Students and faculty recount Maymester on British Isles

Presbyterian College's English and history departments took a trip across the Atlantic this summer – connecting not only the past and present but also connecting students with "Old World" cultures.

More than two dozen students and four PC professors ventured to Great Britain for a Maymester excursion combining Dr. Lynn Simpson's English course, "The Best of British Theater," with a study of the Scottish Reformation taught by Dr. Rick Heiser and Dr. Bryan Ganaway.

Much of the actual coursework for students in either class was completed during the spring semester – leaving the entire group free to explore and experience the numerous historic places associated with their studies.

Visits to Stratford-upon-Avon for a production of "Henry IV, Part 1," to the Globe Theatre in London, and to a production of "Les Miserables"were essential to Simpson's English students, while Heiser and Ganaway led excursions to Oxford and Edinburgh, including visits to St. Giles Cathedral and the home of John Knox, that were historically significant to the Reformation.

Students also tour London, Paris, Dublin

As valuable as the academic experience must have been, the group also cherished opportunities to venture forth on their own and explore other places – Jack the Ripper tours in London and visits to Switzerland, Paris, and Dublin.

Sarah Hanlin, a sophomore from Greer, S.C., for example, was one of the students who visited Switzerland during a free weekend.

"It was a really good experience," she said. "We planned the whole trip ourselves and did everything on our own."

Emily Davenport, a senior from Smyrna, Ga., and Richard Parmer, a senior from Roanoke, Ala., were drawn to the City of Lights, which celebrated Bastille Day while they visited.

"The parades there were really different that the parades here," he said. "Paris was such a grand city. It was a cool experience – and the people were a lot nicer than we expected."

More small, neighborhood businesses in Europe

Each extracurricular excursion, according to students, yielded a variety of insights  – the discovery of multi-lingual European cultures, an emphasis in Europe on using public transportation or riding bikes, and an apparent lack of obesity.

The differences, said Parmer, were often apparent.

"There is commercialization there (in Europe) but not to the extent that it is here," he said. "There are more smaller businesses and more neighborhood businesses."

They also tend to close earlier – about 5:50 p.m., said Anna Wilson, a junior from Rock Hill, S.C.

"That was one of the things we noticed about the restaurants in Paris," said Davenport. "They closed early. We went out to eat around eight or nine o'clock and they weren't open."

Still, many things were alike, students said.

"The people our age were a lot like us – they all had cell phones and iPods," said Davenport.

Profs consider students remarkable ambassadors

Though they were more experienced as world travelers, the PC professors, too, were able to make some discoveries last summer – especially in regards to their students.

"I really was blown away by the whole experience with the students," said Simpson. "To be able to see that part of the world through their eyes was amazing. … I can't say enough about how great they were."

Heiser agreed, adding that the students from PC were remarkable ambassadors and able travelers – demonstrating a willingness to explore the world outside their country's borders.

"I've taken groups before that have gone overseas and then done very little – students who stayed in their rooms and watched television," he said. "Not this group. They tackled the opportunities that were in front of them. They did some shopping or went on ghost tours. Some took a lot of pictures. They were going to plays and seeing historical sites. They didn't hang on the professors; they went out on their own and make their own plans to travel. I thought that was excellent."