Studying Abroad in Scotland

Heather Bartlett
University of Stirling, Scotland

Studying abroad to Scotland has offered me an invaluable experience of a lifetime. In a whirlwind of a semester I saw things that I had always played around with seeing at “some point in my lifetime” without any serious initiative behind it. I climbed to the top of hills in the highlands of Scotland and looked out over the rolling hills in all directions. I wandered the streets of London and took pictures of Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower among many other sights, with people who had become immediate lifelong friends. I had never thought I would ever have the opportunity (or budget) to see such things that most may only see in postcards. Even just wandering around the streets of Stirling, listening to wonderful Celtic music, crunching through snow, and breathing in the crisp Scottish air was enough for me to realize what a fantastically large world we live in and how much we take for granted every day! Four years wouldn’t be enough time to soak it all in, let alone four months.

When I was preparing to leave for this experience, I was under so much pressure I didn’t know if it would ever be worth it. I decided that it was pivotal to push myself all in the name of living life to the fullest. I always knew that traveling was something I wanted to do, simply because I know I can’t live my life without experiencing as much of it as I can. I learned a lot about life in the Scotland, cold weather, and beautiful Gaelic culture; but most importantly, I learned a lot about myself. And that to me is priceless!