My Place in York

One goal of this semester is to learn about Britain--its history, culture, and people. We will use conversations with others, landscapes, cities, castles, country houses, churches, and theatres as primary texts, along with written documents. We’ll take regular excursions around Britain and learn from expert guides and local historians. We’ll reflect on these questions: how can we better understand historical and cultural change? What are the benefits of thinking about current social and cultural issues through the lens of earlier encounters with similar problems? How might we develop wise, nuanced responses to those things that may seem strange and off-putting in another culture? What do we learn about ourselves as we become immersed in other historical periods and encounter people from different cultures?

To learn about another place, however, we must not only travel, but also stay put. The “My Place in York” assignments each week will help you to stay put. First, you will need to choose a single place in York. Then you will visit that place on a weekly basis and write in response to a given prompt.

As you walk around York these first few days, imagine a spot that you might like to make your own this semester. It might be a quiet nook somewhere, indoors or out. It might be in a café or pub, the Minster, a park, on the wall, in a museum, or . . . Each week, you’ll revisit “your” place for at least 30 (unplugged) minutes and reflect on a prompt that I’ll supply in that week’s assignment. One of the virtues we will try to cultivate here is that of attentiveness—noticing what we simply cannot see as we whisk about. Your weekly responses, posted on the Moodle “My Place in York” Forums, should be attentive, introspective, and honest. Please note that these responses cannot be made up—either you post each week or the grade for that week is zero, since the point of this assignment is to return regularly to the same spot.

Friday, 31 January 2014Post a journal reflection on the My Place in York Forum for Week 1, describing three possible places that you might choose to revisit every week this semester and why these three appeal to you. For your first journal entry this week briefly describe the places, their location, and the factors that encouraged you to select them. Be attentive, introspective, and honest. Notice that “factors” is plural. Go beyond “it just seemed like a good choice” to examine what makes the choice of this particular place “good” for you.

Friday, 7 February 2014Post a journal reflection on the My Place in York Forum for Week 2, naming the place that you will revisit each week and explaining why you chose this place rather than the other two possibilities. At this point, what expectations do you have for your revisits?

Friday, 14 February 2014Now that you are settling in, what did you notice this week about your place that you hadn’t seen before? Try to sit quietly for at least a 30-minute stretch. If you don’t see something different, you aren’t looking attentively enough.

Friday, 21 February 2014This week, take time to reflect on how you have changed (or stagnated) during your first month in York. How does “your place” fit into the ways you are either finding a way to be at home in England or discovering just how “foreign” you are—or perhaps a bit of both.

Friday, 28 February 2014This week make an intentional effort to use more of your senses than simply sight. Andrew and Emily V both discovered in Week 3 that listening brought a whole new dimension to their experiences. Smell. Touch. Taste. Listen. What do you notice?

Friday, 7 March 2014This week attend to your place with your hand. In other words, put pencil to paper for 15 minutes and draw. YOU NEED NOT BE AN EXPERT ARTIST TO DRAW YOUR PLACE. This is not actually an exercise in drawing, but rather an exercise in seeing. Draw continuously for 15 minutes—set a timer.

What did you notice as you were drawing your place?  What did you see when you spent 15 minutes actively engaged in seeing with your hand? What did you learn about your place? about yourself? about the very act of seeing? Include your drawing (if you wish).

Friday, 14 March 2014As befits our emphasis on history this week, take some time to learn more about your place and particularly about its history. You might talk with someone, look up archives at the York City Library, ask the librarians at YSJ for help, or . . . google. How does what you have learned enrich your sense of your place?

Friday, 21 March 2014This week choose a practice that helps you focus on where you are and that helps you put aside the busyness of the week. Take time to reflect on how you have grown in the last 2 months and the role that York has played in that development.

Friday, 28 March 2014Taking Stock Assignment: Use this opportunity to reflect on “staying put” in York. Begin by reviewing 4 things: your own expectations for this trip (as stated or unstated in your application for the semester, blogs and response papers, letters home, journals and the like); Kate Fox’s observations in Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour; your own initial posting on why you chose your club; and your “My Place in York” responses.

Then write a 1000+ word essay that includes the following: A description of your participation in a club or clubs: give specific (illustrative, not exhaustive)

details about what you did and what you observed and the like; An evaluation of your own participation: what surprised you, what you learned, how you would

honestly evaluate your own participation, what you wished you had done differently, and the like; Reflections on English life and culture as you have observed it in class, at clubs, in pubs, in

traveling, with your flatmates, in York itself; connect your own experiences to Kate Fox’s work, either noting confirmation of what she talks about or disagreeing with her assessment of English culture. Be specific;

An evaluation of your own engagement with English life and culture, including a note of what you want or should do to meet or deepen your contact with English people before you return to the USA;

A note about the one or two things you still want to do in York or Yorkshire: for example, walk out to the millennium bridge and beyond; walk the circuit of the city walls; visit a specific museum or house (I can guarantee none of you have seen them all); organize a hike on the moors or in the dales; ride a bus to the outskirts of York and back; and so forth. This is your opportunity to forestall a regret;

An evaluation of the role the “My Place in York” assignment has played in your overall experience thus far this semester.

Evaluation: This is the single assignment that every student agreed was critical to their Semester in Britain experience. Not only did it locate them in York—it became their safe “go to” place, as their comments again and again revealed—but it also helped them to consolidate their experiences each week and taught them how to be attentive both to their surroundings and to themselves. The sense of being bored on occasion or harried or distracted, followed by the surprise of new or deepened realizations was an integral part of the assignment. Selections from their written reflections follow:

Week TwoIdentify the place that you will revisit each week and explaining why you chose this place rather than the other two possibilities. At this point, what expectations do you have for your revisits?

To be honest, I am unsure of what to expect from this assignment. I understand its significance and will try to learn as much as I can from it, I do not know how it will affect my time here. I will admit that the sense

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of familiarity of this place will be a welcome grounding point since very little of our time here will be stable or stationary, but beyond that, I have no set expectations for this place.

I've decided for my place in York to be the Minster.  I don't think this is a cliched choice, because this could be the only time in my life that I live in the same city as such as beautiful and historically rich cathedral and I want to take full advantage of that.  I think visiting this place on a regular basis can help me develop a stronger relationship with God, as opposed to my other two choices which were Keystones and Evil Eye--two pubs.  I recently spoke with a teacher and mentor of mine from high school, not telling her at all about our 'My Place in York' assignment and she told me that York is a beautiful city with a beautiful cathedral and to take advantage of it and not to spend all of my time in the pub.  After hearing that my decision was easy.  

