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Saturday 6/15 - Politics in London

We started off our day heading over to Westminster Abbey to do a political walking tour that takes us through the abbey’s grounds and to talk about the political systems of London. We learned their constitution is “unwritten not unbuilt” meaning most of their political traditions are not actual laws of conduct rather traditions passed on by generations. We got lunch around the City of Westminster and ended up getting paninis. Afterwards we explored the house of lords and the house of commons at parliament building. The political part of our day ended with parliamenr and afterwards Kaitlin, Mimi and I headed to a famous pub called churchill arms. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel and got some much needed rest.

@danielcronrath

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Saturday, June 15th, 2024: Westminster

Saturday, June 15th: Westminster

Although we had seen Big Ben from the Thames, today we got to see the entirety of it. Being drastically closer to these famous British monuments put in perspective the amount of work and detail that went into the building of these structures.

Starting the day with a tour through Westminster allowed us to speak with many that were working around the city such as a traffic officer and our tour guide.  Our guide stressed the idea that there is no written constitution, but its rules are implied throughout the architecture. Thrones and other spots fit for royalty are in political settings. Religious areas have spots to cater for a monarch’s space. Although the king no longer holds all political power, he is still the head of state and faith. Political and religious decisions ultimately are governed by the monarch.

Although photos were limited in the House of Parliament, you can see the intricate work put into building it. Every square inch of the building has a story to tell. The same goes for Westminster Abbey. The arches, stained glass, and statues throughout hold hundreds of years of stories. It’s nearly impossible to walk into the cathedral and not gasp. Every bit is both intricate and detailed. There is so much going on and much to focus on but every bit of architecture compliments each other. 

Today was full of beautiful and once in a lifetime views. @danielcronrath @lillyhasaspoon

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Wales Day#7

Today has to be my favorite day on the trip so far!

For starters I woke up feeling completely fresh and new! I got to spend a full day in Wales with the group and that is already 10x better than the last two days combined.

To start the day off I got in a quick shower and then headed down to breakfast with my buds Mason and Ivory.

We then headed to a lecture on politics and bias in the news. It was very interesting to hear about bias in different news outlets we have in different countries. In the U.S for example we use bias by poking fun at our president Joe Biden and not showing the entire picture when it comes to those stories.

After the lecture we all got some merch from the school store and then got lunch on campus where we ate a delicious pasta dish with salad and garlic bread. Then we caught a bus ride to downtown Aberystwyth and went to the museum where we saw a rebuilt theatre from the 1800’s by King Edward the seventh.

After the museum me, Mason, Ivory, Mimi, and Kaitlyn all ventured off to the tram that leads up the cliff where in my opinion saw the most beautiful view ever. The mix of ocean in the left and farms in the right just hit different. Pictures do not do this place justice at all.

But that was my day. I can honestly say that it has been the highlight so far!

@danielcronrath

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Today we went to a lecture at the university. We discussed bias in the media and how photographs can push viewers to a certain perspective. It was very interesting and informative about the media outlets. We also spoke about taking a look at photographs and knowing some of the context outside of the pictures.

Then we headed down to downtown and went to Ceredigion Museum. We received an informative history about the museum. Then we walked around and visited the exhibits. Finally we ended the day with taking the trolly up the cliffside. It was amazing to view the town from so high up. I’m a bit sad that we have to leave Wales tomorrow, I have had an amazing time.

@danielcronrath #fscj #studyabroad

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Today was our last full day in Aberystwyth. Honestly, and it kind of sucks that it's all coming to an end but today was a beautiful day and there were a lot of moments where I was just able to enjoy this little Seaside town. Today we went and talked to a professor in the Interpol department at the University. We touched on a lot of different topics specifically socioeconomics, politics, and bias. I loved that we were able to put in our own input and have a real discussion. Afterwards we went to the Ceredigion Museum. That was actually my second time inside of the museum but it was still really nice to take a closer look at some of the things that I may have missed on the first time around. The museum had a really rich history and was a good glimpse at the way the Welsh lived. Afterwards we went our separate ways and had time to do some things we wanted to do before we leave Wales tomorrow. Gabby, Mason, Mimi, Caitlin, Ivory, Andrew, Khalil, Anna, and myself took a train skylift up on top of the hill and we were able to get the best view of Aberystwyth. It was such a magical and unreal moment. And then I ended the day eating a really good dinner with Gabby, Anna, and Khalil. Overall it was a really good day and it might have been my favorite in Aberystwyth!

@danielcronrath

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Aberystwyth Tours!

June 17th, 2024

We woke up and started our day with a breakfast. I personally just like coffee in the morning so that really helped me kick start my day. Today are schedule consisted of taking a tour of the Aberystwyth University. It was really interesting seeing what the campus looks like and honestly a lot of the buildings were in close proximity to one another but it was still a good sizeable campus! Part of the tour was looking at the gallery on campus. The theme for the gallery was family and so I enjoyed a lot of the art pieces shown in the gallery! It felt more personal and connected to the community. Also there was a piece of Picasso's work in the gallery. It wasn't all that great to me LOL but it's still pretty cool having someone that famous in your gallery. Afterwards we headed to learn about Castle Hill and the history it has in Wales. It was really cool to see how it transformed over the number of years and even how when it didn't specifically change the things around it did. Afterwards we went our separate ways for lunch. I honestly spent most of lunch time book shopping and I found a couple of good books in a cool shop. After lunch we went to the National Library of Wales and took a tour. It was really cool seeing how they stored really triggered and old transcripts, books, art, and documents. I felt like I was in the movie National Treasure! And after the tour we had the evening to ourselves. Overall it was a beautiful day and I had lots of fun.

