Full day field tripping!
Coal museum was really interesting although I think I scored a nice blue bruise crawling through the tunnel face thing. He was a really good tour guide, now that I think about it I should have spoken to him about my research project but too late now. I also found the museum part kind of a let down after the tour 140m below ground.

After passing out from the heat and dehydrating slowly on the bus trip, we finally reached the Brontë parsonage. I've been looking forward to this since I first saw the program for the tour. I am the biggest fan of Wuthering heights and was dying to see where they grew up. The talk at the museum was really interesting, I feel most of us had heard some of it before but it was still really really good and going through the household was just .... it made all their stories everything seem so alive. The biggest failing for all of us was the gift shop. I'm sure we can all agree. I mean how many copies of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre does one need but always want more.

A much needed cup of tea enjoying the atmosphere and bam rushed off to drive through a town for the planning students while we all continue to overheat. This is making me way too irritable. Time for bed me thinks...

I promised myself I wouldn't rant but this is meant to be reflective. And reflecting on the entire study trip to date I would have to say this is very planning/history orientated. A lot of the field trips and lectures cover the subjects briefly but not in depth.

For any student who has studied the industrial revolution there is nothing new, it's all just reminders and I was hoping for something more in-depth.

Don't get me wrong I am enjoying the experience of studying overseas but there does also seem to be bias, we can't leave a planning field trip and we are directly told but most of the planning students didn't even bother visiting the literature field trip instead stole a child's ball and did god knows what. I can't say I saw anymore, I was in the talk at the parsonage....

I'm also curious as this was marketed to archaeology students... Where is the archaeology? Yes, this is a multi-discipline subject which I encourage and appreciate whole heartedly I like to learn things from all aspects just wondering when archaeology gets its time because as similar as they are, archaeology and history are not the same....

I don't know despite the best efforts this doesn't seem to be balanced and always organized,  there is too many pushing and pulling of disciplines and opinions to keep floating....

I don't know whether this will actually be posted or not but I felt the need to get it off my chest judging by discussions I've had with various people over the past few days a lot of us are thinking it...

Maybe if we all studied the same things but focused on our own aspects it would be more efficient... I understand the importance of working in different fields, I've been on multi talents/ major excavations where most of us have other professions and they are quiet interesting and we all bring a unique view to the site. As a chef I've worked for companies with complex systems of control with varying types and levels of experience and speciality and they have all been valuable experiences.

Really a huge thanks to Emma and the Trevor's for organizing the trip,
I think the heat of the bus made me irritable At everything and anything and we are all tired so I'm sure we are all getting to that point. The less structured day tomorrow should do us all good.
- Jess White (Bachelor of Archaeology)