It was an interest in Scottish history at the age of eight that inspired my desire to live abroad and experience as much of the world as I could in my formative years. In my senior year at Linfield University, a partnership was formed between Linfield University and University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. I was so excited for the opportunity to spend my final semester of university studying and living in Scotland and fulfilling the dreams of that eight year old girl.
Everything about living in Scotland excited me – the history, the people, the culture – except for one thing. I grew up in a small, rural town with a population of 75,000 and went to university in a town half that. As the biggest city in Scotland, Glasgow has a population of 1.3 million. I had no idea how to navigate a city that size. Not only was the sheer number of people overwhelming, I also had to make the adjustment from a rural lifestyle to an urban one.
I have been here for a little over a month now, and integrating into Glasgow culture ended up being a lot easier than I expected. I learned to guard my valuables, I easily picked up traffic patterns, and I learned to enjoy grabbing a quick cafe lunch of a toastie and tea during the short breaks between classes. Other adjustments I had to make included elevating my sense of fashion – in Glasgow in January cozy sweaters, knee length coats, and flared pants are very popular. I also had to invest in a sturdy pair of walking shoes as the city and the campus are composed of hills and stairs.
I don’t know if I will ever adjust to the large number of people I see on a daily basis. It still boggles my mind that so many people live in such a small area, but everyday I feel more comfortable in my new environment. I look forward to exploring more of the city I get to call home for the next several months!
~Isabella Dixon