Monday
We left Paris very early in the morning, meeting at Gare du Nord at 6 a.m. and taking the Eurostar around 7:30. By 8 o’clock, we had already arrived in London. From the Youth Hostel, we set out on foot to explore some of the city’s more affluent neighbourhoods, wandering without any particular plan. Later, we visited the National Gallery, where we spent time admiring the paintings and moving through the different rooms.
In the evening, we picked up some chicken for dinner which, unfortunately, turned out to be rather disappointing — but it became a funny shared memory all the same. Overall, it was a simple but very enjoyable first day.
Tuesday
On Tuesday, October 14th, we started our day at the Imperial War Museum. As soon as we walked in, we felt that it was a place filled with powerful stories and memories.
Each floor was dedicated to a different chapter of the 20th century:
The first floor focused on the First World War, while the second was dedicated to the Second World War.
The most moving part of the museum was the section on the Holocaust. This area was deeply emotional, as we saw the consequences of the persecution and extermination of millions of Jews.
We finished our visit with the temporary exhibition “Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict”, which explored a part of history that is often forgotten: the abuse experienced by women and girls throughout numerous wars.
After this intense visit, we took a break for lunch before heading to the next stop on our list: the Tate Modern.
We divided the class into groups to explore the galleries that interested us most.
However, we reunited for a collective “meditation” moment in an entirely orange room—as requested by Mr. Lee—which allowed us to pause, reflect, and enjoy the calm atmosphere before continuing our visit.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, we visited Greenwich and the British Museum.
We began our day in Greenwich, a neighbourhood located on the south side of the Thames. Mr. Lee impressed everyone by winning a race up the hill to the Royal Observatory against Addison, and then helped his student stretch after he got a cramp. Once at the top, we enjoyed a beautiful view over Greenwich Park and the Canary Wharf district. We also had the chance to stand on either side of the Prime Meridian. Some of us tried to see if the time on our phones would change when we crossed the line — unfortunately, it didn’t!
Afterwards, we walked down to the wharf, which was very picturesque.
Finally, we headed to the British Museum. We saw the Rosetta Stone and several Nigerian sculptures that reminded us of Things Fall Apart.
Thursday
On the fourth day of the trip, we visited the National Portrait Gallery as well as Camden Market. However, what we were all truly looking forward to was the play Hamilton.
From the costumes and music to the actors and singers—not to mention the lighting, which created an incredible atmosphere—everything was impressive.
The costumes were breathtaking, and the moving stage really emphasized the grandeur of the show.
We were collectively amazed by the performers and even found ourselves wondering at times whether the songs were pre-recorded—they made it seem so effortless.
We must admit that we were a bit disappointed when the show came to an end.
It truly was a unique experience to see Hamilton live, and an even more special one considering that, for many of us, it was our first opportunity to see a live performance.
Friday
On Friday, we headed to South Kensington, we could choose to visit either the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, or the Science Museum.
We chose the Science Museum, and explored exhibitions explaining how our world works, including a fascinating section on food and agriculture. Our group learned about how to make informed choices about the ingredients we eat and how these choices can help us stay healthy. We also had the opportunity to discover how people lived in the past through the museum’s interactive displays.
At the Victoria and Albert Museum, we were able to explore the evolution of design across the centuries and discover a wide variety of artistic trends.
Unfortunately, we then had to return to the hostel to collect our luggage, as it was time to head back to France. Many of us were already feeling nostalgic. For most students, it was the best school trip they had ever experienced; for others, it was still among their favourite memories. We all hope that everyone has the chance to experience a trip as enriching and memorable as this one.
