Author: bopp.21

Sunday was an unbelievably long day as we journeyed back to the US.  However, the nine hour flight back went by much faster than anticipated.  I was able to finish two books on the flight back and watch a movie as well.  I also had time to reflect on how amazing this trip was and how lucky I am to have participated in a class such as this.  I can confidently say that this is the most interesting and enjoyable class I have taken in college.  Meanwhile, I found it all to be highly educational.  Experiencing other cultures and lifestyles allows us to have a greater understanding of the diversity of the people we encounter.  I love experiencing new people and places, since it allows me to continuously grow.  Furthermore, learning the history behind a lot of the science I have learned in classroom settings and visiting sites of significance puts greater meaning to the science and allows for me to have a greater comprehension of its value.  I truly believe that I will never be able to have an experience like this one and for that, I am quite grateful to have gone.  Yet, as the day came to an end, I was finally hit by how tired I actually was and hurried off to bed.

This Saturday was the free day in Paris, so I started the day early by going out to Versailles.  Once again I learned that my peers do not like to plan.  The palace was large, fancy, and unbelievably ornate.  It is hard to imagine living in such an elaborate establishment.  While the building was beautiful, I would likely never go back.  After returning to downtown Paris, I went out to the Montmarte area and had a savory crepe for lunch.  I then traversed up to the Sacre Coeur, which had an absolutely stunning view of Paris up on the hill.  While sitting on the steps below the church looking over the city of Paris, I became aware of how peaceful and enjoyable it had been to completely detach myself from life at home and live in the moment abroad.  I was able to forget about school, future plans, professional aspirations, and societal stress.  Going home will likely be a rude awakening after this blissful retreat.  Furthermore, the church itself was also beautiful.  I wish that they still made churches like these, but at the same time I do not, because that would mean a large amount of money would be spent on a building rather than on people, so I guess there is a reason for everything.  Afterwards, I roamed in and out of shops in the area and ended up talking to some Americans on the street.  I always enjoy seeing what other people have to think of particular places and people.  Later on I went back to Shakespeare and Company and went to the cafe next door in order to read my book, The Paris Wife, while drinking coffee and looking at Notre Dame.  This moment was full of bliss.  As I sat there, I eavesdropped on a group of British young adults discussing quite interesting topics, such as modern day culture, the abandonment of spirituality in the Western world, political strife, and cultural trends.  I wanted to join in out of interest, but I did not want to be rude at the same time, so I refrained from doing so.  In the evening, I spent the last of my money on dinner with my classmates and packed for the journey home.  While I was unbelievably tired, I was not ready to leave quite yet.  After spending time in both places, I think that I like Paris more than London.  However, both cities are charming, beautiful cities with a great deal of culture and history to appreciate.  Of all places I have in been in Europe, they are some of the best of European cities.

This Friday began with our class trip to the Eiffel Tower.  In daylight, I realized that the structure is actually brown in color.  I had always thought that it was black; it even looks black in all the pictures that I took of it, so I found that to be interesting.  It truly was windy, so I understand why they did not let us go up to the top.  The structure itself is what is magnificent, so I did not mind just hanging around the base.  We then went on to the Musee de l’Homme, which was not what I expected it to be.  I honestly thought it would still contain some of the things that it used to, which were in the presentation we had in class.  It was still an educational and interesting museum, but I found it to be sparse in exhibits, content, and people.  However, I did enjoy a visual component that depicted the globalization of people and goods in conjunction with population levels.  Then, I split off from the class and went to visit the Marie Curie Museum for my paradigm shift project.  I find Marie Curie to be brilliant and inspirational, due to her accomplishments and role as a woman in science.  The museum was small, but contained lots of information, including her documents, her equipment, and even her laboratory space and personal desk.  I am glad that I was able to go see her museum.  Then, I had to hurry back after stopping to grab a baguette and macaron for lunch.  The class then had a tour of the Pasteur Institute.  The institute contained many interesting materials and artifacts, but it was clear that the class was tired.  However, that became quite evident while at the Musee des Arts et Metiers.  This museum was really neat; there were so many fascinating gadgets and technology pieces inside of it.  The tour guide was entertaining and friendly as well.  He made me laugh with his constant discussion of the instability of the internet.  I had not previously known that the French were not interested in science anymore, which is too bad, considering that in my opinion, science is the most interesting field.  By the middle of the tour though, I thought my feet were going to fall off from all of the standing, so I found myself sitting, kneeling, or leaning at all points in time.  In the evening, I had dinner by the hotel and then went to the Arc de Triomphe.  On top of the structure, I enjoyed taking in the view and reflecting on all that had happened during the day.  There is so much to see in the world and to learn; it is eye-opening to realize that you will never even scratch the surface.

