Greetings from across the pond!!

My name is Sarah Cook and I am studying abroad in London at St. Mary’s University this semester with one of my best friends, Danny Ginchereau!

Time has absolutely flown by — I can’t believe that we are a little more than half way done with the semester here. The entire study abroad experience thus far has been incredible. I am so glad that I seized the opportunity to go abroad before I graduate in the spring!

Here are some tips/suggestions/initial thoughts that I’ve come up with if you’re thinking about going abroad during your college career:

• Don’t be afraid to be a tourist!!! Go to as many tourist spots as you can and don’t be afraid to take pictures. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the less touristy spots and find the hidden gems that your city/country has to offer.
• Travel as much as you can! Plan ahead and rank the countries that you want to visit. Chances are you won’t be able to hit every country on your list (I certainly won’t) but by ranking your top countries/cities, you will have an easier time planning trips and making sure that your most anticipated travel locations become an actuality. Plan your top place first!
• If you’re studying abroad in England, try to find a flight that doesn’t have a layover in Ireland (trust me, you’ll save yourself from a headache going through customs).
• Try to find a close group of friends! As obvious as this sounds, this is super important! I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the group of friends I made. It’s essential to have people to travel with, go to dinner with, explore with, and just hang out with. It makes missing home a lot easier if you surround yourself with people who are in a similar situation as you.
• Classes here (at least at my university) are a lot easier with a significantly smaller work load than back at GCU. So if you think you won’t have time to explore and travel because of school work, trust me you will!
• Step outside of your comfort zone!! Going abroad is an opportunity to do things that you normally wouldn’t be able to do! Try the different traditional foods that your country has to offer. Embrace the new and different culture that you are immersed in!!

That’s it for now!! I’ll keep you all posted!!

Sarah 🙂