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8/3/17 Reflections Project (Public Health in London)
- Influential Moments: One of my favorite moments in London would have to be when we went to Oxford and toured Christ Church University. It is a place where many scenes of the Harry Potter films were filmed. Being a huge Harry Potter fan, this was an incredible moment for me. One thing I didn’t expect but should’ve was all of the nice cars that I saw. I really wasn’t thinking about London being one of the biggest cities in the world so there were bound to be many nice cars there. Nevertheless, it was really cool seeing so many nice cars all over the city. I was really surprised with how I excited I got about so many things in London. Normally I am not a person who likes to show emotions but there were many times when I just couldn’t control myself, I was truly happy.
- Application of Learning: Similar to epidemiology, I don’t think that I am going to have a career in public health in the future but it was still cool to learn about the different cooperation’s that take care of public health in London. And even though I will not be pursuing a career in public health, that doesn’t mean that I wont be aware of what is going on and try to help in any way that I can. For example I am definitely going to send donations to help out the Oxfam cooperation so they can continue to do all the good work that they are doing.
- Health and Well-being: Even though I didn’t really work out while I was in London, apart from a few pushups and sit ups, I didn’t gain any weight. This surprised me because I consumed an immense amount of food in my time in London. But then I realized that I was averaging about 20,000 steps everyday so that basically balanced out the amount of food that I was eating. I could have purchased the month gym membership and worked out more frequently and gained muscle with all of the food that I was eating but I figured that I would not have time to work out and I this proved to be true.
- Transferable Skills: I was never really one to actually take other peoples opinions seriously. I mean I would listen to them and act interested because that was the nice thing to do but I never actually thought anything of it. Being on this trip however has opened my eyes to other options. Listening to my classmates make statements and talk about personal experiences has made me realize that it is okay to have another opinion change your mind at times. That it is not always about me. When I first arrived in London, I figured it would take me forever to get adjusted. But it actually took no time at all. I got used to crossing the street in a couple days and figured out the underground and bus systems in a week. The only thing that took a while was to understand the dialect of the people of London. People say “Oh you’re just in London and they speak English, it should not be that bad.” But in reality, even though they are speaking English, there are a lot of things that I had to get adjusted to. It was in a way like learning a new language. But like everything else, I figured it out eventually probably a result of going to so many places in my classes opened me to more things at a faster pace. Being in London also opened me to international issues. In addition to being one of the biggest cities in Europe, London is also the capital of the United Kingdom. It is where the Royal Family lives and the Prime Minister. So it is basically where everything goes down. I saw countless embassies and representatives from many different countries. There were even times when police officers had to shut down traffic momentarily to let a high government official pass through quickly. A thing that surprised me was how much London people kept up with our government. They knew about things that you would thing only Americans should know or even worry about but they were all in our politics. It was a great experience and gave me many opportunities to jump to a leadership role and try and lead my companions to whatever destination we needed to go even though I didn’t know where I was going either. We got lost many times but eventually we figured it out. As our professor once said, the best way to truly discover a place is to get lost.
- Mock Interview: We are proud to have a very diverse team here in the office. What experience do you have working with people from backgrounds different than your own, and how do you think those experiences relate to the workplace? Well I have always considered myself to be a people person. I feel that people like to talk to me, they feel that I am a good listener and will know what to say to make sense to whatever situation they are in. Also, being born in Jamaica and raised with its traditions, I feel that I can relate to many Caribbean people. And now having lived in London for a month, I feel that has only expanded my diversity making me more of a flexible asset. We understand that you have just graduated from college and thus do not have as many years of work experience as other applicants. What skills can you bring to the table as a recent graduate? I am an extremely hard worker and I will do whatever is needed to get the job done. Also, as previously stated, I am a people person and can relate to many different people and many different situations. Also, if and when needed, I am willing to step up to the plate and be a reliable leader.
7/31/17 Post London #2
I was never really one to actually take other peoples opinions seriously. I mean I would listen to them and act interested because that was the nice thing to do but I never actually thought anything of it. Being on this trip however has opened my eyes to other options. Listening to my classmates make statements and talk about personal experiences has made me realize that it is okay to have another opinion change your mind at times. That it is not always about me.
When I first arrived in London, I figured it would take me forever to get adjusted. But it actually took no time at all. I got used to crossing the street in a couple days and figured out the underground and bus systems in a week. The only thing that took a while was to understand the dialect of the people of London. People say “Oh you’re just in London and they speak English, it should not be that bad.” But in reality, even though they are speaking English, there are a lot of things that I had to get adjusted to. It was in a way like learning a new language. But like everything else, I figured it out eventually probably a result of going to so many places in my classes opened me to more things at a faster pace.
