Overall Experience

        These past three weeks have taught me many things: how to act British, which tube station not to get off on, the proper way to eat fish and chips, and, most importantly, I learned A LOT about British history and literature. I had no idea just how many writers that are so commonly studied in English are from England. The Brits have provided us with William Shakespeare, John Donne, William Wordsworth, Lord Bryon, Jane Austen, William Blake, and Oscar Wilde. Just to name a few. Not only writers and poets, but scientists such as Issac Newton and Charles Darwin were both Englishmen. Many of these names came up frequently throughout my trip. In Westminster Abby many of these writers were memorialized. In several of the smaller cities we visited that were home/the study place of a famous writer, you could see the pride of that city for being known as the birthplace of William Shakespeare or the location for Canterbury Tales. 

      Along with my studies, I believe I made my time abroad worthwhile. In three weeks, I saw four cities outside of London. I also went and saw the northern coast of Ireland as a side trip. In London, I saw Big Ben, went inside of Parliament to see the House of Lords and House of Commons, went to Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Street, and Camden market. 

Funny story when I was at Parliament, trying to take a picture of Big Ben there were these two construction workers that were kind of in the way but I didn't want to say anything. I tried to move to get a better angle. At this point one of the construction workers shoved the other one and said, "Hey move! She wants a picture of Big Ben not Big Gary!" He died laughing at himself and then offered to take the group's picture. Now you have to imagine himself saying this in a British accent because it makes it ten times better. 

During my time abroad, I also saw four plays (Titus Andronicus, Henry IV part II, Phantom of the Opera, and Mousetrap). I rode the London Eye, went on a Thames River cruise, visited Buckingham Palace and walked through St. James' Park.

We went through that park on our way to the Queen's Parade where hundreds of guards in red uniforms marched to the sound of drums and trumpets as the Queen was pulled in a carriage along with several other members of the royal family.

I saw one of the seven wonders of the world: Stonehenge. We were able to go way closer to the stones that I thought.

Through this journey, I made a lot of friends that I wouldn't have otherwise. Though I came to take classes, I gained so much more than just knowledge. I believe I am a more well rounded person and more culturally astute because of my time abroad.

St. Paul's Cathedral

In John Donne's Meditation XVII, he hears church bells ringing of a funeral procession and he hears the bell as his own because he knows he is nearing death. 

"He for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may think myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have caused it to toll for me" 

We are connected and therefore the bell tolls for all of us. Every action made affects the humanity as a whole. 

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main" 

"...therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee." 

The idea that we are all one on this earth is extremely moving. Being in a foreign country and feeling slightly out of place, reading those words put me at ease. Though I may not know all the people on the trip very well and am complete strangers to everyone I meet on the tube, each one of us is intertwined in some small way. 

The day we read John Donne was the day we visited St. Paul's Cathedral and the church bells did indeed toll. There was a statue of John Donne wrapped in a sheet with his eyes closed in St. Paul's. Our guide said that John had to pose for that statue before his death. He had it made and it stayed in the room with him at night. A statue of him deceases, wrapped in a sheet for him to look at for years before he was actually dead. 

That church was by far my favorite of all the cathedrals we saw. The floors and wall felt open, light, and airy. Everything was white and pure. The archways and chandeliers added the touch of elegance. We were able to climb all the way to the top of the highest dome. Over 300 steps and I enjoyed every moment of it. We went through small passageways and spiral staircases. The whole thing was completely thrilling. It was a great ending to the London trip because we had an overview of the city from the top of the dome. 

Canterbury

Geoffrey Chaucer's most entertaining novel was the Canterbury Tales (in my opinion; mainly because that's all I've read by him- but that's beside the point). Visiting Canterbury today, we were able to go on a pilgrimage from London just like the characters in the novel and hear five of the tales. We went through an interactive tour that told the tales while exploring the sights, sounds, and all the lovely smells of medieval times. 

