My name is Ruth, and I am currently a History undergraduate studying at the University of North Carolina. I enjoy the creatives arts such as drawing, painting, and writing poetry. During my time at Warwick, I was involved in different societies, and I was an executive member of the ‘Black Women’s Project’ society.

 

Why did you want to study abroad?

I have always loved travelling and being exposed to new cultures. This is a fantastic opportunity and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I knew this time abroad would be valuable for my personal, educational, and career development. This experience would enable me to network and form connections. Moreover, I knew this opportunity would develop my cross-cultural competency, interpersonal and adaptivity skills, and my independence. Travelling by myself meant I would be pushing myself and gaining more individual responsibility, which in turn will help my personal development.

In addition, I wanted to study in the United States because of my passion for American History. The Study Abroad programme is giving me a first-hand experience of the history of the country and I plan to write my dissertation on the modules I am taking here.

 

What’s been your favourite experience so far?

My favourite experience so far has to be Labour Day. To celebrate my American friends took me on a boat trip on Lake Norman. Also, I really enjoyed going to my first ever American football game and my first NBA game, and seeing my teams win!

 

How did Warwick Scholars help you to achieve this ambition?

Warwick Scholars has tremendously helped me to fund this once-in-a-lifetime experience. If it was not for this scholarship, I would not have been able to afford to travel to America. The programme has lifted the financial burden of studying abroad and really allowed me to have the full experience of an exchange student, whilst still being able to concentrate on my studies.

 

What’s been the biggest culture shock?

The biggest culture shock about living in America has been the unending food options and choices. In terms of supermarkets and restaurants, there are so many different selections. At first, this was very overwhelming, but it is now an aspect I am going to miss about America when I get back to the UK.

Moreover, the vast distances between places in the United States were a huge shock to me. The distance between different states is larger than the distance between some counties in Europe!