Tube strikes reroute London trip
Students on the European Studies trip encountered a detour when Tube strikes affected the London Underground system.
Several Tube stations shut down for 24 hours beginning Monday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m. Maintenance and engineering employees went on strike first, and soon thereafter drivers, signalers and station staff followed suit. The strikes began after the London Underground unions, which represent the 10,000 Tube workers, heard of plans to reduce the number of jobs and hours in ticketing offices.
These strikes corresponded with the time Oklahoma Christian University’s 20 European study abroad students were in London. The strike disrupted the entire city’s commuting routes, as well as forced Oklahoma Christian students to change plans, alter modes of transportation and shift schedules accordingly, but sponsors and students alike were able to make the necessary adjustments. Among those affected were junior Mary Watson, senior Callie Settles and sophomore Drake Green.
With the Tube down, students resorted to taking buses.
“We just took the bus, which took a little bit longer, and it was more difficult to understand the routes,” Watson said.
Riding buses helped the students get around amid the strikes, but not without some trouble.
“Riding the bus is really bad when the Tube is on strike,” Settles said. “Everyone is on there, and eventually people have to get off. In order to do so, you have to crowd surf on the crammed bus to get off at your stop.”
Despite the inconvenience, the strikes did not hinder any planned excursions to sites in London.
“It took a little longer getting from place to place, but when you travel these things happen, and it is just part of it,” Green said. “We did have to switch plans for a couple of days because of the timeline, but we did not miss out on any plans because of the Tube strike.”
Sometimes, the entire group travels together, and sometimes they travel in smaller groups; both methods were affected by the strikes.
“We traveled as a large group of tourists when we went to group destinations,” Settles said. “We stuck out like a sore thumb. We took up the whole sidewalk, and we could fill a train car if we wanted. But when we had free time, we broke off into smaller groups, and that works better.”
The strikes gave students a taste of European culture and introduced them to how cities independent of automobiles as the primary mode of transportation work.
“I think [strikes] are a part of the culture,” Settles said. “We got to act like real Europeans and walk more.”
Students like junior Kaley White, who was a part of the summer 2010 study abroad trip, appreciated the Tube system because of the time she saved by riding it.
“We mostly rode on the Tube system,” White said. “And I know there were a lot of sites and activities we wouldn’t have been able to attend if we hadn’t had the Tube system. Some things were pretty far from where we lived, and it would have taken a while to get there.”
Senior Shane Langford, who traveled to Europe in the fall of 2008, found riding the Tube system the first symbol of his experience in Europe.
“I think the Tube being down would have ruined our trip because that system marked the reality of the freedom of travel – the ability to travel by completely different means from what I was used to,” Langford said.
The Tube system also introduced students to the underground transportation system in a familiar language before they were immersed into countries with different languages.
“With trying to figure out where everything stops and when to get off and when to get on and being able to go through it for a week in English, it was really comfortable to get on one in a different language,” White said.
Senior and 2008 study abroad participant Jillian Barneche understands the frustration of the Tube system being down, but also puts the inconvenience those students faced into a larger perspective of being abroad for a semester.
“I loved my study abroad experience,” Barneche said. “Anyone considering it should go if they can. I’m sure the strikes were an inconvenience to this year’s group, but London was probably an awesome experience in spite of it.”
Those wanting to apply for a spot in the 2011 study abroad program must do so at the Office of International Programs by Oct. 29.
