This trip to England for the Applied ethics class has been more than I could hope for. I knew I loved my Applied Ethics class because everyone seemed so nice within it, and Dave Monroe is such an awesome Professor for us. Once we and the British Literature class all warmed up to each other that first night at Liverpool, I became sure that we found a great group of people. It’s a beautiful thing to get together with people who are excited about the same things you are, about exploring and learning about England.

England was beautiful. Everyone says that England has such a rich history compared to America and they are not lying. England’s history is deep. We would always listen to some fun history facts about England from our awesome tour guide Robin. I truly understand the pride that Brits have about living there.

This photo is of Shakespeare’s church where he is buried. What a profoundly beautiful place to rest. We went inside this church to see beautiful stained-glass windows and religious art. The whole of Stratford, where Shakespeare lived and died, was quaint and comforting. I find that it’s hard to fully articulate why this town was comforting. The town seemed to attract many people walking their dogs so maybe it’s that. But it could also be how sweet and polite the museum guides were and the fish and chip shop workers were. But It’s most definitely their accents. So nice to listen to. 

Me and a couple of the girls from the British literature class went to get some British tea and scones. We truly fulfilled our British fantasy then. It was perfect how we were able to go off and explore on our own after the tour of the cities concluded. 

There’s so much more to indulge on from this trip, but I will just say that I encourage those who want to experience a trip like this to sign up for a study abroad program! There’s so much to choose from. This is your sign. “We are such stuff as dreams are made on” – William Shakespeare
 – Lyndsey, SPC England Study Abroad Program, March 2023

While only 37% of Americans have passports, I firmly believe that everyone should make a point to visit outside of their home country at least once. Travel has extraordinary – and underdiscussed – benefits on a person. It notoriously increases creativity, expands our mental horizons, and reintroduces us to ourselves in a way that being at home simply never can. The benefits of traveling abroad for academic enrichment, in particular, cannot be overstated.

Since I was a young child, I’ve been fascinated by England. The cultural legacy of magnificent architecture, cobblestone sidewalks, and double decker buses set up shop in my mind early, then never left. It wasn’t until I received the email about SPC’s U.K. Study Abroad trip that I ever realized that, soon enough, I would be able to replace those fantasies with memories.

There is something so uniquely romantic about England. Our flight descended into a frosted Manchester, where I could have sworn distant hills were powdered sugar donuts. As anyone on the trip can attest, the English cold was at times bone-chilling, but it somehow made the cozy moments inside with a hot coffee that much more lovely. I would happily take frozen fingertips in exchange of walking alongside the River Mersey through the water-chilled breath of Liverpool again, where we explored the area surrounding the Royal Albert Dock, took refuge in the Tate Liverpool Museum, and retraced the Beatles’ steps everywhere from Strawberry Fields to the Philharmonic Dining Rooms.

From Liverpool, we trekked to Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon, where we visited Shakespeare’s home. The level of overwhelm in walking through such thick history is indescribable – to see the bedroom, dining room, and neighborhood of the Western world’s greatest poet and storyteller is so remarkable it is nearly beyond belief that swans swim on the Avon without shock. The Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare was both baptized and buried, was one of the most jaw-dropping sights of the entire trip, where worshippers still attend today under vaulted ceilings that look higher than the sky. Oxford was arguably, for me, the highlight of the trip: between universities, bookstores, and hole-in-the-wall eateries, I was in my own personal heaven – so much so that I didn’t even mind the cold for a while! – Mehwish, SPC England Study Abroad Program, March 2023