Sightseeing at Big Ben

Author: Abby Denison | Major: Biomedical Engineering

This summer, I spent 5 weeks in England as a part of the Medieval England U of A faculty-led program. Even though I’m majoring in engineering, I chose this program specifically because I have always loved history; it has the ability to give you a new perspective towards a place and towards people in general. Having the opportunity to learn about the history of a country that is so closely intertwined with ours really helped me to better understand and appreciate not just their culture and people, but ours as well. Additionally, the experience of traveling independently in a foreign country allowed me to meet and interact with a wide variety of people from all over the world, which really helped me learn to communicate effectively across languages and cultures. As someone who wants to attend graduate school and eventually work in an industrial setting, exposure to that level of diversity was invaluable. This program also allowed me to earn 6 hours of honors credit for my undergraduate degree by visiting incredible historical sites and completing a creative project, which were easily the most exciting 6 hours I’ve taken thus far.

For the first two and a half weeks of the trip, we stayed in a smaller, northern town called Durham where we attended class for around 4 hours a day. The professor who taught the class was very knowledgeable and passionate about what he was teaching, which made the sessions engaging and enjoyable. The thing that really set apart this class from any regular history class were the site visits we went on. We got to visit some amazing historical sites like the field where the Battle of Hastings took place, the ruins of the Rievaulx Abbey which was once one of greatest abbeys in England, the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne where St. Cuthbert lived and taught, Dover Castle which, in addition to its significance in Roman and medieval times, played a major role in the Battle of Dunkirk, and many more. Learning about the places that have seen turning points in history is one thing, but to stand in the very same place as the kings and saints and warriors of old is a surreal experience.

While the academics were fun, a lot of my favorite memories were made outside of class as well. I loved exploring small-town Durham; it was more natural, with beautiful scenery and architecture, and the people were very kind and easy to talk to. London was an entirely different experience; it is truly an international city. It was amazing to me that I could take a walk through downtown and hear ten languages being spoken on the same block. One day, as some friends and I were taking the tube, a woman from Albania who spoke very little English asked us for help to find her train, and using the tube map, a transportation app, and Google translate, we were able to point her in the right direction. It was the small interactions like that that taught me that I have all the tools I need to communicate with people from anywhere. Language and culture barriers are certainly intimidating, but especially with all the resources available now, all it takes is an open mind, persistence, and sometimes a little ingenuity to overcome them.

There’s no way I could have known the impact this trip would have on my life. The most memorable experiences I had were largely from traveling independently or in small groups. From the conversations you are able to have with the locals to the confidence it will give you, I would recommend to anyone studying abroad just to make good use of your time. Visit the local markets and shops, the theaters, the restaurants, the historic sites. Talk to the people next to you in line or working behind the counter. It can be tempting to stay in your room or with the friends you make in your group because it’s comfortable, but the whole reason to study abroad is to be outside your comfort zone and to experience a new culture for yourself. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to visit and study in England and for the friends I made along the way.