IFSA: Study Abroad Programs in Scotland

Fáilte. The Gaelic word for welcome. I titled my review this for two reasons: the Gaelic language is beautiful and Scotland is welcoming. The first day I arrived in Scotland, I noticed how welcoming everyone was. My taxi driver from the airport to the hotel I would be staying at for IFSA orientation was a wonderful historian who introduced me to Scotland by telling me historical information about the places that we passed. We had a good laugh and I thought for the next four months I am going to love this place. When I arrived to the IFSA orientation, I was surprised that the staff knew my name. They introduced themselves and we had a bit of conversation. Again, I felt welcomed. I know this concept of feeling welcome is supposed to be the norm, however, it was my first time outside of the United States as a black woman. I was nervous about the experience and told IFSA-Butler. They assured me that I would be alright and that Scotland was a great choice and that they would help me to feel as welcome as possible. As I opened up and felt welcome by the Edinburgh community I had lots of fun.

Already attending a small college, when I looked at studying abroad I wanted to push my limits and looked into bigger schools. It was kind of intimidating but also really fun; I realized what I missed out on by going to a smaller school but also what I loved about the smaller size. Studying abroad was my first time out of the country but now I feel more confident traveling alone and can't wait to go back. Post-program I definitely explore new areas more and with a lot more confidence. Useful tips: just go with the flow, if things don't go as planned you can still find amazing experiences.

I was personally on a different study abroad program at St Andrews, but many of my friends were on this one and they all spoke highly of it. They enrolled in St Andrews' classes like normal students and for most of them, grades were received as pass/fail at their home universities. They all said that they though the St Andrews program was better than the other IFSA Butler programs offered in Scotland. All the Scotland students from IFSA Butler got together from time to time, but the St Andrews students all said they seemed to be enjoying themselves far more than the other students. The IFSA Butler students at St Andrews were a cohesive group and became really good friends, which they did not find to be true of the students at the other universities. I can personally attest to how wonderful St Andrews is. The town is so wonderfully charming and Scottish. It is the birthplace of gold and I loved walking the Old Course (one of three courses in St Andrews). There are three beaches lining the North Sea and there is a beautiful walking trail through town. There is plenty of shopping: everything from little cheese shops to H&M, from adorable bakeries to Rymans (an office supply store). There are many dining options. There are lots of pubs and two nightclubs (I definitely recommend the VIC over the Lizard). You feel immersed in history at St Andrews; you can see the cathedral ruins and the castle easily. My experience there was amazing!