The Art of Adaptability

By: Ellie Tolbert


When thinking about my Harlaxton experience so far, one word specifically pops into my head. That word is adaptability. Now, I could be cliché and tell you the definition of adaptability from the Oxford English Dictionary, or I can tell you what it means to me. I am going to do the latter.
Adaptability means adjusting your views and ways of being to new environments, situations, and people. When you travel throughout Europe every weekend like many of us do here at Harlaxton, that can be very useful. Here are some of the ways I’ve learned to adapt to the places I’ve been.

As I mentioned earlier, adapting to new environments is an important thing to learn. Everyone one of us have had to do this a few times. Just coming to England alone was an adjustment we had to make. One small example of this is having to bring reusable shopping bags to the store or paying for plastic bags. While this may have been a nuisance at first, we now instinctively grab our Morrison bags before hopping on the 1:10 shuttle. Another is the subway system in London. I can’t speak for others, but I was terrified to use the Tube at first. With so many people and so many stops, I was sure I would lose my friends and wind up alone in London. Now, I can’t imagine trying to travel around London without it. My ability to “mind the gap” has dramatically increased in the past 3 months.

Adapting to new environments can be especially tricky when that country speaks a different language. So far, I have been to Budapest and Barcelona, and communicating with locals isn’t the easiest task. But as I’ve learned, you make it work. Although our taxi driver did not speak English and I don’t speak Spanish, we showed him the location we needed to get to on our phone and he was able to understand. When in a desperate situation, you can always find a way.

Acknowledging and understanding that need to adapt, I now feel better prepared for many situations. One BIG example of this for me was packing. As someone who loves clothes, I tend to pack approximately 20 times as many clothes as I need. During this study abroad experience, I learned real quick that you can’t fit a lot of clothes in a small, Ryanair-acceptable sized backpack. I now have the ability to make everything I bring on weekend travel count; if I won’t wear or use it, I won’t bring it.

Another situation I feel less worried about is pick pocketing. Maybe its just me, but I’ve never had to worry about pick pocketing before. Now, I am aware of my belongings when I travel. At home, I feel less aware of my surroundings because I am in familiar areas. Here, however, I need to keep a certain level of vigilance. Thankfully, I’ve only learned this from witnessing others getting pick pocketed, not from myself, but it is important all the same.

The final thing I’ve had to learn to adapt to is people. This includes both the locals in other countries and the people at Harlaxton. When 130 students are thrown in a manor together and see each other every day, you quickly have to adapt to different types of people. You live with this group for 4 months, so you don’t want to burn any bridges. Learning to live with people who are different than me has been a vital skill throughout this experience. It has allowed me to not let others ruin my fun, as well as my temper ruining that for others. Sometimes you may travel with someone you think you are going to love, and it turns out you just aren’t that compatible. Sometimes you may travel with someone you were worried you’d hate, but you end up having a great time. THAT’S OKAY!


Travelling is such a unique experience, and you aren’t going to want to do it the same as everyone. Adapting your views to others and, hopefully, others adapting theirs to yours is the best way to not let strong opinions ruin a weekend in Ireland, or Greece, or wherever you may be going.
And although I am writing this like I am some adaptability genius, I still struggle with a lot of cultural difference every day. Some are small things like tipping (which I still haven’t figured out when or when not to do it), avoiding eye contact (because not all countries are as upfront and friendly as Americans), crossing the street (because when the cars drive on the other side of the road, it is easy to accidentally step into traffic), and even doing the peace sign (because apparently the peace sign in

Europe is equivalent to the middle finger). That last one I have a lot of trouble with.
Overall, it is important to learn how to adapt to your surroundings. That skill will take you far in life, in school, jobs, with family, etc. Being at Harlaxton and travelling throughout Europe has allowed me to see my own abilities and has made me a more confident person. It has made me recognise my own habits and beliefs while still respecting the lives of those very different from my own.

Serendipity

By: Mara Lowhorn

No matter how much you plan, something will go wrong.  That’s if you’re lucky.  Usually, many things go wrong. 

From getting lost, to being pickpocketed, to delayed flights and missing more trains than I ever thought possible, I have not had a single weekend of travel where everything ran smoothly.  It’s been stressful for sure—not to mention exhausting and expensive—to solve all the problems that have been thrown my way.  At times, it’s discouraging.  It has made planning my travels feel like a daunting and useless task. 

But as I sit here writing this, recovering from yet another weekend where nothing went according to plan, I’m reflecting on the moments of good fortune I’ve had this semester that have stemmed from these mishaps.

