Macayla Tyndall

We were able to experience “Alice Day” while we were in Oxford; a celebration of one of the most popular children’s books in the world. This day commemorates an important moment for children’s literature and for Oxford, in which families get together to participate in. There were people on stilts dressed in rabbit costumes for this memorable day.

We met two local British teenagers that work at Blenheim Palace. It was such a fun day touring the grounds and talking with these girls. We were able to compare cultures and learn about how different our school norms are. Pippa (pictured on the left) told us she wants to apply to Veterinary school in America!

We sought out a croquet lesson to learn more about what makes this game so popular in England. I immediately realized I would not be good at it, and we had a lot of laughs. It was a great time of mingling and meeting locals. After our lesson we were given a special tour of Christ Church.

This picture was taken at our Garden Party with my professor, Dr. Salamone. He made my educational experience unforgettable by letting his love for Shakespeare and literature show through his teaching. We had hot tea and biscuits at this gathering, which is a staple for the locals.

Our group took an excursion to Stonehenge on our first weekend in England. It was amazing getting to see the stones I learned about as a child up close and in real life. Having these experiences with these close friends made it more memorable, even if we did have to hike a mile to get there.

Macayla's Experience in England:

Award recipient in Summer 2019

This summer I had the opportunity of studying Shakespeare and British History at the University of Oxford in England. The experience pushed me outside my comfort zone, educated me on a culture other than my own, and gave me memories I will cherish forever. I had phenomenal British professors that taught the two classes I was in this summer. They were interesting, intellectual, and taught their lessons with passion. It was so fun getting to know both of them and compare things that were different about American universities to British universities. Taking a tour of our city the first day we arrived made Oxford already seem a little smaller. I never imagined that by the second week of this experience, Oxford would feel like home.

The excursions during study abroad this summer were so unique. When we went to Stonehenge, Bath, the Crown Jewels, and Blenheim Palace, I was amazed to see what I had learned about as a child come to life. Our group also went to watch and critique Shakespeare plays by the Royal Shakespeare Company, which brought my coursework to life. One of my favorite day trips was when I got to see my childhood dream become reality at the Harry Potter Film Studios. The trip that was the most influential and memorable to me was when I traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland for our last weekend abroad. I chose to go there because I have been wanting to learn more about what makes up the United Kingdom and I find Scottish culture fascinating. I did not expect Scotland to be vastly beautiful and the mountains were unlike anything I have ever seen. I was able to learn so much about Mary, Queen of Scots, and I finally got to try Scottish shortbread cookies.

The friendships I made on this experience were truly genuine and unexpected, and made my study abroad unforgettable. I grew so close to these people I had never met, and we pushed each other out of our comfort zones when it came to trying new foods or going on spontaneous excursions. We were all from different backgrounds, but each of us were leaving friends and family back home and going through similar emotional journeys. The friendships I was able to make are one of a kind because of all that we were able to experience together for the first time.

As a future educator, being able to go to another country to live among the locals was enlightening, and I feel that it is important for teachers to be able to appreciate other cultures in their classrooms. Studying abroad allowed me to grow in different areas of personal development. I now feel more independent, adaptive, and resourceful with things like money and comfort in unusual social situations. These areas of growth will help me in my future teaching career because I will be able to adapt lessons to my students' needs and work around an ever-changing school schedule. Teachers also need to be prepared to teach and learn from diverse classrooms full of different students. Coming into a classroom knowing that every student has different experiences that make up their academic success will help me to take strides in leveling the playing field for my students. I know every child deserves a quality education, so I want to teach with passion and leave my students wanting to explore the world they live in.