Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: Cambridge, Enlgand

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Taken in Genoa, Italy

During my semester in Cambridge, I have been very fortunate to travel beyond Cambridge and even the UK. Most of these trips have been with at least one other cohort member and which has had lots of benefits: multiplied memories, always having someone to be your photographer, splitting costs, etc. And some of my favorite trips ended up being to the places that my fellow cohort members really wanted to go to; the spontaneity and lack of expectations has always added to the fun.

On the other hand, a lesson that we have collectively learned is that it can be really hard to travel with a group. In addition to everyone having different hopes and wish lists for what they want to accomplish or see on a trip, it is just a fact that everything will take longer when in a group— from getting from point A to point B, to deciding on where you want to eat dinner.

Personally, I think those challenges often will outweigh the costs, and that learning how to communicate, compromise, and give each other the benefit of the doubt are just as important to take-away from a trip than any souvenir. That being said, another lesson I have definitely gained while abroad has been in finding enjoyment and fulfillment in solitude.

One of our first independent trips outside of England to Edinburgh, Scotland (taken on the street that inspired J.K. Rowling’s “Diagon Alley”).

And even aside from the pros and cons of traveling with a group, sometimes because of our different bucket lists and class schedules most of us did travel alone at some point. I have grown up in a culture in which “women traveling alone” has always been approached as either reckless, a last-resort, or incredibly brave. Still, I felt ready, and I didn’t think it was fair for my gender to hold me back.

I had hopes for a solo trip through France, but it didn’t work out mostly because I was running low on time and money, and that’s okay. I did end up traveling on my own a few times when on trips with fellow cohort members and our paths split up. During Spring Break, I left Liz and Jasmine at Florence, Italy and went by myself to Marseilles, France where I met up with Nolan for a few days. He then went on to Spain and I traveled back to London.

Nolan and I in Marseilles, France

Then right before I came back to the States, Jasmine, Liz, and I took a trip to Spain to celebrate completing our semester abroad. We were together from London to Ibiza, to Valencia. Liz and Jasmine went ahead of me to Madrid and then London. I followed the same path but spent a little more time in Valencia and Madrid. The second-half of that trip felt like the first time I really traveled alone; i.e. not just on my own when traveling from point A to point B but alone when exploring a new city.

I learned a lot about myself throughout the semester, and my time alone in Spain gave me the perfect mind-space to reflect on my time abroad. Additionally, it felt really good to prove to myself that I could do it on my own. Below are some tips for anyone else making plans to fly solo.

Madrid, Spain

Do Your Research

There are a lot of helpful websites that can give you an overview of how safe a city or country is, especially for women, foreigners, at night, when traveling alone etc. Look up reviews of hostels beforehand and try to figure out anything you can about their public transport before you get there. Even if you can’t find out that much, or if it’s nothing different than what you’d see in person, it can be really helpful for your peace of mind.

Another thing I learned is that traveling alone can end up being more expensive than traveling with others, so be sure to factor that in to your budget. For example, you can’t buy food or drink in bulk and split the cost, and there were a couple times where I had to pay for an Uber when it wasn’t safe for me to walk alone in the dark but would have been okay if I had been with others.

Alone ≠ Isolated

“Alone” does not have to mean “lonely.” Try to find fulfillment and enjoyment in being alone. Use it as a time to reflect, and as an opportunity to feel proud of yourself! Acknowledge that traveling alone is no easy feat, and that it takes a lot of courage, independence, and confidence.

Additionally, traveling alone does not even mean you have to be alone! Throughout the semester we always met solo travelers in our hostels and sometimes they’d join us for dinner or even on the rest of our journey (which was a really common thing for young travelers to do in Europe).

I went on my own to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy where I got to see one of my all time favorite painting (Birth of Venus by Botticelli).

You can also make plans to go to places where you either can meet other people or where you won’t feel as noticeable if you’re on your own. I really loved going to museums and open markets for these reasons.

Be Smart

If you can, solo travel in countries where you can speak the language (at least some basics). Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way when in Spain but thankfully there were a lot of very kind people who were willing to struggle with me and use a lot of gestures. I highly recommend downloading an offline translator app and Duo Lingo.

If you do not get an International phone plan for the semester and plan on just using Wi-Fi (which is what I did), it will be totally fine. BUT, if I had known I was going to be traveling alone or if I had done any more of it I definitely would have made sure to get phone service. Especially in a country where you don’t speak the native language very well, it makes it 100% more difficult to not be able to use Google translate or maps.

