By Max Edwards
This past summer, I spent three weeks learning in London as part of the Western New England University London Summer Program. We stayed in Regent’s University, which is located within the grounds of Regent’s Park. As I was part of the first session, I took the classes “Old Bailey: Criminal Justice in the UK” and “Social and Political Philosophy,” which are criminal justice and philosophy courses with professors Chidike Okeem and Tim Vercellotti, respectively.
The courses included field trips relevant to the course material almost every day, exploring many aspects of the old city. We were able to sit in on a few different active court cases in both the iconic Old Bailey and the Wood Green Crown Court. We saw many locations rich with history such as the Tower of London, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, Highgate Cemetery, the National Portrait Gallery, the House of Parliament, and even the London Zoo.
Outside of these trips, we were given ample time to explore on our own. I took personal adventures to Oxford University, the London Eye, Oxford Circus, thrift shops, Soho, the West End theaters to see Hamilton and Hadestown, Buckingham Palace, and a few local pubs.
I learned how to navigate public transport in a city, using mainly buses and the underground train to travel with the class. By the end of the three weeks, I felt comfortable using these services on my own and they were one of my favorite parts of the trip overall. My absolute favorite part of the trip, however, was the new bonds I formed with my fellow classmates. Going into the experience, I barely knew the other students, but by the end, we were all sad to separate from one another and return home.
I recommend to anyone interested in this program to try it out. It is a once in a lifetime experience that will not disappoint, especially if you’re interested in the criminal justice or political philosophy fields.
