By Waitī Delaney

Chan eil thu tuilleach’s sean airson ionnsachadh fhathast
We are to learn as long as we live

Scottish proverb

I have had the absolute pleasure of spending the last few months attending the University of Stirling, nestled in Central Scotland and it has been an amazing journey.

I arrived in Stirling with my life on my back, having travelled for three months prior to my exchange. I was so excited to have a room of my own after a great many trains, boats and hostels had housed me. Stirling was the perfect place to land after my travels, cosy but packed full of fun and lovely people. I made some of my favourite memories in the societies that I joined. A new university seemed like the perfect place to step out of my comfort zone, so I joined the Musical Theatre and Acapella Societies. Both societies welcomed me with open arms and were so much fun. The biggest highlight with them being performing in our Winter Cabaret Show. Another highlight of my time in Stirling would have to be attending Ceilidh (traditional dances), there is truly nothing like the beautiful chaos of a Ceilidh. I have also made way more friendships than I could have ever expected, each one providing buckets of laughs and endless yarns.

Despite being overwhelmingly positive, the exchange hasn’t been without its challenges. It has definitely been a challenge to situate myself in this new context. I hadn’t realised just how much I have been influenced by growing up in Aotearoa, for example, the amount of kiwi slang I use (which has caused some confusion at times), the frequency I use Te Reo Māori while I speak English, and who I am when I’m in a context I don’t necessarily belong to. I would be concealing the truth if I didn’t admit that it took me a minute to wrap my head around some of the accents here, too. This period of travel has also encouraged me to get to know myself better, because even though I have made new friends here, moving across the world is just about the most independent thing you can do. I have also been studying entirely new subjects while I have been here, which have challenged my mind and sharpened skills I had either not used for a long time or that were completely new to me. It has also been a massive struggle being so far from the people that I love, but on the other hand, has made me realise just how privileged I am to have them in my life.

This experience has undeniably made me a better communicator. I feel far more comfortable to bridge the gap between myself and others and find connection. When I first got overseas I felt the pressure to change myself to fit the new space I was in, but as time has gone on, I have found out how to stay in touch with myself while connecting across cultures, age and lived experiences.

Going on exchange has also made me far more self-sufficient as I have not only had to navigate travel and new social circles independently, but have had to get acquainted with a whole new set of subjects, university systems and new everyday things from shops, bus routes, to slang. I am far less fearful of what will be thrown at me, because if I can make it through mega-city metros, attempted art scams, overnight trains and fourth-year sociology (without prior experience) then I think I can do just about anything.

I have gained countless skills within my papers while I’ve been here. Taking papers outside of my discipline has enriched my understanding of the world, opened my eyes to new potential academic pathways and taught me a lot about who I am as a learner and what I am capable of. I feel more attuned to seeing the bigger picture now and applying a global point of view.

Following my exchange, I will continue to follow experiences and opportunities no matter how scary they may seem at first, because I know that I have it within myself to make it through whatever comes my way. I also can’t imagine that this will be my last time overseas, as I have undoubtedly caught the travel bug. I am so happy I took the plunge to go on this exchange, I have truly been changed for the better. If you are thinking of going on exchange, if you can make it happen, please, please go for it – you won’t regret it.