I know it’s cheesy to say, but I have dreamed about studying abroad since I was little. I remember telling my parents the only reason they could convince me to go to college was if I could study abroad in London. London didn’t work out, but I couldn’t be more thankful to have ended up in Edinburgh, Scotland. I absolutely loved every single moment of my 3 months abroad; deep down (maybe not that deep), I wish I went to school there full time. This is an extremely condensed list of some things I learned while there and why I think everyone should consider studying abroad:
How to Use Public Transportation:
This one is not that deep, but it was very crucial for me while I was abroad. Everyone in Europe uses public transportation to get anywhere. In Scotland, I could hop on a bus or a train and get virtually anywhere in the UK. Even when I traveled to a rural island of only 400 people, there was still a public bus route, which was absolutely insane. When I traveled to other countries that didn’t speak English, it was especially important to learn about public transit because if you didn’t, you would probably have no idea where you were or where you were going.
How Other Political Systems Work:
Learning about different political systems was very eye-opening for me. I was able to watch a parliamentary session while in Scotland and witnessed the political leaders actively create laws for their country. They have a sense of transparency and honesty that I really appreciated and wanted to learn more about.
Scottish Slang:
This is a silly one, but it honestly is the one I implement the most in my everyday life. Although sadly, my Scottish accent certainly is not as good as I thought it was.
How to Love Live Music:
The live music scene, specifically folk music, is huge in Edinburgh. I never had an appreciation for live performers until I went to the bars and heard the amazing local musicians who poured their hearts out on the stage. One of my professors was a musician and brought us on a ‘field trip’ to the bar to hear her sing, and it was one of my favorite memories of the trip.
How To Be Alone:
I swear this is not as sad as it sounds. I learned how to be independent and do things on my own. I traveled to Budapest alone for a weekend, which taught me so much about myself. Being forced to figure something out on your own, like being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a phone on airplane mode, teaches you a lot about your own problem-solving skills.