My favorite of the five stories we heard today was the Wife of Bath and the Knight's Tale. The wife of bath spoke of a man that was going to be killed unless he could answer the queen's question, "What does a woman desire most?" After searching, he came upon an old lady that told him the answer- sovereignty. I really liked that answer and the ending to the tale where the man gave the old lady the power to chose rather than for him to decide her fate. 

In the Knight's tale, there were two cousins who both fell in love with the same woman while in prison. One truly loved her and the other only thought he did. There was a great battle for the woman's honor. The cousin that won was struck down by Saturn and so the other knight was given the fair lady instead. They married and were happy because he truly loved her. That is kind of a really summed up version but you get the point. I also really liked the Knight's Tale because when I went to the Tower of London that is the story they were acting out. It was so funny because the guy playing Chaucer started to tell the story in middle English but all the other actors were like, "We can't understand you" and so he changed to somewhat of today's English. The whole production was really cute and comical. 

 

"Chaucer" and fair maiden Emily from the Knight's Tale at the Tower

 

Between the Tower of London and actually going from London to Canterbury on a "pilgrimage" just like the story, I felt like my knowledge of Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales has expanded and is more relatable/hands-on.

Perspective

After reading Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owens, I began to change my perspective on what war means and how "glorious and honorable" dying for one's country really is. Reading the descriptions of the gas drowning and choking the helpless soldiers was an image that just will not get out of my head. Owens wrote the poem as if he was a soldier exhausted from the war stumbling along when the gas-shells are dropped all around him. He has to watch one of his fellow teammates choke to death and then carry his body to the wagon to watch him die. What is glorious and honorable about that? 

Not only did the poem alter my perspective on war and what it truly means to be a soldier, but it made me think about my perspective on America, the south, and London during this time abroad.

I have been watching and noticing the differences between how Americans act and how the British act. I remember sitting down at a restaurant after about two weeks of being abroad and hearing this couple next to me complain about every little thing that was different from America. They complained about the food and the people and how the cars were too small to fit their luggage. They were so focused on how things were different from what they were use to that they failed to see the beauty in what was right in front of them. I was guilty of thinking this way when I first arrived as well. I felt like I could not adjust to this lifestyle and that everything should be like it is in America. But we aren't in America and the culture is going to be different. I think Americans truly believe that they are the best. Americans have the best food, the best culture, the best looking people, etc. Thinking that your country is the best and boasting that in another country is extremely disrespectful, yet Americans somehow think they can be excluded from this. That kind of attitude is what made me kind of embarrassed in the way Americans were acting. My dad when he came to visit, could not understand why he couldn't find a Monster energy drink at every convenient store. The entire time he was in London, he ate Subway because he refused to expand his mindset.

After weeks of being in not only London but Dublin as well, and experiencing a wide variety of cultures and different ways of living, I am more appreciative of the simple life I lead. Driving to work does not take me three hours in stop and go traffic. I do not have to crowd onto subway stations, being herded like cattle to get to a store. I have a large backyard and live in quite a spacious home. The cost of living here is ridiculous. I did not realize how cheap things were in America compared to European prices. There are no huge department stores, Wal-Marts, Kroger's, or malls. The value of the American dollar is almost cut in half compared to the British pound.

I hope that over the three weeks I have been abroad that I have been able to alter my perspectives on others' cultures and that I have become more flexible to new environments. I also hope that Americans, as a whole, can learn to adjust and be more accepting of other lifestyles. 

Me trying fish and chips (with vinegar) and embracing
the British culture
 

How the world sees America because that is how we are portrayed

Fight or Flight

I chose fight.

