This week, I started my classes at Ulster University. My international business class was all about globalization and how it affects trade around the world. Learning about other countries and their labor laws gives me a bigger picture of what goes on internationally, not just what happens in the United States. What really made an impact on me was how globalization interconnects every country together. My next class was an Irish studies class where we learned about the history of Ireland and how the north and south came to be. I learned that over the course of 500 years, the Irish changed from an English monarchy to a republic, and how much religion affects politics.
Over the weekend, my friends and I traveled to London, England. Our flight got delayed by four hours, so we did not get to our hotel until very late in the morning. Before we settled in, we went to a restaurant called Duck and Waffles that is open 24 hours a day. The restaurant was in a pent house overlooking London; it was so surreal that I could not believe I was there! The next day, we went to Buckingham Palace and Hyde park. I love the royal family so this was really exciting for me. The palace was so beautiful and gigantic, it made me really realize I was actually in London.
Seeing the London Eye and Big Ben, even though it was under construction, was one of the sites I was looking forward to seeing on this little excursion. After that, we went shopping all around the city and waited for the soccer, or “football,” game to start. My friend Brianna and I went to a local pub where everyone was cheering for England. When they beat Sweden, it was like they already won the Super Bowl, as we know it. So many people were singing in the streets saying, “it’s comin, it’s comin, football is comin' home,” stopping cars that drove by, and hugging everyone in sight. I could not believe my eyes to see how passionate these people were about their home sport.
On the last day in London, we decided to visit Kensington Palace where Princess Diana lived. My mom and I love Princess Diana, so I was really looking forward to seeing where she lived and the gardens she created.
Next, we shopped at Harrod’s department store, where you could find anything from Louis Vuitton to Chanel. The last trip was made was to Piccadilly Circus, this is like the Times Square of London, so it was obviously very crowded. There were shopping, live entertainment acts, and so many amazing restaurants. I cannot believe my three-day trip to London is already over; I am falling more in love with Europe and all of the cities it has to offer. I can’t wait until next weekend where I will be traveling to Paris!