A Cheesehead in London

Wrap Up: Part Duex

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 03:20:00 +0100

Continued…

The week of the 25^th promised to be extremely busy. Monday and Tuesday would bring an exam of three hours each, and Friday was the deadline for our 10,000 word ‘dissertations’ – all of which meant the weekend of the 23^rd – 24^th would be reserved for studying and writing. I set a goal of reaching three thousand words by Sunday night as well as being fully prepared for my first exam on Monday. I am happy to report that I achieved both goals, though I was afraid that three thousand words wouldn’t be enough. I had done all the requisite research and felt mostly prepared to put forth a decent paper. At the same time I have never been happy with my writing or have felt fully comfortable with my work. And, with two days taken up by exams, I had seven thousand words to get through in two and a half days, as well as a round or two of revision. Needless to say it would be a tight deadline.

Exams went well, or as well as they could all things considered. British exams are different than exam in the States in that the student responds to a series of prompts and writes for literally three hours straight. The exams are then double-marked by the lecturer and an independent member of the department. Marks are issued on a 0 to 70 scale, though an exceptional piece can get above a 70. We’ll see how my sort out.

The dissertation is a different story. I am happy to say that I achieved 10,000 words in three days, and I actually went over a bit. I am still not happy with how it has turned out, and I did not get a chance to do as much revision as I would have liked, but the writing process itself went very smoothly. For my dissertation I looked at British foreign policy and how (or if) globalization (however you define it…) has fundamentally changed the nature of foreign policy. It may seem obvious to many, but I argued that globalization has fundamentally changed the international system based on growing interconnectedness of societies. New communications and transportation technologies have shrunk both time and space, and though globalization is not a new phenomenon (think the Phoenicians and sailing technology doing the same thing as the airplane), the pace at which the world has changed because of these technologies is a fundamental change. Of course, since globalization is grounded in liberal economics and capitalism, there are always winners and losers. Again, nothing new here. The difference is the end of the Cold War and the loss of relative stability in the international system. With time and space eroding national borders, non-state actors are increasingly relevant, and their access to globalized technologies and relatively inexpensive Cold War weapons has shifted the paradigm. Though British (and American) foreign policy makers have recognized these shifts, the machinery and motion of government, in terms of concrete policy decisions, has not followed suit. The British, for example, are building two aircraft carriers whilst recognizing they face no state-based threat. Aircraft carriers, and the power they ostensibly project, are of little use in the streets of Kandahar.

If I only could have written as concisely in my dissertation…

Friday quickly got out of control. Besides turning in the dissertation, I also had to pack up everything and move my extra baggage to the Hansard offices, pick up a gift for Gary, attend a farewell dinner (which ended up talking a lot longer than I anticipated), and drop by the Monkey Puzzle to present Gary with his gift (an engraved mug we all chipped in on ‘To Gary – For keeping our minds and mugs full – Your Summer Scholars 2011’). Then there were goodbyes to everyone in the program leaving town the next day. I think I forgot to breath for most of the day.

It was surreal to see the program end so abruptly. We had spent two and a half months living and learning together, and the last week was a marathon. We had little time to decompress as a group between the time we began taking exams and when we finished dinner Friday night. The first of us left London at 5 a.m. the next day, and the majority of us were exhausted from the week, so there really was no going-out and celebrating. A few of us managed to pop over to the MP to hand Gary his gift, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Still, I felt there was a lack of closure to the program – even at dinner there wasn’t much beyond a ‘thanks’ from the Hansard staff.

While others were boarding planes for America, on Saturday I boarded a bus to Paris – a nine hour ride! I can honestly say I will never take the Eurostar bus again, especially when the train gets there in two and a half hours. I did get to see the cliffs of Dover, though.

Paris is indescribable. Though I was there for a little over 48 hours, we managed to see the majority of the main attractions, including the Eiffel Tower at dusk/night. Such a beautiful, fun city. I would never want to live there, however. It is a wonderful place to visit, but I did not find the French particularly endearing, and certain parts of the city (likely the only places I would be able to afford at this point) are not places I would want to return to. It is also a very dirty city in some regards – there was a lot of trash and apparently the people find the city to be their toilette.

I had originally planned on staying an extra day and seeing the Normandy coast and d-day sites, but by the time I managed to look into booking hostels and tours, it quickly became apparent that it would be an expensive day. Considering the amount of money I have spent this summer, I thought the best thing for me to do at this point would be return to London where I had inexpensive, open-ended lodging, and instead visit Wales – thus fulfilling a promise I made to the Plaid staff. I’m glad I did! Cardiff is quite the scenic seaside city, complete with a thousand-year old castle and the Welsh National Assembly, among the other sites. I spent the day roaming the city and taking it all in – of course, like all the places I’ve visited this summer, I simply didn’t have enough time to visit everything I wanted to!

Then it was back to London, to save some money and visit a couple of places I had neglected during the course of the program, and to wait for my flight home. It has been a solid few days in London – just me wandering the city as I pleased, with nowhere to be and no one to report to. Just the way I want to remember London. I had a few more brews with Gary and chatted a bit more about life over the last few days, laying some solid plans for myself along the way.

And then, just like that, it was time to go. Time to say goodbye to a City and a people I’ve come to love, with promises to return soon. Though I look forward to returning home and back to ‘real’ life, and that reality is staring me in the face as I write this on the plane ride home, I’ve also come to find that I felt at home in London too. Who knows where life will lead, and if one of those places will be back to London for a little longer stay.

This program has taught me a lot. I’ve learned the practical stuff about the machinery of British government, and I’ve learned to read between the lines. I’ve also learned a lot (more) about people, and myself. Though the program was difficult at times, and I was often frustrated, I also have no regrets. I’ve learned everything I sought to, I’ve accomplished all the goals I’ve set for myself, and I’ve done it well. As Frank says, “Lyrics here”. My return home after successfully completing this program – a year and some change after I first conceived the idea back in Cusco, Peru – feels a lot like the end of an era for me. I’m returning home to start my final semester and finally put this chapter of my life – put on hold and set back by the Army – behind me. It feels good to turn the page. It is time to get back to the business of living. And for that, I am eternally grateful for my time in London.

And with that, this Cheesehead has left London. This Cheesehead has returned home.

Wrap Up: Part One

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:18:18 +0100

The last three weeks have absolutely flown by. I know I say this a lot, but it really does seem like I just wrote an update for this blog. The theme of this summer has definitely been that of constant engagement – academically, professionally, socially. There have not been many days where I have not had something planned or waiting for me. And that is exactly how I wanted it to be. I did not come to London to saunter around and waste time. I came to conquer, metaphorically speaking. Truth be told, I have been on a mission for the last year and a half. I wasted time in school before the war, and I couldn’t see the endgame. I sought out temporary and fleeting pleasure instead of doing the tough work that is required to excel. That is not to say I didn’t try, or succeed, but simply a recognition that I could have done better if I had cared a little more. I suspect this is the lesson of college for me any many others – including my father, whose advice followed those contours exactly. Since returning from the war I have applied myself in every way possible, though I still fall into the same patterns of study every once in a while (especially when studying Russian). It took a while for me to recharge after the war and take academics seriously again. To do so I took a couple of trips, including Australia and Peru, which helped me re-engage with the world on civilian terms. That trip to Peru was the seed and driving force behind my time in London. It was there that I was truly inspired, and it was there that I found the program I am currently studying on. I decided it was for me, and once I returned to the UW, I pursued it. And I am happy I did.

I want to write a bit about this summer as a whole, but first I will write about the last three weeks, or what I remember of them, in order to bring the narrative to a close. I no longer remember the specifics of each day – my journaling has also fallen behind – but there are a few events of importance.

The first was a concert I took in at Hyde Park – Mumford and Sons and Arcade Fire, two of my favorite groups, played to an estimated 40,000 people in a sold-out show that lasted until 11ish (strict end times courtesy of the surrounding neighborhoods). As many of you will know, Mumford is a folk rock group from the UK who have absolutely exploded on scene in American in the last year. I’ve been into them ever since. Arcade Fire is an alternative group who span across a couple of genres. They won a Grammy last year. I won’t lie, I hadn’t heard of them prior to the Grammy, but I’ve been an avid fan since I first listened. Both groups played fantastic shows, with Mumford and Sons playing a few new tunes, and Arcade Fire playing all of my favorites. It was the perfect distraction to break the cycle of school-work-school.

The next week, one of my Professors from UW and his family came to London. I was happy to be able to give them a private tour of the Parliamentary Estate, including a few things that the average tourist would not see, such as Suffragette Emily XXX’s broom closet, where she stayed for two days until the government carried out a census, thereby recording her as the first woman to stay overnight in Westminster. The tour was a success, the kids were moderately interested, and I was happy to be able to give back to a Professor who has given so much time to me. Later that week I traveled to Oxford to hear him as the keynote speaker to an American history conference and socialize with the group afterwards. What a night!