Sitting down at dinner at a nice restaurant/pub in Dublin, having just ordered our food, no one suspected the events that were about to occur. I was sitting next to Sydney at the end of the table. We both felt something brush beside our feet. I looked to down to see if I had dropped something and all I heard was Sydney say, "That was my purse." I flew out that door. Sydney and I both ran as fast as we could with all the people on the street guiding us saying, "She went that way!" We chased after her turning into alley ways and narrow streets. We turned a corner and saw the bag on the ground. A lady handed it to us with an utterly confused look on her face. Sydney quickly searched the bag and noticed her wallet was missing. So we ran further up and turned onto another street. We saw the women clearly at this point. She looked clean. She was wearing nice clothes. Not someone you would expect to steal. I yelled at the woman, "Hey! That's not yours! You can't have that! Drop it!" Finally when I yelled, "I'm calling the police" did she drop the wallet. We quickly went and grabbed the wallet and I asked two men on the side of the road the number for the police. Sydney looked in her wallet and her passport was missing. So we tried to catch back up with the woman but we had lost her. A taxi driver who had seen the incident drove up next to us and told us to hop in. They took us all around the area searching for the woman we described. After fifteen minutes of searching, we had no luck. At this point the police had come to the restaurant we were at.

We were dropped off and spoke to the police officer. She asked us to take us through the route we ran. We gave her all the details we could remember. The other girls in the group heard the description of the lady we had seen and they said that same lady came back to the restaurant area and spoke to them. She was right there in front of them and they had no idea. She came back to cover her tracks and told them that she was chasing the thief when she found the purse and handed it back to Sydney (none of which was true).

 After a thorough report, she got a call of an arrest nearby where we were. She left to check it out and said she would get back with us if the arrest was the same woman. We stayed at the restaurant drinking and listening to music, trying to calm our nerves for a few hours. When we didn't hear back from the officer, we decided to head back to the hostel. We stopped by the police office that night to see if a police report had been filed. The main problem was to get Sydney back to London with no passport. After researching, we found out that we could go to the National Embassy to apply for a temporary passport in the case on an emergency. When they were closed and we were told to come back Monday, we moved on to the next plan. Everyone was going to use their IDs at the airport instead of their passports and hope that works and they would let Sydney on without one. After discussing the plan and speaking with the police again, Sydney searched her purse one last time.

In a small, back pocket was her passport. A pocket she had just failed to look in. The only thing the woman had taken was a few British pounds. We must have scared her during the chase and so she dropped everything. Relief! Sydney was able to get back to London and all our fears and worried were finally put at ease. I may not be the bravest person but in the moment of the chase, I was prepared to fight. I reacted the quickest and ran out that restaurant at a speed I didn't even know I was capable of. If we hadn't stopped to pick up the purse and wallet and checked to see what was missing, we could've gotten her. But everything is fine and if nothing else I have one hell of a story to tell.

The police station (a.k.a Garda according to the Irish)

Morgan and Sydney trying to solve the passport issue

Dublin, Ireland

In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty

I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone

As she wheeled her wheel-barrow

Through streets broad and narrow

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!

Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!

Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!

When I think back on my trip to Dublin, those lyrics will probably be my biggest trigger and reminder of my experience. The second day we were in Dublin, I heard and sang that song three times. I am not even sure how I knew it but I sang loud and proud just like the Irish. 

The first day in Ireland was kind of rough. We left in the evening to go on a train ride to the west side of England. We rode the train through Wales to the ferry port. By the time we arrived at the ferry port it was around 2 a.m. The ferry was much grander than I was expecting and was probably closer to the size of a cruise ship. There was an arcade, a cinema room, a restaurant, a café, and a bar on the ship! I was impressed needless to say. The view of the ocean from the ship window was amazing. The waves almost looked like they were painted there. We were on the boat from about 3-6 a.m. so we got to see the sunrise. None of us got very much sleep on the ship.

