Friday night my friend messaged me to let me know someone was selling an Isle of Skye tour ticket that she and a bunch of others were going on that weekend. I have developed a very “why not” attitude since my study abroad experience is slowly coming to an end and decided to buy it! It was one of the best decisions I’ve made during this whole experience.
This trip was easily the best trip of my life! Amsterdam is such an artistic, picturesque city that draws you into its strangeness and quaintness.
One of my favorite things about studying in Stirling is being a mere 40 minutes from the two largest cities in Scotland; Edinburgh and Glasgow. This past weekend I had the joy of going to both!
I’m back in Scotland for a second semester! It was a bold choice for me to do the whole year instead of a semester, but it has already proved to be a good decision as I’m really starting to feel at home.
Although living in San Diego meant my walks to campus were filled with sunshine and palm trees, I found the crisp air and turning Autumn leaves I experienced last year put a smile on my face.
After a few weeks in Edinburgh, my friends and I realized that we were studying abroad to experience culture – not just to enjoy the nightlife. So I began looking for places to visit that are special to the lovely city of Edinburgh. After careful research on Pinterest of best things to do in Edinburgh, I found out that the Royal Yacht Britannia – the Royal Family’s personal yacht – was permanently docked in Leith, Edinburgh’s port!
Within my first few days in Edinburgh, right before Uni was about to start, my friends and I thought it would be a grand idea to start exploring the place we were beginning to call home. Our first adventure was climbing up the infamous Calton Hill right in the city centre of Edinburgh.
Just as I was told by my study abroad advisor, I was on top of the world and overwhelmingly excited the first few weeks being here in Scotland.
This was the “honeymoon phase” of my transition into my life here in Scotland, and it ended abruptly. Continue reading “The Honeymoon Phase”
My first day at Uni was orientation. I was extremely nervous not knowing what to expect or who to talk to. As I entered lecture hall, I surveyed the room looking for a seat and found one next to a girl who also came to orientation alone.
Taking a glance around the room once again after I sat down, I noticed that there were tons of groups already formed, I felt like the biggest outsider and knew I needed to step out of my comfort zone—fast. Continue reading “First Lessons And Pub Crawls”
Every time I meet someone new and I explain that I’m from San Diego, they say something to the caliber of “Why would you come here?” It has made me appreciate home all that much more, and when I answer the question, it makes me all the more sure of my decision to study abroad in Scotland.
I always answer saying, “Yeah, San Diego is a great place, but I’d lived there for seven years and I was ready for a change.” Continue reading “Transition: It Is What You Make Of It”
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 