Katie
England
As I boarded the plane to Alnwick, England, I felt an overwhelming sense of nervous energy mixed with exhilarating excitement. Little did I know, I was about to embark on the biggest adventure of my life thus far. I was unaware of the lessons I would learn, the friends I would make and the experiences I would take back with me to share with friends, family and even a few strangers! 
We flew into Edinburgh, Scotland and promptly boarded a coach bus for the hour and a half drive down to Alnwick. When we arrived in the small community and rounded the corner of Bailiffgate, I got my first glimpse of the castle, my home for the next four months. I knew at that point that all of my concerns about culture shock, homesickness and the transition into life abroad were going to be at ease. I felt that I had made the right decision, and throughout my program these feelings would be solidified.
The opportunities to experience British life and culture were endless during my time in Alnwick. One such opportunity arose for me through my homestay, which allowed me to volunteer with the communities’ government organizations, ultimately providing me with the chance to meet Sir Alan Beith, the Member of Parliament representing Alnwick. I worked with the Liberal Democrats organization to raise money for their upcoming campaign season. This allowed me the opportunity to meet influential members of the Alnwick community and a chance to learn how the government systems in Britain run. I also enjoyed British culture through football matches in the nearby city of Newcastle. I became a regular follower of the Newcastle United Football Club, enjoying the festive attitude of the self proclaimed “Toon Army.” My biggest and most positive experience with British life and culture came from the weekly field trips we took as a group. Every Friday, we would board the coach bus and head to different areas of England and Scotland. These trips included destinations such as Hadrian’s Wall, which is what remains of a Roman wall, the cities York and Durham, and even a boat trip out to Farne Island, where we were fortunate enough to see puffins, seals and a whale! We visited many castles and stately homes along the way and enjoyed the landscape of the country throughout. We also spent four days in London and a weekend in the beautiful Lake District of Northwestern England.
In addition to the field trips and traveling I did with the group, I also had the amazing opportunity to travel to other destinations around Europe and the UK on the designated study breaks. I spent a one week holiday in Ireland, another week in Cyprus and numerous weekends in Scotland. I was able to visit locations I’d only before dreamt about. While traveling and experiencing new cultures, I learned more about myself than I had ever expected. I became aware of my independent nature, my distaste for public transportation and my interest in learning any and every thing about new and exciting cultures.
Although Alnwick is a small community there is much to do in town. The landscape is endless, from the pastures, the Duke’s Park and the Alnwick Gardens (which is free to students!) and the entertainment is infinite. There were many days that, after we were finished with course work and classes, we would go to the Playhouse to see a movie or show, go shopping at the small stores and boutiques or visit one of the many pubs located within walking distance of the castle. This was a great way to meet people in the community and really get integrated into the British culture. 
The Alnwick program requires at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a 15 credit minimum course load. The course offerings differ with the program going over, but one constant is the fact that at least one course offered will be taught by a British faculty member. This gives students an opportunity to experience how British classrooms are set up and run, and offers a chance to compare and contrast British and American teaching styles. Because the program size is relatively small, class sizes are kept to a minimum, which allows students to get to know both the professors and other class mates extremely well. It was a wonderfully conducive learning environment and the students and factuality become like family.
As I boarded the plane back to Minneapolis, I was, again, bombarded with the excitement and nervous energy I’d felt only four months earlier. I was very excited to get to see my family and friends again, but not ready to leave a country I had fallen in love with. I was not ready to give up on the whimsy and magic of such a wonderful castle, town and country. While I often have moments of sadness in which I wish I was back, I know that the things I learned and the experiences I had will be with me forever, and have fueled my desire and passion to learn more about different cultures stateside and abroad. I took a leap of faith to go on this program, and it turned out wonderfully in the end.
If you are interested in this program, or any of the other programs offered by the St. Cloud State Center for International Studies, please contact the Education Abroad Office at educationabroad@stcloudstate.edu or stop into the office, located in Lawrence Hall G08. You can also read about other Peer Advisors experiences in many different countries such as South Africa, Germany, South Korea and Ghana. I encourage you to take a look at the different profiles and stop by the office to talk about where Education Abroad can take you!