Once we landed on the ferry port in Dublin, we immediately got on a shuttle and rode to our hostel. I stayed in a room separate from the others with five other girls from all over the world. Three of the girls are from Austria, one from Canada and the other one never spoke to me haha. We couldn't check into our hostel until later that afternoon so we went and got an Irish breakfast (they eat baked beans and something called pudding that is actually an animals blood for breakfast). I just got toast and cereal. From breakfast, it was straight to the all day tour on a hop on hop off bus. We saw several museums, cathedrals, libraries, the Book of Kells, Trinity College, and most importantly the Guinness factory where I tried beer for the first time. The first day was extremely long. About 40 hours of no sleep and constant movement. Needless to say we all showered, got a quick bite to eat and went to bed.

The second day in Dublin was amazing. I went on a tour with two other girls to the north coast and Malahide castle. The castle was just like I had pictured. Stone walls, archways, gardens, ivy, and of course a tower. We toured the castle and walked around the courtyards. Then we drove to Howth, which is a town on the northern coast. The shoreline was filled with these giant rocks and seaweed. There was a lighthouse and tons of sailboats in the harbor. Plus we saw seals swimming beside some of the boats. It was so much beauty and uniqueness in one setting. I love it. Then we rode the bus alongside the coast scenic route back to Dublin. We walked along the main road and shopped. That night we went to dinner to hear live Irish music and you'll have to read the next blog to find out what happened there. 

 

The final day in Dublin was spent walking around exploring the city. We also went by this really nice shopping area and ate at a nice cafe. The group walked to the writers museum and took an audio tour to learn about James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Johnathan Swift. All of who were influenced by Dublin and had references to Dublin in their works. Then we got on a shuttle to the airport and headed back to London. Flying back was waaaayy easier than the train and ferry route but it was all an experience. Speaking of experiences...I had my bravest moment in Dublin. More to come on the next post. 

London in the Eye of Romantic Poets

Wordsworth, Coleridge, William Blake, and Lord Byron all talked of London and England in several pieces of their works. Experiencing the culture these last two weeks has allowed me to relate in a more effective manner to the poetry.

For example Lord Byron has a cynical exert from a poem that speaks of the weather, government, and food of London. He says, "I like a parliamentary debate, Particularly when 'tis not too late." This reminded me of when we went and saw the parliament debate in the House of Lords and the House of Chambers. It was very late at night and many of the members of parliament were quite unaware of the debates at hand and seemed more interested in their phones.

House of Lords debate in session

In the same poem he speaks of the weather saying, "I like the weather, when it is not rainy, That is, I like two months of every year." Those two months of the year are when I am here in London. Since we have been here, we have had perfect weather- not too hot and not too cold. But I have also experienced the rainy and cold days. I have seen the perfectly cloudy skies that are typical to London. 


The cloudy and gloomy typical weather of London makes for
a perfect picture of the Tower

Other days are absolutely gorgeous to where the clouds almost
look painted in to the background

William Wordsworth wrote a poem about a girl that was typically overlooked and unseen. Some people are more inwardly focused and keep to themselves. There is nothing wrong with this. I, myself, tend to keep my thoughts and feelings to myself and can go unnoticed in a crowd. This conservative and almost introverted ideology is a very British attribute. The British keep to themselves and even  seldom make eye contact. They hustle and bustle about, only concerned with their end goals. They do not stop to say hello or wave at people they meet. They will not be outright friendly, but if need-be they will provide directions and answer questions. Their clothing can also tend to be conservative to a degree, wearing basic colors. The British are known to be very modest and quiet and to keep to themselves. The complete opposite of the Southern mannerism if you ask me.

William Blake wrote a dreary poem about London during one of its darker times. He wrote of the sights and sounds of London consisting of the marks of sadness and immorality stained on the people's faces. He wrote about the cries of the people, speaking of harlots and crimes. The sights and sounds that I see in London are more along the lines of sirens, ambulances, honking from buses, dinging of the bicycle horns, and a large diversity of different languages. I see the busy streets, the multitude of small cafes and shops. I see the diversity of the people and architecture. Mostly during my time here, I have begun to see both the history and future of London.

