By Miranda Lindmark, Spring 2017
Three
weeks ago I left my home in Kansas to move into a castle and travel the world
for four months (I’m sorry, what? Is this real life?) On January 4th,
150 students from all over the world arrived in Grantham, England ready for the
adventure of a lifetime. Wide-eyed, tired, and fuelled with wonder and
adrenaline, most of us were about to experience something unlike anything we
have ever done before.
As
the days have passed, the newest class of Harlaxton students is beginning to
settle and form a regular routine. Students are getting involved, meeting new
friends, preparing for British Studies quizzes, and planning trips all over the
world. As I talk to friends & family back home, I continue to be asked
questions like, “How is studying abroad?”, “How does it feel?”, “Do you miss
home?”, “Are things really different there?”, and more.
Just
last week, our Student Development Office asked us all a question. “What has
been surprising about your transition?” Throughout the week, students stopped
by the question board posted outside of their office to anonymously post their
answers.
Here
are some of the answers that I read:
“How
fast I spent all my money.”
“Food
is so good here!”
“No ice.”
“I
feel like I’ve been here for so long!! It’s so amazing!”
“I
never thought I could be so happy in such a short amount of time.”
“The
past two weeks have gone by so slowly, and I love it!”
“My
room is freezing all of the time!”
“
I want my mom.”
“What’s
up with the heaters?”
“Hot
or cold water only.”
“It
feels like summer camp now.”
“The
sun doesn’t exist here.”
“I
am amazed at how beautiful this place is.”
You
can see some common themes here. The food is different, the weather is cold,
the Manor is beautiful, and being here for two weeks has felt like an
incredible eternity…
For
me, the biggest thing that has surprised me since arriving has been my mix of
emotions. As of now, almost three weeks in, it is hard for me to put many of my
feelings into words. I’m living in a gorgeous, Hogwarts-esque manor, in a
country thousands of miles from home, meeting incredible people, with countless
opportunities in front of me. It has been incredible, scary, exhilarating,
exhausting, and wonderful. The entire world is right at my fingertips, and it
still seems unreal. I have been thrown out of any sort of comfort zone I once
had, and I am loving every minute of it.
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