CAPA WORLD

Exceptional City

London is a modern Babylon.
–Benjamin Disraeli (1847)

Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner
That I love London so I get a funny feeling inside of me
Just walking up and down
Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner
That I love London town.—Hubert Gregg (1953)

The assertion that “London is not England” is, of course, literally true. Like all cities, borders distinguish, to some degree or another, urban, suburban, and rural space. However, the assertion contains a coded message beyond geography; there is an “authentic” England from which London deviates. Negative implications suggest that the city distorts and corrupts traditions designated as representative of “real” England.

An alternative perspective relates London to a cluster of other cities that transcend conventional ideas of national identity. These cities are, in one sense or another, “global”; Sydney, New York, Shanghai, Barcelona, Florence, Dublin, and so on represent characteristics that transcend the local. They form a contested terrain where myths coexist with realities, where civilizations meet, and where diversity brings creative and intellectual energy, and conflict. They are within the geographic nation but are not constrained by those borders.

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It can be difficult to make the healthiest of choices while studying abroad. It’s a completely new environment, with different people and simple nuances of daily life that fall outside of a well-established comfort zone to learn to navigate. There’s a strong desire to pack as much into a semester or summer abroad as possible, to travel, to explore the host city and still excel academically as well as professionally at an internship placement. It’s easy to forget to drink eight glasses of water a day or make time for mindfulness and reflection.

That considered, CAPA London is piloting a new series titled “Healthy Choices Abroad” to help students find balance in this area. Each week, a new theme comes into focus and is explored either through a scheduled talk or activity, drop-in sessions where students are invited to speak with staff, or through informative handouts and posters around the center.

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The day she has been waiting for is finally here! In her first post, Imani shares her excitement and anticipation about heading to Shanghai for a semester abroad. This experience has been years in the making! From transforming into a Chinese culture aficionado and learning Mandarin for the past four years, Imani reveals why she can't wait to immerse herself in this global city and her academics abroad. 

I always knew that I was going to go to China. I just didn’t think it would happen like this. I never thought that I would ever study abroad. I find that when people think of travel, they think of vacation or traveling for work. We all know that studying abroad is a possibility, but college students might not be able to because of timing and/or money. Miraculously, Hood College and CAPA made studying abroad more affordable and I decided to take a chance because chances like these are hard to come across for most students. If they weren’t, everyone would do it.

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CAPA London has recently formed an exciting partnership with Student Central, the largest student center in Europe. 

It’s home to University of London students, from the group’s 18 colleges and 9 other smaller specialist research institutes. That includes more than 120,000 students, which means there’s potential for CAPA students* to make a lot of new friends from a very wide variety of backgrounds.

Centrally located in Bloomsbury, and just a short journey from the CAPA center, this huge space opens up many more opportunities to become immersed in and experience the typical London student life and culture.

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In his final vlog, Dan tells us about his top 5 favorite moments he had while studying abroad in Shanghai. From city tours to walking by dog parks, Dan shares why these moments made an impact on him and how he got to have a real experience with the people and culture of China.

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Do you like to get lost in the beauty of your city? In this week's post, Daniel shows us some snapshots on what his daily 15-minute commute is like in Florence. Whether it's your first encounter or your fifteenth brush with the city, Florence knows how to simply captivate you and make you fall in love with it. 

In addition to my studies with CAPA, I chose to participate in the internship program that they offer. I am going to be interning with ShippyPro, a company that offers shipping and logistic solutions for small to large companies. The office is located about 15 minutes away from my apartment, and I wanted to share the amazing sights that I’ve encountered in making this short commute to work.

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For Payton Meyer, studying abroad was a chance to see what her future could look like. After experiencing a multicultural and global society and interacting with people from different ethnicities, she's drawn to the magnitude of possibilities that the world holds for her. In her last post, Payton reflects on the most influential highlights of her study abroad experience and what's next for her.

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In this week's vlog, Brielle gives us a tour of her apartment in Florence and it's amenities. If you're interested in studying abroad with CAPA and want to get an idea of what your living situation will be, definitely make sure to watch! 

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In his first post, Daniel shares how he decided to stop waiting for the right moment and take action now by studying and interning abroad. He tells us more about himself, his personal and professional goals, as well as what he wants to do in Florence, Italy!

I have to keep reminding myself that in less than a week I’ll be across the ocean, thousands of miles away from everything and everyone I know. It’s definitely a daunting thought. Now that I can count the number of days I have left in the States on one hand, the nerves are starting to creep in.

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In this week's vlog, Kendall shares her story of why she decided to study abroad with CAPA in London, touching on the many benefits of spending a semester in this global city and why it may be a great fit for you.

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