Shakespeare's Country

"Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart." - William Shakespeare

As an English major, I have appreciation for the words of William Shakespeare. Yes, he is an integral part of every high school curriculum, but nothing compares to experiencing his works in his hometown. Last week, my program went to Stratford-upon-Avon to see Shakespeare productions and tour around the town. It was a full three days of Shakespeare overload, but rewarding in the sense that we all witnessed the roots of Shakespeare.

When we arrived in Stratford, I was struck by its quaint market town feel, which is exactly how it felt during Shakespeare's time. Two of the professors for my program led lectures about the two Shakespeare plays we were seeing, "Antony and Cleopatra" and "Richard II", as well as Moliere's play "Tartuffe". Their lectures were really interesting, even though we were always a bit tired from the long days of sightseeing.

The first play, "Antony and Cleopatra" was an amazing production. I wasn't too familiar with this play of Shakespeare's, but even without a lot of context, the acting, and production as a whole was phenomenal. The set had water in the background, which was used throughout the play. The actors and actresses all took on multiple roles, except for Antony and Cleopatra. I was intrigued how they could manipulate the different characters, as I am no actress myself!

Set of "Antony and Cleopatra"

The second play we saw, "Tartuffe", isn't a Shakespeare play, but a play written by Tartuffe. We traveled to Birmingham for this show, and it was a special treat for a lot of us since the man who played Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter movies was the main character. Guilty as charged, I was definitely starstruck! I had no expectations of the play, as I honestly never heard of it before. In our lecture, we learned it was a comedy, so I was looking forward to possibly something more light-hearted. Indeed, this play delivered. I found myself laughing throughout the play, as it had some very raunchy humor with a definite integration of British humor. All the characters had spunk and sass, and it broke up the two Shakespeare plays that carried more of a heavier tone.

Set of "Tartuffe"

The last show we saw was "Richard II", one of Shakespeare's historical plays. David Tennant was the star of this show for any Doctor Who fans, and extremely enjoyed this play. I had read it before, though it's a experience to see it in person, let alone in the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford. The use of the set, which was minimal in design, but complex in its usage, brought the production to life. It was haunting in a sense, as I felt myself drawn into the emotions of each character.

During these three days in Stratford, we all did some Shakespeare related sightseeing. We visited Shakespeare's birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage, and New Place, which is the home that Shakespeare bought once he acquired some fortunes. Unfortunately, it no longer stands, but there are beautiful gardens that grace the area now, and we got to look at some artifacts that were dug up at the site.

Shakespeare's Birthplace

Gardens at New Place

It was a definite whirlwind experience to go to Stratford for three days, but it was definitely a three days well spent. I couldn't have asked for a better time, as this is something I probably would've done otherwise. It's these kinds of trips that have made my abroad experience even more memorable and unforgettable!

P.S. If anyone makes it to Stratford, you have to go to Blue Cow Milkshakes. Here, I was reunited with my love of Reese's in milkshake form and it was a beautiful thing!

Midsemester Break Adventures

It seems like quite awhile since I've written about my time here in Bath, but for a little over a week in October, I wasn't in Bath at all. From October 17th-27th, my program had our mid-semester break. When I thought about where I wanted to go, my brain went in a million different places. Unlike the United States, it only takes a short flight to be in a completely different country. I've been back in Bath for a week now, and I'm finally settled back into my routine. It seems unreal that I was in a different place a little over a week ago, and now, I'm back in Bath. During break, I traveled to Dublin, Edinburgh, and Liverpool. I didn't travel far and everywhere that I went spoke English, but I still noticed the cultural differences in each place that I visited.

I left Thursday the 17th after my classes were finished to leave for Dublin. My friend Amanda is studying abroad there, so I stayed with her the few days I was in the city. Dublin is an amazing city, and is full of life. In just the 3 days I was there, I met some amazing people and learned things I'll never forget. Dublin is full of history, some of which I was completely unaware of. On Friday, I toured Kilmainham Gaol, which is a jail that imprisoned many of the men who took part in the Irish Revolutions. It was remarkable to hear about these men and women's stories, and how the prison has changed over its existence. I was haunted by some of these stories, one of which occurred between a prisoner and his wife. He was a Irish revolutionist and the night before he was to be executed, the government allowed him to marry his fiance in the Catholic chapel found in the prison. The day of his execution, he was allowed to see her for ten minutes in his cell, with guards counting down the time. There are many stories like these that are forever trapped in the walls of the jail, and it was eye-opening to hear them all. 

