Hi everyone! Today is Saturday, May 11th, and we took a break from classes to take a visit to the Black Country Living Museum! I have never done something like this before, so it was really cool to be fully immersed in the history I was learning about!

To get there, we took a city bus and had a 30-minute walk. We rode on a double-decker red bus which was super cool! Naturally, I rode on the second level to get the full experience. I think the Pittsburgh Port Authority needs to incorporate these because our buses are always getting full. 

When we arrived, the first thing we visited was the coal mines. It was an interactive tour, so we were given hard hats, and torches, and went down into the mines. It was almost pitch black, and we saw firsthand what it looked like to be down there for 12-hour shifts. I can’t imagine actually working down there for so long and barely getting paid. It was super cool though and I’m glad I went down there, even if I was crouching the whole time. It makes me respect those workers so much more. 

Then we went to the school house for an interactive experience. We all sat down in an old school and were instructed by someone impersonating a teacher from that time period. He was super strict, which made it very funny when he messed with me people. We had to do things such as call him sir, recite the alphabet backward, and do times tables. He even shamed people for having nail polish or tattoos, which is crazy to me that that was a serious thing back in the day. He called me up to help in the song singing, and it was entertaining to say the least. 

After that, we went to the old-fashioned carnival. We went on the swings, and haunted house ride, and played some games. They were all super fun; sadly I didn’t win any prizes, but some of us did. It reminded me a lot of carnivals from back home, but with an older generation’s twist. Overall, this was probably my favorite part of the day!

After that, I was super hungry, so some of us went to a fish and chip shop in the little town. This was somehow my first time having fish and chips on this trip, and it did not disappoint! The line was super long and it was pretty sunny, but it was definitely worth the wait!

In conclusion, today was very fun! The coal mining was super immersive and way more fun than I anticipated. The school was cool too, and the 1950s theme of the whole town was so cool to be a part in. Even little things such as actors walking around in old fashion clothing made a big difference! Tomorrow, we are getting up bright and early to go to Oxford, so lots to come!