Also, make sure you always keep others updated on your plans for the day and where you’ll be (e.g. your cohort, your mom, etc.). You can also use Find My Friends and share your itineraries etc., and especially if you don’t have phone service where you wouldn’t potentially be able to call someone for help if you didn’t have Wi-Fi.

Treat Yourself

I truly think the key to successful solo traveling is “treat yourself”!! It helped me feel less lonely and self-conscious about being on my own, and helped me feel proud of my accomplishments. Another perk of traveling alone is you don’t have to find restaurants and plans that make everybody in the group happy— just do whatever makes you happy!

Enjoying a ham, Camembert, and tomato crepe with horchata in Valencia, Spain while journaling and people watching.

I love wandering slowly and taking a very long time when exploring artsy neighborhoods, art museums, and bookstores. I hate feeling rushed, but I hate even more making the people I’m with wait on me (even if they’re super nice about it and really don’t mind). So when I traveled alone Florence and Madrid I savored taking my time in museums, and it made me appreciate the art so much more and feel refreshed.

Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

My mom, my sister Eva, and I posing in front of one of the countless old doors which my family consistently wanted to stop and take a picture in front of.

During the month of March, I was very lucky to have some of my family and friends visit me where I got to show them around my little world of Cambridge. My friends Hayley, Sarah, and Alexis were in London during Spring Break because of Valpo’s “The London Stage” course, Maddie came over France where she has been studying abroad this semester, and my parents and younger sister Eva came for a long weekend during her spring break.

Maddie, Hayley, and I near the City Center of Cambridge

The following are some of the place that either had become important to me over the past two months, and/or was something that had always made me think of them.

Castle Mound

This is a little hill where an Ancient Roman watchtower once stood, you can see most of Cambridge from the top (but only when it’s not overcast). I am not really sure when or how, but Castle Mound has become one of Cambridge’s most important places to me. If I have time, I always try to walk up it and look around for a bit whenever I pass by (which is pretty often because it is in between the City Center and the Valpo Dorm).

Punting

Punting on the river Cam is the most quintessentially “Cambridge” thing there is! The Cam runs through the city (get it?? Cam-bridge?) and the Punt guides point out many of the famous colleges which surround it.

My dad and Eva punting on the Cam

The Market Place

There is a wonderful open-air market every day in the City Center with many stalls full of food (so much food), vintage clothes, records, souvenirs, bikes, books, you name it! Cambridge’s famous Crepe Cart is also near the Market, and I definitely took everybody there.

The Pickerel Inn

This is a pub I walk by almost daily and one of it’s claims to fame is that C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien used to hang out there (it’s very near Magdalene College).

The Pickerel Inn

Cream Tea at Arundel House

The “stereotype” of British people and their tea, is really not that much of a stereotype— it’s a fact. I took my friends and family to Arundel House for Cream Tea which is where Dr. Brough took our cohort at the beginning of the semester. Cream Tea is the classic British tea served with a variety of finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, and fresh jam.

Pinkies up!

Some of the Cambridge Colleges

“Cambridge University” is actually made up of 31 separate colleges—there’s no main building or campus—which each have their own history, coat of arms, extensive list of impressive alumna, and buildings, libraries, courtyards, chapels, residence halls, etc. The students at Cambridge University take a lot of pride in which college they belong to (sometimes almost to the point of elitism and rivalry), but it is a rich source of community, camaraderie, and tradition.

We visited into Magdalene College which is where C.S. Lewis used to teach, and I really love wandering into their small Chapel dedicated to Mary. And I made sure to bring Hayley and Maddie into the Christ College courtyard since we all met through Valpo’s CC (even though ours is technically based off of the Christ College in Oxford).

We visited Trinity College’s Wren Library, which has an unfathomable amount of history and artifacts. Some of the highlights were original, hand-written lecture notes and journals of Sir Isaac Newton and Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the first published anthologies of Shakespeare’s plays and poetry, and an original draft of Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne and his son, Christopher Robin, both went to Trinity College).

King’s College Chapel

Hayley and Maddie inside King’s Chapel

I walk through King’s College courtyard at least twice a week on the way back from my lectures, and its beauty never fails to give me a few goose bumps; it was really special to experience those kinds of moments with my family and friends because they can never truly be communicated via a Face-Time call or text message.

My mom and Eva outside of King’s Chapel (Unfortunately, when I first took my family to King’s they were not open for visitors because they were rehearsing for an upcoming choir concert but we ended up going to the concert later that evening so it all worked out wonderfully!)

