Trip Reflection Blogpost

Home Again: Final Reflection Post 

Jacob R. Orr

    It's hard to express how I am feeling now. Melancholic might be the right term. But it is a bitter-sweet melancholy; as the sorrow of joys past duels with the relief of being home and at rest. 

    For quite a while it felt like this trip was a looming threat. Another complication in a period of a great many trials and tribulations prior to graduation. While it was by no means my first time abroad, let alone in the UK, it was the first time I had done an international trip without my parents. The thought that if something went wrong it was all on me hovered about me for the duration of the journey across the Atlantic but it faded pretty quickly once our group made landfall.

    I am incredibly glad I decided to take this trip and the memories I've made this May will likely provide the same potency that my previous experiences in the UK express. My only gripe about this trip was it's brevity.

    I made new friends, I saw new places, and I get face-to-face with some of the greatest treasures of the planet Earth. I tried new foods, navigated abroad alone, and built confidence I hadn't realized I needed. Suffice to say, I feel like I could travel across Europe again solo.

    The best times during the trip were however the moments I spent with my peers. Going on outings into town, eating meals together, and appreciating the finer points of the UK and Ireland with friends, both new and old, were truly the best of times.

    While I have acquired to confidence to go it alone, the trip has also taught me just how unnecessary that confidence is. Everything is better with friends and travel is no exception.

    Now that I'm home again, it almost feels a little sobering to wake up with no plan and no exciting outings planned. It's occurring to me during this rest period post-trip that I'm going to have less of this variety of experience going forward. I'm a college graduate now and my world is, in all likelihood, going to get smaller as time goes on. I'm grateful then that I've had the opportunity to go on trips like this throughout my life and experience these things while the getting's good.

 

Dublin Blogpost

Dear Dirty Dublin

Jacob R. Orr

As with most of the travel on this trip, the goings on were surprisingly painless. The transition from post-Brexit U.K. to E.U. Ireland was quite simple and went by easily. The only real issue was the early wakeup in London, which proved difficult for me personally.

Dublin itself is a splendid little town, emphasis on little. Between Edinburgh and London I was a bit shocked at how quick it was to get to the major sites in Dublin. From the Savoy theater to Trinity college was a 20 minute walk! Kinda crazy given the spread out nature of London and the necessity of its tubes.

My early expeditions in Dublin were fairly sparse and I didn’t do a whole lot the first day. Again, this phenomenon is most easily attributed to the sleep deprivation I was suffering from. All the same, I got my picture with Mr. Joyce and had a lovely Irish coffee at a local coffee shop.

The next day was far more eventful as I had established a solid plan the day prior. The morning bus tour with our lovely guide Grainne was an absolute scream. As with Edinburgh and London, having a local’s perspective was well worth the time. Grainne was particularly funny and insightful. If I were ever to have an Irish grandmother, I would hope it was her.

The subsequent trip to the Cathedral of St. Patrick was fabulous. As with almost every place in the UK and Ireland I toured, the stained glass was of supreme intrigue for me personally. The final resting place of Jonothan Swift was interesting, don’t get me wrong, but the stained glass again took the fore for me.

After our morning tour I was determined to see the Dublin Archaeological Museum and see the museum I did! The prehistoric metalworking was absolutely breathtaking; breathtaking being a term I feel is often cheapened by overuse. The Irish gold however was undeniably incredible and well worth the walk to the museum.

The bog bodies were also quite fascinating but I was nowhere near as enthusiastic about them as Mrs. Reed was. It was a bit grim to confront mortality so viscerally and it left me feeling a tad uneasy. 

The rest of the museum was fantastic. I adored the exhibit on the mounds and tombs at Tara. The care and detail with which the museum created and planned the exhibit was really quite gripping. I was particularly taken by the physical map they had on display. The thing was huge and highly detailed, giving an excellent bird’s eye view of the site at Tara.

The Christian metal works were also phenomenal and beautiful. I am always struck by the intricacy of the Irish metal workers. They truly fill every square centimeter of material with some motif or detail and I love it.

The final exhibit I visited was the upstairs which featured all the things I had hoped to see. There was an excellent, in-depth, explanation of the Battle of Clontarf in 1074. It was one of the most important battles in Irish history as it marked the end of Viking domination of Ireland’s eastern coast and Dublin. It was also the battle that made Brian Boru famous, whose harp is one of the chief emblems of Ireland.

Beyond that was the trove of medieval and Viking finds from the Dublin area. The collection of swords was absolutely priceless. Having written more than one essay on the evolution of European double-edged swords from Antiquity to the Middle-Ages, I was overjoyed to see some of the pieces I had studied in person. The Irish detailing and Norse style on many of the hilts and blades gave me a newfound appreciation for the term ‘Hiberno-Norse’; a term that gets thrown around a lot in discussions of Dublin’s history and the Viking association with Ireland.

After the museum, I got dinner with some friends and had a blast at the Craic Den comedy club. While my peers had very opinionated takes on some of the performances, I had fun. Although that may have been the large quantity of Guiness I had consumed producing that effect.

