2018 Harlaxton – The Gatton Academy News

Harlaxton Day 22: The Flight(s) Home

August 13, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Rithik Reddy, Study Abroad | No Comments

Wow, it’s all over.

21 days filled with amazing experiences such as exploring the amazing city of London, learning English, and ordering late-night takeout has finally come to an end.

Today at 4 AM, all 49 of us finished packing the last bits of our luggage and dragged our suitcases downstairs. We loaded them onto a coach, had a bit of conversation for 15 minutes, and then fell asleep for the next 3 hours. When we woke up, we had arrived at the Manchester airport. After checking in our bags, eating a meal, and waiting for another hour, we boarded an 8-hour flight to Atlanta.

During the plane ride, we students mainly tried to relax by enjoying movies and by getting some much-needed sleep, but there was an interesting event that went on in the plane. A flight attendant said there would be a prize for the passenger who guesses the combined ages of the crew. This was just a lighthearted event trying to spice up the flight, but some people furiously tried to win. However, Paul Portmann, a fellow student, just threw his hands up in the air and guessed a random number. But, when the results were announced, we were all surprised to learn that his guess ended up being only 1 year from the correct answer! For this, he won a prize. The prize, funnily enough, was a bottle of wine. Paul, of course, couldn’t accept it since he is only 17, so he settled for some chocolates.

The rest of the day wasn’t nearly as eventful. After touching down in Atlanta, we dragged our weary bodies from the plane, picked up our luggage, and waited for our next flight to Louisville. On this flight, most of us slept or listened to music, as it was only 50 minutes. When we got off, we picked up our luggage and greeted our families. We said our goodbyes to our friends, still wanting to spend more time with them in England, but also ready to go home.

Rithik

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Harlaxton Day 21: Final Exam and Free Time

August 8, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Shay Moore, Study Abroad | No Comments

Wow, I can’t believe today was our last day at Harlaxton! Time has flown by so fast. Pretty soon, we’ll be waking up at 4:30 to get on the coach and head to the airport. These past three weeks have been an amazing experience and I’m so glad I went, and I’m sure all of my classmates would say the same.

Today was our last day, meaning it was also finals day. We all stayed up studying last night, preparing for our test in the morning. The final consisted of three parts: the first part consisted of 70 multiple choice questions about poetry, the second part asked us to analyze a poem, and the third part wanted us to write an essay about three of the places we had been to while apart from the group. We all got up and went down to the classroom at 9 to take the final, and as we each got done, we turned in our test and left class. Most of us either went to lunch or went straight back to bed after the exam. Once everybody was done, we all started getting together with our friends to see what we wanted to do on our last day.

For my last day, I got together with a group of friends and rode a train to Nottingham, where we spent most of the day. We went on a tour of the caves of Nottingham, which are all manmade and have been dug over the past several hundred years. After our tour, we walked through town and stopped to eat at a British chain restaurant called Nando’s. The food was delicious, and when we all got done, we headed to the train station to ride back to Harlaxton.

Once we got back to Harlaxton, the group separated and we all went and did our own thing. A couple of us, myself included, walked around Harlaxton, exploring the grounds. We did this for a couple hours before it was time to head back inside and finish packing up our things. Then we all headed to bed to prepare for the long coach ride and flights in the morning. I believe I’m speaking for all of us when I say we wished we could stay longer, but at the same time, we were exhausted and ready to come home and see our families. Harlaxton has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that I’m sure we’ll all cherish forever.

Shay

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Harlaxton Day 20: Class and Free Time

August 6, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Study Abroad, Trivan Menezes | No Comments

I awoke this morning with one thing on my mind: the final exam tomorrow. But I’m sure you all would not want to hear about a day spent learning in class and studying content, because I know I wouldn’t. So I’ll summarize what actually happened today, but I’ll then reminisce on the trip as a whole.

I’ll cut to the chase. The morning was spent in class reviewing poetry content and learning about T.S. Eliot’s “The Hollow Men” and Philip Larkin’s poems. Class ended, and I spent most of the remainder of the day studying for our final exam tomorrow. I took a few breaks for absolutely necessary items, such as eating, going to the gym, and walking around the manor to enjoy its aesthetic features. I eventually gave in to sleep at quite a late hour, as I was preoccupied by spending some quality time [reviewing poetry content] with my dude, Jackson Chumbler.