Warner Brother’s Harry Potter Studio Tour in London

Way back in December, once Hayley, Sarah, and I had all solidified our plans to travel abroad this semester, we bought tickets to go to the Warner Brother’s Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. A couple months later, our dreams came true. There is no other way to describe the experience but magical.

Hayley and I, or Hagrid and Ron?? You tell me.

The opportunity to bring the people I care about so much into this new part of my life was incredibly affirming to my process of settling into Cambridge. Watching my friends and family experience England, allowed me to reflect on how quickly I had become so used to the things that had once amazed me as well. It was a good reminder to not take anything for granted, but it also felt good to realize that familiarity had become present too.

Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Westfield House

The academia of Cambridge was certainly one of the factors that drew me to its study abroad program, and as a lover of language, I knew that England would have much to offer. Valpo’s Cambridge program is unique in that we actually can take courses from up to five different colleges! I have been challenged by the British education system in ways that my prior academic experience has never been able to.

Essentially, the only grade I got for three out of my four courses relied solely upon a final paper. Fortunately, as a Creative Writing and Humanities student, this structure was fairly similar to classes I have taken at Valpo, but it was entirely foreign to some of my fellow Cohort members. That being said, I did not fully realize until now how structured my studies at Valpo really have been, and how much those smaller assignments throughout the semester can really take some of the pressure off of the final paper or exam.

Demi and I at the Jane Austen Center in Bath, England on one of our (many) 
British Life and Culture trips.

The best and worst aspect of my courses this semester has been the lack of structure. As someone who works best when under pressure, it would be an understatement to say that my procrastination has always been my downfall. While the lack of professor-enforced drafts and mini-deadlines meant a lot less busy work on my part, the tradeoff was my needing to manage my time well— which was honestly one of the most difficult parts of my semester abroad.

But on the other hand, there were many pros to this academic system. In addition to forcing me to grow in the time management area of my life, it also made it possible for me to travel mainland Europe, explore Cambridge deeper, and invest more time and energy into the new relationships I have formed while here. Furthermore, this lack of structure also gave me a great deal of freedom to choose the topics which I would research and write about for my final papers.

Nolan snapped this photo when we were working on our final British Life and Culture
papers at a favorite coffee shop (Benet’s) across from King’s Chapel.

Below are the courses that I took this semester, and the theses of my final papers to give a general idea of what I learned and wrote about.

Sociology: Modern Societies (Lectures at Cambridge University, Supervisions through Westfield House)

Thesis: Shaping gender and sexuality to be perceived as heteronormative is silent systemic oppression which has been (and still is) implemented to ensure that traditional forms of power remain uncontested; thus, deconstructing these concepts until they are separate, flexible entities can be the first step towards a mission for awareness, resistance, and liberation.

Liz and I pausing to enjoy the Spring sun on our regular 30 minute walk back from our
Sociology lecture at Mill Hall.

British Life and Culture (Valparaiso University)

Thesis: Both Ludwig Wittgenstein and Virginia Woolf were obsessed with language and its contradictions. It is the philosophical experience of exploring the incomprehensible that inspired the prolific and profound words of both Wittgenstein and Woolf, despite—or perhaps even because of—those indiscernible areas where logical language falls short.

New Testament Epistles (Cambridge Theological Federation)

Thesis: The Apostle Paul saw the Old Testament’s role in the Early Church as a foundation for Christian community, but he did not believe it to be the foundation  for salvation. In relation to today’s Church, Paul’s perspective of the Law ought  to remind Christian leaders to continually make certain that their teachings are in line with Jesus’ gospel (i.e., to bring salvation to all people), rather than in line with the Covenant (i.e., to bring salvation to select people).

Nolan casually reading a book before our Theo lecture at Ridley Hall.

British Science Fiction (Westfield House)

This was the only course that did not have a final paper but instead an in-class short essay exam as the main (pretty much only) grade. Unsurprisingly, we studied a lot of novels in this course. With only four students in the class we all collectively read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and then each proceeded to read four different novels that we would then present on to the class. I really, genuinely enjoyed almost all of the books I read: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, Starmaker by Olaf Stapledon, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, and The Power by Naomi Alderman (the last two being my favorite by far, and which I highly recommend!).

Jasmine, Demi, Nolan, and I posing in our House Robes in front of Westfield House
before class and weekly House Chapel and Tea (Taken on our first day of British
Science Fiction!).

Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

VU C-102 in Bath, England (Get it??)

Out of the nine Valpo students living in Cambridge this Spring 2019 semester, only two people were close friends before we got here, and a few of us were acquaintances or had environment-specific relationships with each other.

