Hi Everyone,
My name is Julia Ganns and I am from
Germany (surprise!). I moved to Tennessee to go to UT around 1 1/2 years
ago from my hometown Essen, Germany. While the South could not be more
different from where I grew up, I love UT and everything that comes
with it.
GLS has been an amazing experience for me so
far and I would not want to miss a single day I have spent being part of
it. I remember sitting at the Info session for GLS and thinking how
cool it would be to go to London with the program. I can't believe we
have already been in London for more than a week now - Time is flying
by!!!
Now a little bit more about London and my
experience here so far: My flat, flat 14, likes to sing, watch videos of
pugs and (except for me) avoids cooking like no other. Adam, Ross,
Taylor, LB, Hannah, Maggie and I enjoy living in the old stables
outside, while everyone else is residing in the old mansion across the
courtyard.
This first week I have excelled in making a
fool of myself every chance I get, while struggling through our first
week of Statistics. Hopefully things will turn around for me soon.
Although it is rough having a month of classes within 3 days and working
on homework until late at night, having 3 day weekends is totally worth
it. This weekend we celebrated Sams birthday and went to Borough and
Camden market. I can't wait for all of the adventures that are yet to
come.
xoxo German Girl
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
The lovely walk to and the not so lovely walk back from Holland Park- Sam Steichen
Peacocks at a park- what could be better? Well, that's what we thought which is why we got off of the tube in Kensington in search of Holland Park. This part of London is literally one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The houses and trees were beautiful and everything had so much character. Even the people carried themselves in a certain way. The little boys riding their scooters home from school were so unaware that they were in such a wealthy place.
Anyway, when we finally reached the park, we found the peacocks. They were beautiful so naturally everybody was surrounding them taking pictures. Then, all of a sudden a small dog came running by and jumped through the fence. The peacock let out a big squawk and flew into a tree- I truthfully didn't even know peacocks could fly. We were all sort of freaking out, trying to capture this moment, and I was secretly more afraid of the peacock attacking the dog than the dog attacking the peacock.
After getting our peacock fill we just walked around because the park was so beautiful. We people-watched (aka Abbey taking videos of cute little boys) and took a lot of artsy pictures. Then we ventured over to a zen garden. It took a lot for us not to be loud but we somewhat managed.
After taking in the zen garden we realized it was starting to get late and pretty dark. As we looked up at the sky we saw that there was a huge storm cloud coming our way. We finally left and as soon as we got out of the park it started not raining-but hailing. So, a group of about 8 UT students were running down the streets of Kensington trying to dodge as much hail and we could.
We finally made it to the tube station, soaking wet, and completely out of breath. As miserable as this may sound, it was actually one of the best parts of this trip so far. Going to a place we've never been, exploring, getting caught in some terrible weather- it's all part of this adventure we're experiencing together. As cliche as this sound, it's really true. The experiences that turn into memories often do so because of unexpected event that make the experience that much more fun. I'm so lucky to be able to run through hail storms with this group of people.
Anyway, when we finally reached the park, we found the peacocks. They were beautiful so naturally everybody was surrounding them taking pictures. Then, all of a sudden a small dog came running by and jumped through the fence. The peacock let out a big squawk and flew into a tree- I truthfully didn't even know peacocks could fly. We were all sort of freaking out, trying to capture this moment, and I was secretly more afraid of the peacock attacking the dog than the dog attacking the peacock.
After getting our peacock fill we just walked around because the park was so beautiful. We people-watched (aka Abbey taking videos of cute little boys) and took a lot of artsy pictures. Then we ventured over to a zen garden. It took a lot for us not to be loud but we somewhat managed.
After taking in the zen garden we realized it was starting to get late and pretty dark. As we looked up at the sky we saw that there was a huge storm cloud coming our way. We finally left and as soon as we got out of the park it started not raining-but hailing. So, a group of about 8 UT students were running down the streets of Kensington trying to dodge as much hail and we could.
We finally made it to the tube station, soaking wet, and completely out of breath. As miserable as this may sound, it was actually one of the best parts of this trip so far. Going to a place we've never been, exploring, getting caught in some terrible weather- it's all part of this adventure we're experiencing together. As cliche as this sound, it's really true. The experiences that turn into memories often do so because of unexpected event that make the experience that much more fun. I'm so lucky to be able to run through hail storms with this group of people.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Hot Cuppa History - Matthew Wright
Hello readers,
My name is Matthew Wright and I am a Marketing and Spanish double-major from Hendersonville, TN, the only city I've ever called home (Knoxville is working its way up there). Since my childhood, I have been fascinated with cultures around the globe and can easily recall nights spent spinning the Cold War era globe that rested on my shelf, letting my finger land on a country and then learning all I could about whichever one it would be that day! This fascination never really had an outlet until last winter when I travelled with another group of UT business students to Costa Rica, an incredible adventure. Lasting only one week, that journey served to wet my appetite for travel; a year later, I've found myself blessed enough to be living in a flat in the center of one of our world's largest and most historical cities, London, England.
