Spilling the Tea on Cultural Engagement Activities with CEA in London

One of my favorite things about studying abroad in London with CEA is the excursions. Two of my favorite cultural engagement activities have been seeing a West End Show and having afternoon tea. 

West End Shows 

Having grown up in New Jersey, I am so lucky that I have had the opportunity to see multiple shows on Broadway in New York City. While studying abroad in London, I knew I wanted to see a live show here as well. There are more than 40 venues in the West End of London, and I loved seeing "Phantom of the Opera" at Her Majesty’s Theatre. It's one of the most popular shows around the world. Yet, I had never even seen the movie before, let alone the live performance of it. The show started at 7:30 p.m., so my friend and I grabbed a delicious Italian dinner beforehand. I really enjoyed the experience. I'm  so grateful that the ticket price was included in my program cost. 

Since there are so many other shows to see in the West End as well, I also saw "Waitress: The Musical" with my friend when she came to visit. We got the tickets from Today’s Tix. They have great deals on West End Shows, so seeing a great live performance doesn’t have to break the bank. 

Afternoon Tea 

I don't like the taste of tea, so I drink coffee instead. The tradition of afternoon tea was started in 1840, when the seventh Duchess of Bedford, Anna, got hungry late in the afternoon and wanted to eat something to tide her over until dinner time. I wanted to partake in this long-standing tradition, since I can definitely relate to this. CEA arranged for a lovely afternoon tea in Covent Garden. While I still didn't love the taste of tea,  I enjoyed delicious treats such as finger food and pastries. 

 Both experiences were a lot of fun, and made me feel a little more like a London local.