By Kevin Black & Owen Gillespie

Day 10 started a little later than usual at 9:30. We were thankful for this wake time because it allowed us to be more rested for the day. At 9:30 we meet up as a group in the hotel lobby. We then took a train to the Palace of Versaille which took about an hour and a half. We had a tour of the palace and the various state departments inside. The tour was very insightful and beautiful. All of the state departments are designed to showcase a previous Greek or Roman god. The soldiers room showcased the Greek god Ares. The Palace was also very beautiful. It had gold everywhere with beautiful paintings on the walls and ceilings. I have never seen anything like this Place before. The tour also provided insight on the history of the French Revolution. It taught us about King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette.

After the tour around 10 people in our group decided to grab lunch because we were hungry and thirsty. We both got a hamburger and fries, unfortunately the service at the restaurant was below par. The service was slow, we had to ask for water multiple times, and there was a dispute over the bill. The problems that we had passed and the group still had a fun time there. After the restaurant, we decided to head back into Paris. We both had different ideas where to go. Kevin and David went to Notre Dame Cathedral and Owen, Reid, Jorge, Alyana, Jenna, Hailey, Emilie, and Carter headed towards the Louvre. We got off at different stops and found our destination. On our walk, rain started to come down pretty hard and we had to run to the door. Owen, Reid, Jorge, Alyana, and Jenna had passed for the Louvre while everyone broke off and went to a cafe. Once we got in the Louvre we headed straight to the Mona Lisa. We got to the room that housed the painting and the room was packed. Fortunately for us a worker spotted Alyana and we were able to cut in front of everyone and get the closest spot to the Mona Lisa. We finished our passes by looking at ancient Egyptian artifacts.

After the Louvre closed, we met with everyone else and headed back to the hotel. We relaxed for a couple of hours before we went out for dinner with the boys on the trip. We ate at a fancy restaurant (Les Antiquaries) and got chicken salad and steak. We then met up after with the girls and went to the Eiffel Tower. At the Eiffel Tower we relaxed and took pictures.

We then went back to the hotel to sleep and woke up for our 5:45 am departure from the hotel to the Paris airport. We woke up around 5:00 in the morning to pack and meet with the group in the lobby. We loaded our luggage onto the bus and then headed off to the airport. We got to the airport and checked our luggage and passed through security and immigration. Our first flight was an 8 hour flight to Atlanta. The flight was easy because we were able to sleep and watch a variety of good movies. After landing at the airport, part of our group went their separate ways.

We said goodbye to them and continued on our journey to Columbus. Owen was one of the people in the group that broke away because he had a flight to Philadelphia. His flight took around 2 hours and once he landed he got in a car and drove 40 minutes to his house. Kevin stayed with the group and had a 1:30 minute flight.

By Dom Guzzardi & Tyler Spitz

Today, we started our day by having breakfast in the hotel. Then, we proceeded to walk to the lecture. Today’s topic was the technology of the Olympics. The group was very excited about this, as the Olympics are coming soon. We learned a lot of interesting facts, like how there are 54 competition venues. We also learned how the Paralympics gives more medals away than the regular Olympics, as they have multiple Paralympic winners of medals in the category based on disability. This was very interesting since the Olympics have more events. The lecture then went on to explain how they have to provide for athletes and the people coming for the Olympics. They need to provide over 600k meals while also having a restaurant open 24/7. This lecture was very interesting to see a lot of the things that went behind the scenes of the Olympics.

After the lecture, we took the train to PSG stadium. The group started by going to the team shop across the street. People are getting things like jerseys, scarves, and a bunch of other PSG and Jordan gear. This team shop was especially cool since PSG is the only team sponsored by Jordan. After we went into the stadium for the tour, it was the nicest stadium we have been to in a lot of parts. It felt like we were in a hotel, not a soccer stadium. It feels like it could fit more than the max capacity of 47,929. We were able to see the locker rooms, pitch side, and suit-level views, with star player Kylian Mbappes’s locker being a fan favorite. Once we finished, we were able to take some shots at a goal on the side before going inside to see some of the trophies they have won in their rich history. We got to do this very exciting thing, and I am glad we got to experience it.

