A member of the prestigious Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State, Sun Devil Gymnastics' rising Junior Heather Udowitch recently accepted the opportunity to study abroad in London, England alongside fellow Gym Devil Corinne Belkoff. A specialist on beam for Arizona State in 2017, Udowitch was recognized for academic excellence at the conclusion of the campaign earning Pac-12 All-Academic second-team honors while also being recognized as an NACGC Scholastic All-American. Back in Tempe prepping for the upcoming season and fall semester, Udowitch reflects on her studies abroad...
Heather Udowitch --
Studying aboard with Barrett was truly an opportunity of a lifetime, and I am so extremely thankful to have endeavored on such an amazing educational experience. Initially when I began looking into the program, I was nervous as I pictured myself traveling abroad for the first time in my life. However, after researching the educational opportunities involved in the program and the activities that I would experience, it was impossible to say no. Corinne Belkoff and I arrived in London on May 26th, and after fifteen hours of traveling, it took us about three hours to get to our temporary home. At the time we were quite lost without any cell service or WiFi, but several kind pedestrians helped us find our way. We stayed in an apartment complex called Courtfield Gardens, which was in South Kensington. The following day we met with our two knowledgeable professors and fellow Barrett classmates who were all extremely excited, friendly, and ready to conquer our future activities.
The required classes we took were Shakespeare and His World and Romantics, Moderns, and Victorians, which met everyday from 9:00am-1:00pm. Following class discussions we took various field trips to some of the best areas London had to offer as they related to the texts we had read and discussed throughout class. These field trips included expeditions to the Westminster Abbey, a viewing of the both plays Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night in Shakespeare's Globe Theater, the Tate Modern, the Tate Britain, the British Museum, the London Bridge, the Tower of London, the Shard, and even a day trip to the prestigious Oxford University. We did have a decent amount of work assigned with the classes and spent a lot of time learning throughout the field trips, but we also had a significant amount of time to ourselves as we had long weekends.
Over the weekends we embraced the city and even traveled to Paris in order to see as much as we could. In London we explored the iconic Big Ben and London Eye, ate at some of the best restaurants, visited the finest shopping areas, and explored both Camden and Borough Market. When we went to Paris we stayed with about eight other classmates in an Air Bnb. While we were there we walked all the way up the Eiffel Tower, visited the Catacombs, Versailles, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, ate the greatest pastries (macaroons and chocolate croissants were my favorite), and did more shopping. It was hard to leave this incredible journey as I didn't want it to end, but I was happy to come home and share my experiences with my family and friends.
As I reflect on my Study Abroad, I could not be more grateful to have had such an incredible academic adventure. I studied with some of the wisest professors, traveled the world with my best friend, and visited iconic, world-renowned monuments and cities. It was wonderful to immerse myself into a new culture and adapt to a new lifestyle for three weeks, and I can't wait to go back one day.
Heather Udowitch --
Studying aboard with Barrett was truly an opportunity of a lifetime, and I am so extremely thankful to have endeavored on such an amazing educational experience. Initially when I began looking into the program, I was nervous as I pictured myself traveling abroad for the first time in my life. However, after researching the educational opportunities involved in the program and the activities that I would experience, it was impossible to say no. Corinne Belkoff and I arrived in London on May 26th, and after fifteen hours of traveling, it took us about three hours to get to our temporary home. At the time we were quite lost without any cell service or WiFi, but several kind pedestrians helped us find our way. We stayed in an apartment complex called Courtfield Gardens, which was in South Kensington. The following day we met with our two knowledgeable professors and fellow Barrett classmates who were all extremely excited, friendly, and ready to conquer our future activities.
The required classes we took were Shakespeare and His World and Romantics, Moderns, and Victorians, which met everyday from 9:00am-1:00pm. Following class discussions we took various field trips to some of the best areas London had to offer as they related to the texts we had read and discussed throughout class. These field trips included expeditions to the Westminster Abbey, a viewing of the both plays Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night in Shakespeare's Globe Theater, the Tate Modern, the Tate Britain, the British Museum, the London Bridge, the Tower of London, the Shard, and even a day trip to the prestigious Oxford University. We did have a decent amount of work assigned with the classes and spent a lot of time learning throughout the field trips, but we also had a significant amount of time to ourselves as we had long weekends.
Over the weekends we embraced the city and even traveled to Paris in order to see as much as we could. In London we explored the iconic Big Ben and London Eye, ate at some of the best restaurants, visited the finest shopping areas, and explored both Camden and Borough Market. When we went to Paris we stayed with about eight other classmates in an Air Bnb. While we were there we walked all the way up the Eiffel Tower, visited the Catacombs, Versailles, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, ate the greatest pastries (macaroons and chocolate croissants were my favorite), and did more shopping. It was hard to leave this incredible journey as I didn't want it to end, but I was happy to come home and share my experiences with my family and friends.
As I reflect on my Study Abroad, I could not be more grateful to have had such an incredible academic adventure. I studied with some of the wisest professors, traveled the world with my best friend, and visited iconic, world-renowned monuments and cities. It was wonderful to immerse myself into a new culture and adapt to a new lifestyle for three weeks, and I can't wait to go back one day.