I have to say that if you had told me a year ago that I would be going on an exchange to the other side of the planet for half a year, I would not have believed you. I have always been someone who likes familiarity, but I’ve also had a strong drive to travel since I was little, so this will be both a challenge and a dream come true for me. When I was considering an exchange, Cardiff stood out to me as an interesting university and a beautiful city to call home for a while, and as a huge history nerd, who wouldn’t want to study in the castle capital of the world? I’m (unfortunately) hopeless when it comes to learning languages so I knew that applying somewhere mainly English-speaking would be in my best interest. Regardless, I am hopeful to learn as much Cymraeg (Welsh) as I can while in Cardiff.

Though I say I’m nervous, I’ve also never been more excited in my life. The moment I started researching the possibility of doing an exchange, I began to realise … oh no, if I don’t take this opportunity, I don’t think I’ll forgive myself. And it only became clearer and clearer as time went on. I hope that going on an exchange will be an opportunity to learn more about different people, cultures and places. I also hope that this will be an opportunity to see the world a little since my study aspirations require several more years of postgrad. Studying abroad is a famously good way to challenge yourself and to make memories for a lifetime, so I’m buckling up for what I hope will be a wonderful, (albeit, slightly terrifying) experience.

So, welcome along. I hope you’re as excited as I am!