Angers is, a beautiful city located southwest of Paris, where I first began my adventure abroad my first time in Europe. It has been almost 2 years since I was first in Angers and the city looks almost the same as how I remembered. The city has a bit of an old town charm to it that makes you excited to be here. In Angers, I feel at home. The people are friendly, the town is small and filled with many university students, and I think it helps that I know my way around the town. My experience so far in Angers has been great! The week I arrived I spent a lot of time going to orientations, seeing the university, and being able to bond with the girls in my program. I thought my first week in Angers would have been a bit more rough for me, especially since it was my birthday week but the girls in my program, my host family, and my program director made my birthday one to remember! My biggest concerns of spending a full semester in France, were not being able to make friends as easily and whether my host parents would be strict and limit my experience in France. I soon realized that I did not have to worry about either of those two things! Being able to spend a full week in Angers before classes began helped ease my experience because I was able to socialize with the girls in my program and get to know my host parents pretty well! I feel lucky to have been placed with such a great family and to have met a great group of girls in my program. These are experiences you will never be able to experience unless you study abroad! An opportunity like this is life changing because you get to meet a new group of people from all over the world who have at least one common interest with you! I have to say my first week in Angers has been nothing but wonderful and I think that if you are ever reluctant to study abroad it is best to just go for it because life passes by in a blink of an eye and this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss!!
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Wow!! Where do I start when it comes to Glasgow?!
I had never visited Scotland before and I thought it would be a great idea to go for a few days before my program in France began. I was debating between Glasgow and Edinburgh, but after much research on both cities I was convinced that I needed to visit Glasgow!! Scotland is such a beautiful country with amazingly friendly people so I don't think you can go wrong when choosing between those two cities. My trip to Glasgow however was great!! I landed there on Monday (23rd) after a long, tiresome trip from Nashville to JFK and JFK to Iceland and then finally from Iceland to Glasgow!! On the day of my arrival I took a bus to my hotel and just spent the day eating and window shopping. (If you ever find yourself in Glasgow and you can find a good deal on Expedia to stay at the George Carlton Hotel, don't hesitate to book it)! Staying on any hotel near or on West George Street is definitely great because it gives you easy access to all the cool places. (Literally a 10 min walk to many, many places)!! On Tuesday (24th), I bought a 2-day Glasgow City Sightseeing tour pass (for 15 euros) which is one of the best ways to explore a city in a short amount of time. I was able to explore many places such as the People's Palace, the Glasgow Cathedral, The Riverside Museum, Glasgow Science Centre, and many other places! If you are ever in Glasgow you definitely have to check out the People's Palace, the Riverside Museum and the Glasgow Science Centre. They are all free, except the Science Centre but it is definitely worth the few euros once you see all the cool gadgets inside and you get to interact while learning about science!! If you love to go shopping St. Enoch galleries and the Buchanan Galleries are the places to go!! The West George Street area also has many great shops nearby. There are endless possibilities in Glasgow when it comes to shopping, so don't worry! I highly recommend Glasgow if you ever get the chance to visit!! While studying abroad, Glasgow is a great weekend city to visit and explore with friends or even on your own! If you stay at a hotel, the receptionist are usually always friendly and ready to help you with any questions!! Hope Glasgow is on your bucket list and you get to see its many wonders soon!! Leaving home to study abroad is never easy! I thought that since this is my second time leaving home to explore Europe, goodbye would not be so hard to say? I was wrong!
I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to study abroad for a second time and that this second round is going to be much longer than the first time, but I can't help missing my friends and family. I have to say leaving for 6+ months makes you appreciate all the time you spent with friends, family, coworkers, or even your siblings who know how to push your buttons. Even though I am excited, I have mixed feeling about studying abroad for so long. For one, I feel great because I know this is an opportunity of a lifetime and that I will get to accomplish a lot of my goals. On the other hand, I feel like I'm missing out on spending quality time with the people I love or celebrating all of my friends 21st birthdays. I think the important part for anyone studying abroad or considering studying abroad and feeling the same way I do is to remember to have fun and enjoy your time in a new environment. I think once you study abroad you open yourself to a world of new opportunities. Don't hesitate to study abroad, just go for it! Life is too short to wander what if? Be open to new ideas, new people, and new adventures! |
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