I cannot believe that I have been home for almost a month and a year since I secured my Student Visa for my year abroad. The last 12 months have gone exceptionally quickly and wish I could go back to the beginning and do it all again!
The Nashville Skyline. I compeltely fell in love with this city.
After I left Mizzou I went travelling for a couple of weeks, initially with a fellow Manchester Geographer who had been at Mizzou with me and then I travelled by myself meeting various friends from Missouri and Manchester on the way. The two days I had by myself in Wilmington North Carolina, however were some of my favourite days of travelling as it was the perfect opportunity to be by myself and reflect on my time in the States.
A sunset in Wilmington.
A picture with some fellow Manchester Study Abroad Students in New York.
Having spent a full year at the University of Missouri, Columbia I was lucky enough to meet two sets of exchange groups as well as meet and befriend many Americans through Greek life and other activities I was involved in on campus. Making friends from all over the world is one of the incredible things that comes from studying abroad, I now have friends that I can visit across the globe and I have already been visited by some of my American friends since I have been back home.
I have learnt so much in my time away, both academically and on a personal level. I was able to take courses that I wouldn’t have been able to take anywhere else; my Native American Geography classes gave me a unique look into a culture that I had little real knowledge about before. Through reading books, watching videos, studying photos and reading personal account I was able to learn so much about some of the Native American Tribes and my professor, who was half Kiowa even brought in the regalia worn at Pow-wows for me to see.
Stars and Stripes on the Boston Common for Memorail Day Weekend.
This year was obviously an interesting year in terms of politics and was incredible to experience first-hand everything that was going on, from watching the debates to watching the election results come in and seeing the way people responded the next day, some people proudly wore ‘Make America Great Again’ t-shirts and hats whilst others were seen visibly crying, many professors addressed the election result and some even cancelled class as they didn’t feel up for coming in.
Me with some of my soroity sisters in Kansas City.
As you can read in my previous blog, being a part of a sorority was a huge part of my study abroad experience and I would say to anyone who is considering it to just go for it! If you don’t get in or don’t like it, it is still a uniquely American college experience and even the recruitment process will supply you with some great stories! For me, Greek life was the perfect way to get involved in campus and meet Americans and I ended getting much more out of it then I could have possibly imagined and I will forever be grateful to the Women of Kappa Alpha Theta for making my year abroad the best experience I could have asked for.