Benaiah Carlstrom's Expectations

                Going to a different country may be the best experience of my life, and frankly I am full of excitement. This next month will be one of the greatest adventures I ever embark on.  It may sound silly but I am currently watching the movie that created the largest fascination of Scotland, Braveheart. Ever since I was a child watching that for the first time I knew that Scotland was on the top of my wish list countries to visit. I never thought that I would one day have the opportunity to visit this country. It may have been a juvenile dream, but it sees maturity in a very roughly days.

                Scotland is the first on the list of countries we are visiting and I couldn’t have it any other way. When we arrive in Scotland I plan on taking as much in as I can; cuisine, culture, and history. I am most excited about the National Museum of History in Scotland. I never thought that I would ever think that I would enjoy a museum over tourist attractions, but I have such a strong yearning to learn more about this country and its history. I very much hope to see someone in a kilt and gown with bagpipes because that is what I have always thought about when I think of Scotland.

                Exploring the castles in Scotland will be one of the most enjoyable attractions. I grew up only seeing castles in movies and in most video games I’ve played. It will be a great experience walking through structures the have captivated the heart of so many people’s fantasies. I know very little about the castles in Edinburgh that we are visiting so I can’t wait to learn more. I haven’t been this excited to learn anything since a child. The only thing I see as a problem with this trip is that the least amount of time of our visit will be in Scotland. This means that I will have to do my best to get the full enjoyment out of Scotland while I’m there.

                Following Scotland we shall be leaving for one of the most well-known cities in the world, London. This is where the computer side of the journey starts. This was the majority of why I picked this program to Study Abroad. While in London we will be visiting King’s College where I expect to meet with international students studying computers. Kings College is great university for the study of computers. The second venue of computers that I am looking forward to is visiting Bletchley Park and the National Museum of Computing. I can’t wait to explore the museum to see where computers have come from and where computers are going in the short amount of life that computers have seen so far. Viewing the exhibition of the code cracking in World War II will also be quite interesting.

                With computers aside London offers many tourist attractions that I plan on eating up, literally and metaphorically. We shall be visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Stonehenge. This was the one location that I wanted to go to in London no matter what. As it was everyone else on the trip also wanted to experience what Stonehenge was all about as well. It will be the one and possibly only wonder of the world that I will visit. Another thing we visit is the Olympic Village near the location of the summer Olympics will be hosted. This maybe the only time I am able to visit a city that is hosting the Olympics. I have no idea what is in store for me there yet I am still excited.

                There are many museums in London that I don’t much care for such as the Maritime Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum, and several churches. However even though I am not excited about I still plan on enjoying every moment.

                Ireland is next on our list. Ireland is a place one of my best friends told me I needed to go to, so with her advice I am going to take in as much as I can. We have many colleges to visit while we are in Ireland and it looks like it will be quite educational as well as entertaining. I can’t wait to visit the Guinness Brewery and see the ins and outs of the brewing system. Among other things we will get to visit the Cliffs of Moher which is more of a tourist attraction for me than anything. If you have seen the Princess Bride then you may recall the “Cliffs of Insanity.” For that reason and that reason only I am pumped to view these cliffs.

                Northern Ireland has been planned as well. I’m not too excited about this trip, but as I said before there are people to see and places to go and I shall enjoy it. All in all I am most excited this journey and it shall be one of the greatest I take in my whole life. My only regret is that I won’t be able to share this experience with more people. I can’t wait for this life changing experience. Bring it on United Kingdom.