Students experience London culture, attractions

“The best part of the trip was watching students realize the potential for travel— it broadens their opportunities,” said Tracy Nobiling, CSC assistant professor of social sciences and justice studies.

Participants followed the trip itinerary during the week and used the weekends to sightsee on their own.

Some of their many tours included visits to Windsor Castle, the Metropolitan Police Training Academy, Wormwood Scrubs Prison, New Scotland Yard and Cambridge.

This year they also visited the Public Order Training Center where they watched three groups of police officers attempt to stop a staged riot.

Nobiling said it was exciting for the students to witness law enforcement through the use of fake petroleum bombs and bricks instead of guns, because London police don’t carry firearms.

Nobiling said the students were surprised that the pubs closed at 11 p.m. “The whole atmosphere was an eye opener for them,” she said. “Drinking in London is a social activity and the pubs on every corner serve as meeting places for residents on that street, not places to get drunk.”

Overall, the reception was warm. “The only adjustment to the culture participants had to get used to was that people in London don’t wave and say hello to every person they pass on the street. Sometimes our students interpret that as rudeness,” said Nobiling.

Nobiling said the trip is also a good way to break down any stereotypes between students from the state college system and those from the universities. “Within a day the two separate groups had combined into one and students are making arrangements to meet one another over the summer.”

The London program was started in 1977 by CSC professor of social sciences and justice studies George Watson, as a criminal justice requirement.

London was chosen because of its rich history, the absence of language barriers and the fact that the American judicial system evolved from England’s, said Nobiling.

Twenty years ago Watson discovered that UNO was offering a similar course of study, and the two colleges joined forces before adding Kearney in 2001.

Watson has traveled to London every year with the exception of this year, when he had to skip out because his daughter was graduating from Hastings College.

Students originally traveled over Christmas break, but because the break is shorter now and participants typically want to spend the holidays with their families, it has been moved to the Monday following spring commencement.

It costs approximately $2,000 per person to go on the trip, which covers air, hotel, sightseeing and some meal expenses, and financial aid is available through student loans.

The CSC criminal justice department also offers two alternative trips to Edinborough, Scotland and Paris. The cost to go on one of these trips in addition to London is $400 extra.

This year’s Chadron State attendees were Dena Bingham, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Levi Duca, Upton, Wyo.; Joel Christiansen, Kimball; Robert DeMaranville, Gering; Anthony Essay, Amber Foreman and Jack Girard, Alliance; Monica Houston, Bridgeport; Kim Keleher, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Tim Krum, Anaconda, Mont.; Jeri Loomis, Mullen; Michele Meissner, Mountain View, Wyo.; Heather Messmer, Sturgis, S.D.; Jason Mitzel, Rushville; Erin Moore, Chadron; Tawny Reese, Gordon; Audra Sauser, Chadron; Gary Shank, Kimball and Abbey Slagel, Sargent.