spotlight on honors

honors students abroad

CLIFFORD - ENGLAND

Sophomore, ENGLISH EDUCATION major

SEPTEMBER 2011

Hey there, my name’s Clifford Franklin – a sophomore studying English Education at ISU, and my location of choice for studying abroad is Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, England.  For reference, Ormskirk and the University are on the western edge of England and roughly 30 minutes from Liverpool by train.  Studying here for a semester, for me, is an opportunity to immerse myself in a completely different world, and as I work through these next few months, I hope to see quite a few sights and get to know more about a culture that has fascinated me for years.  As someone who studies literature, having the chance to read and analyze British Literature where it was inspired is incredibly exciting, so the experience of being a student here is an adventure inside and outside the classroom. 

This was an early campus encounter just inside the entrance to the University.  To say I was unsure about how to take this might be an understatement.

Ducks are a common occurrence at Edge Hill, and this is a small showing compared to the dozens on campus at any given moment – nice enough creatures, just not much help if you need advice on classes. 

Walking the streets of Liverpool on the weekend – Five pounds for a train and you’re in an incredible city that’s home to quite a bit of history. 

Alongside all that history stands a plethora of shops, and inside of those shops are various wonders, including a few hats. 

OCTOBER 2011

Tanks, Zombies, Sheep, and Ireland often have very little association with one another, but for me, they spell out the month of October quite nicely.  Having settled in, I found October to be a great month for some initial exploration and getting to know everyone in my halls and, on a larger scale, at the university as a whole.  This month also presented a chance to get to see some of the surrounding cities, and that led to some incredible experiences as I took in more of the culture around Edge Hill University.  I could go on about the nature of these experiences, but I think it’d be best if I let the pictures speak for themselves.

One of my classes on Post-War British Drama took a trip to Salford to see one of the plays on the syllabus, so it seemed fitting to drop by the Imperial War Museum.  The tank’s functionality remains a mystery to me, but then again finding a parking spot at the university for such a monstrosity would have proven quite the challenge.  

My friend Fabian (from Germany) and I on the bridge connecting to the theater in Salford. 

Halloween in England may not be the spectacle it is in America, but the halls of Katherine Fletcher certainly seized the day.  Since the holiday fell on a Monday, a few students went to class as zombies.  My lectures were cancelled that day, but I still managed to get a couple of our residents out the door fully zombified.  It’s worth noting that one of my friends presented a midterm project as a zombie. 

The many characters of Katherine Fletcher on their way to the club.

The closest my Welsh friend Lewis and I ever managed to get to the sheep.  A small group of us were on our way to a really quaint pub about 20 minutes from campus when we saw them, and for some reason this presented itself as a photo opportunity. 

My travels were, admittedly, somewhat limited this last month, but for November’s journal, I’ll have quite a few photos to show of my adventures in Ireland alongside a few other destinations.  For now, enjoy the view from Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge on the Irish Coast! 

NOVEMBER 2011

This last month proved to be a great chance to visit some amazing spots in the UK, particularly Ireland and London.  My time in these two locations, however brief, was marvelous; having a weekend in Ireland and a day trip to London was a bit of a whirlwind experience, but hopefully the following shots will demonstrate the great deal that can be done in that short span of time.

Having said that, let’s get started – first up, Ireland.

My friend Ryan – a native of Belfast - and I left for Ireland the Friday of our independent study week, and immediately set ourselves to the task of taking in the local sights in Carrickfergus, or “Carrick”.  The docks pictured here are just past one of the major attractions of the town – Carrick Castle. 

Attempting to breach the gate of the aforementioned castle.

After seeing the docks and the castle, we went straight for another of the city’s major attractions – it’s war monument: 

The size of this monument is simply unbelievable, and there were several sets of flowers set here in remembrance of lost loved ones.  Equaling the enormity of this was the place where it was set, as you’ll see below. 

This shot and the next were just beyond the monument itself, and in the distance of the first shot are the docks I mentioned earlier.  In case I forgot to mention it, the views here are – simply put - breathtaking.  

That night, Ryan and I met up with a couple of his friends from home – Matthew and Kyle – and the four of us spent the evening in Belfast as well as the following day in Dublin.  Here’s a few shots from our travels in the two cities: 

Matthew, myself, and Kyle in Victoria Square – a major shopping center in Belfast.

As it turned out, we arrived in Belfast the night before the EMAs were to take place, which while making parking difficult, certainly added a nice twist to our trip that night.

Also in Belfast, one giant fish. 

The next day, we were on our way to Dublin, Ireland: 

One of our first stops was the Wax Museum, where amongst the figures of pop icons and TV legends, Kyle, Ryan, and I found some politicians to talk with about local policy, though – much to our chagrin - we found them rather unresponsive. 

Afterwards, we trekked over to the Guinness Factory for a tour of the place and a free pint. The place was huge, and while I don’t have room to put up all the shots from the tour… 

…I couldn’t help putting at least one shot of the city up – the seventh story of the factory has a panoramic view of Dublin, which was quite a sight to behold.

Our last full day in Ireland was spent checking out the coast, where we managed to get quite a few nice shots of the scenery. 

The path up to the Rope Bridge from last month’s journal – a long but beautiful trek.

This is the Giant’s Causeway and a coastal shot of the tide coming in.

The Giant’s Boot, quite big!

After Ireland, I had my day trip to London a weekend or two later, and I had the chance to get a couple of good pictures while I took in the view of Regent’s Park and Westminster Abbey.

One of the many fountains in Regent’s Park.

Not bad for the autumn/winter season in my opinion!

Big Ben in all its glory.

Having come to London for a concert that my friend had won tickets to in the US, I figured a couple of shots of the venue, an old cathedral, would be a nice addition to the collection:

As you can see, there was quite a lot to take in over the span of these two trips. While the time I had in each location was not substantial, any chance to travel should be taken advantage of.  For now, I wish you all a happy holiday season, and hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

For more information about studying abroad, please visit ISU's Study Abroad website or contact Janis Halpern, Study Abroad Program Director, at (812) 237-3427 or Janis.Halpern@indstate.edu.