What inspired you to go abroad?
It has always been my dream to travel the world and the opportunity to study abroad was one I couldn't pass up. I wanted to meet new people and experience different cultures and going abroad did exactly that for me.
Why did you choose CISabroad's program in Scotland?
I chose to go to the University of Stirling in Scotland because my family is from Scotland and I wanted to experience the culture and explore the country my ancestors lived in. I also chose it because of how breathtakingly beautiful it is and how historic the cities are.
Isle of Skye, The Highlands, Scotland
What was your favorite part about Scotland?
My favorite part was exploring the Highlands and visiting the amazing castles. There is so much beauty and history within this country and being able to experience it was an experience I'll never forget.
What made your experience abroad unique?
My experience abroad was unique because most people don't choose Scotland as their first place to go so I didn't know anyone going abroad with me. In a way I preferred this because I got to meet so many new people from all around the world.
Me in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
Local staff in Stirling were incredibly helpful with helping study abroad students adapt to the setting and the campus. I received many emails from staff saying that they are here for me if I ever needed anything and that was wonderful because it really made me feel welcome and accepted into the school. We also were all given an advisor to help us if we ever had any questions.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
Ultimately I wish I would have studied abroad the entire year rather than just a semester. It goes by so quickly and you think you have all this time to do absolutely everything you want to, but often times you have to pick what's the most important on your list of things to do and see. I'm grateful for my semester but I would have loved to stay longer.
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
A typical day at the University of Stirling was starting my day by waking up and looking out my bedroom window with the sudden rush coming over me that I was in Scotland, which would completely make my day. I would then get ready for my lectures, which were not mandatory to go to, however the tutorials were. My walk to class was always the most breathtaking experience. I would leave my apartment, walk by a golf course, a castle, a loch and then eventually I would reach the academic building. After my tutorials were finished I often went to the school cafe to grab myself a honeycomb hot chocolate along with a cheese toastie, which in American terms is just a grilled cheese. After that I would walk back to my apartment and hangout in my friend's suite. When it got later in the night me and all of the friends I made would take the bus into the city and enjoy two of our favorite spots in Stirling: The Boozy Cow and the Kilted Kangaroo. That was a typical weekday in Scotland.
Enjoying a cold beer at the Amsterdam Icebar
What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time I enjoyed walking around Stirling and visiting the local cafes. I also tried to do as much traveling as I could so when I had a long weekend, which was almost every weekend, my friends and I would take the train to either Edinburgh or Glasgow and explore those cities. I also went on multiple excursions to different countries whenever I had the chance. While abroad I was able to visit France, Germany, Poland, The Netherlands, and Italy.
What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
My accommodation was fantastic! I lived on the Stirling campus in a group of buildings known as Alexander Court. Each building had three floors, which had about three suites on each floor. I lived in flat 30 with five other people. We each got our own room and there were three bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. My favorite thing about living in Alexander Court was the fact that all of my friends lived on the floor below me, so all I had to do was walk down the stairs and go into their flat and hangout. I also really liked being on campus because it made getting to class easier and you could really enjoy the college experience.
Me throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
It goes by really fast. When you consider four months as a time period you imagine that as a long time, however being abroad you're often going to fill your time with friends and excursions, which will make your time fly by. Enjoy absolutely every minute of it. Also I highly recommend saving a good amount of money so that when you go abroad you'll have the chance to do a lot of fun things. There are a lot of free activities but it's always good to have money so that you don't feel like you can't do certain things.
Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life?
It's been a year since I've been in Scotland and I miss being abroad every single day. I'm always reminded of memories and experiences that I had in Scotland and I just hold onto those feelings I get so tightly. I have such a greater appreciation for the world now and am constantly faced with this feeling of wanderlust.
Would you recommend CISabroad study abroad in Scotland to others? Why?
I would 100% recommend studying abroad in Scotland. It was the most magical and amazing experience of my life. I miss it everyday and would do anything to go back. I went through CISabroad and they were so incredibly helpful throughout the application process and once I was over there. They set up weekend excursions while in Scotland and are there for you whenever you had any questions. It was an affordable experience that I urge anyone and everyone who has the opportunity to go abroad to do it.
