England Newsletters

A Week in Review — October 26 - November 1 - Date : 11/02/09

The students started this week off with a trip to Southall to visit the Gurudwara Sikh Temple for their Transnational Studies class. We entered the temple, which is the largest outside of India, by taking off our shoes and then covering our heads (both men and women). After our tour throughout the temple, we were invited to eat langer (vegetarian food that is served to all people in the temple). Outside of India, the United Kingdom has the largest Sikh population in the world.

On Thursday, the students saw the theatre performance of the British musical Billy Elliot. This is the story takes place during the mid-1980s in the UK during the miners strike. Billy Elliot is the son of a coal miner affected by this strike and develops a love for ballet instead of boxing.

On Friday we left for our much anticipated trip to Edinburgh Scotland! We took the four hour train ride from London and arrived in Edinburgh just before the sun set at 4.30PM (yes, the clocks changed last week!). That evening the students explored Edinburgh on their own by getting their bearings of the city. The next morning, a few students joined me on a hike to the top of Arthur’s Seat where we were able to get a 360 degree panoramic view of the city.

As it was Halloween, later in the evening, we all met up to go on a Ghost walk entitled “The Underground City of the Dead”. The students all dressed in costume for the tour which is described on their website:
Forgotten for centuries and only recently unsealed, this section of the Underground City is known as Damnation Alley. With good reason. Site of an ancient curse, these dark tunnels and vaults are stalked by a malevolent presence known as the South Bridge Entity. And Damnation Alley hides a deadly secret – which we’re not going to tell you about until you’re in there. We’re mean like that.

Yes, we were scared, and yes we held on to each other tight while we listened to the scary stories from our Scottish tour guide. When someone from the tour jumped out and scared us, I never heard us all scream and laugh so hard! Overall, it was a fun Halloween experience.

As we are in the final last few weeks of the NUin program, students are starting to prepare for their final projects and exams. As always, we again encourage you to support your student through their final academic weeks by encouraging them to stay focused on their main academic priorities. Until next time…

A Week in Review — October 19-25 - Date : 10/26/09

What another great, but busy week!

The students started their week off bright and early by going to the London Central Mosque. This visit was part of their Transnational Studies class which is currently focusing on the Islam Diaspora community in London. We were escorted around the building and had a chance to see the main prayer hall. We even got a chance to see the Nursery School where the teachers had the children line up and sing a song for us (which was very cute!)

Continuing their examination of the Islam Diaspora, the students attended a lecture on Wednesday entitled: Sufi Thought, Meditation, & Whirling. The class was introduced to the basic practices of the Sufis which included concentration which helps one focus, contemplation to know oneself, and some meditation techniques. They were also introduced to whirling which is the physical meditation practiced by the Sufis.

On Thursday, the students ventured into town to see the play Orphans. The play is summarized on the Soho Theatre’s website: “Helen and Danny keep themselves to themselves. But the outside world comes crashing into their lives one day when Helen’s brother turns up. Covered in blood. One of the UK’s most electrifying writers (After The End, Osama The Hero, Love And Money), Dennis Kelly’s new play is a thrilling contemporary suspense story which takes its audience on a chilling journey into a world just outside the front door.”

Saturday morning we took the train to the town of Oxford where we saw one of the greatest and oldest universities in the world. Oxford University! For an hour and a half, walking through the English rain (one of the few days we have seen rain since we arrived!), we went on a guided tour of the University. We saw places where Harry Potter has been filmed along with where the university’s famous alumni have studied. These alumni include J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Lewis Carroll, Virgina Woofle, Oscar Wilde and Dr. Seuss (just to name a few!).

For those who have inquired, the H1N1 vaccine is currently available in the UK. The NHS (National Health Service) is distributing these vaccines (known as jabs) to only at-risk groups (e.g. those with existing health issues, pregnant women, etc).
FIE has posted the following information about Swine Flu on their website:
http://www.fie.org.uk/fie/news/swine_flu_preparedness/
http://fie.org.uk/content/upload/documents/Health_Advice.pdf
And for more information in the UK, the BBC news website gives the latest news about this vaccine as of October 15, 2009:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8309217.stm

Please enjoy the pictures below from our various trips to the Mosque, our Family Meal, and Oxford!

As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Next week weekend we head to Edinburgh, Scotland for Halloween! Please stay tuned!

A Week in Review — October 12-18 - Date : 10/18/09

This week marked that we have been in London for two months! Another week filled with many different events!

