For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to live in the UK.  It wasn’t until I found my love for history and science that I knew my way to live in the UK was going to be through education, and I am glad Bournemouth is the school I am studying in now.  I am 23 years old and come from Alexandria, Virginia, near Washington, DC. Upon graduating from Syracuse and moving back home, I took a year off to explore the field of archaeology by working in an archaeology lab in my hometown and also attending a field school in Ireland to make sure I enjoyed the field before I pursued it for my Master’s.

To be honest, I really don’t remember the application process all too much, so it must have been a positive experience.  I do remember though, that during the application process, whenever I had any questions, they were answered promptly and submitting my credentials was relatively easy.  Once I was accepted, I had many questions before I could accept the offer.  To say the least, I asked many more questions, and what was particular meaningful were the responses I received from the head of my department, which was why I ultimately decided to attend BU.

Compared to my college experience as an undergrad, college life here is very different.  One of the main differences is when the classes meet.  The time a class meet could changes on a weekly basis and sometimes it could change the day a class takes place. Something I rarely, if ever, saw before, but it does teach you how to plan everything in advance just in case something changes at the turn of a page. However, the activities planned during orientation were extremely helpful, and helped me meet some of my closest friends here.

Much to my surprise, the living arrangements worked out better than I thought they would.  Even though I didn’t get the room I wanted, I got used to it and am very pleased with the place I live.  I live in a postgraduate apartment building and have five roommates.  We are all from different countries and cook frequently, which means our flat is filled with many wonderful smells and we are able to learn about each other’s cultures.  The location is wonderful and just about a 15 minute walk from the campus. All the shops you need, besides clothes, are within a five-minute walk from the building.

One thing I find interesting about living in England, is the grocery shopping.  It isn’t that the food is very different, but it is that you need to go to the store, no matter which one you go to, every few days if you want to eat fresh and cook for yourself, which is what I do.  But if that doesn’t bother you, than you should have no problem!

The biggest challenge I faced in deciding about going to school in Bournemouth was getting here and what to bring.  BU did an excellent job in disseminating information and delivering many helpful webinars.  And since then, everything has fallen into place.

By Rebecca Reed