Around 10:30 P.M. last night, I was talking with my classmates for this trip, and they said, “Have a great last night’s sleep in America!” to which I promptly panicked and realized oh my goodness we are going to London tomorrow. 

Ever since I was a little girl, I found comforts in reading and writing, so of course being an English literature major at UMass Lowell was the optimal choice. To this day I carry at least one book with me at all times, but being a bibliophile is only half of it. With my education minor and hopes to become a teacher, I have always been on the lookout for new eye-opening experiences. I love to analyze, to look at little details, to make connections. Naturally, when the opportunity for this trip arose, I was immediately interested. Not only would I have the chance to study in a foreign country – an experience of a lifetime – but I would also gain a variety of insights on new experiences that would aid in my path to teaching. London has always been a place of great cultural activity and literary achievement, and until I first sat down with Dr. Diana Archibald, I didn’t know that one of my biggest dreams in life was about to come true. I’ve never been away from home by myself before, so I’m a little nervous, but over the last few months or so I have really come to bond with the other wonderful ladies, and I am excited for us to share our passions about the trip.

Get ready, London, because here we come!

My grandmother is my inspiration in life. She grew up in rural West Virginia, and moved to New York City as a single, young woman in the 40s. She was an adventurous spirit, and did not let the attitudes towards women of the times stop her from following her folly. Her adventurous spirit has certainly been carried on to me. I’m an anxious wreck in almost every other aspect of life, but for some reason traveling does not make me nervous. I want to see the world, and experience different cultures. I went to London on a school trip in high school, but I never got to ingratiate myself into their culture. When the opportunity to study in London for three weeks presented itself, I couldn’t pass it up.

Of course, the Literary London program is through the English department, but I am a Psychology major and an Education minor. However, I am very involved in the theater program here at UML, which is a part of the English department. I think that all of my passions-psych, education, and theater-will be brought together on this trip. I’m excited to observe how people of a different culture think and interact, and I am equally excited the various theater performances we will be attending.

It is crazy to think that in just 24 hours I will be on a plane (and hopefully sleeping) to London. There have been months of planning and preparation that have gone into this trip, but it still doesn’t quite feel real! That may also be because I have an empty suitcase staring at me from across the room that needs to be packed…

See everyone in London, and long live the Queen!

I am Mei. I come from China. I study MBA in UMass Lowell. Actually I don’t know how I joined this course. It is an English Literary course and even it is an undergraduate course. It is really a surprised to me as a graduated business student. At first I saw the poster in campus board last term. The content was attractive. I was immediately attracted by this program. Firstly I thought it was mainly a travelling program combined with teaching literature held by school. For me, I am an adventurous person. I like to try anything new and anything I am interested in. I studied business accounting in Canada for my undergraduate education. During my accounting studying, I chose one elective course about the relationship between movie and literature. Everyone was shocked by my choice. In our around 120 students’ class, only me and another girl are Chinese and only me the major was business. I got D eventually. It was the only one D grade and I never got B lower grade before. That was a hard studying process but until now I feel happy about the choice. I got some different perspectives from this literature course, and I can understand more about movie and literature from deeper level. Depends on this similar good experience, I talked to Diana. Later I found she actually is the professor of the course. Diana is really a charming classical literary teacher. As a Chinese business student, I always dream about the experience of having a classical movie style foreign literary teacher. I caught the chance. So far, the best thing is completing the preparation assignment before departure. It was also a hard working but meaningful. I never voluntarily tried to think such topics and prepared such kind of background thinking before travelling. It is interesting to compare what you think with what you actually see. Cannot wait to go to London, I am sure I will get much fun in London with our class, which you can never get from just travelling. Packaging, leaving!

Growing up in a family of four children is a lot of work. My older sister plays by the rules, my younger brother makes his own rules, and my youngest sister falls somewhere in the middle of them. I was always different. Kerri, my oldest sister would try so hard for summer reading, I would take her books when she was done and read them somewhere between a few hours and a few days. After seeing my sister and mother read Harry Potter together, I read it myself in first grade. It only took me a few days. I only picked up speed from there, reading anything and everything I could get my hands on. I fall into another place when I’m reading, to the point of not hearing anyone call my name. There was one night in third grade I almost got grounded from reading after not hearing my mom call me to dinner repeatedly.

Reading has always been something special for me. I easily fall into a story as I paint the characters in my mind. Naturally I believe the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, though I must admit Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy did make it difficult to enjoy the book more. For me this trip is about taking something that I love and seeing it come to life. The places we’ll go and the things we’ll see are something I can’t imagine not experiencing. I love to travel as much as I love to read. I’ve been to Italy before and I took in everything my eyes could cover. I had always promised myself that I would study abroad in college, but as I changed majors and schools a few times things had never worked out until I saw the e-mail for this trip. As I approach my last semester of undergrad I’m so excited to see what these next three weeks have in store for us.

Since childhood, I have been an avid reader. My grandmother would often supply my reading addiction with books like Harry Potter. I distinctly remember reading the fourth book in the series under my desk in the second grade. These books gave me a magical view of England, and opened my eyes to a world beyond my own backyard.

In just a few days I will be embarking on an adventure. I get to explore London, and although it may not be a land of wizards and witches, it is still magical to me. I have been to Greece once to visit family, so I think it will be interesting to experience a completely different side of Europe. Not only do I get to visit England, I get to go to Paris for a weekend, too!

Keep an eye out for Rowdy the River Hawk, as he will be keeping me company on my trip. My Charles Dickens actions figure will also make a few appearances. Stay tuned!

-Maddie

With only days remaining before flying to London, I’m looking at the trip itinerary, and am full of excitement over all of the famous places we’ll be visiting. I’m beyond thrilled by the opportunity. Not only am I excited over experiencing London, I’m also excited by the fact that I’ll be doing something so completely different from my personal norm. I’ve lived in Texas for the last twenty years, and I tend to be a bit of a hermit. I even take UML correspondence classes from home. It’s so very convenient and comfortable, and generally speaking, I have a hard time venturing out of that comfort zone. Now, international travel is literally days away. Unfortunately, it took something jarring to cause me to take this opportunity.

Last year, my mother died. Along with sadness and mourning came the realization that my mother did not have a passport, and she had only ever been to Hawaii and Mexico. It then occurred to me that I did not have a passport, and had only ever been to Hawaii and Mexico. I was reminded of a line from “The Shawshank Redemption” – “get busy living, or get busy dying.” I had planned on going to London twice before, but both times my plans had fallen through. Then, this opportunity popped up in my inbox in the form of an UML email, and I couldn’t sign up fast enough. Now I have a passport, and soon it will have a stamp in it. And, in just a few days, I’ll be standing in front of Big Ben as part of my effort to “get busy living.”