Being in London also opened me to international issues. In addition to being one of the biggest cities in Europe, London is also the capital of the United Kingdom. It is where the Royal Family lives and the Prime Minister. So it is basically where everything goes down. I saw countless embassies and representatives from many different countries. There were even times when police officers had to shut down traffic momentarily to let a high government official pass through quickly. A thing that surprised me was how much London people kept up with our government. They knew about things that you would thing only Americans should know or even worry about but they were all in our politics.
It was a great experience and gave me many opportunities to jump to a leadership role and try and lead my companions to whatever destination we needed to go even though I didn’t know where I was going either. We got lost many times but eventually we figured it out. As our professor once said, the best way to truly discover a place is to get lost.
We are proud to have a very diverse team here in the office. What experience do you have working with people from backgrounds different than your own, and how do you think those experiences relate to the workplace?
Well I have always considered myself to be a people person. I feel that people like to talk to me, they feel that I am a good listener and will know what to say to make sense to whatever situation they are in. Also, being born in Jamaica and raised with its traditions, I feel that I can relate to many Caribbean people. And now having lived in London for a month, I feel that has only expanded my diversity making me more of a flexible asset.
We understand that you have just graduated from college and thus do not have as many years of work experience as other applicants. What skills can you bring to the table as a recent graduate?
I am an extremely hard worker and I will do whatever is needed to get the job done. Also, as previously stated, I am a people person and can relate to many different people and many different situations. Also, if and when needed, I am willing to step up to the plate and be a reliable leader.
When I first arrived in London, I figured it would take me forever to get adjusted. But it actually took no time at all. I got used to crossing the street in a couple days and figured out the underground and bus systems in a week. The only thing that took a while was to understand the dialect of the people of London. People say “Oh you’re just in London and they speak English, it should not be that bad.” But in reality, even though they are speaking English, there are a lot of things that I had to get adjusted to. It was in a way like learning a new language. But like everything else, I figured it out eventually probably a result of going to so many places in my classes opened me to more things at a faster pace.
Being in London also opened me to international issues. In addition to being one of the biggest cities in Europe, London is also the capital of the United Kingdom. It is where the Royal Family lives and the Prime Minister. So it is basically where everything goes down. I saw countless embassies and representatives from many different countries. There were even times when police officers had to shut down traffic momentarily to let a high government official pass through quickly. A thing that surprised me was how much London people kept up with our government. They knew about things that you would thing only Americans should know or even worry about but they were all in our politics.
It was a great experience and gave me many opportunities to jump to a leadership role and try and lead my companions to whatever destination we needed to go even though I didn’t know where I was going either. We got lost many times but eventually we figured it out. As our professor once said, the best way to truly discover a place is to get lost.
We are proud to have a very diverse team here in the office. What experience do you have working with people from backgrounds different than your own, and how do you think those experiences relate to the workplace?
Well I have always considered myself to be a people person. I feel that people like to talk to me, they feel that I am a good listener and will know what to say to make sense to whatever situation they are in. Also, being born in Jamaica and raised with its traditions, I feel that I can relate to many Caribbean people. And now having lived in London for a month, I feel that has only expanded my diversity making me more of a flexible asset.
We understand that you have just graduated from college and thus do not have as many years of work experience as other applicants. What skills can you bring to the table as a recent graduate?
I am an extremely hard worker and I will do whatever is needed to get the job done. Also, as previously stated, I am a people person and can relate to many different people and many different situations. Also, if and when needed, I am willing to step up to the plate and be a reliable leader.
7/31/17 Post London #1
I don’t plan to have a future in epidemiology. To be honest, the only reason I took this class was because it was the only class along with public health in London that applied to my major. But I regret nothing! This class along with public health was the best classes out of all the classes in London. And I am saying this without bias. I even had other students from different classes telling me how they wished that they were in our class. We definitely did the most excursion and exploring wise. Even though I am not planning a career in epidemiology in the future, that doesn’t mean that this class did not teach me many things.
One thing I liked was how we learned so much about the history of medicine and how many of the world discoveries and vaccinations were found right in London. We learned about Edward Jenner, who created the world’s first vaccine, which was a vaccine for smallpox, a disease that was killing numerous people at the time. Also, we learned about Alexander Fleming who was successful in creating the worlds first antibiotic. We even went outside the laboratory that he worked at while he was in London. And not to mention the legendary John Snow and how we saved the lives of thousands with his discoveries about cholera.
The way I see it, my fellow students in the class with me are all thinking about pursuing something in the medical field. And it is really important that we have all learned about these influential people and all that the have done for modern medicine. Who knows, maybe one of us will be responsible for finding a cure for HIV or malaria or cancer. All of those great physicians and scientists were in our shoes at one point so why can’t we do what they did and make the future better?
