Bailey Wiltshire is a Trent University student majoring in Child and Youth studies at Trent Durham, in the Teacher Education Stream. She went on an exchange to Plymouth University in Plymouth, UK.
"My name is Bailey Wiltshire and I just recently returned home from my study abroad experience in Plymouth, UK. Despite being completely nervous to take a huge step, pack my bags, and move halfway around the world, I overcame my fears and took a leap of faith. I ended up having an incredible, irreplaceable experience that, had I stayed within my comfort zone, I would have missed out on entirely. My initial intentions for studying abroad were solely for academic aesthetic. I figured that the experience would look good on my resume and make me a more eligible candidate when it came time to get a job or apply to teachers' college. While studying abroad comes with these academic benefits, I ended up gaining so much more from this experience than simply just a bullet point on my CV.
By nature, I am a homebody. I had never considered ever working or living abroad, and I planned on staying as close to home as possible. Going abroad allowed me to put the skill of open mindedness into practice and I now have goals to travel the world and teach English as a second language in different countries. I gained so much cultural knowledge, and I was able to travel to seven different countries, as well as several different cities around those countries. I tried some of the best food of my life in Italy and met some of the nicest people in the United Kingdom. It felt like a surreal experience being able to live abroad and explore so many different cultures.
I was also able to meet lifelong friends who I adore. From the beginning, the friends that I made were my support system, and I have since been back to visit them. I was able to work under some incredible professors who treated me with so much kindness, and welcomed me into the university, and community, so openly. I had the opportunity to volunteer with an organization called Special Olympics where I worked alongside individuals with disabilities in facilitating sporting activities. Overall, these people who made up my “home away from home” were the highlight of my experience.
The course load abroad was definitely much lighter, however, my final assessments were 100% of my grade, so it is so important to attend the classes and take notes in order to prepare for this cumulative examination. That being said, only being enrolled in three classes does feel like a well-deserved break from our five-class course load and copious amounts of assignments here in Canada!
I was still able to achieve my academic goals of broadening my perspectives on my future career, but truly it offered me more than I could have imagined. I learned so much about myself and gained so much confidence and independence. Trent was so supportive in my journey abroad, through connecting me with other international students, to checking in while I was away, these little things really made such a difference. I encourage anyone who is pondering the idea of going abroad to take that leap of faith, otherwise you are robbing yourself of an experience, and likely the best one you have had yet."
You can also participate in an academic exchange abroad! For more information, take a look at the destinations offered by Trent Study Abroad on our website, or contact our Study Abroad Advisor Kate Logan.