As applications to study abroad in fall 2023 begin to open, students might be considering where to go. Many SU students go to a Syracuse program: London, Madrid, Strasbourg, Florence, Central Europe or Santiago. Each city offers its own unique experience, appealing to wide ranges of students whose hopes and goals for abroad might differ. If students are seeking a multicultural experience, they should look no further than the London program.

I am currently studying abroad in London, and I have really enjoyed how much diversity is ingrained into the city. I am a British citizen, and had been to London several times before my abroad experience, but have continued to experience new things and bits of culture during my time here. One of the reasons I chose London was because of its rich culture and history, and I haven’t been disappointed.

London is widely accepted as the most multicultural city in Europe. There are hundreds of languages spoken and over one third of the people who live there were born outside of England. Aside from the diversity you will find within the people you see and meet everyday, London offers a cultural experience that is hard to find anywhere else in Europe.

London is host to 857 art galleries and museums. There are four UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) heritage sites in London. London is host to 192 museums with 11 national museums. Almost 200 festivals take place in London each year, including Notting Hill Carnival and Mayor’s Thames Festival, the biggest street festival in Europe. London has an incredible arts scene, with Shakespeare’s Globe and Wilton’s Music Hall, the world’s oldest music hall. These cultural sites are just an overview of what London has to offer students.

Along with the parts of London that students can visit, they can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the city through their SU classes. Courses such as Black London (HST 300.5), Multicultural London (SOC 412) and London’s Burning (HST 300.2) provide students with valuable information and context surrounding London’s incredible multiculturalism.

Students engage in discussions about why London is so multicultural, explaining the dense, and often ugly, history of the UK as a whole. There is also emphasis during these classes about the opportunity to take the information home back to the US. Students are encouraged to draw parallels between the UK and the US to examine the similarities between the two countries, and to then bring their findings back to SU. The abroad program pushes students to think critically about America from a fresh perspective and then to apply that thinking to their everyday lives.

Everyday that I walk around London I experience something new. Whether it is hearing a new language, trying a new food, or meeting someone new, I feel incredibly immersed in the diversity that exists all around the city. By studying abroad in London, students will get the opportunity to experience hundreds of different cultures, through art, food, events or even by walking down the street. There is something in London for everyone, largely thanks to its rich multicultural society, and students should consider studying abroad there.

Hannah Starorypinski is a junior political science major with a minor in public communication. Her column appears bi-weekly, and she can be reached at hkstaror@syr.edu.

Published on September 27, 2022 at 9:50 pm