WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS WHILE ABROAD, AND WHY? (IF YOU INTERNED ABROAD YOU CAN USE THIS SPACE TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE IF YOU PREFER)
During my study abroad experience, I took one class: "Black Lives Matter: A Global Comparative Experience," which was an undergraduate/graduate combined class that counted as a Global Studies elective at my University. My favorite thing about the class, especially in its study abroad form (it is also offered in a traditional classroom setting), was how customizable it was to my interests. Although we shared valuable pieces of curriculum and experiences like reading Stuart Hall's essays on Black identity and art, learning about the Windrush generation, and visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum to see Thomas J. Price's statues of everyday Black Britons, we also had a lot of time during the trip to explore on our own and do independent research (the Stuart Hall INIVA library was an immense help to me!). Our final project could be a research paper, a short film, or a presentation, which I appreciated the flexibility of. I chose a research paper due to my graduate student standing and my interest in publishing more work. I loved having the opportunity to use local museums and archives to support my research into Electronic Dance Music and how music and dance-based subcultures and nightlife have served as valuable pieces of identity formation and political resistance among Black Londoners.

HOW DID YOU ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WHILE ABROAD?
When traveling, I try to live like a local as much as I can, and because this was my second time in London, I felt confident navigating both the streets and the culture. Because of this, I challenged myself to travel "off the beaten path" and see less tourist-heavy parts of London, such as New Cross, Chiswick, and North Acton. I also engaged with the community by eating as many local and international foods as I could (shout out to English breakfast and authentic Indian food) and frequently chatting with locals, especially those in the alternative fashion and music spaces I frequent (I grew quite fond of the lovely women who run the goth clothing store Sai Sai at Camden Market).