Following the tour at Parc de Princes, the home of PSG, a group of students, including Tyler, Chris, Kevin, Owen, David, Reid, and Dom, made our way to a wine-tasting experience that we booked a few days in advance. However, immediately before arriving, the group decided to grab lunch and split up, going to two different locations. Owen and Chris went to a place similar to the one we had next door, and the best way to describe the place the rest of us went to was as a bistro, deli, or cafe. The group varied in their orders, but some constants across the table included French Onion Soup and paninis, and everyone got crepes for dessert. Despite a slight incident with a broken plate, the lunch was incredibly enjoyable as the newly formed friends from the trip shared some memorable moments and tons of laughter.

The tour was at Les Caves du Louvre, an underground ancient and historical cave in Paris, where we were provided with three total glasses of wine throughout the experience while also being provided with a brief history and overview of the origins of the specific wines we were tasting in that moment. Our journey throughout the experience included getting provided with an explanation and description of how wines are fermented over their lifespan, the understanding, methodology, and importance of why and how to properly smell and taste wine in its purest form, and valuing the steps and procedures that go into how the bottles, labels, and cork are all specifically designed to each bottle and unique style of wine.

After concluding our tasting, the group split up again as Chris, Tyler, and Dom decided to venture back towards the hotel to have a mid-day nap, catch up on some schoolwork for additional summer classes, and take some time to reset for the day. Following the naps, we all freshened up. We made our way across the street to the Le Chateau Landon restaurant and enjoyed a nice dinner with whoever wanted to join us, including Sam, Emillie, Tyler, Chris, Reid, Owen, Jorge, David, Kevin, and Dom. After that, the group, girls, and guys, decided on their plans for the night and enjoyed a Saturday and second to last night in Paris, France.

By Jenna Cashman & Ashley Kerscher

Thursday began early with a wake up time of around 7 A.M. as we had many things to do before we departed for Paris. We had to get ready, finish packing our bags, eat breakfast, check out, and take our luggage to the luggage room where it would be stored until our departure. All members of the group met up and we left the hotel to head to the West Brompton train station. Our train didn’t take us right to the grounds, so we had to walk about 10 minutes from the train station to get to Lord’s. At the grounds, we did a cricket workshop, including learning how to bowl the ball (overhand while keeping your elbow locked) and doing different catching and throwing drills. After that, the group played a small game of cricket where everyone had the opportunity to bat and play in the field. The batting team was on one half of the mini field while the fielding players were scattered around. If a player hit the ball, they ran with the bat to the opposite wickets and then back; this is worth two runs. The final score was 18-14, giving us more insight to what cricket scoring looks like and how it works.

After the workshop, we were given a tour of the grounds. There we saw the media center, the stands, the visitor’s dressing room, and a demonstration of real tennis. In the media center we learned that the middle stump of a wicket has a microphone and a camera in it to televise games. We also were shown that Lord’s Cricket Ground is sloped, which is unusual for cricket. Additionally, Lord’s can hold 31,000 people and it is 100 percent grass, which means that it must be taken care of unlike turf. The visitors’ dressing room and home dressing room at the grounds are the same size; they’re each built for just twelve players, however they can’t be rebuilt because of their history. Rounding out the tour was real tennis, which we had never heard of before. Real tennis is a game played indoors, with a ball that is similar to cricket and wooden rackets, and there are only 51 courts in the world.

A small group walked to Abbey Road to reenact the iconic Beatles photo. It was quite a busy intersection, but after a bit of waiting, everyone got the pictures they wanted.

The group took a train to Harrods, where we looked around at jewelry, chocolate, and then stopped for some lunch at Harrods Pizzeria & Pasqua. As we walked back to the train station, we stopped by a bakery, and it was all pink; some of us getting desserts or coffee.

