Beyond Brum

Koryn Castaneda-Sako | Psychology major - University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

The reason why I chose to study in the UK was because I have heard many stories of UH students having amazing experiences here and I heard traveling to other cities and countries were easily accessible. I first heard about the study abroad program in my English 100 class. At first I couldn’t imagine myself living in another country, so instead I participated in the NSE program during my sophomore year of college. After my NSE experience I was eager to travel to more places. Now being in my last year of college I am amazed and proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and going to so many new places in the world. Within my 3 months abroad I have not only been able to see England but I have been able to travel to 3 out of the 4 regions of the UK (England, Wales, and Scotland) and I was able to visit 4 other countries (Italy, Ireland, Spain, and France).

With each trip I got to see so many beautiful sights and do so many fun things but what I will never forget is the little bumps along the way. Our travels were anything but smooth. From forgotten passports, to weather problems, to hours of delays we had just about every ounce of bad luck. But the journey made the destination all the more worth it. Things like the Eiffel Tower, Trevi Fountain, Sagrada Familia, and so much more were just breathtaking. I also got to experience a little of the culture in each country. We got to learn how to make pasta from scratch in Italy, traditional Irish dancing in Ireland, and how to salsa in Spain. I loved every second of the trips I got to take. I made so many memories this semester that it’s hard to pick just one favorite. Instead I want to say that my favorite part of my study abroad experience was the people that I met, specifically my flatmates. I shared a flat with 10 other people this semester. At first living with this many strangers for 3 months sounded tough. But I couldn’t have asked for a better group of flatmates. They turned out to be the most amazing friends I could have made abroad. Everyday was an adventure with them. We went to events on campus together, weekend trips, and had weekly family dinners. By the end of the semester we started having sleepovers in each other’s rooms because we just wanted to spend more time together. This was my third time living away from home but probably the hardest place I have had to say goodbye to.