London Study Abroad

I went to London for 6 weeks (Spring term) for a theatre study abroad program. There were a group of about 30 students in the program, and we took two classes, Theatre in London and Shakespeare (both classes counted toward my major). We had the classes two days a week in the Hyde Park chapel building. The best part about these classes was that we actually got to see all the plays we studied for class. We lived in flats in Kensington, right across from Hyde Park. I absolutely loved the time I spent in England! The country was just so beautiful and I loved being in a place where I could walk where some of the greatest writers walked, see some of the most amazing theatre in the world, and understand the country where so many of my ancestors came from.
I really loved the people I met in London. Everyone was so nice and I just loved picking up the great English phrases like “Cheers” and “chappies”. I met some interesting characters from all over the world, including an African man who gave me a lecture about voting for Obama and an Australian who was selling ice cream to support his son’s soccer playing. I went to institute and a dance and the local members were a lot of fun. My favorite part about London was going to the Stratford ward, but I’ll leave that for the end.
I absolutely loved Hyde Park. I spent a lot of time there reading, studying, and reading scriptures. It was just a beautiful place and I loved being there and walking around. Kensington Palace and Gardens, Italian fountains, a pond, and the Peter Pan statue were all within the park.
Getting used to living in London was a bit difficult at first, but I quickly caught on to everything. I knew how to get to all the important places, like the grocery store. We had a pass for the tube (the underground) which was so easy to use and I was so grateful to be able to get everywhere so fast! I tried a lot of strange foods while I was there. Sausages and mash, Cornish pasties, fish and chips, and Turkish delight were all part of the menu. I totally got addicted to Digestives, a chocolate coated biscuit.
We went to a lot of plays as part of the program. The Shakespeare plays we studied and saw were Richard III (by the Royal Shakespeare Company), King Lear (at the Globe), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (at the Globe), Troilus and Cressida, Romeo and Juliet (at the Regent’s Park outdoor theatre), The Merchant of Venice (at Stratford Upon Avon), The Taming of the Shrew (in Stratford also), and The Merry Wives of Windsor (at the Globe). I must admit that I now am a big Shakespeare fan! I mean, who couldn’t love a guy who says things like, “God made him, so let him pass for a man”? (Try that on your enemy sometime!) All of the productions were extremely well done. I really enjoyed Midsummer Night’s Dream, and I loved the intriguing feminist theme that was used in Taming of the Shrew. Writing papers on the productions really affected the way I looked at and analyzed the plays I was seeing.
We saw a lot of great theatre from all different time periods for the Theatre class. We saw both parts of War and Peace, Pygmalion, Fram (at the National Theatre), Gone With the Wind (a new musical), A Good Soul of Szechuan, Brief Encounter, and Afterlife. I thought the production of Szechuan had a strong theme and was extremely intriguing, and Brief Encounter was just so much fun. The theatre had a band performing throughout, and during the interval (that’s what they call the intermission) the actors passed out cucumber sandwiches.
Since London is one of the world’s biggest theatre districts, and I am a theatre nut, obviously I saw a lot of theatre! I saw Wicked, which I was so excited to finally see and I was amazed that it actually lived up to all its hype! It was absolutely incredible! I also watched The Lion King, which had amazing costumes and music. Les Miserables, my favorite musical, was awesome to see, Spamalot (the new Monty Python musical) was hilarious, and The Sound of Music was an awesome feel-good musical.
Besides classes, plays, and group activities, we were pretty much free to sight see and explore London on our own. I did an amazing amount of things, but there was still so much I could have done! The first week I went to the Museum of London, the Borough Market which sells food from all over the world, and St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was so gorgeous. It was filled with memorials to war veterans and famous people. The Whispering Galley at the top overlooked the cathedral, and the crypt below was the burial place of many distinguished figures. My roommate Natalia and I visited Covent Garden (a shopping district) and took pictures next to Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station. Living in London totally allowed me to understand Harry Potter, by the way. The public buses are so much like the Knight Bus, weaving in and out of traffic and lurching to a stop so the passengers go flying! Natalia and I had a scary experience walking home. A couple drunk guys were standing on the street (there’s a lot more drinking and smoking in London) and one guy asked us if we had a cigarette. When I said no, they started yelling at us and even threw their beer bottles at us. Luckily we walked really fast and the beer bottles only shattered at our feet, but it was a still a bit startling.
