Spring Break
From abroad: Classes abroad provide a unique opportunity
Brianne Menges
Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Perspectives
- Page 1 of 1
For me, studying abroad meant the opportunity to live in another country and learn about their culture firsthand; classes were merely something I had to do to live here. Turns out that my classes are kind of fun.
I think I have had one field trip for a class at Drury. Here in London, I usually have at least one, if not more, every week.
Three of my five classes have regular field trips. One is a history class with which I've gone to several places including Westminster Abbey, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the Tower of London and next week we will be going to Parliament. I have a Country Houses and Palaces class where we have toured places like Kensington Palace. My other field trip class (and my favorite) is my theatre class. With this class we have seen eight shows. These shows range from small productions in a room above a pub to West End Spectacles, not to mention touring a couple of theatres.
These classes gave me the opportunity to experience culture in ways I did not think any class could. To begin with, the school pays for these trips and I never could have afforded to do all these things on my own budget. But also because I never knew I wanted to do these things before.
I have had the chance to see things the tour books don't tell you about. I've gone places where tourists don't go. I've mingled with Britons doing things they do in their regular lives; in other words, I've seen the real British culture.
So instead of just being the price I had to pay to live in England, several of my classes became the channel through which I found England.
**Brianne Menges is a junior studying abroad at Regents College in London, England.**
I think I have had one field trip for a class at Drury. Here in London, I usually have at least one, if not more, every week.
Three of my five classes have regular field trips. One is a history class with which I've gone to several places including Westminster Abbey, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the Tower of London and next week we will be going to Parliament. I have a Country Houses and Palaces class where we have toured places like Kensington Palace. My other field trip class (and my favorite) is my theatre class. With this class we have seen eight shows. These shows range from small productions in a room above a pub to West End Spectacles, not to mention touring a couple of theatres.
These classes gave me the opportunity to experience culture in ways I did not think any class could. To begin with, the school pays for these trips and I never could have afforded to do all these things on my own budget. But also because I never knew I wanted to do these things before.
I have had the chance to see things the tour books don't tell you about. I've gone places where tourists don't go. I've mingled with Britons doing things they do in their regular lives; in other words, I've seen the real British culture.
So instead of just being the price I had to pay to live in England, several of my classes became the channel through which I found England.
**Brianne Menges is a junior studying abroad at Regents College in London, England.**
Article last update: 11/27/07 at 5:56 PM CST
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