It was after my second Oxford visit that I began to sense the summer was coming to a close, though I still had a lot to do. With only two weeks left in the office, it was time to being wrapping up my summer projects. The summer recess was approaching quickly, which usually means the Parliamentary agenda slows down, but fortunately for me the muckraking press found a story of value – the phone hacking scandal. This scandal has absolutely embroiled the British Government and provided for an added level of excitement for me. As the story first broke, I was able to visit the House of Lords, courtesy of my Plaid Cymru friends, and sit “below the bar,” or in the chamber, during a debate. I don’t remember what the debate was about, but I do remember being struck by the average age of the participants, and their collective inability to raise their voices to an audible level or construct a lucid argument. My opinion on Lords Reform is all for reform.

I was surprised on Wednesday the 13^th with a ticket to view the House of Commons in session – which meant I was finally going to get to go to Prime Minister’s Questions! And, though it is extremely rare to get a ticket in the first place, I was fortunate to sit below the bar, in the House of Commons, behind MPs as they questioned the Prime Minster. I was doubly fortunate to be in the Commons on this particular Wednesday, as the PM made a statement following Questions, and then stood for debate for another couple of hours. Normally the PM answers questions for a half hour before moving on. By the time the PM left the chamber, it was three hours later. What a show!

As if that wasn’t enough, this particular Wednesday was also the day Plaid was planning a party to celebrate a successful term, to which the interns were invited. We had originally planned on taking a boat down the Thames to Greenwich, but had to change the plans for our MPs to be at the House in case there was a vote called on the phone hacking business. We made up for it by having drinks on Westminster terrace, overlooking the Thames, and this time with decent weather. From there we went to dinner and drinks at a French restaurant in Covent Garden – Le Deuxieme – that was absolutely fantastic. There were a few sappy moments as we reminisced about the summer, the presented me with Parliamentary cuff links, and I gave a short speech thanking the group for the experience they have shown me. From there we went for a few drinks, though we called it an early night in order to not be useless at work the next day. All in all, a very good day.

That Wednesday was the highlight of the next two weeks. I finished my internship to teary goodbyes and see-ya-laters on Thursday the 21^st. Honestly speaking, it was hard to say goodbye and see my time with Plaid come to a close. I learned so much from this group of people and drew quite a bit of inspiration as well. I became accustomed to working in Parliament and came to truly enjoy what I was doing there, despite how limited my work could be at times. I guess I was not ready to leave. I came away with what I wanted, though, in terms of inspiration and knowledge, so I guess one could say I got what I came for.

I cheered myself up the next day by going falconing with a girl in the program. I was especially happy because we were excused from class that day as we had made plans for the trip prior. It was quite the experience getting out to Doddington Place Gardens in Kent for our two-hour falconry lesson. We managed to miss three trains in the process, but by the time we arrived in Faversham, everything had worked itself out. We spent some time wandering around the city and found a fantastic antique store, which I will return to some day if possible. There were some truly unique items in the store, and there wasn’t an item over £20. I didn’t get anything this time around.

We took a 20 minute cab ride through the countryside to the gardens. The country was quite the sight – it was hard to believe it was real at times. Narrow tree-lined roads are broken by hilly pastures where sheep lazily graze; occasionally there is herd of horses or a cherry orchard. Quite the fantastic scene.

I had no idea to expect from our falconry lessons. I wasn’t sure whether we would be taking the birds out and hunting live prey, or something less exciting. It turned out to be so much more that I could imagine. We started in a bird house, with several different trained species. Our guide gave us the down and dirty on how falconry works and how they train the birds to be so docile, yet so fierce. From the time the chicks hatch they are cared for by humans, so the birds necessarily imprint their handler as ‘mother’. The birds are so tame and well behaved that the handlers will often take the birds home for the night – imagine falcons, hawks, owls, and eagles snuggled up with kittens and puppies – that is a normal night for these birds. Yet, when released, primal instinct takes over and they actively search for prey as any other comparable wild bird would. The difference is that these birds are quite lazy – after a few minutes of looking they fly back to your arm and the small piece of food waiting for them. In this respect it isn’t much different from giving dogs a treat for performing tricks.

We spent two hours tromping through the woods with an owl and a hawk, and it was absolute and pure fun. Unfortunately our time with the birds had to come to an end. As we walked towards the main road to call a taxi, we decided to check out the church that was on site. It was a good thing we did, too. This particular church is over eight hundred years old, though it has been constantly changing and evolving in form. There were wall paintings from the 13^th century, graves from all the centuries in between, as well as mosaics and stained glass that date from the 14^th and 15^th centuries.

When we reached the main road, neither of our cell phones had reception. Great! We were at least ten miles out of town. We hoped that we would pick up reception somewhere a long the road and began walking. At one point we went through a small village with a telephone booth, but this particular booth only took phone cards. On with the march!

We finally did get some reception, somewhere after the half-way point in our trek. We called a cab and tried to explain as best we could that the driver should look for two lost Americans wandering a country road. After a bit more walking and a half-hour, the cab finally found us and took up back to town. We were more than grateful. The cab driver suggested a little café to us. We took him up on his suggestion and were quite happy we did. The food was great, the weather pleasant, and the day rewarding. After dinner we wandered around Faversham, finding the oldest brewery in England in the process, as well as other historic sites such as the local graveyard. I’m always fascinated by graveyards – mostly I wonder who the people were and what they did in their lives. I tend to map their lives onto bigger events in world history – for example, when we passes two markers that were placed in 1776, I couldn’t help but to place both lives in the context of the Revolution. Something along the lines of ‘hey! These people are older than my country! I wonder what they could tell me about the Declaration of Independence?’

After a couple hours of wandering, we found ourselves back on the train and on our way to London. What a rewarding day! With the adventures over and classes coming to an end, it was time to switch back to student mode.

To be continued…

To Ireland and Back

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:18:02 +0100

Monday, June 20^th, saw us come back to reality a bit and back to class – after a weekend of excitement, an easy day at class was alright by me. Between classes we took in a guest lecture on the media’s role in British politics, and I somehow managed to return my top hat and grab lunch. Thankfully the tube was operating normally. Otherwise, I’m not quite sure I would have made it back to class in time.

Things have begun to settle down in the office as I’ve begun to ease into a routine. The morning is set aside for urgent research based on the day’s proposed business. If nothing is pressing then it is back to the longer-term projects. Besides research into cyberstalking, I’ve been creating a database to track our MPs and the various questions they ask of the Government ministers. It’s a very simply MS Access database, but hey, I had to put five years of database management at the Fluno Center to work somehow! There really isn’t much to report on the day-to-day progress of these projects, so I’ll sort of gloss over the workweek at this point.

Thursday evening turned out to be quite unique. I had left work early to prepare for a trip to Dublin the next day. I hurriedly did some laundry before setting out with a flat mate for the LSE campus so that we could print our boarding passes. After struggling in the library for a bit (slow printers!), we decided to take our time getting back to the flat, and instead headed for Oxford to do some window shopping and to grab some food. After a short tube ride we arrived, and promptly got lost in conversation as we wandered the back streets. After a while we were a bit hungry, so we stopped at a Chinese take-away stall (I was craving Chinese, which is possibly my favorite cuisine). The food was worth it, though it would be a stretch to call it good Chinese food. As we continued to lazily wander the streets and eat our food, we happened across a church that felt quite out of place among the fashion shops that typify Oxford. We decided for some pictures, and after a bit tried to go into the Church for more pictures. As it turns out, the Royal School of Music was presenting a harp concert, though tickets cost five pounds. We stood outside for a bit, attempting to listen to the few notes that made it through the solid oak doors. A few other people had gathered, and we struck up a short conversation. After a bit one of our new friends handed us two tickets – we were in! We stayed for close to an hour. I was blown away by the skill of those who played. The technical skill required to pluck the right string at the right time, with the correct amount of force, and have it all come together so wonderfully really made an impression on me. And that was when it was a soloist. When the performance became a duet, I really was quite taken. After our impromptu night, I was ready for to relax and get on with the trip to Dublin.

(credit: Nichole Powell)

4:15 am came around too soon. But, I had to shower, pack a few things, and jump on a train all by 5:15 am. I wasn’t thrilled at the early-morning hustling, but I managed. A quick change to another train for the hour ride north to London Stansted airport, and we finally arrived sometime around 7 am. The inevitable slog through check-in and security was relatively painless, except for a few bottles of shampoo that became casualties. We made our flight, and off to Dublin we were.

A whole 50 minutes later we landed. It’s a good thing the flight was cheap! Immigration was a breeze – US residents need no visa, and once you’ve had your passport stamped you can stay in Ireland for up to 90 days. I wish all international travel was this easy! After clearing customs, we set off for the city center via bus, which was a mistake. I’m not sure if the guy who designed the roads in Dublin was drunk, or the guys who built the roads were drunk, or possibly both…but it seemed like there weren’t many streets that were straight. Our bus driver must have also thought he was an F1 driver. Needless to say, it was not the most pleasant bus ride I’ve ever been on.