Four months later, and I think it’s safe to say that our closeness has exceeded the magical, inevitable bond that forms between people placed outside of their comfort zones and natural environments; we’ve really become a family.

Our first picture taken together in front of Westfield House (it feels like this photo was
taken years ago).

We’ve celebrated our highs together— like 21st birthdays, finishing final papers, making British friends, attending each other’s Ultimate Frisbee games and choir concerts, cheers-ing to getting jobs and leadership positions for next year, and Wordfest awards. We’ve supported and leaned on one another during the lows too— from homesickness, to physical sickness, break-ups and broken phones (multiple phones), procrastinated deadlines and everything that falls in between.

We’ve also learned how to survive with each other— it’s no small feat to go from not knowing each other to spending literally all of your time with 8 other people. Perhaps needless to say, we’ve all grown in communicating our needs and feelings, how to forgive, and how to practice empathy.

Nolan, Cami, and Eric in front of our house

As the semester is drawing to a close, our cohort has become an inextricable part of our study abroad experience. The thought of going home and not being able to accurately share with others the depth of these memories and relationships that we’ve so quickly formed is a stressful idea…The quirkiness and inside jokes, the way we’ve so naturally picked up each other’s mannerisms, and so much more. So, in an attempt to capture just a glimpse into our silly, creative, loving family, I’ve asked each cohort member a couple of questions.

Without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce to the world Cambridge’s 102nd Cohort (in order of our favorite colors on the ROYGBIV spectrum):

Emily Neuharth

Emily in Keukenhof, Netherlands

• Favorite color: Pink
• Nickname(s): Em, Maurice, Groovy Cat
• Enneagram Type: 4w3
• Astrology: Libra Sun, Pisces Moon, Leo Rising
• Advice: A suggestion I’d give to future cohort members would be to remember that the advice, “Make the most out of your time,” is going to look different for each person— try not to compare your study abroad experience to others (whether that be your peers at other programs, past Cambridge students, or your fellow cohort).
• Memory: All of our natural, silly, family-moments that we’ve so luckily grown used to…like binge-watching Hell’s Kitchen and Queer Eye, having dance parties in the kitchen, Face-Timing each other to get them to come downstairs and hang out, forcing each other to watch each other’s favorite movies, having photo shoots, working on procrastinated papers and presentations together, roasting each other, and adopting each other’s phrases and habits.
• Growth: I’ve become more comfortable in spending my time alone and can better see the value in it. I’ve realized that I have a lot farther to go in my
growth as a person— and have learned that I was definitely in denial and hiding some things from myself. I think that in some ways I’ve become less sure of my identity after this semester, but I think it’s a step in the right direction. If I hadn’t had this experience than I might never have been forced to reckon with these hard things, and push myself deeper to understand who I am and who I want to become.

Elizabeth Palmer

Liz at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland

• Favorite color: Peach
• Nickname(s): Liz, Lilibet, King Julian
• Enneagram Type: 3w2
• Astrology: Leo Sun and Moon, Virgo Rising
• Advice: MAKE QUALITY TIME FOR YOURSELF! You deserve the same effort you give when you’re with other people. Go for runs, explore, paint your nails, make a yummy healthy meal, read, etc. Don’t be afraid to reach out to one another and love on each other. You’re going to become a family, and looking out for each other makes the experience better for everyone!
• Memory: Playing True American with everyone in the living room, taking myself on a weekend date to Nice, France (see, treat yourself like you’d treat others!!), and walking by the colleges in springtime.
• Growth: BOUNDARIES!! You can’t get mad at anyone for overstepping your boundaries if they don’t even know about them. Learn to communicate and be honest, and you’ll have the best experience possible. Also, I’m finally not scared of public transportation!! 🙂

Dr. Lorraine Brugh

Dr. Brugh and Gary (her husband) at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridge, England

England
• Favorite color: Orange
• Nickname(s): Our Queen, Mom (including British version, Mum, on Mother’s Day).
• Astrology: Pisces Sun
• Advice: Practice solitude before you get here. There’s a lot of it here, and it takes some getting used to.
• Memory: Watching you all from the bridge and see you flow under me (punting) on the Cam.
• Growth: Improved toilet paper and paper towel management, though still a work in progress.

Demi Marshall

Demi at Stonehenge in Amesbury, England

• Favorite color: Yellow
• Nickname(s): Dem-Demz, Dung Beetle #1
• Enneagram Type: 3w4
• Astrology: Aquarius Sun
• Advice: Keep an open mind and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. Make the most of your time here because it will go by SO much faster than you think.
• Memory: All my favorite memories are spontaneous plans with my housemates that I didn’t anticipate happening that day. They are always the most fun. I’ve found saying yes more than staying in really beneficial.”