Ode to a Different Grecian Urn

The British museum is quite a large place. It is three stories tall and the entire place is practically a labyrinth. There are rooms upon rooms, hallways that lead into more hallways, and thousands of things to see and gawk at. All that being said, I went to the British museum looking for one item in particular. Seems impossible right? Well it is...especially when the one item you are looking for isn't even on display anymore.

In class we are reading "Ode to a Grecian Urn" by John Keats which is apparently about a stone, marble vase that was exhibited at the British Museum. Apparently not anymore. Either way, I found one particular Grecian vase that stood out to me. It was called Paradise Garden: The realm of Aphrodite. This orange and black vase had idyllic scenes of elegant woman in flower filled gardens. Several of the woman were personified as Harmony, Happiness, and Good Fortune. These peaceful designs were common to escape from the grim realities of the wars, plague, and raiding enemies.

Like in the poem, all these characters and woman portraying Harmony and Peace are frozen in time. They will never age or die. They will forever be harmonious and peaceful. In the poem, the urn displays lovers about to kiss, in a moment of pure love that will last forever. For my vase, I saw happiness and a sense of calm that shall never fade. Because the title and short description of the vase did not give much away, it is up to the imagination of the viewer to decide the exact story of the characters. These elegant women can be anyone. Anyone that you relate to. The feeling of happiness, good fortune, and harmony may bring the same feelings to everyone but causes different effects on each person. Our life will never be like the urn- only moments of joy and peace. Life is full of ups and downs. But a vase, painted with figures, can capture a small moment and make it last.  That to me is what is beautiful about these vases. The fact that they can freeze time in the snapshots of pure, raw emotions of love, happiness, joy, or peace.

The vase that Keats wrote his poem about. There are two lovers about to kiss,
a tree that will never have to shed its leaves, maidens, deities, and mortals
all as happy as humanity could hope to be. 

The two lovers about to kiss 

Stratford

For our 10th and 11th day on the trip, we visited the city of Stratford-Upon-Avon: the home of William Shakespeare. Upon arrival, we were guided through the city and shown the river, the three theaters, all the three major streets that run through the city. Though small, the city had a lot to offer and was full of all kinds of shops.

Of course because we are studying Shakespeare, we stopped in to see his home where he was born, his mother's farm, and two of his daughter's houses. Walking where Shakespeare walked may not have brought me to tears or filled my heart with warmth, but it reminded me that he is just an ordinary man who had an ordinary childhood. He didn't attend University. His education stopped after high school. Yet, he was able to produce plays and productions that are still being used hundreds of years later.  That is what makes him unique. The fact that he was able to move so many for so many years.


 

The home where Shakespeare was born

The back of the house and garden where one of Shakespeare's  daughters lived. The gardens at these houses were so beautiful.

Not being a Shakespeare expert, I learned a lot about his home life and what it was like growing up for him with a multitude of siblings. I saw how what he experienced in his own life influenced his writing. He was a countryman and as such, typically used references to the woods, birds, falconry, plants as well as several country festivals in his plays. Along with his country roots, I saw how the events in history that were going on during his time are directly reflected in his works. I had no idea that he wrote about real events. He was a historian just in a different light. In Stratford, we watched the play Henry IV part 2 which literally tells the story of that kingship and his son taking the throne.

Henry IV part 2 play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in
Stratford. I learned that Falstaff is my favorite
character.

During our trip to Stratford, we spent the night at a hostel. This was my first experience with a hostel and I really didn't know what to expect. Basically, hostels are used for anyone traveling that needs just a few nights to stay. They are typically for the youth and fit about six people in each room, sharing a bathroom with the entire floor. It was an interesting experience and I am glad I know what to expect the place to look like for when we stay at a hostel in Dublin. However in Dublin, I will be staying with five other strangers. I'll come back with lots of stories to tell.