We got off the bus in the city center, and I was not immediately impressed by Dublin. It didn’t seem to have much distinctive character, though I blame this sentiment mostly on the weather (overcast and threatening to rain when we arrived). The city grew on me, and by the end of the trip I was impressed. When we arrived, though, we were a bit lost as we tried to find something to eat and our hostel. After wandering for a half hour, we decided to grab the next place that looked good. As the guys stopped in a shop to ask directions (shocking, I know….), the girls were distracted by a bona-fide gypsy attempting to tell Chinese fortunes, or something along those lines. They politely declined.

After a nice breakfast at a relatively upscale joint, we set off for our hostel. We walked around Dublin for what seemed like an hour to find the hostel, though in reality we found it fairly quickly. I’m always suspicious of hostels and would much rather see it in person before booking, but we got lucky. The hostel was clean, quite, and actually had a few families staying there. Perfect! Plus, they had a sauna…which I took full advantage of. Unfortunately the staff was not quite ready for us, so we had to trudge on with our luggage, though most of us only brought a few things in a backpack, so it wasn’t too bad.

After leaving the hostel, we set off for our VIP Guinness Warehouse tour, specially arranged by one of our flat mate’s father, who happens to distribute beer back in the states. It was a great tour. Our guide walked us through the brewing process, though as a home brewer I noticed some slip ups that perhaps the rest of the group did not. For example, yeast consumes the sugars from barley, and not the hops, to produce alcohol. No worries though, a couple free Guinness made me a happy guy.

The Guinness experience is pretty unique in the world of brewery tours. In fact, it isn’t a brewery tour at all – at no point do you actually see any brewing. Instead, the staff focuses on explaining the brewing process and the specific history of Guinness. The tour begins on the ground floor of an old warehouse, in the middle of a glass structure the spans seven floors and resembles a pint glass. The tour winds its way to a bar at the top, where patrons enjoy a few free pints while looking out over the city of Dublin.

(credit: Nichole Powell)

After the tour, we again set out for the hostel. We thought we might stop by Trinity College on the way and see the Book of Kells (a Celtic Bible circa 800 a.d.). It was raining pretty heavily, and the walk was fairly long, so by the end of it I was pretty soaked through. After stalling at Trinity, we headed back to the hostel without seeing the Book of Kells.

One thing I was not prepared for regarding Dublin is that it has some pretty crazy nightlife. While I did go out for a while with the flat-mates, we didn’t experience anything of epic proportions, heading back to the hostel early instead of staying out all night. By the stories our cabbie told us, and the multitude of late-night clubs just opening up as we packed it in for the night, it was pretty evident that Dubliners like to rage. I was content to find a bed and finally sleep.

We awoke mid-morning on Saturday and slowly packed up our things, checked out of the hostel, and caught the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) train south a few miles to the town of Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Dun Leary), arriving in the early afternoon. Dun Laoghaire is a sea-side suburb of Dublin about seven miles to the south but a world apart in terms of culture. Whereas Dublin had the feel of an old city in the midst of regeneration, Dun Laoghaire felt to me very modern. I was glad to finally be sea-side, and the sailor in me geeked out a little bit at the site of so many sailboats. Captain Keith would be proud. We attempted to set up a sailing tour of Dublin harbor, but the timing was not right and we had to settle for walking out on the break-waters.

We spent the afternoon and early evening hours touring the seaside. At one point we wandered to the James Joyce museum, but it had a six euro entrance fee, so we decided to continue the adventure instead. We traveled further south along the coast, spending some time climbing sea-side boulders, lazing about, and generally relaxing and taking in the view. We then walked to the town charming town of Dalkey before walking back to Dun Laoghaire, stopping to get pizza on the way. The weather was quite pleasant, so we decided to rest up for a bit before grabbing some wine and heading back down to the coast to enjoy the night.

(credit: Nichole Powell)

Sunday was an early wake-up and train ride back to Dublin to tour the city a bit more before heading back to London. We hadn’t spent much time on Friday exploring due to the rain. Upon arriving in Dublin, we first found where we would need to board our bus to the airport, and then headed back to Trinity College and the Book of Kells. While I did not want to pay the admission fee to see the books, a couple of the flat mates did. A couple of us toured the campus and surrounding area, before heading to the center of town. Our time was very limited, so we didn’t get to see much more of the city before needing to head back to the airport, meaning I will have to go back to Dublin someday.

The airport and flight back to London were run-of-the-mill experiences, so I won’t relate them in detail. Upon arriving at Stansted Airport, we were held up in customs for a bit as one of the guys in the program couldn’t find his ticket, which would have allowed him to skip immigration. Instead, the rest of us skipped immigration and had to wait for him to get his passport stamped again. From there, we learned that the direct train to downtown London wasn’t operating, so we instead had to travel to Cambridge before catching the train to London. This would have been fine on any other day, but on this particular day the sun was shining and the temperatures were soaring. The train carriages weren’t air conditioned, and they were packed full of travelers trying to get to London – which meant those of us who barely made the train had to stand. It was a miserable ride that took twice as long as it should have. We eventually made it back to London and our flats, though it was a grueling time spent on the trains. Once we arrived at the flats, all of that frustration melted away as it was just good to be home. After a shower I was back to normal, and was heartened by the week ahead – Monday promised to be a good day.

Unlike our normal Mondays which consist of class, on this particular Monday we were headed to Oxford for a few informal lectures and time on campus. Unfortunately we first had to endure another arduous, sweltering hot train ride, though it wasn’t nearly as bad as the previous day once I found a seat. At this point I had coffee and a good book to read (Frank: The Voice by James Kaplan), so I was fairly content other than the heat.

Oxford is a beautiful city, and I highly recommend that anyone who visits the UK spends some time here. The campus is full of amazing architecture, the shopping centers have the feel of State Street in Madison, and the grounds of Christ Church are exquisite. We spent most of the day wandering the city, though we did fit in two lectures with renowned academics, one of whom had once spent an afternoon getting drunk with Churchill (he had other interesting things to talk about, but he readily admitted this was the pinnacle of his life). After our second lecture in the afternoon, we had to sprint back to the station and board the train for London in order to have enough time to get ready for our evening event: a Speaker’s Reception for the Hansard Society, which is the group that is organizing our time here in the UK.

Upon arriving in London, it was fairly evident that we were likely to be late. Half an hour to clean up a bit, change into formal wear, and catch the tube for a half an hour ride? Things did not look good. A few of the quicker members of the group made it on time (though I’m not sure how…), but the rest of us were only a few minutes late. Unfortunately when we made it to Westminster, we received incorrect directions four times, which made us even more late. Finally we did find the Speaker’s House, and the room we were supposed to be in. I am still in awe at the night – rubbing elbows with the Speak of the House John Bercow MP and the various MPs and officials, as well as members of the Hansard Society. For those of you who do not follow British Politics, which I assume is the majority, the Speaker of the House is very similar to the Speak of the House of Representatives back in the States, but in a more regal fashion, the difference being that the Speaker here is non-partisan. Mr. Bercow is a unique figure in that he has reformed the procedures on the House of Commons in an attempt to bring more transparency and accountability to the House – he will often call Minister of State to answer oral questions before the chamber on little to no notice, among other Parliamentary procedures he has implemented. Being the politics junkie that I am, I was absolutely thrilled to have a short conversation with the Speaker and have my picture taken with him.

Speak of the House center, with Hansard Scholars (credit: Sierra Parker via Lisa George)

Unfortunately I had to speak with others at the reception as well. At one point I found myself speaking with the head of BBC Politics, among others. I was a bit overwhelmed by the night towards the end, as the gravity of the situation hit me a bit. I was speaking with our program director who mentioned that not many Hansard Scholars (our official title in the program) have the pleasure of attending the Hansard Society’s official reception – it’s a once-a-year affair that they usually do not invite the Scholars to. What an honor, then!

After leaving the reception, a few of us set out on a quest for food. We found sustenance at a pub on Whitehall, then decided to continue the night in SoHo, a fashionable area of downtown London. Though it was a tame evening, I did get the chance to have a great conversation with a few of the people in the program that I haven’t had a chance to talk with very much. All in all it was a great day and night.

Tuesday and Wednesday were typical days in the office, certainly nothing to write home about. I’ve spent time researching the extent of devolution in Scotland and Northern Ireland in a few different policy areas, and also looking in detail at the Pension Bill (I’ve promised myself to never, ever become a pension lawyer – absolutely bland and mind-numbing). Thursday, however, was a bit of an oddity, as we had large public-sector strikes take place downtown protesting the Government’s decision to raise the pension age and the amount of money public servants will pay into their pensions. At times I felt like I was in Madison in February, protesting all over again. Because Plaid leans to the left, and we weren’t willing to cross the picket lines, I had the day off. I used my time to work a bit on my dissertation and plan for the next couple of weeks. In the afternoon me and a couple flat mates headed to Hyde Park to watch Mumford and Sons and Arcade Fire live. Two of my favorite bands + 60,000 people…no big deal…though the police out front were not happy with us for trying to sell one of our extra tickets. Mumford played a few new songs, so I am extremely happy I went. It was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to.

