Hi again! I just reached the halfway point of my program, so I figured this would be a perfect time to write about how it’s been so far in London. For my program, GBI: London, I am taking one 3-credit course and completing an internship. The Richmond American University London in Chiswick is where I head each Thursday to learn about the history of London. The class is unique because every Friday, instead of going to the classroom, our professor takes us around the historical sites and landmarks so that we can gain a deeper understanding of what we are learning about. My favorite field trip we’ve been on so far was visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum after we learned about the Tudor & Stuart era.

The students and I do not live in Chiswick, though. We stay in North Acton, which is a tube or bus ride away. Luckily, our dorm is very close to multiple tube and train stations. This is extremely nice because there is nothing too interesting going on in North Acton, so I am constantly getting on the Central Line to go into Central London. Adapting to my living situation has been rather difficult because of the lack of air conn in my building. During the second week I was in London, an extreme heatwave occurred. In fact, one of the days ended up being the hottest temperature that has ever been recorded in London in history! The heat was not all that bad compared to the heat I experience in the States. However, in the States we have air conn to combat it. The only area in my building that has air conn is the lobby, and during the heatwave so many people were sleeping on random chairs and couches in there that it was completely filled. Other than the extreme heat we experienced, I have been adjusting very well. The jet lag was not too terrible, and I was able to unpack my suitcase right away, so I feel very comfortable and cozy in my room!

Okay, now onto my internship. I was able to join. a new company called Reset Connect, where I am a sales operations intern. The company is a networking company that organizes the UK’s premier sustainability, climate tech, and green investment event, which is the flagship event during London Climate Action Week. The event is on June 23rd and 24th, so during my last week of my program. It is very valuable to assist planning this event and wrapping up my time with the company by attending the event to help ensure things run smoothly. I think that the most important skill to have while working with a company like this in this industry is to be confident in speaking up when you are confused or need assistance. When I first went into the office, I was very shy and did not want to bother the employees with a million questions. However, as my time has increased here, I realized that I was not being a burden and everyone is very willing to help me. Being able to communicate directly when you run into an issue is much more important than struggling to figure it out yourself. Being humble with the knowledge that you are simply an intern is key for something like event planning.

I have been having an amazing time here, both in class, in the office, and in London. The past three weeks have flown by, and I am excited to see how the next three will go! Thanks for coming along on this journey with me!

Cheers,
Rebecca Young