Highlights: I loved everything and couldn't pick just one part. The people I met in my program are still my close friends and we make efforts to visit, though they live in the Midwest and I on the East Coast. Hockey was a good time, both playing and partying. The cultural and historical pieces that I picked up mean so much to me. People still say something about Scotland or Wales and I can answer their questions or make them understand what it's really like.
My Outdoor Pursuits class has stuck with me enough to buy a new mountain bike and I was gifted a kayak, plus I have future hopes for rock climbing gear. Each field trip was a new adventure, each day was different and I learned so much about the culture and myself. Taking trips on my own made me feel capable and independent, and I was able to see a favorite band in concert, a Disney show, take free tours around Edinburgh, enjoy a show in London and go shopping in Camden Town, and get some sun in Greece.
A typical day: I slept in a lot more than I expected to. But weekends we were always up early to catch our coach to a new castle we would be exploring. A few afternoons I had lectures, and there were a few large assignments that I would work on throughout the semester. Between lectures I went grocery shopping at Morrison's and used my backpack for groceries to walk up the hill. I ran errands, hung out with hockey mates, or went to play frisbee at Roman Camp. On Wednesdays and on weekends I had hockey games, so I was on the pitch or on a bus trip for those.