My Story

1. My Story Central College Abroad London Fall Semester 2016

2. Since day one of starting university, I knew I was going to major in history. For the better part of my life, I have had a passion for old things. Facts, dates, and names stick in my head like glue making it easy for me to learn history quickly. I enjoy reading historical books and watching documentaries. However, living in the United States, I have never been exposed to extremely old buildings and artifacts, so my actual visual learning of history is that of more a more modern era, only a couple of hundred years.

3. Upon arriving in London, no amount of reading history books or seeing pictures could have prepared me for what I was about to encounter. My first tour was of the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace, which was both a dream and a wake-up call. I had never seen anything like the Palace and didn’t think I would again so I took in every little detail the best I could.

4. The very next day I took a tour of the Houses of Parliament and saw firsthand where the country is governed. Though it is a relatively new building compared to the rest of the country, I still had never been in anything that rich in history. All of the sudden all of my textbooks and facts that I had memorized and learned were coming to life. It was incredible to wrap my head around the idea that I was standing in the same place as some of the most influential men and women in history.

5. After those first two tours, I started to expect to find myself in beautiful old buildings, but the thrill of standing there never got old and it still hasn’t. My internship is in the house where Benjamin Franklin lived for 16 years and every time I go up the stairs to the room that he rented out, I still get a thrill of imagining that famous Founding Father standing where I am.

6. During my time in London I have done what I like to call “palace hopping” and have been to 7 royal palaces and castles. Each time, there is something new to explore and something intriguing. For example, at Hampton Court Palace I saw the rooms in which Henry VIII lived and at Banqueting House, I was near the site of where Charles I was beheaded. Being in those locations of major events and in close proximity to large figures, I have gained a new appreciation for the hard work of those who have conserved and researched the history so I can enjoy it.

7. Even though touring the palaces and other beautiful buildings has been wonderful, I have also gained an appreciation for a side of modern history that I had not yet experienced firsthand, even in the U.S. During my time here, I have been struck by the impact that WWII has had on the city and country and still has today. In class we only learn about the terrible losses, but seeing the areas of the city that were obliterated made the tragedy of the Blitz real. Every time I ride the tube I am reminded of the horrors of the people sleeping down there in hopes of coming up and not finding their house leveled. Attending the Remembrance Sunday service at Westminster Abbey gave me a new perspective on how the war is still impacting London today.

8. Even though I am a history major and have been studying British history for quite a while, the reality of how old the places that I see on a daily basis are. In the U.S., buildings that were constructed in 1950 are conserved, but in London, I have seen fast food chains in an old 17th century house. The way that I view history has changed during my time in London. I have a much better appreciation for the reality of WWII and the effects it had on the city. I also have a better appreciation for the richness of tradition and pride that the British people take in their history. From the relatively modern site of the 2012 Olympics to the execution site of Charles I, this city has seen the world change, all while showing that history is very much alive if you know where to look and can appreciate it’s impact that it still has on everyone today.