This post is mainly for the parents of GLS students who, after reading their amazing travelogue, are surely wondering whether there is any substantive studying happening in London. My wife and I were privileged to be there for one month with these 27 students and I can confirm that they did indeed study.
Between January 10 and February 3, each (4-hour) class day was like a week for a usual semester, so each week was equivalent to a month of school. By Jan. 21 we had reached “Spring break” and celebrated by going to Oxford together. Oxford is an hour-long train ride west of London and home of the oldest university in England. My interest in Oxford is due to C.S. Lewis having been a student and professor there. However, the most popular attraction in town was undoubtedly Christ Church College, due to its connection to Harry Potter. So we visited Magdalen College, St. Mary the Virgin Church, the Eagle and Child pub, and the Christ Church College hall. How typical of our experience in England – a mix of real history and fun!
Between January 10 and February 3, each (4-hour) class day was like a week for a usual semester, so each week was equivalent to a month of school. By Jan. 21 we had reached “Spring break” and celebrated by going to Oxford together. Oxford is an hour-long train ride west of London and home of the oldest university in England. My interest in Oxford is due to C.S. Lewis having been a student and professor there. However, the most popular attraction in town was undoubtedly Christ Church College, due to its connection to Harry Potter. So we visited Magdalen College, St. Mary the Virgin Church, the Eagle and Child pub, and the Christ Church College hall. How typical of our experience in England – a mix of real history and fun!
It is a great privilege to teach GLS students in London – one I am eager to repeat. My wife and I enjoyed all our trips and discussions with the students. And when my dad and stepmom came for a visit, the students were so thoughtful and polite with them. As parents, you would have been most proud of your sons and daughters.
Not only was teaching in London a first for me, so was going an entire semester with no student absences! That had never happened in my 30 years of teaching undergraduates.
And now to the students. As the sun came up on Feb. 4, we sped away from London on Eurostar, going under the channel and arriving in Antwerp, Belgium before noon. If anyone goes to Antwerp, you must visit the Plantin-Moretus museum, which houses the history and collections of a family-run printing operation that was in business from the 1550s to the 1870s. They have the oldest two remaining printing presses in the world, they printed the first atlas, they published books in more than a dozen languages, ... From the T/F quiz about my family, you know that Cherol loves books – so this was the perfect site for us.
Not only was teaching in London a first for me, so was going an entire semester with no student absences! That had never happened in my 30 years of teaching undergraduates.
And now to the students. As the sun came up on Feb. 4, we sped away from London on Eurostar, going under the channel and arriving in Antwerp, Belgium before noon. If anyone goes to Antwerp, you must visit the Plantin-Moretus museum, which houses the history and collections of a family-run printing operation that was in business from the 1550s to the 1870s. They have the oldest two remaining printing presses in the world, they printed the first atlas, they published books in more than a dozen languages, ... From the T/F quiz about my family, you know that Cherol loves books – so this was the perfect site for us.
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