England Update Part 2

More from my journal recap I wrote for my school:

Thursday the 13th greeted us with a bright sun and the warmest weather of the trip so far. Luckily for us, that was our day to go to Woolacombe beach and take a walk along the hills of Mortehoe after morning classes. It was another beautiful day in North Devon and even more breathtaking views than the day before. We walked from Mortehoe to Woolacombe along a path that zigzags through sheep pastures (while trying to avoid the smelly presents they leave behind) and took a group photo on the hillside. In Woolacombe it was a bit windy to enjoy the beach, but the town’s surf shops are exactly what our students were hoping for. That night we saw Iron Man 2 in the local cinema, a movie full of spectacular action but a bit difficult to understand.

The next day we had class in the morning again and spent our afternoon in Barnstaple, the nearest big city with the Pannier Market and other shops. Unfortunately, the weather was as bad as it was good the day before, and it rained pretty hard for most of the trip. Due to the nasty weather we also had to cancel our football activity on Friday night, but it allowed our students to spend more time at home to practice their English.

Finally the weekend! All of us piled into the bus Saturday morning for the long trip to Bath, an ancient English city that was once a vacation resort and sacred ground in Roman-occupied England. A natural hot spring was discovered buried underground, and after further investigation they discovered a whole leisure complex, complete with several bath sites of different temperatures, multiple holy temples, and the most advanced technology of the time in terms of central heating and water irrigation. Nowadays this site has been completely remodeled with the main bath as the centerpiece. Inside, many of the smaller bath houses are open to the public and thousands upon thousands of relics have been recovered from the different rooms and pools at the site. The writer Bill Bryson was featured on certain parts of the tour, and his comment about the water is what struck me most- As water continues to bubble up to the bath from deep within the Earth, you have to take a step back and realize the antiquity of the site. The Romans may have created this architectural and technological masterpiece 2,000 years ago, but when you think that the very water we can see and touch here may have traveled well over 10,000 years to get here, it makes the Romans seem like latecomers. The afternoon was spent at Clark’s Village where there are factory stores of many famous brands, and even the most frugal people like myself managed to find a few deals!

On Sunday the students spent the day with their families. This was a chance for the families to show the students their personal favorite spots around the area, and most importantly to grow closer by doing activities outside of the house. Some took day trips to Woolacombe or other local areas, others played sports and outdoor activities, and some visited other family members. That evening we had a wonderful boat trip on the Ilfracombe Princess planned, but due to Murphy’s Law, it rained all morning and the trip was canceled. Ironically, by the time we would have left on the cruise the sun was out and the sea was calm, but that is what tends to happen with this crazy English weather, especially here in the southwest. (Congratulations to Malaga CF by tying Real Madrid that evening and staying in La Liga for next year!)

After Monday’s morning classes, we went to Arlington Court, a pristinely preserved mansion of the English aristocracy. Much like Dunster Castle, this former house of the Chinchester family gave us a view into upper-class English life from centuries ago. From the balcony overlooking the entrance hall, I tried to imagine myself at a high society gathering with the men in tuxedoes and women in elaborate gowns. We also saw the carriage collection and learned how carriage technology advanced through the years.

That night our activities leader Mr. Chamberlain organized a disco-night for the students at DJ’s. The local student group P.A.L.S. also came and helped get the party started. Thanks to the money we had gathered all week from the students coming late everyone got to enjoy a refreshment from the bar, and it’s safe to say that every single person had a great time. Most danced the night away while others chose to play a round of snooker, and overall it was a great way to celebrate our trip and have one final party.

We have one more full day before we go home on Wednesday morning at the break of dawn. We are crossing out fingers that the volcano ash from Iceland will allow us to fly (although I think some are praying that we’ll get to spend a few more days in Ilfracombe!) We’ll have our boat trip Tuesday night and then have our sad goodbyes with the people we have called our families for the last 12 days. This has been an amazing experience for everyone, and I hope that all the English the students have been learning will stay with them when they return to Spain! For many of our students this is the first time they have gotten to know a new culture, and this important life-lesson has the potential to change their lives forever. I hope they will return to Spain with more of an open mind in terms of accepting people different than themselves, understanding different cultures, and that they will remain curious to learn more about the rest of the world! I speak on behalf of Belen, Mr. John, and I when I say we are extremely proud of every single one of them and the progress they’ve made.