Yesterday started, as always, with morning exercises. Recharged by the workout and filled up after breakfast, we began discussing the plans for the day. We were about to visit three small rural towns that hold the very essence — that unique spirit of England. We eagerly awaited the start of the trip to enjoy the picturesque beauty.

The first stop was a place called Lacock, with a beautiful monument to fallen soldiers, as well as a lovely church where we wrote in the guestbook: “From Russia with love!” I think the parishioners were pleased to receive such feedback.

Next, we went to Devizes, a town where there is a line of locks, which in the old days were essential for navigation. There we met some cute ducks, and most importantly — a local resident who was extremely happy to see us. He was on his boat with his dog, and upon meeting us, he declared that he believes Russians are good people, and that propaganda only deceives people. We were all delighted by this attitude, and someone even gave him a small gift.

In high spirits, we stopped by Avebury, an ancient place of power with stone monoliths scattered all around. There was a pleasant atmosphere, and we started hugging them — it was very soothing. Upon returning home, we concluded that the day had been extremely productive. We saw many English landscapes, buildings, and people, and we were deeply grateful for this experience!

On the foggy Thursday, October 31, we visited the university city of Oxford with its majestic architecture. Along the way, we stopped in a small town and visited a park with an absolutely straight, long road without a single turn, built by the ancient Romans.

We also saw a church that was over 1,000 years old!!! Just imagine — this church has witnessed deadly epidemics, bloody wars, brutal revolutions… and now we could see with our own eyes a church that has survived all these hardships.

Upon arriving in Oxford, we admired its views and headed to the Ashmolean Museum. The museum houses ancient artifacts dating back to before our era!!!! In the museum, we completed a team search task about ancient Greek gods, while our rivals worked on a task about the role of dogs in human life through the centuries and through the prism of various works of art.

After the museum, we visited one of the 36 colleges. Here are a few interesting facts about the colleges in Oxford:

1. Oxford is a university city;

2. To be admitted to one of the colleges, you must pass an interview that demonstrates your ability to study independently;

3. You cannot step on the grass on the college grounds, because if a professor dies, his ashes are scattered over the grass on the college grounds.

After all the activities, we went shopping and had something to eat. On the way back to our house, there was such thick fog that you couldn’t see more than 20 meters ahead!!! Upon arriving home, we had a delicious dinner and discussed the day’s events around the table. Finally, I want to express special thanks to Michael, who constantly helps us and drives us to different cities. (Dima)

England, Chippenham…
02.11.24

When we wake up as usual, the morning begins with the most ordinary routine that we’ve been doing for a whole week now: washing up, exercises, breakfast, then room checks and lessons. Today our destination was the city of Swindon. We took the train to the city — our journey took 15 minutes. Immediately after getting off the train, we were greeted by a building completely out of character with all the old English towns and villages — a tall red-brick structure.

After exiting the station, we set off to find the library, where we had to complete a series of tasks related to the history of Swindon. The city was completely different from all the other English cities we’d seen. The buildings constantly alternated — one was in the traditional style like everywhere else in England, and the next was modernist. This diversity of architecture is connected to the different nationalities that came here and built something of their own.

Throughout its entire history, Swindon hasn’t developed any famous landmarks or interesting places. Overall, the city is modern and industrial, but uninteresting and even a bit boring.

Finally arriving at the library, we split into teams to complete the tasks. The library had books ranging from new modern ones to those old books that smell of old paper and human experience. Such libraries make you want to go in — if not to read, then just to observe.

The library task wasn’t difficult, and we all quickly rejoined as a full group of eight. After completing all the tasks, we went shopping — specifically to an outlet store for branded clothing. We all split up individually and went to different stores to buy clothes, sneakers, and various branded items. There were many different brands, including ones that weren’t available in Russia.

Nearby, there was also a museum dedicated to the Great Western Railway, whose construction began in the 19th century in Swindon. The museum had various interactive tasks and train carriages that you could enter or even try working as a signalman.

After finishing our shopping, we headed to the station, from where we took the train back to Chippenham. Already in our town, we went to a store to buy various souvenirs and sweets. In the shops of Swindon and Chippenham, we met two Russian-speaking girls who, in our eyes, were like opposite words.

Upon arriving home, we had dinner — the well-known national dish of England, fish and chips. The day ended with a small party — we played a game and sang a song (Tsoi — “Cuckoo”).

Let’s sum up: each of us had a different opinion about the city. In some eyes, it was dirty and depressing, while for others, it was modern and beautiful. Also, unlike all the other English cities, Swindon had a working-class atmosphere. Overall, everyone liked this city in their own way. 🙂

The long-awaited diary of the first two days!

I want to start my story with the journey, which consisted of 3 flights, each of which was memorable in its own way. While discussing them, we drew several lessons.

First, we were surprised by how the pilot of the Pobeda airline was so delighted by the view of the Caucasian Mountains from the cockpit window that he strongly recommended passengers look out the sides. This shows how friendly the captain was and how he wanted us to see the beauty of the mountains and cities from a bird’s-eye view and appreciate every moment of our lives.

Second, on the flight with the English airline Wizz Air UK, all the staff were very strict and even threatened to cancel the flight if passengers didn’t sit down. Tatyana Aleksandrovna was relieved that this didn’t apply to us!

Upon arriving in England, we were greeted by friendly airport staff who helped us through passport control. Everything was organized clearly and quickly. I must say right away that the strictest passport control was in Russia.

We were met by Michael, the driver from ICAN. Two hours later, we arrived at our English home! During this time, we had already become friends and even suggested to our teachers how we would like to be divided into teams. True, we had to find arguments to support our case!

In the morning, we tried a traditional English breakfast for the first time. After that, we went for a walk around Chippenham. Here’s what we noticed: there was a special area in the park for the blind, where scent guides you and helps add color to life.

England is mostly two-story houses. In the center of the town are a museum and many different shops. In the museum, we learned about the history of Chippenham, its founders, and conquerors. During reflection, we agreed that every nation values its history! We are all very happy with this first day and are looking forward to trips to other cities.

On this day, we decided to explore the beautiful city of Bath, which is famous for its history and magnificent architecture. In the morning, we met at the main square and immediately headed to the Roman Baths. The majestic columns and historical exhibits transported us back to the times of ancient Rome. Being there, feeling the atmosphere of thousand-year-old history, was breathtaking.

After the Roman Baths, we strolled along Mary Street. Cozy shops and cafes created a warm atmosphere. We stopped at one of them to enjoy a cup of delicious tea and local buns. Then we visited the Abbey of St. Peter, where we marveled at the beauty of the stained glass windows and architecture.

On our way to the Royal Crescent, we took many photos against the backdrop of its magnificent facades. Walking through them, we discussed how life for the royal family and local aristocracy once unfolded here.

In the evening, we gathered our impressions and decided to share our emotions. Everyone talked about what had moved them most during the day. Some spoke about the grandeur of the architecture, while others talked about how the city’s history had struck them. We understood how important it is to notice beauty in details.

At the end of the day, sitting in a circle, we did a short meditation to absorb all the emotions we had experienced. It was a day filled with discoveries and inspiration. We not only learned new things about Bath but also deepened our connection with each other. The sun set, leaving warm shades in the sky, while unforgettable memories remained in our hearts.