The 5 Senses: Lancaster, UK (MN)

View from the Castle gates, Lancaster

Ok, so first I will begin with sight. Everything is a bit misty here, but that's just because it rains approximately every 3 hours. However, you stop noticing it when you are wearing a rain jacket. Everything in England is pretty grey, with the occasional burst of red and green, but that's about it. The other thing I did not expect to notice is the age of the area I am living in. Everything in England looks like a historical monument and has probably been standing for 600+ years. So far I have visited a variety of cities in the UK. Fist, I explored the city of Lancaster where I am attending school, which is a quint little town filled with castles and old memorials. Old cobblestone roads, stone buildings, and multiple clock towers sum up the general feel of the city. The people are also incredibility friendly, and always fascinated to hear why some one like me, an American, is exploring Lancaster. The next city I went to with a friend of mine is Liverpool.

The Yellow Submarine, Liverpool

I didn't expect this city to be much, but boy was I wrong. Liverpool was surprisingly full of culture and energy. Most of the town is fueled by the popularity of some of it's residents, like you know...THE BEATLES. Even though we did not put out for the 26 pound Beatles tour (because I am broke), we got to see lots of Beatles memorabilia such as the bar that usually hosted the band, the Elanor Rigby Statue, and, of course, the Yellow Submarine. Liverpool was also home to several old buildings that were absolutely stunning. Another fun surprise in Liverpool was that it had a China town. We went in for a bite because we were feeling, as a Brit would say, "a tad peckish" and we had wanton soup that was heavenly. My favorite part of the trip though was walking along the pier because everything was lively and bright.

Clock tower, Chester

The next town visit was organized by the Study Abroad Society at Lancaster. We went to the old city of Chester, which is still surrounded by a wall built when the Romans controlled the city. This down was so charming it hurt. Here, I saw lots of ruins and old buildings. My favorite thing to see in Chester was the old clock tower. I thought it looked like something that only existed in fairy-tails. Chester was filled with lots of local shops and boutiques which made for some excellent shopping. Since we are talking about sight here I guess I should point out that everyone looks fabulous in England. The women here are pulling off turtlenecks and ponchos that I know would just make me look ridiculous. Oh well, a girl can dream. Also, the men are so much more well dressed than in America. It took some time adjusting because they all looked so nice I though some kind of event must be going on haha. I was not mentally prepared for so many men who had tighter pants than I did, so its certainly been an experience.

GOMA, Glasgow

 After our first week of classes we took our first trip up to Scotland in Glasgow. After studying the Modern Art in school I was excited to go to Glasgow, which was a hub for modern art, especially with the Art Neuvoe movement. When we went it also began to snow, only a light dusting though compared to what we get in Meadville. However, the snow did make for a very chilly trip. Since the weather wasn't nice, we ended up going to nearly every museum in Scotland. As an art fanatic, I was very happy about this visit. First we visited the Modern Art Museum, where there is a statue that permanently has a traffic cone on its head. I thought this statue embodied Glasgow as a city; traditional roots with an avant-garde edge.

 This past weekend I spent in Edinburgh which is my favorite place to visit so far. I cant believe we were able to see so much in just one weekend. We climbed to amazing heights to capture some spectacular views of this city. Also, we are having surprisingly good weather here, this weekend int was 55 degrees and sunny. We visited the Palace where Mary Queen of Scots used to live, in addition to the Abbey that was connected to the palace.

We were surprised to find this hidden gem and had a great time running around finding old passage ways and small alcoves. Then we hiked to King Arthur's Seat, which is a very hike-able mountain that takes you to the highest point over the city.  This city is incredibly old and in great condition for its age. We wondered from

major monument to major monument, and on the way learned a lot about Scottish history. One thing that I did see in Scotland that I haven't seen anywhere else is a devotion to Scottish heritage. Where as sometimes Americans are too patriotic and just come off as arrogant, the Scottish people are united under a similar history. Coming from a state that teaches the "war of northern aggression" instead of the Civil war, it was delightful to see how proud and united the Scottish people appeared during my visit.

Moving on to sound, during my travels there has definitely been a mix of sounds. Being a music buff however, I will focus on music and less on the calls of seagulls in the distance or something like that. If I had to compare Lancaster and Northern England to a band it would be Coldplay or Kodaline (the Irish equivalent to Coldplay). The land is so bright it perpetuates a happy mood. At the same time this region is rather mellow, seeing that little has changed in many of these small villages since the 1700s. Obviously, in Liverpool when you are walking down the Pier you can just here "I wanna hold you hand". It's a strange phenomena, but it happens to everyone. However, this sound is very different from the grungy vibes of Scotland. We saw this band our first night in Edinburgh. The sound in Scotland is defiantly more raw and rough than England to the South. Maybe this is due the intense weather or the harsh influence of bagpipes.

Whats Next? Feel...well its pretty damp here. It's never pouring rain really, just an eternal mist of rain. However, under lots of layers and mostly covered walkways, I have kept pretty warm during my stay. Looking at emotional feeling, I'd say I am very excited for upcoming trips and events on campus such as War of the Roses. I felt a little homesick with sorority recruitment and run out (my favorite day of the year) being this past weekend. However, my sisters have been incredibly supportive and kept in contact the entire time I've been away. With all the excitement of new experiences, I find little time to feel homesick.

Smell. I will tell you that I have one of the worst senses of smell. However, since Lancaster University is surrounded by livestock farms, sometimes campus smells like manure. My first day of class, the smell almost knocked me off my feet. What's funny, is that only the international students seem to notice this smell. All locals seem completely unaware of the stench. Now that I have been here for a while, I am beginning to notice this less and less. This did make me wonder what my hometown in Louisville, surrounded by horse farms, must smell like to visitors?

I saved the best for last, and that is TASTE. Ugh I just love food. It's all so good here, I have yet to have a bad meal. So far some of the best meals have been afternoon teas. Every time I have afternoon tea I am surprised that it's so filling and enjoyable. Weather it's accompanied by trays of sweats or with sandwiches, tea is always a great go to. The other thing I love to order is Fish and Chips. Cliche, I know. But Fried fish with fries covered in vinegar and salt is just too good to pass up. It tastes especially good after walking around in the cold for a long time. A pleasant surprise has been the great quality of Chinese food in England.

Looking back at these last 3 weeks I have been here, I don't know if I have become more creative or open minded. The article definitely made a good point that traveling will expose you to a new range of ideas. The biggest change I have seen in myself is that I have gained more confidence while traveling. Even if something goes wrong, I can usually work through it and still find an alternative. Overall, I am enjoying my time here and I am looking forward to more trips in the future.

Signing off, till next time. --Ellie Najewicz