“So, how’s you’re experience been?”

Here we go again. I mean, it’s an honest enough question, but it’s so hard to answer. What if I walked up to you and said, “Hey! So in a relatively short answer, describe how your Gustavus experience been.” Tough, huh?

So what answer do I give? It’s been good? Bad? The bagpipes are cool? Homesickness is hard? I like castles? Studying abroad is so amazing?

The answer is all of the above.

To sum it up, studying abroad is worth it. That’s how I like to phrase it these days. It’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but also one of the most meaningful and jaw-dropping.

I found a restaurant that was originally built, run, and named after my MacNab ancestors. I’ve kayaked on a loch in the Scottish Highlands. I saw London. I’ve eaten fish and chips. I made a dream come true when I saw the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio. I’ve made friends from literally around the world. I visited the birthplace of golf. I had real homemade haggis. I went to a TEDx Talk. I’ve read Les Miserables. I experienced small town England life during my homestay. I’ve been consistently cultivating my spiritual life, and I’m only halfway done.

All that is so incredible, and I still can’t believe I did it.

That’s just the good stuff. Here’s the reality, it’s not always so great. Living in a city and attending a large university can be very lonely. Community does not come as naturally as at it does Gustauvs. Third and fourth year classes at the University of Edinburgh are really difficult. I’ve cried hard. More than once. This is the first time in my life I’ve had to buy all my food. To make that more difficult, I’m on a tight budget. I’m homesick a lot. I miss my mommy, my family, and all you Gusties. I miss Gus the Lion. I miss you. Yeah, you, the one reading this article in the Gustavian Weekly. You’re part of the amazing world that is Gustavus, and not only do I appreciate that you’re reading this, I wish I could sit down and talk with you about my experience, Gustie to Gustie, friend to friend.

The magical part about this experience is that every difficult moment is equally as breathtaking as every incredible moment. The tough parts have forced me to grow, while the good has shown me how amazing the world is, combining to make a beautifully written story.

Studying abroad is worth it.

I can say it all day, but I can’t explain everything in this short  article, and I wouldn’t want to. I guess you’ll just have to ask me when I return to GAC in May, “Nate, how was your experience?” I’ll smile, and tell you, “It was worth it.”