Just the Beginning...

I'd like to start off by giving a small background of myself, what this blog will be about, and lastly, what's been going on so far.

To begin with, my name is Dani and I'm going to be a Junior at Marietta College this coming fall.  I'm a double major in International Leadership Studies and Business Management, with a minor in Human Resource Management.  I stay pretty busy; I'm involved in Greek Life, play trumpet in the Jazz Band, serve as treasurer of Tau Pi Phi (the Business and Economics Honorary), acted as a Teaching Assistant in the McDonough Leadership Program, took part in the 2011-2012 EIR Program, and will be part of the 2012-2013 EIR Program as well.

Part of the requirement for my Leadership major is an international experience, which can mean studying abroad, taking an international internship, or performing a service project in another country.  This summer I will be studying at the University of Stirling in Scotland, and this experience is what this blog's topic will be.  This will be my second time out of the country; I got the chance to go to London last October for a conference and academic competition.  During my time at the University of Stirling I will be taking a class in Moral Philosophy and another dealing with Religion and Conflict.

Now to what's been happening so far.  Let me begin by saying this: study abroad is hard.  I'm not even there yet but the road to this point has been slightly difficult.  Don't get me wrong, it's not impossible.  Just rather stressful.  There's so much paperwork to finish, so many offices to camp outside of, emails that aren't responded to... At my home school's study abroad office, they set up appointments depending on what step you are at in the process.  I'm pretty sure I haven't gone in order once yet.  I think the form I was supposed to submit first was actually the last one I was able to complete.

But I should add that I stress.  A lot.  So as I'm writing this, I'm surrounded by a mess of visa papers, things to pack, and just other things that need to get done for one reason or another before I leave.  I leave in less than a week.  And I'm a little anxious.  So please, don't get discouraged about studying abroad by what I'm saying now.  If you study or have studied abroad, you'll know this feeling that I'm having right now.  I'll try to describe it by saying is a cocktail of excitement, nervousness, some anxiety, and just a dash of that "I-know-I'm-forgetting-something" feeling.  Just learn to breathe before you start and throughout the process.  Nothing will go exactly like you plan it will.  And that's okay.  Sometimes that leads to new discoveries.  There's always a will left somewhere underneath that huge pile of stress, so there's always a way.

-Dani