By Becky Light, University of Missouri, USA
Compared to a lot of my friends at Mizzou, I was lucky to finish my finals early in my final week. This meant that I had enough time to enjoy my last week in the States. I went out for a final dinner with the girls from my dorm; Texas Roadhouse is a must! This was a really nice way to say goodbye to the people who had looked after me in my dorm and taught me so much about American culture.
Alongside this, I also took a trip to Jefferson City. As the capital of Missouri, I’m surprised it took me so long to visit. However, it’s a very small city and there isn’t too much to do so if you’re pushed for time in Missouri, I would recommend St Louis rather than Jefferson City. I still had a really nice time, and it was great to see the Capitol building, but I probably wouldn’t go again!
Later in the week I headed down to St Louis to go to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Christmas Lights. One of my friends works there and got us tickets to this amazing event. It was the perfect way to celebrate my last night in Missouri before heading to Chicago to get ready to come home. The lights were so beautiful, and I could finally get into the Christmas spirit!
For my last few nights in America I was in Chicago with one of my friends. We had the most amazing time being tourists and seeing all the sights. The 360 Chicago was the highlight; views from the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building were incredible and I will never forget the experience.
Unfortunately, getting home wasn’t easy. After lots of flight delays and stress, I landed back in the UK on the 21st December. I honestly didn’t expect to miss Missouri as quickly as I have. It’s been really nice to be home, but I really miss my new home in America! The best way I’ve been able to combat this is by planning a trip back in the Summer. It’s also been very important for me to stay in contact with my friends from abroad, just as it helped staying in touch with my friends in Manchester.
Overall, the whole experience has been life changing. I would recommend the Study Abroad programme to anyone who is even remotely interested. The people you will meet and the experiences you will have are like no other. You learn so much about other cultures, even if you think American culture is similar to UK culture. Mizzou is an amazing university and the best place to spend a semester (or a year if you’re lucky!).
M-I-Z!