Michelle Wu | Majors:
CSD and Dance
Semester in Scotland - Summer 2018

Choosing to study abroad in Scotland has consistently proven to be one of the best decisions I have made so far while at JMU. Not only did it help me fulfill general education requirements (13 credits in 2 months is a great deal!), I also got to eat delicious food, experience a different culture, further my sense of independence, and bond with fellow students & professors. I loved learning about health, sociology, geology, and Scottish literature, as well as learning a lot outside of the classrooms, such as how to budget my stipend, golf for the first time, navigate and travel around the city, and my personal favorite, the Ceilidh dance. Students should participate in the Scotland program because there’s nowhere else in the world that you can receive top-notch education at prestigious universities and also eat haggis, play golf in the “Home of Golf,” learn about the rich history of Scotland, go on geological excursions in the Highlands, and maybe even spot Nessie!

My big takeaway is that there is so much to explore outside the wonderful community of Harrisonburg, and that studying abroad can open you up to a completely different world you wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience. I have so many positively unforgettable memories from my time in Scotland that I made with the friends who I still keep in touch with back at school. I would definitely recommend the Scotland program to anyone thinking about it--I have truly learned so much about Scotland (and myself) and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my summer anywhere else!