Jessie Lamb ’15

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Jessie Lamb in front of the Tower Bridge in London.

Studying abroad in Lancaster, England gave me a greater understanding for the ways the history of a location really affects a person’s learning, both in and out of the classroom. Allegheny College is a fairly old institution in a relatively young country. Lancaster University is a new school, having existed for only 70 years, in a country with a rich and varying history. England is a country where old meets new at every step. In Lancaster there are remains of a Roman bath only steps away from an apartment building. The local castle was originally a Roman fort, was the sight of the Pendle witch trials, acted as a prison for quite some time, and is now occasionally used as a courthouse. Every year Lancaster University and York University have a sports competition in remembrance of the War of the Roses. Being in England, as well as in the rest of Europe, was so exciting as a History major. Knowing that I walked where kings and queens and millions of other people had been walking for centuries was one of the best parts of studying abroad. It made me feel truly connected to the history I previously only experienced through books. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to live in a place where so much history had been created.