Kilmainham Gaol

I will say that Dublin, like Bath, has its unpredictable weather. On Friday, my umbrella broke (the wind got the best of it) and I invested in a snazzy green umbrella with a shamrock on it. Not touristy, at all, is it? I wandered into a covered market and stopped one man's vendor. He was selling old coins, and I knew I had to get something for my brother, who absolutely loves collecting international currency. The man was the cutest thing, and I talked to him for about a half hour, both about the coins (because I had no clue what I was looking at) and about my travels, as well as his travels. He was an older man, and told me about his life growing up in Dublin. Although I will probably never see that man again, I will always remember our conversation. I can honestly say that was one of my favorite moments abroad thus far. It wasn't very significant, but I've learned that one of the best ways to learn about a place is through the locals and all the stories they have to tell. The layers of the city are built upon these stories.

View of Edinburgh from Edinburgh Castle

My next stop on my travels was Edinburgh. I was meeting my friend Morgan, her mom, and their family friend Pam there, as Pam lives in Newcastle. My dad was stationed in Edinburgh for a period of time when he was in the navy, so I was excited to see a place he always mentions in conversation, usually followed by "And when you go, you have to try their fish and chips!" I was immediately struck by the cozy feeling of Edinburgh, though it is filled with a complex history. Pam, having worked in the city for years, knows it very well, and showed us around the city on Tuesday. We drove around Arthur's Seat, a tall hill in the city, which has amazing views from all angles. My personal favorite event of the trip was our tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is the decommissioned royal yacht of Queen Elizabeth II. We got to tour around the boat, which was still decorated the way the royal family had it, and was filled with personal family photos. It was, and probably will be, the closest I will ever get to feeling like I got to meet the queen! The next day, we toured Edinburgh Castle, which has a rich history tied to the city and its growth. It was remarkable to hear how the castle has evolved, similar to Kilmainham Gaol. I learned about the most precious story while in Edinburgh, and I urge you to look up the story of Greyfriars Bobby. I don't want to ruin it for you, but you won't regret looking up the sweet story about the relationship between a man and his dog.

Plaque on the Royal Yacht Britannia

Edinburgh Castle

My last stop during break was Liverpool! Now, when you think of Liverpool, what do you think of? Any guesses? Well, if you're thinking musically, you should know that The Beatles came from Liverpool, and for the night we were in Liverpool, Morgan, her mom, our friend Shawna, and I were in full-blown Beatles mania. We toured "The Beatles Story" museum, but the cherry on top of it all was the "Magical Mystery Bus Tour", which drove us around Liverpool, stopping at important places related to the Beatles (think childhood homes, Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane, and The Cavern). Our bus driver probably thought we were all a bit crazy, but we had a grand time singing to the music and taking part in the legacy of The Beatles. I was starstruck seeing the childhood homes of all the band members, but the best part was where the tour ended. The bus drops you off at The Cavern, which is where the Beatles played 292 times! When we were in The Cavern, I could feel the energy that someone felt in 1961 when the Beatles played there the first time. 

Entrance to The Cavern Club

I can say that I will always remember this trip. I feel so lucky to have been able to spend my break in three amazing cities. They were all so different, yet all the people I met accepted me into their culture with no hesitation. The week flew by, and it's hard to believe that the break marked the halfway point of my semester abroad. If my week traveling is any indication of how fast the rest of the semester will go, I know December will be here before I know it! If, and when, you go abroad, I urge you to go someplace that you've always wanted to go, or maybe have a personal tie to. Also, my best suggestion is to not fit a lot of places into one small chunk of time. I found three cities manageable, but they were all very close together, and my flights were only 45 minutes long. What I will say, no matter where you go, talk to the locals, enjoy the surroundings around you, and soak it all in!