Submitted by Jasneet Kaur on the 2014 winter session study abroad program in London, England sponsored by the Department of History…
The 3rd week of the program was bittersweet. Bitter because our time abroad is rapidly coming to an end, but sweet because of all the new places and experiences that are to come our way. The first place we visited this week was Sir John Soane’s house. Sir John Soane was known for the houses he built back in the 1800s. He had these houses established as museums. The museum today features his projects and collections of paintings, drawings, and antiquities. The amount of sculptures and antiques and art that was in the place was remarkable. The architecture of the house on its own was very unique to its time. Windows were made to be large and planned to be put into locations that would allow the maximum amount of natural lighting into the house. The cautiousness with which everything has been kept is incredible. I love being able to see the authentic pieces with historical value and not just recreations of pieces. That being said, we also went to the British Museum that same week.
One artifact that really stuck out to me was the Rosetta Stone. Having heard of it all my life, I finally got to put it into context. I learned that the Stone is inscribed with a decree dating back to 196 BC; it represents one text in three scripts holding the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs. The museum basically features work originating from all over the world representing the story of human culture from the beginning of time. Another thing I will never forget was a body in a display case that was very well preserved. That was very interesting.
This week was very short due to the fact that we were given a somewhat long weekend which we all used to travel elsewhere for more of some change of culture. I went to the infamous, beautiful Barcelona. I can honestly say that 3 days were not enough. The weather did not compare to anything else (60 degrees in mid-January). The architecture was not only exquisite, but everything has a story behind it. The history behind everything makes the city and its significance that much more beautiful. We climbed two mountains in the span of 2 days, Montjuic and another to get to Park Guell, – with a design by a famous artist known as Gaudí. The activities were very exhausting, but so rewarding. Going up even 1 level allows you to see the most beautiful view of the city. It really is magnificent. I was excited for the shift in cultures that came with Barcelona. Living in London, as great as it has been, there really is no dramatic difference with the things people do, and how they live. Barcelona seemed to have something for everybody, which I appreciated. I would love to go back and spend a substantial amount of time there rather than a mere three days.