Well that’s the extent of what I was assigned to write, so with that, here’s a monologue that you didn’t know you needed until you read half of this random blog post.

Let me just say that these past three weeks in England have been legendary, not in the sense that I achieved all I sought for, but in the sense that this trip has emphasized the importance and beauty of spontaneity. In setting up a trip, many tend to emphasize the destinations that are well known, for those seem to be the things that people desire to see. But is that really what travelling is? On multiple occasions over the last few weeks, visiting destinations that society has deemed ‘famous’ has been drastically outweighed by the spontaneous wanderings-about which have led a few of my acquaintances and I to realize fresh perspectives and feelings of immersion. It’s almost as if most people trade the very causes that make us unique—experiential diversity—for status-quo episodes that only monotonize who we are as humans. Anyone can see the London Bridge, but how many people are willing to leisurely stroll through the residential zones of London and just take in the city for what it is? Famous travelers, from Anthony Bourdain to Ibn Battuta, are not known for simply showing off that they have visited places, but they are known for sharing the rich perspectives they gained during their journeys across the world. Everyone’s experience in any given location is different, and I have realized that that’s the beauty of travel. I can easily photo-shop myself into a cliché picture of a famous landmark, but it is impossible for me to photo-shop myself into someone else’s experience.

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” -Ibn Battuta

Trivan

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Harlaxton Day 19: Newstead Abbey

August 3, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Georgia Hoffman, Study Abroad | 3 Comments

At 9 am, my classmates and I retrieved our sack lunches and trudged to the coach. We settled into our seats, something we have gotten used to as our group has spent ample amounts of time traveling around England. Some students bobbed their heads and mouthed the words of their favorite songs, others prepared for our upcoming quiz and final, but most closed their eyes and dozed in and out of consciousness.

Our class arrived at Newstead Abbey and drowsily departed the coach around 10:15. The leaders split us into two groups and we began our tours of the abbey promptly at 10:30. I studied the ornate woodwork and detailed paintings of the house as our guide told of Lord Byron’s time there. She told us tales of the scandalous love affairs, odd furry companionships (including a pet bear), and numerous ghost encounters that occurred during Byron’s time at the abbey. Once our tour finished, around 11:45, we were free to roam the grounds of Newstead Abbey.

The weather was a comfortable 75 degrees; large fluffy clouds dulled the sun’s brilliant rays and a light breeze blew as I sat down to eat my familiar bagged lunch. Then, I set out to explore the numerous gardens. A group of friends and I walked by a glassy, green pond and fed the remnants of our meals to a flock of ducks, then continued to the Japanese Garden. We wandered through forests of lush green plants and carefully navigated stepping stones over small streams that riddled the gardens. Some students spent hours in the gardens, others sat down in lawn chairs and napped in the abbey’s courtyard.

Around 2:30, we migrated back to the coach and resumed our bus activities. Over the next hour, our professor led a discussion about the similarities and differences that we have noticed since we have been in England. When we reached the manor, students stumbled off of the coach. We had free time for the remainder of the day. As our schedule has been extremely busy since our departure from the United States, most students used their free time to catch up on lost sleep. After a dinner of beef stew and a hearty slew of vegetables, I went to the junior common room where we played cards and snooker.

Eventually, a large group of us (including most of the chaperones) made our way out to the lawn to play a few games of croquet. Gatton students may not be competitive about coursework, but when it comes to croquet, we don’t mess around. The sounds of competitive banter and laughter resonated through the grounds as we attempted the new sport. This continued until 9:45, then everyone went their separate ways. Some of my classmates studied, others ordered pizza, and the rest prepared for bed. After our 10:30 curfew, my three roommates and I discussed our upcoming college applications and then settled in for the night.

This study abroad has been amazing! I love England and the literature we have been studying. This trip has been a great learning experience because students are encouraged to explore with a small group of peers, rather than being led by an adult. Consequently, my classmates and I have developed independence and formed new friendships amongst ourselves. This journey has drawn our class closer together and will have a lasting impact on our community. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity and plan to study abroad again in the future.

Georgia

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Harlaxton Day 17: Stratford-Upon-Avon

August 3, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Devin Davis, Study Abroad | No Comments

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

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Harlaxton Day 16: Class and Free Time

July 31, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Hannah Congleton, Study Abroad | No Comments

Today at Harlaxton Manor was a little different. It was an open house at Harlaxton, which means that people that want to see Harlaxton come flooding in to admire the beautiful manor we have lived in for the past seven days. Class still went on, and we learned all about poetry. While we read the poetry for enjoyment, we also discussed the meter, rhyme, and look for poetry terms to understand the poems even more.

