Howdy!
Today was our third day in London, which started off slow for some but ended with a bang for all. We had a free morning, which many used to catch up on sleep lost to playing cards, but others took advantage of the time by visiting the British Museum, shopping at Spitalfields Market, or watching the guard change at Buckingham Palace.
Unfortunately, there were also two trips to the ER today for injured appendages (a big toe and an ankle). They had a lot of bonding time standing in the lines for four hours. Thankfully none of the injuries were serious and everyone was able to make it to the rest of the afternoon activities.
After lunch, we had an afternoon classroom session for the first time! Dr. Crick presented a lecture on Rhetoric and Power and how it relates to leadership. Using clips from popular shows and movies such as Game of Thrones, the Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and the Incredibles, we learned all about how leadership is about how a leader relates to other people and create systems to enact change, creating spaces where people trust the leader.
Valerie also presented to us on the history of theater as well as theater etiquette in order to prepare us for one of the biggest events of our trip: Les Misérables! After receiving our tickets, we ate an early dinner at the Imperial College dining hall before getting ready for the show. Everyone put on their best attire, and we might be the best looking group of Brown Scholars in the history of the program. Once we captured our style and beauty on camera, we made our way to the Sondheim Theater in the West End.
The show was absolutely amazing, and everyone gave it a standing ovation after its concluding song. The beautiful singing, brilliant set, and vibrant lighting literally transported us into the poignant story of Jean Valjean, Fantine, and Cosette. Nobody has stopped raving about the talent we saw on stage, even as this blog is being written.
The night was concluded with McDonald’s and Meal Deals for some but many pictures for everyone. Today will definitely be one of our most memorable days of the entire trip!
-Mary Faith and Shreya