Family Stay Weekend with the McCollums

---

We were fortunate enough to have Butler setup family stay weekends for all of us in the program. As a group (9 of us) we took the train to Wakefield at 5pm on Friday, February 2nd. The ride was only about 20 minutes and we were picked up by our “families” at the train stop in Wakefield.

My friend Nicole and I were assigned to the McCollum family. Our “mum” picked us up and took us home where we met the father and daughter, Claire (21). They were a very kind and welcoming family and, best of all, made us TONS of delicious food!!

Friday night we had dinner at home and then went out to the local pub with Claire and some of her friends. It was fun to be outside of the university scene and experience “a typical young person’s night”.

Saturday the 5 of us drove to York for the day (about an hour drive on the wrong side of the road 😊 ). York is a great little city filled with shops, restaurants and a fair amount of history. In the evening all of the families participating in the family stay met at a home for dinner.

Sunday “mum”, Claire, Nicole and I went to the local sculpture park and had lunch. At 4pm their son Adam, who had come over for lunch, was kind enough to drive us back to our flats in Leeds saving us a 40 minute walk home from the train station!

Despite staying with an Irish family and having Chinese food on the “British Family Stay Weekend” we got a really good idea of what a typical family and life is like here 😊

---

Photos

York Minster Close Up
York Minster is known for its stained glass glass, some of it dating back to the 12th century!

York Minster in York
This is the largest Medieval church in the United Kingdom

Wall around York
York's centre is enclosed by about 3 miles of medieval walls

Sandal Castle
this is Wakefield's claim-to-fame and yes they still call it a castle despite being only 2 walls now . . . haha

Sandal Caste pic
FACT: Sandal Castle was actually the backdrop for Shakespeare's play Henry VI, part 3, act 1, scene 2. It was also the source of the nursery rhyme "The Grand Old Duke of York", for those of you who can't remember . . . The grand old Duke of York, He had ten thousand men. He marched them up to the top of the hill, And he marched them down again. And when they were up, they were up; And when they were down, they were down. But when they were only halfway up, they were neither up nor down!

Wakefield
this is a view of Wakefield from on top of Sandal Hill

Woman Seated
the Yorkshire Sculpture Park has a number of pieces from famous sculptor Henry Moore

Tour Guide
Claire was a wonderful tour guide :)

Modern Art
our "mum", "smashed bean cans; honestly, who can understand these moderm artists?"

Comments

[Grandpa & Acey]

Great
We enjoy following you on your British Odyssey. Keep them coming.

[MINNESOTA "MUM"]

Family
Cheers! XXXOOO Mom

[Your friends at WX]

Don't work too hard!
Hi Kristen! We are taking an afternoon "tea" and enjoying your photos. Have a great weekend! Your friends at Waycrosse.