• Growth: I think I have become a much more independent and somehow calm person. I thought I would suffer a lot with anxiety and depression while abroad, but this has really been one of the clearest points in my life. I have learned to blend with new people and also do things for myself that I never thought possible.

Jasmine Delara

Jasmine in Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany, Italy
• Favorite color: Yellow
• Nickname(s): Mort, Jazz Hands, Jay-Z, Dung Beetle #2
• Enneagram Type: 2w3
• Astrology: Sagittarius Sun and Moon, Aquarius Rising
• Advice: The advice I would give to the next cohort or to anyone reading this, is to connect and create the community you want early in the semester and remember that relationships that you want to work will take continuous work. You get out what you put in and by building a community on understanding, forgiveness, compromise, and laughter you are working towards a really strong future.
• Memory: My favorite memory here in Cambridge has to be the weekly Common Meal dinners. Right from the beginning all of us in the house wanted to create a family-community feeling here in the house and a big setting for those bonds to be made was at Common Meal. I loved getting excited about what people were going to make that week or making others excited about what I was going to make that week. And then sitting down as a big family and sharing conversation to me really can’t be beat. It was always fun and it was always something I looked forward to and I will definitely miss it once I leave.
• Growth: I’ve grown in a multitude of ways, many of them being hard to describe. Most importantly I have grown in my faith, but not in the ways I was expecting to grow in my time here. I thought I was going to spend a lot of time in my Bible and grow in my one-on-one time with God in that way, but I found myself spending more time with him in nature on walks or while playing guitar. I have also found a new love for solitude and understanding its importance in reflection, growth, and understanding. Before this semester I would do almost anything to spend as little time as possible alone, and although I will still spend most of my time in community I will appreciate the time I have by myself.

Eric Wolfrum

Eric in Cambridge, England

• Favorite color: Green
• Nickname(s): Mellie
• Enneagram Type: 9w8
• Astrology: Leo Sun
• Advice: You might have more free time than you are used to, but there is so much that’s going on in Cambridge— it’s just up to you to put yourself out there.

• Memory: Sitting by the canal in Amsterdam while reflecting on my past three months of being in Europe. Also, going on lots of hikes and long walks, and American Mondays!!
• Growth: I have learned that things usually work out in the end and that risks are worth taking. In addition, I learned how to be more comfortable with myself and learned that people are (generally) nice and welcoming wherever you go.

Nolan Filbert

Nolan at the Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseilles, France

• Favorite color: Green
• Nickname(s): Sweet Wedge, Shmehh, Noly-Bear
• Enneagram Type: 2w1
• Astrology: Taurus Sun, Pisces Moon
• Advice: Through all the entrances and exits in life, this program will be one of the best. My advice would be to come with no expectation of what it will be like but prepare to be amazed at the beautiful place that Cambridge is and the beautiful people you’ll live with. Take time to explore and find the green spaces to relax and the coffee shops to study in. Try to soak up the amount of history, culture, and music that is literally on every street and you won’t come close to being disappointed (hopefully). Lastly, your cohort will become your family, full of love and fun-filled memories that will last a lifetime.

• Memory: One hundred and fifty percent would be all the little places in Cambridge that we went to throughout the year to learn more about Cambridge with the greatest tour guide, Dr. Brugh. Of course seeing “As You Like It” in person and in the birthplace of Shakespeare was a favorite memory too. The games we played as a group are definitely up there too.
• Growth: The biggest thing I have learned while being here in Cambridge is that art is cool and I absolutely fell in love with it (Check out David Hockney for my favorite artist). (Go to the Prado Museum in Madrid and you won’t regret a millisecond of it) 🙂

Ellie Hackbath

Ellie in Stratford upon Avon, England

• Favorite color: Blue
• Nicknames: Eleanor, Queen of the Night
• Enneagram Type: 9w1
• Astrology: Capricorn Sun, Libra Moon and Rising
• Advice: First: Don’t be afraid to travel because it’s easier than you think it is, and if you’re smart about it, it’s always a good experience— I haven’t had a bad one yet. Secondly: Don’t be worried to spend time at home because Cambridge is beautiful and everyone needs time to recuperate.

• Memory: My favorite memory in Cambridge was to see a play with Nolan at the Cambridge Arts Theater. And outside of Cambridge was when Demi, Bethany, and I went to Paris. We all sat on the floor of our Air BnB, ate baguettes and brie and drank wine— it was really fun.
• Growth: I’ve become more independent, self-assured, and less willing to take other people’s BS.

