Let the Adventures Begin!!!

One of the nicest parts of living and going to school in Europe is the ease of travel between different parts of the continent. While travel within the US can cost hundreds of dollars just to fly within the same state, traveling within the EU is the complete opposite. As a citizen of the US I grew up believing that all international travel was a nightmare and subsequently I didn’t even have a passport until I had to get one to come to university in the UK. When I finally did get over here I heard a somewhat surprising statement from another student: “Only about 1/3 of US citizens have a passport.” I’m honestly not sure why this surprised me; after all, no one in my immediate family (parents/siblings) had passports until I told them my school choice was overseas. Once hearing this though I had to see if it was true. I set out on a mission to find the answer and came across a very informative article in Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbender/2012/01/30/record-number-of-americans-now-hold-passports/) that proved the statement right and went even further to say that this number had nearly tripled over the past 20 years with the greatest increases coming with new legislation that required passports to travel between the US and either Canada or Mexico.

“I am one of the few”, I told myself. Well I can’t waste this opportunity while I have it. First on the list? A weekend long trip to Ireland. Thankfully for this newbie traveler, there were a few other North American vet students that like to travel so together we booked a trip and a few weeks later we were off! For less than £100 we were able to book the round trip flight, hostel, and a two day red bus tour through Dublin. Before we were even half way through the weekend we already knew we would have to come back as there just wasn’t enough time to see it all.

(My Traveling Companions)

Needless to say with 18 people traveling together we broke out into little groups to explore the city at our leisure. My group consisted of a few other girls that are some of my best friends in this crazy new country. Together the four of us plotted a two day course that would take us to the Museum of Natural History (a.k.a. The Dead Zoo), Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) Museum, and Dublin Zoo. We even discovered a small food market on a side street where we were able to stop and enjoy some fresh baked cronuts, croissants, fresh brewed cider, and hot chocolate.

(Dublin Castle: Photo Courtesy of Nadia)

So I got my first real stamp in my passport!!!

Shortly after returning to Scotland it was time for another trip out of Glasgow though this one was admittedly shorter than the last one. As part of the vet school of Glasgow our big rivalry is with Edinburgh University’s vet school. Once a year there is a big sports day between the two schools, where each school puts together a sports team for basically every sport under the sun (but no American football and no ice hockey). This year it was held in Edinburgh so the vet school loaded up four(ish) buses and headed down there. After getting mooned by John Barrowman (who is filming a show in the vet school) as we pulled out, we got to watch lots of sports in the morning and early afternoon, cheering on our fellow first years that were playing. After the sports were over, there was only one thing left to do…… DRINK!!! Because… we’re in Scotland. What followed can only be described as one of the craziest bar tours I have been on in my life, though since we had class early the next morning many of us opted for taking the early (midnight vs. 3am) bus home.

(Dick Day Bar Tour: Photo Courtesy of Adriana)

After two wonderful trips with “the gang”, we’ve gotten back into the studying frame of mind rather quickly but we are already looking forward to next semester’s trips. Ideas include: Paris, Spain, other parts of Ireland, and a few other places. In the more immediate future we are planning for our first EMS (Extra-mural Studies). Most of us seem to either be searching for or already secured a lambing placement and with a month long break in the spring, the North American crew will be spreading all over this little island. For now though, its only two weeks till the start of winter break (12 days to be exact) and Christmas seems to be heavy on everyone’s minds (and why not since we already celebrated Thanksgiving a little early). Soon the dorms will be clearing out, the ugly sweaters shall be dusted off, and temporary good-byes will be said as people travel home for break. Homesickness is definitely starting to hit hard as the holidays approach but I’m sure it will get better with time.

(Photo From Flickr)

This month’s Scottish Slang:

Bang On! = Go on! (As far as I can tell this is like telling someone to “go for it”)

P = often used as a shortened version of pence (the penny of the UK)

Bird = a girl

Hen = woman

Weegie = a person from or living in Glasgow

Dick = University of Edinburgh vet school student (b/c it was established by William Dick)

Pants = underwear

Trousers = pants (like jeans or khakis)

Fag = Cigarette

Nip = a shot of “spirits”

Spirits = any strong alcoholic drink such as rum, whiskey, vodka, etc.

Cronut = A croissant-donut pastry

Two Months In....

There are a few things that every traveller hears just prior to leaving for home:

The ones that make you want to get a T-shirt made:

And then there are the various other comments about what to do (as if I were going on an extended vacation and not going to get a DVM):

-“You should travel to X,Y, and Z places”

- “Don`t forget to try….”