Confusing London

Reading Titus Andronicus is crystal clear compared to trying to navigate through this city. I can read all five acts and follow every insane and barbaric action better than I can understand how this city of 10 million people is set up. All the streets are narrow and constantly zooming. Double decker buses honk obnoxiously (but definitely do not slow down) when people cross the street. Not to mention all the traffic is going in the opposite way than I am use to.

This morning, I was nearly run over by a bicycle. I know that doesn't sound dangerous- maybe in America. Here, cyclists go as fast as the cars and they literally scream at you if you cross their path. I looked the wrong way when I was crossing and here comes a cyclists screaming bloody murder at me. So I dodge him while yelling and jump, hop and trip my way onto the median.

 

On the tube during rush hour in the morning from about 8 to 10 a.m., there are TONS of people just jammed packed like sardines on the subway cars. It's a mad rush to squeeze in.

Many of the crossing stations to walk across do not go straight across in the direction you want. Oh no. Instead they kind of zig zag across.

People don't drive in just one lane either. They are constantly dogging in and out of the lanes or sometimes even driving between lanes. Buses turn on the curbs. If you stand on the sidewalk, you can feel the air of the bus brush up against your arm. They are so close!

To really see the crazy side of London, drive. My family decided to rent a car when they got here and boy was that a mistake. Some areas of the streets are so congested that you have to pay to drive through them. Plus almost all cars are manual in Europe and because you are driving on the left side of the road, you shift with the stick with your left hand. The first day my dad drove down a wrong way and blew a tire.

So if you are deciding between reading a gore-filled Shakespeare play or to drive around on the streets of London...pick the play.

Oxford

The only thing I had ever known Oxford for was the University. To my surprise, Oxford is a quaint city with loads of gorgeous architectural designs and actually Oxford University encompasses a large group of colleges. We spent the day exploring one college in particular, Christ Church College known for its great dining hall and staircases where parts of Harry Potter was filmed. Charles Dodgson (a.k.a Lewis Carroll) , the author of Alice in Wonderland, studied at Christ Church. In the dining hall there were parts of the stain glass where the characters from Alice in Wonderland were placed. Also, Cheshire cat heads were engraved into the border around the entire room. The character Alice was inspired by the Dean's daughter of Christ Church College, Alice Liddell.

Look for the Alice in Wonderland characters

Along with Lewis Carroll, Tolkien (the author of the Lord of the Rings series) and C.S. Lewis (author of the Chronicles of Narnia) both studied at Oxford University. The influence of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien in the city of Oxford was specific to this one place called the Eagle and Child- a small restaurant/pub where Tolkien and Lewis went often to discuss and read their latest writings and critic each other's work. Several quotes and picture of both the authors were heavily prevalent throughout the building.

Titus Andronicus

I am not an English major. That being said, I enjoy reading plays by Shakespeare and can, for the most part, follow the language used and references made. While reading Titus Andronicus, I was able to laugh at the ridiculousness of some parts. I recognized the "dark humor" and read it just as that. Though the content of the play was the same, seeing those acts of injustice and pure inhumane actions ten feet from my face was enough to make me sick to my stomach. Even though I knew what was coming and I was aware of the murders, rape, and cannibalism that was going to occur, nothing could prepare me for what I actually saw.

The Globe Theater itself was perfect to see the type of stage Shakespeare worked with. The groundlings (that's what we were because we stood on the ground around the stage) are interacted with throughout the play and almost treated as characters.

 I have to say that was the coolest part. The constant interaction from characters running in and out around us. They yelled at us to move as the Emperor or Titus would come through on these huge metal carriers. You almost felt like you were in Rome.  I think that is the best way to experience the play. However, I would have preferred to experience a comedy rather than a tragedy. Even the only comical relief was killed off by the 4th act. 

The play was done well. Most people know going into Titus that it is a bloodbath. The actors and actresses did their part to the tee. That was almost the problem because I felt their pain and saw the horrid events that happened to them. I became overwhelmed with the pure evil and hatred that was in this world and it was utterly depressing. I came out of that play physically and emotionally drained- unable to feel.

