Less than a week!

While reading my British politics book this afternoon, I decided it was high time that I set up a blog for my adventures in London. So after the VMI economics and business department decided to kick me out of the Jordan's Point picnic area for a graduation dinner (the nerve), I did just that. Never mind that VMI owns Jordan's Point...I like to use it for reading/studying. It's pretty and there are good areas for sunning, semi-sun and semi-shade, and sitting in the shade. Today, at ninety degrees, was a shade day.

Anyway. Back to London. Next Monday, May 7, I will be leaving sometime in the evening from Dulles Airport to start my British adventure. I am studying abroad for Spring Term with the politics department, Politics 385. There are fifteen other students (10 girls and 6 boys total) as well as Prof. John and his wife. We will be staying in flats owned by Florida State University at their Great Russell Street building, which is also where our classroom is. Whilst in London, we will listen to speakers, travel to Oxford and Cambridge, and see all kinds of cool things in London. We also have to write six short analysis/response journals, but I don't think that will be too difficult.

Last week and this week we have been reading through a book on British politics that was just published this year. Each day, two students give a presentation on a chapter. Being the only journalism major in the class, I was assigned chapter 4 on the British media last week. We also have to write two papers -- one due last week on the British constitution (which I think doesn't exist) and one due this Thursday on the Westminster model and whether or not it is still relevant. There's been a lot of reading and discussion and writing, but starting the morning of May 8 it will be worth it. I can't wait to stand in the shadow of Big Ben, walk along the Thames, pretend that I'm Ginny Weasley...wait...did I just say that? ;)

I'm also super excited to check out churches in London. I know, only me, right? :) I did some research and found out that Tim Hughes (wrote "Beautiful One" and "Here I Am to Worship") is the music leader at Holy Trinity Brompton, which is a couple tube stops away from Great Russell Street. There is a closer church only a few streets away from the flat, St. George's Holborn, which is a sister church of HTB. Naturally, I contacted the college groups at both places and I'm planning to check them both out. I'm kind of stoked. Yay for Anglican churches. Tim Hughes is also one of the Passion guys and was the worship leader of my small group when I went to the Passion 07 conference in January.

So extremely fun times ahead. My sister, Caelah, is coming to join me on May 17...well, she's going with the study abroad program with James Madison University, and she'll be there til July 14, but we'll overlap for a bit! So Mom and Dad are going to join us as well from May 22-28. I'm hoping to see the Hazeltons when I'm over there, and possibly go to a worship conference led by Tim Hughes on May 19. Hey, I'm there, might as well!

I'll miss other family and friends, and especially Brian, a lot while I am gone, but hopefully you all will be able to keep in touch with what I am doing through this blog! I am going to use it instead of sending out regular emails. We have wireless internet in the flats, so it shouldn't be too difficult. :)

Well, I must get back to reading about British politics...have to be prepared before I go!