This summer, 22 students from RWC as well as representatives from the University of Colorado, Wisconsin, and Boise State all unified in the common goal of regaining history. The hope of this trip was that by enrolling in a studies abroad trip to both England and France, students could experience some of the historic events that took place in the old world of western Europe.Professors John McNay (History department) and Rhonda Pettit (English department) spearheaded the trip that would include not only course studies at Harlaxton College in England, but also visits to historic sites to reinforce classroom learning. The historic side of this trip is obvious as students saw sites such as the beaches of Normandy, Notre Dame cathedral, and the Louve, but the literary side of this excursion was nothing of unimportance.
Students also saw the homes of romantic poets such as Lord Byron and John Keats as well as visiting the childhood home of Charles Dickens. The focus of this trip for the English students was to let sites like this help to shape there writing as Professor Pettit explained.
“Students read and discussed the poetry of Byron on the grave of his dog, Boatswain, at Newstead Abbey, in the midst of peacocks and gaggles of geese. Later they read John Keats’s “Ode to a Nightingale” in the Hampstead garden where, according to legend, Keats was inspired to write it. How many students — or scholars — of poetry get to do that?
While literary sites inspired the English students, the history students couldn’t help but learn as they lived the history of such infamous locations. Perhaps the most poignant moments of the trip came as the students visited the beaches of Normandy. Not only did the students visit the American and British cemeteries, but also the German cemetery, La Cambe. This cemetery is the biggest in Normandy where over 23,000 lie dead. In addition to the marked graves, there is a mass grave at La Cambe of 5,000 unidentified German soldiers. Professor Pettit explained to me the impact this had on the students.
“One of the most powerful experiences occurred when we visited the Normandy Beaches and the American World War II cemeteries there. Students were thoughtful and reflective the entire day, and several wrote moving poems inspired by their journey.”
While the students had their differences, events like this couldn’t help but unify the group. To say that this trip was a learning experience would be an understatement.