Shana Parker
Education Abroad
For my STEP Signature Project, I spent two weeks learning about the British Invasion on Ohio State’s Columbus campus and two weeks abroad in London and Liverpool experiencing where the magic happened. This four-week program allowed me the opportunity to explore interests outside of my major, and it deepened my appreciation and knowledge of 1960s British popular music.
Before this program, I had never flown before. Since then, I have been on five flights, two of which I was on my own. The world outside of where I am from felt untouchable and unmanageable before. I now know that is untrue. When I think of travelling now, I do not think solely of a vacation destination within the United States. Rather, I think of how I am capable of traveling to the many places in the world that I am unfamiliar with. Traveling is exploring, and my new desire to explore places I do not know is something that will take me places, and I owe that to this catalyst of a program.
Philippa, our tour guide while in London, is one person that had a great influence in the transformation I experienced while abroad. Philippa has played a key role in the British Invasion education abroad program for almost all five years that it has occurred. When I looked at the in-country itinerary, I was nervous because we were visiting a lot of museums, including the British Museum and the National Gallery. Museums have always been overwhelming for me because of the amount of knowledge they hold and me not fully understanding what to look for. Philippa brought history to life, though. She taught us to look for size, color, and for the stories being told. I now enjoy museums and their stories. Some are humorous and some sad; all of them hold stories that can be read if you know what to look for.
Aside from being joy to museums, Philippa also saw something in each of us that maybe we did not see in ourselves. She cared for us and even invited us to her house for lunch one day. On a train ride back from Windsor Castle, I was fortunate enough to converse with Philippa. She asked me about home and what I want to be, and she was surprised that I had never flown before because of my positive attitude and willingness to try new things. She said that all travel expands the mind. In my newly formed opinion, to see travel as such an opportunity is to have the world at your fingertips. I owe this new perspective to Philippa and her wise words.
London was full of knowledge and adventure, but Liverpool is the city that I fell in love with. Since becoming a Beatles fan nearly eight years ago, visiting Liverpool has always been a dream of mine. I finally made it through this program. Experiencing the Cavern Club with the friends I made on this trip is something I will never forget. On our first night in Liverpool, we watched a Beatles Tribute Band performance. It was incredible to experience what people might have experienced over fifty years ago during the Beatles’ early years. Our last night there was unforgettable as well as we all sang along to Hey Jude and Let It Be. As I stood there, I wondered how it was all possible – how the Beatles could come from a damaged, post-World War II city and impact the world. This experience helped me realize that anything is possible.
My new perspective of the world is valuable to my life because my personal and professional endeavors no longer have country borders as limits. The world feels smaller and more manageable. I now realize that it is possible to work outside of the United States someday, which is something I had never considered prior to my experience abroad. Personally, I want to become a world traveler, and this is something I would not have planned on had it not been for my positive experience in the United Kingdom.
It is great to hear that Philippa played such a large role in your transnational experience. I hope they are someone in whom you can keep in touch with over time.