What opportunities did Strathclyde present that were different to studying at your home university?
I particularly enjoyed the extra-curricular activities offered by Strathclyde.
Did you have the opportunity to travel elsewhere on your exchange?
I travelled nearly the entirety of the UK, including the Shetland Islands and Scotland, extensively during my exchange. North Wales, Northern Ireland, as well as Chester/Liverpool/York!
What is your favourite memory of your exchange?
I just had a tough week at Strathclyde with many submissions and midterms, so when it was over, I looked at my google map pins for stuff to do over the weekend. I realised I haven't visited the Grampian Transport Museum which was a bucket list location I had to tick off as I grew up watching Top Gear, and this museum had an exhibit showcasing vehicles from the show. A casual browse turned into slight panic as I found out the museum was closing for the winter in 2 days. I then hurried to book a bus to Aberdeen plus accommodation in Alford (which was far too expensive for a student) and went on my way the next morning. I remember running around at the Union Square bus interchange, finding the last bus of the day that heads to Alford as it my FlixBus arrived in Aberdeen late (as usual) and the bus I was supposed to take into Alford was not at the stand listed so I thought I missed it and had to taxi to Alford which I could not afford. Luckily the bus came and all was well, and I got to visit the museum the next day.
'You chose a good day to come' said the lovely lady working the counter at the museum. I had to confirm that it was the last day the museum was open, and they did. I was hit with relief and pride as getting there without renting a car was tough, and I'm glad I went through with my impromptu plan. Seeing the vehicles from Top Gear in the flesh made me nostalgic, emotional and grateful all at once. What a decision it was to get out of my comfort zone and come on an exchange semester to such a beautiful country. I brought 'milo' packets and 'ya kun kaya', which are iconic Singaporean foods, to give to the staff working at the museum, and they seemed to be really appreciative too!
Wondering around the tiny town of Alford was also magical in some ways, and on a video call with my family they joked that they would love to retire in a place like this.
How has exchange impacted your life?
Learning to cook, interacting with people of different cultures, seeing how beautiful the earth can be with the hikes and scenery, it all impacted me greatly. Escaping the comfort of my home country to become more independent and 'see the world' was the best decision of my life.