- “They are known for this, that, and the other products, foods, etc.”

Now I know these comments are meant in the best way and that people are only trying to be helpful, but somehow no matter how many people you talk to, the books you read and the websites you search through, nothing can actually prepare you for packing up your entire life, saying goodbye to everyone you know and moving to a new country.

Once you get all your passport and visa and travel paperwork done, the struggle is not over. The other little things that come with transcontinental travel begin to become apparent.

1)      You must close out your checking account and get the funds converted into a different currency (your bank may need some time to figure out they actually CAN do this).

2)      All electronics that must be plugged in will either need to be replaced or have a power adapter/converter (do not be fooled by other outlets…..).

3)      Finally try packing everything you own into a few small suitcases….

a.       Clothes

b.      Photos

c.       Room décor

d.      Paperwork

e.      Any electronics you cannot replace

f.        Etc. Etc. Etc.

So now that everything is packed and ready to go you fly around for the day, and with a few hours hop into the future (a 5 hour time difference) you touch down safely.

Settling in was relatively easy and the people here really are as friendly as they say! People always are willing to point you in the right direction when you are lost, show you the local sights, and laugh over the rainy/cloudy weather. Getting a bank set up can get confusing and the shear amount of paperwork during the first 2 weeks is probably enough to fill 3 binders, but things quickly settle into a rhythm (namely : Wake-up, go to class, drink, go to gym, drink, socialize, drink, sleep, repeat).

Needless to say, in a country known for its alcoholic drinks (and kilts) there are quite a few social events held as part of the program and a few cultural shocks for a first time traveller abroad.

1)      Alcoholic beverages are served at club meetings and during guest speakers.

2)      Teachers drink with the students and encourage drinking games at social events.

3)      KILTS!!!! So I thought this might have just been a stereotype but the guys around here seem to wear kilts to any kind of social event. (esp. true when attending ceilidh)

4)      Ceilidh= Scottish line dancing (I have yet to make it to one of these but apparently they get VERY wild)

5)      Holy Scottish accents! While some of these sound nearly British (and therefore completely understandable) there are a few that have such a thick accent that even other Scottish folk are unable to understand them (as stated by a local Scot).

6)      New words-

a.       Ceilidh (pronounced like Kay-lee) – see definition above

b.      Wee- small or little

c.       Baobhan sith- scary demon monster that preys on lone male travellers (much like a Scottish vampire)

d.      Glaikit- stupid

e.      Fankle (also known as a Flap)- flipping out, getting flustered

f.        Scunner- something annoying

g.       Dinnae- Don`t (Do not)

h.      Wellies (aka Wellington Boots)- rain boots

i.         Keen- eager or able to catch on to things quickly

j.        Chips- Fries

k.       Crisps- Potato Chips

l.         Flat- Apartment

* Needless to say I have heard a few more than this but these are some of the most popular ones.

On the whole, the first two months have been quite the experience. I`ve met people from all over the world (Sweden, Canada, Singapore, Ukraine, etc.) and made friends from everywhere. While most of the people I tend to hang out with are from N. America (due in large part because they are relatively the same age), I still get a little homesick for my friends in State College and all of the fun times I left behind. With a five hour time difference, it usually means that I will find myself up at 2am just to talk to friends back home. Eventually I will make it back to the States, but let`s just hope I don’t lose that “cute American accent” (which seems to amuse the locals to no end) before I go back.

Welcome to my blog. My name is Julia White. I have recently finished my undergraduate program and graduated with a degree in Animal Sciences (science option) and an a minor in Equine Science through the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State University.  After graduation I accepted a position at the University of Glasgow in Scotland in their Veterinary Medicine and Surgery program where I am currently in my first year of the 5 year course. Upon completion of the program I will be a licensed veterinarian through the Royal Academy and able to practice in North America, Europe, and Australia.

This blog was originally designed for a Technical Communication course, but now serves the function of an E-Portfolio with updates on my travels through Scotland for veterinary school. As such it provides a more comprehensive view of who I am, what I am involved in, and some of my more interesting activities in my time at  the University of Glasgow as well as Penn State.For more information about my background and experiences, see the About Me and Resume tabs. If you have any questions or would like to talk to me for any reason, my contact information is listed under the "Contact" tab at the top of the page.
 
Photo from Texas ACHA convention

Banner photo courtesy of Hundred Cat Foundation