Final: A Traveling Scholar's Tale

The moment I arrived in London and got off at Liverpool Street, I felt like I was in a different world.  One full of red double decker buses and crowds of men in blue business suits, and a buzz of city life that I had never experienced before.  After managing to grab a taxi, I remember sitting in the back in marvel of the city as we drove through midday traffic, passing theatres, extravagant stores, and beautiful old buildings.  Arriving at the London Centre, I stopped to look at the door that I had just seen in pictures, and dreamt about seeing in person someday.  Back then, I had no idea of the amazing adventures I would have and all the things I would learn here in the U.K. as a hyper-hip traveling scholar.

Some of my best moments as a true traveling scholar included when we did the walks, because not only were we finding our way around by walking, we were learning things about the landmarks as we did so.  The Walls of Londonium walk is a great example.  That was just our second day in London, and I already felt like I was learning so much.  On that walk, we were able to follow the route of the walk pretty well, although we may have taken a few wrong turns along the way.  I felt like a scholar because if I were just a tourist, I would have most likely just walked right past those parts of the wall, and not have realized that these were remnants of a wall built by the Romans in approximately the 3^rd century.  Similarly, on other walks, we were able to stop and appreciate history along the way, and see the things that other people might miss if they weren’t being a scholar.  In my future travels, I hope to continue to cultivate a historical awareness of the places I am going so I don’t miss anything.  

Another example of being a true scholar for me was visiting art museums, like the National Gallery and the Tate Britain.  Last semester I took an art history class, so I was excited to see some of the art pieces that I learned about in class in person.  I was very fortunate to have a background about these artists, because I appreciated them a lot more.  At the National Gallery, the chance to see a Caravaggio, Cezanne, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Seurat, Matisse, Van Gogh, Vermeer, and the Arnolfini portrait by Jan van Eyck was incredible.  And at the Tate Britain, the chance to see Constable, Turner, William Blake, and pre-Raphaelite paintings like Ophelia, The Lady of Shalott, and many others, was a real treat for me.  Putting some of these artworks in context of being in England really made a difference, like those of Turner and Blake.  Being able to contribute some background knowledge to these paintings was one of my best moments as a traveling scholar.

Finally, a third example of hyper-hip traveling scholarship for me has to do with Dunkirk.  If I was back home, I probably would have seen the movie Dunkirk and thought, “Wow, what a great movie.”  But being here in the U.K this summer, and learning about past world wars through museums and historical sites has made me appreciate Dunkirk more than I would have anticipated.  Specifically, first I was able to learn about Dunkirk at the Imperial War Museum in a way that was interactive and informative.  Then I saw the movie, which held me suspense the whole time.  And just last week, we went to Dover and toured the underground tunnels, learning about the event from beginning to end.  The best part was actually being there, and looking out across the ocean and seeing France on the other side.  As my hyper-hip traveling scholar self, I imagined what it must have been like for them at Dunkirk, looking over to Dover where we were, praying, hoping, to make it across.  Having the context of the movie and the history put it all in context for me, and became one of my favorite traveling scholar moments.

Looking back at all of my experiences on this study abroad, there are so many times that I felt like a traveling scholar, from seeing various Shakespeare plays and getting to visit his birthplace, to reading literature like Tintern Abbey, and then getting to visit it and marvel at its beauty. From visiting the Parliament of Scotland, Wales, and the U.K., to touring so many ancient and beautiful castles and cathedrals.  Among all these things, I’ve really enjoyed doing the walks, visiting the art museums, and learning about Dunkirk.  And even further, in addition to the things I’ve learned, what I will bring home most from this study abroad are the experiences and friends I’ve made along the way. 

Bagpipes and Kilts

The Elephant House café in Scotland is known as a “place of inspiration” since it is considered the birthplace of Harry Potter, or rather, where the author J.K. Rowling first started writing the Harry Potter books.  When we traveled to Scotland and arrived in Edinburgh, I could see the magic that this city held, and perhaps the reason for that inspiration.  During our short time in Scotland, we visited the beautiful home of Sir Walter Scott, full of war relics and honored family crests.  We explored the exciting city of Edinburgh, meeting new people along the way.  We toured the Edinburgh castle, learning about the history of war and their people.  We hiked to Arthur’s seat, which was well worth the treacherous stairs and uphill steps to the top to see the spectacular view of the city and the landscape.  Most notable from our trip to Scotland though, for me, was the number of bagpipes and kilts found everywhere.  These cultural artifacts really make Scotland who they are. 

