Scotland: Culturally Life Changing yet Academically Light Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There is a lot less overall class time then I was used to leaving me with a lot of free time. At times it didn't feel very challenging. There are also certain classes which will have multiple teachers for more specific topics within a class. This is due to the fact that some of the classes are just more broad of a subject than they would be at Clark. For one class in particular I felt like I wasn't learning very much, but overall this didn't have any significant effect on my learning abilities. The grading system seemed odd at first, but is really easy to figure out and translate to our way of grading. The other main difference for anyone who's studying Screen Studies at Clark is that there aren't any group film screenings for the classes and you watch fewer movies per semester. Every film is available to you through the library but you are responsible for taking out and watching them on your own time.

On-site administration of your program

As far as I needed anything the study abroad office at Stirling were more than willing to help. They were quite accessible. We had a welcome session with all study abroad students where the head of the office gave us any information we would need and where and when to contact her.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was arranged through the university. They gave two options (on campus or off). I got my first choice of an off campus flat. The neighborhood I was living in felt safe and the aesthetics were pleasing. My room was a single. The proximity of my flat to campus was about a half an hour walking, but a mere 7 minute bus ride. The bus routes were really easy to learn and there was a stop right down the street from my flat. Nightlife was in walking distance (about 5-10 minutes to a street full of pubs and two clubs than to get into town where there is a mall and lots of shops and city life 10-15 minutes). The one main downside to the flat was that they don't leave any kitchen supplies for you except an electric kettle. However my flat was six people so chipping in to buy some items wasn't expensive. They also provided us with sheets which you can get changed every two weeks. The cleaning lady for the building came once a week and was super friendly. One other downside to living off campus was that for electricity you have to go to campus to put money on your meter. There is a 10 pound back up though so if you run low you wont just suddenly lose power. The other issue my flat had was that upon reporting problems with the flat (for us a leaky faucet and two windows getting moldy) the concierge took awhile to send someone to fix it.

If you live on campus the dining isn't like in America. There isn't a main dining hall so you can pay to get a flexi card with 12 meals on it, but you have to go to small shops and one pub like place with food to eat. For dinner and living off campus you make your own meals or go out to eat. The options at Tesco (the main grocery store) are pretty good. I'm a vegetarian and there were more than enough things for me to eat despite Scotland being a very meat oriented country (a lot of the food will even be labeled as "suitable for vegetarians").

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I didn't do anything that was arranged by my program however you get a mid semester break which is a week long where I travelled. There is a travel agency on campus which is very helpful for getting you cheap flights, hostels, and car rentals. I went to Amsterdam and Dublin which were both beautiful and friendly cities with great night life. I advise going with a few people, but not a huge group. I also travelled to the highlands and Isle of Skye in Scotland. Isle of Skye is an absolute must. It's gorgeous and don't be afraid to drive on the wrong side of the road to get there. The highway is straight and simple to follow as well as not very populated up north. If you're going to be there in warm weather you should also take a trip to the Orkney Islands, Isle of Jura, Isle of Aran, Oban, and Isle of Mull. Edinburgh and Glasgow are also musts since they are short train rides from Stirling.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

My neighborhood was safe. The people are very friendly. The only thing to watch out is if you are male than to be careful not to annoy any drunk Scottish men because they can get aggressive. In Glasgow too you have to be very careful just in general. Don't go walking off alone at night and keep an eye on your belongings.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

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• Apartment

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• International Students

• The people (both Scottish and especially living with internationals)
• The aesthetics (stone buildings, monuments, castles, a river, and mountains make for great views everywhere you are in Stirling even when it rains)
• The city of Stirling (nightlife, culture, university, etc)

• teaching style
• information about things like nightlife (small things like the way people dress when going out are different)
• availability of kitchen supplies