As a group we went on a Shakespeare walk to all the Shakespeare sites such as the site of the Old Globe, Temple Church, and Southwark Church where Shakespeare went to church. I went to Westminster Abbey to hear the choir sing at Evensong, and we visited the Houses of Parliament and sat in for some sessions (Big Ben is connected to the Houses of Parliament). The sessions totally reminded me of the court scenes in Harry Potter, but anyway… Everything is so much more expensive in London. Even going to McDonald’s is a pain in the pound (they use pounds, which are each worth about $2). There are a lot of grab-and-go sandwich places. One time we went to one right when they were closing and they gave us tons of free food. Anyway, that week I went to the Tower of London. We got a tour from a Beefeater (they guard the tower and the crown jewels) and explored the ancient towers (from the time of Henry the 8th). We saw Traitor’s Gate, Sir Walter Raleigh’s prison room, the room thought to hold the 2 captive princes we learned about in Richard III, an armory of armor and weapons, and a jewel house with the royal jewels.
I loved attending the shows at the Globe. We got a tour of it and it was built after the original Globe of Shakespeare’s time. We were always the groundlings, so we got to stand up right next to the stage. There were always performers before the show who used traditional instruments. I ate at the Orangery, which had excellent scones and lemonade. One of my very favorite places was the British Library. I know, sounds boring, but I’m an English nerd, remember? There were copies of really old books and manuscripts, including the Magna Carta. There were beautiful books from post-medieval times and writings and books of sonnets from Shakespeare. There were original writings from authors such as Lewis Carroll, Charlotte Bronte, and Joseph Conrad. Best of all were letters written by Jane Austen on her real writing desk! So cool! There was lots of music, too, like copies of Mozart pieces. I also went to see the musical Chess in concert at the Royal Albert Hall, starring Idina Menzel (Elphaba from Wicked) and the amazing Josh Groban. I stood on the balcony and watched; it had a full orchestra, choir, and dancing, and Josh Groban’s voice gave me chills!
I also visited the White Hall Banquet House, where royal banquets and masques have been held for centuries. There was beautiful Roman architecture and a painted ceiling, with a king’s throne where the royalty receives guests. It is amazing how long these English buildings have been around and how much history they’ve experienced. Speaking of old buildings, I also toured Westminster Abbey which was absolutely breathtaking, and it’s been around for centuries! It is the place where kings are crowned, so the throne was there. We saw the Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor (where people came on pilgrimages to in order to be healed), and a beautiful tomb for Elizabeth and (Bloody) Mary, finally united despite their religious differences. Mary Queen of Scots, Henry 7, William Wilberforce, Charles Dickens, Handel, and others were buried there and had memorials. My favorite place was Poet’s Corner, with memorials for all my favorite poets and writers, including Shakespeare, Chaucer, Wordsworth, Austen, the Brontes, Clare, etc. There was the Lady’s Chapel, the nave which had the tomb of the unknown warrior, and a room where the monks say their prayers. I loved the artistic symbolism, the history, the ornate decorations, and the vaulted ceiling.
The British Museum was also a fabulous place. I saw artifacts from all different areas and periods, including the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, Grecian Urns, statues, artwork, and displays from Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Africa, the Americas, etc. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace was not my favorite event. It was fun to see the guards march in and play their instruments, but the crowds were just not enjoyable. I loved all the parks in London, including St. James’. We had a tour of the National Theatre, and had firesides from members of the stake presidency. I also went to Evensong at St. Paul’s. I tried to avoid shopping and laundry as much as I could, because when I wasn’t in class or during homework, I was exploring London! I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum, too.
We got a 4 day travel weekend for part of the trip where we could visit a place of our choice. I went with 7 other girls to Paris, and it was such an incredible experience! Paris was the most beautiful and romantic city and I can’t even describe in words how completely wonderful it was just to be there. We traveled there by chunnel. The city was a bit overwhelming at first, especially the French, but luckily most people spoke English, too. My favorite thing about Paris was just sitting in an outdoor café, watching people and looking out over the city.
