All I knew about Wales before I arrived was that the people had incomprehensible accents, rugby was comparable to a godly pastime, and there were a lot of sheep. I have discovered this to be mostly true, but in the process of studying at the University of Wales, Bangor, I have also found a country of life-loving people and breathtaking natural beauty.

I came to Bangor because of its renowned School of Ocean Sciences, as part of a one-year international student exchange program. When I return home, my classes are going to be a small fraction of my memories of Wales. I am going to remember pubs filled with pint-laden students, spilling out onto the streets after rugby games, passing the stone circle in the local park as I avoid colliding with grazing sheep, or repeating my mantra aloud "I will NOT be hit if I stay to the left, I will NOT be hit...." as I bike to classes.

As for my life in Bangor, I am currently living in an all-Welsh speaking dorm, as a result of falling in love with the local language (Welsh is a first language in this part of Wales). This has proved to be a life-changing experience, as I explore the hometowns of my friends, learn about growing up in Wales, and get to speak a language unlike anything I have ever heard before

Most of my spare time is spent travelling around Wales to explore the castles, visit historical towns, and hike through the nearby mountain range or along the sea. Living in Bangor has also allowed me to easily travel to nearby cities in England, as well to catch a ferry to Dublin, Ireland if I want a taste of a big city. In Bangor itself, I am a member of the Walking Club, which arranges weekly hikes throughout the UK, as well as of the Bangor Ki-Aikido Society, a martial art club. I spend my nights wandering down cobblestone streets, choosing from the multitude of pubs spread throughout town, or dancing in local clubs with my hallmates...the best "party animals" I have ever known.

Studying abroad in the UK has been a life changing experience. As for my future, my horizons are now global instead of confined to America. By travelling across an ocean and conforming to a different lifestyle, I have more self-confidence in my ability to adapt. Many times I have thought to myself "If I can lift all my bags and plop them down in a new country, I can definitely do this" (such as move to a strange new city for graduate school, travel to Japan, or just get my own apartment). My experiences in Wales have made me interested in a huge range of new things, and I yearn to explore more cultures around the globe with my newfound mental freedom.