Erasmus in Glasgow

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Introduction

Glasgow is one of largest cities in Scotland. Even though it is considered to be the economic centre of the country, it does not lose that special British touch that you are used to see in movies and pictures. It combines modernity and technology with tradition and the old, thus providing a unique experience to those who love those traditional small towns and landscape without having to sacrifice the pleasure of catching a good movie or visiting a good museum.

Among some of the most determining features of Glasgow we can find Cinema World (the tallest cinema building in the world), the University of Glasgow (one of the oldest in the world), Glasgow Cathedral, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery Museum, Kelvingrove Park, and many others. Whether you’re looking for a city where you can socialize and party (besides studying obviously... ) or where you can fill your free time visiting interesting places, Glasgow most certainly meets those criteria. However, as in anything, there are downsides to Glasgow, one of them being the well known bad tempered British weather. Generally cold and windy, Glasgow can turn a sunny morning into a stormy afternoon in a matter of hours (sometimes even minutes! ). Another downside is the “Ned” phenomenon, which consist in adolescents who engage in hooliganism and fighting amongst other things.

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Moving to and living in Scotland

Today I can say that living in Scotland was, without a doubt, one of the best times of my life and knowing what I know now, I would immensely regret not having taken on this amazing adventure. But let’s take it from the beginning. Before moving to Glasgow I had to attend all those little details that are essential prior to the exchange period, such as finding out which course units were available, a place to stay, arranging the trip itself, etc, etc. Keeping it short, all I can say is, it went much better in theory than in practice.. . Having to exchange airports in London (city I’d never been before, much less 2 of its airports), with only two hours and a half to do it (when just the trip between the two airports takes more or less one hour), I could not expect anything less than losing my flight connection. However, the thing that kind of pissed me off was the fact that I lost it by two minutes... Yes that’s right! The steward at the gate entrance had the nerve to wave me off because the gate had been closed just two minutes before. London...

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Once I arrived in Glasgow everything changed. People are much friendlier and warm than in London, which didn’t surprise me at all I might add. I stayed at the Caledonian university accommodation court and the first nice surprise, was to find out that it had private security. So at least I didn’t have to sleep outdoors in my first night in Glasgow. Phew! Considering it was snowing when I got there, it sure was very good news. The following days were filled with surprises. I met my flatmates (which by the way, were and are amazing), my course mates and my fellow Erasmus colleagues.

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Once settled in, the life of a student (especially that of an Erasmus student), is an awesome one. There are always people around to study with, play sports or just hang out. My life in Glasgow was divided between studying or doing course works, playing football, jogging, partying and socializing. The best part yet: meeting awesome people in the process. People from everywhere. From France, Poland, Slovenia, to Nigeria, India, USA, and many more other countries. It is really a unique opportunity to meet and witness in first hand, the differences that make our world an amazing place to live.

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Glasgow is usually a quiet city during the day. It is during the night that it really becomes alive. But that is a good thing as it gives you the opportunity to explore the city and its special places. And there are a lot of them. I tried to explore the city whenever I went jogging and ended up in Kelvingrove Park. Positioned right in front of Glasgow University is brilliant in spring or summer if you want a place to relax and read a good book. Also, Glasgow, and Scotland in general, has a good transport network, so its always nice to up on a bus and see where it takes you. However do not, and I repeat, do not use buses or stroll through Glasgow at night. You might end up getting mugged by neds, or worst...

Fascinating Scotland

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Ok, so far I’ve wrote about living and studying in Scotland, more specifically in Glasgow. But what about the rest of the country? Are there places worth visiting? The answer is simple: absolutely! Scotland has nothing but some of the most amazing landscapes in the world along with years of history that have been kept over the centuries through its monuments and castles. If you are interested in landscapes then my recommendation is to head for the south-west or the western islands. There I witnessed some of the most amazing views I ever seen so far. The fauna is very rich and varied, and you can expect to see elk or deer wandering the mountains, golden eagles, sea eagles, among many others. The winter can really turn the mountains into spectacular white snowy cones just as easy as the summer can turn them into greenish cradles bursting with life.

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If however, your taste goes to architecture, especially if it’s very medieval like, than you should head to Edinburgh. Full of medieval traces, there is plenty to visit in Edinburgh. From the Edinburgh Castle or the Outlook tower and the St. Giles Cathedral to Holyrood Park and the Botanic gardens, you will need much more than one day to explore this city. That is, of course, unless it starts to rain day during your visit and believe me, it’s not the most uncommon thing to happen in Scotland.

However, Edinburgh is not the only city worth visiting in Scotland and there’s plenty more to see. In time you'll find lots of interesting places by yourself. I also suggest heading to Stirling and Falkirk to visit the castle of Stirling, the Wallace monument (in Stirling) and the Falkirk Wheel. To finish, do not leave Scotland before visiting a traditional distillery and tasting the Scottish whiskey. It’ll keep you warm until you get home for sure.

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