I love King's Square because I'll be able to look at other people, to observe, and to be overwhelmed by something bigger than my own problems. I wonder who I'll see week to week. My goal is to always go at a different time. In the mornings, will I see people popping into shops to grab breakfast on their way to work? In the afternoons, will I see people eating lunch and having typical conversations? In the evening, will I see women carrying shopping bags and children walking back from school in their uniforms? I wonder when the singers and guitar players start performing. Who stops to watch them? I love cities because they are made up of so many different types of people. I want to see all the different types of people living in York, and to be one of them too.  

Just yesterday I was sitting at my table at the Perky Peacock and a group of friends walked in, who had just struggled to find the place (The Peacock is snuggled in along the river bank and is quite hard to get to). They had just gotten off the train and had never been to York, or the Perky Peacock before. For the first time since I arrived, I felt more at home right there, in the Perky Peacock, and in the city of York that someone else I came into contact with. I was no longer “the newest kid in town”. I’m beginning to feel more like a local and it feels so good.

I do not have too many expectations when it comes to my revisits.  Honestly, I am just hoping that it will be a place where I will feel comfortable and know that I will have alone time.  I do not necessarily enjoy taking the time to journal, but I want to have a record of my experiences. There is no wifi in the café, which will allow me to take the time to journal without being distracted by my phone or computer.  

I have decided to choose the Minster. I expect there will be times of learning when I am at the Minster but also times of frustration. I often go places, see what I wish to see and then leave. I think this will be a good discipline for me and I expect that I will learn something from it. I am not sure what that will be, but it will be, since I will invest a part of myself into the experience.

This decision was not one that I took lightly. 'Our Place In York' we will revisit each week for at least 30 minutes. It will become familiar, and a place we come back to after 3 weeks apart during spring break. This location will become comfortable and safe. Essentially, we were asked to find a place that we could call home. A home is any place where you can explore yourself uninhibited. It's where you are supported, loved, and challenged. So while none of the people I love will be there with me, I will be taking my journal, letters from home, and my Bible along each week. Together, I hope that these things will cause me to reflect, make me feel cherished, and inspire me to do more.

Week ThreeNow that you are settling in, what did you notice this week about your place that you hadn’t seen before? Try to sit quietly for at least a 30-minute stretch. If you don’t see something different, you aren’t looking attentively enough.

I'm going to be completely honest, I have a really hard time being idle. I know that it’s supposed to be good for you, to just sit, rest, contemplate and be in the moment. But when I do nothing, I feel as though I am wasting time which I know I'm not because it’s an assignment and its probably great for my being, but it’s just how I feel. I even set a timer for 30 minutes so I wouldn't be sitting longer than I have to. Yes, I have a problem. But after about five minutes I began to forget about my to do list and life in general and I was able to just be in that coffee shop.

This week, as I was trying to look for something new about my place, the word that kept coming to mind about my place was kindness. In my blog posts and past reflections on the Minster, I’ve focused a lot on the majesty, grandeur, and splendor of this place. But as I’ve gotten used to the high arches and the glorious windows (although I’m still amazed at them), I’m discovering a softness to the Minster. As a house of prayer and worship, it is a holy place but also a gentle place. You can see it in the way that visitors walk carefully and slowly over the stones in the floor. You can see it in the way that the clergymen and women take their time in prayer. You can see it in the way the stained glass glows as the sun goes down. And you can hear it in the way the choir blends notes and harmonies in praise of our Father. The Minster, as I’m

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discovering, has many personalities blended into one. It’s not schizophrenic, but it’s…complicated (in a good way). I love more and more every time I walk through its door.

This week at the Peacock was a forced moment of silence, a moment of disconnect. My usual happy pattern of going to the Peacock, grabbing a cup of chai, enjoying every sweet sip, and then spending my time busily surfing the internet, attempting to put together spring break plans, was altered this week. Words that I think to any college student are devastating: we’re sorry, our wifi isn’t working today. No!!!!!!! I internally screamed! But I have things to do! I can’t just come to this coffee shop and sit the whole time. Sure, I enjoy the time with my chai, observing the others around me sitting at the shop. But I was PLANNING on spending the whole afternoon there, getting stuff done! This is the 21st century, what do you mean your wifi isn’t working? After having an internal freakout due to the malfunction of modern technology, I smiled pleasantly at the barista and said, “I’ll take my chai for sit in anyways. Cheers!” What was going to be a busy afternoon of searching hostel, airline, train, and bus websites ended up being the most relaxing afternoon of my week, and a much needed silence from technology. Instead of ignoring the place I was in and doing my own thing, I let the busyness of the Peacock swirl around me while I simply sat. I watched. I wrote. I read. I pondered. I prayed. What started out as a two hour block during my day turned into three and then into four. What started out as a situation that interrupted my week turned into a situation that breathed life into my week. I think sometimes I am so addicted to being in constant communication with people here and my loved ones at home, that the thought of disconnect is upsetting. But this week, I found out that I am sub-consciously craving silence. Forced disconnect allowed me to fully appreciate my time in my place and truly be there.

This week I realized that although I do love it here, I am a bit homesick in some ways. It's not that I want to leave and go back to America, but I realized that I am struggling with being away from my family and friends and missing out on things, and not being there for the people I care about when they go through hard times. I also reflected on the people who are on this journey with me, and I realized everybody is in the same boat, and I find comfort that we can all relate to each other. I thought about how blessed we are that we have such a great group of people from Calvin, a group that has become a family away from home. I love going to Bennett's and reflecting on my thoughts; it brings me a sense of peace, one that is hard to get other places around here.

This week was different than the last two in that instead of consciously deciding to go to my place and setting aside half hour specifically for that, I found that I kind of just ended up there subconsciously, almost as if my body and brain just naturally led me there.

This week, I was so excited to go back to The Vanilla Cafe. I could not wait for a free afternoon in which to spend in my new found home, away from everyone else. I was tired after this week and frankly, needed some space from the people around me. The moment I set foot inside the creaky wooden door, I felt better and more relaxed. The warmth of the smile of the man behind the counter drew me even further inside, away from the dark, gray sky. 

Week FourThis week, take time to reflect on how you have changed (or stagnated) during your first month in York. How does “your place” fit into the ways you are either finding a way to be at home in England or discovering just how “foreign” you are—or perhaps a bit of both.