Thursday started in the Jardin des Plantes.  I thought the Paleontology museum was really cool.  I have never seen so many bones in one place.  Normally, I am not as interested by fossils, but this museum was particularly interesting.  It was very educational to see how the bones of many species that are now extinct.  It causes one to reflect on the impacts we have on species, but also how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things considering the numerous mass extinctions that have occurred.  I cannot imagine life with dinosaurs for example; I am grateful that we do not exist during the same time frame that they do.  After stopping by some other museums, I went to the mosque behind the Jardin des Plantes.  There I had mint tea and a pistachio pastry, both of which were very enjoyable.  The building was beautiful as well.  Then, I went to several art museums, including the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, and Musee d’Orangerie.  The Louvre was overwhelming, but it was neat to see Mona Lisa nonetheless.  Musee d’Orsay was the best museum I have ever been to.  I did not realize how many original, famous pieces were located in Paris.  The museum had amazing collections, such as the Van Gogh collection.  I went to Musee d’Orangerie to see the panoramic water lilies by Monet.  They were beautiful paintings.  Overall, I enjoyed seeing at the time periods and styles reflected in the various works of art in all of these museums.  Afterwards, I stopped by Angelina’s to try the hot chocolate that Paris is famous for.  It was truly rich, but enjoyable nonetheless.  Then, I went shopping at Galerie Lafayette and the stores surrounding it.  Naturally, I spent entirely too much money, but it was fun.  I ended up having beef tartar and escargot for dinner near the Eiffel Tower and then walked over to the Eiffel Tower as the lights started to sparkle.  I think I will always be mesmerized by the beauty of the Eiffel Tower.  I also believe that I fell in love with Paris on this day.

On Wednesday, as we headed off to the train station to take the Eurostar to Paris, I realized I have a low tolerance for relying on other people to be on time.  I appreciate the patience that both of the instructors have for a group this large.  At the train station, I had an iced cappuccino from Starbucks, which I would normally discourage having an American chain abroad, but I was disappointed by the coffee I had in London.  The train took a while, due to labor strikes most likely.  I find it fascinating how often the French protest, but I am glad that that is not as common in the US.  Our French tour guide upon arrival, informed me that the French are upset with the British, due to Brexit, but she also added that she is fine with Brexit and does not like the EU in general.  However, she ended the conversation quickly by saying, “but we musn’t talk about politics.”  I enjoy hearing what other people have to say though.  After recooperating for a second, we went to Notre Dame, which is an absolutely stunning building.  As I was walking around on the inside, I kept singing songs from the Disney movie, The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  The stained glass and high ceilings were captivating.  I find that I am always at piece when sitting inside old, majestic churches.  Then, I walked around the north side of the river and over to the Place of Bastille and then back in the direction of the hotel.  The views from the Seine River are beautiful, especially since we were lucky with the weather.  I went to the bookstore, Shakespeare and Company, due to its fame from the many Lost Generation authors that were friends with the original owner.  These people included Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Joyce, Stein, and Pound.  I adore authors from this time period, post-WWI, and the novels they created.  I purchased one of Joyce’s novels from the store.  After this I went to the group dinner.  Unfortunately, almost the entire class went this evening, so it was hard to converse with anyone who was not right beside you.  While there I had tasty duck, but bad creme brulee.  They were not kidding when they said the French eat for three hours.

Tuesday was primarily a class day.  The day began with a tour of Westminster Abbey, which I truly enjoyed.  I do not know what I expected the building to look like, but I was surprised to see it.  I found it to be truly neat to see a building full of amazing people through history.  I made sure to stand on Stephen Hawking and Charles Dickens, since those are two individuals buried there that I find to be particularly marvelous.  There is so much history regarding the royal family and accomplished individuals in Westminster Abbey.  As I was walking through, I kept thinking about how these people will never be forgotten.  The London Eye was nothing special, but it was still fun to ride and have the elevated views of the city.  I had a lovely lunch of pumpkin buns and brussel sprout tempura, which ended up being the best meal I had in London.  The Royal Society was also fascinating.  My tour guide was knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter.  One must be truly gifted to be a part of that organization.  I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the many famous people that were a part of it at various points in time, such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, and Stephen Hawking.  It was also cool to see old artifacts, such as drawings, letters, and telescopes, all of which were pivotal in the shaping of science today.  I always wonder what will shape the future of science and culture during my lifetime, but obviously that is impossible to predict.  After this, I briefly stopped by Buckingham Palace and then made my way back to Twinings to get more tea before the group dinner at an Indian restaurant.  After dinner, I went to see Mousetrap, which is a murder mystery written by Agatha Christie.  I chose this play, because it is the West End’s longest running show, as it has been showing in London since 1952.  I wanted to chose a show that was appropriate for the setting and this seemed to be the best option for that!  The play was entertaining and had a good story line, but naturally I cannot spoil the ending.