I might not be going into epidemiology, but I will be doing something in the medical field and I know that this trip has definitely opened my eyes to different possibilities that can happen. It was an incredible experience and I would do it all over again if I had the chance. I loved my classmates, my professor and our wonderful tour guide Dr. Barry who was exceptional in getting us where we needed to go and explaining everything amazingly.
One thing I liked was how we learned so much about the history of medicine and how many of the world discoveries and vaccinations were found right in London. We learned about Edward Jenner, who created the world’s first vaccine, which was a vaccine for smallpox, a disease that was killing numerous people at the time. Also, we learned about Alexander Fleming who was successful in creating the worlds first antibiotic. We even went outside the laboratory that he worked at while he was in London. And not to mention the legendary John Snow and how we saved the lives of thousands with his discoveries about cholera.
The way I see it, my fellow students in the class with me are all thinking about pursuing something in the medical field. And it is really important that we have all learned about these influential people and all that the have done for modern medicine. Who knows, maybe one of us will be responsible for finding a cure for HIV or malaria or cancer. All of those great physicians and scientists were in our shoes at one point so why can’t we do what they did and make the future better?
I might not be going into epidemiology, but I will be doing something in the medical field and I know that this trip has definitely opened my eyes to different possibilities that can happen. It was an incredible experience and I would do it all over again if I had the chance. I loved my classmates, my professor and our wonderful tour guide Dr. Barry who was exceptional in getting us where we needed to go and explaining everything amazingly.
Hospitals/ Food 7/3/17
As I stated in my earlier blog, I wanted to visit a hospital while I was in London. I am happy to say that I have been able to. As a result of my excursions, I have actually been to several hospitals in London. I visited the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, which I stated in an earlier blog. It looked like a slower day but you can tell that it was pretty busy. Probably not as busy as a similar hospital in the States but then again this is more of a private and very expensive hospital. I also visited the famous St Mary’s Hospital where Princess Diana gave birth to Princes William and Harry and where Catherine gave birth most recently to Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Apparently the Royal family has their own personal ward in the hospital and whenever there is a Royal birth, the whole street gets shut down. One of the coolest places that I got to see was an old operating theater and got to witness, not actually surgery, how surgeries were performed back in the old days.
In an earlier blog I stated that I was very excited to try the food in London. I also stated that I was going to gain about 15 pounds. I am going to have to change that to about 30 or more pounds. The food here in London is amazing! Sure there are smaller portions in many of the restaurants than what I am accustomed to in the Unites States but after a while I started to adjust to it and they became very filling. I have eaten basically every kind of dish here in London from a great amount of cultures. From Thai, to Italian to Mexican, to Indian and many more. And every thing has been amazing! I don’t think I have even been to a same restaurant twice or eaten the same thing twice. What is actually funny and ironic to me is that the most common and popular dish here in London is Fish and Chips and I think that is the only dish that I have not tried. I still have two weeks here though so I am sure that I will get there eventually. Again, the food is incredible and I just think that I am just scratching the surface in what London food has to offer. Another note, I had a burger from Burger King here and it was actually better to me than how it is in the States!
In an earlier blog I stated that I was very excited to try the food in London. I also stated that I was going to gain about 15 pounds. I am going to have to change that to about 30 or more pounds. The food here in London is amazing! Sure there are smaller portions in many of the restaurants than what I am accustomed to in the Unites States but after a while I started to adjust to it and they became very filling. I have eaten basically every kind of dish here in London from a great amount of cultures. From Thai, to Italian to Mexican, to Indian and many more. And every thing has been amazing! I don’t think I have even been to a same restaurant twice or eaten the same thing twice. What is actually funny and ironic to me is that the most common and popular dish here in London is Fish and Chips and I think that is the only dish that I have not tried. I still have two weeks here though so I am sure that I will get there eventually. Again, the food is incredible and I just think that I am just scratching the surface in what London food has to offer. Another note, I had a burger from Burger King here and it was actually better to me than how it is in the States!
London Eye/ 311 Steps 7/2/17
Seeing as though I felt the effects of the bike ride yesterday in my legs when I woke up this morning, you would think I would take a day off and just relax. But no I decided that I can relax when I am dead, or at least when I get back to the States. So today a few of my classmates and I decided to go to the London Eye. Unfortunately the London Pass didn’t include the London Eye so we had to pay full price for it.
The London Eye is basically a giant upgraded Ferris wheel. Going up to almost 450 feet in the air it towers over the city of London and can be seen from miles away. Positioned right in the South bank of the River Thames, the London Eye opened in December 1999 but didn’t carry its first passengers until February 2000. Since then, hundreds of millions of people ride the London Eye every year as it is one of the cities most popular attractions.
