Voices from Europe: May 5-29, 2008

Fifteen Shorter students are traveling in England and Russia to earn 12 hours of class credit during Shorter’s Mayterm. The courses include “Field Experience in Study Abroad,” “Directed Study in Global Awareness,” “Theatre Appreciation” and “Business and Culture”; they are led by Dr. Robert Darville, dean of the School of Business Administration and professor of accounting, and Dr. Brian Nedvin, assistant professor of music. While in England, the group is based at Regents College in London. In Russia, the group will travel to Moscow and the Golden Ring area.

Below are excerpts from student updates.

Click here for days 1-4.
Click here for days 5-8.

Day 11 (May 16) Excerpts:

 Today is our last day in London. It has truly been a learning experience. Just knowing there is a world going around you constantly reminds you that you are not the center of the universe. It amazes me to think how God made such a big world for us to enjoy His creation. Each one of us on the trip has something they really enjoyed as well as something that they did not enjoy. I guess that's what makes this trip so memorable. Not only are we learning about different parts of the world, but also we are learning about each other and each other’s preferences. This group is incredibly diverse, but we work well together.

It's now ten ‘til 4:00, and I think we are planning to eat out. We ate at a pub earlier for fish and chips, and now we are trying to figure out what to do for dinner. And then, I'm planning on taking more pictures for the last time.

Now we press on to Russia.

 - John Jarvis, a junior accounting major

Today was our free day. We started off the morning by going to St. James Park to get pictures with the guards. We got some with the horse guards and some with standing guards, that is, after we got up enough courage to approach the men with very large guns... :)

We had a nice lunch, then I finished some souvenir shopping and came back to Regent's College, where I plan to spend the rest of my night. I have some packing to finish, and I want to rest before the five-hour plane ride tomorrow to Moscow.

- Nicole Hill, a junior accounting major

Day 10 (May 15) Excerpts:

Today, we had our fencing lesson. It was a lot of fun. I actually would not mind taking actual fencing lessons now. We were all assigned a script from Cyrano de Bergerac to memorize and recite during our fencing, but I ended up not having to recite them. Luckily for my group, two musical theatre majors stepped up to the plate for the long lines, and the rest of us were the audience. The only thing I had to say for the part I was assigned was 'eel'. The lady who was in charge of the acting portion kept calling me eel girl. (I was the only person with a line, other than Cyrano and the other main character, Valvert, so she always referred to me as eel girl, since eel was my only line.) I am thinking that nickname might stick with me for the rest of this trip, but I can handle that.

- Nicole Hill, a junior accounting major

Rain returned to London today, but it wasn't hard rain, just enough to make the place gloomy. We had a fencing lesson today from 10:00-3:30 in the ballet studio here at Regent's College. Later, we went to look around the Notting Hill area. I was hoping there would be some neat shops on Portobello Road, but alas, there were none that suited my fancy. Of course we also shopped some more. There is one shop right off Trafalgar Square that has been really handy for gifts (Lambert's of London). Again, I was able to buy some t-shirts for £4.99 (that's not bad considering other prices I've seen). We then ate dinner at the refectory, did laundry, and now I am planning to stay inside for the evening (mainly because tomorrow is going to be a busy day).

Another observation I've noticed about London: it's a lot like Atlanta. There's a McDonald's next to Starbucks, which is next to a Gap outlet, which is next to a Pizza Hut. Going down Regent's Street (a main artery of London) is similar to going down Rodeo Drive. Every top designer is here, and the stretch continues for miles. Incredible. There is a huge toy store here (Hamley's), which is comparable to FAO Schwarz. Along with Starbucks is a cafe called Pret a Manger, and every time I pass one I start singing the Christmas carol.

The tube stations here are designed in a way that reflects the local references. For example, our tube station, Baker Street, has mosaic tiles of Sherlock Holmes everywhere. The walls at the Trafalgar station depict the history concerning Trafalgar Square along with special events that occurred there, how the monuments were made, etc.

I've been wondering where London keeps all the money. Well, we found out yesterday. Old classic London houses tourism and the government. But new London (Canary Wharf and the area around St. Paul's) contains all the new money in the city (which is by and large, financial services). There are more banks in London than anywhere else in the world (in fact more German banks than in Frankfurt). Every tour guide we've had has said London makes its money on service industries (again financial, as well as medical).

I also need to mention that the group saw The Mousetrap last night, which is a murder mystery play. It was probably my favorite production that I saw while I was in London.

Tomorrow is my last day in London, so, that means I have a lot of stops to make in order to complete my task of doing everything that I wanted to do in London. My, oh my, can it all be done? I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Again let me just reiterate how much money is in this city. The average income for a male is around £25,000/year. From what I've seen, the middle class here in London can't be that big. I find this very interesting.

