Smyrna native spending semester immersed in different culture
MURFREESBORO — Even
though her hometown of Smyrna, Tennessee, represents a personal slice of
heaven, MTSU sophomore Hannah Morris knows the breath-taking landscapes she’s
witnessed in Glasgow, Scotland, this semester aren’t something she could find
in the Midstate.
“It is the most beautiful place I have ever been,” states
Morris, who is studying this semester at Glasgow Caledonian
University as part of the university’s education abroad program. The
College of Mass Communication student is majoring in visual communications at
MTSU.
Morris said she has enjoyed walking around the city of
Glasgow and the surrounding countryside to gain ideas and inspiration for designs
that she can use toward her major.
“I've never seen landscapes like I have here, and I don't
think I would have found that kind of unique inspiration anywhere else in
the United States,” she said via email. “It has been absolutely life-changing
to live in another country.”
Morris has traveled all over Scotland since her visit began
in January. And though it has rained a lot during that time, the gray skies
haven’t overshadowed the thrill of visiting sites such as Edinburgh Castle, St.
Andrew’s in the Kingdom of Fife and Galloway Forest Park.
“My experience in Scotland has been absolutely incredible.
I've always had a fascination with the United Kingdom, so when I found out that
MTSU had a program that would allow me to study here for a semester,
I jumped at the opportunity,” she said.
MTSU offers more than 500 education-abroad program options
in 65 countries. Scholarships and financial are available.
“Our education abroad participants will not only have a
unique academic experience but will also gain confidence, improve foreign
language abilities, and be able to demonstrate intercultural communication
skills within their future personal, academic and career choices,” said Tiffany
Bickers, director of the Office of Education Abroad.
The minimum grade-point average for participation on an
approved MTSU education-abroad program is a 2.5 GPA overall combined for the
semester/academic year or 2.0 overall combined for the summer or other short
term.
“Overall, this experience has challenged me, pushed me
out of my comfort zone, and made me more independent,” Morris said. “It has
been great fun seeing another part of the world, as well as learning
to adapt to the different culture, and how the people live.”
Among other cultural nuances, Morris had to get used to
walking on the left side of the sidewalk, saying “cheers” instead of “thank
you” and “goodbye,” and learning to live without comforts from home, such as ranch
dressing and peanut butter.
Yet overall, Morris said studying abroad has given her a
great sense of exploration and curiosity as well.
“I never thought I'd see this part of the world, but after I
had the opportunity to study abroad, I now know that these things are possible,
and that there is a great big world out there full of fascinating people and
things to be explored,” she stated. “I'm very thankful to have been able to come
to Scotland for a semester.”
Morris has been taking a feature writing course at Glasgow
Caledonian, meaning she’s had to learn and adapt to the writing standards in
the U.K. For example, writing words like ‘favorite color’ as ‘favourite
colour.’
Although visual communications is not an available major at
Glasgow Caledonian, Morris said the other courses she’s taking supplement her
minors of film and entrepreneurship.
Overall, Morris said her studies in Scotland have given
her a new perspective on how the U.K. perceives, records and reports
the news, “and I will bring that home with me and hopefully be able to provide
a unique twist on future assignments at MTSU.”
She encourages any student interested in studying abroad “to
go for it.”
“Go, see and do as much as you can while you're abroad,” she
said. “You never know when you'll get an opportunity like this again. I'd also
advise the student to do as much research as they can about the country they
are looking into study in, and take into account how the culture may affect
your learning.”
For example, learning to use the metric system for science/math
majors, or for mass communication majors like her, learning to write
properly in U.K standards.
“It can become very challenging at times, but it's worth
it,” she said.
For more information about the MTSU education abroad
program, contact Bickers in the Office of Education Abroad at 615-898-5179 or educationabroad@mtsu.edu,
or visit www.mtsu.edu/~mtabroad.
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