Submitted by Kelcie Duesler on the 2015 winter session program in London sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice…
Before arriving at the airport to depart to London, I was filled with excitement as well as anxiety. Sure, we made a group on Facebook and as a group we spoke about where we would like to travel and things we would like to do, but I did not know anyone on a personal level yet. Questions filled my mind such as how were my roommates, who will I be traveling with and so on. Additionally, I was curious about the London culture, how we as Americans would be treated and how we would become accustomed to their everyday living. Yet, almost instantly, any qualm I had was reassured when I arrived at the departure gate. People from my group were all hanging out, playing card games and introducing one another. I could already tell everyone was just as nervous as me and eager to make friends and have a great time abroad! Our plane was delayed quite a bit, but our professors were incredibly reassuring and we made the most of the relaxation time we had.
Arriving in London, was like a whirlwind, once we arrived at our flats, we all wanted to explore. The location of our flat could not be more perfect, in one direction there was a mall filled with restaurants and shops, in the other direction it was similar plus a tube stop. At first London was intimidating, especially the tube, but traveling in groups made it easier to tackle. Within the first few days, we saw the prominent tourist attractions such as the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and many more. It amazed me how accessible it all was.
As for classes, I was nervous for the length of class and whether my attention would wander. Yet, so far, classes are very interesting and the tours we took were relatable. I selected this Sociology program mainly because it fulfilled requirements for my medical humanities minor and I love being able to relate what I learned in classes I took at UD to what I am learning abroad. Overall, the first week has been amazing and I am looking forward to the rest of the program!