My final week of class was packed with projects, papers, and an exam. We had two field trips to the Library of Things and the Little Bee Community. The Library of Things was a space where a range of rentable items from practical household appliances to ukeles were housed. This business was created as an attempt to foster a neighborhood community while being sustainable and reducing consumerism waste in society. At the Little Bee Community we listened to a team of individuals discuss investment in socially responsible startups.
One morning my four flatmates and I visited Notting Hill, a beautiful area where many business people live. We got brunch at a farm-to-table restaurant called Farmgirl. It has been so exciting to explore the food culture in the city. Stereotypically, people think that the United Kingdom doesn’t have good food. That could not be further from the truth in London! I’ve had the world at my fingertips with a range from curry to sushi to fish and chips. I have personally loved to find locations that have gone Instagram or Facebook viral such as Milk Train, an ice cream shop that serves clouds of cotton candy on ice cream cones!
Wednesday was England’s upsetting semi-final loss to Croatia. My classmates and I watched together with the Little Bee Community post-field trip. The loss was doubly painful because England was winning nearly the entire game. It was amazing how close I felt to this England team in only one month of knowing of the players and the phenomenon. As a Boston sports fan, I am inclined to be drawn to this excitement. However, not all hope was lost as I would be visiting Paris that weekend where France was set to play Croatia – I had a new home team to cheer for.
Friday was marked by President Trump’s visit to London. It turns out, Londoners hate Trump even more than Americans do. The riots and chaos in the streets was remarkable. I saw everything from signs to paper mache busts, and even a floating “Trump Baby” balloon in Parliament Square. Though I did not attend the rallies (the U.S. Embassy suggested Americans keep a low profile) I witnessed this firsthand while heading to a dinner spot.
My first weekend outside of London was amazing! Paris is a city that I had dreamed of going to since I was a little girl and my friends and I made the most of our 48 hours there. These two days included Bastille Day and ultimately the World Cup France victory, so we timed it pretty well. We hit every major tourist stop including the Eiffel Tower, Seine, Notre Dame Cathedral, Lock Bridge (minimal locks to be found), Louvre (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo), Champs Elysees, and Arc de Triomphe. We even went to a Beyonce and Jay-Z concert at the Stade de France! We also ticked off our food bucket list including bread, cheese, chocolate, macarons, and snails. This left my stomach a bit out of place on my journey back to London… but upon arrival to my flat, I felt back at home.
Grace Guertin ’19
Student, UConn School of Business
Grace Guertin is a rising senior majoring in Management and minoring in Digital Marketing and Analytics. She is currently enrolled in the UConn Business in London, England Summer Classes/Internship hybrid program until mid-August. Grace is taking classes in Business Law and Human Rights as well as completing an academic internship for Elizabeth Arden’s fragrance marketing department while there. She is excited to meet new people, live in a big city, work for a beauty company, and travel around Europe. A fun fact about Grace is that her first time out of the country is for this trip! On campus, she is involved in her sorority Gamma Phi Beta as the Community Service Chairwoman and is active in the Honors Program. View Posts