- John Jarvis, a junior accounting major

Day 10 (May 15) Excerpts:

Today we learned how to fence while reciting a dialogue we were to learn. It was so much fun. I have never fenced before, so it was a great opportunity. We got to wear the great outfits and gear, which I enjoyed :) . Zach was my partner, and we actually did a horrible job with the acting part, but I LOVED hitting him.

- Hannah Gillespie, a sophomore Spanish major

I should have mentioned that yesterday we went on a tour of the financial district. It was amazing to see the money that is in one particular area of London. The insurance companies and various firms were so nice, we could not view them because we were underdressed. Just seeing those
buildings makes me want to work harder and become someone in life. I also had the opportunity to pick up a 28 pound bar of solid gold. I felt the power.  

Today was fencing day, and that is all I'm going to write about it. For the first time, the skies have turned gloomy, and it drizzled on and off during the day, not to mention the temperature drop.

I also returned to Trafalgar Square, another place one must visit, and sat on one of the lions. It was awesome! I have to do it again before I leave. I am sitting in the computer lab as I type, and I
hear French being spoken constantly. It amazes me the amount of French people there are in London. I plan on writing my required paper on tourism when I return, because the extent of the tourism in the city is not what I expected. I haven't found something that is quintessential English, but at the same time, is all American and French. I can't imagine how crowded London will be for the 2012 Olympics and how much filthier it will become. A large portion of the group is going to see a show this evening, but I have chosen to make my way to Westminster and just sit
along the River Thames, with or without rain. Tomorrow is our last day in London...

- James Jarvis, a junior history and political science major

General comment: This trip has been fantastic, and traveling with the students has been a treat. I only knew four of the students before coming to England (other than seeing them in class during the semester), and I absolutely adore each and every one of them. Business, English, Accounting, Economics, History, Theatre, Musical Theatre and Music Education majors...and everyone is getting along really well. I thought that we might end up with cliques and some of the students do tend to stay with one another, but we meet for meals and we all interact really well as a group...it's really quite wonderful. I'm thankful that the group has bonded so well because I think that will be a huge asset when we fly to Russia.

OK, some comments about the past several days:

Tuesday and Stratford upon Avon: I realize that some of the students didn't like Stratford, but there was plenty to do there. Unfortunately, we are living in an age where everyone needs to be led around and hand fed. I certainly could have, and should have, prepared the students better for going to Stratford, and of course, in the future, I will be able to do so. Preston, Bailey and I started by going to the birthplace of William Shakespeare, which was an exhibition, garden and the actual house in which he was born. The cost was £7, and the students didn't feel it would be worth going to see the bed in which Shakespeare was born. Unfortunately, I didn't know (and didn't research) what exactly would be there, but I figured (as did Bailey and Preston) that we weren't going to be back here anytime soon, so let's go see it.

After a wonderful time in the birthplace of Billy Shakespeare, the three of us took off looking for lunch. As we were searching, we passed by a shop that fixed shoes, and since the second day we were here my sneakers started to fall apart, this caught my eye. After talking with the owner of the shop, I found a place to eat, (Bailey and Preston took off,) and I dropped off my sneaker and wandered in my socks to the tea room where I had my lunch. An hour later, I was back in my sneakers (all for a cost of £3) and had a big smile on my face and a song in my heart...you get the picture. I then wandered down to the Avon River and took a long walk, heading toward a steeple that I saw in the distance. Little did I know that I was wandering toward the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was laid to rest. I literally wandered in and was surprised to find myself paying £2 to go in and see the spot where he was, hopefully, resting peacefully.

I returned with everyone on the bus, and, after eating dinner, I went out to see "Avenue Q" by myself. It was absolutely fantastic! …

Wednesday: We started off the day at 11 a.m. … We met a chap who would take us on a three-hour tube and walking tour of the financial district. One of the problems with walking tours is dealing with the noise of the city when the guide is trying to share the information with everyone. Another issue is trying to put all the information in context – and there is a lot of information. We have been fortunate in having brilliant guides, but they know so much and they are so excited to share their knowledge that it can be overwhelming. Nonetheless, we ended up in the Bank of England Museum where I personally sat down at a booth and learned all about the banking industry. I found the information about the history of the bank note to be fascinating and the exhibit traced the bank note from inception to the present time, focusing on the difficulties of staying one step ahead of counterfeiters.