And that brings me to today – Friday. I have an essay due on Monday, and a dissertation to work on, so I will be spending the majority of my day and this weekend in the library. Time to act like a student for a spell.

Captains of Industry?

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 17:42:32 +0100

Captains of Industry?

A week and a half in review

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 17:33:53 +0100

What a whirlwind this last week and a half has been! Between classes, work, and exploring the city, I’ve neglected to keep up to date with this blog. That changes now.

My third day in the office was also my last day of the week. Our program is structured such that we have classes on Monday, work Tuesday through Thursday, and Friday through Sunday are free. I spent my Thursday split between two tasks in the office: attempting to marshal support for some amendments one of our MPs was putting forward to the Armed Forces Bill, and conducting research for an upcoming committee on stalking and harassment. I spent the morning phoning the staff of the various MPs we were attempting to win over to support our amendments – which focus on veterans’ issues. Through some chatting and emails, we eventually gained the support of enough MPs to virtually guarantee our MP would be called on in debate. In the afternoon I turned to the issue of cyberstalking and began conducting background research to prepare a briefing for our MPs. I’ve gained more insight into the phenomenon than I thought was possible, though much of the primary research that is available is quite dodgy.

After a couple of hours of reading through academic papers, I headed out to meet up with friends at the Sports and Social Club, which is Parliament’s very own pub.
Much like everything else I’ve done so far, my trip to S&S was quite unique, and I shall try to recreate the experience at length. Sports and Social is located in the heart of Westminster palace, and one needs to navigate what resembles a labyrinth to find it. The entrance is non-descript, and one might not even know a pub was behind the door if not for the multitude of people standing outside the door smoking (Sports and Social is a smoke-free pub, as are all pubs in the UK).

The bar itself is unique, not just because it is located in a medieval palace, or that one has to pass by multiple sub-machine gun toting police officers (not to mention the metal detectors to and other security measures to get into the Parliamentary Estate in the first place), but for the unique nature of MPs and their staff conducting business or relaxing over a few pints. Passholders – those with ID badges that allow free access to the Parliamentary Estate – are allowed to bring in guests, and so one finds quite the eclectic mix of pub patrons. The place is also extremely small, which also means it is hard to find a seat and even, at times, somewhere to stand. There are four rooms connected by archways, and two of the rooms are reserved for snooker and darts. The remaining two rooms are dominated by the bar, which is built as if the wall had split it in half. On my first trip to the Sports and Social, it was karaoke night, which meant that there was even less room. Despite the cramped crowd, we all enjoyed our time. I had a Guinness or two, which leant extra gravity to the experience.

I spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday acting like a student. I won’t try to recreate in words these days, since the vast majority of you reading this have spent time as a student and probably remember it quite well. I had a short paper due on Monday, so I spent most of my time at the library researching and writing. I am not pleased with the results, but I also did not put in the same sort of effort I would have normally put in back in the states. It was a very short paper, about a relatively simple subject, and so I simply couldn’t muster the motivation to do a bang-up job.

Monday was a fairly busy day for me. I was at the library early to make some last-minute revisions and print my paper. I turned my paper in and sat through class for an hour and a half before sprinting to the tube station to head to work. We were entertaining roughly one hundred Catalonians on Monday, and I had been invited to have lunch with a few of them. Unfortunately there was little time, as we had a guest lecture in the afternoon before our second class – leaving approximately an hour and a half to get to Portcullis and back. There is no direct line from school to work, which meant I had to change trains. The journey takes approximately twenty minutes if one does not miss a train, leaving a short time to have lunch. So, I rushed from class to Portcullis, only to find that the Catalonians were having a tour of Westminster. I waited for a while, but eventually had to head back to class. Oh well!

We were entertaining the Catalonians because a while ago one of our MPs had put forth an Early Day Motion – roughly equivalent to a resolution in the American political system – condemning the Spanish High Court’s gutting of a referendum on greater powers for the Catalonian government. The essence of the EDM was the expression of solidarity between the Welsh and the Catalonians, both nations within states. The Catalonians may have misread the weight of the EDM, though, as they viewed it as Westminster taking up the issue of Catalonian independence. They’ve used the EDM (which they call the Westminster Declaration) as a way to inject some energy into the movement. An online website, specifically designed for the trip to London, collected close to 12,000 signatures of support (and I’m sure quite a lot of fundraising). The EDM was a big deal in Catalonia.

It was a shame I rushed back to campus and missed the Catalonians, as our guest lecturer didn’t show up! One of the staff for our program was out sick during the week, which led to a mix-up in the plans. I was actually a few minutes late to the planned start of the lecture. At that time I was glad the lecturer was at least late. When it was clear he wasn’t coming, we headed to a rooftop café on campus that we just discovered. I had some curry and caught up on the latest happenings in the word while waiting for class. We went to visit our favorite local establishment, where we played a game of scrabble (a first: I’ve never played a board game in a drinking establishment)

Tuesday in the office promised to be a bit hectic. The Armed Forces Bill was up for consideration and debate on the floor of the commons, and it was very likely that our MP would be speaking, which meant that we needed to be on top of everything. The day actually turned out to be quite dull, as it happened we were already prepared and there were no fires to put out. I turned back to my research into cyberstalking. In the afternoon I attended a meeting with some of the organizers of the committee for stalking and harassment. We tried to work out some strategies for the committee, much of which I can’t go into. It was a productive meeting though!

Wednesday was more of the same. Even though it’s only been two weeks in the office, I’ve settled into a routine, more or less. I spent the morning doing more research. The afternoon brought more research, a trip to the card store to buy a couple of cards for people in the office (so much pressure is involved in finding a greeting card without political overtones!). When I returned to the office, one of the researchers offered me a trip up Big Ben the next day, to which I agreed. I then went to a briefing on Sudan, and chatted with the researcher a bit about likely scenarios post-independence of South Sudan. There are so many challenges to overcome before anything that resembles peace might be achieved – every day brings some sort of perspective. After the briefing I went to the weekly meeting with the Scottish National Party.

Our MPs and staff decided that it was a good night to have some drinks after work; I agreed. We began with a few pints on the terrace, which is a portion of the Palace that is off-limits to passholders unless you are with an MP or Lord. It overlooks the Thames, and rivals the Memorial Union Terrace in terms of view. It is easily an instant favorite of mine. Unfortunately on this day the weather would not cooperate (who knew it rained to much in London!), so we headed inside to the Sports and Social. A few friends of the Party joined us, so it turned out to be a fairly late night for us. It was a great night of unwinding and ‘team-building’.

Thursday morning was kind of rough – an early wakeup and a slight headache made me regret agreeing to climb Big Ben (332 steps!). I soldiered on though and made it to the appointed place at the appointed time. What I didn’t realize, and the guide made clear to me, was that I was actually there to guide and sponsor a Londoner’s access to the tower. I apologized to the girl whom I had been sitting next to the whole time, and then got on with it. Apparently climbing Big Ben is a big deal: non-UK citizens are rarely allowed the honor (unless you happen to be a passholder like myself). UK citizens must apply for the tour and undergo security checks before they are allowed to climb. I won’t relate the fascinating history of Big Ben or the tower here, but please feel free to send me a message if you want to know more.

I spent the remainder of Thursday finishing my research into cyberstalking and preparing a briefing for the rest of the staff. I headed out relatively early and took the rest of the night easy.

Friday was one of the most interesting days I’ve had so far, and definitely one of the more fun days. We attended the Royal Ascot, which is where the Monarchy, the elite, and the commoners dress up and watch few horse races. It has been said that horse racing is the sport of Kings, and I believe it.

The adventure started at approximately 8:18 a.m., when one of the flat mates came into the common room where I was eating breakfast and asked, “dude, what are you going to wear today?” I honestly hadn’t thought about it till that point, but the Royal Ascot is not somewhere you want to show up underdressed. What’s more, the girls in the flat had been dress and hat shopping for a week or so in preparation for the event, so it was a bit comical that we had waited so long. The Ascot is a place for fashion, and the name of the game is hats (also called fascinators…?). Depending on where your tickets are (Royal Enclosure, Grandstand, Silver Ring), the dress code changes. For example, if you have tickets to the Royal Enclosure, you can’t wear brown shoes. Men have to be in either black or grey morning suits, with waistcoat and top hat. If you don’t meet the code, you don’t get in.

I had been planning on khakis and a blazer, but at the last minute we decided we would go all out, depending on if we could find top hats. We had originally planned on catching the train at 9:30, so we would need to hustle if we were going to make it to the Ascot in time.

