BU Abroad: Gathering Intelligence in London

At Parliament, a valuable lesson in international influence

By Devin Hahn. Text by Benjamin Hall

In the video above, Dan Weber (CAS’09) speaks about his semester working for a member of Parliament.

For Dan Weber, working in the House of Commons in London, comparable to the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, was a fantastic opportunity for an international relations major planning to go into military intelligence. Weber (CAS’09) couldn’t help but be starstruck, working in such a hallowed institution. “It’s basically like working at Hogwarts,” he says.

Weber spent last fall in the London Internship Program, studying at the BU London Center in South Kensington and working for an MP in Westminster. As he performed general constituent duties, he gained an appreciation for U.S. influence on allies around the world. “Every decision the United States makes on an international level affects Britain and affects Londoners,” he says. “It was a good way to broaden my horizons before I entered active duty.”

Weber is now a long way from London, stationed with the U.S. Air Force in San Angelo, Tex. While he’s traded pubs for Tex-Mex, his time in London has influenced him forever. “There is so much out there in the world to be seen,” he says, “and staying put in one place is definitely not for me.”

Additional editing by Joe Chan.

Devin Hahn can be reached at dhahn@bu.edu.

Next week, another foreign visit. Read more at BU Abroad.

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