Some of the group went back to Regent's to do laundry and some of us went to the National Gallery. I went to the Gallery where I spent time looking at Sunflower by Vincent Van Gogh, House of Parliament by Claude Monet, The Four Times of Day by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, and Venus and Mars by Botticelli. WOW! That's how I'd start expressing the wonder, amazement and awe of seeing these paintings in person. Unlike other museums, there are only a few paintings that are "guarded" by any kind of rope fence. The Gallery is kept in low light and the windows are really high up so the sunlight is never direct on the paintings. When I was looking at Venus and Mars, there was a young lady sitting next to me doing a pencil sketch of Mars (it's a wide painting, so she was basically sketching the right half). That was a treat to watch her work and be able to look at the masterpiece at the same time.

Today we are about to go to the dance studio where we will learn to fence a bit and choreograph a fight scene. We were all given a scene to memorize and now we get to have a real live appreciation for the difficulties of fencing and reciting text without falling down or killing one another (hopefully!).

I guess if anyone is reading the updates and wondering whether or not to go on a trip with the school, I would say "YES!" Please don't expect your professors to do everything for you and please take advantage of everything that you can. Unless you're going into international business or are planning on winning the lottery, you probably won't get a lot of chances to go to these incredible places, so do everything you can. You can sleep on the plane or when you get back home :-)

- Dr. Brian Nedvin, assistant professor of music

Day 9 (May 14) Excerpts:

Greetings from London! What a wonderful opportunity! We have seen four plays: Spamalot, Billy Elliot, King Lear (at the Globe), and Les Miserables. King Lear was great, but Les Mis was the best by far. The business majors on the trip have learned so much about theatre and what makes or breaks a production. The kid who played Billy was absolutely incredible, but the play was horrible! Spamalot was in the same category, only the acting was not as good as others. Tonight we go to see The Mousetrap.
 
There is something really peaceful and wonderful about Stonehenge, but it is so very hard to explain. Bath was truly wonderful--the architecture, the planning, the peacefulness of the place. I think we give those who have gone before us far too little credit for accomplishments we think of as ordinary. The Tower of London has been a highlight for me, and I hope to go to Hampton Court before we leave.
 
Friday is a day off, and I plan to do some searching for ancestors. My family came from Harrow Weald, which turns out to be a suburb of London and is only about 10 miles or so from where we are. I am looking forward to filling in some blanks, but also taking pictures of Darville Road and Darville grocery. It appears we are not from a royal line, but if that changes, well........Just kidding!
 
We leave for Russia on Saturday.
 
I encourage everyone to think about doing foreign study. It is a wonderful experience, and I am already thinking about another trip in a couple of years.
 
- Dr. Robert Darville, Dean of the School of Business Administration

We have been super busy everyday since we arrived. We have seen some of the most amazing sites such as St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, London Bridge, Bath, Stratford Upon Avon, and Stonehenge. It is such a big change here, but I am finally adjusting. I have never seen so many different cultures and ethnicities in one city. I think my feet are about to fall off, but other than that, I have nothing bad to say at all. We also saw Les Miserables the other night, and it was fantastic!

- Hannah Gillespie, a sophomore Spanish major

We had a great time today. The group visited the financial district of London and the highlight was visiting the Bank of England Museum and viewing the currency from the past; as a history major, all these historical sites are really interesting. Tonight we are going to see The Mousetrap- I will keep you updated on the play.

- Zach Morrison, a junior history major

This morning we took a tour of London's financial district – a very noisy and busy place. It was very hard to hear our tour guide, but I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Bank of England Museum.

Tonight, I was let in on one of theatre's little secrets – who is the murderer in The Mousetrap (sorry, I can't tell you ;), they made us promise not to). That play was my favorite of the five that I saw here in London.

After the show, some friends and I went to Westminster to take night photos. They turned out really good, so I am very happy about that.

- Nicole Hill, a junior accounting major

There is nothing to do in Stratford! Seriously, there are limited activities to do in Stratford. If you choose to do anything related to Shakespeare, it will cost you an arm and a leg. And you're going to need that leg to walk. … I'm not even going to elaborate on Stratford any more, because it was that bad. … 

I returned back to Mayfair today. It is such a nice part of town. I took the time to stroll through the Burlington Arcade and walked around the neighborhood taking pictures of the upscale hotels in the area. This evening, we went to St. Martin's Theatre to see The Mousetrap, and I thought it was great. It is worth seeing while in London. It was not as
long as the other plays/musicals. 

We returned to Parliament this evening. I love standing directly in front of the massive bell tower and taking photo after photo. Besides heaven, there is no other place I would rather be standing for all eternity. It was chilly this evening, and I am proud I wore a long sleeve shirt.

Tomorrow is fencing, and I do not want to fence at all, nor do I want to memorize this script. We shall see what will happen. I am sad I only have two more days in London. I will be driven mad rushing around the city trying to finish all the stuff on my list.

- James Jarvis, a junior history and political science major