My trip to the U.K. has sadly come to an end. After 17 days studying abroad, I have returned to my home in Centreville, Virginia.
Our last three days in Edinburgh were unforgettable. We ended up getting to see some snow, which was so beautiful, especially during our tour of the Highlands! In the Highlands, saw lochs, waterfalls, and beautiful mountains, which looked even more majestic in the wintery weather. During our tour, we also visited Dewar's Aberfeldy distillery, where we learned how Scotch whisky is made, a drink Scotland is best known for.
Although the snow was beautiful, it interfered with my soccer training later that afternoon, which was disappointing. My last scheduled practice with Spartans FC was cancelled. I was able to, however, meet with one of the players and give her a memento as a token of appreciation for the time I spent with the team: a Towson women's soccer shirt!
On Feb. 18, our last full day in Edinburgh, we had a free day to shop for souvenirs and pack before heading home. I decided that to take advantage of the free time and reach out to a close family friend I knew living in Edinburgh by the name of Isabelle Smith. Isabelle is a "young" and vibrant 86-year-old woman who has been fighting for Scottish independence her entire life. I wanted to meet with her and introduce her to my study abroad group so that she could share her views on the same topics we had been studying: identity, nationalism, politics, and social dynamics. Her dedication for Scotland and its politics has been something I have grown up hearing about, and I thought her stories and knowledge were best fit for the occasion.
We met her in the Scottish portrait museum and ended up drinking tea and talking to her for over two hours. We would have continued our discussion, however the museum was closing, and the staff advised us to leave.
Seeing her was a great way to end the trip. Not only did I get to spend time with a woman who is like a grandma to me, but I also got to share her with the group. I think they learned a lot from her stories.
Our last night ended with a farewell dinner at an authentic Scottish restaurant. Our professor, Dr. Cynthia Cooper, gifted each group member with a paper that showed our family surname and its origin. With this, all of us saw how our last name was connected to Scottish history, which was so thoughtful, and definitely a gift I will cherish forever.
I still haven't fully processed the trip after just being home for one day, but I can say that I really did have a wonderful time. I am truly blessed that I had such a great group of people to share this wonderful experience with. Although our group of eight were strangers at first, we all became really close through this program. I think that is one of the best things about studying abroad… getting to know people from all different backgrounds that you probably wouldn't have met otherwise. As a communication major, I value getting to know people from different circles who share different interests. I also have eight new friends I can say hi to when I am walking across campus!
This trip definitely helped give me a broader view of the world, and I will use what I have learned through the rest of my time at Towson and beyond. I highly recommend the winter mini-mester to student athletes. I know before I even heard about or researched this trip, I thought studying abroad was going to be impossible. But I was wrong. It is VERY possible and VERY worth it.
For the student-athletes:
I am sure we all know that committing to a full semester abroad can be really tough. Most of us don't want to miss out on team training and our commitments in and out of season. This was what I struggled with. At first, I really thought that having so many commitments as a student-athlete and wanting to exceed in my sport through my training, going to another country was not the right move.
The mini-mester program was the best opportunity for me. Since this program takes place in January, it had no impact on my soccer schedule so I wasn't missing out on anything. I also had my time in December to come home and spend the holidays with my family and friends before I left.
My first real concern before going into the study abroad program was the financial commitment. I'm sure we all can agree tuition is very costly as it is, so the idea of paying for an additional class in another country was very hard for me and my parents to think about. Luckily the TU Study Abroad office informed me of various scholarships that I was eligible to apply for that would help contribute to paying for my trip. I decided to apply to a few and ended up receiving the Study Abroad Institutional Scholarship for my 2018 minimester, which was helpful towards my funding. I am extremely thankful for the support I received, and I would probably not have been able to afford the experience if it wasn't for them. All together my extra efforts helped make my trip manageable and are tips I want to share for those who have my same aspirations!
Another concern I faced going into the program: how am I going to stay fit while I'm away? I thought "surely, I can't run outside every day in the frigid Scotland weather!" This is when I reached out to my strength coach, Aaron Droege, about my concerns. He was very helpful and together we found some gyms that were near the hostel I was staying. I got a gym pass at a place that had all the equipment I needed. I worked out every day.
Aaron also assured me that even if I didn't have access to a gym, he would make some modified workouts for me if needed. The Towson strength and conditioning staff is very supportive of student-athletes who have the desire to study abroad, and willing to give them all the tools they need while being away from school or home.
I was also very lucky to get additional support from assistant coach Win Puffer, who set me up with a team to train with while I was away. Most coaches and staff DO have connections in places around the world, so keeping open communication with them about my drive to study abroad ended up being extremely beneficial. I feel like I got the ultimate experience while I was away because I was able to achieve what I was looking for as a student, as well as follow through with my responsibilities as an athlete.
There are many other Towson study abroad programs that are held during time periods that don't interfere with Towson sports, such as summer and spring break. For those who have any interest in traveling during college, I highly recommend finding a program that works for you. I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.
Towson Women's Soccer
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