First and foremost, before we get into the how-tos and what to-dos about the annual Kew Gardens Orchid Festival, I want to give a small brief on what Kew Gardens is and what it shows to the public.
I will never forget the summer of '94. Working in London as the MSU Summer London Study Abroad Director, I packed as much theatre as I could into my time there. I danced onstage at Five Guys Named Moe, marveled at the chilling and realistic sound effects in Miss Saigon, bought countless tickets to Hot Shoe Shuffle, and went with my students to as many shows as we could pack in around classes and work. It was GLORIOUS.
London may be an ever-expanding tangle of concrete and gleaming glass but it also harbours wildlife that goes beyond pigeons, park ducks, and increasingly brazen gangs of foxes. From roaming deer and leaping lemurs to wallabies and alpacas, there are surprising creatures in every corner of the capital. Yes, a diverse array of city farms – originated by the band of early 1970s pioneers who turned a disused Kentish Town timberyard into London’s first rural hideaway – are dotted all over the capital.
Whether you travel to London for a long stay or you just need to plan a short trip, it is important to know exactly where to stay. The capital is quite large, so finding just what you want may take a little digging. Do your research: read a London neighborhood guide and then some reviews to make a great choice.
London is a dynamic capital that sways with the times and can change its scenes quicker than the National Theatre. With the old being pushed out to make room for the new, pockets of hip culture are popping up throughout the city. While seeing staple attractions such as the Somerset House and British Museum are musts, you can’t pass up the opportunity to book a vacation apartment and witness the cultural growth of one of London’s upstart neighbourhoods.
Need a great summer read? I’ve got a great anytime read for you, dear wanderers. Girls Who Travel, a novel by Nicole Trilivas, landed in my hands last week. Let me tell you from experience: don’t start reading this book at 11pm. Because pretty soon it’ll be the early hours of the morning, and birds will be chirping, and coffee never looked so good, but you’ll be imagining drinking it in London, not stumbling to in your kitchen. But the good news is that your reading wanderlust will be supremely satisfied.
Hi, I’m Ally Buzzanga, a 25 year old postgraduate who’s passionate about cultural shock, urban environments, and fish & chips. I spent the fall of 2012 studying abroad in London and decided then that living and traveling abroad was something that I was passionate about. Study abroad programs are getting more and more popular in the US and that’s great. I’d love to see American culture fully embrace the “gap year” and “gone travelling” attitude that my foreign friends so casually mentioned.
Making the decision to pack up your laptop, a bag of clothes, and a heap of textbooks, and head to a completely different country in order to study can be incredibly exciting, yet daunting. The chances are you won’t know anybody at all, so how can you ensure you make the most of your time abroad? The best way, of course, is to choose your location, and educational establishment, wisely.
Ben Schuster earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communication at the University of Pittsburgh in the spring of 2015. He studied abroad in the Fall 2014 semester of his senior year to London, England. Read up on his interview below to learn more about his experience abroad!
Well, our favorite sculptor, Jason deCaires Taylor, is at it again. We love his work at the Museum of Underwater Art in Cancun, Mexico and have interviewed him about his underwater sculpture park in Grenada, among others. He's one of my favorite artists.
