Lauren McIntyre Summer Blog
5/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
May 28, 2010
Wake Forest volleyball rising-senior Lauren McIntyre has traveled to London, England, to participate in the WFU/EUSA London Internship Program this summer. McIntyre, who is a Studio Art and Communications major, will spend the next month overseas gaining international experience. She is also blogging for WakeForestSports.com about her experiences. Below is her first entry.
May 28, 2010
Entry 1
Well, it is 6:15PM London time on Friday, May 28th 2010 and I am officially worn out. I have lived in London now for five days and have experienced more than I ever thought I would. I arrived at noon on Monday the 24th after a fairly easy red eye from Minneapolis. After traveling through customs and gathering my two luggage bags, I panicked. I was hoping that I would spot someone around my age who was headed to the student housing that I was going to live in. Luckily, my outgoing personality came in handy quicker than I had anticipated. I tapped a young girl on the shoulder and I cannot tell you how quickly her eyes lit up to see a young American face. I asked her if she was venturing to the same place as me and she yelled, "YES!" We immediately headed to the Tube, the infamous London underground railway, much like the New York subway). Another bit of hope shined our way when a young man with luggage smiled at the two of us on the Tube. I asked him the same question and he responded in a similar tone. After the hour and a half ride to King's Cross Station (upper northeast side of London), we had reached our destination.
After a ten minute walk we had reached Nido Student Living. Signed in, found my room, and was so united with my University of Central Florida roommate. Soon we decided food was absolutely necessary before we starved!
For the past three days we have done nothing but walk, eat, attended lecture, and taken tours of London. My favorite part of our first tour was of Parliament. No photo can do justice to this mammoth building. Not only are you blown away by the magnitude of this building, but also by its elegance and ora. It almost feels as if you jump back in time to grand ballroom dresses and wigs.
It is hard to describe London and all that encompasses this historical city, but I will try my best. London is CLEAN. London is loud. London is busy, pushy, expensive, and more than anything absolutely beautiful. The city is not only well kept by the government, but people genuinely respect the city and what it means to live in such a historically dominant landmark. Some helpful hints that I have quickly picked up in London are as follows: do not walk on the right hand side of the sidewalk or you will be run over, if you walk in the street when you do not have the walking signal you are risking being completely run over (I have seen numerous close calls), if you see a sign labeled "toilets" that means restrooms, if you see a sign labeled "way out" that means exit, if you see a sign labeled "litter" or "rubbish" that means trash, and if someone asks you are you going on holiday, that means vacation. In context they are all easy to pick up, although avoiding confusion prior to the trip would have been helpful.
Another point that I must make is the food in London is unlike anything I have had in the states. From the pizza to the fish and chips you are looking forward to a great time. Finally, I will note that I have NEVER seen so many different types of people in one city. If anyone has ever said that America is the melting pot of the world, they are strictly mistaken. London houses more people than you will ever seen in one place in America, and what's great about this is you see more acceptance and respect from all groups. It is a beautiful thing to walk by London school yards and see all types of children playing together. This is a generation that will act as a strong cornerstone in hopefully not only racial and ethnic acceptance, but equality.
All for now, and as the Londoners would say, CHEERS LOVE!
Lauren "Mac" McIntyre