I don’t think I’m even aware of how much I have changed while being here. The one change that stands out to me is how much I have grown in terms of independence. I have never had to cook for myself. In the first week, my food choices were eating at a café or making a sandwich or microwave dinner. I have never needed to budget money. I could not figure out how the first week I spent 20 pounds over what we were given, and the second week I had 15 pounds left over. Additionally, I have never had so much free time as I do here. It was easy to be lazy and stay in my room. For example, on Tuesdays, my only class starts at 4:00. I have the whole morning to do whatever I want. I have to find ways to occupy my time. Instead of sleeping in and bumming around, I go on a run, go to a café, or walk through the city. At home, I would never just wander a city, go to store, or eat at a café by myself. In York, I do these things all the time. My place in York helps facilitate this independent behavior. I know that at least once a week I need to go by myself. This repetitiveness is also helping me feel more at home. It gives me a routine, which creates normality.

This week at my place, I really began to notice how York is becoming a new home for me. I always go to Crosskeys at the same time on Thursdays, and this was the third week going there. When I went in, I ordered at the bar, like usual, and paid, and then the bartender (who is always there on Thursdays) said, "and you will just be over there?" And she pointed to the booth that I always sit at. It was awesome knowing that she remembered me from previous weeks, and I am starting to feel like a "regular".

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At times I feel like I have changed drastically during my time in York. When I walk to class and remember to look right instead of looking left, when I am cooking meals for myself, when I can give strangers directions in the city, and when I create my own schedule -- these are times when I feel as though I am a different person, independent, free, grown-up even. But sometimes I feel like I haven't changed a bit. When I forget my money for the washing machine and have to run back to my flat in the rain, when I cry because I'm so homesick, when relationships can't withstand the long distance of an ocean and end, and when I am confused in philosophy -- these small little things make me feel like the same, awkward, insignificant me.

It's easy to unsettled after the upheaval of moving to a new city and a new country. But I don't feel the same panic I felt during the first week, especially now that I'm eating more than just granola bars for every meal. It's good to have some actual power in the kitchen. When I first got here I didn't really feel like my room, kitchen, and flat belonged to me. I felt as an intruder and I didn't really want to cause any upheaval so I kind of just moved stealthily around my flat trying not to intrude. I also feel I can navigate and that is a big change for me! I've always been kind of an aimless person in regards to directions. I can walk confidently but I don't always know where I'm going, so getting lost does happen. But now I feel like my mind has been calibrated to the city so I can see in my head where the streets lead and connect. It is a great feeling. 

I feel more independent in the sense that I can just let things happen I don't have to worry about spending time with people and if I'll be able to make friends with the group because it kind of just happens. People want to talk to other people, it's just the way things work. My biggest change is that I feel at ease. York is starting to feel like a place I can relax and just exist in. I of course will still have bad days. Just because I'm in York doesn't mean I will never ever get stressed or get emotional. The difference is that York is a place I feel safe to have a bad day in. 

It is amazing how much changes in just 4 weeks. First, my attitude has changed significantly. For the first week I was here, I kept getting frustrated by the fact that things were so different and "weird" here. I didn't know any of the brands on the shelves at Sainsbury's, they were all "weird". The fact that the people drove on the other side of the road was just "weird". The money system was "weird". My flat was "weird", the sidewalk etiquette was "weird". Now, when I stroll the aisles at the grocery store, see a car driving down the left side, or enter into my small flat, I don't have the urge to immediately default to thinking "that's weird". True, life is DIFFERENT here. But different and weird are not the same, and that is what I have learned. Instead of trying to smash the English culture into my American box, I have learned to let the culture sprawl out before me and envelope me in all its unique beauty.

My place has been extremely beneficial in making York feel like my home. This week, as I sat quietly in one of the cheery little upstairs rooms on a rickety wooden chair and staring out the window, I could not help be realize that this was the first time I had ordered a cup of Yorkshire tea at any of the numerous cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants that I had sampled so far. The only other time I drink Yorkshire tea is every Sunday at church, the place I feel most at home in York. A smile spread across my face as I realized that The Vanilla Cafe now felt enough like home that I could indulge in a pot of steamy, warm Yorkshire tea. Home is where I can drink Yorkshire tea. 

I am not one to usually venture outside of my comfort zone, so this trip has been such a growing experience.  I have found that I love exploring things on my own.  I get to really make them mine, and I find a little bit of ownership when I am by myself.

You just learn new things everyday by asking questions. Last week when I travelled to Birmingham to visit my friends, I found out that when I was asked where I

was from, I immediately answered “York” without even thinking twice about it. My friend asked me why I would not say “US” since that is where I am actually coming from. All I could tell her was that I have just four months to claim York as my home and I will not miss any chance to do so.

This month in York has taught me a lot about myself. I’ve had to learn how to be all right alone, separate myself even further from what is familiar, and switch roles by becoming the international student. I’ve learned that I am capable of handling these changes, even if it is hard at times, and that I am more of a product of my culture than I thought. Gradually parts of myself that I did not notice while I was in America are becoming more clear.

I’m generally a lazy person. I prefer staying inside watching T.V. or wasting my day away on Facebook than going outside for any reason. I try my best to leave my room as little as possible, and only after being indoors for a few days do I occasionally crave a moment in the great outdoors. That usually consists of leaving my house and going indoors to another building. I can’t say the same for York. Ever since coming to here I have been trying my best to seize every opportunity possible to go out and explore this beautiful city. It still amazes me the extent I spend outside my room.

I still feel a bit foreign here in York. I still get Monk Bar and Bootham Bar confused, I only know about two street names in the city, and I still need to think about where I am going. I know general directions and I can usually find my way around, but it’s still new. It’s still so weird to me that I’m considered “foreign” here.

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Week FiveThis week make an intentional effort to use more of your senses than simply sight. Andrew and Emily V both discovered in Week 3 that listening brought a whole new dimension to their experiences. Smell. Touch. Taste. Listen. What do you notice?

This week, I ended up at The Vanilla Cafe quite by accident. I had some extra time in the day that I usually have scheduled and so I just decided to head into the city, not really knowing where I was going. I ended up standing outside of the little cafe and being happy to be there totally unplanned.

I noticed the way all 5 senses bring a sense of peace of peace to me while I’m there. I realized that I get so caught up trying to get everything done, and rushing from one place to the next, that I forget to slow down and really just take it all in. Taking in all the 5 senses really helped me appreciate even just 30 minutes of unwinding and relaxing, feeling, seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting; peace.

It amazes me that I can continue to discover new things about this place.  The Peacock feels like two, heavy coins in my pocket and a small hexagonal one, unfamiliar to my fingers

even after a month. After five weeks of frequenting this place, I know the exact cost of my chai tea latte. Except this week a terrible thing happened. The price of my chai tea latte went up from £2.20 to £2.55. I tried to hide the look of shock from the barista but I think my attempt was unsuccessful. Frantically digging through my coin purse, I realized another change. The Peacock will now feel like two heavy coins, a large hexagonal coin, and a tiny, dime-like one. In a way I don’t mind the change. Because, just like last week with the chair rearranging, this price change means that I am enough of a regular to notice those seemingly insignificant 25p.

