Student Bloggers

I have been in Aberdeen since January 2015, after the end of the semester I did a geology summer project with a professor and a Ph.D student at the University. Then I went back home to visit my family in Tanzania. I am now back in the Silver city (Aberdeen is called Silver city because the granite buildings reflect a silver luster when hit by sun rays during summer). I’m excited for my second and final semester in Aberdeen, I already have two weeks of classes down the basket. I’m glad I like my courses, professors, and fellow classmates.

When I got to Scotland, I first went to Edinburgh for orientation. I arrived at Edinburgh airport then took a bus to Waverley train station, and finally took a black cab to my hotel. I liked the cab ride and the space in the cab because I had a lot of luggage. It felt like I went back in time to the 80’s (the yellowish picture above the blog shows this), if it weren’t for the modern cars in the city. My first impression of Edinburgh was that it is a city with many contrasts, pretty much the whole of Scotland in general. The city is packed with tranquil spots in the meadows, medieval alleys and shops in Princess Street, castles, hills, and valleys.

After orientation at Edinburgh, I began my spring 2015 semester that turned out to be awesome and adventurous. I got to visit different places in Scotland and England. I went to Edinburgh multiple times, Bristol, Birmingham Inverness, Southport, Liverpool, Leicester, and made a road to the Scottish highlands that halted at Wick. Oh! Did I mention that I flew a drone during my summer research project, well, I flew one! We eventually made a 3D simulation of a quarry bed in Wick. Now that’s what I call an exciting summer!

Now I’m back in Aberdeen, my week schedule is all fixed. I make daily walks to campus through the blissful Seaton Park. It takes me around twenty minutes to walk to my classes from Hillhead (student dorms) where I usually leave half an hour before my lectures so that I can have a medium paced walk. I try to go to the gym every weekday with my ‘swolemates/ bros’ and put on weights that bend the gym bars as we try to get big (that’s bro talk right there). I have basketball every Thursday morning at 6:30 am, it’s worth it! Then I go to the university clubs I’ve joined when I have spare time. Then to downtown on weekend nights for sure!

So far, my studying abroad experience has been a great way to learn about other people's culture and I’m glad that I live in a multinational environment. The experience of living abroad has enabled me to view things in a different perspective. I believe that such experience is important in my academic, and professional growth. I am certain that the life skills that I am gaining while living abroad will enable me to be a global citizen. Thank you for reading my post, see you next time!