Dublin was an excellent stop on our journey but I wish we could have had more time to explore.

London Blogpost

 London

Jacob R. Orr

    I kept my title brief on purpose. What can be said of London that hasn’t already been said. I’ve had an absolute whirlwind of a time, which is why this blog is coming a bit later than perhaps it should. Thus far I have: gone by train across a large swathe of the UK, seen the home of Samuel Johnson, eaten at a most traditional of traditional pubs, gotten back in touch with the London Underground, visited Buckingham Palace, toured the Tower of London, and jaunted around the British Museum.

    This has all been in the span of roughly 48 hours. Starting from the top, the train ride was simply fabulous despite traveling backwards the whole way. The English countryside, particularly in the Northumberland region is simply breathtaking. Rolling green fields and quaint woodlands as far as the eye can see. We also got a peek at the Monastery of Lindisfarne on Holy Isle. For the uninitiated, Lindisfarne is one of the most significant churches in England for its manuscript making and also as the site of the first Viking raid on England in 793 AD.

    Samuel Johnson is a historical figure I personally do not know much about. Law and 18th century literature aren’t really my cup of tea. However, the walk was incredibly entertaining and informative. His home is simply spectacular and I wish I had set time aside to see it while it was open for tours. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was also a marvelous pub. It purports to be one of the oldest in England and it shows. The whole place felt like I had stepped out of time and into the 17th century. More Johnson lore unfolded before me there as well.

    Buckingham Palace was Buckingham Palace. The tour with our wonderful guide Stuart was much better than the actual location itself. Stuart’s dry British humor was spectacular and greatly enhanced the whole morning.

    That afternoon we all went to the Tower of London where I spent most of the day. I was there until shortly before closing at around 5:00 PM and did my utmost to see as much of the castle as possible. I did not see the Crown Jewels as I simply wasn’t all that interested. The exhibits and vistas around the castle were more than enough to sate my appetite for fortifications and medieval history.

    Today marks my last full day in London and I have spent it wisely thus far. I have been quite tired recently with all the moving about and wanted to take things a bit slower today, opting to make for the British museum. I arrived about 10 minutes after the place opened and had an easy time seeing all the exhibits I wanted to. I got to the Rosetta Stone, several of the other Egyptian relics, and what I was most anticipating, the Greek marbles. It’s hard to explain just how breathtaking the marble work is. The intricacies and the exceptional details blow my mind every time. Truly a treat to go and see them. I would’ve taken pictures but I was a bit hesitant with all the crowds around. Even so soon after opening the place was getting packed. By the time I left the major line up had begun all the way up the block.

    Tonight’s dinner promises to be another great social experience with the rest of the group and I hope there’s something for me on the menu. I am not a fan of fish so we’ll have to see. Either way, London has been great to me, yet again, though it is by no means my favorite place in the world.

    

Scotland Blogpost 02

 Scotland Day Two and Farewell

Jacob R. Orr

I’m quite content with my time in Edinburgh. It has been both illuminating and nostalgic. Just yesterday, I visited Edinburgh’s old town and the world famous castle. Walking the castle grounds was particularly potent in awakening memories I had long thought forgotten. I was able to recreate an old photo of myself beside one of the guns at the Half-Moon battery. I don’t have the 2005 original on hand but I am sure they are very similar.

I also got a thorough exploration of the Royal Mile thanks to our wonderful tour guide Charles (who revealed himself to be a fellow fan of The Clash!). The old town is simply gorgeous, the buildings that are narrow but tall really appeal to me. My friends and I also visited the Writer’s Museum which was both an informative dive into some of Edinburgh’s most famous writers as well as the architecture of the nobility in the old town.

Today I traveled with my group off to the Kelpies at Helix Park. It was definitely an interesting and unexpected outing. I’m certain my mother would have approved based on her love of both horses and sculpture. Later in the day my companions and I climbed Calton Hill, which was about as arduous as I remember it being 18 years ago.

We then saw the Scottish Museum which was phenomenal. I wish I had a whole week in Edinburgh just to explore that location. I was, however, satisfied by the many works of Scottish artwork and the rich history they reveal. Of particular interest were the famous Lewis Chess Men and many dozens of beautiful stone carvings. There was also a surprisingly extensive collection of Roman artifacts produced during the empire’s brief occupation of southern Scotland.

It was altogether a wonderful two days and I am quite sad to be leaving Edinburgh behind. London is certainly going to be interesting but I’m nowhere near as excited about it as I am for Edinburgh. A cabby I rode with today voiced my sentiments saying something to the effect of: “London is nice but it’s not quite so friendly as Edinburgh. Not quite as cozy.”

Travel and Arrival in Scotland

 British Isles Lightning Round: Travel, Glasgow, and Edinburgh (Day One)

Jacob R. Orr

Despite being well over 8 hours of travel, the last two days have gone surprisingly smoothly. I think the lowest point thus far has been leaving Pittsburgh, where I was utterly exhausted after the car ride and multi hour wait in the airport. I managed to catch a few winks on the cross-Atlantic plane and felt okay when we hit the ground in London-Heathrow.