Us guys donned our best suits and set off for Oxford Circus, which is a tourist trap where a lot of fashionable stores are. Unfortunately, the tube line that we take to Oxford was severely delayed, and also packed, as it was rush hour. Everyone in our party eventually found a place on the train but me. Being that we were crunched for time, I anxiously awaited the next train. The announcer came on and said it would be between five and six minutes. Ten minutes later he came on and announced the line was closed, there would be no more trains from this station, which presented a large problem for me as there was no direct line to Oxford and no time to change stations. I decided to grab a bus, though I am not very familiar with the bus system here. I asked an attendant at the station which bus was the best, ran and caught the bus, and somehow only lost fifteen minutes in the process. I met up with the guys down at Oxford Circus, where they had found top hats to hire. We then spent some time finding waistcoats (vests). We were only an hour and a half late, which wasn’t too bad considering when we set off on the adventure. We then ran through the tube station to catch a train (we missed it), then changed at the next station and ran to catch our connection (we missed it), then hustled to buy tickets and get on the train to the Ascot (we just barely made it). An hour later we made it to the racetrack.

The thing about the Ascot is that it is just the same as any large festival back in the states: live bands, food and drink, and a party atmosphere. The only difference, really, is that everyone is very, very smartly dressed. Apparently the outfits we pulled together at the last minute worked, as we had several official and candid photos taken of us. The other difference is that betting was actively encouraged – after all this was a horse race. I placed a couple of small wagers, but didn’t win. We had an amazing time there, even despite the rain. At one point the guys all lit up some cigars, and the cameras really came out then. There are some great pictures of us that, if put in black and white, might be indistinguishable from pictures taken in the 1920’s. I’ll try to post a few.

We topped off the night with a visit to Gary, where we retold our stories in detail. He had been gracious enough to supply us with umbrellas and coolers, all of which came in extremely handy. We had some food (steak and ale pie), and the group slowly melted back to the flat. A few of us stayed later, and eventually there were two of us. At that point Gary was intent on keeping us there for a while, so it turned out to be a very late night for me, though the focus was on the conversations with Gary rather than the alcohol he was providing. I can’t think of a better way to cap off an amazing day or an amazing month.

The Adventure Continues

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:06:47 +0100

Parliament Day Two –

I woke up today extremely tired. I don’t know if it wasn’t a very restful night’s sleep for me, or if my run yesterday was more intense then I remember, but it just seemed as though my whole body was tired. On days like today back in the states, I would usually hit the snooze but two or ten times, but today it was relatively easy to get out of bed. I was really pleased at how yesterday went, so I was excited to get back to the office today and get my hands dirty.

I was at the office by 930 and ready to go, but first I had coffee with D. We made small talk about our nights, she showed me where to pick up all sorts of useful information about Parliamentary proceedings, and we meandered back to the office. She set me up with a computer and desk to work at, then chatted about what the typical day in the office looks like. We also talked a bit about Parliamentary tactics for backbenchers and opposition MPs and ways in which Plaid Cymru makes their (our?) voice heard. We were nearly an hour into the conversation when Elfyn (MP) and the party press officer E came into the office and asked me if I wanted to attend a press conference they were giving. Of course I would! D was more than happy to get back to work, so I ventured off to meet the Welsh Press (it’s a small contingent.) The two reporters who were at the press conference (meeting? How many reporters does it take to be a conference?) were nice enough, and one seemed to be one of those eternally happy people who find joy in everything (though I am told he writes quite nasty articles). The conversation ranged from corporate tax rates throughout the UK to prison term discounting for those who plead guilty, to the future of the leadership of Plaid Cymru (our current leader is planning to step down in the next few years). It was an interesting and informative session for me to attend, though I confess I was a bit lost when BBC Wales turned up and conducted an interview in Welsh.

After the interview I sat down to tea with Elfyn and E. We talked a little bit about Plaid’s press strategy (think scatter gun). Anywhere there is an opening to inject themselves into the debate, they will. Tea was brief as there was work to be done, including Prime Minister’s Questions.

For those of you who haven’t yet delved into the British political system, PMQ’s are perhaps the most entertaining and important time of the week. For half an hour every Wednesday, the Prime Minister must answer questions from MPs about any range of topics. It can be a very effective tool for maintaining transparency if used correctly. Unfortunately for the current Opposition, their leader Ed Milliband is highly ineffective. Almost every time he asks David Cameron a question, Cameron makes Milliband look like an uninformed fool. Today was perhaps Milliband’s worse showing in recent memory. At one point Cameron used the policies of Milliband’s party to answer his question, effectively showing that Milliband can’t lead his own party, let alone the United Kingdom.

Back in the office, R gave me my first task: RSVP for two of our MPs to attend a meeting with the American ambassador in July. After that, I was to help D prepare a briefing for Jonathan, who was to attend a debate later in the day regarding the current Government’s position towards women. But first, it was off to lunch with Elfyn, Jonathan, and E. The food in Portcullis is not bad, but it’s not very good either – at least it is inexpensive. Apparently the food was a lot better just a little while ago, but the ongoing expenses scandal (where MPs have gotten in serious trouble for claiming illegitimate expenses – one of the hottest and most serious political topics in the last few years here), as well as the current austerity of the Government, has meant the food quality has gone down.

After lunch I spent a few hours completing my tasks and doing general research on the party’s positions and recent activities. After a couple of hours of playing catch-up, Jonathan and E asked if I wanted to go with them to meet the Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond. Of course I would! Jonathan had to stop off at the chamber to vote, so E and I paused briefly in the atrium of Portcullis – just as Ed Milliband came walking in. I’ll be honest, he looked like a lost, scared little child who wasn’t quite sure what came next – exactly how he should feel after his performance at PMQ’s. I was amused – I forgot to mention that yesterday, during our conversation with the MSNBC reporter, David Cameron and Nick Clegg (deputy Prime Minister) walked right behind me. I wish someone had said something!

We set off to meet FM Alex – it was raining, so I am glad I had brought my umbrella. We waited outside Westminster Palace for a bit, though Alex didn’t show. Apparently he got tied up at a press conference, so we headed back to Portcullis. It was a bit disappointing to miss out on meeting the Scottish FM, but considering I went into the day without any thought of meeting him I couldn’t be too disappointed.
Back at Portcullis, I went to collect my pass. I had been assured by our program director that all the requisite paperwork was ready and waiting for me – though it wasn’t. At this point all I needed to proof of my address here in the UK. Jonathan stepped in and offered to write a brief letter and sign witness, which did the trick. Though we had to go back to the office, and then back to the pass office to do so, I finally collected my pass – and just in time! We were then headed to meet with the Scottish National Party for a strategy session.

Being that Plaid Cymru has such a small representation in Westminster, and that they are a nationalist party, they find a natural ally in the Scottish National Party, who similarly has a small representation at Westminster. For that reason, the two parties try to coordinate their activities within Parliament, so as to be most effective. What makes this an especially interesting time is that in the Scottish National elections, the SNP just won a majority in the Scottish Parliament – something that was said to be impossible. At the same time, Plaid suffered a drubbing at the poles, losing control of the Welsh Assembly, though they did win a referendum granting more powers to the Welsh Assembly.

Though I sat on the sidelines for this meeting, it was interesting to see strategy in action. I’ve had the good fortune to study with a few professors in the states who have illuminated the vague practice of strategy formation for me, and so seeing the practical application side of the theory I’ve learned has been a wonderful experience.
After meeting with the Scots, my day was complete. It was a full day, it was tiring, but it was good in so many ways. I boarded the tube for the ride back home, completely exhausted but completely content. I’ve spent the last few hours doing some research, reading a bit, and of course catching up on my blogging. It’s now almost midnight, but tomorrow promises to be a great day. Until then.
Today’s political insight: (From Elfyn) Creative strategy and creative leadership is not just something that is nice to talk about – it is necessary to survive. In a minority position, one must provide creative answers. If not, you acquiesce to the majority.

The Moment

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:26:24 +0100

Parliament Day One –

Before getting started, a quick note: I will not use the full names of people in my office or those I interact with, unless they are well known political figures. I’m not hiding anything but rather I do so out of respect to those I work with who might not want to see their names and actions, however flattering or unflattering, on a blog of their intern. I will instead use initials.

Unlike what one would expect, I did not wake up on my first day excited to get to work. Instead, one of my flat mates woke me up early, as he needed help tying his tie. I tied a four-in-hand while half asleep. I only mention the type of knot as later in the day he got some good-natured ribbing for tying a simple knot. He was advised that a half- or double-Windsor is the standard (I subsequently taught said flat mate how to tie a double, and then tied a double for him the next morning after he had forgotten.) All in good fun.

Despite the early wake up, I was excited. After three weeks I was finally stepping into the Parliament as an intern and not a tourist. I was resolved to make the best of the day and my time. I carried those thoughts with me through both my morning rituals and the tube ride to Westminster. As I stepped off the train and walked to the front of Portcullis House, which is the office annex next to Westminster Palace, I felt a certain sense of satisfaction that I had finally arrived (both literally and figuratively.) This was the moment I had first thought about years ago in a History of England discussion section, when my TA told us that UW students could intern in Parliament. This was the moment I had been waiting for since I made the decision to apply to the program, prodded on by my good friend Alex, while in an internet café in Cusco, Peru. This was the moment I had been waiting for since submitting my paperwork and waiting nearly six weeks to hear an admissions decision.

