I have been in England for a week now and can’t begin to describe how wonderful it is! Living in an English manor house in the country… staying in a room that has a 12-foot ceiling along with a bay window looking out at gardens and the countryside… And stairs everywhere! With sloping hills in the area, Harlaxton Manor not only has five levels but there are also levels within levels. I can definitely state that my legs will be in great shape by the time I leave. I counted 68 stairs just to go from my room down to the Refectory. (That’s the fancy manor-term for the cafeteria.) Eating three times a day, going up and down each time, plus the same distance to my classrooms… You get the gist of it. However, I can’t complain really because I have several alternative routes that include going up/down the Cedar Staircase, the Lift Staircase, the Gold Staircase and of course, the Grand Staircase. If you have to exercise, doing it in style makes it easier!
Now that the pre-travel angst and worries are past, it is hard to remember how much stress I had endured to ensure I was COVID free, had my pre-COVID negative test within 48 hours of getting on the airplane, arriving and taking a post-arrival COVID test and getting that negative result. I do have to say that I did feel a lot of stress prior to getting my seat on the plane because of the testing, as well as the rise of Omicron across the state and nation, and the flight cancelations that were occurring the last week of December and into the week I flew. I felt like I quarantined myself a lot that last week, when normally it would have been filled with arranging meals and gatherings with as many family and friends as I could get. I’m hoping to be able to catch up in person with everyone when I return in May. Of course, Cissy was awesome and so supportive during that time when I didn’t think I was very stressed. Looking back I can see that I really was yet she was always was there with her beautiful smile and she worked to keep me busy and centered. Thanks!
In short, the trip went very well once all my testing and documents were in order. My flight went smoothly, leaving Monday afternoon and arriving around 6:30am in London on Tuesday. I was able to get through customs in about 30 minutes and all was looking great. Then we hit a snag because other faculty arriving that day had delays in their flights. So we all hung around Heathrow airport for about 5 hours until everyone arrived. Looking outside at the weather while we waited, I saw that it was alternating between pouring down rain and a steady drizzle. Yes – England in January I’m told. However, once we were on the coach (bus) to Harlaxton, the weather cleared the further north we traveled we had sunshine as we rounded the bend on the road where we could see the manor house! (It was just over two hours by coach from the airport.)
In true English tradition, as our coach pulled up to the front of the circle drive, all the staff came out the front door and lined up to greet us! They clapped and were excited for us to arrive because they also had wondered if the semester would actually start due to the pandemic. The other faculty members (8 of us) and their families were greeted by everyone as we entered into the main hall. There we were met by an individual staff member to show each of us our rooms personally. I’m not sure if it was jet lag or just being in a state of awe, but I had to pinch myself as I walked through the Great Hall and up the Cedar Staircase. It was truly like being in the movies – and I am going to live HERE for the next four months!!
After that it became a whirlwind of settling in, learning where various places were (classrooms, refectory, faculty offices, library, etc.) and just getting a feel for this truly amazing estate. We had a formal reception and dinner for the faculty the night before students arrived, four course meal and just a wonderful experience to get time to meet some of the staff in a more relaxed atmosphere. I am amazed at their backgrounds and experiences, as well as their desire to work at the Manor. I’m looking forward to getting to know them more.
Then our students (about 130) arrived two days later and to now have the quiet majesty of this place truly come alive with voices, steps, and activity… Words can’t truly describe how vibrant it is now.
This past Sunday evening we had the Convocation ceremony. Faculty wore academic robes, everyone dressed up and we lined the corridors. Then when the bell tower struck 6pm, we headed out a side door and processed in a line around the circle drive and then through the main doors, up the Grand Staircase and into the Long Room where we had a formal two course dinner and welcoming speeches. Oh, did I mention that the procession was led by Robbie, who played the bag pipes? I’m told he’s done this for 30-plus years now. (Harlaxton College is celebrating its 50th year right now!)
Classes began on Monday and we were all cleared yesterday to be able to leave the Manor grounds now, so exploring Harlaxton Village and the larger city of Grantham is next on the agenda.
With that, I will close this entry into my blog. I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy as possible. I wish a truly wonderful New Year to all and hope you are able to find ways to have some new experiences as well.
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