Since we couldn’t be late for our train to Paris, we had to quickly make it back to the hotel to grab our luggage. We were soon back at West Brompton Station to take the tube to the International Train Station. The tube was very hectic and crowded at this time because each member in our group had a suitcase, and since it was rush hour for the locals. After long lines for security and customs, we ate dinner at the train station and then boarded our train for Paris. Quickly into the ride, we entered the “chunnel” under the English Channel, which took us right into France. The group grabbed our luggage from the train and walked to our new hotel. After discovering that our assigned hotel room was still in use by somebody else, we requested a new room and then got ready for the next day.

Friday began pretty early as we had a departure time of 8:45 A.M. It was also our first morning in the new hotel, which proved to have little food options (although they had plenty of chocolate croissants). We all met up to walk to the NH Hotels Gare de L’est to attend a lecture about American Football in Europe. The president of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) spoke to us. IFAF aspires to define itself as a stable, well-governed and socially responsible international federation, and it was created in 1998. It was very interesting to learn about how popular American Football is becoming on this continent, how the businesses get their money, and advertising techniques they use. At the conclusion of the lecture, we took the metro to Roland Garros where we would watch the qualifier matches for the French Open. Roland Garros is a large outdoor campus with multiple large stadiums of tennis courts and several smaller courts with bleacher seating. We waited in line to get into a smaller court, since fans can only enter when each game ends. The group watched Ohio State alum J.J. Wolf in a match, followed by another woman from the United States.

We went to a sandwich shop in Roland Garros for lunch where we had the option of ham & cheese or tomato & mozzarella on focaccia. With the sandwiches people also had cookies, chips, and macarons. We ate outside under an umbrella as it was a beautiful sunny day. This is where the group split, as some wanted to go back to the hotel and others wanted to go shopping. The group who went shopping were led to a Zara that didn’t exist (this has been a recurring theme in Europe), and the group who was going back to the hotel ended up getting off at the wrong train station on the way home. Each group made it back to the hotel after a bit of an adventure.

Tonight there was a group dinner at Friends & Family Restaurant. After taking naps, freshening up, and getting dressed up for dinner, we took the train and walked for about 15 minutes to the restaurant. Seeing everybody dressed up was super fun, and the girls had a photoshoot while waiting for the food to arrive. The multiple course meal included soup, potatoes, chicken breast and dessert. All of the food was very good, but the chocolate mousse was a crowd favorite. It was very nice to get to spend this time with the entire group and eat great food. After dinner, some people went to see the Eiffel Tower while others went back to the hotel. This rounded out a great day, and we got ready for our next adventures.

By Chris Laska and David Laurence

The day began very early, especially for people who wanted to wake up and get breakfast, as we had to leave the hotel at 8:30 a.m. to go to Twickenham. When I heard the multiple alarms going off in our room, we quickly got up and ate breakfast. As soon as everyone was ready to go in the lobby, we walked to the metro station just up the road and headed to Twickenham Stadium, the home of English Rugby.

Before our tour of Twickenham, we had some free time to explore the shop, which had all sorts of fantastic rugby merchandise. Most people in our group got something as a little souvenir. Chris bought a white rubber wristband and a metal wallet, while David bought an England Rugby shirt and a scarf that had both England’s and Ireland’s crest on it. After perusing the shop for about 20 minutes, we gathered as a group by the exit, met our tour guide, and headed to see the rest of the stadium. During the tour, we learned a lot about Twickenham’s history. In 1907, a committee created by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was looking for the home of English Rugby, and the committee hired William Williams to find land for the stadium. He later found where Twickenham stands, a 10.25-acre plot owned by the Man family. Williams and the Rugby Football Union paid 5,572 Pounds (840,030.00 Pounds or 1,057,493 USD today) for the plot of land. They then spent the next two years building the stadium. The first game was played in 1909, Harlequins vs. Richmond; a year later, the first international game took place in 1910, England Vs. Whales.