Eric Ruzanski

Eric at the British Museum in London, England

• Favorite color: Blue
• Nickname(s): Easy E, Weatherman, RaEric
• Astrology: Aries Sun
• Advice: Find a British topic, that be it science, literature, history, or whatever, and independently research that topic while you’re here. Go out of your way to visit places or do things related to the topic. If you love to learn, it’s a great way to enjoy and appreciate the time allotted in the United Kingdom. For me, this was Margaret Thatcher and BREXIT! I also visited a few places in Cambridge where big-name mathematical contributions came from. This town has so much to offer!
• Memory: Hanging out with the Valpo group at Castle St. Pub after our first British Life and Culture trip to London. Also, writing, researching, and equity trading at various pubs and coffee shops.
• Growth: I have grown to be patient with slow-er European Wi-Fi… 😉

Camden Heinisch

Cami in Windermere in the Lake District, England

• Favorite color: Purple
• Nickname(s): Cami
• Astrology: Cancer Sun
• Advice: Your time here is what you make of it, and there are ways to get involved in Cambridge. Personally, I did this through sports and Christianity. And experiment! I experimented with my fashion here (partly out of necessity because I didn’t bring a lot of things), and it will definitely come back to the States. Own the fact that you’re American. People won’t look down on you just because of your accent. They may grossly impersonate your accent and stereotype you (my personal favorite was being called a ‘yee-haw’ and seeing the accompanying handshake) but it’s all in good fun, trust me 🙂 The Brits that I have met here have an amazing sense of humor, and they can dish it as well as take it.
• Memory: Going to a local pub after Bible study one Tuesday night. It had been a really rough week, but everyone that I went with was just so amazing and fun to be around… It was hard not to feel the same as they did walking out of there.

• Growth: Fashion, emotion, faith, (but mostly faith). The Brits I’ve surrounded myself with here are exemplary Christians in a way I’ve never seen masses of people being, and it really pushed me to take a hard look at myself and how I was acting and going along in my faith. Time will only tell if the changes I experienced here carry over to the States.

Cohort #102 at the Jane Austen Center in Bath, England

Author: Emily Neuharth

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Reflections on living in a country that is deeply rooted in history— a new experience for me.

I have always been the type of person that felt interested in history because it was something that I felt like I should be interested in. As a student immersed in creative writing, literature, and humanities courses, studying context has become like muscle-memory to me. As the city’s unprecedented historical depth was continually used as a selling-point for the Cambridge program, I anticipated growing in this forced-interest and I had (and still have) high hopes for the positive influences it will have on my writing and understanding of the world. The beginning of our time here has been jam-packed with British Life and culture excursions all around Cambridge and England in general, the majority of these focusing on famously historical, traditional locations.

Liz and I in front of Ely Cathedral (photo taken by Jasmine!)

I should make clear that I do feel incredibly fortunate to be able to witness and learn from these ancient churches and free museums (all museums in England are free!!); I have been trying very hard to be intentional and not take any of it for granted. But there have been many moments where I’ve become overwhelmed trying to truly wrap my mind around the fact these places have existed for as long as they do.

For example, we climbed 170 steps to get to the top of Ely Cathedral where we were met with a breathtaking (not just from the stairs), misty view. Watching the birds nestle on top of gargoyles, I thought about our newly acquired facts, like how part of the Cathedral is from the 600s, that the magnificent trees used to support these 250 ft. towers were from the 300s, and that, in the 900s, they could create something so tall and long-lasting. I was in awe, but I couldn’t muster the profound wonder that I felt the Cathedral and its history deserved. And it wasn’t like I was reading about Ely in a textbook— I felt one of those trees with my hand and I stood on top of this massive tower!

Liz and Jasmine at the top of the tower.

This photo was taken about halfway up the tower.

I think it was the mindset that history in itself should be enough to captivate and deeply inspire me that often resulted in me feeling discouraged after the first of these excursions. Upon reflection, I’ve reminded myself that everyone’s interests are varied and that that’s okay— it’s not really something I can force. But I’ve also realized that finding personal connections to something historical has led me to the awe that I felt I was lacking.

The following are some parts of Ely where I experienced profound wonder through witnessing the interaction of past and present.