On being in the Minster: For the first time in as long as I can remember, I truly focused and prayed for an extended period of time about everything that came to my mind.  I didn't rush.  I didn't drift.  I began my prayer asking for focus and I was able to focus.  I don't know how long I prayed, it was probably 10-15 minutes, but it made me realize how little time I spend in daily prayer.  

When I woke up Thursday I would not have imagined that I would have sat in the Minster for over two hours. When I arrived at the minster at around four I wanted to quickly get my assignment done and get back to flat for dinner. For some reason as I was sitting in the chapel listening to my heart talking to God I decided to stay for evensong. . . . This was the first time that I understand the communion of the saints. It feels as if all those from the past and present who have worshiped in the Minster are together, with me among them.

Taking initiative to really listen allowed me to even hear my own thoughts better. Usually my mind is just racing with things and this week I was able to just relax and listen to my own thoughts. Thoughts about relationships, who I am and what I want, my relationship with God. It was a great experience for me to use my other senses rather than just sight, and I plan to apply more of my senses on a day to day basis. 

Week SixThis week attend to your place with your hand. In other words, put pencil to paper for 15 minutes and draw. YOU NEED NOT BE AN EXPERT ARTIST TO DRAW YOUR PLACE. This is not actually an exercise in drawing, but rather an exercise in seeing. Draw continuously for 15 minutes—set a timer. What did you notice as you were drawing your place?  What did you see when you spent 15 minutes actively engaged in seeing with your hand? What did you learn about your place? about yourself? about the very act of seeing? Include your drawing (if you wish).

I learned that seeing the big picture is easy and doesn’t take much effort. Anyone can look at a place and describe it briefly. However, to truly see a place is looking at each area with an eye that is searching.

Since the beginning of this trip I have been learning to let go. I used to be the definition of a perfectionist. But here I have discovered the joy in the process, and that joy is not dependent on the success of the final product. I take a deep breath, swallow it or let it go. I enjoyed this assignment very much. My drawing is of course awful, but I enjoyed the act of trying to recreate my park. I like my drawing. Actually I love it. It’s my own version of my park. I have also discovered how short of a time 15 minutes can be. Sometimes I feel as if I’m the only one who knows this park exists, and so as self-proclaimed Speaker-of-Clarence-Park, I wanted to do it justice in my drawing. The 15 minutes came and went, but I didn’t want to stop drawing. Who knew that even though I am terrible at drawing, it is still quite soothing?

I found that I was so deep in thought that I drew for 25 minutes instead of 15. I thought I had set a timer but apparently I didn’t. Apparently I had a lot to think about. It was a nice escape. I will not be including my drawing because it is miserably terrible. 

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It’s funny how human vision works. I have sat in this very room about 6 times before. I have looked around me every time I come in. I am quite confident that I have looked at everything multiple times. I looked at everything, but I did not see everything. Physically, my eyes had done their job. They had taken in the reflected light and sent the image, upside down and backward, through my optic nerve to the visual cortex of my brain. My physiological sense of vision is not the issue here. The issue is that my brain refused to notice these things. Deemed as unimportant stimuli in visits past, I had never realized that every picture in the room was of roses. I had never noticed the detail on the frames of the picture. I had never noticed that the table I sat at wasn’t round! I had looked at that table hundreds of times, but I had never seen what shape it was until I made my drawing. These may seem insignificant and silly, but I now that I have seen more of my place, I have a better grasp on why I chose The Vanilla Café; I understand why I was particularly drawn there to begin with. I had looked at The Vanilla Café many times before, but I failed to see it for all that it really is.

As I was drawing, I noticed how quickly all of the stress of the week (my impending philosophy essay, scholarship applications, planning for my trip to Ireland) dissipated. Because I was focusing on my drawing, I was able to relax and clear my mind of all distractions.

Seeing with one’s hand is an interesting experience; while seeing with your eyes, you are able to move your hand and reflect the translation of what your eyes are telling your brain. That may be a wordy description, but it’s a great feeling to experience a place on so many different levels. I found myself focusing on details: the intricacy of the wood that comprises the organ, the variations in the statues of the kings, the wooden cross that now hangs at the east end of the nave. I started drawing the nave but also focused in on one of the massive pillars that supports the wooden roof.

I learned (or re-learned, rather) that my place is and always will be, I believe, a calming place for me. No matter what I am doing there, I always feel at peace. Peace is especially welcome this week, as I’m feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork and praying for my home church, which is going through another rough patch in a long series of rough patches. I think I’m learning that I’m the type of person who needs something reliable in my life, something or somewhere to return to every week that will offer stability. And I learned that the act of seeing goes deeper than the physical act of using one’s eyes to detect colors or shapes. 

I sat down in my usual place again today and took out my notebook and a pencil. Yes, I used a pencil because I already knew I would be erasing half of what I drew. My picture, to my amazement, didn’t actually turn out half bad. As I was drawing I was actually thinking about how much of it I could have done from memory. My place is quite small, so most things I feel like I have already seen and noticed about it. However, drawing does make you pay attention to detail in a whole new way.

The first thing that I noticed is a small sign that says “more seating” with an arrow. Maybe my place isn’t as small as I had thought. I actually don’t know how I hadn’t noticed this before, because it is right by the sign for the toilets, which I have definitely seen before. From this exercise I learned that the act of seeing is just that, an act. You almost have to consciously engage yourself, and think about seeing things to be able to take it all in. Their are millions of details in every small place, that even the most experienced artist might miss at first glance.

Through this assignment I learned how relaxing drawing can be. Because it was assigned, I could just focus on my surroundings without the worry of wasting time and not being productive. It made me question who lives above all of the stores? How early does the flower stand man set up his shop each morning? How many people actually smoke cigarettes in York? After the fifteen minutes while my mind was at ease I people watched and noticed how many types and ages of people pass through the square. It is crazy to try and realize that every person passing by has a reason or mission to accomplish that afternoon. Everyone has their own story. 

