Howdy! I?m writing to you from Bonnie Scotland as we wrap up our study abroad session! Four weeks down, and wow, has this month been fun! I cannot believe that our fourth week has officially finished. It feels like just yesterday that we were starting out in Glasgow, Scotland, and learning Sustainable Entrepreneurship! With that being said, this trip to Scotland has been an amazing experience! Friendships forming throughout the month and visiting new places are just some great examples of the many wonderful memories I will treasure from my time here. This month, I better understood how companies can have increasingly positive employees by incorporating a sustainable focus into their operations strategy. Visiting local companies and seeing their practical applications of sustainability within their business models opened my eyes to other possibilities and initiatives that other businesses could greatly benefit from. I have also learned how not just to seize every opportunity to do something fun and new but also to remember that it is important to do the work in front of you and do it well before going and having fun.
This trip further taught me better time management skills and to wind down and relax earlier than I am used to. For instance, compared to the US, where a lot of companies and businesses are open till 11 pm or 12 am, many of Scotland?s businesses and restaurants close promptly at 9:30 pm or 10 pm, which pushes you to manage your time accordingly but also to have earlier nights such as going to bed earlier or at the more appropriate time. Plus, I have learned how to better work with people with different opinions and views than my own, but having those different perspectives can help make the experience or project more enjoyable and, in some cases, even intriguing. This experience definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, and it was in the best way. Being unable to turn to my parents or other family and close friends for guidance or reassurance throughout the trip was difficult initially. Still, I started feeling more independent and confident in my abilities as a student and classmate/friend as the weeks went on.
Many of the people on this trip were so kind and helpful throughout, and it distracted me from getting homesick and helped me to stay focused and engaged. Overall, my time in Scotland helped me get out of my comfort zone, learn new academic and personal skills, and reinforce others. But I also took advantage of the opportunity to expand my cultural awareness and get a sampling of an international perspective. I was able to learn from physically being immersed in the culture. From intro lessons on bagpipes to sampling haggis (oh yeah, it was delicious!) to Edinburgh Castle, I got to experience a sampling of what being a ?Scot? was like. And I must say, the Scottish people are welcoming, deeply proud of their heritage that influences both their personal and professional lives and all too eager to share. I would highly recommend trying it for yourself. Signing off from Scotland!