My friends and I got lost trying to find Abbey Road in London.  We ended up spending hours on the Tube trying to find our destination, and we almost gave up out of frustration.  However, we finally made it after a kind Underground worker pointed us in the right direction.  When we made it to Abbey Road, we met a fellow American man there who was traveling the world and making a documentary promoting world peace.  If things had gone right and we hadn’t gotten lost, we never would have experienced the kindness of that Tube worker or met that friendly American man.

 My phone got stolen in Barcelona.  After recovering from the initial shock of it, I texted my parents from my friend’s phone to tell them what happened, and I decided I would deal with the rest later.  I lost all my photos from the trip, and of course, the incident kept me and my friends on edge during the rest of our stay in Spain, but it could have been much worse.  I chose to simply be grateful that it wasn’t my wallet or passport and move on.  As bad of a situation as it was, I got to experience the rest of that trip without a phone in front of my face and without the pressure to capture every single moment on camera just for the sake of my Instagram feed.  I got to experience Barcelona as it truly was—a city with pickpockets, gorgeous architecture, and beautiful beaches.

My sister and I were kicked off our overnight train from Prague to Krakow.  After the Czech train conductor got mad at us for having the wrong papers, we were not allowed to board our train.  As we slunk back to the train station in the pouring rain and bitter wind, it sunk in just how terrible our fortune was.  Not only was it an overnight train, meaning that our inability to board meant that we didn’t have a place to sleep that night, but our flights back to London were from Poland.  If we wanted to get back to London without wasting hundreds more dollars, we had to get to Krakow somehow.  Reality setting in, we sucked it up, went to the ticket office, and bought train tickets for first thing the next morning.  After just a few hours’ sleep in a hotel my sister had miraculously booked on her phone, we boarded a train at six in the morning and eventually got to our hotel in Krakow by four in the afternoon.  We were too late to visit Auschwitz as we had originally planned, and we were too exhausted to do anything else.  It was a stressful, frightening, and discouraging trip to say the least.  It’s still a little difficult for me to find the silver lining from this trip after so many things had gone wrong, but I know my sister and I learned the skill of adaptability through it all.  We learned that even if it feels like the end of the world, we could handle what was thrown at us.

The same goes for all of my misadventure-filled trips.  Even if things don’t go as planned, they work out as they’re supposed to, whether that means meeting cool new people, gaining a new perspective, or simply lying on your hotel bed being thankful that things hadn’t gone worse. 

No matter how poorly each weekend goes, I have always ended up back at Harlaxton Manor safe and with an interesting story to tell.  Things might go wrong, but they always end up being okay.

Why Should You Study Abroad?

By: Nicole Carr

When I sat down to write this blog post, I had to decide how I wanted to format it.  Did I want to do a post about my decision-making process, did I want to make it funny, or did I want to go into a long essay? Really, there were a million thoughts about how to approach this. Then, I sat back and thought, what kind of post would I most like to read? Well, the answer to that is one that is short and to the point, but also informative. So, with that in mind, that is exactly what I am going to try and do! There are literally a MILLION reasons that you should study abroad, but to keep it short and sweet, I am simply going to list the top 4 of them for you…

1. You get to travel the world!!!!! I mean, seriously, what else do you need? When you choose to do a study abroad program, you are giving yourself the opportunity to go to countries that you normally might not have ever gotten to go to. Taking weekends to go to other countries and experience all new cultures. You are giving yourself an opportunity to learn so much about other places and to just grow and experience. 

2. You get to meet a TON of new and cool people. One of the best parts of a Study Abroad program is all the new friends that you will get to make. 

3. It looks AMAZING on a resume. Studying abroad while in college allows you to put on your resumne that you are adaptable, have experienced cultures, and know how to interact with all different kinds of people! It can give you an edge over people when you are trying to get a job.

4. And last but not least, it is a life-changing experience. Study Abroad programs force you out of your comfort zone and make you get out there and do things that you normally might not do. They allow you to grow as a person and to learn more about yourself and everyone else around you. It is a time for personal growth and learning. 

Participating in Study Abroad is a chance to expand your knowledge of other cultures and to learn more about yourself at the same time. If you ask me, I think that everyone should be able to participate in this program. 

And not that I’m biased or anything, but I think if you’re going to do one, it needs to be Harlaxton, but I’m just saying…

Well, to keep this short and sweet as I promised, I’m going to wrap this post up by saying one last thing: GO ON A STUDY ABROAD!!! I can personally promise you that you will never regret it!

