Taking in a new world

I have had a dream of living abroad for most of my life and three years ago, decided to take the plunge to apply to graduate school in a foreign country. During my time in the USA, I had lived in all different regions of the country, but eventually I wanted to challenge myself by living in an entirely new place. I am an American artist and knew I wanted to work as an art therapist, applying my love of creativity with a helping profession. After doing research, I realized the UK had many Art Psychotherapy programs and that there was no fee to apply. Furthermore, I found Across the Pond services and linked up with a representative who helped me through the application process. I applied to five graduate schools and chose to study at Roehampton University because it was in an idyllic part of London and had a wide offering of creative play therapy programs. I was drawn to the ideas of the culture, food, art, music, and history in London. London ended up far exceeding my expectations!

I arrived in the UK sight unseen, never having been to Europe, overjoyed and excited to begin my course. My visa had been delayed and I had a flight rescheduled, but staff at Roehampton and Across the Pond helped me through the process. Knowing no one in a new country, I opted to live in the dorms.

My campus was gorgeous. I lived near a chicken coop and visited the ducks and wildlife on the university’s ponds. One time I even saw a swan! I learned all about how swans in England were protected property of the Queen and spent time strolling along small bridges looking at the rivers. Many of the graduate students in my accommodation were also visa holders, so they would make Spanish tortilla or other dishes from their home countries. I learned a lot about the world through food and conversation. It was also convenient that the library was around the corner for late night study sessions.

One thing I really loved about my course at Roehampton was my fellow cohort of students. My British friends taught me all the local slang and took me to a diner to try a proper full English breakfast. My program was filled with interesting people from a variety of backgrounds who brought their unique passion for creativity and caregiving to their studies. We made collaborative art in varied workshops and practiced a group therapy dynamic that lasted for weeks and led to interesting discoveries. I had to adjust to the grading system and realize it was on a very different scale than what I knew of in America. Additionally, a lot of the university work was very self-guided. A big lesson from the course was sitting with uncertainty, especially when the university changed the program requirements for future students. Our tutors were invested in student success and did a great job guiding my class throughout this process. Friday studio days were fun. A small group of students brought snacks and worked on independent projects or the solo painting project we worked on throughout the year. I had the opportunity to work on a placement at a secondary school, counselling teenagers and learning about the intricacies of the British education system. All the relationships I made during this time were invaluable.

There were so many unexpected things about British culture, history, and architecture that I found charming. I enjoyed the fresh food and grocery shopping at the co-ops. Some of my best friends were Irish and had me over to their home for a Sunday roast. I was able to take two train trips to Brighton, the LGBTQ+ capital of the UK. We went to pubs, clubs, and hung out on the rock covered beaches. In my spare time from uni, I traveled to different parts of Europe I had never been, including Germany, Italy, and France. I was impressed by how many UNESCO World Heritage sites I had learned about in primary school and then saw on my travels. I was able to visit the Louvre, Uffizi, and Jewish Museum and take in so much art and world history. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for a girl from cornfields of the Midwest.

Travel was a large part of my education alongside my studies. I loved attending Pride in Paris and London. I felt very safe in the UK, as gun violence was not an issue. I was impressed by laws being implemented to strive for equality and climate consciousness. Though life grew to be busy as a grad student, I felt very much at ease in Europe. My father was diagnosed with cancer toward the end of my first year of university. After a trip home, I chose to defer for another year. The university assisted me in this process. I will be returning this autumn and I can’t wait; it is a place I have fallen in love with. Across the Pond is helping me make sure I have all the important pieces in order. I am forever thankful for their assistance, as I was an older student returning to graduate school and I have had a remarkable experience. My dream is to finish my degree and practice art therapy in the UK, hopefully building a home in Europe for as long as possible. Ideally, I will be able to work with a variety of populations within the NHS and outside charities to give people the gift of using creativity therapeutically.  I feel fortunate to have taken this risk and for all the assistance in my journey of pursuing my goals and education.

- Nicole