As I entered the doors, quickly navigated security, and had the information ring the Plaid Cymru office to let them know I had arrived, I began to realize that the moment I had been waiting for would have to wait a few minutes. The entrance to Portcullis House is separated from the rest by inches of bulletproof glass, and you need an escort to get in. I waited patiently as others who entered the building after me found their escorts and went about their business. First five minutes, and then ten, passed. As I stood there, a young man came walking up, confidently looked at me and queried “Andrew?” The moment had come. We exchanged greetings and began to move towards the door through the bulletproof glass. Half way through the revolving door, the gentlemen asked me to step back through – apparently I was not the Andrew I was looking for. A moment of disappointment, but I quickly laughed it off. After half an hour of waiting, and another request to the information desk to ring my office again, R (full name withheld) finally collected me, apologizing profusely. Apparently the first attempt to the Plaid office didn’t connect, though the information desk failed to tell me. Such is life sometimes.

I’ve been a bit concerned going into this placement that I would not be able to understand the Welsh accent. A flat mate works with a Welshmen, and she had related that it was difficult at times to understand him. I’ve been warned by a couple of British friends (and Gary!) that the Welsh accent is extremely difficult to understand. I was pleased, then, when I was able to fully understand R (and, for that matter, almost everyone in the office). We worked our way up to the Plaid party office where I met most of the staff – D, a researcher, E, the public affairs officer, and the MPs (we have three.) Another researcher was on holiday, and we have another intern arriving next week. All nine of us share three offices, and it was immediately apparent to me that this is a close-knit group who work well together. And rightly so – they are three of 650 MPs, and advocate Welsh independence – not exactly a favored position in Parliament. There is a certain sense of ‘us vs. them’, and an awareness that ‘us’ is at a disadvantage. As the day wore on and I learned more about the party and their operations, I wasn’t so sure that their small size was a disadvantage. They don’t have to follow the party line, which allows them to live up to their personal and party values on almost every vote. The MPs speak their minds clearly, supported by the facts, and do not hide or shy away from attention. They form a sort of conscious for the House of Commons.

It was immediately apparent to me that this would not be a boring internship. I spent the first hour or so coming up to speed with the issues for the day and some of the basic mechanisms by which the party operates. The girls – R, D, and E – and I then went for lunch at one of the cafes in Portcullis House. As they are all friends and were on their first day back in a week or so, they began talking about their holidays and the kinds of things they had done. I ventured into the conversation and related some of my time in Edinburgh, though I choose to exit the conversation when they began talking about why they like champagne (it’s bubbly and pretty). It was nice to get past the awkward first-day get-to-know-you conversations and skip forward to a more friendly conversation.

After lunch R and I went to the pass office to try and pick up my pass, which will allow me almost unrestricted access throughout the Parliamentary Estate. Unfortunately I did not have all of the proper documentation, so I would need to wait a day. It was then back to the office for what I expected would be an introduction to the work I would be doing.

Instead, Jonathan, one of the MPs, asked if I cared to tag along with him to a committee meeting. Of course I would! He is a member of the Welsh Affairs Committee, which was discussing ‘inward investment’ in Wales, which is a fancy way of saying “what do we spend this money on?” The topic of the day was transport infrastructure, which I confess I don’t know much about, nor care to know much about, but I still found the committee meeting fascinating – to a point. I started to fall asleep somewhere around an hour and a half into it. I managed to bring myself out of it just in time for the committee to adjourn.

Jonathan then asked if I wanted to tag along to an interview he was conducting with a reporter for MSNBC. Of course I would! I followed him through the halls of Portcullis, until we realized the reporter wasn’t yet there. We sat down for a bit and discussed our various experiences in college/university. As it turns out, they are quite similar. Jonathan studied the Cold War, as do I. He is interested in foreign affairs, so am I. We both wrote papers on Afghanistan. We’re both very interested in strategy. From my perspective, this began to look like a pretty good placement.

After a bit we found the reporter, who I had a brief conversation with while Jonathan grabbed coffee – she turned out to be from Mexico City, grew up in the States, and is now a long-term expat in the UK. I went back to the sidelines as Jonathan returned and the interview turned formal. A few weeks prior Jonathan had tabled a question for the government regarding the UK’s training mission in Saudi Arabia, and the government revealed that UK taxpayer money had been used to train Saudi troops who very likely (though unconfirmed) were used to put down the democratic uprisings in Bahrain and Yemen. Jonathan found a lot of traction in the press as he rightly pointed out the hypocrisy of the Government, who were at the time bombing Libya ostensibly in support of democratic uprisings, while training Saudi troops used to put down democratic uprisings. At one point the discussion turned to lobbying and the power of the UK arms industry, at which time I was able to contribute to the conversation and provide a comparative frame regarding the US arms industry/lobby.

After the interview concluded, it was back to the office for a bit. I glanced at my watch and realized it was almost 6 p.m. – time for me to leave! I thanked everyone in the office, one of our other MPs (Elfyn) promised to catch up with me the next day, and I was off for the tube and home. When I got home I was on a bit of a natural high, so I went for a long run around Hyde Park while the sun was shinning and reflected on my time so far in the UK (I never want to leave.) The remainder of the night was non-descript.

Today’s political insights: (From Jonathan) The first year is hardest on new legislators, who must adjust to the rigorous demands of the job, which places great pressure on family life. Related, legislators rarely have time to learn on the job, so one must rely on prior knowledge, even in the later parts of ones career. For these reasons, it is best for an MP keep away from making politics a career without a substantial break.

The busy (and good) life

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:22:00 +0100

Time…where does it all go? I swear I had just updated this blog when I turn around and have missed another week and a half. My apologies to those of you who have been anxiously awaiting another update. Here we go!

I won’t delve into the details of my life two weeks ago, suffice to say that I spent the majority of it being studious. This is, after all, a study abroad trip, and a rigorous one at that. We have two smaller papers and a large ‘dissertation’ - which is equivalent to a term paper/large research project in America - which we need to turn in by the end of the summer, so I’ve been trying to take advantage of down time.

One of the highlights of the week was a tour of Westminster Palace (where Parliament meets) on Friday morning. It was a great tour filled with facts and anecdotes, most of which I no longer remember. One curious factoid I learned was the expression ‘it’s in the bag’ has its origins in Parliament. It used to be the case that constituents who had a complaint submitted it in writing, and the constituent’s MP put the complaint in a bag that hangs on the back of the Speaker’s Chair in the House of Commons. Thus, if the constituent wanted to check on the status of said complaint, the MP would tell them “it’s in the bag”.

Saturday a couple of us headed out to Camden Town to check out the market there. I was blown away by the scope and scale of the market - you can find almost anything there and it stretches for blocks upon blocks. We mostly browsed, but I do plan on going back and picking up a few unique things for my apartment back home. I also had the best fish and chips yet there at a little stand called ‘Camden Lock Fish and Chips’. Six pound fifty (roughly $10) bought a massive take away box of fish and fries that was worth every penny.

Monday was Memorial Day in America and a bank holiday in the UK. We didn’t have class or work, so we took advantage of the time off by visiting Covent Garden. The experience was similar to Camden Town in that there were large public markets open, but it was much more posh. At one point we stumbled upon a string quartet playing for a crowd of outdoor diners. We wandered for most of the day, at one point stopping for food at Cafe Pasta (bad name, great Italian food) - two courses for seven pound fifty (a steal in London). After a brief rest-up at the flat, we ventured forth for some live entertainment. We found ourselves at “Blues Bar,” a small hole-in-the-wall type establishment that has some of the best live blues and jazz I’ve ever heard. It was an amazing time - I’m sure I’ll be back.

On Tuesday we boarded a train at 9:30 for the journey to Edinburgh, Scotland. There isn’t much to report about it other than trying to sleep on this train was next to impossible - I’d much rather take the leg room on a discount airline then the leg room on this train. I muddled through, and we arrived in early afternoon. Straight to the hotel, a quick bite, and then off to a lecture at the European Union office.

Edinburgh is a charming town of one million on the coast of the North Sea. It is the seat of the Scottish Parliament, and is absolutely steeped in history. From the various kings that called Edinburgh home, to the failed expeditions to start a colony in Panama (which the Scots are curiously proud of), to the various thinkers and writers who’ve been inspired by the city (think Adam Smith and JK Rowling). Three days in this city is not nearly enough to see everything of historical significance.

Wednesday was dedicated to lectures on various aspects of Scottish political, legal, and economic topics, the details of which I won’t bore you with. Much more interesting was later in the day, when the flat mates and I decided to climb a volcano in the center of town (dormant…but a volcano none-the-less). Pictures to follow. Arthur’s Seat, as the volcano is affectionately known, is not particularly tall or steep; as far as ‘mountains’ go, it barely qualifies. What made the climb so memorable was how fiercely windy it was. At times one had to lean into the wind to keep from being knocked over, at others it was best to grab a hold of something solid. The view from the top was absolutely worth it. Again, pictures to follow. From the top one can see the entire city, from New Town close to the North Sea, to Old Town, the Royal Mile, and Edinburgh Castle, perched atop another dormant volcano, which was (and still is!) the seat of Scottish and English Royal power.

