Specifically, Cheltenham. For those of you who have no sense of geography, like me, here is a lovely map for you.
As you can see, Cheltenham is located in the southwest U.K. According to Wikipedia (always my favorite source, despite what the haters say):
Cheltenham/ˈtʃɛltnəm/, also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, England, located on the edge of the Cotswolds. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held every March. The town hosts several festivals of culture often featuring nationally and internationally famous contributors and attendees, including Greenbelt, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival and Cheltenham Music Festival.[1]
This is an image of what the town looks like up close:
Now, for the personal details. I am going to be spending the following 7 months here. From September 2013 until April 2014. This will be made possible through a study abroad program called BCA out of my native college of Elizabethtown. I will live in a flat and study at the University of Gloucestershire over my time there, as well as meet people, see the sites, and travel often.
Many of my peers have chosen to stay only for the semester, which is understandable, as it is the common course of action. Unlike my peers however, I have chosen to study for most of the academic term. My reasoning for this stems from many things. Firstly, It is safe to say I am sick of my hometown area. No offense to the people or anything in particular, but I am ready to get out. That is my main reason for studying abroad. I’m a wanderer. Secondly, I have visited England before, albeit briefly, but that experience has made me want to go back since. From the stories I’ve heard and my experience there, I am positive I am going to want to stay. Thirdly, my sister has lived in London for years, and fortunately I am going to have her as an outlet. And finally, from what I understand reverse culture shock is a biznitch and a half. I know for sure that I don’t want to come back to the states mid transition and head right back to an American school. I spent my first two entire collegiate years in the same school, without break, as I worked there over the Summer. While I love Etown to death, I am perfectly happy waving the white flag and giving it a go somewhere else for a year.
I am particularly excited about where I’ll be staying because it provides me with an ideal location to live: rural, which is similar to what I’m used to, but also not far from nightlife. It is also a short and cheap (important thing to note here) ride away from major areas such as London, Sheffield, Birmingham, and even Paris, France. I’ve done a bit of research of the happenings in Cheltenham and I am excited to check out the clubs such as MooMoo Clubrooms, Voodoo, and Fever. And I will no longer have that pesky age limit hanging over my head like in the states, so even if I just want to enjoy a night with my friends without partaking in anything, I can still enter the place. Because I write for a blog and will be providing international coverage, I also forsee a good bit of time spent in London. I’ve already received press for an event at the Electric Brixton which has me stoked.
I’m not sure what to expect exactly. I am trying not to plan ahead too far, and just let it all wash over me. I am not scared to leave. I don’t anticipate being very homesick, except perhaps at Christmas time when I’ll be doing most of my travelling. I am confident that once I leave for this trip, many things in my life will be changing. I’ve already marked this past Summer as my last year living with my parents. I’m growing up, and doing so fast, and I am accepting that fact with open arms.
If you’d like to follow my travels I should be posting on my blog at the very least twice a month. In addition, my girlfriend (who is going with me) and I are hoping to create a video log under the working title “The Wanderlusters,” so keep an eye out for that.
Cheers.
Fuzzy Pickles: A Blog 