By Katie Lauriello, Contributing Writer
Katie Lauriello at Shakespeare’s Globe. (Photo Courtesy of Katie Lauriello)
LANCASTER, ENGLAND—On a warm Sunday evening, I walked across the Millennium Bridge to Shakespeare’s Globe for an evening showing of “Macbeth.” As I began taking pictures from my seat, a woman from behind me kindly offered to take a picture for me.
We introduced ourselves to each other. The woman, a professional photographer, was accompanied by a professor from South Africa who had just finished teaching his students about “Macbeth.” I introduced myself as a student studying abroad with an English major. Inevitably, we both started analyzing the first few Acts during the intermission, and he did not seem too impressed. I laughed a bit and agreed with him that the play was a bit down-to-earth for “Macbeth,” but that I was having a great time. It was an interesting experience, to say the least. Nevertheless, I was simply overjoyed I had the opportunity to watch Macbeth in The Globe.
That night, as I walked back on the Millennium Bridge once again, I could see St. Paul’s Cathedral bathed in light and the city of London at night for the first time. I avoided going out alone at night for the most part as a safety precaution, and I still avoid that as much as I can. As I looked toward London nighttime cityscape, however, I felt exhilarated.
Opportunities like these are the reason I decided to study abroad in the UK. I’ve been to so many museums in London that it would be hard to keep track if I didn’t have a set schedule. Still, the experiences that matter to me the most happen as I venture out into London alone, whether that be watching “Macbeth” at The Globe Theater or finding a vintage copy of “The Silmarillion” in the early opening hours of Portobello Road Market.
Living in London these past two weeks has taught me the value in planning out my day to make these experiences happen. Whether that be something as simple as browsing the local restaurants or exploring every single bookstore in Oxford, I’ve learned to plan new opportunities for myself beyond a set schedule.
Not everything goes to plan, of course. I was initially prepared for it to be raining almost every day here in the UK. However, it was only on Monday that we finally got rain. The two weeks that came before were part of a long heat wave, and most British buildings are not built to withstand it comfortably. The heat was not something anyone in our class was expecting, but we made the most of it. I expect that I’ll miss those sunny days a bit more when I arrive for the rest of my semester at Lancaster.
Living in a city on its own is also a very different experience. I’ve taken the Tube so many times these past two weeks, and it is still a challenge sometimes to find which line I need to take to arrive at a certain station. Public transportation is a gift that I have yet to fully master, especially coming from rural Pennsylvania. Still, persistence and practice are the keys to success when adjusting to anything new.
Even though I’ve only been here for two weeks, studying abroad has already been filled to the brim with new opportunities and experiences that have changed how I approach things. I look forward to what the rest of the semester will bring.
This article originally appeared on page 18 of the October 2023 edition of The Gettysburgian’s magazine.
