Rest and Relaxation

Ok, so the rest and relaxation was not really for us students but a beautiful place made for World War 1 soldiers that is actually still used today. This place is called Talbot House. It was created by a chaplin. Talbot House was created to give a place for soldiers to go and relax while off duty from the war. Here, they could recover and just enjoy a day of not being in the heart of danger. The reason why this place stood out to me more than the many other amazing places that we visited was that as soon as we entered, we were encouraged to relax and put away our 'paperwork' so that we could just enjoy the experience.

From the introduction of Talbot House, we were lead into the actual house where we were immediately offered tea. Unfortunately, we had to decline due to time management. They also offered us free bathrooms. Now, as a frugal person, I have had some difficulties coming to terms with a cost to use even a public washroom so to have these friendly people let us use theirs for free was so kind and welcoming.

Upstairs in Talbot House, there was a room used by the soldiers as a chapel. There were so many beautiful and moving donations made to help the atmosphere of this room. Also in the corner was an old fashioned organ with feet pumps which was used for entertainment.

The reason why I see so much importance in a place like this is from considering the condition of post-traumatic stress disorder. Not until a while after the war was over did this mental illness get diagnosed and people could start to recieve treatment for it. I think places like Talbot House may have helped more soldiers survive the war with their sanity but that is only my opinion.

When leaving the Talbot House, all I could think about was where was this place when I was finishing school a few days ago?!?!?!


Shaylene Phillips