London 2019?
Students from East Carolina University will soon wing their way to London, England, for 3 weeks of studying the literature, art, design, culture, and folklore of one of the most vibrant, culturally-rich cities/countries in the world. If you’re interested in traveling to London, seeing the sights, and earning 6 undergraduate or graduate credits, you do not want to miss this opportunity.
Interested students earn 6 credits (undergraduate or graduate) by participating in a cohesive program team-taught by 3 faculty from the ECU English department. In addition to coursework, students will spend time exploring the bustling streets and picturesque parks of London proper, and may choose to spend weekends in nearby Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, or elsewhere in Europe.
Dates: June 21 – July 14, 2019
Cost: $3,300 + airfare (includes travel to and from the airport in London; 3-4 shows at the Globe, the National, and West-End theatres; a 3-week travel card for the Tube and the bus; and a trip to Oxford or Cambridge)
Accommodations: Student apartments in Central London, convenient to subway stops, parks, shopping, and international cuisine
Professors: Will Banks, Andrea Kitta, & Rick Taylor
Additional Information
Our annual trip to London is an exciting experience for all involved. Dr. Taylor has been making the trip with students almost every summer for the last 30 years, and is a tremendous asset to this trip, from his extensive knowledge of English literary history and culture to his incisive awareness of how contemporary London has changed over the last 50 years as citizens have migrated from around the world to occupy this exciting city. If you have questions about London, he’s the person to talk to! And if you or your family is anxious about your traveling abroad, you couldn’t be in safer or more experienced hands. Dr. Taylor is joined by Dr. Banks (children’s literature and culture/theatre) and Dr. Kitta (folklore/the supernatural); together, they make a powerhouse team of award-winning scholar-teachers who love to explore London and who enjoy the exciting ways the city changes each year. You don’t want to miss out on the chance to study with these three in one of their favorite cities!
Early on, as you make a commitment to the trip, you will sign up for two classes and pay your deposit to ECU Continuing Studies: Summer Study Abroad. You can find more information on our trip at PiratesAbroad. These classes move very quickly in London, as we’re there only three weeks. Each summer, we work hard to keep the time we spend “in class” in our flats down so that you can have time to explore the city during the afternoon and evenings.
A Word about Costs
The cost of the London trip is one of the lowest of the ECU Study Abroad programs. The faculty work hard to keep the cost low so that it’s affordable to students. The base price ($3,300) covers 6 undergraduate or graduate credits (2 classes), transportation to and from the airport, 3-4 theatre trips, travel around the city on the Underground and/or buses, and the cost of housing for the three weeks in London. Airfare is a separate cost. In previous years, we’ve booked our flights in late February / early March and found prices between $1,100 – $1,500. You will be contacted when we have found the right flight for our trip and you’ll be encouraged to book your own flight on the common itinerary. You may fly separately from the group, of course, but you may want to make arrangements to meet us at the airport, as we have booked a coach (tour bus) to take us and our luggage to the flats — trust us, this is much easier than trying to do it with the train/Tube!
Undoubtedly, London is an expensive city, as are most large cities around the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself while there and not spend too much money. Because we have flats (apartments) with kitchens, you can easily live on cereal, Raman noodles, and PB&J sandwiches, and still enjoy some meals out and around London. You’ll find some of the very best Thai, Indian/Bangladeshi, Chinese, and Lebanese food in the world scattered around London, as well as some great fish and chips, sticky-toffee pudding, and farm-to-fork pubs with delicious British food. Some of the best you’ll find will be in some of the pubs near our flats!
A Word about Accommodations
We have a great relationship with Anglo American Educational Services in London, and they provide us with excellent accommodations each year. In previous years, we have stayed at the Landward Apartments, located in the Marylebone area of London off Edgeware Rd, and the Hawley Apartments in Camden. These two locations give you a sense of where we stay, what the apartments look like, and what you can expect from the surrounding area.
The apartments are not luxurious, but they are sufficient for three weeks abroad. You can expect to have a flat with two or three bedrooms, and each bedroom will hold two or three students in single beds. Each flat also has a common area (dining room/living room combo) and a kitchen, which includes a washer/dryer combo. Most flats also have two bathrooms.
Lodging 2019
We have received word that our lodging for London in summer 2019 will be at the Ability Towers in central London. This wonderful set of flats is located in the youthful and energetic Islington area of London. This is a new place for our group to stay, and we’re excited to be exploring this area with you all this summer. We have done a lot in Islington over the years and enjoyed wonderful food and theatre there. Our nearest Tube stops will be Angel and Old Street, but we’ll be on the main road so there will be constant buses going by to pick us up and take us to the Tube stops or wherever else we want to go.
You can use the following address to find our flats on GPS or Google Maps:
Ability Towers
1 Macclesfield Rd
London, UK
EC1V 8AE
