Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to develop each participant's:
1. understanding of the historical forces that have shaped current theatre, performance, and culture.
"I was intoxicated by history at many points on this trip."
"In history classes we learn about things that have happened years in the past but it is hard to have concrete ideas until we see it. I know humans had been around for a long time, but seeing graves from the 1500s solidified this better than any history class ever could have."
"Of the important parts of this trip for me, first and foremost was a new appreciation for history. It has made me want to learn and has shown me how fun learning can be. Also, I saw the advantages of learning about something where it happened. You gain an appreciation I don't think you can obtain otherwise."
2. openness to learning and positive orientation to new opportunities, ideas, and ways of thinking.
"I know it sounds cliché, but being here really has made me realize that the world is much bigger than North Carolina. There is so much to see and learn and experience and now I want to do so much more."
"In London, you really never know what kind of people you are going to see. Just in passing, I would guess I have seen more nationalities than I ever have in my entire life. Just in London, excluding all other places in England, I have seen and interacted with more people from around the world than I have with native British people."
"I've been the most surprised by my newfound appreciation for more abstract theatre. The way Royal Court designs and interprets is so appealing and has so much substance."
3. self-awareness about his/her own identity and culture.
"Everyone should have a chance to go abroad and see what another part of the world is like. It helps you put your life in perspective."
"I do feel I have gained an appreciation for American culture that I never really thought I would have. When faced with being in a different place, you realize how important your own nationality is. For most of my life, I have wanted to be anything but American and thought that eventually I would leave the U.S. And become a citizen of another country. I understand now just how naïve that was. Even if I did leave the States, I will always be American as the culture is instilled in me. It is an odd sort of respect, but I am glad to have it."
4. ability to analyze various performance and cultural texts using diverse critical methods.
"The papers helped me analyze the plays, mainly because I had to think and reflect on them immediately." "Writing papers and analyzing the plays after we saw and discussed them was very beneficial. It was great to be able
to talk to everyone and discuss our ideas and reactions, and then be able to sort through all of it in writing."
5. ability to locate resources and navigate in an unfamiliar environment.
"The most important thing that I learned on this trip is that I am capable of being away from home and stepping out of my comfort zone. I've always wondered whether or not I could travel to another country and feel comfortable there and now I know that I can."
"At the end of this trip, I definitely feel much more independent and competent as a navigator. Also, that helps me to feel safer. Arriving in London can be so overwhelming spatially. However, I've come away from this with a stronger sense of independence."
Exploring the Louvre and the medieval city walls of York