Hooray Barack Day!

Instead of joining the millions of people gathered on the National Mall to witness Barack Obama take office, I was one of the hundreds of people packed into my school’s student union to see the spectacle unfold on BBC News. Nonetheless, it was still wonderful– so wonderful that, for a while anyway, I stopped regretting not being in DC to watch the inauguration. Anyway, the campus was beaming with excitement about Obama’s inauguration. And my classmates even congratulated me on what became known as Barack day, at least on facebook anyway. The screening at my school turned out to be a party with students arising from the downstairs bar, booze in hand, to stomp and holler with friends as Obama took office and boo when the camera switched to show outgoing Pres. Bush. However, as the new president began to deliver his inaugural address, the room became silent in anticipation of what might come…

Even though the whole screening lasted for only an hour, after everyone had left and went about with the rest of their day, I felt that some special feeling had been left behind in the student union, possibly excitement of the possibilities that lay ahead or just relief for the end of the Bush regime. Whatever it was, it’s a feeling that I shared with my fellow SOASians and something that I won’t forget anytime soon.

(Again, read about more of my adventures at staffordstravels.blogspot.com)

The Takeover: So What’s The Fuss

Campus has gone bloody mad this week! This past Wednesday, a group of students at my study abroad institution, the School of Oriental and African Studies, rose up in arms and occupied a campus building. The university has been abuzz with news of the takeover, reminiscent of 1960s student takeovers in the US, particularly at a New York school that shall remain nameless. Though news of the takeover quickly spread throughout the university, I was unaware of all the commotion until my brother, nearly 3,000 miles away in New England, informed me of the morning, student-led takeover in the halls of the Brunei Gallery. And those are all the details that I know about the takeover: simply that a group of students occupied a building.

Even though I was short on details, that did not stop me from hearing of the takeover, as it remained the hot topic throughout the day in the rest of my classes. For instance, one of my tutors, noting the low attendance of tutorial, joked, “I guess everyone must be at the takeover,” to which the few of us in class replied with smirks and giggles. And many of my classmates discussed the takeover, whether it was right or wrong, what were the goals of the students, were these students demands good or bad, anger at the protest from impeding their ability to go to the bookstore in the Brunei Gallery, etc.

The funny thing about the takeover is that I have no clue why it began. There is talk that it is a demonstration against the Israeli attacks in Gaza, but I have heard that it was a protest against a British war exhibit. At first, I thought that this was indicative of how I, as a foreigner, am estranged from my English. But a few days later, I realized that, after talking to my English flatmates, they were just as confused as I about the takeover. Yet, despite the confusion about all the commotion, protests have spread in clusters across the UK to a protest at the Houses of Parliament in London and to the University of Edinburgh.

Throughout all of this, I can’t help but ask, “So what’s all the fuss about?”

Well, that’s all for now,

Dominique

You can follow more of my adventures at staffordstravels.blogspot.com

It’s Winter Break…Waiting to go back abroad

Hello, I am Dominique. After 3 months of studying abroad at the School of Oriental and African Studies this past Fall, I am returning to London town this Winter for another semester of gray skies, rainy weather and bad food. At least those are the images of London that come to mind when I tell all of my friends that I’m returning to London. They don’t really understand and I can tell by the look on their faces that they are wondering why I would return.

There are several reasons. First, London is just so vast that I need more time to explore all of the hidden gems. From Notting Hill in West London to the clubs in South London to the East Enders, to the street markets in North London and, finally, Central London, my home, there is so much to see and so little time (now that the sun sets at 3pm). London is delightfully cosmopolitan and diverse with much to see and lots to do. Second, I don’t want to say good-bye to all of my friends that I’ve made at school. They are a great bunch and you will be hearing more about them in the upcoming weeks. Third, London has a historic feel, hard to describe, tangible when walking around the city. For example, my favorite moment was walking along Westminster Bridge, the site of William Wordsworth’s Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, and seeing the very places that inspired the poem—the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the National Theater and the Thames River. It was grand to witness the splendid beauty of the city.

Anyway, writing this entry from my tiny room in Baltimore makes me nostalgic for London. I can’t wait to return and update you about my adventures.

Until later,

Cheerio!