Caitlin Rowe: Keep Smiling!

  

Before leaving for my semester abroad in England, I was sure that there would be a seamless transition. I didn’t really think about the challenges or difficulties I may face in a new place, despite having read all about them. I understood culture shock, I knew what signs to look for, and I was convinced it wouldn’t happen to me! After all, I’ve done plenty of travelling and been to new places on my own. Surely life in England wouldn’t be that different.

However, arriving in the middle of winter and battling illness made adjustments a little bit more difficult. I felt underwhelmed by the small size of the town of Hatfield, compared to my home in bustling downtown Vancouver. I found solace in frequent day trips to London, soaking in the excitement of being in one of the world’s greatest cities. Classes were (and still are!) tough, with a very different structure than my tourism courses back at Capilano. However, I made an effort to meet with my professors and get involved in our tutorials, despite being the only tourism exchange student in my modules

I soon realized that in order to truly make the most of my time here, I must rely on the kind and wonderful people around me. My flat-mates and new friends have made my experience so much richer and fulfilling as we bond over shared meals, card games or trips to the pub. I have made some amazing friends from all over the world and learned a lot about cultural communication in the process. Whether I’m sharing cooking tips with the girls from China or learning about traditional wedding customs in Jordan, I have found that learning about different cultures is one of the most rewarding aspects of studying abroad.

 

While I still have many more weeks to enjoy my experience, I know I will be sad to see it come to an end - four months is just not long enough! J  I hope that everyone who is going to study abroad will try and remember that the experience is always worth it, even when you have bad days. Just keep smiling and trying new things and your semester abroad will be incredible.