Memories of Alnwick
Ryan Fahrmann ’00, Alnwick 1998
The most valuable learning I took away from this experience
is truly how much more there is to the world, a true sense
of self and enhanced confidence. The program immerses the
students in not only into a different country, but also
a community. We were residents in the community and even
though there were occasional jokes about the "Yanks",
there were plenty of people asking about where we were from
and a true desire to learn more from us. A wonderful example
of this was after returning from London on the train to
Alnwick, I went to see if I could catch a cab into town.
A gentleman that had been on the train with me asked me
if I was going to the castle, I said I was (must have had
that look about me) and he offered me a ride. In the US,
I would have never taken the risk, in Alnwick, you were
guaranteed an adventure. As we talked in the car, he revealed
to me that he had been a former administrator at the castle
and was a key player in starting the St. Cloud State program
there. He provided me with history and insight as to how
the program came to be and at the end of the trip, I was
compelled to thank him for the great work he had done to
allow me and so many others with this outstanding learning
and living experience. Alnwick was a 24/7 classroom and
an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.
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