Once class was over, we took our packed lunches and searched for a place to eat. It was almost a challenge to find a spot away from the visitors. The challenge was even harder because we finally got British weather aka rain so we could not go outside. One of the fun things to do while the visitors are here is to go pass the “restricted sections” (for visitors) and feel like you are the ruler of the house. I know that I found a quiet corner that was away from the visitors and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon, feeling like a queen.

Hannah

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Harlaxton Day 15: Bedford

July 31, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Isabel Chumbler, Study Abroad | No Comments

Today was a shocking day in our England experience, it was actually sweater weather! It was a windy, cloudy day that felt like true English weather—perfect for a day in Bedford.

We all woke up tired after a late night of seeing The Merry Wives of Windsor and finishing our essays. After a quick breakfast in the Harlaxton cafeteria, we were on the road at 8:50 to Bedford!

The John Bunyan museum and church was our first destination point—we saw the church filled with ornate, colorful images from Pilgrim’s Progress on stained glass windows. We went upstairs to the museum and observed scenes representing different points in Bunyan’s life. Among these scenes was a recreation of his prison cell that he called home for 13 years and wrote Pilgrim’s Progress in. Seeing the tin fiddle Bunyan created as a tinker was also a highlight. Visiting the John Bunyan museum was an enlightening experience for religious and non-religious people alike.

Next we went outside to enjoy our sack lunches, but to our arrival it was raining heavily outside. This proved to be a surprise for us as we were used to the dry, hot weather of the past few weeks. We all fled to the nearest shelter we could find to enjoy lunch and escape from the rain. Once the rain let up, my group went to Bedford’s local farmer’s market. The farmer’s market was filled with an array of fresh produce and the sounds of thick British accents bartering.

After our experience in the farmer’s market, we were on our way to the Houghton House! Upon arriving to the Houghton House, we were overwhelmed by the intensity of the wind. The wind blew dirt and debris all over us, but we were still able to enjoy the beautiful sights the ruins had to offer!

We returned to Harlaxton around 5:30 pm and made some last minute revisions to our essays due at 7:00pm. Once I turned mine in, my friends and I ordered a pizza for dinner. We sat around, ate pizza, talked, and laughed. However, soon we will be studying for the quiz we have in class tomorrow.

England continues to get better and better by the day. Hopefully this last week goes by slow because I never want to leave!

Cheers!

-Isabel

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Harlaxton Day 14: Class and Tolethorpe Hall

July 31, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Avatars, Drew Aubry, Study Abroad | No Comments

I began my day by skipping breakfast (sorry mom) and sleeping in. It was the first time we had a morning of free time in what felt like forever. We were able to study for our quiz later in the day, sleep in, write our papers, or anything else that needed to be done during this time. The day before, we had a long and hot hike through the moors. It was breathtaking from both beauty and the sheer amount of physical activity.

In class that day, we had a guest speaker come in to tell us all about her experiences as grad student in the UK. She gave us so much information and many of us a little bit of hope that we could try to go to school abroad one day. After the speaker, we got our first essays back and launched into a full discussion about The Merry Wives of Windsor and John Bunyan.

Once class got out, we immediately left for Tolethorpe Hall to see a live performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor. On the way there, we stopped in Grantham at a grocery store to pick up some food for a picnic. When everyone was finally corralled back on the coach, we took a short ride to Stamford. We got off of the coach, and as soon as we were all ready to start our picnic, there was an absolute downpour. Every one of us booked it back to the coach to stay dry until the rain stopped. Thankfully, the rain only lasted for a short while. By the time we finally got to sit down and eat, everything was soaked but we still made the best of what was going on. Even though the day had been one of the hottest that England has had in 40 something years, the temperature had dropped by several degrees. The sun was peeking through the clouds as they passed. It was fantastic. We finally got to start our picnic and it was by far one of the best dinners I’ve had since I’ve been in England. While we were at the store, my friend group decided to split up what we bought. Each of us bought bread, cheese, tomatoes, meat, chips (or crisps as they call them here), fruit, or drinks. Our group had a huge potluck and it was honestly a great time on a wet table.

