As some of you may remember, a study abroad program at Harlaxton Manor near Grantham, England took place in the summer of 1997. The program offered two literature classes taught by RWC professors Marlene Miner and Mike Roos. The 10 students that participated in this program not only earned credit hours but shared a once in lifetime experience. While participation by the students was not a problem, getting there was.
The group was scheduled to depart from the Cincinnati airport on June 17 and arrive later that evening in London. After many hours of changing flights, missing flights, and a 10-hour layover, the group finally arrived in London and eventually Harlaxton Manor, exhausted but excited.
Classes met indoors and outdoors in stunning surroundings. Field trips had been arranged for both classes. Pilgrimages were taken to Lord Byron's Newstead Abbey and to the Brontes' home in Haworth for the Bronte class taught by Miner. For the Shakespeare class taught by Roos, there were also two field trips, one to Stratford to see Shakespeare's birthplace and to see Hamlet performed by the local theater. The second Shakespeare field trip took place on the group's last weekend in England for a trip to London and a tour of the reconstructed Globe theater for a performance of Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale.
Members of the group also took weekend trips to Dublin; Edinburgh; London; Salisbury, and Stonehenge, while some students chose to spend a weekend at home at Harlaxton. While being a small town in the midlands of England, Grantham, three miles from Harlaxton Manor, is full of exciting activities. Several students engaged in days full of shopping in town while others took bike rides through the countryside.
Some students chose to read out in the gardens or take discovery walks through the grounds. Evenings at Harlaxton were filled with seances, parties at the Bistro, movies, and the Naked Mile (students running, or in our cases walking, the mile drive up to the Manor--naked) (sorry no photo available!).
Some students even chose to befriend (or rather harass) Ian, one of the night security guards at the manor. Ian was the person to know at the manor. He took students up to the bell tower to get a better view of the grounds as well as the secret passageways within the manor. Although we did get to see the secret passageways, it was not without considerable pulling and prodding to get Ian to take us.
Being a part of this trip had a tremendous influence on my life. I have a very different way of looking at things, a way of looking outward and onward. I have even changed my immediate plans; now I intend to get back to England as soon as I can.
