Hello everyone! I’m Deijah and I’m having a fantastic time
studying in England at Keele University!
Arriving in England was no problem at all even though the
flight was quite long. Students from the university came to greet a group of us
and we took the coach to Keele. I quickly learned how out of shape I was when
it came time to bring my suitcases up to my room; top floor, four flights of
stairs, and down the hall I was a bit out of breath to say the least! Luckily
there were people to assist us with our bags which was very kind and helpful in
the end. And although the trips up the stairs are not the greatest, the view
makes it all worth it; I get free football games outside my window every
weekend since I’m overlooking the great big field lined with gorgeous trees.
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| A sunset view right outside my window. Wouldn't have it any other way |
Going to classes soon after proved interesting as well; all
my classes are luckily in the same building, but the building has multiple
sections and I had to quickly learn that there is a difference between the
ground floor and the first floor…However, there were always people around to
help direct you to the general area you needed to be in which was a relief.
Classes themselves are structured much differently than at
UNCG; my classes are held once or twice a week for 1-2 hours, but primarily I
do a lot of work and studying on my own. There are days when I have so much
time outside of class but its set-up that way so students have ample time to
get in study and work hours; it took some getting used to since back at UNCG I
would be in classes for most of the day, and time management has been something
I really had to learn while I’m here.
A little bit about Keele itself: technically Keele
University is in Staffordshire but it’s named after a village (Keele Village)
which is neat. The campus itself is like its own small village with close-knit
communities of students from all over the world, its own little stores, chapel,
library and more! Not to mention size-wise, Keele is quite large, with great
fields of green stretching across the landscape on part of the campus which
allows for breathtaking views of the surrounding forest as well.
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| The rolling hills behind Keele Hall! Just look at all that green |
The Potteries district that Keele is in contains other
forest and woods like areas, with a variety of places to go hiking, walking,
jogging, or just to see a nice view. At the same time, there are a good number
of shops and stores that are just a short bus ride away to Newcastle-under-Lyme,
Stoke-on-Trent, and Hanley! The architecture in many of the areas provides a
view of both old and new styles as well, so even when you just want to go out
and window shop, you can simultaneously get a glimpse of the artwork that is
the buildings themselves.
Traveling a bit of a ways away from Keele isn’t hard either,
and I’ve had some amazing trips with friends that were only a few hours away by
train (can I just say we should consider trains for the states, they’re so
quick and easy to use not to mention it’s way less expensive than flying!) One
of the trips I went on was to Nottingham, about an hour and a half by train.
The name might sound familiar, for it was in Nottingham where the Robin Hood
legend stems as well as where Nottingham Castle stands tall and beautiful to
this day! Exploring the castle was an experience (and a lot of walking) with
the interior revamped into a museum showcasing relics of the castle, exhibits about
Robin Hood, Leonardo Da Vinci art exhibitions, and interactive artworks.
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| Posing at the Robin Hood statue with friends! |
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| Overlooking Nottingham while atop Nottingham Castle! So much nature even in the city itself! |
Subjectively, the best part of the castle wasn’t on the
outside though, it was what exists underneath
that proved most exciting! A network of tunnels travelers and traders used
hundreds of years ago, but also the same network that allowed for the invasion
of the castle on part of untrustworthy servants. Walking in the same footsteps
of so many important people of the past is something I’ll never forget, even
though there was the occasional trip or slip from the uneven sandstone surface,
resulting in a few embarrassing moments! I would love to come back to the city
but primarily the castle, because in a few years they plan to close the
underneath for a while to open a part of the tunnels that has yet to be
explored! No one knows what could exist behind the sealed stone walls….
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| What is beyond the closed off section underneath the castle? |
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| The castle is so big, you can't get it all in one photo! |
And if you’re an English major like me or a Shakespeare
buff, a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon is a must! In the center of town is
Shakespeare’s house, where you can take a tour of the different sections of the
houses and a museum exhibition about Shakespeare, his works, and the history of
Stratford-Upon-Avon. Shakespeare’s house is quite beautiful and impeccably
maintained, allowing you to see what it would have looked to live well-off in
the town hundreds of years past. The actors in the house were there to provide
not only information regarding Shakespeare’s life and historical significance,
but also to perform any part of Shakespeare’s works that they knew; one actor
performed a scene from Romeo and Juliet quite flawlessly without any set-up for
the scene at all!
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| Overlooking Shakespeare’s house in the ground’s gardens. |
The area is beautiful even when the weather is a bit dreary;
the town has parks a little way away from the center with the cutest geese,
seagulls and pigeons along with beautiful swans who very much love when people
feed them.
The river that cuts
through the town is lined with boats that double as restaurants, the Royal
Shakespeare Company offers several plays to see and exhibits of costumes and
props, and not too far down the way is the town’s very own butterfly museum
which is enjoyable for all ages, and breath-taking if you love butterflies and
insects of all shapes and sizes.
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| Gorgeous moths bigger than my hand! |
I don’t want to get too long-winded but there are so many
things I want to share about this amazing time I’ve had studying abroad so far!
To be honest I was terrified of studying abroad at first since I had never been
out of the country, let alone outside the country all on my own! But now,
looking at all the experiences I’ve had so far and thinking about all the
people I’ve met, I’m so glad I have the opportunity to be here (and I actually
wish I could stay a bit longer). It’s okay to be frightened at first but you
should never let your fears stop you from travelling; the world is huge and
being able to catch a glimpse of places outside of your home while at
university is even different than if you just traveled when you have free time.
You meet people with so many different perspectives and stories to share, all
invaluable and unforgettable to the experience.
Studying abroad in England was a fantastic decision, and I
wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hopefully you will study abroad too, and write about all
sorts of adventures!
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| Be the Shakespeare of this Century! |
Deijah Scales
Keele University
