To kick off our third and final week abroad, we visited Warwick Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon. We departed at 8 a.m. and rode for an hour and a half until we arrived at Warwick Castle. Warwick Castle is a medieval castle that was constructed in 1068 which has now been transformed into an astonishing attraction. After we entered, our group took on the challenge of the corn maze. After reaching all of the checkpoints, we swiftly discovered the exit and completed the maze. We then proceeded to trek to the top of the fortress where we were greeted with an amazing view overlooking the grounds of the castle. It was here that we watched as the large trebuchet launched a rock across the open field. Afterward, we partook in an excursion to explore the conservatory and castle. We gandered at the medieval architecture, pleasing flowers, and elegant peacocks.

After lunch, we were on our way to Stratford-upon-Avon where we stopped at Anne Hathaway’s cottage. We were able to explore the residence where the Hathaway family lived for 13 generations. It was a very unique home because it contained 12 rooms – an extraordinary amount for that time. Next, we voyaged to the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon, the Holy Trinity Church. This place is the home of Shakespeare’s final resting place. After viewing his burial site, we were informed that grave robbers are believed to have stolen his head from the grave! We then traveled to Shakespeare’s birthplace. We explored his home and marveled at the exact bed where he was born. After exiting, we stopped to witness street performers bring Shakespeare’s writing to life. They reenacted scenes from Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet and recited numerous sonnets. We were then granted free time to eat dinner and explore Stratford-upon-Avon. After visiting a local diner and café, we returned to the coach. As the evening concluded, we arrived back at Harlaxton Manor where students began to study for our quiz tomorrow. We then crawled into bed after another adventurous day of exploration in England.

Devin

Today, we arose bright and early after a full day of travel and exploration yesterday. We acquired breakfast in a packed cafeteria with other students as we anticipated our second quiz. At the conclusion of our quiz, we reviewed the significance of William Shakespeare and dove into our analysis of Hamlet. We covered the Humors Theory, Revenge Tragedies, and answered the question “Is Hamlet a Tragic Hero?”

After our three hour class period, we were given the afternoon to explore the city of London. All 49 of us developed plans and dispersed across the city. My friends and I decided to tour the Science Museum and the National History Museum. We were able to experience scientific artifacts such as pieces of the Moon, old European automobiles, and an iron lung from 1953. We were also able to marvel at various gemstones and dinosaur skeletons. It was an incredible way to immerse ourselves in British culture and become acquainted with their nation’s STEM information and storied history.

After a meal at a local café, we were on our way to view Hamlet at the iconic Globe Theatre. After riding the tube, we walked across the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames. We were going to be viewing the play as groundlings for the night. After receiving our tickets, we anxiously waited in line and rushed to claim positions next to the stage once the doors opened. The play was spectacular and maintained the literary aspects that we had discussed in class earlier that day. It was a unique experience to see the play that we had read over the past month and had analyzed during class come to life. This transformed this performance of a Shakespearean play into a real-life learning experience. After the conclusion of the play at 10:30, we rushed to the tube station with tired legs. It was a busy day filled with a new world of adventures that 49 Gatton Academy students were able to discover.

Devin