The London Eye is basically a giant upgraded Ferris wheel. Going up to almost 450 feet in the air it towers over the city of London and can be seen from miles away. Positioned right in the South bank of the River Thames, the London Eye opened in December 1999 but didn’t carry its first passengers until February 2000. Since then, hundreds of millions of people ride the London Eye every year as it is one of the cities most popular attractions.
We had to wait an incredible amount of time before we were even able to buy a ticket and then after we bought a ticket we had to wait a while. Like I said, it is one of the most popular attractions in London. The wait was worth it though because once we got on, time didn’t seem to matter anymore. It was a peaceful ride of about 20 minutes just cruising in the air looking at the sights. When we reached the top we were able to see basically all of London. It was truly breathtaking. From Buckingham Palace to Big Ben, from Tower Bridge to London Bridge, we could see everything and it was incredible.
As we were making our way back to the station, we passed the Monument. I was tremendously fatigued by this point but my classmates convinced me and plus it was on the London Pass so it was free. This was a bad idea. To get to the top of the Monument, we had to climb 311 steps. Sure this might seem like a piece of cake when you hear it, “Oh, only 311 steps? That should be easy!” Let me assure you, it was not easy. About a quarter of the way I realized that I should have just stayed at the bottom. What made it worse also was that the steps were so small and while we were going up people were coming down. Eventually, we made it to the top and after we got over the burning in our legs and the stiches in our sides, we were finally able to appreciate the view. It’s not as magnificent as the London Eye, but it was still pretty cool.
Bike Ride 7/1/17
Today was definitely a workout for my legs. And I am saying that having walked probably six miles every day since I arrived in London. Today, I went on a bike ride tour for three hours! It was also unfortunate that I wasn’t able to eat anything before the bike tour so I was on an empty stomach for the duration of the ride. It was still and incredible tour however and I regret nothing (except towards the end of the tour when the seats of the bike started to become kind of hard). Riding right along with the vehicles of London our tour guide took us on wonderful excursion throughout many of the most memorable sights in London.
One spot that we went to was called the Leake Street tunnel close to Waterloo Station. This is where the best street artists of London come and express themselves in the form of graffiti. This was actually really cool to me because I am actually a fan of graffiti projects and people expressing themselves through art. The only downfall was that after a while the fumes started to become too strong to keep inhaling.
Another place that we went to was the legendary Buckingham Palace. This is one of the most famous buildings in the world and where Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II resides. Unfortunately, she wasn’t home when we arrived. But we did hear this cool story about how a man was able to climb up the side of the palace walls and shut down all of the electronics and sneak into the Queen’s room where she was sleeping at the time to wake her up and have a 15-minute conversation with her!
One spot that we went to was called the Leake Street tunnel close to Waterloo Station. This is where the best street artists of London come and express themselves in the form of graffiti. This was actually really cool to me because I am actually a fan of graffiti projects and people expressing themselves through art. The only downfall was that after a while the fumes started to become too strong to keep inhaling.
Another place that we went to was the legendary Buckingham Palace. This is one of the most famous buildings in the world and where Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II resides. Unfortunately, she wasn’t home when we arrived. But we did hear this cool story about how a man was able to climb up the side of the palace walls and shut down all of the electronics and sneak into the Queen’s room where she was sleeping at the time to wake her up and have a 15-minute conversation with her!
We also rode to Westminster Abby, which is where the coronation of the next King or Queen happens. It is also where the most recently highly publicized marriage of Prince William and Kate took place.
One of the last places that we went to was Soho, which I have to say, I thought Camden was busy but it was nothing compared to Soho. Hundreds of stores, pubs, and shops lined the streets of Soho. We had to watch where we were riding for every inch while we were there. There were times when we even had to get off the bike and just walk!
Overall this bike tour was amazing and very informative. I know I am going to be feeling these effects of it on my legs in the morning though.
One of the last places that we went to was Soho, which I have to say, I thought Camden was busy but it was nothing compared to Soho. Hundreds of stores, pubs, and shops lined the streets of Soho. We had to watch where we were riding for every inch while we were there. There were times when we even had to get off the bike and just walk!
Overall this bike tour was amazing and very informative. I know I am going to be feeling these effects of it on my legs in the morning though.
Tower of London/Tower Bridge 6/30/17
For our first weekend in London we were given a London Pass. With this pass we were able to do an incredible amount of activities in London for free or discounted prices. My classmates and I decided to use this pass to visit the Tower of London today.
Upon arriving at the Tower, we joined a tour that had just started and decided to follow the guide instead of exploring on our own. That was we would be able to learn more. Luckily we had a very charismatic and enthusiastic tour guide so we weren’t bored to death.