Anxiety Abroad

By Drew Chittick

Even when it goes right, travelling can be stressful. 

So many moving pieces and interlocking plans that, even if you’ve gone through and organised it well in advance, it can be difficult to keep track of.

But it tends to go wrong at least once a trip. Of course, they’re measures you can take, giving yourself plenty of time between legs of the journey, having back-up plans, not going alone, and carrying more cash than you think you need are all helpful. But some problems are out of your control. Flight or train delays are the most common. But losing touch with your group (if you have one) or getting lost (especially if you don’t speak the language) can be incredibly stressful, especially if you haven’t planned. So how to handle them?


Generally, a good first step is to panic. Not for long, but it’s good to be angry and let some of the stress off. Better to spend a few minutes stomping around than be trying to solve your problems angry.

Next, priorities. I find it helpful to break the stress into actionable chunks, rather than just the general overwhelming feeling. And crucially, the fewer chunks, the better. For example, if you’re worried that you’ll miss a flight or train, a taxi is usually better than a bus. It’s more expensive, but it’s also easier, and you’re less likely to make a mistake in the rush.

And while it depends somewhat on the problem, finding help, especially for directions, can be crucial. I get lost constantly, and when I don’t have access to wifi or if my map is kind of confusing, asking for help from random store clerks is about the only reason I make it to my hostel at night or to the concert I bought tickets for. If you don’t speak the language, it can be a pain, but I’ve gotten far on patience and Google translate alone.

There’s a lot to be anxious over when you’re abroad, even completely aside from things that cause anxiety back at the manor. Preparation is far better than improvisation, but you can make it through a lot of disasters by focusing on what you can do, and how simply you can do it.

Chester

By: Paul Bone

We were on our way to ruins, 

more sunken stones,

with an hour or less before

the bus would take us

into Wales, where sometimes

we would not know the words,

or search the harder for them,

such as hastening to relics.

So down the narrow sidewalk

we strode long-legged.

Too busy in the head naming

this feeling, I did not see

the man until he’d passed,

his falling no more a sound

a coat upon a stick 

might make, a hand-sized mailer

flung out in front and what 

he gathered to him before

he tried to rise. Stay here,

on your knees, I said.

Let’s see if you’re all right

(with dignity, if you can,

I wanted to add, just one more

feeling impossible to tell).

The blood from his hooked nose

poured in a bright runnel,

such garish display given 

his grey overcoat, 

almost suedish skin, the downy note

of his “Oh dear.” The nurse

who happened on us

brushed his white hair back.

We let our tissues darken

and drop like sickly fruits

as the bleeding slowed,

then led him to the bench

where, in that busy square,

a Welsh busker sang Dylan

and this man, Alan, waited 

among strangers, more strangers

coming with the ambulance

which, rushing properly,

arrived and parted the crowd

with whoops and lime-green authority.

We let him go, our charge,

and he allowed himself

again to be ushered,

black uniform to each arm.

How could it be, I thought,

the envelope just fitting

his coat pocket, manila stripe

just showing, the splatter concealed?

Surely he held the word

for that day, whether to read

or pass it on elsewhere

none of us could really say

----------------------------------------------------------

Paul Bone

Harlaxton Visiting Faculty Spring 2019

Associate Professor University of Evansville

pb28@evansville.edu

Must Have Travel Apps

By: Lauren Ward

Although technology can have its drawbacks it has made traveling a smoother experience in many aspects. From electronic boarding passes to live weather updates from around the world no one can deny technology has its benefits for trotting around the globe. I have compiled a list of a few applications (aside from your run of the mill flight and weather apps) to help any Harlaxton student or traveler make their time away from home faster, cheaper, and easier.

Skyscanner:
This is a mobile application as well as an online website that searches for the cheapest tickets for your desired destination. You enter in the dates that you want to fly out and return. You also input what airport you wish to use. Luckily for us Harlaxton students you can tell it to search every airport in the London area! It also conveniently gives the option for multi city travel. An example of this would be flying from London into Rome but flying back to London from Florence. It takes in all your desired specifications and generates a list of flights for you to choose from. Often it will tell you to book from two different airlines to save even more money for your travels. However, my personal favorite setting on this app is the ‘Everywhere option’ which means it will tell you the cheapest place to fly to on the days you want to go. This can be helpful when you’re stumped on where to travel to next or if you’re torn between a few locations!

