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Tag: Cambridge Study Center (page 3 of 3)

Cambridge Culture

Before our lovely excursion to Wales last weekend, the group had a whirlwind of a week. We were booked with a number of fascinating things to do that gave us a better perspective of what life used to like in Cambridge, and what English culture is like today.

The first thing that we did was visit the Imperial War Museum at Duxford Air Field. This air field is where pilots went to train during World War II. On display are many old airplanes from different wars, and even pieces from a Nazi plane that was taken down. There were also a lot of interactive activities where you could see how they make a hot air balloon fly, or understand what a plane looks like when it is flying into the wind.

My favorite part of the Imperial War Museum did not have to do so much with the planes, but the people involved with them. One section of the museum was dedicated to pictures and profiles of British veterans who served during World War II. Many of them were paratroopers who parachuted down into France during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. I always get emotional with anything that has to do with the military, but these struck me as even more special than before. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the beaches of Normandy. Many of these veterans were standing in places that I had visited. I felt the enormous weight of history on me, and I am very grateful to them for risking their lives so that I can travel here and look at their pictures and see their stories.

Our week continued when we went to Newmarket for the Rowley Mile Horse Races. A lot of us had never been to any kind of horse racing back in the US, and we weren’t quite sure if we would like it. By the end of the day, however, I think we all would have agreed that it was a lot of fun. Horse racing in the UK is different from the US in several ways. The biggest way is that they horses race along a flat, straight-lined track, not in a circle. In the US, you watch the Kentucky Derby, and it’s an all day event with only one race that’s a few minutes long. Our day was also quite long, but we got to see seven different races. We had fun picking horses and betting on which ones we thought would win.

It was a fun week full of lots of culture and events. This week marks our first week long break, and just about everyone is traveling to parts of Germany and France, with some going to Austria and the Czech Republic. Classes at Anglia Ruskin have also started, so for those of us not taking a class at the Study Center, it is nice to finally get going and have some other work to do. I’m looking forward to sitting around and reading books for fun :).

Until next time!

Aeroplane at the Imperial War Museum

Aeroplane at the Imperial War Museum

Piece of a Nazi aeroplane from World War II

Piece of a Nazi aeroplane from World War II

One of the horses being paraded at Rowley Mile

One of the horses being paraded at Rowley Mile

Group at the races Photo credit: Breezy Scheffer

Group at the races
Photo credit: Breezy Scheffer

Wandering in the Woods of Wales

This past week was full of a whirlwind of activities, the most recent being our group’s weekend trip to Wales. Normally, groups travel to the Lake District in England for their hiking trip, but our director Matt decided to take us to Wales instead. And we were all very glad he did.

Our first stop was Caernarfon Castle in Wales. I have a fascination with royalty and princesses, so for me, seeing a castle was the perfect way to spend a couple of hours. Being able to see the passages and staircases and rooms in a castle gives me a better sense of what life would have been like for royalty back in the day. I can definitely see where a castle would have been drafty–there were a couple of times when the wind whipped right through the windows.

We also had the opportunity to go horseback riding on the beach. It was a gorgeous evening, and the sky was so blue, and it made it the perfect afternoon. My horse’s name was Tommy, and he was black with a little nub of a tail. He had a mind of his own, so by the end of the walk, we had moved up from sixth in line to second in line. This was only my second time on a horse, but I felt so secure and relaxed with Tommy that I was able to enjoy all the scenery around me without worrying about breaking away from the group or falling off.

The next day, we went on a “hike” (more like a nature walk) down a road from our hostel. The day was cloudy, and it rained a little, but it made for a very peaceful walk. The clouds were low in the sky, and covered the tops of the mountains in a sort of eerie fog that I thought was absolutely beautiful. We strolled through the rolling hills, next to the water and the estuaries, and then out to the sea. There were blackberries and gooseberries along the side of the road that we picked and ate along the way.

On Sunday, we drove to Liverpool and visited the childhood homes of John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney. Our group stood in the front entryway of John Lennon’s house where the Beatles practiced, and sang a Beatles song. We can now all say that we sang where the Beatles sang :). Because Liverpool was the main dock where slaves were transported into the UK, we also visited the Maritime and Slavery Museum in Liverpool.

It was a wonderful weekend, and the perfect way to see a new country. If anyone else has the chance to go to Wales while they are in England, take that chance. As several people in our group said, now that we’ve been to Wales, we couldn’t imagine coming here and not visiting Wales. It is such a beautiful and unique place, and absolutely worth the time to go and see.

