The Penn English Program in London for 2007-08
Welcome to the Penn English Program in London, and to a semester or year of studying and living in one of the most vibrant, multicultural cities in the world. London is a huge commercial metropolis, home to more than seven million people (a third of whom were born elsewhere). The last fifty years have brought extraordinary change to London, and now, by some estimates, more than 300 languages are spoken in the city. But London also retains its historic charms, and features wonderful parks, buildings, and of course the winding Thames. Your experiences in the UK will change your understanding of contemporary Britain and will also add considerably to your study of British literature and history, and you will return to Penn with a more cosmopolitan sense of the trans-Atlantic world and its myriad cultures. You will also have fun, so if you have not yet considered applying, do so now!
Jim English is the Faculty Director of the program this year, and will be assisted by John Connor, an advanced Ph.D. student in the Penn English department and a London native. They will be conducting excursions and outings to theaters, museums, film festivals, pubs, restaurants, lively neighborhoods, and myriad sites in and around London. Students in the program are warmly invited to attend as many (or as few) of these outings as they like, and to help Jim and John think of fun and interesting places to visit or events to attend during the year.
I look forward to seeing you in London,
Jim English