Hi, my name is Rory Rayer and I am a rising junior from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania! I am on the pre-dental track majoring in biological sciences and accounting, with a minor in chemistry.

I am currently in the Pitt in London program and taking three courses: Contemporary British Film, Global Perspective on Nursing and Midwifery, and Analyzing and Exploring the Global City London. I chose London because this would be my first time out of the country, and I thought starting in an English-speaking country would be an easier transition. While a lot of it is similar, there’s also been a lot I’ve had to adjust to (there’s no correct side of the sidewalk to go on, so I was walking into everyone my first few days lol). London is also so close to mainland Europe, so it’s easy to explore other countries as well. Six weeks felt like the perfect amount of time to explore and adjust to a new place, while also having time to work when I get back.

While I thought about doing an internship, I decided I wanted to focus on taking classes so I could receive more credits while also learning more about London. London has a rich cultural history, so taking classes that each focus on individual areas has let me learn so much about the city already! In my Global Perspectives in Nursing class, we have already had two field trips with an OBGYN doctor-turned-tour guide who gave us her insight on the Wellcome Trust and a guided medical tour of the surrounding neighborhood. I am also doing a project on ‘Love Actually’ in my British film course and looking at London’s boroughs in my other class. Additionally, I have two days off every week that I use to explore the city on my own.

Outside of class, I have been able to explore all over the city: Brick Lane, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, Soho, Borough Market, Chelsea, Greenwich, Notting Hill, and more! We’ve also gotten to see outside of the city in Bath, Stonehenge, and Oxford. The weather has also been mostly sunny days the past week, which have made my pictures a lot prettier!

I have LOVED London so far and can’t wait to explore even more of the city in the next five weeks! I want to see as much of the city as I can and hopefully eat more of the delicious food!