Caernarfon Castle

Caernarfon Castle

Tommy and me on the beach :)

Tommy and me on the beach 🙂

IMG_2350

View from our horse ride to the beach

View from our horse ride to the beach

Exploring Cambridge

I’ve been in Cambridge for a few weeks now, and I feel like I have settled into a routine. My days these past couple of weeks have been filled with a few classes, but mostly going out and getting to know the city that is my home for the next eight months.

I keep myself busy during the days by walking around the small little streets of Cambridge. I don’t have any classes on Wednesdays, so I usually take that day to explore. I go out by myself and take my time going down whatever road I want to just to see what’s there. I love wandering around and exploring and even getting a little lost. It’s been a great way to get to know the city. I love the smaller shops and local businesses. You never really know what kind of shop you’re going to walk into, and I think that’s awesome.

Yesterday, the entire group went punting. For those of who who don’t know what that is, a punt is a wooden boat with a flat area on one end. Someone stands on that and uses a long pole to push the boat through the water. Anyway, it was another unusually gorgeous day outside with clear skies and the sun shining, and I had a blast.

The group split up into two punts, and our two tour guides had us go side by side so they could both talk about the things we were seeing at the same time. We passed St. John’s College, Trinity College, King’s College, and Magdalene College on the River Cam. Both of our guides were very knowledgeable and had a lot of interesting stories to share about the colleges and things that happen in Cambridge. It was nice to sit and relax for an hour and be outside in the sunshine and see Cambridge without having to walk anywhere.

Today I climbed the the highest spot in Cambridge. Granted, I live in Colorado, so this “high spot” was a little baby hill. But nevertheless, it still offered the best views of Cambridge. I could see the entire city, and I realized that it was much bigger than I thought it was. Because I can walk to anywhere I need to go so easily and relatively quickly, I always assumed the Cambridge was smaller than it was. I could see all the way to the King’s College Chapel.

The hill that I climbed was actually built by the Romans in the early A.D.’s. It was a point where four different roads met to cross the river Cam into the city, and, being the highest point in Cambridge, it was easy to defend. Like I’ve said before, and will probably continue to keep saying, it is fascinating to be in a place where the history extends over a thousand years.

I have really enjoyed getting to know Cambridge so far, and I am excited to do some more exploring. Tomorrow is International Student Orientation at Anglia Ruskin University, and a few of us are attending that. I’m sure there will be many more stories to tell and things to talk about when classes at Anglia start in a week and a half!

The only collegiate chapel in the world that is larger than Valpo's Chapel of the Resurrection: King's College Chapel

The only collegiate chapel in the world that is larger than Valpo’s Chapel of the Resurrection: King’s College Chapel

Keeping Up With the Times

As a whole, I don’t think people keep up enough with current events. You may think that the current events of the country you’re studying don’t matter, but I would beg to differ. I think that they can play a huge role in how you view a country, and how the people of that country might view you as an American.

In England, the biggest current event right now is the Scottish referendum. In just a few days, the Scots will vote on whether or not they should separate from the United Kingdom and become their own independent country, much like Ireland already is. For awhile, the vote to stay with the UK was much more popular than to secede, but in the past week, Scottish nationalists have gained a slight lead in voting to secede, jumping nearly twenty points in polls from a month ago. If, on September 18, the Scots vote to separate from the UK, this would be one of the biggest voting turnarounds in history.

There are a lot of factors that have to be considered if or when Scotland becomes independent. Many politicians say that it will be hard for Scotland to regain membership in the European Union, up to five or six years. It would be a big change for English people, because Scotland has been a part of the UK for such a long time. It will be a big change for Scotland too, because they will have to figure out their government, their military, and simply how to survive without being a part of the UK. This could even end up setting off a chain reaction, and Wales could be the next country to claim their independence.

I’ll admit, England is probably an exception, as this is not the sort of current event that happens every day. And I am by no means an expert on this subject. But I still think it is important to listen to what is going on, and understand the implications this could have for the country. Whether you realize it or not, whatever happens in your country will affect you in some way. Maybe not in as drastic a way as the end of the United Kingdom, but it is still important to pay attention. I would encourage anyone who travels abroad to read the newspapers, watch the news stations, do whatever you have to do to stay informed about your country’s current events, because they just might have an affect on you.

The group at Parliament, which could see a lot of changes within the next few days when the vote goes up for the Scottish referendum

The group at Parliament, which could see a lot of changes within the next few days when the vote goes up for the Scottish referendum

A Lovely Day in Londontown

This past weekend, the entire Cambridge group packed up our backpacks (with a few suitcases) and travelled to London. I loved London the last time I was in the UK, so I was really excited to go back and see what I remembered, and enjoy what was new.

