OEL in St. Andrews Dispatch: Eliza Denley

My fellow students and I studying abroad with the Office of Engaged Learning are settling into life here in St. Andrews, Scotland! We’ve enjoyed beautiful fall weather, coffee shop study sessions, and freezing cold swims in the North Sea. Many of us have joined clubs on campus and many of us have been “adopted” by St. Andrews students into groups called academic families. We are adjusting to the university’s schedule of lectures and tutorials, which gives students a lot of independence in their reading and work. I am in Dr. Beaudry and Dr. Benyousky’s ENGL 4360 Place and Displacement course, where I have been reading stories of displaced people and discussing the complicated ideas of home and belonging. Alongside Dr. Flavin’s International Human Rights course, my class has met with representatives of the university and connected with volunteering opportunities in St. Andrews. On Sunday nights, both classes meet together to share food, conversation, and lots of tea. So far, a highlight of the trip for many of us was visiting Edinburgh with Dr. Hogue and his family. We attended a rugby game, toured the Scottish parliament, and learned about famous women in Edinburgh’s history. Several students and I woke up early to climb Arthur’s Seat.