We learned that in the early days of the Tower, it was actually a magnificent castle and was actually the home of the royal families. It was also a prison up until recently in 1952. It even held Queen Elizabeth I before she became Queen! The Tower also used to be the site for many executions with people being “sentenced to the Tower” could result in them being executed. We also were able to tour the infamous St John’s Chapel and see all of the names of the people who were executed in the Tower.
My favorite part of the tour was when we were able to go look at the legendary “Crowed Jewels.” Unfortunately, there was absolutely no photography allowed in this section and they were particularly strict about that. It was still a magnificent sight to witness. We were able to see the crowns, scepters, and rings not to mention many more royal artifacts that were almost blinding to look at directly.
My favorite part of the tour was when we were able to go look at the legendary “Crowed Jewels.” Unfortunately, there was absolutely no photography allowed in this section and they were particularly strict about that. It was still a magnificent sight to witness. We were able to see the crowns, scepters, and rings not to mention many more royal artifacts that were almost blinding to look at directly.
After the wonderful tour of the Tower of London, my classmates and I decided to head over to the monumental Tower Bridge. On the way to Tower Bridge, we walked on London Bridge and stopped at the site where the London Bridge attack happened. We stopped for a few minutes and paid our respects and just thought about how it so crazy how everything must’ve been so calm before all of the madness. May they rest in peace.
On the Tower Bridge we were able to look at the construction of the bridge and learn about its history. It took 8 years to build! What was ironic and pretty cool also was that the tower was built on June 30th 1894 and we went on June 30th 2017. There was also a part of the bridge where the floor was glass so you could see right through it and look down on the traffic below.
Oxford! 6/28/17
Today was by far my most fun day in London. Waking up incredibly early, even by London standards, we headed on an hour and a half bus ride to the great city of Oxford. After putting my head back on my body (I fell asleep on the bus), I was ready to explore this legendary city.
We started the day off by going to the Museum of History and Science. This was probably the most telescopes that I had ever seen in my life. It was also filled with globes, amulets and microscopes that had been collected over the centuries. It was actually pretty cool. Then we went downstairs to the infamous Albert Einstein Library. There were plenty of cool gadgets and devices used by Einstein himself!
The museum was really cool and I am definitely glad that we went there.
The museum was really cool and I am definitely glad that we went there.
A main thing that I was personally looking forward to in my time in Oxford was to tour the school where many of the Harry Potter scenes where filmed. I am a huge Harry Potter fan so this was going to be one of the most important things in my whole trip to London. Unfortunately there were no Harry Potter tours being given today because of the impeccable coincidence of the fact that the school was also giving out tours to prospecting students. So everything else was shut down. It was a huge bummer initially but my group decided that it was not going to stop us. So we pretended that we were prospecting international students thinking about attending the college in the fall. The tour guides believed us and took us on a tour.
We were able to see the dorm rooms, which are incredibly nicer than the ones in the States, in my opinion. Also we were able to look at the grounds, tour the library, which had thousand year old books, and view the cafeteria. The cafeteria was actually the same one that was used to influence the Harry Potter cafeteria in the movies. It was incredibly cool. One thing that I disappointed that we didn’t get to see however, were the classrooms because the Harry Potter classroom scenes were actually filmed there. Overall though, it was still and amazing experience. We also learned that throughout all the schools, there are tortoise races, which was very strange to me.
We were able to see the dorm rooms, which are incredibly nicer than the ones in the States, in my opinion. Also we were able to look at the grounds, tour the library, which had thousand year old books, and view the cafeteria. The cafeteria was actually the same one that was used to influence the Harry Potter cafeteria in the movies. It was incredibly cool. One thing that I disappointed that we didn’t get to see however, were the classrooms because the Harry Potter classroom scenes were actually filmed there. Overall though, it was still and amazing experience. We also learned that throughout all the schools, there are tortoise races, which was very strange to me.
In all, this trip was again, so far my best day in the UK. I had an amazing time seeing and exploring the great city of Oxford and being able to visit that museum and the school. Also I was able to purchase a really cool jacket that says “Oxford University” on it and a hat with the “New” crest on it. (Because my last name is Newman, I figured that this crest would fit me the best).
Introducing Mr. Snow 6/27/17
For the second excursion, we went out to the hometown parish of the famous man John Snow himself. We learned all about how he revolutionized the medical history and changed London in such an impactful way. We went to the famous St. James Church, to the neighborhood that John Snow lived and also the pub that is dedicated to him.
