My experience of the Art History Abroad program was one that I will forever be grateful for and always remember. Although I experienced many once in a lifetime opportunities that I was so excited for, like the private tour of the Vatican, and St Marks in Venice, my time with the program was marred by a series of disappointments and mistreatments that left a lasting impact on me and my mental health. Despite my strong beliefs and opinions as an American woman, I found myself consistently belittled and made to feel inadequate by the (very) British staff. The communication barriers and lack of understanding hindered any meaningful connection between us, and many of the other participants. Moreover, the staff's judgmental attitude towards normal American behaviors, such as occasional vaping and late-night outings, only served to create a toxic environment of slut-shaming and personal attacks.
The pinnacle of disrespect came when the 65-year-old male director stooped to calling me derogatory names, while the tutors failed to provide the necessary support or engagement. Name calling, specifically towards women, may be apart of British culture that I am personally unaware of, but I was called a “bitch” and my friends, “cunt” and “simple minded”, and for a program to be built around the “conduct code” of anti-bullying, they clearly have a lot of work to do in their own administration. Their inability to communicate effectively and their demeaning behavior led to a sense of failure and dehumanization. The shocking use of offensive language towards participants, such as referring to a friend as a derogatory term (cunt), further exemplified the lack of professionalism within the staff.
Not only did the staff offer conflicting messages by encouraging drinking while simultaneously shaming participants for “indulging”, but they also failed to create a safe and supportive environment for personal growth. Accusing someone of “being a drinker” is not effective, and extremely dangerous. That was a term that was used time and time again against be, and to belittle me. My overall experience with the program was infected by the constant degradation and mistreatment I, and many of my friends endured, leaving me feeling unsupported and undervalued.
In conclusion, the program's staff exhibited a disregard for participants' well-being and failed to uphold the standards of professionalism and respect. Despite their efforts to knock me down and make me feel like less than human, and question my place in this world, I came to the realization that true personal growth and support lie elsewhere, away from the judgmental attitudes of the 'intellectual' British. It is imperative for future participants to be aware of these shortcomings to make informed decisions about their involvement with the program.
The female staff greatly deferred from what I experienced from the males that were in the admin. They were all amazing.
Do not do this program if you are a strong minded, confident, outspoken American woman: you will be attacked
Response from Art History Abroad
We are very sorry to hear that your time with us did not meet your expectations. Your review comes as a shock to us. We will reach out to you privately to take the time to address your reflections directly. If mistakes were made, we make sincere apologies.
As this is a public forum, we must clarify that the allegations against our director are simply not true. The two formal conversations regarding student behaviour that took place had a third-party present in accordance with procedural policy. At no point were the aforementioned names or any other derogatory terms used by our director. Irrespective of nation, gender or learning differences, any person, be they student, tutor, parent, or supplier, should expect care and understanding. That is the point of our Code of Conduct which lays out the principles by which we run our courses.
Respect for the cultures we visit, a spirit of goodwill and a sense of purpose are central to our thinking. The wellbeing and the safety of individuals and the group define the boundaries of our community. Actions beyond these boundaries lead to interventions. In the Code of Conduct we explain drugs are not legal across much of Europe and we simply maintain narcotics are not allowed. Vaping, when in restaurants or a shared hotel room is also not allowed and considered disrespectful of the personal space of others. Alcohol is permitted in Europe and we adhere to responsible drinking. Drunkenness is not allowed, nor is the damage or dangerous behaviours that can ensue in our small community from excess consumption.
Feedback is important to us and we will continue to ensure we cater to our students to the highest standard. Our feedback is typically highly positive. In 2023, feedback from 100 students across our courses has rated our pastoral care provision to be excellent (87% score). And we pledge to continue to listen to all our stakeholders to help us best cater to the needs of our students.