Student Spotlight: Laila Barnes in Scotland

What’s one challenge you’ve already encountered? How are you navigating it so far?

“In Mississippi, we don’t really use public transportation. Here in Edinburgh, Scotland, public transport is the main transportation to any destination. Learning how to navigate it by making sure I catch the bus on time or catch the right bus was a struggle at first. I decided to take a day to ride three main buses just to see where they would take me, and so I could become very familiar with them. I am now a public transportation pro!”

What differences (or unexpected similarities) have you noticed between your culture and your host culture?

“I decided to go grocery shopping to save money, it was like a maze! Their eggs are on the shelf and not in the cold. They also don’t have certain produce such as cabbage, squash, and greens! I did see a lot of commonalities such as fast food restaurants and shopping centers. I’ve tried their McDonald’s, it honestly tastes better than the one back at home. They have many of the same fast food restaurants, but they serve different items such as baked potatoes at KFC. What I call “Tj-Maxx,” it is known as “Tk-Maxx” here. Every single song I’ve heard has also been American music like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift!”

Have you stepped outside of your comfort zone yet? What did that feel like?

“I feel as if being abroad was my first step to stepping outside of my comfort zone, but I am also a fairly quiet person. Here, I’ve felt very comfortable walking up to “strangers” trying to learn their culture or receive guidance on certain things to do. It feels nice being in a very friendly environment, learning about another culture while also teaching about mine!”