Google Translate:
This application can be a extremely useful tool to use when traveling to foreign countries. They have a mobile application that can be downloaded onto your phone that has many useful functions. For example you can save a language to use offline so when you are suck in a city with no wifi or data you can still communicate with the locals. By far the most impressive feature is the camera function. You can open up your camera, align any text in a foreign language, and it automatically translates it on the spot. This can save lots of time when looking at menus, train time tables, or signs around a city.

Currency exchange app: 
When studying abroad and booking trips with different people, to different countries, with different currencies every weekend it can get pretty stressful. Money definitely gets moved around quite a bit. And with fluctuating currency exchange rates you want to make sure that you are always paying and getting paid the correct amount. I would highly recommend downloading a currency exchange app, although google can work perfectly well too. It can be really convenient to be able to open the app and search for your destination quickly.

HappyCow:
If you are vegan or vegetarian this app will make traveling so much easier for you! You put in your location and it lists nearby restaurant options with reviews by fellow vegans or vegetarians. You can then filter your search for strictly vegan restaurants, bakeries, farmers markets, or grocery stores. No longer will you be worrying about doing extra research or settling for a restaurant that doesn’t work for you.

Hostel World:
This website is great for finding the perfect hostel. This website compiles reviews from past guests and ranks hostels based overall value. You can select your location, a price range, and what amenities you want. It then generates a list and you can pick the hostel that best fits what you are looking for. This is definitely a helpful and reliable website when you are traveling and trying to save some money.

Tube Map: 
If you are attending Harlaxton College chances are that you will be spending quite a bit of time in London. And the fastest, cheapest, and (sometimes) easiest way to get around is by taking the infamous London Underground. If you download the Tube Map app you can GPS yourself from you current location to wherever in the city you want to go. Tube Map then will give you the cheapest and most efficient way to get there with step-by-step instructions of what lines to get on. This can save you valuable time on a short weekend when you want to see a lot of different places around the city. (Apple/Android)

I hope these apps will help in all of your future travels while at Harlaxton or wherever else you may travel to!

Having a Home at Harlaxton

By: Krysta Wininger

You’ve just finished your first long weekend at Harlaxton. You’ve probably gotten back from a special place that you saved specifically for the long weekend – that extra day does, after all, make a large difference. But still, it seems as though you’ve returned all too soon, and the place you visited that was so near and dear to your heart feels left in the dust. It certainly doesn’t help that you’ve had to come back to where the weather is almost certainly colder and wetter.

But nonetheless, here you are, roaming the halls of Harlaxton once more, and you may be feeling as though Harlaxton is just an in-between place that you stay at while you visit all the places you’ve dreamt about since you were little.

Or maybe you’re on the other end of things. Maybe you don’t have extravagant travel plans or don’t have certain places tugging on the strings of your heart beckoning you.

Whatever the case is, we all might be getting to a point in the semester where the walls of Harlaxton feel like a belt you might be starting to outgrow… just a little too tight.

Until the end of the semester, Harlaxton is your home - even if that home feels a little too small at times - and it’s important that we all take the time to appreciate exactly what that means. Living at Harlaxton means scheduled meals, scheduled activities, scheduled times to leave, and scheduled times to return, but having a home at Harlaxton… well, that’s all about what you choose to do with time that isn’t booked.

Sometimes a new home isn’t about the things you take with you; it’s about the things you leave behind that make the place a part of you. Take a walk on the grounds of the manor and watch how your shoes leave molds on the hills – can you feel yourself leaving your mark? Walk up the stairs that thousands of students before you have also walked up, and revel in the fact that while their time has passed, your time is still right here, right now. This manor belongs to you.

When you leave here, a piece of you is inevitably going to stay here with Harlaxton – make sure it’s a piece of you that you want Harlaxton to keep. Hold on to this time here at the manor for as long as you can because before you know it, your time will be up like all those before you, and you’ll be asking yourself, “Did I do everything that I could to have the best experience I could? Did I make an impact? Did Harlaxton impact me? Did I use my time to make it all that it could be?”


Ask yourself those questions now with everything that you do at Harlaxton. Don’t reflect on how you made this your home after you’ve left – reflect on it every single day that you’re here. The semester may be a third of the way done, but you’ve still got over half of your time here. Make sure you’re making it a home you’ll keep with you forever. You’ll keep Harlaxton with you forever – make sure it keeps a piece of you, too.

Writing About Your Travel

By: Drew Chittick

Travel writing probably doesn’t strike everyone as relevant to their semester abroad.

Some people don’t keep blogs, and the ones that do probably feel like they have a good handle on it, and they may.

