The Triangle

Issue date: 10/22/04 Section: Entertainment
Originally published: 10/22/04 at 2:58 AM EST
Last update: 10/22/04 at 3:01 AM EST

[Click to enlarge]

What did you do your first week in class? These first two weeks in London, I visited Trafalgar Square, Parliament, and Big Ben; strolled through Princess Diana's old neighborhood, Hyde Park; shopped at the Portobello Market; saw an Alan Bennett play at the National Theater; cooked an authentic British meal; ate curry in Leicester Square; and made it to class on time. Are you sick of Lancaster Walk, Astroturf, parking tickets, teachers that lecture and forget there is a world outside of the classroom, or even outside of Philadelphia? It might be time to find your way to the Study Abroad office. With opportunities to travel abroad every term to work and or study there is no reason to stay home. My first week of class was filled with more firsts than I could have ever imagined, and I'm a senior.

People complain about the infamous "Drexel Shaft," but so often students shaft themselves by overlooking opportunities that are staring them in the face. Complaining gets you nowhere, and no one really wants to hear it anyway. The Drexel Study Abroad office is open to help you go anywhere you choose. So you say you'd rather just backpack across Europe this summer? Studying abroad is far more valuable than just traveling and witnessing other cultures. The experience of actually becoming part of the culture is far more enlightening. You can't afford to study abroad? Well, your financial aid transfers. The dollar is starting to gain to the Great Britain Pound (GBP). Stop making excuses.

The Atlantic Ocean gets smaller every second as international business, travel, communication, and other world issues intensify. Employers today want candidates who can adapt to new situations, new people, who can cooperate and motivate. It's time to test yourself and push yourself to new levels by changing your entire environment to see what happens when people stop speaking your language and start getting real. Turn off MTV, forget reality television, and join the REAL real world in London. Paris. Madrid. Austria. You name it. Quit bitching. Stop watching. Start living.

Welcome to the Neighborhood, Hyde Park

Hyde Park, the only place to find football, Italian gardens, Peter Pan, Princess Diana, and a thousand years of history. Hyde Park was the first of the royal parks to be open to the public in 1637 by James I. Located in the heart of London's Kensington district, Hyde park is the largest open space in London. This park is the center of daily London life. It also has proven to be a model park for cities around the world from New York's Central park to Paris' Bois de Boulogne. The surprising part is that the Drexel Study Abroad housing is only moments from this historical landmark.

Hyde Park is home to many historical pieces of Britain's history. The most significant would be Kensington Palace, where Princess Di lived. Also found in the massive space is the Albert Memorial, the Diana fountain, the Serpentine, the Marble Arch, and the Italian Gardens. This park is both a beautiful and functional part of London. Any trip to London would be a loss without a visit to this phenomenal place.

For more information on study abroad, contact studyabroad@drexel.edu or visit their offices on the third floor of MacAllister Hall.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools