Studying abroad in Scotland was amazing. I would suggest everyone considering studying abroad to do it. Many people don’t get the opportunity to experience a whole different culture and area. It was everything I hoped for. I was considering going back in a few years or maybe traveling to another country. Scotland was filled with amazing geology and tons of hiking and incredible views. I loved making memories with my geology friends who went on the trip, and it was a perfect yet sad time to say goodbye to Dr. Mies who retired this year from the University.
The trip started out in the city of Edinburgh which had a town to explore. The first day we all were there we started out the day walking down the middle of the city to Arthur’s Seat, which is an inactive volcano that sits in the middle of the city. The hike going up was long and exhausting but was worth every second. We ended off the night with dinner with everyone. Next day in Edinburgh we drove southeast to James Hutton’s most famous unconformity. Again, the hike down to the coast was also vertical but seeing the unconformity in person that close was every geologist’s dream. Glasgow was on the agenda next and seeing the difference between Glasgow and Edinburgh was crazy. Edinburgh is a small older city with tons of history and Glasgow is a bigger more modern city. Both major cities were super fun and very memorable.
In the next few days, we started to move up north going up the west side of Scotland to the Isle of Skye. The countryside was beautiful. The three sisters were by far the best view of the trip. Finally, we made it to the coast where we got to ride a one-hour ferry ride to the Isle of Skye. Kind of a crazy experience being on a smaller island of another island. Isle of Skye was incredible, loved the scenery and seeing Hutton’s first ever unconformity on the coast. Moving on into the week we traveled all the way up north to the town of Helmsdale to visit a geopark. It was very cold and rainy but rich with history and rocks. They had a whole monument showing the rocks in the area and how they are laid out strategically and their ages. After that we started to go south back to Edinburgh. We stopped at the city of Stirling to tour Stirling castle and visit an old battlefield of the Jacobite uprising. Finally, we made it to Edinburgh on our last day where we shared a going away dinner and said our goodbyes to the ones who graduated this year and Dr. Mies who retired this year.
This trip was more exciting than I expected. I’m so appreciative to the people of WorldStrides that made it possible and set up everything. It was the best way to cap off my college career and would love to go back.
Jared Stein (BS Geology) spent part of July 2023 participating in a faculty-led trip to Scotland with the Geology department. Jared had the following to say about studying abroad, “Do it, it will change your life.“
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