During our visit to Scotland, we had the opportunity to tour the Scottish Parliament, where we learned about the history and function of their nation’s Parliament.  It was very interesting to compare their Parliament to the Welsh Assembly.  In class, we discussed many of the differences and similarities between the two, especially about their identity along with a Parliament separate from England.  One thing I thought was fascinating was why there were significantly more Scottish people who voted to have their own Scottish Parliament than Welsh people who voted to have a Welsh Parliament (About 51% voted for the Welsh Parliament while about 70% voted for the Scottish Parliament).  I think the identity of Wales and of Scotland was the major factor behind the result of the vote.  This led me to question of what makes a national identity stronger than others? Scotland has a longer history of having their own Parliament and even their own King for a time, while the parliament in Wales is a more recent establishment.  To me though, the Scottish identity is more distinctive than the Welsh because of kilts and bagpipes, specifically bagpipes.  

As soon as we entered Scotland, we were greeted with a man in a kilt playing the bagpipes for visitors at the Scottish border.  This to me was a huge example of how Scottish identity is very distinct, and stronger as a nation.  While in Scotland, there was shop after shop selling kilts, and street performers playing the bagpipes.  I wonder if having a musical instrument tied to one’s country can make their identity stronger?  Although I could not speak for a Scot, as an American, whenever I hear our country’s national anthem, it evokes a strong sense of pride in me.  The familiar tune reminds me of how blessed I am to be living in the nation I live in.  I imagine that similar feelings are shared when Scots hear the bagpipes.  In fact, historically, during World War I and II, pipers were trained for military service.  I imagine that that must have also made the soldiers remind them of what they were fighting for, boosting national pride and morale.  As another example, just like when one hears the Harry Potter theme song, anyone who has seen the movies will be reminded of the magic of the stories, and can be brought to feel things.  Today in Scotland, bagpipes are still used in the military and played in formal ceremonies, which I believe still helps the people to be reminded of their country and what they stand for. 

Scotland has their signifier, but does Wales have anything?  If Wales had a certain instrument linked to their culture, would their national identity be stronger? In researching a Welsh national instrument, I could not find a specific one, other than the harp which is popular in Wales.  Looking back to our trip to Wales, I couldn’t pick out anything that set it apart from England, other than the fact that there were less people and more sheep.  In comparing my experience of the two tours of Parliament, I think that since the Welsh people are still trying to create their identity, they are more open to share it with other people, and promote this cool new thing they’ve got.  On the other hand, Scotland doesn’t feel like they need to sell us on their Parliament, because it has already been a part of their identity for a while. I think that by having cultural artifacts like bagpipes and kilts strongly associated with Scotland, their national identity is indeed stronger.  It allows for them to have something to call their own.  It brings a sense of unity to their people.  It’s a part of their history.  And since this had led to a stronger identity, I believe that is why more people voted for Scotland to have their own Parliament, because they want to continue preserve that part of their own identity separate from England. 

Additionally, this week in class we talked about the U.K.’s decision to leave the E.U.  Looking at the voting patterns, most all of Scotland voted to stay in the E.U.  Wales, on the other hand, was about 50/50, split between wanting to leave and wanting to stay.  It struck me again how Scotland’s identity has so much to do with this vote.  Scotland must feel comfortable enough with their own identity to want to remain in the E.U., and the fact that almost all of Scotland voted the same way, indicated they have a unified, confident nation.  Contrastingly, Wales differed in opinion about half and half.  Again, I wonder if this is attributed to the cultural artifacts having a strong influence of a nation’s identity.  Bagpipes have been a part of Scotland’s musical tradition and culture for centuries.  And kilts have been a part of their wardrobe since the 16^th century.  These things have set Scotland apart, distinguishing themselves as a nation, for a long time. 

Back to the magic of Harry Potter, Scotland left in me the desire come back and stay for longer, to experience all the country has to offer.  But, even in the two days we were there, I think I saw enough kilts and heard enough bagpipes to last me a while.