The first day we lugged our 50 lb. backpacks as we climbed hundreds of steps. First we went to a church called St. Chapelle. The top floor was so gorgeous that it literally makes your jaw drop; there are stained glass windows that depict all the Bible stories. After that we went straight to Notre Dame and toured the inside of the church. We went up to the top and saw the roof with the statues and gargoyles, the great bell, and looked out over the landscape. Finally- more stairs! We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and the view was incredible. We ate at a lot of cafes in Paris and the food was unbelievable. My favorite restaurant had a three course meal consisting of chicken salad, chicken and potatoes, and a fruit tart, and it was all so delicious! We ate a couple breakfasts at outdoor cafes which was really fun. The crepes are great, and the croissants are so good- they melt in your mouth! 4 of us stayed at a hostel called The Three Ducks. It was a bit scary at first because we had to check in through a bar, but it turned out to be okay- there were nice people from all over the world, mostly students like us. I brought my scriptures so my roommates and I had a devotional every night.
On the second day we went to a museum called Musee d’Orsay which had a lot of Impressionist art. There was tons of amazing and famous artwork by Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, etc. Afterwards we walked through the underground catacombs, which had tons of skeletons from ancient people that didn’t have a place to be buried! We saw the Victor Hugo House, a famous park, and saw the Arc de Triumph, a beautiful arch celebrating France’s military victories that had a flame to honor WWII victims. The Arc and the Eiffel light up at night, and the city really comes alive! The third day was the best; we took a train to Versailles. We went through the palace of King Louis XIV, which was incredibly ornate. The most impressive part was the grounds- so gorgeous! We walked through the gardens and hedges, by the fountains and lake, and up to Marie Antoinette’s farm, which had beautiful storybook cottages, streams, bridges, and lilly pads. That night we went to the Louvre, the famous museum with the inverted pyramids. We hit all the highlights- the Venus de Milo, art by da Vinci such as the Mona Lisa (surrounded by glass and people), Cupid and Psyche, the Winged Victory, and all kinds of Greek, Roman, and French classic paintings and sculptures. We went up to the Eiffel Tower that night to watch it while it glowed and sparkled. One guy who was selling us key chains gave us all roses, so we posed in front of the Eiffel with them like true Parisians! On the last day we went to a church called Sac re Coeur, which resembled the palace from Aladdin. There was a violinist and a harpist performing outside. We bought souvenirs, wandered down the Champs de Elysses (the famous shopping street), and visited Laduree, a famous bakery. I loved Paris so much! Paris was an amazing place to visit but London was a great place to live.
Back in England, I went to the National Gallery. For the last few weeks, I spent a lot of time in the countryside outside of the city of London, and I fell in love with England. I took a trip with some of the other students to do baptisms at the London Temple. It was a wonderful experience to be able to baptize so many people from all over the world, and the grounds of the London Temple are the most extensive of any temple grounds in the world. I visited Kew Gardens, a pretty area that was dedicated to the study of plants from all over the world. There are greenhouses filled with everything from rubber trees to giant water lilies to flowers and cacti. We went on a guided tour, and also a bridge that overlooked the tree tops. I also went on a tour of Stonehenge and Bath. Stonehenge was so impressive- a monument formed as far back as 3050 BC with each stone taking about 60 men to move. Bath was an amazing city. It was a place of high society during Jane Austen’s time, and she lived there for 6 years. I just read Northanger Abbey where the protagonist lives in Bath and visits the Pump Room to meet with the people of society, so I had to see the Pump Room. The city was filled with fun shops, some of which had been standing for hundreds of years. I toured the Roman Baths, which are hot spring pools where the ancient Romans used to bathe in belief that they could be healed; I even tried some of the bath water. There was also a famous bun bakery and a Jane Austen Centre. Also, as a group we went on a country walk around the countryside, where we saw castle ruins and waded through a stream.
For my last week in London, I went to an inexpensive yet cute department store called Primark. I also visited the Tate Modern Museum (which had modern art such as Picasso). For a few days our group headed out to Stratford Upon Avon. On the way there, we stopped at Coventry Cathedral, a cathedral dedicated to the unity of Christian churches. They had the ruins of the old cathedral (bombed in WWII) as well as the newly built one. The next stop was Kenilworth Castle, the remains of the castle owned by Lord Stanley, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. Next we went to Warwick Castle, a huge castle tourist attraction. There were people dressed in medieval costumes and the launching of a giant trebuchet. They had a ghost tower, and the castle which was modeled after how it would have been. I loved climbing up to the tallest tower and having the wind blow my hair like a princess.
