Sunday, May 5, 2013

10 Things

So today is my last day in Glasgow. It is a very bittersweet moment. I miss my family and being home desperately but I also don't want to leave all the experiences I've had over the past four months behind. Because my time abroad is coming to an end this will probably be my last blog post about it. I have done some things since coming back from spring break, like visiting former Au Pairs in Germany, participating in a Glasgow scavenger hunt, and going on one last walk of the West End. Glasgow has been my home for the last four months. And there is a lot I'm going to miss about it, so I decided to make a list of the 10 things I'm going to miss the most about living abroad. Here it goes:

10. Glasgow Uni's Library. It's absolutely massive, like 12 stories massive. And I can rent pretty much any book I would want from there. CNU's library really only has reference and academic works, which aren't a whole lot of fun to read in your spare time.

9. The weather. I know it kind of sucks because it rains a lot and is pretty cold, but if not for that Scotland wouldn't be nearly as beautiful as it is. Plus there are some absolutely gorgeous days and it makes everything look 10x greener.

8. The subway. Its a circle and there are two lines, one goes clockwise and the other counter-clockwise. And its a set rate no matter how far you go so its way lees confusing. So basically its virtually impossible to get lost on it.

7.The architecture. Glasgow is littered with a bunch of old buildings that are just fascinating to look at. I mean the University itself is absolutely gorgeous. I spent several hours just sitting in one of the quads today thinking about my time here.

6. Being able to walk everywhere. Like its actually safe for me to walk into city center. I really enjoy walking places because that's when you really get to see the city. At home I can't really walk too far before I hit a major road that doesn't have sidewalks, and that's a little upsetting.

5. The accent. Just admit it, you think accents are cool. And they are. Plus the lingo over here gets pretty funny sometimes and it has amused me. But don't think I've had it all easy because English is the main language, on several occasions I had absolutely no idea what a person was saying to me. It was quite embarrassing. .

4. My photography class. It has been amazing having the chance to learn about the darkroom and all the techniques photographers use to get the perfect shot. Plus it was a great way to destress and see the city all at the same time. I'm really looking forward to continuing it as a hobby when I get back, too.

3. Cheap Travel. Ryanair and EasyJet are gifts from heaven. I'm serious. They may be strict on baggage and whatnot but I think it all works out when you can book a round-trip ticket to Germany for 20 quid.

2. Meeting people. I have met a bunch of people from all over the world while being abroad. It's just so interesting to learn about other cultures and how they view the world. That probably has something to do with my love of Anthropology and Sociology.....

1. Gary and Student Tours Scotland. I have absolutely no idea what I would have done without him. My experiences abroad would not have been nearly the same if not for all of his hard work and dedication to the students living in Glasgow. He does so much for us while keeping it all at an extremely affordable rate. I would not have been able to see nearly as many places around Scotland and I wouldn't have learned all that I have about Glasgow if it weren't for him. Plus he's pretty hilarious.

There you have it. The top 10 things I'm going to miss about Glasgow and being abroad in general. I am coming back to the UK this summer to study at Oxford for 2 weeks so my blog might have some updates about that, but if not I guess this is goodbye. Thank you so much for caring about what I'm doing here and actually taking the time to read what I've been writing. It means a lot to me.