Albert and Chris: A FINAL DAY in LONDON but not the final day to hang out with each other!

MASCOT-I the mascot leaving with its luggage

As the last daily leader of the London Field School 2014 trip with my partner Chris M, our last task was to take everyone from our hotel back to the airport, safely.

Now as there were no events, meetings, and excursions for the final day, I simply have to think, reflect and try to remember all those great moments of this trip.  Now be forewarned in this blog post I’m going to get very sentimental, emotional and deep reflection of this study abroad program, especially the short term London Field School 2014 (LFS). 

I believe with programs like this it should be cut in a pie to show the factors that are important to make this successful.  I’ve put 40% on the planning of the itinerary really make it crucial on seeing things that are both business, social, economic and culturally important to get the most of it.  A 50% really depends on the people in the group and each person’s personality and how they interact in a group setting and finally 10% on chance, cause in life you always have to be adaptable and know things will never always go the way you planned or predict.  Well that’s just how I usually think how the pie should be divided in field schools but for this field school, the one we all attended, I don’t care how absorbent the cost it is to buy another pie because another 100% is the people in this group that made the value of this trip more than what it actually cost.

I’ve tried to get to know each of you in a personal level and try to get to know at least one tid-bit fact of each person in this group and hopefully that quick game we played on the transfer from the Hotel to airport reflected that.  Chris and I started planning that on the beginning days of the Field School and writing them down at the end of our night.  You all provided the most amazing experience, whether it was your reaction to something or the funny sentence you put together or just being there.  Each and every one of you have rubbed off on me a bit and whether you see it the next time you see it when we each see each other in the reunion or my friends go you’re a bit different now.  Well yeah! LFS 2014 was the bomb you should sign up and try it out! 

Now there were a lot of highlights to this trip, from the infamous Desperatos at Greenwich to walking around  for 8 hours plus to the funky weather of sun, wind and showers all in one day but my favourite has to be the meeting of the Governor General of Canada(GG) or I like to say “ the GEE GEE”.  If you don’t know it already well I’m a nationalist and big nerd on the political game and representing Canada and all of its values. It’s always been a dream of meeting the Governor General of Canada. I would have not fathomed I’d get to meet the GG. More importantly a personal invitation by the High Commissioner of Canada, Gordon Campbell, in such an intimate setting at the Canada House with a speech on Canada and UK Relations. As my room-mate Chris said, “ He went fan girl crazy when he heard Taylor Swift was in town”  well I did get  fan girl crazy elbows up and feet in a stance to trample over people when I had the pleasure with a few of my classmates with a personal photo with the GG courtesy of the High Commissioner for photo credits.

Final photo with the High Commissioner of Canada

I’ll also let you all in a personal secret of mine, every time I hear the Canadian National Anthem, I tear up in the right eye and when it gets super emotional the tear comes down my right eye. So how fitting is it to see the final days of the Olympics 2014 to win some more gold medals and during Laurel’s interview from the French press, all the students, London Field School, Master’s students, Study abroad term students passionately singing on the top of our lungs, my favorite national anthem.

NOTE: there was a tear quickly wiped away while singing.

I want to thank you all for that for representing Capilano University at its finest!

I also want to thank, Markit, Lloyds of London, EY, University of Greenwich, Global Radio, LFS participants and instructors.

Merci  tout le monde.  Voulez-vous aller l’etudes etranger?  Absolument!

Albert Chow is a fourth year Business Administration student.  Chris Morrison is a fourth year Tourism Management student.