While we learned a lot about the stadium’s history, we also learned a ton of facts about the stadium. The first thing we were told when the tour began is that when a rugby game is played at Twickenham everyone views it as a social occasion; when you are there, you are there for more than rugby. The stadium has four bars that are open 2 hours before the game and two hours after the game. Fun fact – Twickenham is home to the largest bar inside a stadium and is the largest stadium strictly dedicated to rugby. While also having four bars, the stadium has 26 hospitality suites and 152 hospitality boxes. Another great part of the tour was visiting England’s locker room, in which each locker had names of famous rugby players at each position on a plaque, including Johnny Wilkinson, an England fly-half who kicked a drop goal to win the Rugby World Cup Final for England in the match’s final seconds in 2003, which we later found out in the World Rugby Museum. The last fact we wanted to share with everyone that we learned on the tour was that during the events, there is one and only one police officer in the stadium and he is up in the control room. We were told this is due to the community rugby and Twickenham have created. It is really common for people to make lifelong friends with the strangers they sit by at rugby games due to their love of the sport.

After the stadium tour, we had time to explore the adjacent World Rugby Museum, in which we learned about the history of the game of rugby, rugby fundamentals such as how to play in a scrum (the museum had a practice scrum sled), and the state of the game today.

After that, we went into town for lunch and to find a bar that was made famous on the Ted Lasso TV show, which is about an American football coach who was hired to coach an English soccer club. After lunch and the bar, we took the subway into the center of London to go on a guided walking tour of some famous landmarks of London.

We began our walking tour in Leicester Square, which was surrounded by a lot of movie theaters and shops. From there, we walked to Trafalgar Square, which is a massive square in the dead center of London. The square is named after the Battle of Trafalgar, which was a naval battle in the Napoleonic wars in which the Admiral Lord Nelson defeated the French navy while also giving his life in the process. There is a massive statue of him in the square to commemorate him and the battle. From there, we walked past the Cenotaph, a memorial to British soldiers who died in WWI, and made our way to a street corner with an amazing view of Big Ben and the British Parliament building. Our next stop was in front of Westminster Abbey, which is a massive cathedral that has hosted every English monarch’s coronation since William the Conqueror in 1066, and has also been used for royal weddings, state funerals, and the final resting place for several English monarchs and other people with great contributions to British society, such as the scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, and the author, Sir Charles Dickens. Our second to last stop was Buckingham Palace, which is the official residence of the King of England and has been for every monarch since Queen Victoria. Finally, we walked down the Mall, a road connecting Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, and on the way, a large number of royal horse guards passed us in formation on their way to a rehearsal for an important annual military demonstration celebrating the King’s birthday, which is called Trouping the Colour.

After the tour, we had a bunch of free time. So I (Chris), decided to text my aunt who lives in Mill Hill which is a suburb of London. My aunt responded sent me her address and I took the tube to Mill Hill East Station where my cousin, Sinead, picked me up. After a quick five minute drive I arrived at my cousin’s house where I was greeted by one of the cutest dogs I have ever met. After a quick catch up, my aunt Susan, uncle Hugh, cousin Michael, and I headed to their favorite local Irish pub. I had some amazing chicken wings and a barbeque burger. After about an hour of eating and talking about our families they dropped me back off at Mill Hill East. Except there was one little problem, my internet was not working so I had to ask an attendant how to get back to the hotel. After writing down the directions I was on my way and after a 40 minute tube ride I was back at the hotel and ready to pass out.

After the tour, while Chris went to visit family in London, I (David) continued with part of the group to the area near the London Eye, which is a huge Ferris wheel on the River Thames. We didn’t go up in the Eye, but we got dinner near it. We found this Mexican cantina and ordered dinner there. After dinner, myself and four others walked back across the river and towards His Majesty’s Theater, which was near Trafalgar Square. We went there to watch Phantom of the Opera, one of the greatest and most famous musicals of all time. It is the second longest-running show in West End History (West End is London’s theater district), and was the longest-running show in Broadway history as well, but only the West End Production is currently still performing. To say that this show was amazing is a massive understatement. Our seats were obstructed, but it didn’t matter. We were still able to see the chandelier rise at the beginning of the show, which gave all of us chills. All of the actors were amazing singers, too. I have many of years of experience with vocal performance so I am often very critical of someone’s performance, but I was blown away by what I heard. The blend of musical and operatic voices was amazing. On top of the voices, the orchestra was insanely powerful. I could feel the music in my chest. The organ alone made the music worth the price of admission. After the show, we bought souvenirs and made our way past Piccadilly Circus and back to the hotel, where we spent time talking with everyone on the trip about our experiences in London for the day. All in all, it was a fantastic day in the British capital.