Sadly, I don’t know how to draw flowers. It was quite frustrating to sit for fifteen minutes attempting to draw something so beautiful but having it look out of focus on paper.  It was as if the image had distorted by the time it was taken in by my eyes, travelled down my right arm, and out my uncertain fingers. My hand couldn’t translate what my eyes were seeing. I’ve had this feeling before while Skyping my friends and family. It’s frustrating trying to tell them all the things I’m doing and seeing. They nod their heads, smile, and say something like “you're so lucky” or “sounds like you’re having so much fun.” And I am, but it’s so much more than that. I can't translate this whole experience to the people back home. I show them pictures, tell them stories, send them postcards but they’ll never fully understand my exact experience in York. Just like the flowers get distorted when I try to draw them, my time studying abroad gets distorted when I try to put it into words or pictures. I wish I could transport them all here so they could walk Hadrian’s wall, wander through Haworth, scale Arthur’s seat, and look at the flowers under the Newgate Market arch with me. But they can’t. I went over fifteen minutes. Fearfully, I looked down at my sketch but was surprised. It looked okay. Had I shown it to someone who has lived in York for sometime, I think he would have been able to know where I was sitting. It was close, not exact. I think that’s what I have to learn to accept about the people back home. They’ll come close to knowing what it’s like to study for a semester

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abroad in York and close will have to be good enough. Thankfully, I've made 26 good friends who know exactly what it's like for study abroad in York for four months. 

In case I was not sure whether or not I’m a perfectionist before this assignment, I am now sure that I am. I have never spent so much time drawing a section of an entryway only to discover my fifteen minutes were long since spent. So much for timing myself- but what this did help me to notice was just how much detail there is at St. Mary’s. If it takes me so long just to do one section poorly, it must have taken a lot of time and skill to actually build it. That makes it even sadder that it was left to crumble. What I learned about the building was that it took a lot of effort to make, and what I learned about myself is that I need to stop being so critical of myself and just do what I’m supposed to do.

Seeing does not necessarily guarantee an accurate replication. Our interpretation of something is always tainted by our personal judgments. In my viewing of the chapel, my eyes were not immediately drawn to the stained glass windows, but rather tried to take in the sweeping motion of the archways, the high pointed vaults they created over the windows. It was this motion that I took the most care in drawing, moving my pen several times over the gentle curvature in an effort to get it right. In this, it is evident that even sight is a subjective task. If anyone else had been sitting there, what would they have drawn? Would they have even picked the chapel, and if they had, would they have tried to capture the stained glass windows? There were simply to many details to try and capture them all, a lesson in perception that I needed to experience. 

Several times, I walk into the Minster hoping to become an expert in my short time here. My eyes glaze over all of the tiny details, hoping that somehow sight osmosis will forever cement them into my memory. This activity taught me that even the strenuous task of sitting and trying to draw a frame is not enough to appreciate all of the beauty witnessed. I could never sit in the Minster long enough to capture all that I see, and no amount of trying to draw every detail will ever make me an artist. However, by sitting and simply taking more in with my eyes, perhaps I will someday be able to reiterate that which I saw: one brief moment of time in the Minster. 

This striving for perfection as I drew my picture reminded me a little bit of traveling.  As I look back on the places I have visited so far, I can’t help but have regrets.  I should have gone to one place instead of another or spend more time here versus there.  In the end, you just have to let it go and accept the beauty of the trip you did have.  Sure, it wasn’t perfect.  But sometimes that’s the best part, and as I think about it I realize a few of my favorite memories traveling so far come out of not so great circumstances.  They are things like taking a bus back from Liverpool at midnight, or getting lost in Newcastle.  Initially, I regretted both of these things and wished they could have been different.  Looking back however I can see the memories and friendships that were formed in those times, and I’m glad my life doesn’t come with an eraser to correct all of my mistakes.  Our lives are written in pen, and therein lies the beauty.

Week SevenAs befits our emphasis on history this week, take some time to learn more about your place and particularly about its history. You might talk with someone, look up archives at the York City Library, ask the librarians at YSJ for help, or . . . google. How does what you have learned enrich your sense of your place?

Learning about the people who lived in this abbey and what life there was like makes it a lot more personal. It is easy to become detached and just think of it as a building, but for some this place was home. It was thriving and wealthy once. This was a place of arguments, prayers, daily life, and worship, yet I also learned that nobody protested its closure. I think that was what surprised me most—nobody tried to save what used to be their home.

While in my place in York I noticed once again old black and white photographs around me of carriages, old Petergate, and a man with bells by in front of the minster. All different photos showcasing a window into the past. I sat and contemplated my own history. I remember being identified [by the Strengths Finder] before this trip as "contextual" person, meaning I have an ability to relate my past with my present. I stared into my glass and contemplated, as I do every once and a while, my entire life. I know it sounds silly, but I really did think about it. Every historical moment of me that had led up to me sitting in that pub in York staring at old photos and peering intently into the cloudy foam of the pint in my hand.

John L. Kirk founded my Museum in 1938.  He was a collector, and most of the collection in the museum came from him.  The museum was started as a hall to house all of his work, and his recreation of a recreated street was one of the first of its kind.  It showed visitors a new side of museums beyond simply dusty old artifacts, and the original display is still in use today.  The building was repurposed from a women’s prison and a debtors prison.  I love how the building had its own history before it became the museum.  It was been a museum for along time, but it had this whole other life before it. 

The construction of the Lendal Bridge began in 1860 but in 1861 it collapsed killing five workers. The bridge was redesigned and reopened in 1863. It was at that time that Circles Café was a tollbooth. The

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bridge supposedly put ferrymen out of business because after all, who would want to go on a ferry when there is a bridge that is easily accessible? The toll that was collected from Circles Café was half a penny for foot passengers, a penny for animals, and two pence for horse-drawn vehicles. I think the next time I go to Circles Café I will look at it differently; it will be less of a café and more of a tollbooth. Just like we talked about in class, we always start in the middle of a story.  We have to keep revisiting a place until its past is revealed and wait to see what the future holds.  It’s crazy that this stone tower, which was used to collect tolls, is now a cozy café.  

This week I looked at the tomb of Prince William Hatfield, second son of King Edward III and Queen Philippa, who died when he was a child and is the only royal buried in the Minster. Adjacent to the sign that acknowledges the validity of the prince’s tomb, another sign states that Edward III and Philippa were actually married in York Minster in 1328, one year after he was crowned king. I’m jealous of the venue – what a beautiful place in which to be married! I’m sure that I’ve walked past the tomb a dozen times, but I never realized its significance and the Minster’s tie with Edward III. We’ve talked about how “the more you know, the more you learn,” and I’m finding that this fact is incredibly true. I imagine that Edward III, having been married here and buried his son here, was rather attached to this place (perhaps in a bittersweet way).

