by Vaughn Pollman

So the official title of the class that I am blogging about is "London: Sites, Sounds, and Situations." During the trip, I have experienced all of these and so much more. What the class title does not cover are cultural experiences. On the trip home, I felt like I was immersed in international relations between England, Canada, and the United States.

For any of you who have travelled internationally, you are aware of the process of going through customs. If you are travelling from nation to nation the authorities want to know who you are and what you’re doing. With the recent terrorist threats, security was bumped up in the airports, and it was very noticeable once our group arrived in Toronto for our connecting flight.

First of all, it was interesting to experience a separate customs line for people entering the U.S. Since this was my first time travelling internationally, I am unaware if this is the common procedure whenever you travel into the U.S. Once getting through customs, our group needed to go through two security checkpoints, one to enter the terminal, and another to go to our gate. Let me tell you, the Canadians do not mess around. Every person, no matter who they were, was patted down and had to turn on all of their electronics. Although it was slightly intrusive, this was the safest I had ever felt in an airport.

We all got through this process safely, and made it home. In our changing world I am curious to know how the process of international travel will develop. This trip has made me want to experience the world and what it has to offer. I have gained a greater appreciation for the world around me and the cultural history behind the places that I visit.