Thursday we spent time at the Scottish Parliament - we began by viewing a debating session (the topic was energy production and the environment…I think…), followed by a tour of the building by one of the Scottish MPs from the Labour Party. The building is very much a love it/hate it building, which cost a small fortune to build, following the devolution of power from Westminster under the Blair government. From the outside the building is an eyesore, a massive complex of uninviting gray concrete. Inside, the building is an impressive example of modern architecture. It is hard to describe in words. At times I felt I was in a ski lodge, at others in a modern office building, and still at others in some sort of posh restaurant. Its the type of building that is sort of disconcerting at first, but it grows on you.

Friday we set out to tour the town a little bit. We didn’t have much time before our train left for London. We sipped coffee at the Elephant House Cafe, where JK Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter series. I am not a big fan of the books or the movies, though I am a huge fan of coffee in general, and cafes in specific, so I was more than content. We browsed through the news papers, reveled in the view of Edinburgh Castle, and tried haggis - which reminded me of a very rich meatloaf. After a while we wandered around the corner to an old cemetery where Ms. Rowling lifted a few of the names for her books. The cemetery had a certain historical gravity and solemnity to it - some of the graves date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Putting the years on the markers in the context of world history - particularly the grave I found from 1775 - really gives one a sobering perspective. We emerged from the graveyard to the Grass Market area, which is a large square in the middle of town, where we grabbed lunch (steak pie!), before wandering down the Royal Mile, and eventually back to the hotel and subsequently the train station. After the long journey back to London, I was happy enough to open the door to a freshly cleaned flat and relax.

I spent yesterday mostly aimless, though I did go for a long walk around our part of London, and tried my hand at making an alfredo sauce (which, if I do say so myself, was pretty darn good). I read a bit, made a few plans, and generally tried to avoid anything class related. I left all of that for today, where I am currently ‘working’ from the LSE library. After catching my breath from this marathon blog post, I plan on preparing for class tomorrow and work the rest of the week. “Real Life” in London, or as real as it gets on an amazing study abroad trip such as this, begins shortly.

Inspiration is abundant in this city

Wed, 25 May 2011 14:20:29 +0100

I can best describe the feeling I get from this city as inspiration. There are 3000 years of history to be found in London – everywhere I look and every corner I turn brings some new fascinating discovery. The city is a mix of new and old – the gutting of London by German bombers during WWII provided an opportunity to rebuild large stretches of the city. The bombs did not hit every building, though, and so quite often one will find a centuries-old building next to a modern building in the latest style. This process of regeneration and preservation often leads to interesting finds – remains of the original Roman settlement turn up in the most unexpected places (a Roman ship was recently found at a construction site, far away from where the Thames flows). For me, however, it is inspiring to see how the British have been able to blend these two very opposite processes to create something truly unique.

Friday was fairly uneventful. We had class early, after which the group split up and sort of went our own way. Most of us were planning on visiting the Tate Modern, a free art gallery on the south bank of the Thames, built in an old power generation plant. As the afternoon wore on, the number of us wanting to go dwindled. A few of us eventually did mobilize and headed down late in the afternoon. We stopped by the Camel and Artichoke, a pub by the Tate, mostly because of the name but also because a few of us are not big fans of modern art. After an hour or so at the Tate we headed back to the flat.

Saturday was a recovery day for most everyone in the flat. We had gone out to a club the night before for some drinks and live music, so a few of the flat mates were still feeling the effects on Saturday. Around noon I decided I wanted to see some more of the city, so I headed over to Regent Park and explored Sherlock Holmes’ neighborhood. I had a nice walk through the park and the area even though I couldn’t find Sherlock’s residence (to be honest I wasn’t trying that hard.) After a couple hours of wandering it was back to the flat to rest up and try to get some reading done for class. We spent the rest of Saturday lazing about. A couple of the flat mates decided to bake pies to celebrate the anniversary of one of us being cancer free – as good of a reason as any to celebrate. Later in the evening we stopped by Gary’s for a quick chat and to relax a bit. The rest of the evening was uneventful.

Sunday morning we headed to a small farmer’s market in Marylebone. We picked up some ingredients for a picnic to Hampstead Heath, which is the tallest point in London. Unfortunately it was a windy day, so we canceled the picnic part of the plan, though we didn’t give up on the adventure. We explored the Heath, getting lost in the woods a couple of times, and it was a nice Sunday afternoon. In the evening a few of us went down to the Hammersmith area, which is a posh neighborhood on the Thames. We chatted a bit over ales while looking out over the river as the sun set in the background – as perfect an evening as I can think of.

Monday was a busy day, with two classes and a meeting at the Hansard Society. I managed to get away for a bit to do some shopping, something I don’t usually do. I found some pretty sweet t-shirts at a Japanese store for cheap, so I was pretty excited. After coffee at the Hansard Society in late afternoon, it was back to the flat to rest up for Tuesday, when most of the flat mates would begin their internships.

I spent Tuesday wrapping up some work from back home as all of the flat mates ventured out on their first day in Parliament. It was sort of surreal to be in the flat alone after a week and a half of constant interaction. It was also a very productive time for me as I finished the final draft of a paper I’ve been working on for the better part of two years. In the afternoon I ventured over to the post office to send it off to my advisor back in the states. I then headed to Leicester Square to meet up with a friend from my days in Peru. It was fun to catch up and relive some of our time there. Unfortunately I had to cut the meet up short to get back to the flat for “family dinner” (hamburger noodle bake, which was awesome). I caught up with all the mates and their first day at work, we planned a trip to Dublin, and then went to visit Gary to get some tips on what to do in Ireland. All in all a good day.

And that catches you up with my life in London. I’ve spent most of today doing class work and writing this post, so it has been fairly uneventful. The rest of this week looks like more of the same, and then we’re off to Edinburgh next week for a visit to the Scottish Parliament. I’m really looking forward to seeing a bit of Scotland!

Catching Up

Sat, 21 May 2011 13:36:00 +0100

It is pretty clear to me that I have neither the time nor the ambition to keep up with the blog every day, so I will instead post shorter summaries that span more time.

We’ve been spending a lot of time in the classroom getting a crash course on the British political system and the various contemporary questions that are in vogue in the halls of Westminster. We’ve reviewed the bases of power within the system and how they relate to one another – the uncodified constitution (if another Brit tells me they actually do have a constitution I might lose it), the Crown, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords. Of course, each of these institutions has their peculiarities, of which we’ve barely scratched the surface. I won’t bore you with the intricacies of a system I barely know.

We finally received our internship placements this week. Most of us came here for the internship and not the studying (I can take a class in British politics in the states if I want…), so most of us have been extremely curious about where we will be interning since we were accepted to the program. So, it was with great trepidation that I took my sealed envelope and began to open it. I had been hoping to get a placement with someone who is involved in foreign or defense affairs since this is my background and interests. I was understandably disappointed when I read that my placement was in a party office with Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party (especially since part of my preparation for coming to the UK was exploring the wide variety of jokes at the expense of the Welsh). I felt a bit dejected, though I resigned myself to doing the best I could. I was especially irked that I would not be starting my internship until June 7^th, a full twenty days after I found out where I would be working. In the meantime the Party wanted me to research the relationship between the Welsh Assembly and Parliament, focusing on the devolution of authority.

I spent most of that afternoon in a funk. I started down a negativity spiral and began questioning why I had spent an exorbitant amount of money to come to London when so many things were uncertain. I was really brooding at times (as I have a tendency to do after returning from Iraq). But, as I said, I resigned myself to doing a good job. The more I thought about it, the more I began to see the placement as an opportunity and a positive thing. The issue of devolution is a huge debate, and even though Plaid Cymru only has 3 MPs (out of 650 in Parliament), that is two more MPs that my cohorts are working with. I won’t have as close a working relationship with them, but I will have a different perspective in terms of getting involved in party politics as well as the issues the individual MPs are involved with. My only fear at this point is that I am working with Welshmen, and their accent is particularly atrocious.

Wednesday evening we went to a show on the West End – the theatre capital of Europe. We took in the 7:30 show of Billy Elliot, which has been on the West End for five years and plays on Broadway as well. It was a fantastic show. I’m not really one for musical theater, but I did get wrapped up in the story line and enjoyed how technically proficient a thirteen-year-old ballet dancer can be.

Thursday afternoon we took a trip to Westminster for a tour of the Parliamentary Archives, followed by a walking tour of the area. The archive tour is amazing, especially if you are a history geek like me. The Victoria Tower (which is opposite Big Ben in the Palace of Westminster) holds a variety of official government documents spanning several hundred years, including most of the original copies of the acts of Parliament. At one point we stood in a climate-controlled room with over 65,000 of these acts, which in their original form are written on parchment and stitched together to great giant scrolls. It was an impressive collection to say the least. Most impressive for this American was the original copy of the Declaration of Independence, signed by most of the Founding Fathers, which was sent to King George and Parliament. Unlike the copy in America that is protected by bulletproof glass and a fully armed-security contingent, this copy is simply stored in a folder in a locked room. The guide allowed us to pick up and page through the document, at which point I truly geeked out.