I asked the waiter about the history of Bennetts. The waiter proceeded to tell me a few things, and then came back with a sheet on all the history. The building that Bennett's is in was built in 1838 as a fan shaped development of 3 story brick houses. It was build by J P Pritchett, who also built the Savings Bank in St Helen's Square and York Cemetery chapel, along with several railway stations. Bennett's was originally two houses, but they knocked the wall down between the two houses and made it a store. In 1938 this building became Bennett's. Learning about the history really makes this place more special to me. If I had to guess, I thought that Bennett's had only been around since 1980 or so, not since 1938. I also think it's very cool that the place that I sit in every week used to be a house, but was later transformed into a store, and then into a cafe. It's funny because I had always thought that it was a homey feeling in Bennett's, but had no idea that it was, indeed, a house in the past. 

This week, I planned on reading some Henry IV while at my place and being productive, but I think God had other plans for me. I sat in the other upstairs room than the one I normally do for no reason in particular. A few minutes after I had sat down and cracked open my book, a precious elderly couple shuffled into the room and sat in the short chairs by the window. Soon, we had struck up a conversation. This is the first contact I’ve really made with anyone in the café besides the baristas and I am truly thankful I could have the experience. This particular couple was magnificent and was bursting at the seams to tell me all about their fascination with British history. I was more than happy to put my book down and sit and listen to the stories of their adventures around England going to see ancient Roman carved stones in museums. Being in the room filled with laughter and a little life besides just me really made me appreciate another aspect of The Vanilla Café: to bring people together and build relationships.

When learning the history about something, I’ve noticed how my mindset seems to change after hearing new information that my ears have never heard. When I sat in Bennett’s this week, it made me appreciate it more because there is so much history in that one small building. It wasn't just randomly built up one day. It had meaning before it, and was later transformed into a cute, little cafe. I’m telling you, York history continues to fascinate me. It’s never ending and despite being here for 7 weeks, I think it’s safe to say I am still learning something new everyday. 

As I walked through the gatehouse at Bootham Bar I recalled that there has been a gatehouse on this spot ever since the Roman porta principalis dextra was built in 71 AD. At Layerthrope Bridge I could imagine the King's Fishpond before me just as it was when William the Conqueror dammed the river and I could almost see the Jewish cemetery to my left on Jewbury, filled with the bodies of the mass suicide at the tower. And at Micklegate I looked up and could picture the head of Richard Plantagenet, topped with a paper crown, overlooking York. Thinking about it like this, it staggered me at the antiquity of this place that has become so familiar to me. Only the walls by the Multangular Tower in the park remain as truly Roman, but the whole stretch from Bootham Bar to just past Monk Bar is built on Roman foundations that go back nearly two thousand years. The walls we have today were built largely in the 14th century, which means they are around six hundred years old, more than three times the age of America. That is REALLY old! It is true that the walkway along the walls is a Victorian edition and only around a hundred or so years old, but even so it is impressive. These walls have been around so long and witnessed so much that, from their point of view (if they had one), my visits to them over these four months are practically no time at all, and that is humbling. It is a real privilege for me to be able to spend some time with these relics, the most complete set of medieval walls in England. It's not everyday that you get to become acquainted with something of such antiquity and I am really happy to be able to. Ah...I love York.     

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Week EightThis week choose a practice that helps you focus on where you are and that helps you put aside the busyness of the week. Take time to reflect on how you have grown in the last 2 months and the role that York has played in that development.

The sight of the Minster looming above me still makes me catch my breath. I’m still amazed at the thought of a walled city on the river. I’m overwhelmed by the history to be found around every corner and tucked into every nook. I am becoming more attuned to some of the hurt that surrounds me. At home, it’s easy to breeze past the man who stands on the corner holding his cardboard sign. It’s routine. He’s always there. Here, I find myself being uncomfortable as I walk past the man huddled in a blanket outside of St. Michael LeBelfrey. It’s so easy to get stuck in a routine and filter out all of the things we don’t want to see. Being somewhere new has allowed me to be shocked into noticing things that are an issue back home as well.

I've learned to not take things for granted, rather to appreciate everything I've been given, because it's often true that we don't know what we have till it's gone.  Call it cliche, but many cliche's are true and we can learn from them.  

Trying to reflect on how much I’ve grown and changed over the past two months is a difficult task. I have become more independent. I have become more accustomed to figuring out new places. I have learned to love the place in which I live. I have learned to appreciate the history of this city and of the museums here and how to really see them. My world has grown immensely. I have learned how to act in a classroom taught by English professors. I have learned how to live with international students. All of these experiences have been lovely, rewarding, growing.

I often times find myself always working towards the next thing. Whether it's the weekend, or a new semester, I am constantly thinking of what I have to do to get to the next checkpoint. Being here in York has caused me to see that this experience truly is what we make of it. Deadlines, papers, and other things are important, but they are not everything. Being in Ireland this weekend, and standing on a cliff that has been completely sculpted by God's hand, gave me both fear and awe. It was a feeling that can never be expressed through writing a paper, or experienced by working towards a deadline; it was a feeling that transcends all time and worldly stresses. I have come to see that those experiences are what we came here for. Standing in the minster, under a huge tower that has been touched and designed by hundreds of people over thousands of years is something that needs to be experienced fully, and you have to be 'all there' in order to do so. That is what York has taught over the past two months: to be 'all there'.

I have grown tremendously in the last two months, and this growth has everything to do with living in York. I have made pretty minor growths like feeling confident living by myself and taking care of myself. I realize that I can do this. I have also learned the importance of friendship. It is extremely helpful to have a group of people who are all in the same situation and can keep you going. I have made some new very close friendships on this trip, and I am excited to continue these when we get home. York is a very historical city, which is not something I am particularly always interested in. This is one major way in which I have changed my views. I like to learn about the history of the place I am living in. I realize that it makes everything about the city so much more enjoyable. Since I now live in Grand Rapids, I am going to try and figure out a bit more of its history, since I currently know none.

When it comes to growth over the last two months I think what has changed the most about me is my independence and responsibility. Before this trip I had never really cooked before. My parents, my brother or the dinning hall was what has always made my food. It has been a good experience figuring out the amounts that I need to make for each meal to eliminate waste. I also respect my parents for the vacations they planned when we were younger. Even a weekend trip to Ireland is so much work to organize. I now understand why they do not like planning vacations. 

Being on a semester abroad really makes you learn to become responsible for many things. You need to be able to balance school, travel, money, social life. The first month was very difficult for me. I didn’t use my money or time as wisely as I would have liked. I also didn’t get as much out of York or the weekends away as I would have liked. I wasted money eating out, going to the pub frequently and buying snacks that I did not need. I feel like I have grown in the regards that I now can say no. So easily I was pressured into doing activities that I did not want but now I can say no and do what I want. 

