Britney isn’t the only one on a world tour. After ten weeks of interning in Australia, I’m ready to begin Chapter 2 of my cosmopolitan adventure.
On Friday, I completed a marketing internship with a film company in Melbourne, and today, I begin my 44 hour journey (yikes!) 17,000 kilometers around the world to Glasgow, Scotland. As I prepare to trade in my Aussie slang for a unique Glaswegian accent, the excitement of living in Europe just barely overtakes the nostalgia of leaving my comfortable Melburnian apartment.
I can’t wait to start classes at the University of Glasgow next week. Yes, I’m actually excited about the “study” part of study abroad. I plan to take courses at Glasgow to augment my studies as a film and media arts major and marketing minor at American University in Washington, DC. It’s not exactly easy to find an abroad program that includes both of my disciplines, which is one reason why I chose this program out of the 100+ programs that AU offers. I wanted to be in Europe so I could travel, and there is something unique and unexpected about Scotland that appeals to me.
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, and it is known for its thriving music and arts scene. Glasgow Uni is also the fourth oldest English speaking university, not to mention that its appearance is largely speculated as a real-life version of Hogwarts (pictures coming soon). It is also ranked in the top 75 universities of the world.
I am directly enrolling into the university, meaning that I will be completely on my own as an international student. It’s scary moving to a new country without knowing anyone, but that’s part of what the whole study abroad experience is for, right?
Since this is my second abroad program, I plan to squeeze every possible bit out of it as I can. As my Australian escapade has finally come to a close, it hasn’t really hit me that I’m leaving for another country and not going home. It’s been tough being away for so long and spending half of the year in winter, but I’d say I’m doing pretty well. I’ve even somehow managed to co-found Her Campus American while abroad! I’m so fortunate to have these opportunities to work, travel and learn; it all seems like a big dream.
So here I go, passport in one hand and plaid scarf in the other, traveling halfway across the globe (quite literally) where my Scottish journey awaits. Cheers!