By Alayna Moore & Hailey O’Donnell

Day five in London was packed with class and a dash of chaos.

We awoke to a dreary morning, the air cool and crisp and the sky draped with a blanket of thick gray clouds. Yet, it wasn’t so bad. The rain painted the streets of London, making for a movie-like atmosphere as we made our way to Wimbledon for a tour. The cold and rainy weather couldn’t stop us from enjoying the 58 million blades of grass on each of Wimbledon’s 18 tennis courts… and yes, it is somebody’s job to count each blade of grass.

The tour began at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. The museum showcased the traditions, players, and the Wimbledon complex itself as it has evolved since 1922. Things like players’ uniforms, equipment, awards, and history facts were displayed along with interactive exhibits. A crowd favorite was the “reaction station”, a test where you had 30 seconds to press as many dots as you could as they lit up. A group of us competed and cheered each other on, the highest score being a 35.

After the museum, we toured the No. 1 court which has 12,345 seats, The Hill where people gather to eat and watch matches, the players’ lounge, and Centre Court. It was raining during our tour, and the guide explained that Wimbleodn has only had eight dry competitions in its entire history. She said that this year has been particularly wet, and that the courts are actually softer than they are supposed to be by this time. Some other facts she told us were that strawberries and cream were the most popular food at Wimbledon, it is the only competition where players wear all white, and it is the only Grand Slam that is played on grass courts.

After Wimbledon, the group split off for free time. One group went to the British Museum for high tea, and a few others went on a tour to Emirates Stadium. We went to high tea.

High tea is a British tradition dating back to the 19th century where working class people could share a meal and socialize. Our meal included tea (obviously) along with sandwiches, scones, and multiple deserts. It was delicious and very filling, as well as a great opportunity for those who were there to continue getting to know each other. We were all also dressed up, so we took some photos.

After high tea we caught the train back to our hotel. Some rested while others ate dinner together at the hotel restaurant. The restaurant served seafood and Italian street food which was decent. This pretty much rounded out the day!

By Reid Martin & Jorge Castillo

Our third day of the trip functioned as a rest day. Since there were no assigned lectures or tours for us, we had a free exploration day in the city of Manchester. Sunday was a massive day for sports in England as it was the final matchday for the Premier League season and tensions were high. Firstly, everyone had the opportunity to rest and sleep for a little as the game wasn’t until four o’clock. Jet lag was still in effect so we all made use of the extra rest to regain energy. To start the day, we went to a shopping mall in the city called Arndale center. It was rather busy as locals and tourists wanted to get some Sunday shopping in. In the heart of Manchester, it helped us understand part of the local life and how it was both similar and different to life in the United States. There were many similarities within the fashion industry, as there were stores that we already have in the U.S such as H&M, Urban Outfitters, or Foot Locker. However, there were some differences in food, such as the places to eat.

After we were finished, we headed to the hotel to prepare for the game. Tensions were high because this matchday would decide who would be crowned champion, and no one knew what was going to happen across the league because all of the games started at the same time. Manchester City was looking for their 4th Premier League title in a row which would make history, whereas Arsenal was behind them looking for their first title in 20 years. Manchester City just needed a win in order for the trophy to be theirs, while Arsenal needed City to falter. Many of us split up for the game as there was no unanimous spot to watch the game. Eventually, we found a Manchester City bar about a mile away. The atmosphere was great and everyone was super excited. To experience the game with locals of the team was spectacular. They were chanting, singing, and screaming at all points leading up to the match. Everyone erupted after Manchester City scored a goal in the opening minutes and energy was at an all time high. Soon enough they scored again and once more the crowd was energetic and excited. Manchester City would go on to win 3-1 while Arsenal would also win, despite it being all for naught. Manchester were champions yet again and the town was feeling it.

