Listen to thisGreetings from London during Wimbledon Week! Is anyone else enjoying the FIFA World Cup in South Africa? Family and work commitments converged for a few days recently, offering opportunities for a spot of London people-watching during a visit to the British Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and the Runnymeade Air Forces Memorial to pay respect to one particular Flight Lieutenant amongst 20,000 WW II airmen and women who died when their airplanes went down and lack graves.
People-watching and a London mime artist
There are so many opportunities for people-watching in London! A flight on the London Eye offered glimpses of the heart and boundaries of this world-class city “command centre for the 19th Century British Empire. We shared a flight with young people “some American and some English “taking time out with school mates to “DO” London and even Paris (the Yanks) the following week! I wondered how world views might change after “DOING” two weeks in Europe. Three English girls got disoriented looking down at their Capital City. Once they located Westminster Palace and Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Canary Wharf where the 2012 Olympics will be staged, so it was that their eye on London made sense.
Classroom assignments at the British Museum
A visit to the British Museum needed ticking off from our Bucket List including the collection of classical Greek marble sculptures known as The Elgin Marbles, The Lewis Chessmen, The Vindolanda Tablets and The Rosetta Stone, where written translation began.
Watching time roll along with an 18th century clock
The Vindolanda Tablets held special interest since these are the oldest known handwritten notes or letters written to a family member or friend elsewhere. One from the end of the 1st Century A.D. read “Sollemnis to Paris his brother brings very many greetings. I want you to know I am in very good health, as I hope you are in turn, you neglectful man who have sent me not even one letter.” ... This letter sent me thinking about how children and young people in looked after care today keep waiting for letters, e-mails, text messages or similar communications from family members!
End of term field trips
Everywhere we went there were children and young people engaged in educational field trips. It’s what schools do at the end of Summer Term. Some secondary school groups went to the Globe Theatre to see a three-hour live performance of Henry IV, Part I. Such a performance sure helped Shakespeare make more sense for many.
Summer Term social activities outside the classroom
A collage of artistic youth tagging
It was fun watching a group of young men practising their skateboarding while a Youth Worker worked with a group of young taggers around contemporary art forms.
Imagery for an English Upper Class
No tagging was seen at Fortnum & Masons, exclusive department store for the rich and famous oozing imagery of the world's Upper Class! Stay cool wit yer bad self!
