Along the White Cliffs of Dover
Author: Maggie Martin | Majors: English and Political Science
As someone who has aspired to study abroad all of her life, I have genuinely felt like this experience has been one that I will remember forever. Choosing this program, Theatre in London, was an easy choice. After graduation, I want to teach Secondary English, and I desire to approach learning in a fun and creative manner. I believed that this program would help me with relating specific content areas to my students, as I could inform my students about authors, novels, and plays in a unique and interesting way. My main goal out of studying abroad is that I would gain the experiences to showcase to my students that there is so much more behind words on a page.
Living in England for four weeks was such an interesting experience. Even though we speak the same language, I noticed a clear difference between English and American cultures. While loving both of the cultures, I definitely felt as though I could live in London after graduating from college, as I loved the local’s day-to-day lives of traveling on the underground to and from work. I loved the parks that were embedded in the cities, and I adored the artistic nature of its citizens, buildings, and markets. Some of my favorite memories of the trip were seeing the white cliffs of Dover, climbing to the top of St. Pauls’s Cathedral, and trying an English pie for the first time. I hold all of these moments dear to me, as these were times where I felt a true sense of joy and adventure.
If I were to give advice to future students it would be to not be afraid to try something new: whatever the “something new is.” Before going on this study abroad trip, I was excited but also a little nervous. I wanted to get as much out of the trip as I could, and after the fact, I can say I definitely succeeded in that. I made sure to remind myself that I was in a special place, so I should give myself the opportunity to see fun plays, including going to see Mamma Mia and Frozen. I recommend this trip to any and all students who find theatre intriguing. As not being a theatre major myself, I learned so much about the functions and logistics of stagecraft. This just shows that you do not have to be an enthusiast in a specific content area to learn more about a subject and have a rewarding time while doing it. Having students of different backgrounds and areas of study allowed for rewarding conversations, as we discussed theatre in general and specific plays we had the opportunity to see as a group.