The students returned to the Globe Theater on Tuesday October 13 for a tour the facilities. Their tour guide was an actor from the Theatre and spoke about the history and reconstruction process during the 1990s.

For their Transnational Studies class, the students watch the film East is East, a story of a mix-ethnic (Pakistani father and English mother) living in Manchester in the 1970s. According to Dr. Pani’s notes to the students:
The film tells the story of the Khan family, a group of people situated in a social limbo resulting from a biracial and interfaith marriage. George is a Pakistani immigrant while Ella is a native Anglo. Their children (seven all told) are subsequently torn between the strict Islamic dictates of their father and the modern realities and attractions of English life, such as discos, mini-skirts, and hi-fi.

As the currently topic of the class focuses on the Muslim community, on Monday of this coming week, the students will be visiting a Mosque in London and must adhere to the following dress code:
1. All females (students and staff) to adopt a head covering.
2. All visitors must be modestly dressed, i.e. long skirts or trousers and long sleeved tops.
3. For anyone entering the prayer hall, footwear must be removed
Next week will be visiting the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall for their Transnational class as the class topic will focus on the Sikh community in London.

As we are now past the mid-term, the students are focusing on completing their service learning hours for the semester. Many have completed their hours so far, and a few are still trying to find events or organizations throughout London. I do not have any pictures to share this week, but instead I will leave you with links to some students who have posted pictures of Service Learning events in their blogs.

Robyn’s blog:
http://nuweb4.neu.edu/nuin/smithr/2009/10/17/changing-perspectives-of-experiencelondon-service/
Ryan’s blog:
http://nuweb4.neu.edu/nuin/punzalanr/2009/10/12/btcv-richmond-remix-featuring-hedges-and-woodchips/
Isabella’s :
http://nuweb4.neu.edu/nuin/rodriguesi/2009/10/12/service-learning-event-outside-of-zone-1-2/

Stay tuned for next week for more information about the trip to the Mosque and our upcoming trip to Oxford on the weekend! Until then, enjoy your week!

A Week in Review — October 5-11 - Date : 10/11/09

As I do not have much to report this week as the students have been away on their mid-term break, I am posting this directly after meeting the students at our Family Meal this evening. With vacation-relaxed faces and big smiles, all the students managed to share a story or two about their travels over the past week. It seems that many of the students took the opportunity to explore continental Europe, specifically Italy, Spain or Ireland. It was great to hear their perspectives on places such as the Ponte Vecchio in Florence to their experiences during a private Black Taxi tour ride in Belfast. One student commented how it was amazing to see the statue Michelangelo’s masterpiece Renaissance sculpture, David. Others commented on how friendly the various culture’s were to them and overall how much they enjoyed traveling.

I leave you with some pictures from this evening’s Family Meal at the Prince Regent, a traditional British gastro pub around the corner from the student’s residence hall.

On another note, this Thanksgiving, we are working with the Prince Regent to host an American traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the Northeastern University community in London. NUin students, alumni, co-op students and other study abroad will have the opportunity to once again join together for this event. The NU Alumni website is already advertising this, as well as the Prince Regent. If your student is London during Thanksgiving, this will be their Family Meal for the week.

Until next time, have a great week!

A Week in Review — September 29-October 4 - Date : 10/04/09

Once again we experienced a week filled with many activities and co-curricular activities!

Currently, for their Transnational Studies class, the students are focusing on the Jewish Diaspora in London. On Monday September 28, Holocaust survivor, Joan Salter shared with the class her experiences as a young girl fleeing from persecution of the Nazis during World War II. As a Jewish girl born in Belgium to Polish Jewish parents, her early life consisted of being on the run by moving from Belgium to France and then finally to the United States. Her parents placed her in an orphanage that worked to save refugee Jewish children by sending them to the United States. Joan Saltzer explained how she lived a wonderful life in the Philadelphia area with her foster family until she was then transported to the East-End of London to be reunited with her family. Unfortunately, living conditions in post-war London were not the same as her prosperous American experience. She spoke about the effects of living in Philadelphia in a big house with running water to moving to a very poor section of London where she would have to go down the street to use a Bath House. She also discussed how for almost forty years of her life she rarely discussed her childhood experiences. Overall, this was a very unique and very moving presentation by Joan Salter which helped the students further understand the experiences of the Jewish Diaspora in London.

On Tuesday, September 29, the students took a trip to the British Library, the national library of the United Kingdom. It is one of the world’s largest research libraries. Trivia fact, the British Library has two copies of the 1215 Magna Carter and one of Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks in its famous collection.

