QMUL
Queen Mary University of London. This was the first place I had contact with after landing in London Heathrow. The campus is different and the people as well. You are used to a small university filled with green spaces, people you know, and hot weather. Then you arrive to a larger university filled with buildings, strangers, and cold weather. I was exited! That was until I had more than 5 maps in my hands because I couldn’t find my way around the campus. But now that I have been a month here I come to realize QMUL is actually not that much bigger than Rollins, it just has more buildings and way more people. Despite all that I’m now so used to the campus that I even know its shortcuts and that is improvement!
CLASSROOM
The classes here are different both in space and content. Large classrooms that hold more than 200 students can be daunting at first but getting to experience the “large university” environment is a good opportunity after getting used to the small classes at Rollins. As for the content, there is a vast list of options where you can choose the modules you are going to take for the semester (considering the size of this institution). I decided to take two math classes and two economics classes. Although the titles of the modules make them sound very familiar it is exiting to see the perspective of the economy from the point of view of the British rather than the Americans and sometimes it is even funny how they criticize each other.
LONDON
I don’t think that three months here will begin to be enough for me to discover all the amazing things this city has to offer. So far I have been to different theater plays, museums, galleries, markets, and much more. I don’t think there is a weekend where I won’t have more options than time to explore. Another aspect that has impacted me is the efficiency of public transportation. After week one I was already familiar with the mechanism and once you understand the lines, it’s only a matter of knowing which station you want to reach. I guarantee you that you will reach your destination in less than 40 minutes.
EUROPE
And last but not least, coming to London has given me the chance to explore other countries. Up to now I visited Munich, Germany to be part of the amazing Oktoberfest. Alongside with other Rollins students, we gathered from more than four programs and spent the weekend together exploring the food, culture, and landscapes that Munich has to offer.
One month in and I have opened my horizons more than I could’ve if I stayed home. I can’t wait to see what the next two months have in store for me!