But you’ll write about your trips more often than you think. Some of you might keep a journal, most will probably post pictures on Instagram or Facebook, and almost everyone will have a family or friend from home text them and ask how and where they’ve been. So, think of this less as advice on maintaining a long-form travel blog, or how to attract readers, than just as advice on how to show people what you’ve been doing abroad, and give them answers that might actually satisfy their curiosity.

The most fundamental habit you can have is just a slight shift in thinking: write about how you felt, not what you saw. Not just something vague like how you were “blown away” or “just can’t believe it,” really think about how what you saw affected you. If somebody is asking what’s been going on in your life, then they care just as much about you as the goings-on.

With that comes a little shift in how you travel: think about how you’re feeling. Even if you never write a word about your trip, just stopping to notice how this has all impacted you will make your trips feel so much more fulfilling. Your memories of what this village looked like or how that baguette tasted will never last as long as the joy of something adorable but ancient, or the satisfaction of a peek into someone else’s craft.

This last one has a little less to do with you and a little more to do with the person reading what you wrote, but it’s no less helpful: consider how the trip changed you. How were you different from when you left the manor on Thursday to when you got back on Sunday (or Monday)? The change doesn’t have to be drastic, but it shows the person reading what they really want to know: why does this matter to you? Maybe you were just having a down week and Paris cheered you up, or you were pumped on the shuttle to Grantham, but just barely staggered into your room Sunday night. Because if you didn’t allow the trip to make any impression on you, what was the point in going?

I hope this is helpful. Not even just for writing, but just for your travels in general as the semester chugs along. We’re almost a third of the way through. That may sound depressing, but remember: whatever you’ve done so far, you’ve still got time to double it. So, go out, and feel as much as you can as you travel the world.

Home

By: Dallas Carter 

 

“Aren’t you excited to go home?” 

“One more day until we head home!”  

“I can wait to go home.” 

Home. The word has been ringing in my ears for the entire semester, but like a buzzing fly that won’t go away it seems to have gotten louder and more annoying in recent days. I’ve swatted at it, lunged for it and attempted to smash it under my foot. I’ve scooped its struggling body off the floor with a tissue and carried it towards the trash can like a pallbearer at a stranger’s funeral.  

People attach the word home to towns and familiar foods and happy memories, but to me home has always been wherever I am at a certain moment. Home was my hand-painted bedroom in the basement of my parent’s house and then my crowded dorm room on the third floor of Moore Residence Hall. Home was my white Chevrolet Trailblazer full of field hockey gear and old CDs. Home was a quiet motel right off of the sandy beaches in Englewood, Florida.  

At the beginning of the semester, I was asked how I felt about leaving home and I honestly didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay in my mom’s house with my little brother and my cats and my record player and my two pillows. Now I am told I have to go back home, but home has moved. Home is Harlaxton Manor, Refectory food, complaining about the rain, overflowing shuttles, pizza calls in the telephone booth, and so much more.  

Home is my friends’ faces when we meet in the customs line, fresh off the plane. Home is the maze of ruin pubs in Budapest and somewhat sketchy hostels on the outskirts of Paris. Home is taking a train across the UK, trying Gelato in five different countries and making a British family your own.  

While I have found a home in all of these places and little moments, the most important home I found was inside myself. Throughout my time at Harlaxton, I didn’t feel any huge changes, but upon reflection, I’ve noticed the many ways I’ve grown and developed. I have more confidence in myself and in my abilities to lead and to survive in the world. I no longer wallow in bad moments or feelings, but instead pick myself up and move on.

I feel better about who I am as a person and I feel as if I’m finally gaining some direction in my life. I am now at home in my own skin. I’ve embraced my tears as well as my smiles, my bad hair days with my good, and my sweatpants with my formal skirts.  

I am at home in myself for the first time in my life. While being abroad for the semester cemented this feeling together, it was the pieces from all my previous homes that made up the person I am now and the home I have created for myself.  

I’ve changed directions and now carry the word “home” to the window. It writhes momentarily, but manages to flutter off the tissue and towards the manicured hedges of Harlaxton’s back garden. Tomorrow I will leave the manor for the last time. As its looming grandeur fades into the distant English countryside, I will think of home, how I will continue to build it up inside myself everywhere I go, and how Harlaxton helped make me, me.

Just Do It

By: Dallas Carter

 

Just. Do. It. Three simple words which on their own don’t mean much, but together can be inspirational or meme-worthy. From Nike’s famous logo to Shia LaBeouf's hilarious and viral inspirational speaking video, the phrase “just do it,” is quite well-known. But what does it mean exactly?