While there were many things that I enjoyed seeing in London, I would have to say that my favorite thing was Westminster Palace and Parliament. When I walked into Westminster Hall, I was overwhelmed by the amount of history that was in that one room. I could imagine King Henry VIII holding a masque and everyone dancing in that room. I could imagine Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators in the Gunpowder plot being tried there. It was absolutely amazing to stand in a place where so much history had occurred.

Touring Parliament is a lot like touring places in Washington D.C. In D.C., you get to see where all of our government’s action takes place. I got a similar feeling when I was touring the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It was there that I began to realize and appreciate the similarities the American government shares with the English government. In both cases, we have two separate houses with a figurehead. No one group has too much power, and everyone keeps each other in check. It’s very cool to be in a place where you know that the greatest issues of the country are discussed and resolved.

Going to the theatre in England is one of the most exciting things to do. London especially is exciting because it was the home of William Shakespeare and other thriving playwrights of the Renaissance and later. I was thrilled that as a group, we had the opportunity to see two plays this weekend. My favorite would have to be Matilda, based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl. The sets were intricate, the music was fantastic, and the emphasis on Matilda’s brilliance and ability to read and tell stories was refreshing. I would absolutely recommend going to a play while in London.

Overall, it was a fantastic weekend, but I am definitely glad to be back in Cambridge, where it is not so busy and everything is smaller. I am looking forward to class this week as we start to get into the swing of things!

Going off to Hogwarts!

Going off to Hogwarts!

Big Ben

Big Ben

Cambridge Theatre where we saw Matilda

Cambridge Theatre where we saw Matilda

 

Ready, Set, Go

So much has happened between when we left Chicago and now that I can hardly believe it’s only been a few days. I set foot off the plane and I was going full speed ahead into the new school year.

The first night we were here, we all went out to Baron of Beef for dinner and got our first taste of pub life in Cambridge. Granted, it’s not nearly as busy since students aren’t back in school yet at Cambridge University, but it was an interesting experience. They played  American music in the pub that dates back a few years, which was kind of funny. A helpful hint: if you don’t know what to order, ask the bartender for a suggestion. They know what kinds of things they have and can usually give you some good choices.

Today was the first day of classes and now everything is getting into full swing. We had our first round of house chores today (ugh) and I think we’ve all got a better idea of what living in the house is going to be like for the next four months.

What has struck me the most in the past few days is the amount of history that there is overseas. In America, our history, while wildly fascinating, is pretty short. In England, there’s over a thousand years of history. The town of Cambridge is home to a hill created by the Normans in 1066, and an Apple store in the mall. You can visit a hundred-year-old chapel, or go out to the club. It’s amazing how much history is in one place, and how everything just coexists with one another.

The past few days have felt like such a whirlwind of activity that I haven’t truly had time to sit down and comprehend the fact that I am so far away from home, and living in another country. It doesn’t seem possible. Since the moment we set foot in England, we seamlessly moved into the new routines and way of life in the city. We hit the ground running from the very beginning. And that’s a good thing. It made me feel much more at home, and ready to explore the new place I live in.

Group (minus 2) at Chicago O'Hare

Group (minus 2) at Chicago O’Hare

Bridge over the River Cam

Bridge over the River Cam

 

Almost There

Have you ever felt so excited for something in the future that you want to skip everything that comes before it just so you can do it? That’s how I feel about today. Today is the day we leave the United States to travel to Cambridge, England. I’m so close to being there that I can almost feel it, but I have to go through all of the traveling to get there first. I’ve got my bags packed, my e-ticket ready, but I can’t quite get to England yet. So I get to look forward to what’s to come for just one more day.

Here are some things that I am most looking forward to during my time abroad:

1. Traveling. I love seeing new places and visiting cultural and historical landmarks. It really puts into perspective the history of a place when you’ve seen it firsthand. I love taking pictures, and I’m excited to see what beautiful places I can visit and capture. Plus, there’s the added bonus of trying new foods. Who doesn’t love food?

2. Meeting new people. It’s been said that a good motto for life is to do one things every day that scares you, because it broadens your horizons and you may learn to like something that you never thought you’d like. I am not the most outgoing person, but I specifically chose to go to England with a group of people I’ve either never met, or don’t know very well. Meeting new people scares me, but I think that it will enhance my abroad experience that much more if I grow alongside people who are experiencing the same things I am.

3. Making a new home. College is a great time for reinvention. Every year we move into different places with a different group of people. We change so much year to year, and make our own homes with the people around us we love and the environment we’re in. I’m excited to making my home in Cambridge for the year with the people around me.

In just a few short hours, we’ll all be on a plane to Cambridge, and that’s when the fun starts. I can’t wait to start the journey, and I’m looking forward to the memories I’ll make living abroad.

All my bags, ready to go

All my bags, ready to go

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