Each summer, Penn State students participate in cultural and academic exchange through study-abroad programs facilitated by Penn State Outreach and The Office of International Programs. In this dispatch from London, England, one student shares his experience while participating in an international summer school program at the Brighton, England-based University of Sussex.
The four-week program, administered by Penn State's International Programs office, allows students to choose their courses (for a total of 18 University of Sussex credits, which equal 4 Penn State credits) from a wide variety of subjects offered by the Sussex International Summer School. Scott Garrison, a sociology major at Penn State, is among the students taking advantage of the opportunity this summer.
For more information about education-abroad programs, visit http://www.outreach.psu.edu/summerabroad/ and http://www.international.psu.edu/students_study_abroad/ online.
Dispatches from Abroad: Student gets front-row experience of changing of the guard phenomenon
by Scott Garrison, a sociology major who will commence his junior year this fall
July 2006
The changing of the guards. Such an occurrence happens at fortified locations all around the world without anyone paying attention. But at Buckingham Palace, it is certainly a sight to behold. The event starts at 11:30 a.m., but if you're not there at least an hour ahead of time you certainly will not get a good view. Luckily, we happened to get front-row seats to an event one definitely does not want to miss.
The tension starts building around 11 a.m., as the crowd gets thicker and people start getting anxious. The streets are now empty, as everyone has been barricaded onto the sidewalk to make room for the parade. Suddenly, what appears to be a delusional homeless man jumps the fence onto the street and starts screaming at the security guards. Unabashed, they simply shoo him off as if he was just an annoying fly, although it definitely brings entertainment to the crowd.
It is amazing to look around at the people gathered for the event. Despite the fact that it happens every day, and that the sun is making it almost unbearable to be outside, the place is packed. We almost get smothered against the fence as more and more people attempt to pack into the already overcrowded area in which we are standing. Tension fills the air as everyone asks each other when the parade occurs, what to expect, where to get the best picture. Then, it happens.
At precisely 11:30 a.m. someone shouts that they can hear the beating of the drums, and immediately the crowd goes dead. At first there is absolute silence, and then off in the distance, you can hear the drum line marching toward the palace. People's digital cameras suddenly shoot up above the crowd, as spectators stand on their tiptoes and blindly attempt to get their first photographs of the guards. In their red coats, black pants and black hats, they are unmistakable. The guards march with such dignity and pride it's unbelievable. It is apparent, even from the first glance, that there is nothing else they would rather be doing than serving the queen.
The band marches through first, followed by the guards. They walk through the crowd and through the gate into the palace without so much as daring a glance at their massive audience. The guards march like robots, their feet hitting the pavement at the same time and none of their eyes ever looking anywhere but straight ahead.
Arriving early has its advantages. We get to see, unblocked by any tourists, the changing of the guards. It is a rather quick procedure that, in and of itself, is not that exciting. The parade and the surrounding crowd are what make it an experience. After the switch, the parade proceeds back out the gates, and slowly the music fades away. The next thing you know, the barricades are removed and everyone disperses to resume the rest of their day, all feeling as if they just experienced something incredible. With that big of a crowd every day, it's no wonder the queen sometimes moves to Windsor Castle.