The past few weeks have been a whirlwind to say the least. Between work and class and enjoying London, I am exhausted in the best possible way.
I spent this weekend enjoying the beautiful weather London treated us to (a rare occasion in this notoriously rainy city) with a walk along the south bank and some shopping in Covant Garden in preparation for a Halloween event. While Boston may be a goldmine for costume shops, London leaves something to be desired– though many storefronts are decorated for the occasion this week.
My internship is still going strong, and I’ve only found myself lost in Westminster just once since starting (pro tip: all of the policemen give excellent directions. Full time staffers ask them all the time). I’ve been handed even more responsibilities this week, and will have the chance to sit in on Prime Minister’s Questions later on.
It is a hectic time of year for Northeastern students as many are applying to co-op. While I am not co-oping next cycle, several of the scholars from Northeastern are and it has been an adventure trying to keep up with them. However, it has been encouraging to see how much they appreciate the input of their peers in the process, asking for help with interview prep, cover letters, and so on. Watching my friends go through this process has gotten me in my own planning mode and I have begun to think about my next year at Northeastern– will I co-op again? study abroad? Maybe another dialogue?
At the moment, I’m not sure, but I’m leaning towards co-oping again simply because it is such a unique experience. My six months in Serbia were some of the best of my life and I learned more than I thought I ever could in such a short amount of time, both from my work experience and from my travels. My time in London is shaping up to be quite the same.
I am roughly halfway through the program and can already lay claim to some accomplishments my high school self would never believe. I’ve lived in London. I’ve worked in UK Parliament. I’ve utilized my professional network to connect with someone from the other side of the world. And most importantly, I’ve grown as a person.
As a child, I was exceedingly shy and not very comfortable in my own skin. While this has changed as I’ve gotten older regardless, my experiences abroad with Northeastern have played a huge role in cultivating my confidence and communication abilities. In my freshman year I completed a dialogue that visited Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia and Greece. In my sophomore year, I completed a co-op based in Belgrade. Now, in my third year, I am studying and working in London. It seems ridiculous when I get it down in writing, but it is also a reminder of how lucky I am to have such opportunities.
By the time I return to the United States, I will have visited 18 countries, 12 of which I visited in just this year. I firmly believe that knowledge of the world is important in any field, but it is especially important to mine in International Relations. To be able to experience so many different cultures and governments is an incredibly unique opportunity and one I will forever be grateful to Northeastern for.
My time in London, in particular, has set itself apart because I am living here as both a professional and a student and experiencing what both lifestyles have to offer. From Monday to Wednesday, I am a young political staffer in the Palace of Westminster. From Thursday onwards, I am a traditional university student, going to lectures and searching for some cheap food to bring to the library. The dichotomy is an interesting one, and something I have not experienced elsewhere as I have always been either working or in class, never both.
Young professionals abound in London and there is a fantastic culture of appreciation for the fact that everyone is trying to make it here. It reminds me of New York in that way. (a note: Londoners dress impeccably well which makes for fantastic people watching as I make my way to my office every day)
Students in London are much like students in Boston. Though the London School of Economics and Political Science lacks the same sort of campus that we know and love at Northeastern, there is a sense of being at a university. From apparel to artwork to student clubs, and what have you, LSE is a vibrant campus that has served us well so far on the Hansard program.
Last week, we began the academic portion of the program I have been most looking forward to: the dissertation. At 7,000 words, the dssertation is a cornerstone of the Hansard Society Scholars program and, at the risk of sounding like a gigantic nerd, I have been looking forward to it since I received my acceptance to the program.
<a data-flickr-embed=”true” href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/134539786@N06/34734372464/in/album-72157684703860005/” title=”Classroom”><img src=”https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4263/34734372464_87c54a2343_c.jpg” width=”800″ height=”600″ alt=”Classroom”></a><script async src=”//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
My thesis is still taking shape, but I’m leaning toward examining the separatist movements in Scotland and Catalonia. This will allow me to combine the knowledge I have gained through my internship and coursework with my greater academic interest in Europe while also examining topical issues as the situation in Catalonia progresses and the Scottish National Party continues to seek a second independence referendum.
Over the remaining weeks of the program, I will be meeting with the professor who has been assigned as my dissertation adviser to talk through my paper. As a student of the social sciences, I am no stranger to long papers and have written pieces of this length before. However, this is the first time I have had such extensive freedom to select a topic and structure and I look forward to handing in my final product.
With many plans in the works for my remaining time here I am excited to move forward in the program and grateful for all that Hansard and London have already taught me. Check back next week to hear about my quick weekend trip away and some more goings on in London.