The students expressed interest in having American cuisine for a future Family Meal. On Wednesday September 30, we went to Byron Hamburgers! http://www.byronhamburgers.com
Please see the pictures below from this Family Meal.

We headed to the Royal Court Theatre this week to see the play Enron, directed by Rupert Goold. Most of the students were at the young age of 5 or 6 years old when Enron was first named by Fortune Magazines as “America’s Most Innovative Company” in 1996 and stayed on that list consecutively for six years. In late 2001, the Enron scandal became publicized and the company declared bankruptcy, the largest company at that time ever to do so. The play focuses on Jeffery Skilling, former President and CEO of Enron, who was convicted of multiple federal felony charges and is currently serving prison time. The play also goes so far to point out that Enron was used as a textbook example of a successful company. Its model was taught in top business schools and exercised by companies who now seem to be affected by the recent global financial crisis. The play Enron is a classic tragedy with a mix of comedic elements: the story of how a man struggles for power and success, which he achieves until greed causes his ultimate downfall.

During this upcoming break, the students will be enjoying their mid-term break. Many have decided to take advantage of the close proximity to Europe and travel to places such as Florence and Barcelona.

Until next time, enjoy your week!

A Week in Review – September 21-27 - Date : 09/27/09

It seems like only yesterday that we landed in London and now we are now approaching the half-way point of the NUin program!

On Tuesday September 22, the students went to the Tate Modern Art Museum for their British Life and Culture course. The museum is situated in the former Bankside Power Station and contains international contemporary art from Salvador Dali to Andy Warhol.

On Wednesday September 23, the students had the opportunity to view a performance of As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre located on the south bank of the Thames River in London. This theater is a modern reconstruction of The Globe Theater constructed in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company until it was destroyed in a fire in 1613. The theater today is faithful to the original design with modernizations such as sprinkler systems and lighting. It also is located 750 feet from where the original foundation. The students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see this evening performance of this Shakespearean comedy. Please see the picture below of the Globe Theatre.

The students are continuing to complete service learning hours of volunteer work for their Global Experience course. In the past few weeks, some have volunteered with BTCV in Richmond, Oxfam bookstore and clothing stores, and various cancer walks in Hyde Park.

As the mid-term break is quickly approaching, the student’s are getting excited about some time to explore Europe. From October 5-9th, the students are free from classes. Many have chosen to travel outside of the U.K. and take advantage of our close proximity to Europe. For those that choose to stay in London or the U.K., we will have staff here for anyone who needs our assistance.
Until next time, have a great week!

A Week in Review – September 14-20 - Date : 09/20/09

Another busy week in London!

Monday was a busy, busy day this week! We started the day off on Monday with a walking tour / lecture about the Slave Trade in the United Kingdom for their Transnational Studies class. The students arrived at the Embankment Tube station to meet a Blue Badge Guide (who is also an FIE professor) who spoke to us about the topic and guided us through to area. He brought us into the National Portrait Gallery where we viewed paintings such as the “Anti-Slavery Society Convention, 1840” by Benjamin Robert Haydon that depicted slavery and the movement toward abolition. As the UK outlawed the Slave Trade in 1807, the Slave Trade still continued to import slaves around the world. British ship captains are said to have ordered slaves be thrown off the side of the boat if they were in jeopardy of being caught by the Royal Navy in violating the Slave Trade Act.

Later in the day, the students were given a walking tour of Brick Lane, a long street in an area of London also known as Banglatown due to the high Bangladeshi population in the area. As this is a famous area for the best Indian curry in London (some argue the world), the students dined on Indian food for lunch in this area.

Later in evening the students were given the opportunity to meet the other students and faculty at the FIE Welcome Reception! Visiting universities include: Marist College, Temple University, Loyala Marymount University, and Santa Clara University.

Our Family Meal this week took place at an Italian Restaurant in South Kensington: Rocca. http://www.roccarestaurants.com/about.htm Please see the picture below!

Finally on Thursday, NUin sponsored a trip to the London Eye a ferris-wheel like structure on the SouthBank of the Thames River. Standing at over 400 feet, the students were able to see picturesque views of London! Please see a picture below of their trip.

Until next time….have a great week!

