In the coming days, I will embark on yet another adventure with DEN and my DEN friends. My first trip with DEN took me to Thailand, and that journey was fascinating and life-changing. This time I will be travelling to UZBEKISTAN, and what a mind-blowing destination that is. A central Asian country with Mongolian, Turkish,...
Author: Insidewestminsterblog
The Adventure Begins: A Pre-Departure Reflection
As someone deeply drawn to exploration and connection, I have always found meaning in travelling – immersing myself in different cultures, meeting new people, and seeing the world through perspectives beyond my own. This upcoming trip to Uzbekistan feels especially exciting, as it will take me to a part of the world I have never...
A DEN Journey to Uzbekistan: Between History and Identity
In just a couple of days, fourteen members of DEN, including myself, will venture into a country whose history seems to be the epitome of the term ‘complex.’ Over the course of its 2500-year civilizational history, Uzbekistan has been part of ten major empires, including the Persian, Mongol, Timurid, and Russian Empires, leaving its culture...
Between Heritage and Geography, my Pre-departure Reflections
On the 25th of April, alongside a few members of the Democratic Education Network, I shall be embarking on a voyage to Uzbekistan. I have always been intrigued by the opportunity to visit other countries, meet new people, embrace new cultures, and try cuisines I would otherwise never have encountered. As different as it may...
From Ireland to the World Stage: My Journey into Global Politics
My name is Azaria, and I am currently in my second year at the University of Westminster, where I am studying Politics and International Relations. I moved from Ireland to London about two years ago for university, and it has been the most amazing experience of my life, where I have been able to meet new people, travel to new places and experience life in...
From London to Tashkent – A Pre-departure Blog
When I turned 18, I moved to London to study English Language and Linguistics at the University of Westminster. I’m from a small town in Worcestershire, so moving to London was a big decision. I was originally set on studying history in Liverpool, though Music changed that. I love music in a way that’s hard...
A Journey Through Law, Culture, and Self-Discovery: Where It Might Lead
I’m Laiyba Rashid, from London, but currently on exchange in Italy studying law, and life here couldn’t feel more different. London is fast, loud, always moving. But here, in a small Italian city, everything slows down. People recognise each other. There’s a sense of familiarity in everyday life, It’s quieter, more personal. And in its...
Uzbekistan: The Place That Became My Second Home
Uzbekistan. A country rich in history and culture. A country that holds so many brilliant memories from my previous visit last year. A country that became close to home. From the 25th of April to the 4th of May, a group of 14 students, including myself, from DEN will be visiting Uzbekistan for a Model...
Excited to Explore Tashkent
My name is Ahmed Abdirahman, and I’m a first-year undergraduate from Somalia studying International Relations and Development at the University of Westminster. On the 25th of April, I’ll be travelling to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with my peers from the Democratic Education Network (DEN) to take part in the Model United Nations. Personally, this trip is hopefully...
Developing by Understanding: A Polish Student’s Perspective on Global Challenges
Hello, my name is Oskar Wiśniewski, and I’m a first-year student of International Relations at Łazarski University in Warsaw, Poland. I was born in a country where history and politics permeate reality in ways that are at once fascinating and complex. This led me, from an early age, to seek to understand the reality that...
From Small Town America to Tashkent: Exploring a New World of Ideas and Cultures
My name is Aoife Fortuna, and I am an exchange student from the United States. Having grown up in a small town in upstate New York and spent most of my college years in a smaller village in Ohio, coming to London was a dream come true for me. So far, city life has been...
More Than a Trip: First Journey into Central Asia
On the 25th April, I will be travelling to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, alongside my peers from the Democratic Education Network (DEN). It is safe to say that the excitement is huge! For me, this trip is more than just ticking off another country. It is an opportunity to step into a totally different culture. I have...
