Birkbeck international students enjoyed an excursion to the beautiful historic university city of Cambridge on two dates in August and September. Both days included a guided walking tour, chauffeured river punting and a visit to a famous Cambridge pub.

As befits a day out with university students in a university town, the first day out to Cambridge was quite an education. Apart from historical facts shared by tour-guide Andrew, including why Henry VIII wields a table leg instead of a golden sceptre at Trinity College; and through some fun conversations en route, the group also learned the correct pronunciation of ‘Côte d’Ivoire’, the origin of ‘soccer’, how to make Chinese dumplings and a really quick and simple way to count cattle which, in case you’re wondering, is to count the legs and divide by four. 

For the second excursion, after the first one quickly sold out, students were overjoyed to see the weather was even better this time round! After a walking tour of the city, students enjoyed a leisurely chauffeured punting tour along the Backs, with the iconic views of Kings College and other beautiful college buildings. Students had free time to explore Cambridge, then reconvened at the historic Eagle pub for drinks before heading back to London.   

Once again, students said how much they enjoyed seeing more of the UK and getting to meet fellow students. 

Both excursions provided a great way to meet other students, discover the UK and to accumulate some useful, and sometimes ‘useless’ knowledge!