Kent Walk

On a beautiful rainy Saturday, a group of us set off to Kent to do a walk.  It was led by George, a member of the church who has lived in England his whole life.  We took the train to meet him there, leaving the busy city life of London behind.  As soon as we stepped off the platform, we entered into a town noticeably very calm and peaceful.  Since only part of the group made it onto the train, we sat on the grass by a little stream and waited for the others to arrive.  I honestly felt like I would have been happy just sitting there for the day since I felt more at peace there than I had in a while.  As we set off to do the walk with everyone, we walked through a beautiful green foresty area, jumping over rain puddles and stopping to take turns on a small zipline.  Then we entered Lullingstone Country Park, home of the lavender fields.  We first walked through fields of mixed yellow and lavender flowers, stopping to take pictures with friends, and then reached the top of the hill where we could see the huge fields of lavender below.  They were just as I imagined.  Vibrant purple.  Sweet smelling.  Simply magical.

  

George told us that these lavender fields used to be decoy air strips that the Royal Air Force used during World War II.  I would have never known that not only did these lavender fields serve the purpose of being harvested for its lovely aroma, but it also served to help during times of war.   These fields were also in an area that was geographically convenient because it was far away enough from the city and had enough countryside surrounding it to serve this purpose.  For the people of Kent, the lavendar fields were more than just fields.

As we continued through the walk, it had started to rain more, and I was starting to get annoyed and wanted to be done walking.  My shoes were getting wet and muddy, and I was tired and ready to go back.  One of the members of George’s ward, saw me and told me to smile.  He said “rain is just liquid sunshine.”  Just that simple comment changed my attitude around.  In that moment, I realized we were walking through a beautiful wheat field, and I would not have noticed if that man hadn’t stopped me in my pessimistic stupor of thought.  For that man, the rain was more than just rain, and from now on, it will mean more to me too.  I’m grateful that I was able to enjoy the nature around Kent and learn about its history, and remember that it's all about your perspective. 

Bird's Eye View

Sometimes getting lost is the way to be found.  I discovered that during our travel week to Italy.  I felt like I was in a dream, walking through the streets of Florence and Venice, eating my weight in pizza and gelato, and watching the most stunning sunsets I’ve ever seen.  At one point during the day while exploring Venice, we got lost trying to get somewhere, and someone in our group stumbled upon this random art museum that we decided to check out, and it ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip.  The exhibit was called “Man as bird: images of journey” and it played with the idea of digital media and seeing things from a bird’s perspective.  One of the rooms had a circular couch in the middle of the room, where we laid on our backs to be able to look up at a screen.  It showed a series of clips, some showing scenes that looked like the viewer was flying over cliffs, and others close-up of things, like ocean waves coming up onto the sand.  We were all looking up at the screen, watching the same video, but seeing it at different angles, which changed our perspective of how we saw the video. 

In another room, we watched a 15-minute video of scenes from a forest, with relaxing music playing in the background.  The scenes of the forest included a variety of close-up foliage, brilliant greens, and softly flowing streams.  At the end, the video zoomed out of the forest, to reveal that the forest was just inside a small grove of trees, and surrounding it were fields and other trees.  I was left completely mesmerized.  It wasn’t just the peaceful music, or the captivatingly beautiful scenes of the forest.  It was the idea that so much beauty can be found when we take the time to look.  And it takes new perspectives for us to really see.  Looking up close.  Looking from far away.  Looking where no one else is.  Taking a moment to sit in peace and appreciate beauty from a distinct perspective brought a sense of calm that I didn’t know I needed.

Back in the first week of class, we read a few short stories by Leslie Norris.  A strong recurring motif in these stories is birds.  At the time of reading and discussing these stories, I didn’t fully grasp the importance of the birds like I do now.  In the story “Prey” the narrator describes: “hawks hang on a rope of nigh air above the scurrying traffic… I know just where the favoured vantage points are on that highway.  Often the birds… keep unceasing watching above a crossroads or an intersection, or hammer into the grass for a prey invisible to me as I drive past… I know why the hawks watch there.” The narrator describes how these hawks have their places where they stay, their vantage point to find prey.  How did the narrator know the hawks’ motives for being there?  One, I think he knew it was important for them to be where they could see clearly.  And two, he knew that it was vital for them to be removed from the crowd, so to speak, in a position where they would be aware of all their surroundings. 