Sept 17Sept 17

A Week in Review–September 7 - 13 - Date : 09/13/09

“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going to fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” - Eddie Cantor

Sometimes, it’s just good to have a nice, slow week! I think I speak for all the students and the NUin team that although this week has not had the amount of activities that previous weeks have had, it was very nice to catch up on some rest, homework, and laundry! :)

This week started off with our Family Meal at Las Iguanas, a Latin American Restaurant in the Southbank. As we try to find different restaurants and cuisine for the students every week, I was happy to see the students excited to dine on fajitas, enchiladas, and burritos. This coming week we will take the students out for Italian food in South Kensington!

The film for this week’s Academic Film Screening was Pierrepoint. This film covers the life of Albert Pierrepoint, the last hangman executor in the United Kingdom. After his career, he became an outspoken opponent to capital punishment. As the students have just finished reading Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell, they were asked to notice the time period of this film. Orwell was said to be influenced by that time period in writing this famed novel.

The Global Experience Course this week focused on “Creating Cultural Connections” where we focused on ethnocentrism vs. ethnorealism. I extended the discussion by introducing the topic of British national identity, sometimes referred to as ‘Britishness’. I encouraged the students to watch the BBC Last Night of the Proms. The BBC Proms season lasts for eight weeks and ends on the second Saturday in September. It is an orchestral classical music event that takes place at the Royal Albert Hall (just around the corner from Metrogate!). This past Saturday, September 12, was the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ which is a fun event that ends with a series of British patriotic music. I encouraged the students to watch this event in order to gain a sense of one perspective of Britishness in the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2009/

Stay tuned for more updates! Until next time, have a great week!

A Week in Review—August 31-September 6 - Date : 09/06/09

For the Bank Holiday weekend on Monday August 31, the students took a day trip to see Stonehenge and the city of Bath. Our first stop was to see the prehistoric monument located about 1 hour outside the city of London. With audio guide in hand, the students had the opportunity to learn about how Stonehenge was created and what their major purpose was.

We then boarded our bus and rode for about another hour through the English countryside to the city of Bath, located about 100 miles west of London. This ancient town dates back to the time of the Roman occupation of Britain in 43 AD. The Romans sought the city’s medicinal uses of the natural hot springs that can reach almost 95°F. The Romans and the Celts both believed this was a scared spring and used the area as a shrine to various gods. The city of Bath was the center of fashionable life in the 18th century and was the home of famous author Jane Austen. The students were given a walking tour of the city and then toured the Roman Pump Room and saw the ancient hot springs.

For their British Life and Culture class, the students were given a guided tour of Parliament. We were guided through the Queen’s Robbing Room, where Queen Elizabeth II is dressed for the State Opening of Parliament. This speech, which is given in the House of Lords Chamber, marks the opening of Parliament and occurs in the beginning of November each year. Our tour guide then brought us into the House of Lords and then the House of Commons. Afterwards, some students took the Tube to Platform 9 and ¾ to celebrate the first day of school at Hogwarts, the famous school that Harry Potter attends!

Some other highlights from this week:

• The first Hard Rock Café opened in London in 1971. Our weekly Family Meal led us to dine at this famous Hard Rock Café this week where everyone enjoyed good music and good food!
• For their Transnational Studies class, the students took a trip the Patidar house, Gujarati Hindu Patel community organization where they dinned on wonderful Indian cuisine!
• On Thursday August 3, the students went to the National Theater to hear a discussion led by David Edgar, contemporary British playwright.

Please tune in next week for more updates on NUin England happenings!

A week in review…August 24-30 - Date : 08/30/09

When a man is tired of London he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford. –Samuel Johnson

As our time in London continues, there are more and more opportunities for the students to become immersed in the London culture. These early days in London are a great opportunity for everyone to participate in traditional tourist activities such as going to museums and seeing major sites. However, as the group is starting to transition to feel more like residents, rather than tourists, they are finding niches in London that can satisfy their individual interests. For example some are taking advantage of the proximity of Hyde Park to stay in shape by running, while others are taking advantage of the diverse music scene in London and exploring venues and clubs.

As part of the NUin program, the students had the opportunity to see Three More Sleepless Nights at the National Theater. Lasting only 50 minutes, this short play by Caryl Churchill examines the nature of human relationships and communication. The students will analyze and examine this play closely during their Contemporary British Theatre class this week.

On Saturday August 29, our International Student Advisor (ISA) Stephanie, led a SAAFA (Supremely Amazing Alcohol Free Activity) to tour Buckingham Palace. The Palace is the official office and residence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and is only open to tour for a short period toward the end of the summer. Those that participated in this SAAFA said they really enjoyed seeing the State Rooms and the massive garden (aka back yard) of the Palace!

