Sept. 12, 2012
Nashville native Dana Schwartz, a senior on the women’s soccer team, studied in London this summer for Maymester….
Commodore Nation: What was London like during the build-up to the Olympics?
Dana Schwartz: It was a very exciting time. Not only was the city preparing for the Olympics, but it was the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
CN: Did you see the Queen?
Schwartz: From a distance. She was sailing down the Thames River with Kate [Middleton] and [Prince] William, and a bunch of other people who I didn’t know, but everyone around was excited about.
CN: Did anything surprise you about London?
Schwartz: I had never been before and really hadn’t heard much about it…. I didn’t know about these red busses that are constantly driving around the city.
CN: The double-decker busses?
Schwartz: Yes. They are more popular than cars, it seems. They’re all over the place. I didn’t know about those busses, but I did get to ride them. The tube was also an experience, which is their subway.
The main shocker for me, though, was the weather. I knew they had bad weather, but I wasn’t prepared for 40s and 50s in the summer time. I didn’t pack for that.
CN: Which was worse–London’s 40s in May or Nashville’s 109 in July?
Schwartz: I’ll take 109 over 40 in the summer. It’s supposed to be hot in the summer. I got up before class every single morning to run (in London), and I had to wear leggings and long sleeves. It was freezing outside.
CN: What was the biggest highlight of the trip?
Schwartz: Seeing an English Premier League game. I saw Chelsea’s last home game (against Blackburn). That was just a few tube stops away from where I was staying. I was so glad I got to see that.