In thinking about how I've grown, I have realized that life is better with less worry. That seems like an obvious statement but worry is hard to get rid of. For me the process of disengaging from stressful thoughts has been difficult. The mind is the hardest thing to tame. If I had one superpower I would choose to eliminate thoughts at will. York has helped me though. I still worry about money and making flights, trains, etc., but I am less worried about making friends and tending to relationships. I've found that when I take things lightly I am more genuine and interactions just go so much better. When I stop worrying about how others perceive me I am much more fun and happy person to be around. I am also much better at reading maps, look out London!

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Obviously, York has helped me to learn how to be better at travelling, and to learn how to be a more independent person. The not so obvious things that York has played in my development are things like the role York has played on my faith and my maturity. The church that I attend in York, St. Michael’s le Belfrey, has really been a place that I look forward to going to each week. Here more than in America I crave church. I think it is because it is a place of normalcy here, a place where I can gather with other people who are like me, and worship the one true God. I find it to be the place where I find the most peace, making it difficult for me when I have to miss a service due to being out of town. It has not only given me a place of peace, but the church has also helped in strengthening my faith.

While I was sitting and thinking, I looked back on how far I’ve come in the past two months. It’s amazing to think about how much progress and growth can take place in such a short period of time. The idea of traveling in a strange country, booking flights, and visiting sites alone was daunting just a few months ago, but now I feel comfortable exploring York by myself during my free time, planning spring break, and ready to take on the next adventure. Since I arrived here, I think I have become more independent and self-sufficient, but also more adventurous and curious. Since I turned 18, I have never really felt like the adult I was told I was, but I feel like now to some extent I am learning that I am capable of more than I expected. My dreams for the future have also evolved since I came here because of what I have learned about myself. I was set on the idea of getting my PhD and becoming a lit professor when I got here, but now I am realizing that I might not be suited to that career and I find myself exploring options that I had not thought of before. We’ll see where that takes me.

Week Nine: Taking Stock The my place in York project has been very helpful for me. At the beginning of the semester I wasn’t so

sure about it, but then I really started to enjoy it. It started by forcing me to go somewhere by myself and to reflect on everything going on in my life, but then I really started to look forward to the time alone in a familiar place. I started to go way more than was necessary.

Each week the “My Place” assignments have been extremely helpful for me. I’m always looking forward to responding to the prompt. I don’t even think of them as assignments because they have been so helpful to me and I enjoy doing them. To be honest, I was skeptical about this assignment in the beginning of the semester. From the start, I thought to myself, “Oh, that’s kind of a pain. For one, I’m going to have to figure out a place in a town that’s so foreign to me, and secondly, I have to go to that place every week for at least 30 minutes.” I certainly don’t think this way anymore. I think of it as the complete opposite, actually, and look forward to it every week. Now I think of “My Place” as a time to check out of the busyness of this world and have some “me” time. It’s a time for me to block out the stresses of life, relax, order a pot of tea, and reflect on what’s going on. I appreciate this assignment so much and have grown from it, even though I wasn’t so fond of it in the beginning.

My place in York has been really good at keeping me in check this semester. Often times I find it so easy to get on a schedule that I just do, without actually stopping to think about what it is exactly that I’m doing. Writing a post each week about my place has somewhat forced me, but in a good way, to pause and reflect, think, reminisce about my journey thus far; what I’ve learned, what I’ve enjoyed/ hated, what’s pushed me, etc.

“My place in York”, the Minster, has greatly engaged me in the city. It really is a place that I have fallen in love with. York has been an adventure. There have been ups and downs but I have tried to make the best of both. I have learned the most about myself when I was at my lowest point. I have learned from myself how to be independent. I have learned from my friends how to stay positive. I have learned from my flatmates the jargon of English students. From clubs and pubs I have learned self control. From the Minster I have learned to look at beauty in different ways. So many people have touched my heart and changed my life since being in York. I hope that for all they have done for me, I have done as much for them. I am a pilgrim, not a tourist. 

My Place in York has been a really awesome opportunity for reflection this semester. An assigned time to sit and reflect on the week or a prompt has allowed me to stay better connected to York. It helps me to live in the moment and make the most of every second here. Overall, these past 2 months have been full of some highs and lows, laughs and tears, but I wouldn’t change a thing and I fell in love with York along the way.

My place in York, Circle’s Café, really helped in making me feel comfortable. Going to the same place every week by myself allowed me to have space to think and reflect. Since I was by myself, I was able to feel independent of my American culture. I have been able to observe other conversations and learn more about the culture of England, which is always fun.

I have enjoyed the “My Place in York” reflections more than I originally thought I would. I expected to like the assignment, but not to look forward to completing my quiet time. Each week at the Minster, something new pops out and grabs my attention. I am overwhelmed by the sensory experience of seeing, listening,

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touching, and finding my feet carrying me endlessly through his somber halls. The reflections have increased in self-insight as the semester has gone along, forcing me to stop and to think about my actions and existence here in York. It is this act of carefully meditated writing, of metacognitive journaling, that has helped to accurately assess my growth here in York.

A big part of York feeling so much like home these last two months is because of the My Place in York assignment. Although, I no longer view this as an assignment, but as a gift of solitude and reflection each one of us desperately needs during our hectic weeks. A half hour alone to gather my thoughts and to be still is more restorative than I thought it was going to be. Visiting here always settles me and it has truly become my place in York. Before, whenever I pictured York in my head, I thought of the Minster or the Shambles. Now, whenever I picture York in my head, I picture the entrance to Newgate market. I know I’m going to miss going there over spring break. More than anything, this place has kept me grateful. At least once during my time spent there I stop and think, “Wow. I’m sitting in the middle of the city of York, in North Yorkshire, in England, in Europe and I get to do this for sixteen whole weeks.”

I have loved going every week to my place at York, Bennett, which up till now I am still shocked I have not grown tired of. I am happy that in the busyness of my week, I have this reserved time for just reflecting on not just myself, but the environment about me.

While visiting most of the places around York will be limited to one visit, I am glad that I have had The Vanilla Café to return to each and every week. Amidst all the hectic-ness that comes with establishing oneself in a new country, I have been eternally grateful for the comfort and routine that my little café has brought to my life. I am so routine oriented and lots of new experiences all at once stress me out, so this small form of constancy has literally kept me sane. I have even been able to apply the lessons I am learning each week about seeing and digging deeper to my larger experience of York.

What is the thing I’ll miss most about York, you ask? Well, walking the city walls and the Minster will definitely be in my top three. But the number one thing that I will miss is The Perky Peacock. This place has kept me sane throughout this semester. There have been days that I miss home. There have been days that I just need to breathe. There have been hard days. On these hard days, where do I go and what do I want? A chai latte from the Perky Peacock. There have been days that I’ve been irrevocable happy. There have been days where I have fallen in love with a place. There have been days that I feel full up to the brim with joy. On these amazing days, where do I go and what do I want? A chai latte from the Perky Peacock. The Peacock has played a roll in lifting me up out of my bad days, adding more joy to my already fabulous days, and has provided me with a home when I’ve felt out of place. My place is home. And that’s why the Peacock will be so hard to leave.

