London reception

What a great night’s sleep! Who would have thought how tired being awake for nearly 40 hours would make you? Yes, my second day in London started much better than my first, and I remember it a little clearer as a result. After getting ready I went downstairs to have a quick English breakfast, full service from our hotel complete with a great buffet and selection of tea and coffee (still feeling very American and very tired, I opted for coffee). We then went on to Parliament, which was surprisingly easy to get into compared to all of the events in our D.C. orientation (but still no cameras allowed in many areas). A guided tour brought us through Parliament and both the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Our tour guide was a hilarious Englishman that must double as a standup comedian in the evenings.
 

Area inside Parliament where I could take a photo of great windows.

From there, we moved outside for the Marshall Class photo in front of Parliament, before going back into the offices where MPs (Members of Parliament) work. We were able to talk to an MP from the Labor party, who talked at length about the recent riots in London and the social and political factors that were at play. He also talked about the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K., which was a common theme of our orientation. Every speaker, in both countries, emphasized that no two countries in the world are as close as the United States and Britain. Though they also quickly quoted Churchill, that the two are countries separated by a common language.
 

Parliament from outside looking at Westminster Clock Tower (Big Ben).

After Parliament we took the tube ourselves back to the hotel, having an hour to find lunch and get to the Marshall office… needless to say we were all a little tense. Although we were all very smart, being led around 24/7 by tour guides and Marshall Organizers can leave you in a comfort zone reminiscent of field trips as a child. Fortunately, after a small bit of confusion we were all able to find our way back to our hotel and grab food in time for our briefing at the Marshall office on our bank accounts and a panel with current (2010) Marshall Scholars.
 

In the evening we had a reception to celebrate our arrival, sponsored by “Her Majesty’s Government.” The reception included bottomless wine (as did nearly all Marshall events), as well as finger food and other drinks. Funny aside – we were not allowed red wine at the reception, because the floor was a beautiful marble that red wine would stain. At the event I met many of the 2010 Marshall Scholars as well as leaders from many of the universities around the United Kingdom. I was able to talk for a while with the provost of King’s College, Cambridge (the head of my college) and his wife, which was lovely. They were very supportive of the Marshall Scholar program. I also had the opportunity to talk with some board members on the Marshall Commission and get an idea of where the future of the Marshall program will be going and what I got out of the application process. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures in the foreign office (we had to leave all cameras at the hotel).
 

After the reception we headed to a gorgeous apartment in downtown London where a 2010 Marshall was staying for the summer. We had a much less official celebration among the 2010 and 2011 Marshall Scholars. The 2010 class is very close and organized many events together last year, so they have really set the bar high for social interaction, but I think the 2011 Marshalls are up for it. A few hours of partying, eating, and drinking later we were ready to find our way back to the hotel. London was certainly just as beautiful in the evening, and I looked forward to traveling to Cambridge the next afternoon.