A group of 14 Elizabethtown College students enrolled in the course, EN102: Western Literary Culture: Regional Writers of England, recently returned from a 15-day trip to England in early June, where they spent time tracing the lives of famous authors.
Alongside Assistant Professor of English Tara Moore, the students visited iconic locations such as Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Jane Austen’s home village of Chawton, and the Warner Bros Studio Tour, “The Making of Harry Potter.”
“This is a 100-level class, so the goal is to introduce students to major British authors and the pressures and influences that affected literary production in different eras,” Moore said. “The experience is a memorable one! I think we all look at Shakespeare’s work differently after seeing his hometown, his birthplace, and one of his plays performed at the Globe.”
For English literature major Paige Keyser ’23, the trip provided the chance to experience history and culture at the same time, as well as the chance to relive memories from her favorite childhood stories.
“Standing by the lamp post that inspired Narnia was surreal,” Keyser said. “Growing up, I loved watching the movies with my grandparents while eating buttery popcorn. I was able to experience things I wouldn’t have been able to if I were in a classroom.”
Students were still able to take full advantage of the opportunities England had to offer. Some experiences the group was able to complete during their stay included visits to Stonehenge, Christ Church College, and the British Museum. During self-directed time, students also visited Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein in Bath and the Churchill War Rooms.
“Each day was packed with meaningful experiences, and we really took advantage of all the time we had there,” Ally Bonicker ’23, a Public Relations and Professional Writing major, said. “After spending two weeks in England, I’ve realized now more than ever that the world is full of an endless amount of incredible places to explore. This was a fantastic first experience abroad, and I look forward to using the skills I developed there when I travel again in the future.”
According to Moore, part of the value of traveling comes from the idea that it provides students with a multi-faceted learning experience: they experience history first-hand, develop their concepts of culture, and learn to navigate in unfamiliar territory.
“For myself, international travel has opened up new perspectives and awakened empathy that I would never have had without going abroad,” Moore said. “As a result, I hope that students become more globally aware through this guided trip.”