In Florence, we climbed up numerous flights of narrow steps up Giotto’s bell tower, sweaty and exhausted, to finally arrive at the top of the most beautiful view of Florence I could ever imagine.  Seeing from a bird’s eye view puts things into perspective.  The same thought occurred in Venice when we went up the tower in St. Mark’s Square to see a view of all of Venice, and it was breathtaking.  The red terracotta roofs.  The sparkling blue ocean.  A city of color, of wonder.  Being up there, I felt like I could see clearly why these cities held the charm they did.  Reflecting on these moments, I wonder if I was acting as a bird of prey.  What was I hunting for? I suppose I was looking for a view I couldn’t get anywhere else, and I did. Experiencing those views from new heights made me feel the rush of adrenaline that perhaps those hawks feel when they have found their prey.  I felt like I was truly living. 

Though the story “Prey” focuses on the nature of predator birds, I wish to make the connection between birds in general and people.  “Man as bird” is a concept that I took away from not just the museum, or just from Italy, but from all of my travels so far.  Getting to see views from up high, from a different perspective than what we normally see every day, is powerful.  In another story by Leslie Norris, “A Seeing Eye,” a man is asking for directions to a hidden pond, and is told “My advice is to find your own way to places.  Then you don’t ever forget.  You know every leaf of the way, every stone, every blade of grass.  Find the way for yourself and keep your eyes open.”  I think this is great advice, especially to keep your eyes open.  Throughout my travels this summer, I’ve found myself always on the go.  When possible, I try to stop and appreciate what is around me and notice the small details, from the yellow and lavender fields in Kent, to the vibrant green trees along the Lake District, to the gorgeous design of the teacups at Kensington Palace.  Taking a moment to stop and look up close and appreciate beauty, as well as taking a step back and looking from a bird’s eye view, is something we can’t forget, or we will miss out the beauty right in front of us.   Taking the time to be removed, to look from a new perspective, can make all the difference. 

Multiculturalism and Food

In trying to find something that I could connect British identity and multicultural identity with, I decided on something I deeply connect with in my life: food.  Since being on this study abroad, I’ve found that the cuisine is something unique about Great Britain, especially London, since it is so diverse.  Initially, when I told my friends and family I would be coming to England on this program, no one rushed to tell me how good the food was here, like one would say when going somewhere like Italy.  On the contrary, I was told England isn’t really known for their British food, except for fish and chips.  In London, when I walk down a street, I find all kinds of food, from Indian, to Turkish, from Chinese, to Italian, even Mexican, and various others.  In class, we talked about the multicultural diversity found in London, and I believe that that just like the food, multiculturalism is a huge part of British identity. 

In our class discussion, the question was raised, “Can British identity evolve to include poles, blacks, Indians, Muslims, etc.?”  I think that to answer this question, we have to distinguish how these other nationalities would be included.  I think that they could be included in time, but I also think that there is danger of these ethnic groups losing their own identity.  Just like their food, it is unique, and their culture makes them who they are.  A few semesters ago, I took a multicultural education class in which we discussed the differences between acculturation and assimilation.  Acculturation is the process of joining another culture while still maintaining their own, while assimilation is joining another culture and losing their original culture.  Would these minority groups become assimilated into British identity, or will they maintain their own identity and still be seen as an “other”? Or could these groups find a balance and join the British culture, becoming a part of their identity, yet still maintain their own?  I think about our own culture in America and how we typically expect immigrants and other minority groups to conform to our culture, and especially to our language.  Although I wonder if it would be the same issue for Britons, I think that positive, progressive acculturation is possible. As an example of this with food, a lot of kebab shops here also sell fish and chips, which is obviously not a middle eastern food, which allows for the option of either British or exotic food. Another example is vindaloo, a popular Indian inspired British dish.  The two can come together in a way that doesn’t take away from one culture, yet adds to another.

An article from 2011 tells us that London encompasses 270 nationalities and 300 languages.  In the documentary “Exploring Multiculturalism” we watched for class, a girl said “I wish we could see being different as a good thing.”  I also agree that multiculturalism should be seen as a positive.  In terms of food, where would Britain be without Turkish kebabs or Korean bibimbap, Brazilian feijoada, or Pad Thai? I for one am glad British identity includes these other cultures and their cuisine. 

Bucket List Item #51: Go to Italy!

Sometimes getting lost is the way to be found.  I discovered that this week during our travel week to Italy.  I felt like I was in a dream, walking through the streets of Florence and Venice, eating my weight in pizza and gelato, and watching the most stunning sunsets I’ve ever seen.  While exploring Venice, we got lost, and ended up finding a random art museum.  The exhibit was called “Man as bird: images of journey” and it played with the idea of digital media and seeing things from a bird’s perspective.  One of the rooms showed a video of various scenes that looked like the viewer was flying over cliffs, and others close up of things, like ocean waves coming up onto the sand.  We were all laying looking up at the screen, watching the same video, but seeing it at different angles, which changed our perspective of how we saw the video. 

