University of Wisconsin–Madison

England: Kinzie Carlson (Learning on Excursions)

Learning on Excursions 

Two people smile while sitting in a bench surrounded by other people right in front of the large London Eye Ferris Wheel.
My roommate, Gwenna, and I take a selfie in front of the London Eye on our cruise.

As part of our arrival to our new home here in London, we had the opportunity to go on a cruise on the Thames, starting at the Tower of London and ending at Westminster. It took a bit of navigation through the tube, which was a learning process since this was only after a few days of moving here. Boarding the boat, we were greeted by a hilarious captain who gave us a great tour of the iconic London sights on the Thames. When we got to the destination, we walked past a man playing the bagpipe, tons of tourists, and multiple iconic double-decker buses on the way to the entrance. I was very excited to get to tour parliament, as I am studying political science and history. Learning about the House of Commons and House of Lords was fascinating – especially compared to the American system of government. It has been helpful to reference what I learned in my British Life and Cultures course. Overall, it was a great way to kick off my educational adventure abroad!

Kinzie smiles, wearing a turtleneck, in front of a plain white background.

Kinzie Carlson 

Major: Political Science & History

Hometown: Owatonna, Minnesota

I hope to be able to engage in local government and learn how the parliament works in the United Kingdom. As a political science major, learning about other governments and being able to compare them to the American system is fascinating. Maybe I’ll learn of ways we can improve our government when I come back to Madison!

What do you most look forward to learning about London?

I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to explore various museums, monuments, and historically significant locations. I adore history, so being able to learn about the centuries of history in London, especially the monarchy, hands-on, is something I couldn’t be more excited about.