IPS - Study Abroad Programs
Saluki Stories
Experience in Wales
Semester in Wales
March 2004
Tommy E. Richardson Jr.
I never imagined how much an acceptance letter to the University of Wales , Swansea would impact my life. The accomplished feeling of being accepted to another program during my college career was exciting, but I under estimated the excitement to come from capturing the wealth of experience I would receive during my Southern Illinois University Study Abroad program experience in Great Britain.
The transition from the U.S. to the country of Wales was smooth but hectic. I was given a date and a time gap to arrive in Wales and the fun started when I boarded the air plane and had to find my way to The University of Wales, Swansea . I left from the U.S. to London , England which is an 8 hour flight from Chicago . From London I had to travel to the city of Swansea in southern Wales which would normally take about 5 hours by bus but took over 7 hours because of mechanical trouble. The travel may sound mild, but my adrenalin was rising. I was moving through countries! This was my first time outside of the U.S.
The scenery of Wales was beautiful. I finally reached the city of Swansea and made it by cab to the University. The whole trip from the States to Wales was already long, but on top of that adjusting to the Queens English and slang was the real challenge. Even when I would ask where the "restroom" was nobody knew what I was talking about. Everything was so different from ordering a sandwich to the way business was conducted. I am a city boy from Chicago where life is fast, so adjusting to living in the slower small town life in southern Wales was a process. The smallest thing you would think that would be similar in the States, was "backward" to me, and in addition everything shut down by early evening. The good thing was The University of Wales, Swansea is located in a gorgeous small town in southern Wales right off of the Swansea Bay and I was joined by approximately 80 other Americans over the first 24 hours of my arrival. It was fun as Americans we shared and learned together in coping with the new culture and the British/Welsh method of doing things.
I dove head first into the new culture and lifestyle. I made many acquaintances and people loved me because I was from Chicago . Within the first couple of weeks I had all of my classes in place and I was fortunate to land an internship in the University Media Dept. with the University radio station, and I was even offered a position on the University basketball team. Even though in Wales basketball isn't as big as rugby or soccer, different pubs and night clubs played our games on T.V. and in my social life I was a star. I was known as the American boy from Chicago . At times I would have groups of people just wanting to hang around me to experience the way I walked and talked and share my way of life. I also participated in the Multicultural Society, and the University's Student Union International office. Sometimes they would even put me on the spot and have me host different shows. It felt good to have everything going well.
During my semester in Wales I was able to travel to 7 other countries including France , Germany , Switzerland , Italy , Holland , Ireland , and England . Everything was happening so fast and to my disappointment it was nearing the time to pack up and make that journey back to the States. The journey seemed even longer than coming because of the many memories I made in a short amount of time. I met a lot of people from many countries and made friends that I will stay in contact with for a long time. I appreciate the opportunity to experience another part of the world and see the essence of life brought together for me by being apart of another culture, and seeing the influence of sharing and integrating my culture with other people from Great Britain and other parts of the world.