England: Austin Demerath

Program: UW Theatre in London, Summer

Austin’s Majors: Music Education, Theatre and Drama

What is your most memorable experience from your program?

The most memorable experience I had from my program was viewing all of the different productions. I saw 18 different productions during this two week program, and I was blown away by every single performance. We saw so many different types of shows, in vastly different venues. Every show had different challenges associated with them, and all of the shows dealt with those challenges in a way that looked effortless. Viewing theatre that is executed at such a high level is something that I will never forget.

How were your program academics similar or different from taking classes at UW-Madison?

The academic program had some strong similarities and some strong differences to courses taken at UW-Madison. The Zoom classes that took place for two weeks before the experience in London, were very similar to courses at UW. The work was comprised of responses or quizzes on play readings and movies that were related to the productions we were going to watch while in London. There were also group projects focused on creating presentations about the history of theater, and information about the shows and venues we were going to witness. Most of the work was front loaded in the Zoom classes so that students could focus on experiencing the culture, productions, and exploring London once they were there. There were only a few assignments and classes. These focused on discussing and reflecting on the museums we saw, and the shows that we watched.

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

The biggest struggle I had while preparing to study abroad was figuring out access to money, and currency exchange. London uses pounds instead of dollars. My initial thought was to just use cash while in London because both of my cards had international fees. However, once I was in London, I learned that most businesses in London only accept card payments. I did end up having to use my credit card for the last portion of the trip which had international fees associated with it. My advice to students traveling abroad is to do research about their own bank policies, and what kind of currency is most common.

What is your advice for someone considering your program?

I would tell anyone considering this program that it is a great fit for someone who wants something shorter that is packed with information. It was only two weeks in London but we did so much every day. That being said, I think that if you are considering this program, I would suggest that you do some research before leaving for the program. Research what you want to see during your free time whether that is a monument, museum, a production, or other locations that give a personal insight to your understanding of the culture of London. Once you are in London, you will not want to waste the short time you have researching what to do. Two weeks sounds like a long time, but it flies by.