Farewell London

Getting to learn more about the British media on this study abroad program is valuable knowledge that will stay with me forever. It’s a bittersweet feeling that I have to leave London after a month of living here. I want to continue having this first hand experience of British media, but I also want to take the knowledge that I’ve gained and apply it to my life in the States. I’m sure once I start reading American newspapers again, I will begin to see the differences more clearly. Now that I’m more familiar with the British media, my own perception of American media must have changed. The only way to see these changes vividly is to have the first hand experience on American media again.

However, the changes that I’ve experienced don’t only apply to my knowledge of British media, but also to myself personally. I feel as if I’ve grown intellectually and mentally during my time in London. The people in my class are one of the brightest students I’ve ever met. Everyone has their own personal charm and creative way of expressing themselves in their work. There is this competitive spirit that is positive because it allows us to push each other to the limit. There is this knack to be the best at what you do and when you see that, you can’t help but want to emulate your classmates.

I’m going to miss this great city a lot. I will miss the friends that I’ve made and the wonderful professors that I’ve had. I won’t forget the educational learning experiences at the Brand Museum and CBS. I will always remember the day we went on the London Eye and ate the prestigious Oxo Tower. It just goes to show that when an opportunity so great like the study abroad program comes by, you have to grab it by the horns. 

CBS

One of my favorite field trips that we’ve had during this study abroad program was the visit to CBS. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect because the visits to the BBC and ADA were both different.  I was hoping we would get a tour of the workplace, but we ended up getting even more than that. The whole class was taken by surprise because every single employee seemed happy to talk to and show us around. We got to see the control rooms, conference rooms and even a live broadcast. This was a totally unexpected but pleasant surprise.

But it got even better than that. The sections of CBS that we did check out, we got to experience how the work actually gets done. In the control room, we were briefed on the technical aspects of broadcast television. The tech explained and showed us his methods of work.  In the conference room, we were able to have a chat with one of the main anchors about what it takes to be in the broadcast business. He told us to not be afraid of the competitive field that we are in because 90 percent of people who try out don’t get. As long as you put in the effort, work hard and be persistent then you have a chance at success. These were very encouraging words and I appreciated the wisdom. I never want to give up on the things I love, even if it requires me to pull my weight.

Lastly, we got to see a live broadcast take place. But it wasn’t an ordinary live broadcast; it was a breaking news story about the most wanted man in America, Edward Snowden. Snowden had just been given a 1 year temporary asylum in Russia after being stuck in the airport for weeks,. I’ve been following the Snowden saga since it started. To be there for this historic moment is an experience I will never forget.

Haggis Adventures

I went to Edinburgh, Scotland a couple of weekends ago to see what it’s like north of the British Islands. The only exposure to Scottish culture I’ve had in the past is through watching the movie Braveheart, based on the true story of freedom fighter William Wallace. Now that might not be much at all, but the movie did give me a positive view of Scotland. You can even say Braveheart had a part in promoting Scotland to me and I’m sure many others.

The city of Edinburgh is a beautiful city surrounded by ancient castles and monuments. People seem much more friendly and a little less rushed than those in London. Also, unlike their English brothers and sisters in the south of the island, people in Edinburgh don’t have the same knack for reading the news. In the streets of London, you see a lot of people handing out free newspapers and reading the news. When I was walking around in Edinburgh, I did not see many newsstands or anyone handing out a daily newspaper. It feels like another world over here and the Scottish people are proud of it.

Another aspect of Scotland that I noticed is that you still feel there is animosity between the Scottish and the English. On my search to find the best tasting haggis in town, I met two lads who I started to converse with. The highlight of our conversation was that Scotland is still seeking to be an independent nation. The reasoning behind that has a lot to do with the bloody history they’ve had with the English. Braveheart quickly popped up into my mind after I head them say that. They don’t want to be associated with the English at all.  You can even see that in their Scottish pounds because there is no trace of the queen on their notes. It’s amazing how can take a 4 hour train ride in Europe and end up in a totally new place with a different culture, values and lifestyle.

My "Football" Kick

Most newspapers throughout the world contain a sports section. In the United States, the majority of stories that are sports related involve football, basketball and baseball. This makes total sense because these are the top 3 sports in the US right now. However, for soccer fans such as myself, having no dedicated section for just soccer news is a huge bummer.  I want to know the latest transfer rumors in the UK, the results from Manchester United game and which coach got sacked this week. Luckily for me, I am in the UK and soccer or football as they say here, is everywhere. Just flip to the back of most of the newspapers based in London and you’ll find stories about the recent saga of the European transfer market. Now I can finally feed my soccer addiction with print!

Soccer players in the UK are treated like A-list celebrities. Many kids dream about becoming professional “football” players and consider the ones on the pitch as heroes or idols to look up to. These professionals impact the community and know how valuable it means to be playing for their city or region. The tabloids in particular pay close attention to the behaviors of players off the pitch in order to see if they can come up with a juicy story. When the news broke about John Terry’s affair with former teammate Wayne Bridge’s wife, the media had a heyday.

In London alone, there are four soccer clubs, which are Arsenal (North London), Chelsea (South London), Tottenham (East London) and West Ham (West London). The rivalry amongst these teams is intense, especially during game day. This huge fan base for soccer can be seen not just in the media, but also at parks and shops. For the past three times I was on my way to Primrose Hill, I’ve seen many people kicking a soccer ball around. The Camden Market even had many original soccer balls that were used back in the early 1990’s on sale. It’s a city that loves football and that makes me love this place even more. 

The BBC

Last Wednesday, our class went to see one of the top media outlets in the world, the BBC. The anticipation was immense because I could not wait to see the workplace of those journalists, who are some of the best in the business. It took around 15 minutes to arrive to the massive headquarters of the BBC from Regents University. We all had to first undergo a security check-in similar to one at an airport, but a little less strict. Once all that was over, it was finally time to experience what would be one of the best tours I’ve ever done.

Now some of the highlights of the tour that I believe are worth mentioning are the newsrooms, tour guides and interactive activities. My favorite aspect of the tour is that we got to see the actual workplace where the news stories are written and broadcasted. It was absolutely amazing. Everyone in the newsroom has a desk with 4 monitors and can been seen super indulged in their work. People were all over the place. Some were either writing up a story, on the phone with a source or pacing across the room.

The next two parts of the tour that stood out positively were the two tour guides and the activities they got us involved in. Both guys seemed like cartoon characters with their interesting personalities. Throughout the tour, they would occasionally have their own conversation and leave the rest of us a little confused. I don’t know if it was staged or not, but I thought they were really comical. It made the tour even more entertaining with their dry British humor and sarcastic comments.  I also thought they did a good job in providing us activities that most of the class was able to participate in. The first one we did allowed two of my classmates to act as news anchors. It gave us a glimpse of what it’s like to be a TV anchor, especially with the real-live breaking news footage that introduced the two of them. The second activity showcased the radio aspect of the BBC where we performed a mock radio drama.

Overall, the experience at the BBC is one sure to remember. I definitely recommend the tour to anybody who has not experienced it.