Since Monday was the free day, it was a full day of exploring.  In advance I had planned out how to get to Stonehenge and coordinated the visit.  Several people ended up joining me.  Stonehenge was fascinating, due to the mystery of the stones, who put them there, and how they were able to lift the stones onto one another.  It is wild that this occurred supposedly 5,000 years ago around 3000 BC.  To be honest, I like that we do not have answers to all things, such as these stones.  It gives the world some mystique and enchantment.  Furthermore, it was a beautiful, sunny day, which was perfect for documentation.  While I truly loved seeing Stonehenge, I will likely never go back, because once you have seen it, you have seen all there is to it.  But, I would definitely recommend going to other students.  Once I got back to the city of London, I went to Borough Market and then meandered through the city.  I went to Twinings and purchased several types of teas, as well as a teacup set.  My favorite type of tea is Earl Grey, so naturally I bought some of that.  Then, I strolled through high end shops, but only purchased the book, Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens.  I like to buy books in each place I travel to, so I thought a Dickens book would be fitting and I love Dickens’ books in general.  Fortunately, since the UK speaks the same language as us, I will actually be able to read the book, unlike the book I will buy in Paris.  In the evening, I went back to Chinatown for dinner and bubble tea.  Unfortunately, neither were amazing, but it was still enjoyable to spend time with my classmates.  To finish the day, as an avid Harry Potter fan, I went to King’s Cross Station to see platform 9 and 3/4.  Sadly, the shop was closing, so the cart was not there, but I pretended it was there for my picture.  Though there are clearly major differences, especially in history and in accents, I feel as though I am in an alternate American city when I am in London.

Sunday began with the brief walk to the British Museum and stopping by a few blue plaques.  I find it interesting to see the homes of famous individuals.  Oftentimes, I view a building in its contemporary circumstance, but it is cool to visualize people of significance living in that space.  The British Museum was unbelievably expansive and elaborate.  Even just meandering through the exhibits, I saw countless fascinating artifacts.  I found the pharmacology display to be truly eye-opening.  To see the number of pills the average person takes in their life was shocking.  As someone who will be entering the medical field, it is important for me to have an awareness of facts such as that.  I also enjoyed the sections on ancient Chinese and Japanese artifacts, due to personal interests in those cultures.  After spending a few hours in the museum, I then went exploring around London.  First, I went into St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was a stunning cathedral with intricate ceilings and stained glass.  Then, I took the walking bridge over to Shakespeare’s Globe.  To see the space in which he is famous for was truly neat.  I enjoy theater and many of his works.  After lunch in the area, I went out to Abbey Road and pretended to be the Beatles.  There I bought pastries from a local bake sale and enjoyed speaking with some locals.  After some additional meandering around the city, I came back to the area of the hotel and noticed that a very famous church that is around the world, held their services in London in the theater one block over from our hotel.  So, I attended the Hillsong Church service in the Dominican Theater and enjoyed speaking with locals who regularly attend the service.  They were very welcoming.  It was neat to experience a similar church environment to what I have in the states in a foreign country.  I spent a lot of time thinking about how what I experience in my faith is experienced around the world.  I love seeing the universality of things, such as religion in this case, firsthand; it increases my appreciation of travel to an even greater extent.  While there are many aspects of culture that are highly variant between societies, some things remain the same.

Saturday ended up being a very long day.  I was quite excited when we were greeted by warm weather in London though, compared to Columbus.  There is generally excitement from all things no matter how big or small when you get to a new place.  So, I found myself constantly being enthralled by the country, whether it was stopping to get a cappuccino at a bus stop or seeing the rural areas on the drive out to Down House.  I always forget how rural majority of the United Kingdom truly is, so the drive out proved educational and peaceful.  The town seemed like it was a typical rural town in England, with the friendly ambiance.  I love fish and chips, so this was the perfect place to have them.  Charles Darwin’s house proved to be quite educational.  I enjoyed being able to see his actual documents and writings on display.  As I was there, I felt like I could envision him working in that space and writing his work, although the movie might be why it was so easy to visualize.  Furthermore, the yard around the property was beautiful and relaxing to stroll around in.  After the bus ride back to the hotel, I faced a lot of stress from dealing with my credit card issues, but the evening was fun.  I strolled around the areas near the hotel and ventured into Chinatown for food.  It was neat to experience the rush of people on a Saturday evening.  It made me feel like a part of the culture.

Friday morning seemed like the calm before the storm.  I had a calm morning of class and final touches of packing, but when I went to head to the airport, I faced a large degree of traffic and immediately began to stress out about being late.  I ended up making it on time and many members of the class were late anyways, so the stress was entirely unnecessary.  Since this was the first time that the class was actually forced to spend lots of time together, I enjoyed getting to know some of my classmates that I hadn’t already.  This day came and went in a blink of an eye though, due to the time change en route to London.  I was able to squeeze in a couple hours of sleep on the flights, so I was ready to go when we landed!