After the game was over, we spent the rest of the day hanging out at different spots around town. In the afternoon we went to a sky bar that had a very European vibe to it. It was colorful and had lots of plants and vines around the interior. There were booths and tables for folks to hang out and relax. We had a good time experiencing the vibe and eventually we went to an English pub which was near the hotel. We had fun, made fun conversations amongst each other to bond, and even played some pool.

On Monday we visited Etihad Campus. Since it is located in East Manchester, we grabbed a quick bite at the hotel, checked out and took off early in the morning. We used the tram rail transit system to reach our destination and tour around the several facilities and grounds that Etihad offers. First, we started off with a lecture emphasizing some of the main keys towards Manchester City’s recent success. The lecturer mentioned how critical it is to keep a fanbase happy and how changing too much can jeopardize the future of the club. Similarly, he went through some of the main points that have made the business of Manchester City increase and stay profitable through tough situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales, hospitality suites, advertisements, and exclusive content are essential towards securing the future of one of the most prestigious soccer teams in the world, as it can generate a completely new reach. Focusing on jersey sales by either raising prices or significantly lowering them (depending on what the market and the demand is) is a prime example of how the success of a team’s season can dictate the route of your business.

Following the conclusion of the lecture, we took a tour inside the stadium and then hopped on a small bus that took us through the entire Etihad training grounds and facilities. The tour included: Etihad stadium, home to Manchester City and where they play their home games, the City Football Academy (CFA) training grounds, Manchester City Joie Stadium, home to the women’s Manchester City team and where the youth teams play at times, the Manchester City school campus, where academy players go for education. and the Club World Headquarters, where much of the business happens and representatives work. The facilities were outstanding, but the most impressive and interesting part of them all was the psychology behind each one. Legendary coach Pep Guardiola emphasized to the team the need for psychological advantages over other opponents, where they can start winning off the field that will eventually translate into positive results on the field. Buildings were built in a way where a young academy player playing at Joie Stadium can see the big sign of Etihad Stadium, provoking strong feelings of motivation. Similarly, the Manchester City locker room was constructed as a circle to improve communication between the players and coaches, whereas the visitor’s locker room is more narrow to make it as legally uncomfortable for their opponents.

After the conclusion of the tour, we took the tram back to the hotel where we picked up our luggage. We then proceeded to Piccadilly Station and traveled to London by train. Unfortunately, due to some mandated check by the authorities, the train was delayed a couple of hours which made us reach our destination later than planned. After checking in and resting for a bit we found a good spot for dinner called Goose, where a good group of us decided to have dinner before going back to the hotel and get some sleep.

By Ibrahim Almahaireh, Sam Hargett, and Emillie Waddell

May 18th was the second day of the Ohio State European Model of Sports Study Abroad Program, and it was packed with memorable experiences.

Our day began with a one-hour train ride from Manchester to Liverpool. Upon arrival, we headed straight to Anfield Stadium, the historic home of Liverpool Football Club. Anfield is renowned in the Merseyside region for its rich soccer history. We explored the stadium, walking through the tunnel into the dressing room and eventually stepping onto the pitch. Hearing the famous anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and touching the “This is Anfield” sign was an exhilarating experience. We learned about iconic players like Sir Kenny Dalglish, Mohamed Salah, and Steven Gerrard, who have all passed through this tunnel.

However, the day took an unexpected turn when Emillie, one of our group members, felt unwell and fainted while we were exploring the stadium. She was quickly attended to by paramedics and taken to a nearby hospital. Despite the stressful situation, Emillie handled it with grace.

In the afternoon, we had some free time, which we used to explore Liverpool. We went shopping, enjoyed a pint at a local pub, and had lunch at a place called American Pizza, which reminded us of home. Our next stop was The Beatles Museum. The museum offered an immersive experience into the lives and legacy of The Beatles, detailing their rise from a local pub band to international superstars. We followed their journey from Liverpool to Hamburg and then to the United States, where they sparked Beatlemania. The exhibit also touched on the band’s bittersweet end following their manager’s death, highlighting the impact of their breakup on the music world.

After visiting the museum, we continued to explore Liverpool, visiting local shops and enjoying the city’s vibrant atmosphere. We even saw a lively street performance by an Elvis impersonator, which added to the charm of our visit.

