2 Years After Studying Abroad in 3 Countries

Fun fact: in college, I won the class superlative for “Mostly Likely to Talk About her Study Abroad Experience”! As someone who has LOVED her study abroad experiences in college, I am proud to be able to talk about and share the good in studying abroad. In fact, I did study abroad in three different countries while in college: Italy in June 2018, England in July 2018, and Belize in June 2019. If you know me in real life and especially on my college’s campus when I was a student there, then you know that my study abroad experiences have shaped me into the person that I am today. My moments studying abroad remind me of who I was before I left to go abroad and the woman that I have become and will become.

If you follow me on my social media, then you probably know that I LOVED my travel experiences over the few years prior to COVID-19. Indeed, I loved those experiences OH SO MUCH that I shared some of my many memories from my study abroad and even travel abroad and stateside experiences on my Instagram Stories on that day that I was there just years later. Yes, my study abroad and travel and even stateside travel experiences have been formative experiences for me, but they also ignited my personal passion and lifelong investment in travel.

I am one to believe that travel does not have to be a trip where you hop in your car or on a plane and spend 1+ hour in travel mode. You can, indeed, check out the nearby park in your neighborhood or the next town over to get a great experience, too. For example, my college town of Raleigh, North Carolina is a much different city than my current hometown of Washington, DC. Raleigh has a warm, Southern culture, meanwhile, Washington, DC has a big city and a hustle and bustle feel to it. In the case of both of these cities, if you drive 30 minutes out, then you will get a totally new, fresh, and different feel in the cultures, looks of the towns, and things to do. Both of those cities allow for day trips that can bring about personal learning and growth without spending a fortune to go far away. This same idea goes for your own hometown, too! Trust me, I will say this and I will say it again: EXPLORE WHERE YOU LIVE!!!!

Now, you may be wondering, what did I do when I studied abroad and where exactly in Italy, England, and Belize did I reside?! Well, in Italy, I studied abroad in the small Tuscan town of Sansepolcro – it is about an hour outside of Arezzo and 90 minutes outside of Florence. As cliche as it sounds, while in England, I studied abroad in London – the capital city of both England and the United Kingdom. And, in Belize, I studied abroad in San Ignacio the capital of the rainforest region in Belize known as Cayo. It is a smaller sized town in relative to many many cities and towns that I have visited in the past, yet it is a mighty hub in Cayo and Belize as a whole. I also visited Scotland, The Vatican, and France as well as various cities in Italy, England, and Belize. Each of these places are very contrasting amongst one another, which makes it a great fit for learning, growing, and engaging within another culture.

Besides engaging with other cultures, study abroad brought me a whole new perspective onto life. I was pushed beyond my limits in several ways, which I think was a blessing in disguise. The only way that you grow and expand your limits is to push yourself, and study abroad presented me with that opportunity. Similarly, I was presented with the opportunity to utilize my problem-solving skills on the spot, which, in fact, help me in my everyday life in my job as a data scientist and in everyday situations. Case in point, a few weeks before I left for Italy, I was visiting my friend in Philadelphia and ended up putting my credit card into a machine to get a train ticket that ended up being broken. The card got stuck and I ended up in a panic crying outside of the train station for a good 15 minutes. I figured out a solution, but it took some time. However, in the past few days, I can problem solve literally on the spot. And, I can thank study abroad for those experiences and that newfound gift that I have.

I also experienced a newfound sense of pride and independence since studying abroad. I used to be afraid to do things alone. I was uncomfortable with the idea of doing things by myself. A lot of other people are and maybe some of y’all are too. Don’t worry – we ALL have been there! But, study abroad pushed me to be able to be comfortable doing things on my own and navigate a brand-new place on my own. It has been super rewarding to be able to have that comfort and peace of mind knowing that I can do it all on my own. Personally, I probably would not have made the move to Washington, DC if it wasn’t for study abroad!

Overall, study abroad has been able to open my mind up to this extraordinary world that we all live in. My experiences studying abroad help me to this day in my day to day life and I am grateful for that.

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XOXO – Katie <3

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I Lived in London for a Month

Cheerio! As highly requested on my Instagram story survey a few weeks ago, many of y’all wanted to hear my experiences studying abroad. I have been lucky enough to study abroad in 3 different cities in 3 different countries: Sansepolcro, Italy (a small town in Tuscany), London, England, United Kingdom, and San Ignacio, Belize (a town in the rainforest region of Belize). Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing my experiences studying abroad in each country, along with some advice that is specific to each place. It is important to note that each of these study abroad programs were done through my school – Meredith College. Today, I will be sharing my study abroad experiences in London, England, United Kingdom.