And that catches you up on my life in London. I had a short chat with Gary on the night that we found out our placements in which he related his feelings of the Welsh (they’re Irishmen who couldn’t swim). We had a great discussion on the pub culture in London and some of the economics of pub ownership in England. It’s a fascinating system that I will try to relate later.

I geeked out a little bit when I saw this section in the LSE...

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:04:12 +0100

I geeked out a little bit when I saw this section in the LSE bookstore (I consider myself an amateur strategist)

Day Two

Tue, 17 May 2011 01:01:44 +0100

Day two began in Westminster, England at 8:30 a.m.

With just a few hours of sleep (most of us are still fairly jet-lagged), we quickly showered and ate some breakfast before hurriedly marching down to the tube station an hour later. At this point we decided J, the tallest of our group, should act as mother hen and make sure all the ducks were counted because the tube floods with Londoners on workdays. We made it to the offices of the Hansard Society by our 10 a.m. meeting where we got a brief introduction to our program. Our advisers explained how the academic portion of our courses will proceed - two classes, once a week, with lots of reading and writing to top off. The British academic systems places much more emphasis on personal study with limited contact time with one’s lecturer, thus the reason we only have class once a week. We then made a few last-minute preparations for a dinner later in the day and were off.

We had a few hours to kill before our first class, so we decided that coffee, lunch, and cell phones should be on the docket, though not necessarily in that order. I picked up a relatively inexpensive pay-as-you-go cell phone (UK number 07426805178….call me!) A chicken and avocado sandwich and Costa flat white later, we were full, satiated, and connected again. We then decided to explore a bit of the area around our campus and program offices. We bought some LSE sweatshirts, E took a quick nap in one of the LSE buildings, but soon it was time for class.

Class was not much different from class in the states. A few quick introductions, then right into the material (Parliament and Politics). Class lasted four an hour as we discussed the merits of the Westminster system and debated whether recent constitutional changes of the the New Labour program enhanced or detracted from democracy in the UK. J and I definitely disagreed on this question - one of many I am sure we’ll encounter, though a pint or two can easily bridge that ideological gap.

By 5 p.m. we were on our way back to the flat to rest a bit and freshen up for our 7 p.m. program dinner at Core, a restaurant near our flat. We met with our advisers in an informal setting to chat a bit and get to know each other further. I had the seared tuna, which was excellent, and had a great chat with the program director and program advisers. By 9ish we decided to end the dinner, and our flat headed to our favorite pub to let Gary know what we had been up to. He immediately came out and chatted with us a bit, then grabbed a beer and sat down for a real conversation. As it turns out he is the owner of the establishment. At this point we appear to be his summer project. We shared stories and asked him questions, learning in the process how to toast in Irish. I bet J that I could drink two beers before she could finish one shot; I won the bet (there are some rules involved….) As it approached 11 p.m. we decided it was time to head home and prepare for our 10 a.m class and 3 p.m. meeting, and our inevitable meet up with Gary.

Day two ended and all was well.

Day One

Tue, 17 May 2011 00:26:34 +0100

Day one began in Westminster, England at approximately 10 a.m. The sleep was not very restful, though I slept for nearly 12 hours. We spent decided to cook a large ‘family’ breakfast - pancakes, toast, eggs…the works. We had neglected to buy either cooking spray, butter, or vegetable oil…so the pan wasn’t very non-stick, and the pancakes turned out to be more like crepe…balls…but they were still very good. By half past noon we were on our way to the tube station to catch a subway down to the London School of Economics and Political Science campus, where we met up with our program advisers for a round-London bus tour. It was very interesting and jam-packed with history. I need to go back and walk the route of the tour with a camera, so I can take pictures of all the historical areas - St. Paul’s Church, the London bridge (3rd version - the 2nd is at Lake Havisue, Arizona), the Tower Bridge, London Tower, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and a host of others….

As we ended the tour in late afternoon, we decided it would be a great idea to have a family dinner. Everyone contributed something - we made traditional college fare of pasta and red sauce, salad, and wine. It was an excellent dinner where we all continued to bond. We’ve become quite close in the two days we’ve been here.

We then decided to take a walk to get some ice cream. Right down the street from us we found a a street vendor and continued wandering afterward. We found ourselves in Hyde Park, possibly London’s most famous park, where we wandered for quite a while. I’m skipping over some details here, but needless to say we ended the night at our favorite pub with Gary. Not surprisingly he remembered the obnoxious Americans from the previous night.

We only stayed for one drink and made it back to the flat by 11. We all spent the next few hours chatting, blogging, and keeping up with the Bulls-Heat game 1. Another awesome night in London with what are increasingly becoming good friends. All is well.

Even the Londoners know...

Mon, 16 May 2011 18:06:21 +0100

So, I am not the only Cheesehead in London. At the very least there is someone else among these eight million people who is a Packers fan. While touring campus today I spotted someone in the Green and Gold, which made me very happy.

Day Zero

Mon, 16 May 2011 01:24:00 +0100

Day Zero started at approximately 4:15 a.m. in Stoughton, Wisconsin. I had just gone to sleep two hours before, but I needed to finish a paper and prepare for a final. Not to mention daydream about traveling to London. By the time my final started at 10:00 a.m., I was in no condition to write about theories of war/war termination. Somehow I managed - just in time to sprint home, pack for London in 20 minutes, and shoot off to Chicago. Thanks are in order for my Dad, who survived my driving and absent-mindedness on the drive down.

Problems arose at the check-in counter, where apparently there was a security hold on me. The Air Canada employee spent twenty minutes on the phone clearing the matter, and then I was off. I never found out why I had a security hold, though I have my suspicions. Five minutes to get through security, and four hours sitting at the gate before I was off to Toronto to catch a connection.

I landed in Toronto around 10 p.m., and was surprised to see the number of small baseball fields lit at that time. I was worried that I was not going to make my connection, as we were a few minutes late out of Chicago, and I did not have a long layover to begin with. All was well - though the Canadian customs agent was a bit sassy regarding why I was connecting through Toronto to London (in all honestly, it was the least-expensive flight available).

I boarded Air Canada flight 858 at 11:20 p.m., though the wheels left the tarmac roughly an hour later. Apparently there was a problem with the luggage compartment’s pallet moving system. It was not really a bother except for the one baby on board that was none too happy. Some headphones and my iPod took care of the problem, and soon we were off. The flight was nothing to write home about, and I think I slept for an hour or two…but I’m not sure.

The delay at the gate in Toronto meant I was late getting into London, which was an issue as I was to meet up with two fellow Madisonians at the airport. Therefore I was already rushing as I came to Customs and Immigration. I pulled out my passport and UK student visa (which was quite the affair to get), and the UK border agent asked for a letter from the University I was studying at. In my haste to pack, I had forgot to pack any of my documents, including this document. My heart sank. I offered to open my email and bring up past emails from the program, but she did not like that idea for some reason. After a few minutes of awkward silence, she grew frustrated and stamped my passport – quite the relief! I was then off to the arrivals hall to try and find my travel buddies. London Heathrow is a massive airport with multiple international arrival halls, so I did not find them. At that point I felt like the typical cross-ocean traveler: tired, hungry, and very much in need of a shower. I decided to travel on to our flat and hope that they had done so as well. Twenty minutes on the tube and I arrived at Paddington Station (famous for Paddington Bear) – a short walk down Praed Street and I was ‘home’. I took a quick tour of the flat, set my things in my room, and joined the rest of the group for lunch at a Lebanese restaurant in the area.

We spent the day meeting each other and learning the area. The city reminds me a lot of Sydney, my favorite city of all (other than Madison, obviously…): small shops, ethnic food, and people driving on the wrong side of the road (typical American comment.) At night we began exploring the local pub scene. The first pub we went to is quickly becoming our favorite. Gary, an elder Irishman working at the bar, was quick to let the girls in our group know to keep an eye on their purses whilst in central London – at one point he slipped by our table and took one of the girl’s purses from the back of her chair without anyone noticing, bringing our attention to it a bit later. Gary is quickly becoming our best new London friend.

The night ended early, which was fine by me. I hadn’t slept for any length of time in roughly two days, so I was happy to finally climb into bed and fall asleep. In London.

A quick note...

Mon, 16 May 2011 01:22:00 +0100

Ok. I’ve decided that it will be easier for me to keep a blog of my activities in London. Instead of emailing and messaging everyone that wants to keep up with my exploits, I will leave it to you to stalk me on this blog. So, I hope you enjoy!

Westminster Abbey - one of the most impressive historical...

Mon, 16 May 2011 01:05:05 +0100

Westminster Abbey - one of the most impressive historical buildings possible.