Study Abroad Blog

January 16: After almost three weeks in London, the students were free to take a weekend to explore London and its surrounds on their own. Some chose to connect with family members while others decided to explore museums and/or galleries, or visit areas of the city they hadn't yet seen.  Although the train strikes earlier in the trip had thwarted our plans to travel outside the confines of the city, we were finally able to make it to Stratford Upon-Avon, a medieval market town famous for its 16th Century, Tudor architecture and for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It was quite cold in Stratford (around zero degrees Celsius, or 32 degrees Farenheit). Given that it was 50 degrees when we initially arrived in London, this felt considerably colder to us, a feeling exacerbated by the days of wind and rain leading up to our Stratford day trip.  

When we arrived in Stratford, we visited the house where Shakespeare was born and raised. We also explored the school room and guildhall where the renowned playwright was educated, and we received a short Latin lesson from the school master there before trying our hand at writing with a feather quill. It was clear that some major restoration and conservation work had been completed in the Guildhall, as evidenced by the remnants of some rare medieval wall paintings, which we had a chance to see. 

Alicia and Ben outside Shakespeare's birthplace.

(Clockwise from left to right): Alicia, Marion, Quinn, Charlotte, Helen, and Carolina try their hand at writing with quill pens in Shakespeare's school room.

Dr. Adrienne Major relishing the role of school master.