After we finished eating, it was time to watch the play. It had a slow start, but was funny as it progressed. The play, like Hamlet, was much better watched then read. The subtle plays on words and the funny actions could be recognized a lot easier when it was live. Something I found interesting was that they had the play set in the 1940’s, so they had swing music and the apparel of the time. They even had one of their actors attempting a southern drawl, which was especially, and probably unintentionally, funny for us as Americans from Kentucky.

To end the night, we got back on the coach. As soon as we got back, a majority of us began to work towards finishing up our second essays that were due the next day. Overall, it was a great day that was full of funny happenings and one that I will remember fondly when I look back at my time in Harlaxton.

Drew

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Harlaxton Day 13: Haworth and The Moors

July 29, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Study Abroad, Sydney Wheeler, Uncategorized | No Comments

Our day trip to Haworth and the moors began with the stifling beeping of alarm clocks from 7:15 to 7:45 AM: the earliest morning we’ve had since our trip began. Our coach departed from the front drive at 8 AM, so we all ate a hurried breakfast and scuffled to the bus with Harlaxton’s signature white packed lunch bags in hand. Our bus ride (and, for most, nap) lasted over two and a half hours, but for the first time on this trip, getting off of the bus didn’t mean we had arrived at our final destination. We hopped aboard a steam engine train, which took us from Keighley to Haworth in a quick twenty-minute ride.

Once we arrived in Haworth, we split into two groups, one touring the Bronte Parsonage Home and Museum while the other explored the church where Patrick Bronte worked in the clergy. We milled around the house grounds, looked in the gift shop, and snacked on our lunches. Once the whole group was back together, we began our trek through the moors of northern England.

We hiked up a footpath surrounded by sheep, rocks, and foliage while skillfully navigating around sheep droppings, stopping midway at the Bronte Waterfalls to eat lunch (if you had any left). After our break, we continued up the moors, climbing higher and higher into the hilly terrain. We only had a few minor falls and scrapes, and eventually made it up to Top Withins ruins. The views from what felt like the top of the world were breathtaking, and not just because we’d walked three miles uphill. After a thirty minute rest while gazing over the moors, we began our descent back to civilization, away from the wild winds and tall grass that inspired Wuthering Heights, the book we had studied in class the day before.

After another hour and a mile and a half, we reached our coach bus, which was a sweet sight for our sore feet and sweaty faces. On the way back to Harlaxton, we stopped in Halifax for dinner, sampling an array of (mostly American) food joints. Our hunger satisfied, we laughed, conversed, and listened to music for an hour on the coach before arriving back at our “home”. Settled back in, we spent the evening resting, exploring, studying, and anticipating the much-needed rest that we’d get that night, as class didn’t start until 1 PM the next day.

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Harlaxton Day 12: Class and Free Time

July 29, 2018 | 2018 Harlaxton, 2018-2019, Alex Stewart, Avatars, Study Abroad | No Comments

My day began with a hearty Harlaxton breakfast consisting of a bagel and a mocha. I was excited. Today was one of my most anticipated days of the trip, as we were finally going to discuss my favorite assigned reading: Wuthering Heights.

Our class began, of course, with a quiz over Wuthering Heights and some information about Emily Brontë (the author of the aforementioned novel). After reviewing the quiz, we switched topics and began discussing poetry. The main focus of our discussion was on meter. We discussed iambic, trochaic, anapestic, dactylic, and spondaic meters. Professor Rutledge made the point that most of our names are in trochaic meter (an accented syllable followed by an unaccented syllable) and used some of my classmates as examples. For instance (where ‘ marks an accented syllable and U marks an unaccented syllable):

‘ U ‘ U

“Rithik Reddy”

After our section on meter, we began studying the history of the Brontë family, the influential literary works of Emily Brontë’s time, and Emily’s only novel, Wuthering Heights. Wuthering Heights was influenced–among other things–by gothic novels and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Some of the more interesting narrative techniques in the book are Brontë’s use of multiple points of view to tell the story, and the chiasmus between Heathcliff, Catherine, Edgar, and Isabella.

Later in the day, we watched a screenplay of the book. It made some interesting decisions, such as playing down the rocky relationship between young Cathy and Hareton, and spending more time on the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff. All in all, it was fairly true to the novel and tied the day together nicely.

Tomorrow, we’re going to visit Brontë Country and we’ll get to see the area that inspired Wuthering Heights. That will probably end up being my favorite part of the trip, though it has some tough competition in the nights I’ve spent playing snooker at the manor.

Alex

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