Overall, it was an experience I will never forget (that's for sure haha) and I am glad I was able to see a true Shakespearian play at the Globe.

Classes

I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised in how well the English and History class match up and play on each other. Today when reading Titus Andronicus by Shakespeare, references were made to both Richard III and Queen Elizabeth I. Both of which, because of the history class, I am aware of and can fully understand. Titus Andronicus starts out with two heirs left to take the throne after the Emperor died.  There was a similar uncertainty during the time that this play was written in England concerning Queen Elizabeth since she was unmarried and bore no children. You could see the inspiration that Shakespeare had in using the events that were occurring around him to create his stories. Shakespeare also wrote a play titled Richard III and I was able to follow the references to him and his Machiavellian rise to power.

I also have to say that being in the place of study for all these kings and queens that we learn about is what makes the experience; being where "the magic happened" so to speak. Seeing where the kings and queens were crowned in Westminster Abby after just reading about their reign, that is what takes the classroom learning to something tangible. Going to the Globe tomorrow to see a Shakespeare play after reading and discussing the play. This is hands-on learning that you can not get anywhere else. 

This hall and up to the alter is where coronation
ceremonies for the kings and queens were
held. A throne sat in front of the alter. I walked
where kings and queens walked to be crowned.

This is the most recent coronation ceremony for the Queen.
Fun fact: This is also where William and Kate
got married!!

Arriving and Adjusting

After almost eleven hours of flight time, we were greeted by an IES worker and put on a bus (or coach as the British say). I was exhausted from the lack of sleep on the overnight plane ride but excited to have finally arrived.

The first weekend in London was spent getting to know the area, the traffic, the tube (subway system), and learning how to be on my own in a foreign city. Not just any city either. A city with almost 10 million people in and out on any given day. Our professor specifically told us to get lost. He may have meant "get lost in the city" as in lose yourself in the breathtaking views of London, which I did, but I also got lost on the tube and on the streets.

During my free time on the weekend I went to Camden Market to these old horse stables that are now converted into a gigantic area for vendors to set up. I also took pictures at the Platform 9 and 3/4 in the King's Cross Station. Mainly during my free time, I slept.

The night after my first day of class, a group of girls and I went to explore London at night. We were able to go into the House of Lords and the House of Commons in Parliament to hear the debates going on. The inside of Parliament is absolutely beautiful. There is a throne made of pure gold in the House of Lords. After Parliament we walked through Trafalgar Square and down the mall to Buckingham Palace. We traveled the tube on our own and for the first time I felt like I was finally getting to know the city and my way around. 

There is still so much I want to do but I keep reminding myself that I have the time and that I need to be mindful of my time here. I tend to live in the future instead of the present. I am in London. I am finally experiencing things I had only dreamed about and I plan to make the most of it.

Westminster Abby

A lot of times what you read in class somehow or another can be related to the events in your life. The themes being brought up in class today are Faith and Love.

Faith comes from the sonnets of Spencer in Theatre for Worldlings who states how people should not put their faith in something of this earth as it will only be destroyed. Your faith should be put in a higher power; something that will be there even when the time on this earth has ended. Faith and religious views play a huge part in the culture of London. The people of London and all of England put their faith in their monarchy, in their country, and in the idea of what it means to be an Englishman.

The theme of love was illustrated in Spencer's Amoretti about a man desperate to prove his love to his second wife. Love in London is most easily seen in the patriotism of the English. The British love their country. They are proud to be Englishmen. Going into Westminster Abby today you could see the pride that the English have through the numerous memorials dedicated to scientist, writers, poets, and of course their beloved kings and queens. The Abby brings together all the history and triumphs that the British have been a part of.  Walking into Westminster Abby is an awe-inspiring view in itself because of the incredible architectural design, but when you add in the fact that hundreds of extremely influential and monumentally changing figures of the British legacy are memorialized and even buried in that place, it takes the experience to a whole new level.