A new experience which has been incredible so far

I arrived on January 11 in Aberdeen, Scotland, my new home for the next 14 months. I didn't know anyone, I didn't know how public transportation worked, I didn't know anything about the gastronomy of the country, all I knew was that I was ready to start my new life as a student at Robert Gordon University.

Going back to school was something I thought about for a long time; wanting to improve my professional career, in addition to having the opportunity to live abroad, was what motivated me to look for schools and master's degrees. Once I saw what RGU offered I decided to apply, I was accepted and my adventure began; I left my puppy with my parents, in addition to quitting my job and leaving my home to come to Scotland to live a new experience which has been incredible so far.

I have gotten lost in the bus, I have struggled to understand the Scottish accent and I have tried food that I did not like, but I have also met people who have become family, in addition to adapting to new habits and receiving a very good education, very different from Mexico.
 

Student life

The school here is very flexible, we have classes 3 or 4 days a week, 3hrs a day because they give us the opportunity to find part-time jobs. I was ready to spend all day studying for very difficult exams, but I was surprised when I started the semester and realized how different it is from the education system in Mexico, RGU specializes in practical teaching, we have theoretical classes, but we also have conferences and in the summer they give us the opportunity to do internships in local companies to gain experience and create professional links.

I lived in one of the school dormitories together with 6 other flatmates: Jochem from the Netherlands, Deji, Philip and Victor from Nigeria, Toni from France and Mahnoor from Pakistan. I was very nervous at first, since being people from different parts of the world you never know what customs they will have and if it will be possible for everyone to fit in, but we all managed to get along very well and we became a small family.

The first day of classes was something that went through my mind a lot: "How many classmates will I have? What will the teachers be like? What will the classrooms be like?" So when the day came I was surprised to learn that we were around 25 students, most of them from Nigeria and East Asia, I'm the only Latina in the class! The teachers have always been very friendly and are always available to help and guide you.
 

Aberdeen

The city of Aberdeen is in the north of the country, it is a coastal city and it is known as "The Oil City" or "Granite City" because of all the oil that was in the city and because all its architecture is gray and with the rays of the sun it shines like granite. It has a cold climate, in summer the temperature reaches 20°C and the sun sets until 10pm (something that still amazes me), and in winter it snows and it gets dark at 3pm. It doesn't rain as often as I thought, but we can have the 4 seasons of the year in just 1 day, plus it's windy and mostly cloudy; there is a saying that goes “summer in Aberdeen lasts 2 weeks” and I have witnessed it to be true hahah, in June we had 2 weeks of sun and the rain came again. We do have sunny days, but they are not very common. Also, right now in August the summer clothing sales have already started and the stores already have winter clothing.

The city is a student city and it is very diverse, many immigrants have arrived and it has a very safe environment, it is very nice to be able to go in the bus at night without feeling threatened or worried. People are very friendly and they talk to you at bus stops (especially the elderly), they are interested in knowing about you and offer you advice on what to visit.

Another thing about Scotland is how easy it is to move between cities or towns, you just have to buy a train or bus ticket and spend the day sightseeing, that's how I’ve been able to visit Stonehaven, Banchory, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.

I'm living a big dream that I hope I don't wake up from soon. I walk a lot (your legs are one of the most used forms of transport here), I cook more, I enjoy nature and I have a part-time job doing digital marketing. All this has been possible thanks to the support I received from FIDERH and FUNED and Across the Pond that guided and helped me at all times.

I miss my family, friends and my little dog, but I know that it is a unique opportunity that I must make the most of it!

- Erika Leticia