I’ve discovered that it’s often been in noticing the little things that I find wonder and feel like I’m doing something right with my precious time abroad. Some generous-spirited stranger had placed this little painted rock in a perfect little nook, and it really was one of my favorite observations from Ely. Not only was that bird now finally in her rightful home, but it also brought humanity to this indestructible building. It inspired me to consider how many people have come to see this Cathedral (as tourists, church-goers, mourners, historians, musicians, workers, clergy, royalty etc.). Who painted this rock and who brought it here?

I think another reason why I had difficulty sustaining interest in some of our initial historical sightseeing was that when I couldn’t find any personal connection, I subconsciously felt like it couldn’t apply to me or that it was something I was excluded from. But I have been growing in appreciating the vast amount of time that these places have existed, rather than letting its mysterious incomprehensibility make me feel insignificant. And still, there have been times where we’ve been able to magically impose our present lives into the insurmountable past— like how our trip to Ely coincidentally fell on Ellie’s birthday!

An amazing photo that Jasmine took of Ellie at Ely!

Author: Ulises E. Hernandez

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: He/Him/His

As we approach the end of our study abroad program, I feel that it’s time to reflect on what goes on in my life on a typical Tuesday in Cambridge. You might wonder, why Tuesday? Well, the Valparaiso University is partnered with the Westfield house which is part of the Theological Federation of Cambridge University. Every Tuesday, it is customary for all Valparaiso and Concordia students to meet for a social tea gathering that ends with an evening prayer service. That event takes place in the evening, so first, let’s backtrack and cover my entire day from the moment I wake up.

After my alarm goes off, I get up without hitting the snooze button at exactly 7 am. I get dressed and I make my way down to the bathroom to shave and brush my teeth. After that, I go to the kitchen and prepare myself three eggs, a cup of Greek yogurt and ½ of a cup of oatmeal. After I have prepared and eaten my first meal, I go back to my room to grab my backpack and clothes in order to later take a shower at the gym. By 8 am, I grab my backpack and bicycle keys and ride to a fitness center called Kelsey Kerridge, which is located about 15-20 minutes away from the Valparaiso study center. On Tuesday’s, I focus on deadlifting and the upper back muscle groups which take me about 2-3 hours depending on the day and my level of energy. After my workout, I cool down for 15-20 minutes by eating my second meal of the day which consists of a protein shake, rice, vegetables, and a piece of chicken breast. After my meal, I take either an ice bath, I get on the hot tub or I sit in the sauna for 12-20 minutes. My decision will be based upon the day and the intensity level of my workout, once I finish on those things I take a regular shower and I get dressed.

Tuesdays are usually my easiest day of the week because I only have a Marketing class that starts at 1 pm. This class is two-hours longs and the class is set up to be a more project-based learning instead of a conventional lecture. We will do some type of activity for the first hour which is usually market research based. For the second portion of the class, we usually tend to discuss our findings followed by a small lecture presentation done by the professor. After class, I will go back to Kelsey Kerridge to pick up my gym bag and I ride my bicycle back to the study center.

Once I get to the study center, I will prepare my third meal of the day which consists of the exact same thing as my second meal. After I eat my meal, I usually take about an hour to read for my next day classes. At 4:30 pm, we all meet at the Chapel for tea and that takes about an hour. We usually talk about events during the week that are usually planned by Cambridge University or about upcoming trips we plan on our own. After tea, we all go to the evening prayer that is most of the time organized by students. Last week I had the chance to play tuba for the first time since High School during service and it was a great experience! After Evening prayer, we all usually go back to the study center and some of us work on homework for a few hours in the living room. Usually, I’ll have my fourth meal at 7 pm which consists of the exact same thing as my second and third meal! After eating my dinner, I’ll go to my room and I usually do about 2-3 hours of reading for my next day classes. After the reading, I usually work on my final papers until 1 in the morning. This paper is typically very long and the entire course grade depends on them. After working on my papers and reading, I usually go downstairs to the kitchen to drink a protein shake and to brush my teeth in the bathroom. After that, I change and I get ready for bed. That’s my typical Tuesdays and I have two more Tuesdays remaining!

Author: Emma Hecht

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

I don’t know anything about sports. So, when my friend and her family took me to the Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace soccer (“football”) game two Sundays ago at Stamford Bridge, I learned a lot: 1. They water the field right before the game. To someone mildly accident-prone, this seemed particularly hazardous. But, I guess it’s just to get the field to the right texture… I don’t know, it still seems dangerous to me.
2. Sometimes you just need a five minute nap to get through the first quarter.
3. British/European fans are very reserved. They sit quietly in their seats observing the game, occasionally chanting uniformly. They only stand and cheer when their team makes a goal. (Which is what? Like, max four times a game?) I don’t know any American who has sat through even a little league game that mildly.
4. The players use their heads and chests almost as much as their feet to get the ball around. I’m
not sure how that doesn’t hurt.

