London Town

One of the great things that I have learned from this semester is the value of networking. This trip has given me connections to people in countries across the globe. That is a valuable resource that couldn’t have been obtained anywhere else. Being here in London provides a unique experience for our group as business students. London is a very diverse city. My parents were here last week and one of the first things my dad pointed out was that he barely heard English when he was walking down the street. That is the beauty of London. Not only do you have the British people, who are very friendly, but you have people here from all over the world. Business in the United States is becoming an international affair, and being able to network and have connections with people outside of the U.S. is a resource that cannot be bought. I think another part of this experience that we as a group have benefited from is the cultural aspect. Being in London we’re only a short flight away from mainland Europe, which provides great opportunities to see all of the cultures of Europe. But if we can’t make our ways over to mainland Europe, there is still so much culture here to see. The combination of the laid back European lifestyle and intense concentration of different cultures here puts a lot into perspective for me. I’ve been out of the states before, but this trip has really shown me that there is more to life. You can tell who the Americans are here because they seem to rush around more than anyone else does. When I was giving my parents a tour of Richmond and the city last week, I made sure to take my time so that they could see things they would normally miss if going at their regular pace. I think one of the biggest things that I will take away from this trip is the value of slowing down every now and then. Living in such a big city like London would seem like it would always be busy. But it is because I’ve now been exposed to the busy life here that I can appreciate when things slow down even more. There is much more to see if you take the time to look.