In Harlaxton I find myself using the phrase often. Sometimes out loud to my friends when I say “Let’s just do it,” in regards to booking a trip or exploring something interesting in a new city. Other times I repeat it to myself. When I’m feeling anxious or stressful about a situation or maybe lazy about doing homework. “Just do it” can act as a strong motivator.

I often get stuck in my head–especially at Harlaxton–because I’ve had to partake in more thinking and planning logistics than ever before. It can quickly become overwhelming and hard to pull the trigger on plans, bookings, or even studying instead of going down to The Bistro (most often vice versa).

What I’ve discovered is you have to take a deep breath and just do it! I’ve said “yes” to attending a spontaneous concert in Nottingham on a Tuesday evening, entering a slightly off-putting alleyway in Budapest for shopping and even ending up covered in snow from head to toe while attempting to sled down the gardens with my winter jacket. None of these events are record-breaking or necessarily “wild,” but they are small experiences that are defining my time here at Harlaxton. Had I not just done it, just said yes and opened myself up to something new, I would not have had the same experiences abroad and I would not end up learning the lessons about myself and the world.

 

So while you should be cautious and follow your budget, you should also just do it! Step out of your comfort zone! Don’t be afraid of straying off the beaten path! Say yes to an unplanned event and in doing so you will make unforgettable memories that lead to a completely unique Harlaxton experience.
 

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Beast From the East

By: Bryson Keltner, current Harlaxton College Media Intern

“People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time.” -The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe 

Last week, a rare snowstorm from Russia jetted southwest. “The Beast from the East,” as it was called, left countries in Western Europe in an unfamiliar state: frozen.

The canals in Amsterdam became mazes for ice skaters. Rome was a different planet—its ancient ruins creeping out from a white slush. London stood still, yet somehow, it was also chaos.
And then there was the much smaller scale—a manor house full of Americans that stood just outside a town in Lincolnshire.

For locals who know nothing of snow, The Beast was a foreigner who crept up on them and did its worst. Driving cars—for them—was like driving for the first time.

For the students at Harlaxton, The Beast was a parent telling them they couldn’t go out. I watched as every mode of transportation slowly lost its breath, taking the students’ weekend travel plans down with them. Some students managed to get out before every plane, train, and car to London halted, but for most Harlaxton students, the money, time, and energy they put into their trips disintegrated. They were “stuck” in our castle for the weekend.

But for me, The Beast brought me to a place where beauty is an injustice. I was on duty for the weekend, so I didn’t plan on leaving the manor even before the snow. I let myself feel the magic around me. The manor became some sort of a movie set or a poem’s title. The place I get to call home for a while somehow became even more breathtaking. I was in Narnia.

You’ve seen The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. You recall the world that stood frozen in the most aesthetically-pleasing way imaginable. That was Harlaxton Manor for an entire week. Every day, the snow would start to melt, but every night, new powder would fall, leaving my home pristine every morning.

I stood speechless marveling at the building’s presence draped in white. It was art.

But I had a job to do in Narnia. After all, I was on duty. I was in charge if things went wrong, and for most Harlaxton students, their weekends started off very wrong. So I sprang into action.


I went to my computer and made a quick graphic—an itinerary. In it, I planned a weekend full of fun—the kind of fun you’d have if you were a kid at home from school on a snow day. I planned movie-viewing parties. Board game events. A hide-and-seek tournament. Coloring page meet-ups. And a necessary old-fashioned snowball fight.

I built it, and they came. They loved it, and I loved it. I watched as they became children again, and as they played their games and watched their movies, they began to appreciate the chilly beauty outside too. For a weekend, we were not world-traveling adults with responsibilities and cancelled plans. We were kids playing in the snow. We just happened to be in a castle.

Everything was perfect… well except one girl tried to test the frozen pond on the manor grounds and fell through. And one guy spilled hot cocoa all over someone’s homework. And a student slipped and fell on me during the snowball fight and sprained my ankle which caused me to hobble around for the whole weekend.

But alas, it was perfect.

What started out as the worst weekend at Harlaxton became one of the best. And as the snow melted and the next week began, we watched our wonderland fade, but we were thankful for wiggling through the wardrobe to Narnia.

What I Wish I Knew Before Coming to Harlaxton

By: Dallas Carter

 

Studying abroad at Harlaxton can be an intimidating experience for everyone involved. Parents are worried about their student’s safety and students are worried about navigating a foreign country on their own. Luckily, universities back home provide helpful study abroad resources. The University of Evansville even makes Harlaxton students take mandatory bi-weekly information sessions the semester before they attend. Even with these resources, not all your questions will get answered. Many students face unexpected realities or challenges when arriving and traveling abroad. To help, here are the top 10 things I wish I had known before coming to Harlaxton.