In another room, we watched a 15-minute video of scenes from a forest, with relaxing music playing in the background.  The scenes of the forest included a variety of close-up foliage, brilliant greens, and softly flowing streams.  At the end, the video zoomed out of the forest, to reveal that the forest was just inside a small grove of trees, and surrounding it were fields and other trees.  I was left completely mesmerized.  It wasn’t just the peaceful music, or the captivatingly beautiful scenes of the forest.  It was the idea that so much beauty can be found when we take the time to look.  And it takes new perspectives for us to really see.  Looking up close.  Looking from far away.  Looking where no one else is.  Taking a moment to sit in peace and appreciate beauty from a distinct perspective brought a sense of calm that I didn’t know I needed.

Back in the first week of class, we read a few short stories by Leslie Norris.  A strong recurring motif in these stories is birds.  Before, I didn’t grasp the importance of the birds like I do now.  In the story “Prey” the narrator describes: “hawks hang on a rope of nigh air above the scurrying traffic… I know just where the favoured vantage points are on that highway.  Often the birds… keep unceasing watching above a crossroads or an intersection… I know why the hawks watch there.” How did the narrator know the hawks’ motives for watching prey from their vantage point? I think he knew it was important for them to be where they could see clearly. 

In Florence, we climbed up Giotto’s bell tower to the top of the most beautiful view of Florence I could ever imagine.  Seeing from a bird’s eye view puts things into perspective.  Similarly, up a tower in St. Mark’s Square was a breathtaking view of all of Venice.  I felt like I could see clearly why these cities held the charm they did, and experiencing those views made me feel like I was truly living. 

Though the story “Prey” focuses on the nature of predator birds, I wish to make the connection between birds in general and people.  “Man as bird” is a concept that I took away from not just the museum, or just from Italy, but from all of my travels so far.  Getting to see views from up high, from a different perspective than what we normally see every day, is powerful.  

Britain and Queens

“I’m going to England!”

-“Are you going to have tea and crumpets?”

-“Are you going to Buckingham Palace?”

-“Are you going to meet the Queen?”

These are real responses I had from people when I told them I had been accepted into the London Centre study abroad program.  After our discussions in class this week, I’ve started to question, why do people always associate England with tea and royalty? I suppose, for me, that is what Britishness is.  There is something magical and grand about it all.

In class we’ve talked about British identity and nationalism, particularly in the framework of war and monarchy.  Having kings and queens rule a nation is not something that we are used to as Americans, so learning about that has been very interesting for me.  I’ve been able to learn about the importance of a monarchy, and why we think of the Queen, or past queens, when we think of Britain.  As a class when the question was posed, what is Britishness, immediately someone said civility.  I too think of Britain as being civil, proper, classy.  We tend to think of the Queen, of the Monarchy, and the grandeur of it.  We toured Brighton Pavilion this week, a beautiful opulent palace built by Henry IV, which was a perfect example of the extravagance of royalty.  When I visited Kensington Palace this week and had tea at the Orangery, I felt like I was experiencing the height of Britishness, sipping tea from a decorative cup and eating a croissant dripping with butter and jam.  Also at Kensington Palace, I toured the Princess Diana exhibit, and though it was dedicated to her fashion and style, I realized how much the people really loved her and looked up to her.  She decided to let her image have an impact for good through various charities and donations to help the people.  Both the Royal Pavilion and Kensington Palace talked about Queen Victoria and how she was a queen for the people who they loved. She also was a queen who ruled with dignity and poise despite her challenges.   

I’ve never grown up looking up to a queen, at least not one for a whole nation.  One of our program director Delys gave a beautiful devotional about the people who aren’t queens or princesses, who don’t get recognized for their achievements, but are the ones who have the greatest impact on us, and that is our mothers.  Mothers have the most beautiful and sacred role on earth to bring the children of God into this world.  Mothers raise their children with love and care.  Mothers sacrifice their needs for their children, always putting them first.  Mothers love their children unconditionally.  Mothers may not be queens to most of the world, but they are the closest thing to royalty anyone will ever get.