On Sunday August 30, the students went to the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s largest street carnival! Celebrating the Afro-Caribbean culture, everyone’s senses were defiantly used! Music was heard playing from every corner, Jamaican Jerk Chicken could be smelled as it barbecued, and everyone loved watching the dancers in the street parade with their colorful costumes!

(see picture below of a costume from the parade!)

This coming week is filled with more and more events and activities including a trip to Bath and Stonehenge, Parliament, the Hard Rock Café! Please check back next week for more updates on our adventures in London!

Updates from London… - Date : 08/24/09

Greetings from London!

It is hard to believe we have only been in London for 2 weeks! The students have been keeping busy enjoying their first week of classes and getting oriented to their new residence in London!

Here are some updates as to what has happened since we landed:

The students started their first classes this week! As you know, all students are taking the following classes:
1) Transnational Studies
2) British Life and Culture
3) Contemporary British Theater
4) College Writing
5) The Global Experience

In addition to their classroom lectures, there is an array of co-curricular activities that the students participate in for their courses. Last week, the students watched the film “This is England” Link: http://www.thisisenglandmovie.co.uk. The film focuses on the skinhead culture in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s.

On Wednesday, for their Contemporary British Theater class, we went to a West End show to see the performance of The 39 Steps based on the film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Overall, the students enjoyed this funny performance filled with spies and espionage set during British WWI wartime. The students also had the opportunity to receive a back stage tour of the National Theater. On Thursday, August 27, they will return to the theater to attend the performance of Three More Sleepless Nights.

The students participated in their first Service Learning event for their Global Experience Course this week! We put on steel-toed willies and industrial rubber gloves and helped clean up the shore of the River Thames. Please enjoy the photos below. Items found included plastic bottles, tires, and old clothing.

Please continue to check back for new developments and updates on what is happening with NUin England.

With warm regards from London,
Lauren Kettler

Greetings from London! - Date : 08/17/09

The NUin England 2009 students are starting to feel settled at their new home in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea! We had a busy first week attending orientation events lead by the Foundation for International Education (FIE).

Here are some updates as to what has happened since we landed:

After our long flight to the United Kingdom, we arrived to London’s Heathrow airport and were whisked off to FIE to begin the process of getting our rooms and settling into Metrogate, the residence facility for the students in London. The students were given a tour of the local amenities in the immediate area. Later that evening, they attended the first Family Meal of the semester at the Prince Regent, a traditional English gastro pub. Many dined on burgers made of the finest British beef, rack of lamb, and rib eye steak!

During the following few days in London, the students attended orientation, which included topics such as:

• Studying in London
• Practical information such as safety, travel, and food
• Residence Life, Student Life, and Academic Life at FIE
• Volunteering in London

On Saturday morning, the students were given a private coach tour of London where they saw the major sites such as Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the afternoon, they were guided on a walking tour of the Borough of Kensington. They were able to see sites such as Royal Albert Hall, the Prince Albert Memorial, and Kensington Palace. They learned that the Palace is the reason why the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is the only Borough in London that can be coined the “Royal” Borough!

On Sunday the students put their sneakers on to compete amongst themselves in a Scavenger Hunt. The beautiful sunny weather helped make the day enjoyable as they trekked throughout London. In addition to collecting points by taking photos for certain questions, the students were able to see major sites such as Number 10 Downing Street, Trafalgar Square and the Houses of Parliament. When the scavenger hunt was over, the students all gathered together for their second Family Meal at Pizza Express on the Southbank of the River Thames.

This week, the students begin their first week of classes! Most students will be in the “honeymoon phase” of the Culture Shock continuum. We encourage you to support your students’ excitement and happiness while helping them to stay focused on their main priority—becoming an excellent student.

One of the major components of the Global Experience course is the NUin Blog. This gives your student an opportunity to reflect and critically analyze their time in London. The link for the blog web site is http://nuweb4.neu.edu/nuin/. Please join us there and feel free to add your own comments.

It’s a bit hard to believe that we are only at the beginning of this wonderful adventure as so much has happened already. I hope you are as excited as we are to watch the unfolding of this experience!

With warm regards from London,
Lauren Kettler
Site-Director, NUin England
l.kettler@neu.edu

Global Experience Course Information - Date : 08/07/09

Greetings NUin England 2009 students!

Below please find important information regarding your Global Experience Course.