To be able to wander the streets once walked by literary giants like Woolf and Dickens only blocks from our home, to see the remnants of iron fences cut down to fund the war efforts of the 20th century, and to pop in next door at the British Museum and see some of the finest gems of human history are opportunities that are simply unequalled.
If one looks closely they may see the hints of war that still persist despite the expanse of time since this continent saw the largest wars in modern history. Engraved into the marble of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Soho Square a block or two from our flat is a memorial to "St. Patrick's good ole boys that were lost in the Great War." I plan to keep my eyes open for these hints as my stay continues!
Being someone who particularly enjoys languages, being able to see the stone slab that assisted so much at translating the perplexing language of Egyptian hieroglyphics (and the namesake of one very popular language learning software), the Rosetta Stone, is simply amazing. Not to mention it is a testament to the influence that the British Empire once held by the fact that they even have the relics that they do!
So, while I continue to explore this immense metropolis, I will do my best to understand the quirks of that British Empire. The most puzzling of those quirks? That the vehicles drive on the left...
My name is Matthew Wright and I am a Marketing and Spanish double-major from Hendersonville, TN, the only city I've ever called home (Knoxville is working its way up there). Since my childhood, I have been fascinated with cultures around the globe and can easily recall nights spent spinning the Cold War era globe that rested on my shelf, letting my finger land on a country and then learning all I could about whichever one it would be that day! This fascination never really had an outlet until last winter when I travelled with another group of UT business students to Costa Rica, an incredible adventure. Lasting only one week, that journey served to wet my appetite for travel; a year later, I've found myself blessed enough to be living in a flat in the center of one of our world's largest and most historical cities, London, England.
To be able to wander the streets once walked by literary giants like Woolf and Dickens only blocks from our home, to see the remnants of iron fences cut down to fund the war efforts of the 20th century, and to pop in next door at the British Museum and see some of the finest gems of human history are opportunities that are simply unequalled.
If one looks closely they may see the hints of war that still persist despite the expanse of time since this continent saw the largest wars in modern history. Engraved into the marble of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Soho Square a block or two from our flat is a memorial to "St. Patrick's good ole boys that were lost in the Great War." I plan to keep my eyes open for these hints as my stay continues!
Being someone who particularly enjoys languages, being able to see the stone slab that assisted so much at translating the perplexing language of Egyptian hieroglyphics (and the namesake of one very popular language learning software), the Rosetta Stone, is simply amazing. Not to mention it is a testament to the influence that the British Empire once held by the fact that they even have the relics that they do!
So, while I continue to explore this immense metropolis, I will do my best to understand the quirks of that British Empire. The most puzzling of those quirks? That the vehicles drive on the left...
London from a Different Perspective - Mikhail Emmanuel
Hello All,
My name is Mikhail Emmanuel. I have come to London in the past to visit family, but this time I have been able to partake in a fresh experience living here with my friends in GLS. Though we have only been here for a week, each day has been packed with excitement.
Yesterday we went to the British Library where I saw sacred texts that were over a thousand years old, as well as scraps of paper that were covered with original lyrics to the songs "Yesterday" and "A Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles. Two nights ago we saw a hilarious play about the formation of an Irish band called The Commitments. Over the weekend we went on a bus tour around the city (which I happened to be asleep for, whoops) and ice skating at the Somerset House. The ice skating trip was where I captured what was probably the best selfie ever taken...some of you may have seen it:
My name is Mikhail Emmanuel. I have come to London in the past to visit family, but this time I have been able to partake in a fresh experience living here with my friends in GLS. Though we have only been here for a week, each day has been packed with excitement.
Yesterday we went to the British Library where I saw sacred texts that were over a thousand years old, as well as scraps of paper that were covered with original lyrics to the songs "Yesterday" and "A Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles. Two nights ago we saw a hilarious play about the formation of an Irish band called The Commitments. Over the weekend we went on a bus tour around the city (which I happened to be asleep for, whoops) and ice skating at the Somerset House. The ice skating trip was where I captured what was probably the best selfie ever taken...some of you may have seen it:
Thursday and Friday consisted of sleeping, exploring the city, and making stops at some of the coolest pubs we could find. I have made plans to visit many other places of Europe in the coming weeks including Amsterdam, Munich, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, a few places in Belgium, and hopefully some more. Keep checking in for updates!
Mikhail
Crying at King's Cross - Abbey Rozanski
Good morning!
My name is Abbey Rozanski. I am majoring in either Finance or Accounting, but my true passion lies with Harry Potter. Being in London, there are so many Harry Potter sites to visit that I honestly don't know when I will be able to see them all. However, I got my start yesterday when Dr. Mee, our Statistics 207 professor, took our entire class to King's Cross Station where the infamous Platform 9 3/4 resides.
