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