John Snow is known as the father of modern epidemiology. His pure wit and do it yourself attitude helped save the lives of thousands of people. During the cholera outbreak, many people didn’t believe that germs could be transferred through the water so they had no reason to believe that that could be the possibility. After conducting several research projects, Snow concluded that the result of all of the deaths was the water that they were drinking. Many people however didn’t believe him and he was heavily ridiculed. Snow stuck to hit gut thought and removed a handle of a local water pump. The deaths stop happening and after proving his point to the government they finally believed him and stopped having people drink the water and the deaths stopped.
John Snow is known as the father of modern epidemiology. His pure wit and do it yourself attitude helped save the lives of thousands of people. During the cholera outbreak, many people didn’t believe that germs could be transferred through the water so they had no reason to believe that that could be the possibility. After conducting several research projects, Snow concluded that the result of all of the deaths was the water that they were drinking. Many people however didn’t believe him and he was heavily ridiculed. Snow stuck to hit gut thought and removed a handle of a local water pump. The deaths stop happening and after proving his point to the government they finally believed him and stopped having people drink the water and the deaths stopped.
When we arrived at the church, there were actually people there so we had to be quiet for the most part but our tour guide was still able to get most of the important parts across. There were many cool statues and notable figures that were dedicated in the church. Also, there was a man who told me that we were more than welcome to come back for a service.
Another cool place that we went to was the pub that was dedicated to John Snow. Located in Soho, London, this is actually considered one of the nicest pubs in all of London. It actually holds the same water pump that John Snow removed the handle from. It was really amazing to be able to have a drink in such a significant place. We also took a really cool pic on the stairs after I was able to convince the bartender.
While we were walking, we also saw the apartment where Sir Isaac Newton lived. To be honest, I had no idea that Newton even lived in London so that was pretty cool to me.
In all, This excursion was just as informative as the last and I actually had a lot of fun. But again just like the last one, this was a lot of walking!
In all, This excursion was just as informative as the last and I actually had a lot of fun. But again just like the last one, this was a lot of walking!
Set It Off 6/26/17
So, I am all checked in in London and heading out to the first day of class. To be completely honest, I did not know that it was going to be that much walking on the FIRST day. But I really enjoyed it and learned plenty of new things. Our first excursion was basically a tour of many historical spots and medical area that were very cool to look at and fascinating when you think about all of the history behind it.
One of the places that we went to was the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. We didn’t get to go inside but t was really interesting seeing the hospital and hearing all the details about it. I honestly didn’t know that this hospital was so popular, not just in London but all over the UK and Europe. The hospital opened in 1852 and was the first hospital in the UK to basically take care of children as a priority. Also, the worlds first heart and lung bypass machine was created here in 1962. One thing that I thought was exceptionally cool was a statue of Peter Pan, which was at the entrance of the hospital. Apparently the story of Peter Pan intrigues the patients of the hospital and it ironically encourages them to grow up seeing as though Peter Pan never grows up.
One of the places that we went to was the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. We didn’t get to go inside but t was really interesting seeing the hospital and hearing all the details about it. I honestly didn’t know that this hospital was so popular, not just in London but all over the UK and Europe. The hospital opened in 1852 and was the first hospital in the UK to basically take care of children as a priority. Also, the worlds first heart and lung bypass machine was created here in 1962. One thing that I thought was exceptionally cool was a statue of Peter Pan, which was at the entrance of the hospital. Apparently the story of Peter Pan intrigues the patients of the hospital and it ironically encourages them to grow up seeing as though Peter Pan never grows up.
Another cool place that we went to was the London Homoeopathic Hospital now known as the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine. The first Hospital was actually in Soho, but it had great success after a while particularly during the cholera outbreak. During that time their morality rate was only 16 percent which was incredibly lower that the closest hospital. It has been associated which many prominent figured in London history including author Charles Dickens and Prince Leopold, who was the father-in-law of Queen Victoria herself.
The coolest part of the excursion, in my opinion, was the British Museum. That place was huge! We went to a throughout life type of section and there was an artifact that basically showed all of the pills that we are assumed to take throughout our lifetime. For men and women. I think there had to be close to a thousand pills on there. That sounds like a lot but I think that was only the average person. Plus it was from a different time period. So just imagine how much we would take now!
Overall this excursion was incredible and definitely a fun way to start off my Study Abroad experience. I can’t wait for more excursions and to learn many more things.
Keeping Healthy 6/17/17
The best way to keep healthy anywhere is to prepare yourself. Make sure that you know what kind of environment that you are going into and what the environment has to offer. The University of South Florida, Education Abroad and my professors have all been working tirelessly to ensure that we can go to London fully prepared and safe. That includes keeping ourselves healthy.
Personally, I rarely ever get sick, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t come down with a cough or two every once in a while. The reason I rarely get sick however is because I make sure that I always know my surroundings and the environment that I am going into. I always use to hear from my parents that it is best to bring more than what you need instead of not enough and to always prepare yourself for any situation.
