Berlin

Haven't posted for a few days.......we're ensconced in Berlin now! Have been here for the last couple of days. We flew in on Wednesday morning & tried to take a tour with Dr. Kaelberer....unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. It's was rainy & cold so we cut it short. Yesterday we traveled to Potsdam....in the morning we toured Sanssouci (palace of Fredreic the Great) & in the afternoon we toured Ceciilienhof  which was the site of the Potsdam Conference where Churchill, Stalin, & Truman decided the fate of Europe after WWII . Today was Wittenburg & learning about Martin Luther. Other than it being too cold, good start to Berlin! Free day tomorrow.

Last day in London

Today was our last day in London.......students scattered with various interests....some visited Stonehenge, some St. Paul's Cathedral, four of us ventured to the Universal Tour of Harry Potter. Plebeian, I know, but for Harry Potter fans its not to be missed! We saw sound stages (we were IN the Great Hall!), sets (Dumbledore's office, Hagrid's hut, Griffindor's common room & bedroom, Diagonal Alley) and so much more! We saw so many props & artifacts from the films....it truly was a great experience for Harry Potter fans!

Unfortunately, for me, today wasn't the best day. I experienced one of those difficult days that most study abroad participants, will most  likely experience in their journey. Not only is today the day my youngest son graduating from middle school but my mother was admitted to the hospital. Right now she is fine but its tough being so far away. My students are so sweet though, they knew I was having a tough time and they brought me flowers! It's nice to know we're all in this together!

Tomorrow early flight to Berlin!

University of Memphis State Formation & National Identity, I am sharing a brief overview of my experience thus far.

Since my trip to London, I have had a blast. My first day here, which was Thursday, May 15, I encountered an issue with baggage claim. The arrival of my luggage was delayed, so I spent the first night without all of my belongings. Fortunately, the airline was able to rush my luggage from Atlanta Airport where it was delayed to London's Heathrow Airport. Though it was a bit disturbing, it was much of an inconvenience. Thanks to the faculty members who are leading us, packing tips including what to bring in my carryon helped out a lot. Our first day out in the city, we enjoyed a tour of some of London's most beautiful sites. Though traffic was a bit congested, our tour took place nicely on a two-story tour bus. In fact, this was the coolest bus I had ever seen. The top has no ceilings, so we were able to ride in the wind. Friday, we were engaged in an informational lecture from Dr. Adrian Naseemullah of the London School of Economics and Political Science, where we were able to discuss variable state formation and its consequences. Later during the day was the tour of the Tower of London. I must say, this is a historic fortress in London, England which was originally a royal palace, later a prison, now an arsenal and museum.

Westminster seemed to be the most sacred of all. Filled with shrines, tombs, and other memorials, Westminster Abbey is another masterpiece. This church includes a beautiful scene of the coronations of almost all English monarchs since William I. However, during our next tour, which was fortunately of the Houses or Parliament, we saw where the current monarch sits during some sessions. The Houses of Parliament are made up of two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, each playing a critical role legislatively, judicially, and ultimately executively. Sunday, May 19, was a free day to explore London on our own. I decided to tour the British Museum as it contains some of the most ancient artifacts of all times including those from Egypt, Greece, and other historical precedents. 

These are only some of my experiences during most of my first week here in London. Germany is next!      

Tony Mitchell, Jr.
University of Memphis
Study Abroad Program 2013

Churchill Museum/British Library

This morning we visited the Churchill War Room Museum. I enjoyed it much more this year than last year simply because last year I was exhausted! This year I was able to really get into it and get the full benefit of it. This is a must-see for anyone who visits London. You get to see the actual underground rooms from which Churchill & his staff conducted WWII. Then, after catching the tail end of the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace & lunch we went to the British Library. This might sound like the most boring place on earch to visit but it was actually interesting and very relevant to both courses. The students saw one of the original Magan Cartas, the Guttenberg Bible, several letter written by monarchs we have studied as well as other interesting texts. We were even fortunate enough to see a temporary exhibit on propaganda - always relevant to any Poli Sci class! Free day tomorrow then off to Berlin!

Tower/Westminster Abbey/Parliament

We've had an interesting first couple of days in London. Yesterday we had our lecture at the London School of Economics on national identity, state formation, underdeveloped nations & the problems they face in developing successful economies. Then, after lunch, it was on to the Tower of London! We had the same great guide as last year. All the students enjoyed seeing the formidable structure and learning about its even more formidable history. It was interesting to see students reactions to learning what "hanging, drawing, & quartering" meant! I told them that's what we would do to any student who was late so Tony - watch out!

I can back to my room to a rude surprise - raw sewage in my room! Yuck! Had to change rooms for the night.

Today it was off to Westminster Abbey & House of Parliament. Always a great day! There is so much history & beauty in Westminster Abbey & so much history, beauty & ceremony in Parliament. One of my favorite parts is seeing the Queen's Robing Room. Yes, that's right....the Queen's Robing Room. This is a large room, filled with priceless paintings, furnished with a small throne like chair that is used for about 20 minutes a year when the Queen goes before Parliament to give (or read as its always referred to as it is written for her) her State of the Union address. The royal robes are put on her in this room & that's all it's used for! She gave this speech recently so there were some items such as Prince Charles' chair out that rarely get to be seen.

Several of us had planned to ride the London Eye afterwards but once we saw
A) how much it cost
B) the lines
C) how much it cost
D) how slow it was and
E) the cost
No one rode it.

This evening Professor Kaelberer, Nick, Tony, Kiki, & myself went & had some good grilled chicken & even better conversation!

Tomorrow is a free day & we are doing several different things. Nick to a football (that's soccer for the uninitiated) game,several of us to various museums that we won't be seeing on our schedule, some to the Changing of the Guard, & probably some sleeping!

First day

Well, several of us experienced significant flight delays but we are all here now! We went on a hop-on-hop-off buss tour of London today...that was fine but frustrating because traffic was so bad! We went to a pub close to our hotel and had a good dinner.....tomorrow the class starts in earnest!

Countdown to London & Berlin!

Its almost time! Hope to see everyone Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. at R.P. Tracks for one last get together before we leave!

Here are some tips:
1) Pack light! The weight restriction from London to Berlin is 44 pounds (50 pounds on the international flights) so keep that in mind. Also you will want to buy souvenirs in Europe as well.

2) Don't foget your passport! Make two copies of the information page, leave one with a family member, and keep a copy with you but separate from your passport. This is speed things up considerably should you lose your passport or it gets stolen. Its not a bad idea to have a list of any credit cards & those numbers as well.

3) Don't change much money here (or any at all).  There are ATMs in the airport and you will get better exchange rates in Europe. Call your bank and tell them you will be traveling overseas.  Be strategic when taking out money. You don't want to take out $20 at a time and have to make several withdrawals. You will lose money on fees. Keep in mind that credit/debit cards aren't typically used for everyday expenses in Europe, cash is the norm. Of course, credit/debit cards will work for larger costs but not for a $5 lunch.

Thats all I can think of for now! Will update as more things come to mind!

Lisa Huffstetler