When I was 12, I dreamed that I lived in an apartment right across the street from Big Ben. As cheesy as it sounds, even as a college student, I really wanted to live out my dream of living in London, even if it was temporary. Luckily for myself, that dream of mine came true in the summer of 2018 when I studied abroad for a month in London.

My Home: Heythrop College

While in London, my classmates, faculty, and I stayed at Heythrop College. Heythrop College is located in Kensington Square, right by the famous Kensington Palace where Prince William and Kate Middleton reside. When I was living there, there were several other programs with students from all across the world besides my Meredith classmates, faculty, and I. Although we did not really interact much with those outside of Meredith at Heythrop, it was still super cool to be in an environment with others from all across the globe. Since Heythrop hosts numerous programs, the rooms were essentially dorm style with a dining hall for breakfast and lunch where they served more traditional British cuisines. In England, dorm rooms consist of a private tiny single bedroom with a bathroom and shared shower. Living at Heythrop definitely allowed me to truly live out the British culture and way of life.

Heythrop College is located right by the High Street Kensington Tube station. The Tube is essentially the name for London’s underground subway system, which I took EVERYWHERE, in order to get around. Taking the Tube all across London truly showed me the city way of life, which I enjoyed. Besides enjoying the London way of life through taking the Tube, I gained a much greater sense of independence that I did not have before. I felt super free and able to go wherever I liked, through living at Heythrop College in a central location of London.

Courses I Took

One of the most important things about studying abroad is that you are there to STUDY. Meredith’s Office of International Programs staff member Liz ALWAYS emphasizes how study abroad is NOT a trip or vacation as you are there to study. Liz’s emphasis on study abroad as a time to study and learn and grow as an individual in a brand-new culture is extremely important to myself as well. Study abroad is a time for nothing other than self growth while having an educational experience in a brand-new country and culture. Personally, I find this very important to remember. While study abroad is exciting and may feel like a trip/vacation, it is anything BUT that.

The first of the two courses that I took while studying abroad in London was an Arts and Artifacts course that was specific to London as well as British life and culture. My professor Dr. Rodgers who has taught this course to Meredith students for years in London really prides on teaching about the diverse and lively life that the city has to offer. For example, as apart of this course we were all required to attend London’s Pride event over a weekend, which was an AMAZING and such a beautiful experience! Dr. Rodgers also had us visit several different sites in London, which made it such an incentive to truly explore the city as well as other parts of the United Kingdom. Besides exploring London, one of my favorite parts of this course was getting to learn from some Meredith alumni who actually moved to England after graduation. That experience of mine showed me the special connection that these alumni had to Meredith, Dr. Rodgers, and the study abroad program that I went on. Taking Arts & Artifacts London edition was most definitely an experience like no other, as it truly took me out of my shell!

Secondly, I took Shakespeare’s London with one of my favorite professors Dr. Walton. Dr. Walton has a passion for Shakespeare’s plays and performances, which is truly shown in all of his work and even simply having a conversation with him. While taking Shakespeare’s London, Dr. Walton had my classmates and I read and watch live productions of five different plays written by William Shakespeare: Hamlet, As You Like It, Romeo & Juliet, The Tempest, and Othello. Getting to watch Shakespeare’s performances was such an awesome experience. My classmates and I actually saw two plays at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, which is a re-built version of the original Globe theatre. At the same time, Dr. Walton showed us how several variations of one play can take place. Since Shakespeare’s play scripts have remained the same over the years, people have created their own versions of his iconic plays with casting, props, and costumes to make it original and such a neat contrast to watch. Taking Shakespeare’s London definitely allowed me to learn more about Dr. Walton’s passion for Shakespeare, which truly ignited my own love for the English play writer.

