Today really made me think about how much healthcare and education have changed over the years. We were able to walk around, visit the Black Country Living Museum, and speak with the staff members who worked there. They gave us the history of the area, but they also chatted to us about their own lives and asked us questions about our schoolwork and experiences back home. This made the museum feel so much more interactive instead of just reading the information off the signs. 

One of the things that stood out to me was learning about medicine in the 1900s. Like how in the United States healthcare system today, if you could not pay, you would not be able to get the medicine you needed. We learned that the medicines were sometimes made directly in the shops if you had a prescription or personally knew the chemist. It was interesting to hear how similar the healthcare system is, but also how it has continued to be a struggle for so long.

Another part of the day that I found really interesting was learning about the school that was founded in the 1800s and then later used for soldiers during World War II. During that time, the children had to relocate to other schools in the area. The teacher stayed completely in character, which made the experience so realistic. I was even called up to the front and got in trouble during the cleanliness inspection because I had nail polish that was not allowed back then. It was funny to me, but also surprising, how strict schools used to be, and how different expectations were. 

As we walked through the museum shops, there were so many small details that made the history personal. We learned that in 1959, there was only one TV channel, and that people commonly lived in the back of the shops they owned. We stopped in an old candy store first and got a lesson about the different kinds of chocolates we would have seen back then. After hearing about our exchange program, the lady took us to the back room and showed us the living corridors and offered to further explain and take pictures for us. The most interesting fact I learned was that KitKat wrappers used to be blue because they marketed them as healthy because they did not have all the fatty milk that was in other chocolates. At the old barber shop, we met Dan and Kay and got to hear their story. Dan would go into the exact barber shop we walked through to see Kay, and “it worked” because they eventually ended up getting married. The shops were set up a little differently because there were separate spaces for men and women to get their hair done, but the layouts looked similar to what we see today. One thing I thought was really meaningful was to see the original wedding china of the shop that had been saved and is now on display. This moment made history feel a lot less like dates and more like real people’s lives and memories. 

One quote from the day that really stuck with me was when Dan said, “Your mind stays young no matter how old you get.” Overall, today I was able to see the connection between history and healthcare, and also kept my interest because everyone we met was so passionate about sharing their stories and helping us learn.