England: Lily Bloch (Learning on Excursions)

Learning on Excursions

One enormous factor that has been helping me to flourish abroad is all of the amazing in excursions through FIE. One of my favorites was in our Weird Victorian class when we visited a cemetery that honored citizens that died saving (or attempting to save) other people. We learned about the history of cemeteries in London and got to read some interesting death stories. It was especially intriguing as we learned this was highly taboo for the period of time, obituaries usually focus/ed on the person’s life and the important people in their lives. In this case, the only focus was their profession and their “heroic” death story. On this same trip, we walked through a Victorian Age meat market, Shakespeare’s former living quarters, and Brave Heart’s place of execution. Anytime we go out in this class we always get to see more than we expect and our Professor Brian always shows us new places while telling great stories along the way. On the left is a picture of the original exterior, similar to that of Shakespeare’s home. The windows have been replaced but aside from that, the exterior is the same as when it was built in the late 16th century.

Another excursion that I think is worth mentioning was the BBC Earth experience we visited for our Media in Britain class. This BBC experience was voiced by the famed David Attenborough and consisted of a huge uniquely shaped room filled with projectors that showcased a short special of the wildlife on each continent. Not only did we learn about Britain’s David Attenborough but about the BBC’s influence on British culture. The BBC is indeed a core part of British society and gives people vast access to different beneficial programs. There is nothing quite comparable in the United States. The projector show itself was incredibly relaxing and enjoyable, the beautiful lighting and calming ambience almost made one sleepy. Also included were some interactive features in the sea life room and the specialty.  spider exhibit. I spent most of my time laying down and watching the continent specialties. Overall a mesmerizing and insightful experience I would recommend to anybody.

Lily Bloch

Majors: International Studies and Spanish

Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin