Scotland, eh?

Seven years and 5 months ago I found myself stepping onto South African soil to chase elephants in the name of science and adventure. The two and a half months I spent on the Pongola Game Reserve introduced me to the world of blogging as a tool for staying in touch with family and friends, and frequent posts reassured my parents that I hadn’t been trampled by one of the world’s largest mammals or mauled by hyenas.

So naturally, when I began making preparations for this slightly more challenging expedition, blogging about my Scottish experiences was a must. Although I am older and arguably wiser than my 20 year old self, this blog will yet again serve as a beacon of my well-being as I explore this incredible country and learn a few things along the way.

So why Glasgow?

Timing is everything. Living abroad is something that I have loosely considered on and off again throughout my adult life, and the thought of packing up a life on one continent and moving to another was always quite daunting (in reality… 130lbs of luggage daunting). Things needed to line up well to get from the fantasizing phase to the execution phase, especially when navigating a country's immigration system.

Key things that lined up for me included: 

1. Being unattached (significantly easier to move abroad with no ball and chain) 
2. I have an incredible job where academic advancement is encouraged 
3. Application deadlines were a month or so away when I seriously started considering my masters. I had to ACT or miss the opportunity. 
4. I had an insatiable hankering to try haggis again (first time kindergarten), and its dairy free! 

I chose to pursue a Master’s degree at the University of Glasgow because of the program curriculum and structure. I researched programs at numerous universities and applied for three in total, but when it boiled down to it, Glasgow was the right fit and as such, it motivated me that much more. The program (Master’s of Animal Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law) runs for three consecutive terms, meaning that in one year’s time I will be making preparations to haul my suitcases back across the Atlantic, and of course, any strays I may have collected during this year abroad.