May 19

On the 19th of May, we jumped on the tube and headed to the SU Abroad center in London, housed in the Faraday building. After using the upstairs computers, we listened to a lecture about the effects the London Olympic Games had on the community. Charlie Foreman, the chief officer of the games in the London borough of Hackney spoke about the main goals the 2012 London games, specifically the way the community would reuse the facilities after the games. 

In Mr. Foreman's presentation, he outlined eight of the goals that the borough of Hackney aimed to achieve in its hosting of the summer games; among these goals were better facilities for sport and leisure, better public transport, boosting arts and culture and supporting local business. Hosting the olympics presents a unique opportunity for the host city to invest heavily in temporary infrastructure, and Mr. Foreman and Hackney wanted to use this opportunity to create a lasting benefit for the community. For example, the Olympic-size swimming pool is still used today as a workout facility by Londoners; we visited this location the day before today.  

After listening to Mr. Foreman's lecture, we learned from Professor Kim the many organizations and branches that make the olympics possible, including athletic organizations, sponsors, and at the top of it all, the International Olympic Committee. 

For lunch we went to Borough Food market and ate at separate places. The quaint farmer's market featured food, beverages and sweets from all across Europe.

After eating the group took a walk next to the Thames river and took in the incredible architecture and street life, a journey that ended at the London eye. 

We enjoyed dinner at a signature London fish and chips restaurant, which offered six different kinds of fried fish.