Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland

Author: Emma Mitchell | Majors: Psychology, Agricultural Business | Semester: Summer 2023

It finally hit me as I watched my parents drive away from the airport. I was actually traveling internationally for the first time, and I was doing it without my family. This was the first time that I would be flying alone – without people I knew in the seat beside me. It was also the first time that I would be flying over the ocean. It was uncharted territory, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.

Luckily, I was traveling with three of my closest friends, and a large group of others that I knew from our pre-departure meetings. I signed up to go on this trip because I knew it would push me out of my comfort zone, while still remaining within it enough since my friends would be with me. When my friends told me they were signing up for this study abroad they had heard about in class, I knew that it would be the perfect opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of the world through real, tangible experiences. I had always dreamed of visiting the United Kingdom, and even went through a phase in middle school where I was completely obsessed with the United Kingdom and its culture. The location combined with the course of study seemed like the perfect fit for me. I had grown up on a small angus farm in rural Arkansas, so learning about the rich history of cattle production in the UK was right up my alley.

As I learned more about the trip, I knew that it would be more beneficial for my future career than I had imagined. I learned that we would be visiting the US Embassy and Parliament in London, which felt so surreal since I am planning to go into a career in law. I also hoped to learn about agricultural and environmental policy from farmers as we traveled throughout Scotland and England. Talking to farmers and truly connecting with those in the agriculture industry every day was one of my favorite parts of the experience. Unlike typical classes on campus during the semester, our study abroad classes took us directly to those that work in the agriculture industry every day. We met farmers, professors, researchers, and politicians that work to improve the agriculture sector each day through advancements in technology and policy.

Because of the layout of the course, we were able to immerse ourselves in the culture and live, in some ways, like a local would live for two weeks. While we had a bus to drive us to our further destinations, while we were in the cities we walked to different attractions and restaurants. This allowed us to see the incredible architecture that had been built centuries before, combined with new technology, like The Tube that we rode in London. We visited different restaurants and tried a mix of local cuisine and varieties of food that can be found in the United States. It was interesting to compare foods because I found that food in the United Kingdom is much less seasoned and less flavorful than food in the US. We also had to adjust our eating times because almost all restaurants do not open for lunch before 12pm and stay open later for dinner hours. We also noticed that cafes did not typically open before 9am for breakfast, which we later found out was due to work schedules usually being from 9am to 5pm.

I think one of my most important takeaways from this trip is to look for opportunities to learn in places that you don’t necessarily think that you will find them. Until I returned from my study abroad experience and looked through the photos and videos I had taken, I didn’t fully appreciate how much I had learned. Throughout our trip, we created blog posts that detailed the activities we were doing and allowed us a space to compare and contrast life in the UK with life back home in the US. While I was able to make comparisons for my assignments, I wasn’t fully aware of how much the experiences had taught me. As I looked back through my photos and reflected on my trip, I thought of ways that the US is ahead of the UK, but I also thought of things I had seen in the United Kingdom that would be beneficial to implement in the United States.

However, the things I observed and learned are far greater than academics. I saw firsthand the patience and kindness exhibited by people in the United Kingdom. I was able to see my professor, Dr. Miller, use connections that he had made in order to make sure this trip was a success. I also watched as Dr. Miller adapted and adjusted to situations, all while carrying himself with grace and putting others before himself. It is real-world experiences like this trip that allow one to expand their knowledge on all aspects of life. I would highly encourage all students to participate in a study abroad program because it allows you to grow in ways that you never thought possible.