During our first day of Plus3 United Kingdom, we definitely experienced a lot. We had the opportunity to travel as a group and fall in love with the city together. We first went to a pub called O’Neill’s where we got our first taste of Birmingham culture and food. There was football playing on every T.V. and a menu full of local special dishes, brews, and more. We then went for a walk where we got to admire all of the beauty and architectural style Birmingham has to offer. I was always especially interested by the statues, specifically the quantity of them. It seemed like everywhere we stopped, there was a different statue that seemed to have a different story from the rest.

We saw amazing architecture in many different facets such as the St. Martin’s church, the Birmingham New Street Mall, Victoria Square, the Birmingham City Centre, and more. St. Martin’s church fostered very unique building style as well as very beautiful stained glass windows with designs that we were all enchanted with. The longevity of this church was something that was particularly focused on as many churches got imploded in past wars. Something I found interesting is that the sites where these old churches used to lie are now called peace gardens where people can go to enjoy tranquility, some even with the shape of the old church intact. These preservation efforts seemed very wholesome which I liked as the graves that still stood at the graveyards remained standing. Seeing how beautiful St. Martin’s church was, I knew that these efforts were not in vain and that those who value these churches now hold these beautiful peace gardens as sanctuaries, places to think and get some quiet. I can admire that as that is not something you can easily come across in the States. One thing that stood out to me especially in the church was the stained glass windows and the way the figures were represented in such a beautiful and whimsical way, much like the other sculptures I noticed throughout Birmingham.

There were many sculptures within the Birmingham City Center, or Victoria square. The first one I noticed was of Queen Victoria who stands well above everyone looking down her nose. This representation of her attitude and impact on the country. The square was originally named the Council House Square, but was renamed in 1901 to honor Queen Victoria. Later, a marble statue of the queen was donated and was then recast in bronze later. It is beautiful and correctly depicts who Queen Elizabeth was as a person and how much she was adored. The square also has a fountain in its center with a person kneeling on each side of it. However, the largest sculptural element within the square that our professor pointed out was something called “The River,” but is informally known as “The Floozie in the Jacuzzi.” It depicts a woman sitting on an elevated surface inside of a circular fountain where the water drains from multiple spouts into the larger body of water underneath. This is a larger fountain above the one I mentioned before where there are two people kneeling on either side of the fountain. These structures and fountains really stuck out to me as there are not nearly as many in the United States.

The final statue I really liked was the bull statue in the mall. It was unlike the other statues as it was not made from marble or bronze, but was made out of metal. The large size draws your attention and holds it when the viewer begins to take in the material used to create the structure. The mechanical nature of the statue gives it its own flare while somehow fitting in with the architecture around it, even though it is all so different. The bull is cutely named “Ozzy” and he has his fair share of visitors every day as he is a very popular photo spot. He initially lived outside the mall until he was moved inside in 2022 as part of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

All in all, I think my favorite part about Birmingham was seeing the number and diversity of all of the architecture and statues as it has been the focus of this post. However, I also enjoyed seeing the differences in the culture as well as the lifestyle. We are similar in ways I did not know of before such as the diversity in food options as well as the sports culture. I found that the culture of football is similar between Birmingham and the U.S. However, the United States are focused on American football, and in the U.K. they are focused on what we would call soccer. The sense of community these sports create is evidenced by wearing their merchandise, cheering them on at local restaurants, and more. When I saw the football games on at the restaurant for lunch, it made me feel at home in the sense that we both care about different sports in the same way as that is something I would likely come across in the U.S.

Another similarity I found between here and home is that they are both multicultural in the sense that the city has so many different kind of people walking around. There are people of all different sexual orientations, races, and backgrounds in both places. The impact of this, both in the United States and Birmingham is evident with a wide array of food options, fashions, and festivals to celebrate all cultures. The diversity of the city reminded me of a sense you would feel in a big city in the U.S. such as New York or San Francisco. However, one thing that was different from those cities and Birmingham is that it feel like one large community for the most part, whereas New York and San Francisco have more sprawling metropolises that create smaller communities within the one large city, which I did not notice as much in Birmingham.

Our first day in Birmingham was more that sight-seeing, as we got the opportunity to learn so much more about the culture, history, and character of the city. The large number of restaurants and food places balance with the architectural history and beauty of the city to create a traditional, yet fun and modern place to explore. The abundance of statues and the preservation of many places such as the peace gardens and the church gave each place in the city, but especially Birmingham a sense of community and a deep appreciation for what they have. The vibrancy of different cultures throughout the city reminded me of home and really gave me a sense of what the city has to offer. Though there are some differences, the U.S. and Birmingham both have strengths in their own respects, and I can appreciate both. For now, I will continue to be in awe of the beauty and uniqueness Birmingham has to offer.