Meet the Global Office Interns: Lucia
Image: Me at a čajovna in Prague – Don’t be fooled by the flash, the room was in complete pitch-black darkness!
Hey everyone! I’m super excited to be sharing this quick blog post with you today to introduce myself. My name is Lucia Cathers. I’m a fourth-year History student at St Andrews, and I spent last year on two study abroad placements! I’m excited to be working with our inbound and outbound students this upcoming year. Remember that Duncan and I are always happy to answer your questions; you can contact us at [email protected]
I’ll be writing a little more in-depth about my study abroad experiences in the coming weeks, but for now, here’s a little bit of background:
From September -> December, I found my home in Oslo, Norway. Norway – a place I hadn’t heard an awful lot about in the 20 years of my life before moving there – came to be a country so close to my heart. In fact, since my study abroad programme, I have been back to visit: speaking at a conference, working a Summer internship there, and going for a weekend to visit friends and enjoy being a tourist. My experience with Norway is really a testament to the fact that you never know the opportunities that could come through studying abroad. I have loved Norway each and every time I’ve visited but being there in the holiday season was indescribable. My Norwegian friends often referred to warm, wholesome experiences as “koselig”, meaning cosy. That’s certainly an accurate summary of how I felt when I lived there – particularly as I crunched through the heavy snow and perused Norwegian crafts at a Christmas market, bundled up in scarves and hats and coats, taking in the smell of gløgg and the twinkling fairy lights.
Picture 1 (Left): After completing a hike to Skaflå in the Geirangerfjord area – a once-in-a-lifetime experience and personal gratifying victory!
Picture 2 (Right): The ‘jul’ markets – Koselig, right?
Picture 3 (Below): I’m the one on the left (lol). Thankfully, it’s not real! Although I did manage to see a real one (from a safe distance!) when I was travelling around the country.
In the new year, the time came to switch out my scarves for sunnies; I moved to Prague from February -> June. Prague is a bustling, international city filled to the brim with interesting people and exciting opportunities. Coming from a small town in Northern Ireland and having lived in St Andrews for two years where one can recognise almost every face on the street, Prague was definitely different. I spent my time with people from across the globe, each attracted to the vibrant buzz of the city. In the friend group which I built, my friends and I covered a good scope of the world: France, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Colombia, and China, to name but a few. The city was absolutely steeped in history. I would walk through the throngs of tourists and sightseers, on cobbled streets surrounded by beautiful architecture, just to nip into Tesco or head to a lecture. I would cross the historic Charles Bridge almost daily, and every time was struck by its beauty. When it comes to things to do, places to go, or people to meet, Prague has always got you covered!
Picture 1 (Left): A trip to the National Museum – just one of the many, many, many things to do.
Picture 2 (Right): Some of the cute and colourful architecture!
Picture 3 (Below): You may recognise the famous astronomical clock in this photo. One of my History seminars was on this beautiful street every Monday morning.
In my internship with the Global Office this year, I hope to be a friendly face to both Inbound and Outbound students; I’ve been in your shoes, and so I understand the challenges of packing up your life and starting fresh in a brand-new place. If you ever fancy a chat, you know where to find me! I’m also keen to get started with social media responsibilities, event planning, and continuing to post on this Blog. Stay tuned!