One place I can rely on going to constantly is my place in York, which is Circles Café. At first it was just another place, I would walk in, drink my tea, spend about thirty minutes in there, and walk out. Lately however, I get excited when it’s time for me to go to my place. I think of it as literally “My place”, it’s the place that I get to go to every week and that I get to write about. I feel as if it is a large part of York for me. I think that having that one place to go to alone every week creates a connection between yourself and that place. It also helps me cope with being alone and getting used to independence. It allows me to like hanging out with myself, which I think is an area I really need to grow in. I also enjoyed the different tasks we were given each week. It allowed my to experience my place in different ways, using different senses and different methods of obtaining knowledge of my place.

Sometimes I think there is even too much to take advantage of. Everyday there’s an opportunity to experience something new, or every weekend to go visit a new place, that it’s so easy to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle and not really take the much needed time of reflection and relaxation. One way I’ve been able to stay consistent in self-reflection and contemplation is through the weekly My Place in York assignment. Having a time set aside each week to simply reflect and not worry about anything else has been comforting. Especially in my case, my place (the Minster) in itself inspires thought and imagination and instills humbleness in me every time I see it. It gives me an ideal environment to be able to fully soak in my thoughts about the past week and reflect on what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown. I’d love to say that without this assignment I’d do things like visit the Minster and consistently write about my experiences, but the truth is I don’t know if I would. The weekly assignment has kept me accountable and in doing so contributed greatly to my overall growth and appreciation for this truly great opportunity to study abroad.

The “My Place in York” assignment has had a huge impact on my overall experience thus far in the semester. I don’t think I realize how much of a “home” it has made for me until I sit and think about it, but it really has given me a place to go and sit in peace and comfort. I am writing this paper at a time where I really need peace and comfort, while Gina is in the hospital. This whole situation has thrown off my week and made me feel sad, and Bennett’s this week was a really peaceful place for me to be amidst all the chaos in my life.

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I am so glad I have my place in York. It has acted as a peaceful place where I can go and reflect each week. I think it would have been easy to get caught up in the craziness and adventures of everything that reflection wouldn’t have come until after I left. But this trip has been such a process that it will be good to be able to look back at how I have changed over the duration of the trip. Making myself reflect on the week has given me the time to stop and appreciate this amazing opportunity.

Finally, I have been incredibly blessed by the My Place in York assignment. Not only do I have an excuse to spend more time in the Minster (as if one needs an excuse!), but I have been able to grow and change spiritually even in two months. Who knew that it would take a trip across an ocean to help me return to my Savior? He certainly moves in mysterious ways, Jesus. I’m grateful for that. And I’m grateful every day for this semester and how much I’ve grown and changed so far. I can’t wait to see what the next two months will bring.

I have been able to learn about this history and the locals through the ‘My Place in York’ assignment by spending some time, every Thursday, enjoying a full English breakfast at my favorite restaurant, Crosskeys. Even though it is not very busy when I come on Thursday mornings, I am still able to see the interactions between locals, and certain practices that I found surprising at first, but now seem normal to me, such as old men having a conversation about golf over a couple of beers at 10:30 in the morning. It has been a great journey so far, and I am finally starting to experience that feeling that all those I know that have studied abroad told me about: I never want to leave. My faith has grown stronger, my old and new friendships have blossomed and have become very important to me and, as cliché as it may sound, I feel as if I am really finding myself here in York. Without the comfort of being in a familiar culture and place, there is the opportunity to start from a completely raw and stripped place, and slowly discover and build up who I really am, and who I hope to become throughout the rest of this semester and my life.

My place has made me realize that a place always has secrets to give away and things to teach you. Places I thought I knew in the States, I have realized, I don’t really know much about it at all. Here at York, we have walked the city, taken tours, researched what to do and still I don’t know half of it. Yet I think I know a city I grew up in, or live in with touring it, researching it, or looking at its history.

When I come to my “My Place” assignment every week, I find myself fitting my life around it. I look forward to this time I give myself every Friday to sit down and reflect on my week. I journal and I blog, but find that it can so easily get pushed to the side or put on the back burner until the following week. With the My Place assignment I am held accountable for once a week sitting down and reflecting on what was going on, about my feelings.

Having the York Minster as my place in York has been a blessing week after week. The size of the building is large enough to house the many thoughts in my mind. The Minster has given me a place to be still. There is enough space that I can sit and not feel self-conscious. I find the Minster to be a great place to process my life, the bad and the good. My place has also helped me to stop processing. I don’t always have to be thinking about everything I do or have done. York Minster has g me to rest, to shut off my overactive thoughts and just exist as a person in a very beautiful building. Being able to forget myself is a most valuable skill. I am going to do my best to keep it after this trip is over.

One of my favorite things about this semester has been having my own place here in York. I’m not a huge fan of my flat, so I love to get out of it whenever I can. Even though I have seen Caffé Nero’s in almost every city we go to, it’s not the same one that I go to in King’s Square. I talk a lot to one of the baristas. This week I talked about being homesick and I could just vent to her for a little bit. This place has definitely added to York by being a safe zone for me.

Choosing the market place as “my place in York” has been a really cool experience! I love the different assignments as they require me to see my place in a different way or try a new technique for reflection. Because the market is so big, I feel it is a little hard to establish a really close connection compared to visiting a quaint coffee shop each week. This has been a good challenge though. I have been challenged to find my place amidst the business of the square as hundreds of people pass by with different destinations in mind. My place has retaught me the beauty of just sitting and being. I have learned how refreshing it is to sit and listen to street buskers without the worry of time in the back of my mind or the distraction of my phone. When I come back to York sometime in my lifetime, I will definitely look forward to going back to the market and sitting on “my bench.”

My place is York has helped me throughout this semester a ton. Going to my place helps me keep my sanity and relaxes the mind and soul.

It’s a comfortable feeling to have your feet stuck in York. This place is growth, love, and peace. The idea of ‘staying put’, although it seems like it, is not a stationary one. Don Degraaf before we left urged us to view ourselves not as tourists, but as pilgrims. And while pilgrims are ever on the move, I have felt comparable inner movement. We have traveled every week to places close and far, and each location has asked me a question. The transition did not end one week into moving here. The transitions are constant. The instability is constant. The growth is constant. Just existing in York has been a massive pilgrimage.

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