I. ASSIGNMENTS DUE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE
Below you will find the three assignments due prior to the NUin England Departure.

1) Service Learning Reflection Paper
Description: Write a 1-2 page reflection paper of your experience with service in the past. Students should address the following questions within the paper:
–Have you volunteered in the past? What volunteer activities were you a part of? How did you feel about being part of that effort?
– What issues in the global community concern you? How do you imagine yourself contributing to solving these issues while in college? In ten years?
– In what ways do you think volunteer work can enhance your education? For example, how can it broaden your knowledge of diversity, career choices, or social awareness?
–Ideally, what do you think is the most important aspect of doing a community service project?
DUE: emailed night before departure by Midnight Monday August 10, 2009
Email to L.Kettler@neu.edu in Microsoft Word format.

2) Reflection Blog
Description: Write a reflection blog about your experience during the Pre-Departure Program. Themes you may wish to consider:
–What were your thoughts prior to arrival at the PDP?
–How did the information relayed during the PDP help in your own personal preparation for London?
–When leaving the PDP, were your thoughts different or the same as when you arrived on Friday for the PDP?
DUE: posted the night before departure by Midnight Monday August 10, 2009
**NOTE: Students who did NOT attend to the PDP, please write a blog about your preparation prior to departure. Perhaps discuss how you have tried to connect with NUin England on facebook, through email, phone, etc?

3) Reflection Blog
Description: Write a reflection blog about your experience prior to departure. Themes you may wish to consider:
–Thoughts on studying in a foreign country?
–Is this the first time you have left home for a long period of time (3.5 months)?
–How do you feel about the classes you will take in London?
–Do you like to fly?
–Are you excited? Sad? or is traveling like “Another day at the office?”
DUE: posted the night before departure by Midnight Monday August 10, 2009


***ALL THREE assignments are due by the day before departure:
MIDNIGHT MONDAY AUGUST 10, 2009***

II. SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
I am happy to announce that that on Saturday August 22, NUin England will have the opportunity participate in a group Service Learning event with the organization Thames21. The event is called “Cleaner Thames Challenge 2009: Flash Mob the Foreshore”. We will join other London natives to help remove litter from waterway areas and help create a cleaner, greener London. Below is the description of the event provided by the organization:

Project Description: A uniquely different volunteer event! Join Thames21, London’s leading waterways charity, for our fourth Cleaner Thames Challenge. This year, the event will consist of a FLASH MOB OF THE FORESHORE, and will see four locations on the Thames in central London selected as sites that need cleaning-up and the locations will be publicised one week before the events. Hundreds of volunteers have taken part in this event in previous years, and this one is set to be the biggest and most exciting volunteer river clean-up ever! Wellies at the ready!

I was informed that some of the sites for this project can be a little bit muddy, but the organization will provide wellie boots, socks, and gloves. They encourage people to do as much as they are happy doing so you need not to worry about getting too muddy. However, you may consider bringing some clothing to the UK that you don’t mind getting dirty during this event or other service learning events you may wish to participate in (i.e. planting trees, painting theater sets, etc).

Please feel free to check out Thames21 website:
Click Here for the Thames21!

The hours completed during this event can be used toward your overall requirement for the Global Experience Course. Leighanne went over this during the Pre-Departure Program, but we will also cover this again when we review your syllabus in class in London.

III. SERVICE LEARNING INFORMATION
On July 6 you should have received an email from Katie Hignett, Student Life Coordinator at FIE. This email discussed service learning in London, and stated that you will need to bring a photocopy of your visa and your original police report in order to have access to the volunteering opportunities. It is also suggested that you bring a copy of your resume or an outline of your interests that might be relevant when selecting organizations. If you did not receive this email from Katie Hignett, please first check your SPAM folder. If you still cannot locate it, please email our office at nuin@neu.edu and we will send you a copy.

IV. GLOBAL EXPERIENCE TEXT BOOK
The text book needed for the Global Experience Course is:
Learning Through Serving: A Student Guide for Service-learning Across the Discipline.
By Christine M. Cress, Peter J. Collier, and Vicki L. Reitenauer.
ISBN 13: 978-1579221195

V. NUin PRE-SERVICE SURVEY
If you did not take the survey during the Pre-Departure program, please take this survey as soon as possible.
Click Here to take the Survey!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at anytime.
See you soon!

Best regards,
Lauren Kettler

Main Boston Campus | 360 Huntington Avenue | Boston, MA 02115-9959 | 877.6NU.SPCS (toll free)