 

 

1.  British studies is not a typical college class

 

British Studies is worth six credits and is broken up into two parts: a lecture and a small-group seminar. The lectures are not what you’re used to (they’re traditional British lectures). Professors don’t ask questions or expect student interaction or even wait to make sure everyone has written down what’s on each slide. Instead, the speaking Professor will spend the hour giving a well-prepared lecture, with a small amount of accompanying slides, no pauses, no breaks, or extra time for you to catch up.

            While this sounds intimidating, it can be easy to manage as long as you apply yourself, pay attention, and focus on writing notes on the key points. The best way to do well in British studies is to keep up with your readings so you can understand and participate in the discussions during the seminar portion. Also, pay attention to the handbook—consider it to be a British studies version of the Bible.

 

 

2. Flights aren’t free

 

            The study abroad class at UE emphasizes the easiness of traveling once you arrive in England. Trains are quick and cheap and flights are easy to book. The UE rumor mill even produces stories about 5 pound flights to countries in continental Europe. However, prices have typically been higher than any of us expected.

 I took a walk around the Manor one Sunday after we had first arrived and came across several students on the phone with their parents. The topic of conversation: flights were expensive. Granted they are much cheaper than flying inside the United States, and fairly-good prices can be found by checking multiple sites, departure times, and airlines. I suggest using an incognito tab when booking trips so that you will see the best prices each time you search.

 

 

3. Balancing travel and coursework is a delicate situation

 

            While travel is a well-discussed topic before leaving for Harlaxton, classes and homework are often forgotten. When I arrived at the manor and we had our first British Studies lecture, I had almost forgotten I was here to study. It is easy to get swept up in the magic and excitement that comes with this experience. However, British studies alone assigns readings, presentations, and a term paper throughout the semester. Add on at least two other classes with homework and sometimes even field trips and you can get overwhelmed. Luckily, it isn’t hard to find a balance between weekend travel and homework.

            I recommend blocking out set times during the week to study or do class work. Also taking a weekend off from travel to catch up on work isn’t a bad idea. Not only will you get homework done, but you’ll also have time to organize plans for other trips, save some money, and, of course, catch-up on Netflix. If you are worried about tipping the scale too far towards your studies, take a break on a weekend with a scheduled local culture trip. You will still have a day to travel without the stress of planning a trip and you can even do your homework on the bus.

 

 

4. Take a combination of school-sponsored and independent trips

 

            Another trapeze balancing act at Harlaxton is independent travel and school-sponsored trips. Some people have had their favorite trips organized by the school, while others never took the sponsored-travel option. While a lot of it is personal preference, both options have strengths and weaknesses.

            School trips relieve students of the hassle of planning and booking their own travel and accommodation, but independent travel allows for more freedom and a wider variety of destinations. If you are extremely anxious about organizing your own trips, then take advantage of the sponsored travel. However, if you are unsure or indifferent, book two or three school trips and leave the rest of your schedule open. This gives you the opportunity for planning trips to unexpected countries and with new people you meet at the Manor. For the school trips, I recommend the London trip at the beginning of the semester, which gives you time to explore and settle in to life abroad, and the Italy trip at the end because it is nine days long and the travel between three Italian cities is taken care of for you.

 

5. England is cold, but not just outside

 

            Winter in America is cold, but nothing feels better than coming indoors, taking off your ten layers and being warm. At Harlaxton however, you will always want layers. Although the information session mentions the importance of layers and warm clothes, they were always referencing trips and outdoor excursions. I was unprepared for the cold temperature of the manor, in common rooms, classrooms, and the refractory alike. Luckily, most of the dorm rooms aren’t freezing, but still pack for warmth and comfort over fashion to survive in the Manor.

            I suggest bringing thicker socks than you would normally wear and warm lounge shoes like slippers with non-slip soles or Ugg boots. Sweaters or long-sleeve shirts are another essential that will keep you warm, but can also be dressed up for classes or travel. An item that I wish I had packed to keep warm would be a soft travel blanket. It’s easy to buy one in town, but if you can pack it ahead of time and you can use it on trips, in airports, the common rooms, and at night.     