Physically I am going to try and keep healthy by eating right, with the exception of indulging in a few plates of “London junk food,” and working out regularly. I will also make sure that I am well clothes in layers as I have been hearing that London’s weather is about as predictable as Florida’s
Mentally I am going to try and keep the same mindset as I have in the states so that the entirely new environment that I am going to have to become accustomed to doesn’t overwhelm me.
And, I am sorry to say but there is no way that I am going to be able to control my emotions in London. I am going to be way too excited. The amount of things that we are going to be doing is just too much for me to able to control myself.
Personally, I rarely ever get sick, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t come down with a cough or two every once in a while. The reason I rarely get sick however is because I make sure that I always know my surroundings and the environment that I am going into. I always use to hear from my parents that it is best to bring more than what you need instead of not enough and to always prepare yourself for any situation.
Physically I am going to try and keep healthy by eating right, with the exception of indulging in a few plates of “London junk food,” and working out regularly. I will also make sure that I am well clothes in layers as I have been hearing that London’s weather is about as predictable as Florida’s
Mentally I am going to try and keep the same mindset as I have in the states so that the entirely new environment that I am going to have to become accustomed to doesn’t overwhelm me.
And, I am sorry to say but there is no way that I am going to be able to control my emotions in London. I am going to be way too excited. The amount of things that we are going to be doing is just too much for me to able to control myself.
Potential Impacts 6/17/17
To be honest, I don’t believe that this trip will affect me in any negative way regarding what I want to do with my life and my profession. In fact, I believe that this trip might even help me clarify what I want to do for the rest of my life. You see, I truly do not know where I want to go with a health science degree yet. I have ideas here and there but nothing really sticks out from the rest for me to say that it what I want to do. Maybe this trip will help me finally be able to make a choice of what I want to accomplish in life. Maybe after seeing all of the differences in Healthcare and Public Health, I decide that I don’t want to pursue Health Sciences in the United States but in London instead. Who knows, maybe after seeing everything London has to offer, I decide that I do not want to pursue Health Sciences after all but Music of Art or Theater based of all of the wonders I experience in London. All I know is, that this trip is definitely going to be a monumental experience that my peers, my professors and myself are not gong to forget. I just hope that everyone has a good and safe time and that everyone learns something from this excursion.
Areas of Public Health exploration 6/10/17
As I have stated before, I want to try and experience as many things as possible in the great city of London, England. One of the most important things that I plan to do however is visit areas that have to do with my interest in Public Health. I have learned many things about Public Health here in the States so it would be interesting to learn how England views Public Health and how it compares to the US.
One of the areas I would like to visit would have to be a simple public physicians office. I know it sounds basic but I am curious in how day-to-day activities are completed in a simple public physicians office in London. I feel that it would be a lot different to what we are accustomed to here in the United States so that would be pretty cool to check out in my opinion.
I also would like to visit a hospital in London. I want to see how hectic it gets there in hospitals in London especially seeing as though healthcare is different there, I would like to see how it compares to the United States. I wonder if it would be busier or more relaxed? I guess that is just another thing I can’t wait to experience when I get to London.
I don’t really have a third place of interest that I would like to go see pertaining to public health, but I would like to know what are the main mental health problems that British people suffer from and why is that. So I guess the best place for me to find out that information would be to go to a specialized facility. I just would like to know how it compared to the United States and the rest of the world. And if the reason being is because of location of just chance.
One of the areas I would like to visit would have to be a simple public physicians office. I know it sounds basic but I am curious in how day-to-day activities are completed in a simple public physicians office in London. I feel that it would be a lot different to what we are accustomed to here in the United States so that would be pretty cool to check out in my opinion.
I also would like to visit a hospital in London. I want to see how hectic it gets there in hospitals in London especially seeing as though healthcare is different there, I would like to see how it compares to the United States. I wonder if it would be busier or more relaxed? I guess that is just another thing I can’t wait to experience when I get to London.
I don’t really have a third place of interest that I would like to go see pertaining to public health, but I would like to know what are the main mental health problems that British people suffer from and why is that. So I guess the best place for me to find out that information would be to go to a specialized facility. I just would like to know how it compared to the United States and the rest of the world. And if the reason being is because of location of just chance.
Quest for an international learning experience 6/10/17
To be honest, the reason I found out about this study abroad trip was because of my friend. And even after he told me about the trip, I still didn’t want to go. It was after weeks of trying to convince me to accompany him that I finally decided to go. Throughout the past couple of months, I rarely thought about the trip with the exception of the email reminders and information surveys that I had to fill out. My friend kept on and on about the trip always talking about it to the point where it became annoying. I think the moment that I truly started to get excited about this trip was after I paid it off and realized that I was actually going to be going to London, England. Then the reality started to hit and I became incredibly thrilled.
