Howdy! Today was another fantastic day in London. We started the day off with a filling breakfast. After that, we headed to class at the Richmond American University to learn about today's subject, the UK political system! Taught by an excellent professor, we learned about the division of Parliament into two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The professor led us through the history of Parliament, explaining how it originated from struggles against the English monarchy and how it developed into the institution it is today. We discovered how, over time, more and more authority was vested into the people, with laws to expand voting rights to all groups of people in all of the United Kingdom's constituents.
We ended class with a discussion where we considered three questions relevant to politics in the United Kingdom. The three questions were: should the voting age be lowered to 16? Should voting be mandatory for everyone? Should the UK continue with its current voting system, or should its system be changed? These questions led to lively discussions, challenging our beliefs and encouraging us to think deeper about these political issues.
After class was lunchtime. One group of Brown Scholars ate at a falafel shop, while others groups ate at a cafe, a Mediterranean restaurant, or even Chipotle!
Unfortunately, we were unable to visit Parliament after lunch like we had initially planned, as it is closed on Mondays. But instead of visiting Parliament, we were able to listen to an impromptu lesson from our dear Dr. Nic! He taught us about the history of democracy in Western history, starting from the Phoenicians to the Greeks, and then on to the Romans, the Renaissance, and the British Empire, showing us that our modern day system of democracy hasn't really changed much since its conception in ancient Greece.
What better way to end our journey through politics than our student leader Cathryn's lecture about self-governance in college. Taking some advice, I (Michael Y) learned college is much more volatile than high school- one day, you might be stressing out about an upcoming test while the next you are calling your mom about how to do the laundry. The freedom associated with college should not be taken lightly. You must be organized with academics, organizations, and social lives. Transitioning into topics about ambition, Dr. Nic advised us to "no mo fomo," survive, not thrive. Even though it is wise to be cautious, my the flame of my limitless potential will not smolder even under the heaviest pressure. I go to college to compete, not to simply pass a class. Who needs wisdom when there is talent?
After the lesson in the park, we went to go watch Les Miserables on the West End. The show was amazing with great singing, production, lighting, and everything else. Everyone had a great time.
After the theater, my group (John's) went to Dave's Hot Chicken for a late night snack. Unfortunately, everyone on the West End had the same idea, and our food took forever to come out. Afterwards, we were sprinting through the streets of London and the tube to get back on time, only for our train to get held at one of the last stations. Our group strolled in a smooth six minutes after curfew to the delight of the adults.
And that's a wrap!!
Thanks and Gig 'em!
John, Michael Y, Nathan
