Time has flown by since the last post, and it must be because “time flies when you’re having fun”. It’s been another wonderful week to get settled in, meet more people, and to continue to explore the area!
As much as I love to keep trying new places, I continue finding myself at a few of the same hotspots – such as Hyde Park and Green Park for running, Imperial College for working out, and Piccadilly Circus for spending nights out on the town.
On Thursday I had the opportunity to participate in a class field trip to the Museum of London Docklands for the International Trade Class that I’m in. This was an awe-inspiring experience that left me absolutely speechless. The day began by me getting lost around the Canary Wharf tube station. After finally meeting my class at the museum (late, of course) I started to see everything I had hoped to, and more. The museum is massive! With artifacts dating back hundreds of years, it was a visit that everyone can appreciate. The trip was so fitting for our class. It tied in everything from construction of London to the commodity and slave trade markets that lasted so long. I enjoyed viewing the historic artifacts that were engineered and built remarkably – without the use of modern technology. One example was a section that discussed how hydraulics systems were designed using water combustion to move goods efficiently. It’s fascinating to imagine how the docks were built, how the products were moved, and to understand how commerce existed in the days before technology.
Another aspect of the museum that simply took my words away was the slavery section. Here lied pictures of slaves, torture mechanisms, and journals (inventory logs) of slave information. It was a very sad part of the museum, but it really made me think about how far society has progressed since then. Do we have a long way to go? Yes, of course. I’m a believer that we can always improve in terms of becoming a more diverse, ethical, and socially inclusive society. However, as mentioned before, the improvement made so far is astonishing! The museum offered an amazing visit and I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to go.
After traveling back to my flat I (collectively) made a somewhat (very) impulsive decision to book tickets to Geneva, Switzerland for just 12 hours ahead. Two of my flatmates and I packed in a matter of about 15 minutes after spending a little too long out at Piccadilly Circus. We had airline tickets, our bags, and nothing else. Planning on snatching a cheap room, upon arrival we learned that was not an option. It turned out that the Laver Cup was the same weekend and literally filled up every place we tried except for one. Once we found a place to stay, the trip finally started to fall into place. We explored without any kind of itinerary or schedule, which turned out to be a great way to learn about and appreciate the area. On Saturday we visited Switzerland and France, taking a boat tour of Lake Geneva and hiking Mont Saleve. The views were breathtaking, and the experience was one I’ll never forget.
Another amazing week down. Check back for more posts and updates!!
No Extra Baggage 