Dear Lucas,

I am sitting in the common room of the dormitory surrounded by the chatting, laughter, keyboard clicking, and political debating of the Friends World students who live here. It is Sunday evening, and my first week here in London has come to a finish far too quickly, and I am reminded how easily time can slip away from me without my noticing. I made a long list of things I still need to accomplish before I leave in six days, and I have been thinking about the many things that I have done already here in this past week?

When I arrived at the airport with my four bags of luggage-yes, I do travel with four bags of luggage, and many watch me with looks of disbelief when I attempt carry them all, which are significantly larger than I am! -I was fully confident that I could make the trek on the Tube to my destination. (The sight of my attempting to carry my bags up and down the stairs in the Tube stations must have been hilarious, and I am forever indebted to the people who helped me?) I finally made it to the dormitory where a large group of Friends World students are living, and, over dinner, met 10 or 15 of these students; while I still have not met them all, there are approximately 70 students at the European Center (EC).

A large percentage of the students at the European Center are part of the FYP, the Foundation Year Program for first year students, which is designed to prepare students with the necessary skills and knowledge for experiential learning in an international setting. The FYP, which prepares students for the next three years of their studies with world history knowledge and cross-cultural studies, has the benefit of being located here in London where there are such diverse and active opportunities for experiences; in the past weeks, students have witnessed a ceremony at a Sikh temple, attended a production of the Indian playwright, Salman Rushdie's, Midnight's Children, and sat in on a public lecture on China's economy and religion.

But that is only a part of the level of international interaction and awareness that I have encountered here in London. I don't remember how much I already told you about my program, but because of the large emphasis placed upon social issues and action in Friends World, many students drawn to my school are already active in their communities, as well as vocal and passionate about social issues.

The Friends World students that I have encountered here take these ideals and ideas to heart, and have taken the initiative and organized themselves and other American members of the London community in protest to the war-they are called Americans Against the War. I am greatly in awe of not only the passion with which this group of students is in involved in the anti-war movement, but also with the level of intelligence and awareness with which they engage themselves. Their largest action yet-which was by no means the last of their actions? others are already in the works! - was a football match (American soccer) between a group of Americans and Iraqis. Perhaps you heard about it in the States? About 300 people attended to watch the match, and although the teams played against each other they each wore anti-war T-shirts and stood together as a statement of the potential for peace. The match received notice in three national papers here, as well as publici!ty mention on multiple international radio and television stations. The actions of Americans Against the War are "against aggression. [The match was a] world peace action," says one Friends World student.

The group has since taken other actions, including speaking and facilitating anti-war debates at local schools. They are being heard; they are learning; they are holding onto peace.

Mostly, I have been working crazily for my thesis, interviewing faculty at the EC, gaining an understanding of how experiential education functions in theory and in practice at this Friends World Center. I love these interviews, especially because I see the same intrigue and interest in the pedagogy and theories of Friends World in the faculty that I have. I have to run; it is late and I have so much to do tomorrow! I hope you are well?

Cheers,