 

 

6. Be spontaneous

 

            With all the planning, scheduling and booking ahead that takes place at Harlaxton, you can begin to feel like you are running from one thing to the next. It is important to leave open places in your schedule for simply hanging out or something unexpected. Opening yourself up to unplanned activities can lead to some of your best memories at Harlaxton.

            One of the most important things I’ve learned since being abroad is that you should be spontaneous every once in a while. Yes, the study abroad pamphlet in your university's office says to be prepared, but taking part in unexpected events gives you a nice break from the clockwork of the rest of the semester.

            I had planned a free weekend to catch up on homework and sleep, but I was invited to Nottingham for a day trip and I got to visit underground caves and a cat cafe I wouldn’t have seen before. When I was in Edinburgh we had nothing to do one night and were going to stay at our hostel for a few hours, but instead bought tickets to see a Queen Tribute band at Edinburgh Playhouse. It is one of my favorite things I’ve done so far!

If you want to start being spontaneous on a smaller scale, I encourage you to go to the Bistro on a Wednesday, even if you have class the next morning and had planned on going to bed early. Or even take part in a surprise house competition or play in a Harlaxton Lion’s basketball game on a night they request extra players. Don’t be afraid to say yes to things, as they could lead to some of your favorite experiences at Harlaxton.

 

 

7. Harlaxton isn’t always picture perfect

 

            Smiling faces and candid laughter with Harlaxton Manor as a backdrop. This image greeted me on the front of the orientation folder for my Harlaxton session and it painted a picture of perfection. Pair that with countless happy Facebook posts from my peers who traveled before me and you get a dangerous concoction of unrealistic expectations. Don’t get me wrong, Harlaxton is a whirlwind of excitement and enjoyment, but you aren’t in a protective bubble.

            Whether it’s homesickness, a bad grade, or issues while traveling, you are still going to face everyday struggles and life hardships while at Harlaxton. Many of my friends got colds soon after arriving and had to attend their first trips with fevers and runny noses. But just like at home, they got better and still managed to see the silver lining—they are in England! As long as you can take the good with the bad and remember life goes on, you will still get your picture perfect moments.

 

8. Expect unexpected costs

 

            Your flight is booked, train tickets printed and hostel paid for. You have scheduled and reserved tickets to museums, castles, and pub crawls, but then you get to your destination a disaster strikes—you need a taxi from the airport to your hostel and when you get there it costs 50 Euros. Life is full of the unexpected, and traveling while at Harlaxton is full of unexpected expenses.

            The story of the overpriced taxi is a true event that happened to me and a friend when arriving in Paris. On another trip we ended up spending 20 pounds on a metro pass for the weekend. While it was well worth the cost, we had not anticipated spending the extra money. Don’t worry too much when you have to spend a little more than you wanted because you won’t remember those few dollars when you reflect back, you’ll remember the amazing memories they led to. However, do be prepared and always bring a small emergency fund for every trip.

   

9. Manage your free time

 

            By now you are probably thinking you will have zero free time in Harlaxton. That’s what I was expecting as well. But during the week, there will be moments in between classes, free evenings and, if you’re lucky, days were your schedule ends at 11 am with British Studies. This abundance of free time is a blessing, but it can also be a curse.

            Managing your free time is an important part of planning at Harlaxton. If you aren’t careful you will spend your open hours scrolling through Facebook or playing chess in the junior common room. While these are both acceptable ways to unwind, doing them too often can lead to problems. Make sure you use some of your free time to organize yourself, do homework, and maybe even clean your room! Doing this can take a lot of energy at the time, but you’ll be thankful for it when Monday comes and you aren’t as stressed about upcoming due dates.

 

 

10. Form your own opinions

 

            No matter what I or anyone else tells you, take it with a grain of salt. In the end, you know yourself the best. You have your own time management tips and tricks, wardrobe preferences, planning strategies, budget and opinion on travel options. I can give you a play-by-play of my every moment at Harlaxton, but it won’t matter because you will still have your own different and unique experience.

            While listening to other people’s advice and experiences can help to prepare you for the semester and ease your worries, you have to eventually take the reins. Using your own past experiences, expectations, and preferences, you should form your own opinion about each aspect of Harlaxton. Because of this opinion you will sometimes have to go at it alone. Maybe break away from the group to climb Arthur's Seat in Scotland or go all out and plan a solo trip if no one else wants to visit your dream destination.

 

No matter what else happens, this is your study abroad experience and you have to take control of it for yourself. You and your own attitude will make or break your semester. So take my advice, listen in the info session, pack well, and then come to Harlaxton and experience it for yourself. Only then will you be truly prepared for this life-changing semester.