The weather is slowly, but surely getting better here. What ever that big, bright, warm ball in the sky is.. I like it, and I hope it sticks around. Particularly, I have been feeling a little glum lately, mostly in part to my homesickness at the thought of only about 3 more weeks in the U.K. Anyway.. My Britain today class is beginning to study the British economic system (yuck!) and so our professor took us on an exciting trip to the Royal Exchange.

This was the economic center of the world for hundreds of years, and still holds a significant amount of the worlds wealth. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the exchange.. (sorry folks!) but I will admit, from a historical perspective, seeing the evolution of the pound was very impressive. The high light of that trip was probably lifting the gold bar.. there was this highly secure exhibit in which a person can stick their hand through a hold in a glass chamber and try to lift a solid gold bar. MAN.. GOLD IS REALLY HEAVY!!! After leaving the Royal Exchange, we were off to visit the secretary of the Trade Union Congress.. a really old, influential institution in Britain. We met with the secretary of the congress, a really knowledgeable friendly man that was quick to make a few American jokes. We discussed the influence of the Trade Union Congress and the current employment polices in the United Kingdom. The really cool thing about the organization is that they have a close working relationship with the AFL/CIO in America. Although I'm not really into learning about the polices and politics of money.. I still learned a lot about it's importance and even learned a little more about the importance and significance of trade/labor unions.