Life In London

My typical day in London consisted of classes in the morning, lunch, and then off to explore the city. Usually, the evening was filled with dinner and a show of some sorts (more on what I did and saw in the next sessions!!!). Everyday was different than the next, which I truly LOVED!! Since there is so much to see in London, I barely got any sleep while there. However, I did get to truly see a ton of London, so it worked out for the better 🙂

Sights I Saw

Big Ben, Parliament, and the London Eye OH MY! As apart of my Arts & Artifacts course and just solely being in London amongst several sites to see, I got to tour A BUNCH of the monumental places in the city. My friend Kaylee and I made a list and checked it twice for what we wanted to see and do before we even left. One of the places that we both REALLY wanted to see was Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace only opens to the public for a few weeks out of the year when Queen Elizabeth travels to Scotland for her summer retreat. Both of us could not pass up the opportunity to go, so we went! Along with Buckingham Palace, I also got to see several more sites in London both with my study abroad group and with friends and myself. I have all of them that I can remember listed below!

  • Kensington Palace (including the Princess Diana fashion exhibit!)
  • Buckingham Palace
  • Parliament
  • Westminster Abbey
  • St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • Shakespeare’s Globe
  • Harrod’s
  • Fortnum & Mason tea shop (the tea endorsed by Queen Elizabeth herself!)
  • The British Museum
  • The National Gallery of Art
  • Tower of London
  • Big Ben
  • The London Eye
  • Tower Bridge (what we refer to as London Bridge)
  • London Bridge
  • Chinatown
  • The Victoria & Albert Museum
  • ZSL London Zoo
  • Hyde Park
  • London Pride
  • Holland Park
  • Kensington Gardens

Shows I Saw

One of my favorite parts of studying abroad in London was getting to see shows all across the city. Unlike New York City’s Broadway, London’s performances are at a much more affordable rate for an entire family to enjoy and see together. One of my favorite memories was getting to see Mamma Mia! live and meet the cast afterwards. The same goes for practically every other show that I saw as well, which are listed below:

  • Dream Girls
  • Hamlet
  • The Merchant of Venice
  • Kinky Boots
  • The Lion King
  • Mousetrap
  • The Woman in Black
  • As You Like It (saw once at Shakespeare’s Globe and another at an outdoor theatre!)
  • Romeo & Juliet
  • A Monster Calls
  • Wicked
  • The Tempest
  • Othello
  • Mamma Mia!

Getting see each of these performances really ignited my passion for the performing arts even more than it was before. Moreover, knowing that I saw each of these shows in London truly makes me feel grateful knowing the current times with Covid-19 and how they have affected the theatre industry globally. My hope is to most definitely go back to London and see more performances someday 🙂

Excursions

Besides London, I was very lucky that I got to explore a few different places in England. These include: Brighton, Stratford Upon Avon, Bath, and Windsor. While most of them were done with my classmates and professors as a group, it was still super fun to get to explore and see new places in England. Each of these excursions taught me different things about British life and culture as well as allowed me to see England beyond the big city of London.

Brighton was the first of these excursions and the one that I did not take with all of my classmates and professors. I went with Dr. Walton, my friend Kaylee, and one of our other friends. Brighton is a notable coastal hub in England. While there, we toured the notable Royal Pavilion and got fish n’ chips at a seaside pub while also admiring the English coast along the British Channel and the gorgeous streets. Like Charleston, South Carolina, Brighton also has very colorful buildings that became an obsession of mine! At the same time, we joined Dr. Walton to see William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice at an outdoor play area. Going to Brighton was definitely a really great experience, as I got to bond with some of my friends while studying abroad as well as Dr. Walton.

Stratford Upon Avon is the home of William Shakespeare’s Birthplace. Coincidentally, we all toured Shakespeare’s Birthplace and family home. The streets there are super adorable and filled with shops with so much merchandise *it was dangerous on my wallet let me tell you* . In addition to exploring the downtown, my group and I also saw Romeo & Juliet at the Shakespeare playhouse in town, as apart of our Shakespeare’s London course. I definitely hope to go back and explore this sweet, adorable town much more in the future!

As implied in its name, Bath is known for its site of ancient Roman baths. With it being the most notable site in town, my classmates and I each toured the ancient Roman baths as apart of our Arts & Artifacts course. While there, I learned about fashion during the Roman Empire as well as Roman Empire life and culture. Along with exploring the ancient Roman baths, I also went to the Jane Austen House and Museum, as she lived in Bath for some time, where I got to dress up as if I was living in the 18th century when Austen was living and writing her books. Lastly, my study abroad group and I went to have tea with a former Meredith professor and her husband at their house in Bath. All in all, my experience in Bath was most definitely one for the books!