Stamford Bridge Stadium

Another big thing here in England  is the holiday Bonfire Night (also called Guy Fawkes Night) on November 5th . It started years after Guy Fawkes, a Catholic activist, and a dozen other men planted gunpowder under the House of Parliament to blow it up. This would have killed the political members inside that were religiously persecuting the Catholics, if Guy Fawkes hadn’t gotten caught just hours before he was going to light the match and complete the plot. Great Britain began to remember this day to celebrate that their King and Parliament members weren’t killed, which was definitely very anti-Catholic. However, today that anti-Catholic message is gone and it’s simply an act of community where people get together and set off fireworks and light a huge bonfire. The event I attended was organized by the city of Cambridge. There were twenty minutes of fireworks, which might’ve been the best fireworks I’ve ever seen, and, of course, an enormous bonfire. The fact that the Brits will light this bonfire astounds me. They are crazy about their fire safety. Pretty much all of the doors in the house I live in are “fire doors” and they have to be closed at all times. Any building you go into has marked fire exits (not emergency exits—fire exits). In one church service, I was in, there was even a designated seat for a fire marshal.

The fireworks, which lasted twenty minutes

A terrible picture of the bonfire, but the best one my iPhone 6 camera could take—I could feel
the heat from where I was standing

Three other Valpo girls and I took a little field trip with our director, Dr. Brugh, and her husband this past weekend to Anglesey Abbey. We walked around the grounds, which were kept up beautifully, and contained all kinds of trees and plants. Right near the main house, there is also a working flour mill, one of the last of its kind in England, where the flour is hand-ground. The house itself is built on the foundation of an old abbey where monks used to live and work. However, it was rebuilt around the 17 th century. Now, however, all of its decorations come from the 1920’s, since its buyer in that era wanted to modernize it.

River through the grounds of Anglesey Abbey, leading to the flour mill (the white building)

The back of the house

Author: Emma Hecht

Location: Cambridge, England

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

The education system here in England is extremely different from what we’re used to in the United States. I attend two different schools: the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin. The University of Cambridge is made up of thirty-one colleges, each with their own dormitories, libraries, and classrooms. Each student accepted to the university is part of one and only one college, such as Kings or Trinity. However, students from each college sit in lectures together, which are not held at any college in particular, but on a different part of campus in buildings of lecture halls. The lectures are typically small, about twenty students, but can be up to around two-hundred. The lecturer basically just walks into class, gives a speech, leaves, and class is over. After the big community lecture, the students go back to their respective colleges and meet with a tutor (a different professor that belongs to their college), which is the person that facilitates a discussion about the class. These meeting might be one on one or in a very small group. Students will turn in all their course work to this tutor, not the lecturer. Speaking of course work, English professors do not assign coursework for a grade during the semester. The only thing that is due for the entire semester is a substantial paper at the end that expresses some sort of knowledge regarding an aspect of the course. There are recommended readings each week, but no quizzes, exams, or in class discussions of what you read. You can choose to read what’s recommended, read something different, or not read at all. Since Valpo students can’t belong to one of the thirty-one colleges, we get access to our Cambridge classes through the Westfield House, the building next door to our house, which is part of the Cambridge University Theological Federation. It’s like a Lutheran seminary that is connected to the lecture halls of Cambridge. So, Valpo students can have lectures in the Cambridge lecture halls, and then we come back to the Westfield House and meet with our tutor (e.g.—I sit in a twenty-five person lecture at the Faculty of Divinity lecture hall for my Sociology of Religion class and then come back to Westfield and meet with Dr. Gunjevic and two other Valpo students to talk over readings and decide on our paper topics). My classes at Anglia Ruskin are similar to Cambridge, but much more relaxed. It’s a small school like Valpo, where my classes (Database Design, Writing Poetry, and Prose Fiction) consist of ten to twenty students. Like Cambridge, there is only one assignment, due at the end of the semester (some of them due after the semester end at the beginning of January). Because they only assign one cumulative assessment, each class typically just once a week for two hours. For these classes, you have to “tap in,” which means you tap your student ID on a little electronic device on the wall inside the door that takes attendance. Even though Anglia uses this system to track exactly how many classes you attend, many students skip classes. But if you study abroad here, you are not allowed to skip more than two, or you get sent back to the States.

Anglia Ruskin University (where I take 3 classes)

Faculty of Divinity, Cambridge University (where I have my lecture once a week)