Week Ten: Cultural

After a week spent on the beach, it took a few days to get back into life at Ole Miss and especially to get back into the extreme onset of work which seems to be increasing by the day.  With the beautiful weather it's hard to concentrate on the amount of work we have to do, but needless to say I managed to get it completed anyway.


This week saw my last two days at Willie Price.  As I said goodbye on Thursday I realised that it was a lot more anticlimactic than the end of teaching practice at home is. This week as my peer's at Stranmillis finish their teaching practice they will be showered with cards, and small gifts and kind words, as the teacher and children have come to know and respect them over the past few weeks.  However here at Willie Price my role in their classroom was so small, that a simply goodbye is all that is said as myself and Sarah leave Willie Price for the last time.  It does make me slightly sad to think I'll never get to see the children again, although hopefully if I have spare time I will be able to go back before I leave.


This Saturday was probably my favourite day since I arrived in Oxford.  It was a beautiful day with the sun shining high in the sky and a slight breeze as we made the hour and a half journey to West Point, Mississippi, to visit the infamous Waverly Plantation.


The Plantation was built in 1852 by Colonel George Hampton Young and his wife Lucy, and was home to there family until 1913, when there last surviving son passed away.  The house was then left alone for 50 years to endure the harsh weather conditions, and the vandals, until in 1962 it was bought by Mr and Mrs Robert Snow, who restored it to its original beauty.

Today the Plantation stands on 50 acres of land, much less than the initial 5000, and has been almost perfectly restored, with the exception of the pool and bathing houses.  When we arrived I was stunned by the size and beauty of the house and its gardens.  We were warmly greeted by the Daughter of Mrs Snow, who now lives and looks after the house.  She gave us a wonderful and very informative tour of the house, describing the life, and parties of the Young family, and the people who have since came to visit the house.


We then had the opportunity to walk around the grounds by ourselves, and see where the old ice house was, and view an old Magnolia tree which is said to be over 200 years old, making it the oldest and biggest in the state.

I have always had a passion for history, so the opportunity to visit this wonderful plantation, and learn all about the history and culture of these people was unbelievable.