We got to the city of Stratford Upon Avon, and we stayed at a cute little bed and breakfast. Every morning we got a delicious English breakfast consisting of sausage, bacon, egg, toast, tomato, and hot chocolate. I ate at a pub, which was really fun! We saw two shows in Stratford. The first day we were there, we went to all the Shakespeare houses. We saw the house where Shakespeare was born, Nash’s house (the home of Shakespeare’s granddaughter Elizabeth), New Place (the site of Shakespeare’s home before it was demolished), and Hall’s Croft (where Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna lived). I also visited Trinity Church and saw Shakespeare’s grave. We got a tour of the Courtyard Theater.
The next day we went to Anne Hathaway’s cottage (Shakespeare’s wife). We also went to the Mary Arden farm (Shakespeare’s mom) which was set up just how it would have run in his time. On the way back we stopped in Oxford. I visited Christ Church College and saw the staircase where they filmed for Hogwarts in the first Harry Potter movie. The Great Hall was used as a model for the film. The college had great architecture and the city was a lot of fun.
Sadly, I was technically in school, so I still had to do a project and take finals. Before I left my roommate Natalia and I had a night out in London. We went to Harrod’s, a huge department store that sales incredibly expensive clothes, jewelry, fossils, gem stones, sweets, etc. We also visited our favorite sites like Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, and Big Ben (which lights up at night). Finally, we crossed Tower Bridge and looked out over the Thames River (pronounced Tims). The view was so gorgeous; I was especially surprised at seeing the ancient structure of the Tower of London nestled in between the modern buildings of London. That just goes to show how diverse London is. During my last few days I saw a lot of shows and spent some more time in Hyde Park.
Out of all the amazing experiences I had in London, my favorite part was attending the Stratford ward. We were all assigned to different wards in the area so that we could help out. I was with 6 other girls in the Stratford ward, which we had to travel an hour and a half to get to and pay money to take the train every time we went there. Despite the sacrifice, the experience of attending the ward made everything worth it. The first time we got there, I felt nervous, scared, and alone, but everyone greeted us warmly and made us feel welcome because they were so happy to have us there. Most of the members are African converts, and they are such kind people with amazing testimonies. The bishop immediately gave us callings. I was able to help out in both the primary and nursery, and I just loved those beautiful and amazingly smart kids! I taught a couple of lessons, sang in church with the rest of the group, and gave a short talk about my experience in the ward. In my talk, I said how grateful I was to know that the church is the same even halfway across the world, which is a testimony to me that God is real and that He loves each of His children. Despite the craziness of being in London, I was grateful for the stability of the gospel always constant in my life, and the Stratford ward that carried me through my weeks in London. I was grateful to be able to learn from the kids through their testimonies, their spirit, and their knowledge of the basic principles of the gospel. I will never forget the wonderful people of the ward who opened their arms to us, especially the primary and nursery leaders. I learned that going to church to partake of the sacrament and learn with other saints is worth any sacrifice, even 3 hours of travel time and $10 train tickets.
Now I’m back home in America and it’s good to be back. I’m working as an Outdoor Living instructor at a YMCA kid’s day camp and in my opinion, it’s the best summer job anyone could ask for! I’ve been reading the classics, spending time with family and friends, and even attending some young adult activities.
I’m very grateful for the experience I had to study in London, because I was really given an amazing chance to go out in the world, find out who I am, and be able to serve others. I will always look back on my experience in London as one of the best of my life.

Here are the links to my photo albums (I have tons of pictures!):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187654&l=a65f9&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187661&l=b7a11&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187666&l=d4eab&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2180338&l=bf0a2&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187667&l=7cb2b&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187673&l=08325&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187978&l=420a5&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187981&l=f3a81&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187982&l=e5eea&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187984&l=6c1cc&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187986&l=a71a2&id=17825448
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2187989&l=2c8f6&id=17825448