The flight the Glasgow was nigh nonexistent as I was in and out of sleep that whole time too. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum was fantastic, even if we did have only a half hour or so to explore it. I took lots of great pictures, including a few on the weapons and military art during the Jacobite rising of Waverley fame.

An 18th century Scottish Target Shield and Broadsword. The Broadsword’s hilt is engraved with Jacobite slogan’s and an image of James Stuart I.

By far the coolest item I saw was a series of stained glass window panels from 1921, made by a famed Scottish glass maker and artist. The panels depict the coronation of the Virgin Mary by God and are done in a stunning Irish art style.

As I write this I am awaiting today’s goings on in Edinburgh (or ‘Edinbrah’ as I have been told to pronounce it) with bated breath. Here’s to another great day in the old country!

Mrs. Dalloway Blogpost

 The Plight of Septimus Smith

A look at Shell Shock in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway

Jacob River Orr

In Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, the character of Septimus interests me. As a veteran of the First World War Septimus is suffering the psychological effects of combat; he undergoes the trauma of so-called “shell shock.” Shell shock itself is an early understanding of what we today refer to as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Jones).

A man undergoing treatment for Shell Shock.
I cannot help but associate his thousand-yard-stare here
with how Septimus must have looked in the park scene.

    The phrase “shell shock” was actually coined by soldiers fighting in World War One and often manifested as Throughout the novel, Septimus demonstrates a range of symptoms associated with shell shock, such as anxiety, depression, and hallucinations. He has a tendency to withdraw from social situations, often finding solace in nature and his own thoughts. This is best illustrated during a scene early in the novel where he and Rezia spend time at the park. Septimus seems lost in the image of the swaying trees above him and is no doubt lost in the memory of his experiences.

Speaking of Rezia, Septimus’ relationships are complicated by his condition. While Rezia is clearly devoted to him, his ability to reciprocate those feelings is hampered by the difficulties in communication PTSD or shell shock can induce. Septimus's mental state is further complicated by his guilt over the death of his friend Evans and by the lack of understanding and empathy of the medical professionals he encounters. This conflict with medical professionals, and indeed the struggle against his affliction, ultimately culminates in Septimus' leap to freedom (and out of a window) at the end of the book.

    Given that Virginia Woolf suffered from significant mental health issues during her lifetime (thank you Mira for the presentation) it is no wonder she would approach mental illness in a respectful and informed fashion. Through the character of Septimus, Woolf suggests that shell shock is not a sign of weakness, but a serious mental illness that deserves our understanding and support.

    With Mrs. Dalloway coming out during the Interwar period, a time when the psychology of warfare was both poorly understood and undergoing intense study, it is fascinating to see this inside perspective on the matter. Few times in history do we get to see such trends spelled out for us by those living through them.

Jones, E. (2012, June 1). Shell shocked. Monitor on Psychology, 43(6).             https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/06/shell-shocked

General Reflection Blog 01

 A Moment of Repose

A General Reflection Blog

Jacob R. Orr

    In all honesty I was not entirely sure what the intention of a "general reflection" blogpost was. Then again, I haven't the first clue what a blog is for in the first place. It seems a silly thing to foist my thoughts upon other people. Other people who struggle to manage thoughts of their own and surely have no time to consider me and my personal issues.

    It also occurs to me at this stage of the course that I am significantly behind on blog posts for a variety of reasons. Without incriminating myself too much, I simply haven't thought about them.

    Digression aside, I feel this is an ideal opportunity to avoid anxiety about the future and instead focus on the positive. I'm going to the UK and Ireland in 10 days! Hooray! While I have picked out a few things I would very much like to do while abroad, I am trying to keep my expectations low. The program does require we, fully grown adults, participate the buddy system while overseas.

    This is not to imply that I have some kind of issue with my peers. On the contrary, I look forward to spending time with everyone else on the trip. But traveling in a group necessitates consideration for my companions and their needs and wants. It can't be River time all the time.

    When it is River time though; I want to relive the joy of my youth, particularly in Edinburgh. I believe I have intimated in class that I have a fear of heights and that this fear was acquired in the city of Edinburgh, at Sir Walter Scott Tower no less. Yes, my younger self (perhaps four or five) was mortified by the view from the tower's platform and the lack of toddler sized safety measures at that elevation. It is a memory that is incredibly clear to me, even now. And, as with all times I consider extreme heights or see it in movies or video games, my hands have grown clammy.

    While in London, I also have a great desire to go and see the many Roman sites in the city. For those who aren't aware, the primary focus of my studies with Mercyhurst's history department have been focused on the Roman civilization of antiquity. It is an interest I have possessed since I was young. While I have been to London three times prior to the upcoming trip I have never seen any of the Roman ruins in the city. And boy are there ruins galore.

    The two sites I am most interested in seeing are the "Strand Lane Baths," which are quite famous and the remnants of walls of Londinium (the Roman settlement from which London derives its name).

The Baths at Strand Lane

A map with pins for the various segments of Roman Wall. This map includes an intact gate house adjacent to the Tower of London.