My favorite of all of the excursions most definitely had to be Windsor, England. Windsor is known for Windsor Castle, which is one of Queen Elizabeth’s residences. It is also where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married in May 2018. Growing up, I used to read my dad’s travel books, which included a book on Windsor Castle where he would go sometimes for business trips. Since then, I knew that I needed to visit Windsor, especially after Harry and Meghan got married there! After touring Windsor Castle and its several shops where I also did a lot of wallet damage, my friends and I went to the Prince Harry Pub and got some fish n’ chips. It was an amazing way to end an amazing day in Windsor!

Travel Breaks

Most Meredith College study abroad programs allow for independent travel breaks. On these independent travel breaks, students can travel to different cities and even countries (depending on the program) on their own. Personally, I saw independent travel breaks as a way for me to become more strong and independent as I navigate a brand-new place. While in London, I got to visit Edinburgh, Scotland and the Scottish Highlands on my first travel break and Paris, France and Giverny, France on my second travel break, which you can see my post on that experience of mine here! While I will not get into my travel breaks very much in this post (I feel that they are each better served in their own post as I have SO much to say about each), I will say that each of these experiences was extremely neat, fun, and rewarding!

Most Meredith College study abroad programs allow for independent travel breaks. On these independent travel breaks, students can travel to different cities and even countries (depending on the program) on their own. Personally, I saw independent travel breaks as a way for me to become more strong and independent as I navigate a brand-new place. While in London, I got to visit Edinburgh, Scotland and the Scottish Highlands on my first travel break and Paris, France and Giverny, France on my second travel break, which you can see my post on that experience of mine here! While I will not get into my travel breaks very much in this post (I feel that they are each better served in their own post as I have SO much to say about each), I will say that each of these experiences was extremely neat, fun, and rewarding!

Getting to study abroad in London was most definitely a dream come true! From my days of dreaming of living there as a little girl to getting to, I knew that I totally hit the jackpot! While I am extremely lucky that I was able to even go to England, I know that so many have not. That being said, I want to utilize my study abroad experiences in England and beyond to share with and empower others to go out and see the world while also learning about it. Wherever this world may take us, being able to learn about the various cultures and history that different places have to offer is extremely valuable. Not only does getting to travel somewhere brand-new help us to expand our minds, but it also helps us to grow into the strong and independent people that we are meant to be.

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Welcome!

Hello friend! My name is Katie, and I am SO glad you stopped by The Pink Chickadee. Creating this blog has been something that I have aspired to do for a while now, and I am SO happy to be able to showcase it with you. For someone who spends the majority of her days doing all-things STEM-related, it’s really nice to have an outlet where I can present my positively pink persona. If you’re someone who enjoys all things fashion, travel, cooking (especially recipes on the go), and of course pink, then The Pink Chickadee is your place to be! Now, let’s throw some confetti in the air as I share a bit about myself!

  • I am definitely a Yankee at heart! I was born in New Jersey and then moved to the Washington, DC suburbs of Northern Virginia where I have lived since. I also lived in Arkansas for three years as a kid; however, I barely remember anything about my time there. My family primarily lives in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania/New Jersey which always makes visiting family a fun time, as I typically get to visit old and current hometowns.
  • Currently, I am a Junior at an all-women’s college, Meredith College, in Raleigh, North Carolina where I am studying Mathematics with minors in Web Development and Statistics. I have loved attending Meredith, as it is basically its own massive sisterhood with its own sweet and unique traditions, such as Ring Dinner where we get our class rings and our annual Homecoming known as Cornhuskin’, and weekly t-shirt and sticker fundraisers/sales that makes my college experience all that more special.
  • I LOVE traveling! As of right now, I have traveled to 13 countries and 25 states and have studied abroad in Italy, England, and Belize. My bucket list is consistently growing, as there are SO many places both in and out of the United States that I would love to visit.
  • I start each of my mornings with a cup of tea; it’s the only way I can get out of bed in the morning’s! My favorite flavors of tea are definitely Chamomile and Blueberry. I also have a massive collection of mugs from places I’ve traveled to as well as mugs that reflect my college experiences and my pink personality. I try to use a different mug each day of the week!
  • I have a (major) obsession with the Yorkie dog breed! My family has a 14 year-old Yorkie named Butters that has become an important part of our family over the years. I love the breed SO MUCH that I hope to become a Yorkie Mama to my own little fur baby in the next few years!

Thank you SO much for stopping by! I am ecstatic to start this journey with y’all! I cannot wait to leave even more confetti in your trails very soon.

XOXO – Katie

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