@danielcronrath

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London Day 4

June 16th

We started the day with quite an eventful morning! In the midst of the chaos, we were able to squeeze in a trip to the British Museum. I wish we could’ve been there longer. There was so much to see and I feel like I only scratched the surface. When we entered the museum, I immediately headed to the Egyptian funerary archeology. I was able to see the coffins of Hor and many other notorious items from the time.

I also enjoyed viewing the Asahi Shimbun Gallery of Amaravati Sculpture. The intricate detail on the stone slabs that had previously been used as railings many moons ago was absolutely breathtaking!

After finishing up at the museum, we hurried to catch the train to Wales. I enjoyed the downtime on the train. After arriving in wales we were treated to a traditional hot wealth dinner! It was quite interesting! Overall it was a great day and I am looking forward to our future endeavors in Aberystwyth!

@danielcronrath

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Off to Wales!

Sunday June 16th, 2024

Today was a very busy day! We had to wake up pretty early and make sure we had everything packed up to transfer to Wales. But before we could start our journey to Wales we made a quick stop by the British museum. I'm glad I got to see a couple things before we left like the Rosetta Stone, some African art and textiles, as well as some Egyptian displays. I also spent a lot more money in the gift shop than I thought I would LOL. But I suppose you only live once. After the British museum we walked to the train station and hopped on three different trains to eventually arrive in Aberystwyth. I didn't know what to expect but the dorm accommodations are so different in comparison to the hotel. I actually really enjoy having a dorm! But once we set our things down and got situated in our dorms we jumped right back into action and headed down the street to eat dinner as well as get a warm welcome to the University. So far I'm really loving the" small town by the seaside" atmosphere. It makes me really excited for the next two days to come. I can't believe we are in our last days of the study abroad program however I want to make sure I make it worthwhile. After dinner Gabby, Khalil, and myself walked to the ocean with a Ukrainian student by the name of Anna. It was really nice to talk with Anna for a little while and hear her thoughts about Wales. I can't wait to learn more about Wales!

P.S. Happy Father's Day!

@danielcronrath

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London's Politics

June 15th, 2024

Today we visited/toured staples in London culture & politics. The House of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. It was really exciting to see The House of Commons for me personally because of the footage I have seen of the political shenanigans that happen. Not only that, The Members of Parliament come there to represent their respective counties and boroughs when presenting different interests and concerns. Another one of my favorite things I saw was from Westminster Abbey; the tomb of Elizabeth 1. I did a lot of research on her and learned so much about her and the impact she had on her Kingdom. When I saw her grave I was like," Oh, that's my girl Elizabeth!!" I found myself feeling a little connected to her and her story. Recognition and relatability creates strong emotions for humans so having knowledge of the things that I saw amplified the experience for me.

In between tours we went to lunch and had time to take some nice pictures. The weather was a little nippy and rain but I still enjoyed it!

@danielcronrath

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Free Day!

June 14th, 2024

Today was a supper fun day for me! It was so nice being able to explore the city with friends. I truly felt like a native. In the first portion of the day, Mason navigated our groups (Gabby, Mimi, Kaitlin, Khalil, Anna, Ivory, Jordan, and myself) travels. His confidence in navigating the tubes was really inspiring to see. He made me feel like I could do it too lol. We went to a lot of cool shops and markets in Liverpool & Camden Town. I was able to acquire a lot of cool clothes and a sick pair of kicks! One of the most memorable places was a thrift market. There were so many vendors that offered so many different styles. One of my favorite things about London has been the fashion. For me, fashion expresses how someone may feel for the day or the things they take interest in. It is a great avenue for expression. The fashion here has really been inspiring as well as more open minded. What I mean "open minded" I mean, " Well, maybe plaid and other patterned clothing don't clash that badly." I have seen so many unique styles today (especially down in the markets) that because of the way people style them and walk with confidence in their style, it makes me feel like I can wear gym shorts and heels. Today was full of building confidence and inspiration! Once our main groups split off into two smaller ones, I became a little navigator. I used the Citymapper App to aid in my navigation and it worked like a charm. I truly felt like a native. I had some moments of doubt but my travel buddies reassured me or would help as well. It was really fun knowing where I was going!! Overall today was a really good day and I got to see more of the city and what it had to offer.

Some Favorite Pictures of the day:

Picture of Me by Khalil

Picture of Anna by Me

Picture of Khalil by Me

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London Day 1

Thursday June 13th

Today was packed! From a 2 1/2 hour flight from Florida to Boston, to a 6 hour+ flight from Boston to London and constant movement, I can truly say my day felt full. From the airport we headed straight for the tube to take us to the hotel. While on our way to the hotel, I noticed how similar it felt to New York City! The busy bustling streets, the endless range of restaurants, and shops on every corner was very reminiscent of New York. Once we put our stuff up at the hotel, we immediately started a tour around London. Some memorable places we passed by/through was the Seven Dials, The National Gallery, and the house where Ben Franklin stayed. The thing that stuck out to me the most was the mix of modern and older architecture. There would be a historical building placed next to some newly built flats or offices. To me this is a very special thing to have in a city because it represents the history of both the older and modern age. Though I prefer older architecture, I also can appreciate the interesting design of the modern architecture. Being able to see the city before our day off was really exciting for me. I wrote down a couple of shops and cafes I wanted to revisit so I could take some things back home with me. At the end of this hectic day we were able to take a ferry to eat dinner together at the Cutty Sark Restaurant we were able to. It was rainy, cold, and a bit windy but I absolutely loved the feeling.