England: Gabriela Korthuis (Interact)

Interact

My favorite activity I had the opportunity to sign up for through FIE was the O2 climb. I was super excited to see a climbing activity as I have participated in a lot of outdoor and adventure pursuits in my hometown. London offers such a wide variety of experiences there is always something around to make you feel at home or create a fun adventure. The O2 climb entails scaling the roof of London’s O2 arena and taking in panoramic views of the city at sunset.

Before we started the climb, we all had to complete a safety waver and watch a short video on general safety. Then we went right into a briefing with our group leader before getting kitted up. There were about 15 people in our group total, and my flat mates and I met some super nice people from other parts of London and other schools. Our leader herself was very energetic and funny, and made sure everyone felt comfortable and prepared for the climb. I learned some interesting information about the structure of the O2 building and the unique shape the building is known for. The O2’s 12 spikes represent each month of the year, and it is 52 meters tall for each week in a year. Additionally, its diameter is 365 meters for every day in a year. This is because “the dome,” as many Londoners call it, was originally built to house the Millennium Experience, a government-backed exhibition celebrating the start of the 21st century. It was really cool to learn about the history of the venue.

After we had been briefed, we got geared up to climb. The building provided climbing shoes with good traction, special jackets that said “O2 Climb” on them, pouches for our phones that attached to the harnesses, and locker storage. With all of our gear on it felt like we were on a spy mission, especially since we were all matching in black. It was super fun and exciting. There was also a professional photographer taking action shots as we climbed which were available for purchase post climb. The actual climb itself was so fun. The walkway had an incline of 28 degrees on the way up and the non-slip shoes were very helpful. It was so freeing to feel the wind whipping by us as we climbed and have views of the sunset. At the very top of the building, we stopped and had the opportunity to take pictures, facetime loved ones and even have snacks. Our guide told us stories about the city and played music. The sky was gorgeous, and it felt like we could see all of London backed by the pink and blue hues. The Thames also runs right next to the O2 building so we had incredible views of the river as well and the urban skyline. The way down was a little bit steeper than the way up, and we had a fun time looking out for each other and slowly trekking down.

Overall, I laughed and learned a lot. This was definitely an unforgettable experience. My flat mates and I bought the pictures that the photographer took so we have the memories to carry with us, hang in our flat, and eventually bring home. The phrase of the night was “we got over it,” which is what our guide told us when we completed the climb. The O2 Climb showed me the vast range of activities London has to offer, and that there are so many benefits to going outside your comfort zone and trying new things with new people.

 

Gabriela Korthuis

Major: Undecided

Hometown: Holmen, Wisconsin