Student Blog: Studying Theatre Abroad…Is It Worth It?

Studying theatre in college is an undertaking that requires not only immense physical, but mental stamina. Studying theatre abroad requires even more physical and mental stamina due to the addition of a new place, culture, and language. All this whilst maintaining a grasp on “at-home” responsibilities can be a real stressor at times, but it’s important to remember that perspective is key when it comes to balancing this sort of dual existence. 

I’m currently studying at an acting program in Prague where we have classes Monday through Friday from 9 am to at least 3 pm, with film shoots every weekend. Not only is this my first time participating in a conservatory-style theatre program, it’s also my first time living abroad…so you could say emotions are constantly running high. It is such a gift to be around fellow actors 24/7 but due to the nature of our craft, we are constantly socializing: laughing together, crying together, screaming together; one day of work can span the entire spectrum of human emotion. This, although exciting, can be heavily exhausting and after a long day of classes, I often find myself having the impulse to neglect other collegiate responsibilities. 

Not enough people discuss the amount of planning juniors have to do while abroad. Fielding emails about events, internship opportunities, classes, policies, etc. Just last week, I had to pre-register for winter classes so, I set my alarm for 6:30 pm my time, 11:30 am CST time, in order to get into the class voice section I wanted. All the while, I was stressing about the five scenes I had to learn for the myriad of classes and film shoots occurring in the upcoming weeks. Also, as we all know, college doesn’t stop at academics. Extracurriculars are one of the most vital aspects of college. I, myself, am president of an improv group back on campus, so I ran auditions and callbacks from abroad; staying on Facetime for 4-6 hour chunks in the first weeks of my program. 

My decision to study abroad was not an easy one. It was hard leaving a school I’ve invested so much time and energy in to focus solely on theatre, something I’ve never done before. The first couple weeks were filled with euphoric highs and treacherous lows; phone calls with my mom, crying about whether I’d made the right decision. But I can happily report, as I sit writing this from my room in the Czechia, that I did make the right decision. Life is about experiences, you collect them like souvenirs and eventually, they become artifacts. Artifacts that you can excavate and examine, discovering something new each time. All of these experiences, these souvenirs, these artifacts, will foster my development as not only a human, but as an artist.

So, how do I manage my work at home and my life abroad? By accepting that there are certain things that are out of my control, and approaching each task with a level head. I’ll set aside an hour or two bi-weekly to parse through my school/personal emails, respond to texts from friends I’ve accidentally neglected, and add in a call to my family while I’m at it. Then, I’ll take a breath, step outside, and revel in the beauty of the city I’ve been lucky enough to get to know like the back of my hand.