Student Blog: Studying Abroad in Scotland as a Theater Major

If you know me, I love to travel. One of the exciting opportunities I have this summer is being able to travel to Scotland for a study abroad program. Me and a few of my friends who are also JMU STAD students will be studying for two months at the University of Edinburgh and St. Andrews talking about topics like Scottish literature, anthropology, geology, and kinesiology. All while having weekly excursions like touring the various castles, museums, lakes, ghost spots, and theatre venues. Since I’m a month into my experience, here are a few things I did to prepare for going abroad, some of my favorite parts of the experience, and things I’m looking forward to doing. 

While being abroad is fun, the prep time, gathering of documents, and constant watch of your email inbox for updates is a vital part of it. I have to shout out to our program director Dr. Zachary Dorsey who made the process super simple to follow with packing lists, pre-flight assignment reminders, and plenty of tips for first-time travelers. Checking the inbox consistently was key to keeping up with not only what JMU needed from me but also what the University of Edinburgh and St. Andrews needed me to fill out or bring before arrival. Now I’m gonna preface this next part with the fact that I am a chronic shopper. I love shopping for fashion and all of the above, especially while abroad. That being said, I only packed a carry-on and backpack with me for this trip which to most people sounds WILD. You’d be surprised how much clothing you can pack in a carry-on if you treat it like Tetris. Combined with my intense stacking skills, I tried to pack a suitcase full of pieces that were easy to accessorize and clothing that resembled a UK local. Scouring the Scotland Reddit pages was a great way to find out what makes tourists stick out like a sore thumb while getting recommendations from locals about brands and clothing that are appropriate. What I forgot to mention is that in my backpack I brought a collapsible duffle bag that I can fill with all the Scottish goodies that I want to check back with me at the end of the trip. Traveling carry-on initially removes the fear of the airline losing your luggage when you go abroad and lessens the already stressful travel day. On top of the packing, keeping track and having copies of all essential travel documents like your passport, passport card, ID, health insurance, and any hotel or bus accommodations is key. I have a big blue folder that I carried with me that has all my essentials with their copies and having that designated space made it much easier to track everything. The overall theme of the prep work is staying organized and being vigilant. It should be smooth sailing if you check everything daily and are on top of your items.  

My favorite part of the trip so far with no bias has to be touring the Traverse Theatre. As I mentioned in my initial post, my Scottish literature class had a section dedicated to famed Scottish plays like Macbeth and John McGrath’s play The Cheviot, the Stag, and the Black, Black Oil. In addition to those, we also took a look at a piece called Same Team: A Street Soccer Story which had its premiere at the Traverse Theatre in 2023. The space itself is dedicated to showcasing new works by up-and-coming playwrights in Scotland. What began as a club in an abandoned brothel turned into the launching pad for many playwrights and shows. My favorite fact I learned on the tour was that the name came about from the creators who believed that the arrangement of “transverse” was called “traverse”. The name has certainly stuck and stood the test of time. When we toured, they were currently prepping for the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe Festival and were in rehearsals for their newest piece So Young written by Douglas Maxwell and directed by the Traverse Theatre’s artistic director Gareth Nicholls. With all of their venues, shops, and office spaces being underground it was a particularly interesting format for a theatrical space and one that I had never come across in the U.S. My favorite aspect was their green room which they deemed a “work-free zone”. In this room, they are not allowed to bring in any physical objects to work on projects or discuss work. It is a place to relax, debrief, and meditate. Seeing that small rule being put in place makes me think about the change I can make in my community. What spaces in my own life or workplace can become “work-free zones”? Where can boundaries similar to that be placed? I know I’m excited to offer these ideas up in spaces where I work state-side.

I arrived in St. Andrews a week ago after saying goodbye to Edinburgh and am already excited. Here, we will be doing the typical excursion to Loch Ness but also attending the St. Andrews Highland Games. You would think as a theatre major that sports competitions are probably not my thing but my love of the games goes back to before being a theatre major was in my mind. Every year, the Scottish American Society of South Florida would host a Scottish festival and highland games which me and my family would go to. It was chock full of Scottish food, step dancers, and tons and tons of tartan fabric. But the highlight of the festival was the highland games that they would do. It was set and run identical to the actual highland games in Scotland with competitors participating in feats of strength like the sheaf toss, tug of war, and shot put. My particular favorite event is the caber toss which sees competitors toss full larch trees that are over 20 ft tall over on their opposite end. The sheer height of these trees and the tension that filled the surrounding stadium as the competitor tossed was electric. I truly can’t wait to see these games in their birthplace. 

Scotland is way more than highland cows, tartan, and Outlander. If you ever get the chance to visit Scotland or any part of the UK, do it! Especially if you travel surrounded by friends who are just as giddy about exploring as you are. Just don't forget to look right first when crossing the street.