By: Jordan Reining

I’m writing to you all from across the pond this time. It’s been a whirlwind since landing in Manchester, England, on Dec. 30th. I was lucky to have my brother with me for the first few days to settle in and figure out the transportation here. Once he left, I was officially living on my own for the first time (in a new country, too- talk about a full send).   

January flew by, yet it also felt like a year on its own. I started class (and watched all my friends back home get snow day after snow day…), made some good friends, and had fun on the weekends.  

I am currently at the University of Salford for its journalism program. It was the best option abroad that fit my degree requirements- though I’ll be honest and say England was not my first choice. The lack of real sunny weather for the last few months has taken a toll, and I miss food from home, but those are the only downsides. Everything else has been great. With my schedule, I only have classes on Monday and Tuesday, leaving the rest of the week open for traveling, homework, and anything else I can think of.  

I’ve met many people here, both from Europe and the States. I encountered a lot of little culture shocks, especially during the first few weeks, and even two months later, I still have these moments. A notable one is the typical greeting here. I’ll set the scene: you walk up to someone, and they say, “You alright?” A pause. You think to yourself, “Do I not look alright? Is something wrong?”   

Nothing is wrong! That’s just what they say instead of “how are you” or “what’s up.” It seems silly, I know, but even now, I still get caught off guard by it.   

Aside from the random bouts of homesickness, my study abroad experience thus far has been positive. I’ve visited a national park, taken advantage of the train system for some day trips, and, most surprisingly, made friends with an American couple that owns a biscuit place in the middle of Manchester. (I go there at least once a week; it helps combat the homesickness).  

I am both saddened and excited that this semester is halfway done. I feel like I’ve done nothing but go to class and drink coffee. The ease of transport within the UK and accessibility to other countries is amazing- IF you plan out trips and make an effort to visit during the week. 

I got stuck in the mindset of traveling as a weekend thing, even though I have Wednesday through Friday free. In turn, this greatly limited my travel in the last few months. I know myself to be a planner and not one for spontaneous trips, yet for some reason, I thought this would change when it came to taking day trips (it hasn’t, which is why I’m scrambling to travel these next few weeks to make up for lost time). I am excited to go home, though, mainly because I miss my friends and family and the familiarity of it all.  

Overall, my time here has been amazing, and I am so glad I could go on this journey across the pond. Not to be cheesy, but if you’ve been thinking about doing a study abroad program, do it! It can certainly be pricey, but MTSU has some great scholarships available. I received the Office of Education Abroad scholarship, and because my program was an exchange program with a partner university, my usual scholarships-like the presidential scholarship- still applied!  

If you have the opportunity and the desire to study abroad, check out the MTSU study abroad programs. There is a wide range for anyone interested- different majors, lengths of time, and everything.