Hello from Yanoa, 2024 Senior Fellow!
Written by Yanoa Pomalima Carrasco, Museums and Heritage Consultant, Ministry of Culture Peru, National Museum (MUNA) (Peru, ITP 2022)
Hi friends, I’m back!
I am thrilled to return to this amazing city after spending a few years away from London and its cultural atmosphere. Receiving Claire’s email confirming my participation as Senior Fellow has brought me immense joy, especially because I know these two months will be filled with new learning and knowledge, friends, exhibitions, future project ideas, and exciting encounters around the city.
As a huge fan of museums, I hurried to the British Museum as soon as I learned that the highly acclaimed exhibit “Legion: Life in the Roman Army” was about to close. The exhibit explores the life of Claudius Terentianus, a citizen soldier whose story provides a fascinating narrative about how military communities lived across the empire. The exhibition was amazing and marked the beginning of my journey to this new challenge with the ITP team.
Just before my ITP journey began, I travelled far north to explore the UK´s impressive natural heritage and visit some ITP colleagues and friends in Scotland. The last time I was there was during my partner placement at Glasgow Museums, and I have to say it was an incredible experience I will always cherish. But this time, I changed the scenario and explored the Highlands and their history. Following the path of the MacDonalds of Glencoe, who occupied the local territory between the 16th and 18th centuries, I explored the Achnacon visitor centre in the Glencoe National Nature Reserve. Luckily enough, that day, a team of archaeologists from Glasgow University were excavating the foundations of – what seems to be – Tuft local houses to uncover more about the clan’s life. Similar constructions have been found in nearby ancient villages, and their footprints and the study of natural materials from their local landscape helped the team understand what the buildings looked like. As a result, they built a real-size tuft structure, which is currently displayed in the centre. As a former archaeologist, it was an incredible opportunity to exchange ideas and learn in situ about current projects in this area of Scotland. Besides sharing this time with Paty Allan, who is part of my ITP family, it set a nice start to this new journey as part of the ITP team.
After a few days filled with amazing scenery and stories, the time had come. London – and my time with the ITP team – was just around the corner. Walking during the sunny weekend and carefully organised museum visits seemed like the perfect plan… but as usual in London, plans can change in a minute. Suddenly, after a nice walk around Hyde Park and St. James Park, I changed my plans and couldn’t be happier with that decision! Just as I was about to cross Trafalgar Square to get to the National Gallery, London’s magic began to rise. As a lover of theatre and musicals, arriving in the city and stumbling upon a sign announcing that day’s West End Live lineup felt like a dream come true. A bit of Les Mis, Heathers, Wicked, and much more as a welcome set the perfect mood for me to unpack and settle into Schafer House for more adventures in the following weeks!
This Monday morning, I had the pleasure of meeting Claire, George, Amelia, and Alejandra, a new ITP member who will join the group during the summer, at The Great Court. It felt like time hadn’t passed at all! It was wonderful to reminisce about the places and memories shared with colleagues and friends. We all had lunch together, discussing the senior fellow role and our hopes for the upcoming weeks.
To all the 2024 cohort, please remember to expect the unexpected in London, as it’s part of the city’s charm. Stay aware while exploring the city and its cultural spaces, as you may come across remarkable experiences. Lastly, I look forward to seeing all of you soon and guiding you through the programme as you embark on this new chapter in your personal and professional journey.
