Having participated in this study abroad program, my view on the United Kingdom has changed significantly. Prior to arriving, I didn’t know what to expect and didn't know much about the colloquialisms, nor the culture. However, after just one week I learned a lot about the way that people live and interact in both Scotland and London–especially how different the two lifestyles are from one another. Experiencing the architecture and talking to locals opened my eyes to how different the rest of the world is from the United States and caused me to constantly reflect on my life in the U.S. 

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The serenity of Edinburgh, Scotland greatly juxtaposed the bustling nature of London, England. As I walked down the sloped streets of Edinburgh, I couldn't help but feel that I was in a Disney movie. Every shop was quaint, every person greeted me with a smile, and every brick seemed the perfect amount of crooked. I dashed from the Holyrood House to the Scott monument to Camera Obscura to Edinburgh Castle, without a sweat. Unlike the engulfing heat of Florida, Edinburgh averaged a crisp 60 degrees F, enriching my experience. That said, London averaged 74 degrees F (which is still cooler than Florida most months of the year!). Needless to say, most of my journeys across London required sunglasses. However, rather than walk everywhere I had to take the Underground to most of my destinations as the city is more expansive than that of Edinburgh. Still, I the soft breeze in my hair and rumbling of the underground became comforting sensations. London was a much more fast-paced culture than Edinburgh, but I loved both places in their own right. 

Not only did the environment and culture of Scotland and London take my breath away, but so too did the scientific advancements on display. As a Biology major, I was in awe of the Watson and Crick model of DNA at the National Science Museum in London. Having only ever learned about the model from textbooks and seeing the model in pictures, being separated from the original model by only a pane of glass was absolutely breathtaking. I didn't realize that Watson and Crick had used random clamps and rods, nor that they had labeled the different nitrogenous bases. The model emphasized to me that scientific discovery doesn’t require perfection and that creativity occupies a role in such discoveries. I thought that seeing the model myself was amazing. Seeing the model on display increased my appreciation for museums and my awareness of the importance of scientific discovery and its impact on the world. I’m more excited than ever to contribute to the expanding world of science and possibly have my discovery on display in a museum!

Similarly, witnessing Dolly in person in the National Science Museum of Scotland boggled my mind. It is one thing to read about the first cloned sheep from the pages of one’s textbook, but to see Dolly life sized in front of me emphasized the advancement of scientific technology and forced me to process the reality of cloning. Although she is stuffed, the fact that she couldn’t be distinguished from a naturally born sheep is absolutely amazing and excites me for the future.
As a geology minor, I was also intrigued by the dinosaur fossil exhibit in the Natural History Museum in London. Learning about the bone structure of the different dinosaurs and how the fossils could provide insight into very specific qualities of their lives fascinates me. Not only that but the level of preservation displayed and the descriptions provided alongside the specimens expanded my knowledge of the matter. I was likewise surprised to see that the exhibit also presented other systems such as the muscular and circulatory systems. I didn’t expect that studying the fossils could open up such an extensive amount of information on the organisms in question.

That said, the scientific exhibits I explored through this program reassured me of my interdisciplinary interests as I learned about applications of engineering in making scientific discoveries, as well as the ability of paleontology to shed light on biological facts.
All in all, I genuinely enjoyed spending time in both countries and am extremely glad to have been afforded the opportunity. By the end of the week, I was sad to leave and wished that I had more time to take it all in, but I savored every minute. 

I can’t express enough how meaningful this study abroad program was for me, but I can say that I learned a lot about scientific discoveries as well as about my own interests. I left the United Kingdom on an excellent note and am already looking forward to visiting again! I know that I will look back fondly on this trip and that it will be one of the highlights of my college career.