Arcadia England

In early October, a group of Study Abroad Students in London went on an adventure to Wales! Although it was a long bus ride there, we got to talk to each other and make new friends, which was a great start to our adventure. 

Upon arrival at the lodge, we were greeted with dinner and an overview of the itinerary. There were many options to choose from for activities, and we had already decided before getting there! I personally chose to go to a cathedral and a castle, but there was also coasteering, surfing, and kayaking. We also all went on a hike! 

The first night, a few of us stayed up late and eventually played card games. We got to talk and learn more about each other, where we came from, our hobbies, and more. We all stay at Princess Elizabeth House normally but had not run into each other much, and it was very nice to make more friends from the dorm. 

The next morning we woke up to have breakfast in the lodge, before heading to our first activities of the adventure!

St. David’s Cathedral was a beautiful cathedral, and it was so much fun to walk around the area. There were stunning stained glass windows, a wonderful view, and incredible architecture. Not only did we walk around the cathedral, but we also had time to walk around the area, stick our heads into local shops, and try some food. A group of us stopped in a bookshop and got to talk to the owner of the shop, and then ran into a very nice man and his dog outside, and got to talk to him about life in Wales!

After that, we went back to the lodge for lunch, and then it was time for the hike. We got to see some beautiful sites as we walked, and we even passed through a field of sheep, which many of us found to be very enjoyable. We even passed where the coasteering group was and got to watch our friends have fun! It was a very long hike, and I don’t normally go on hikes, but I really enjoyed walking with one of the trip leaders, Elisabeth, and learning all of her fun hiking tips, such as “nose over toes” when the walk got very steep. We got to look at the water over cliffs, and it was a really wonderful experience. 

When we got back to the lodge we had dinner, and then had free time to hang out with other people on the trip. I once again played card games with some friends, before making new friends and learning about the programs that they participated in all over London!

The next day I went to Pembroke Castle, and we got to learn about the history of the castle as well as ask questions about different events that occurred at the castle. It was a stunning castle with incredible architecture, and the tour guide was very knowledgeable. He told us about the different defenses the residents of the castle used, and I have looked for those small bits of the architecture in other castles that I have visited over my time abroad. 

Overall, Wales was a wonderful experience, and I got to make friends who were at other Arcadia London programs, such as Queen Mary’s, who I keep running into on other excursions!