We arrived at the station, and there was quite a long line of people waiting to take their picture at the platform. Eventually it was my turn to walk up to the trolley that a little stuffed-animal Hedwig inside. With a Gryffindor scarf wrapped around my neck and Hermione's wand in my hand, I started to tear up when I realized one of my childhood dreams was coming true. My entire class was cheering me on, and just as I was about to pull myself together, the photographer told me to hold on one second. He pulled something out of his pocket and said, "Now Abbey, you can't get to Hogwarts without your ticket."
He handed me a ticket to Platform 9 3/4. My lifelong dream just came true. I was so overcome with happiness, excitement, and all other kinds of emotions that I couldn't stop crying. Even though I will always be a muggle, in that moment I was a little wizard kid just making my way to Hogwarts for the first time.
London has been absolutely wonderful thus far, and I can't wait to make more memories. Make sure to stay tuned for more stories about me crying at Harry Potter sites.
My name is Abbey Rozanski. I am majoring in either Finance or Accounting, but my true passion lies with Harry Potter. Being in London, there are so many Harry Potter sites to visit that I honestly don't know when I will be able to see them all. However, I got my start yesterday when Dr. Mee, our Statistics 207 professor, took our entire class to King's Cross Station where the infamous Platform 9 3/4 resides.
We arrived at the station, and there was quite a long line of people waiting to take their picture at the platform. Eventually it was my turn to walk up to the trolley that a little stuffed-animal Hedwig inside. With a Gryffindor scarf wrapped around my neck and Hermione's wand in my hand, I started to tear up when I realized one of my childhood dreams was coming true. My entire class was cheering me on, and just as I was about to pull myself together, the photographer told me to hold on one second. He pulled something out of his pocket and said, "Now Abbey, you can't get to Hogwarts without your ticket."
He handed me a ticket to Platform 9 3/4. My lifelong dream just came true. I was so overcome with happiness, excitement, and all other kinds of emotions that I couldn't stop crying. Even though I will always be a muggle, in that moment I was a little wizard kid just making my way to Hogwarts for the first time.
London has been absolutely wonderful thus far, and I can't wait to make more memories. Make sure to stay tuned for more stories about me crying at Harry Potter sites.
From Mining to Ice Skating- Elizabeth Schofield
Hello Everyone!
My name is Elizabeth Schofield. I am currently majoring in Marketing at UT and I am beyond excited to be spending this semester in London.
Well, as of today we all officially survived one week in London!
We all have been taking advantage of our new digs! Most of the flats have even come up with names. My flat, Flat Thirteen, decided to be called "The Mine". Due to the fact that we all feel like dwarfs with our low,slanted ceilings and the fact that are flat stays fairly dark... giving the illusion that we are the dwarfs from Snow White working in a mine.
So far, we've gone on many adventure my favorite being going ice skating at the Somerset House. I'm kind of a dork when it come to how much I love all things winter, so when I heard that we were going ice skating I was elated. The Somerset House is a beautiful old government building that dates back to Elizabeth I, basically a beautiful building that could only be made more beautiful with an ice skating rink in the middle of it.
This was one of my first realizations that I was not in Knoxville anymore. One month ago, I was skating on the tiny ice rink and market square. Now, I'm ice skating over 3,000 miles away in a city with more history than I can imagine.
Over the next four months I cannot wait to see what other adventures London has in store!
- Elizabeth
My name is Elizabeth Schofield. I am currently majoring in Marketing at UT and I am beyond excited to be spending this semester in London.
Well, as of today we all officially survived one week in London!
We all have been taking advantage of our new digs! Most of the flats have even come up with names. My flat, Flat Thirteen, decided to be called "The Mine". Due to the fact that we all feel like dwarfs with our low,slanted ceilings and the fact that are flat stays fairly dark... giving the illusion that we are the dwarfs from Snow White working in a mine.
So far, we've gone on many adventure my favorite being going ice skating at the Somerset House. I'm kind of a dork when it come to how much I love all things winter, so when I heard that we were going ice skating I was elated. The Somerset House is a beautiful old government building that dates back to Elizabeth I, basically a beautiful building that could only be made more beautiful with an ice skating rink in the middle of it.
This was one of my first realizations that I was not in Knoxville anymore. One month ago, I was skating on the tiny ice rink and market square. Now, I'm ice skating over 3,000 miles away in a city with more history than I can imagine.
Over the next four months I cannot wait to see what other adventures London has in store!
- Elizabeth
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Rise Again - Laura Beth
While staring at a New Testament copy from 350 A.D. in the British Library, I concluded the UK has a much more complex relationship with Christianity than I was told. The British do have significant influence in the history of Christianity, but it appears there is a group of Brits my age ready to write their own chapter.
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