Our trip to England was not only educational, but filled with fun and exciting activities. I loved that we were allowed the freedom to explore the cities we were brought to. Although I could go on and on about all the journeys we had, what stands out most to me was Kaylee, Ella, and I’s unexpected journey to Didsbury, a suburban town near Manchester.
One of the things I particularly loved about Manchester was the widespread use of the tram, formally known as the “Bee Network,” running through the city centers and nearby towns. After our group visit to the beautiful Manchester Art Gallery, Kaylee, Ella, and I decided to use the tram for the first time to see Old Trafford Stadium, home of the world-famous Manchester United football club. We hopped on the tram at St. Peter’s Square station. The only trouble we had was figuring out what kind of ticket we needed to purchase, but £4.60 later, we had an all-day tram ticket covering all four zones the tram traveled to, just in case.
We arrived at Old Trafford Stadium in about 10 minutes, took in the sights, and even got questioned by a local news station if we were fans. We got our shopping fix in, then went to a walking area along the river. There, we saw “Gnome Island.” As we were trying to figure out what exactly we were looking at, a man with a microphone attached to his phone approached us. He was with BBC Manchester Radio (which was also written on the microphone) and asked us what we thought about Gnome Island, to which we gave him our, “It’s definitely intriguing!” response. After our interview, the gentleman asked us where we were from. We told him the whole story of why we were there. Kaylee asked him if he had any recommendations for things we should do during our time in Manchester. One recommendation that stood out was to go to Didsbury and visit Fletcher Moss Gardens. We were now set on traveling to Didsbury, so we hopped back on the tram at the Old Trafford station. Thirty minutes later, we were in Didsbury.
Coming off at Didsbury was honestly a trip-altering moment for the three of us. The suburban town, filled with no tourists, children playing in their school yards, and locals just going about their daily lives. It was all so wonderfully familiar! I know that sounds odd, but realizing that these people were just like us, living in a suburb outside of a city, halfway across the world, was heartwarming. Although it was comforting to be in a suburb, there were many differences compared to an American suburb. For example, basically all the houses were townhouses, and the town was extremely walkable. We were probably some of the only Americans there, and it definitely showed in people’s surprise when they heard our accents.
We walked about 10 minutes through the streets of Didsbury, taking in the quaint and charming beauty, before arriving at Fletcher Moss Gardens. It was a large park filled with natural beauty, with many different areas to rest and enjoy nature. We stopped for refreshments at a cart in the heart of the park, still in disbelief that we were somewhere so beautiful. We walked through the botanical gardens, saw many little creatures, and took way too many photos.
After leaving Fletcher Moss Gardens, we went back to the main area of Didsbury and got lunch at the Expo Lounge. Unbeknownst to us, they were giving out so much dessert for any kind of donation that went to a local hospital, so we took back little pastries to the hotel room. The food and atmosphere were amazing, and after our meal, we explored more of Didsbury before returning to the tram station and making our way back to the city center.
Our unexpected journey to Didsbury was definitely a highlight of my time in England. Though I enjoyed the cities we visited, the suburban vibe will always be comforting to a suburban girl like me. The whole experience of using the easily accessible public transport and seeing what an English suburb looks like was eye-opening on how similar yet different our two nations are.
Mia Parise
Medieval England: There and Back Again
Summer ’24
