Preparing for Interviews

“I see that you traveled to Ireland and Scotland when you were a student at Henderson State University. How does this experience make you a better candidate for this job/program?”

What I've learned is most important about studying abroad is the importance of flexibility. Whether it be cultural differences, schedule changes, or just annoying companions, the best thing a person can be is flexible. Roll with the punches and problem solve. If you find out you can't make it to a certain event, what will you do instead? The weather was supposed to be warm and sunny, now it is rainy and cold. What do you do? Acquiring this skill transfers into your everyday life, especially your career.

Planning ahead, time management, and being open minded are other skills that I've been able to cultivate while abroad. It is vital to research the place you are going to decide what to pack, what to do, and how to act. Like the saying goes, "Failure to plan is planning to fail." You should always know what you are getting into so that you have room for flexibility.

Time management is crucial, especially on a trip as packed as this one was. You need to allocate your time wisely. Having your time well managed is also a sign of respect.

Keeping your mind open is the only way to survive cultures abroad. They live differently than us and that is just fine. Don't be the arrogant American and refuse to embrace the local environment. The problem with most people is that they take everything too personally. It is not always about you. Step out of your comfort zone every once and while. You never know what you might learn about yourself!

Scotland vs America, who will win?

Luckily for me, English is a shared trait between Scotland and America. Given the different accents and slang terms, I still managed to understand what people were saying. I noticed that the Scottish dressed similarly with Americans and ate similar cuisine (considering all those burgers we had on the trip). They were also quite friendly and welcoming of visitors.

However, there were a few differences that really stuck out to me. Geographically speaking, Scotland is considerably a smaller landmass compared to the U.S. and they are not as ethnically diverse.

One main difference I noticed between Scotland and the U.S. (really any country other than the U.S.) is how common it is to travel abroad. As we've discussed in previous posts, many Americans do not find it a priority to travel to different countries. Most citizens in the UK have traveled at least once to a foreign country if not more.

Another contrast between cultures I noticed was regarding the importance of being close to family. I talked to a few locals while in Scotland and there seemed to be a pattern of family members living in not only different cities, but completely different countries. I found this odd coming from a culture that values being close to family, especially the nuclear family.

The Scottish did not seem very religious which felt weird being a habitant of the Bible Belt. Many of the churches were abandoned and sold to house businesses.