We then took the train back to Manchester, reflecting on the day’s experiences. Upon return, we gathered for dinner at a rooftop bar called “YES,” where we enjoyed pizza and gyros before returning to the hotel for some much-needed rest.

By Nicole Hernandez Sandoval & Elisabeth Christina Kearney

The day has finally come, the first day of our trip! We all arrived on time at the John Glenn Airport to get our boarding passes and luggage checked. Goodbyes were said and we were off!

Our first stop was to Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA where we would have a quick plane change to our Virgin Atlantic flight to Manchester. The Atlanta flight was a piece of cake and we landed safely and quickly. As soon as we deboarded, we gathered and made our way to the Plane Train ( the ATL Airport’s terminal transportation) with haste to our urgently approaching flight abroad. After a bit of pushing and shoving we entered the International Terminal via the plane and arrived at our 2nd gate. We had about a 45 minute lull before boarding, but after we scanned our passports and plane tickets to get on the plane.

For most of us the flight went without incident and we gathered at baggage claim to get our luggage and smoothly went through customs. After customs we had time to burn. We were waiting on our travel guide, Sjoerd, and the other program attendees from a college in New York. This took about 2 hours and many students bided our time by converting our dollars to pounds, checking out the vastly different menu at Starbucks, and most importantly playing card games! Once we were all together we were off to our first stop, the British Cycling Centre.

We were welcomed warmly by our lecturers and the staff of the Great Britain Cycling Team and began our tour. We all had an understanding of the presence of cycling in the UK and Europe, but we had no clue a facility like the Cycling Centre existed. We first visited the facilities for the Great Britain National Cycling Team, this included the offices of the support team and workout areas for the athletes. Afterward we sat for a presentation by the head of education for the organization where we had a great discussion regarding what they do in their offices and the opportunities they provide to the community and the nation as a whole. As a government subsidized resource they provide events for health and entertainment through biking for all. After this pre-station, we moved to the tour of the biking facilities. We viewed the BMX track and Velodrome and understood more about the multipurpose nature of the Centre and the work that goes into being a national level competitor.

After this, our time at The British Cycling Centre was over but the events for this day had just begun! We made our way to our final planned destination, Old Trafford stadium, home of the Manchester United Football Club. At that time we were all famished and exhausted from being awake for more than 18 hours (at least I was), but the excitement of football kept us going. The first thing we did was visit the club’s museum where we saw things such as club artifacts, players’ kits, trophies, and photographs. It was especially inspiring to see how the club makes a great effort of recognizing not only its popular figures, but everyone that has been influential to the franchise and the sport.

Right after the museum we started an interactive lecture about DEI, emphasizing on the importance of perception and diversity. The activities and games we played were examples of the differences in opportunities people might face and they symbolized what the club does to fulfill their promise of being “all red all equal”. This, in my opinion, was the most impressive part, the passion the fans have for Manchester United and the club’s commitment to its fans, employees, community, and nation. Finally, as a parting gift I suppose, we got to see and try on some boots and jerseys before heading to the guided tour. I got to try on Cristiano Ronaldo’s used jersey from his time at Manchester United, which was a peak moment in my life.

During the tour we got to see the incredible locker rooms, sit courtside by the pitch, the press room, statues, the center tunnel, and more. The tour guide cracked some jokes and really demonstrated that passion I’d mentioned before for the franchise and its people, which was very special to me. The stadium and pitch were incredible as every one of the four sides had a different name representing important characters, places, and events in the club’s history.

My favorite part was knowing the reasons behind some of the decision making, like this previous one of the stands. Manchester United was a blast as we got to finish the tour with some physical exercises and a 6v6 football game (not on the home pitch) before heading to the Megastore. At this point in time almost all we could think about was sleep. However, we only live once so as a group we decided to go for dinner and explore the city. We ended up getting dinner at a local Irish pub with the faculty and walking around before going to bed and getting ready for the next day of adventures.

From May 16th -27th, KNSISM 3798 (European Model of Sports) will be traveling to Manchester, Liverpool, London, and Paris. Visit this site for daily updates on our trip (written by students in the class).