School Trip to England

As soon as I was introduced to the english teachers of Hogeschool I was offered the possibility to join a group of first year english students on a school trip. At first I was thrilled, then I thought that I shouldn't be so enthusiastic with everyting because I take reckless decisions, finally I found myself on a bus filled with Dutch students and heading to England. Funny thing, when we reached England everyone started speaking English and on the way back it was the same they switched naturally to Dutch when we reached Belgium. How come? I don't know.

Needless to say that even from Rotterdam it's a bl.... long way and my a.... was killing me and would kill me for the entire week since everything we did took at least one hour drive by bus.

Anyway here is a short account of what we did :

- The first day, we arrived around 3pm in Hastings where we travelled back to the 14 th of October 1066, day of the famous battle between William the conqueror and Harold Godwinson.

Then there wasn't much to do so we went back on the bus and drove to Croydon where we met our hosts families. I was welcomed with two other girls by Mr Jones. (No kidding)

- The second day : was my birthday but no one knew so I didn't get a big hug (hey, I turned 30! I could use a big one!)

So we went to Oxford, where I got myself some books, then we went punting.
Let me explain you : you are on a small flat boat and you propel it by pushing the bottom of the river with a big pole. Not that easy! especially when you are called "clumsy mymy"!
We managed to get back on the ground safe and dry after an hour trying to steer the boat correctly.



Then we had a guided tour of the different schools in Oxford, there's not much to say apart from I quote "You went to Oxford's College like you went to jail but you came out with knowledge..."

- The third day we went to Stonehenge.
Don't expect to go inside the stones it's forbidden and don't expect to get any explanations either: the truth is elsewhere. But that's the funny part : not knowing the how but rather finding the why...
Then we went to Winchester's cathedral, where you can see (actually you can walk on) Jane Austen's grave.






Later we saw Arthur's table where according to the stories he would meet the Order of Knighthood. It is said that the names on it have been written by Merlin in magical gold paint which miraculously changed along with the occupant.


- Last but not least, the 4th day we went to London and went to the famous Globe TheatreThere was no play on show but still I learnt a few interesting things about the theatre itself but also the costumes, the instruments, the props... it was like being in one of Shakespeare's play.
We ended this beautiful day with a tour on the traces of the most well known criminal Jack the Ripper before having a nice meal at Dickens' Inn.

-The following day we went back on the bus to Dover, back on the ferry, back to Rotterdam...