While I am in London, I hope to experience and accomplish many things. One of the main things I am ready to try is the different type of food. Even though there are going to be many different dishes and cuisines, I am looking forward to trying the simple fish and chips meal that I have heard so much about. Apparently it is a country favorite. I am going to try and eat as many different dishes as I can while I am there. So naturally I am expecting to gain at least 15 pounds.
Another thing that I am looking forward to seeing in London is the culture. Not just the art and music, but the way of life there. As I have stated before, even though the British speak English, they have a completely different way of viewing life than we do here in the United States. From small things such as vocabulary and driving on the left side of the road, to big things like politics and laws, I want to learn and experience first hand the lifestyle and culture of the English. I am truly looking for ward to it and cannot wait until June 25th.
While I am in London, I hope to experience and accomplish many things. One of the main things I am ready to try is the different type of food. Even though there are going to be many different dishes and cuisines, I am looking forward to trying the simple fish and chips meal that I have heard so much about. Apparently it is a country favorite. I am going to try and eat as many different dishes as I can while I am there. So naturally I am expecting to gain at least 15 pounds.
Another thing that I am looking forward to seeing in London is the culture. Not just the art and music, but the way of life there. As I have stated before, even though the British speak English, they have a completely different way of viewing life than we do here in the United States. From small things such as vocabulary and driving on the left side of the road, to big things like politics and laws, I want to learn and experience first hand the lifestyle and culture of the English. I am truly looking for ward to it and cannot wait until June 25th.
Previous travel experiences 6/3/2017
Besides Jamaica, I have only ever been to the Bahamas outside of the United States. I have been to many places in the Unites States however. I have driven to New York with my family at least 5 times. It was when I was younger so I regret to say that I was sleeping throughout most of it. I hope to take more road trips in the near future however. And definitely travel to many more states and countries.
Jamaica is a pretty decent place for tourists when they go on vacation. But I don’t really get to have that luxury because my family is from there so I stay with them. So it’s basically not a vacation for me because I don’t stay at hotels or anything. But I still have done many fun things like riding ATVs, riding horses, jumping off cliffs. I also have in a way been able to look at the country I was born in with older eyes and be able to just soak in the heritage and history of the country.
When I was in the 10th grade, my family and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. The cruise was amazing, it was my first one and I was truly excited. I had such a good time on the way there. When we got to the Bahamas however, even though we went on a historic tour, I wasn’t really paying attention to where we were going or what we were doing. I just wanted to get back to the cruise ship where I was having so much fun. I have a lot of regret now looking back because I would have been able to do so much more and see so much more history and things from the culture of the Bahamas but I wasn’t able to. Maybe another time I will be able to get the chance again.
Like I said earlier, I definitely want to travel more. I would love to go out west to some states in the United States. I feel like the atmosphere there would be completely different than it is here in the East. Also I want to go to other countries in Europe and Africa just to be able to experience different environments.
Cultural experiences 6/3/2017
When I went to the Bahamas, I realized that even though it is also in the Caribbean just like Jamaica, it has an entirely different culture than the one I was used to. Sure there were some similarities here and there but in total the comparisons were small. Like I said in the last blog, I wasn’t really paying attention for the most part while I was on that tour, but for the parts I did pay attention to, the Bahamas is a beautiful place with a rich history. I was able to go to battle sites and historic monuments and things like that. If I was paying attention more, I know that I would’ve found it pretty cool.
When I went to the Bahamas, I realized that even though it is also in the Caribbean just like Jamaica, it has an entirely different culture than the one I was used to. Sure there were some similarities here and there but in total the comparisons were small. Like I said in the last blog, I wasn’t really paying attention for the most part while I was on that tour, but for the parts I did pay attention to, the Bahamas is a beautiful place with a rich history. I was able to go to battle sites and historic monuments and things like that. If I was paying attention more, I know that I would’ve found it pretty cool.
I will never forget the first time I went to New York. Where I live in Florida, I have no neighbors and when I do go into the town, it is not really that busy. When I arrived in New York, I could not believe the area that I was in. I had never seen so many people in one place in my life. It was like everything was in fast forward. People were moving so quick I looked like they were running. I went some stores there and it was insane. I had never seen a store go underground to a completely different store. I had never had people come up to me and try to sell me things. I was in shock after the first person came up to me. My mom, who is from New York, had to pull me away from the person because I probably would’ve bought something fake or unnecessary. I had a great time however and I would definitely love to move to New York someday. As a boy who has lived in the country for his whole life, I would love to move to the big city.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Matthew Paul Argall