The Next Four Months

“You find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

-Samuel Johnson

It's getting closer!  In less than 12 days, I will be on a plane heading to the city that I will call home for the next four months of my life. It does not seem real that I am getting the opportunity to spend a semester of my life in London.

I realize that I get extremely excited about something, but don't always go into detail about it.  So I am devoting this blog post to explain what my semester in London is all about.

Where I will be studying...

This isn't your normal study abroad program.  I am actually not studying at another school.  I am still 100% a student of Mississippi College.  MC has a completely unique London Semester Program.  As it was explained to me: "It's like you pick up MC and put it back down in London."   The professors are hired by MC; the money is handled by MC; and the credit is given by MC.

What classes I will be studying...

This semester, I will have the privelege of studying with 3 British professors and 2 of Mississippi College's finest instructors in a few different core classes.  Each class will meet once a week with several "CREs (Course Related Excursions)", where we will be outside of the classroom and experiencing what we are learning.

London History and Culture

It's basically all in the title.  This class will be taught by an extremely knowledgeable British couple. (Not to mention, Mr. Rumblelow is an expert in Jack the Ripper).  From what I hear, we will only be in a classroom one day.  The rest of the meetings will be spent exploring London and really learning what it is all about.

Theatre

Ah...the class I am looking forward to the most!  The British professor over this course has been an editor of a prestigious London theatre magazine.  As part of the class, we will spend several nights in a theater watching different productions.  Hmm..I wonder if I can get brownie points for going to see so many extra shows...I can't wait for this class!

Art

London has so many different museums and beautiful works of art within the city.  This course is taught by another British professor who knows her stuff.  Half of each class will be spent in the classroom; the other half will be spent in the museums seeing the actual pieces about which we are learning.

Chemistry

This class will be taught by one of MC's best professors whom I've grown to love over the past few months.  Dr. Parks has been the director of the London Semester Program for several years and we all see it as an honor to get to see London with him.  Not to mention, his super sweet wife will be joining us!

British Literature

What better way to learn about Brit Lit than actually being in Great Britain?!  This class is taught by one of the coolest professors employed by MC.  He is super passionate about his subject, and has some really unique things planned for us.

Who else is going...

This is the group of the 22 Mississippi College students jumping over the pond next semester.  So many different personalities is sure to create an interesting, but amazing time.

Where I will be staying...

We will spend the majority of our semester living in The Celtic Hotel. (pronounced "sell-tick")  It's more like a bed and breakfast than your average hotel.  All of my friends who have gone on the London Semester before have said that I will feel like the Celtic is home. Thanks to Kathryn Daniels for the picture..I stole it from her Facebook.

The rest of the semester will be spent either on Spring tour or living with a British family and seeing what a British home is really like!  I'm a little nervous for this part, but spending a few nights with South African families was extremely rewarding, so I can't wait for this!

What I will be reading...

Okay, so you probably don't care, but I want to share.

My Utmost for His Highest

by Oswald Chambers

Several of my friends who have gone on the Semester Program before have recommended getting a devotional book for my time in London.  "My Utmost" has been on my reading list for a while. It's a daily devotional that has been around for over 100 years.  I'll start it on January 1 and hopefully keep using it all year.

The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity

by C.S. Lewis

I have recently become fascinated by C.S. Lewis and his ministry and thoughts on Christianity. These are two amazing books that I have recently bought, and what better place to read them than in Lewis's own hometown?  If I finish these, I plan on picking up C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce while I'm over there also.

Mrs. Dalloway 

by Virginia Wolfe

I will be reading this novel along with my 21 classmates as part of Dr. Price's British Literature class.  The book is set in London and we will get to see each of the locations Mrs. Dalloway visits int he novel.

Other places I will be seeing...

Another awesome thing about the MC London Semester is that we won't only be in London for four months.  We have other opportunities to venture out of the city and see places like Oxford, Cambridge, and other places near London.

Our "spring break" will be an 8 day Spring Tour.  We haven't been told the specific tour locations yet, but past groups have gotten to go to Wales, the Lake District, and Scotland. Who knows where we will end up?

Also, we have a four day "free weekend" where we will be free to spend that time for our own pleasure!  Right now, the plan is that two friends and I are going to take a quick flight to Rome and spend this weekend exploring this amazing Italian city. Maybe I should learn a little Italian before then...

So this is going to be my life for the next four months.  Even though it's only 12 days away, it still does not feel like reality.  It's really strange to know that I will be leaving the MC Bubble until August.  

So please, stay in touch!  I really would like a letter or a Skype date every once in a while!  You know that my camera will be glued to my side every minute, so keep checking Facebook!  I will also try to blog weekly, but you know how that goes. 

Happy 2012 everyone!

Micheal