my class and while there we had a lecture about the structure and current status of the EU. Before coming to London, I did not really know much about the EU and what it has done for Europe. I found the discussion very interesting and was able to notice the differences between the structure of the EU and the United States.