RUBEN Asencio is an International Strategic Marketing graduate from the University of Glasgow. We asked him what it was like studying in Scotland after having lived and studied in Spain...
STUDYING in Scotland can be a gratifying experience for anyone, despite the differences with your home country. Having lived and studied in Spain before, living in Glasgow and realising that I would not see the sun that often – and that I would experience lots of rain – was probably one of the biggest culture shocks. In spite of the weather, Scotland has a lot to offer to its students: from all kinds of cheap food, the friendliness of its citizens, and experiencing the Scottish culture all around. Before you decide to move to Scotland to study, however, there are some aspects that you might want to keep in mind:
The Scottish accent
When I first arrived in Glasgow, I thought I knew how to speak and understand English at least on an intermediate level. However, it took me quite some time to fully comprehend the Scottish accent. You should not let this discourage you though: personally, their accent is one of the most beautiful in the world, and they will always repeat what they said if you did not quite get it the first time. Besides, if you are going to attend any University, do not fear, as Scottish Universities are packed with international students and professors whose main language is not English, so you will be able to understand anything your classmates and teachers tell you.
Scottish people are very friendly
If there is one thing that anyone can say about Scottish people is that they are always willing to help, even more if you are an international and are not quite used to the city where you are studying. Scotland welcomes people from all over the world and their friendliness intensifies if you attend any university, where staff will always be there to attend your queries. But not only there: anywhere you go, you will find help – e.g. directions, opening a bank account - from them, with a smile on their face.
Scottish culture all over the place
If you think that when you come to Scotland you will see people in kilts playing bagpipes on the street, you are right! Have a walk around the city centre of Glasgow or Edinburgh and you will see it. Or even go out to a club and you will see someone in a kilt! Another Scottish cultural tradition is to dance ‘ceilidh’, i.e. a series of traditional dances whilst a band plays Gaelic folk music. Personally, attending a Ceilidh is one of the best experiences to have in Scotland – do not worry, if you are attending a university here, you will probably invited to more than one!
The weather
As I pointed out earlier on, the weather in Scotland is usually cold, rainy and windy, but that does not, and should not, discourage anyone to come and study here! You will get used to the weather conditions quickly, and, if you come from a sunny country like me, you will be amazed by how happy people are when there is actually sun and it is warm! When this happens, which is not too often, at least in Glasgow, the whole city conquers the parks and the outdoors to play ball, cook barbeques and chill.
Public transport
If you decide to study in Glasgow, you have to know that transport connections are good, but depending on the part of the city where you live. For example, Glasgow has a subway, but with only two lines and 15 stations, which does not seem like much for a city with more than a million people residing in it. However, bus lines throughout the city seem to be better organized, and you will be able to get a taxi quickly at almost any time (forget about this being a fast process on a Friday or a Saturday night!).
On the other hand, if you choose Edinburgh for your studies, you will find that there is no subway. However, Edinburgh is not as big as Glasgow and you will find it easy to move around the city either by walking, bus, taxi or tram.
Food and drink
The food is delicious wherever you decide to go in Scotland. There are all kinds of restaurants, for example Scottish, Chinese, Indian, Greek, and Spanish cuisine, and, of course, Italian: I have never seen so many Italian restaurants in a city like Glasgow. If you have dietary requirements you will find many other choices as well: for example, many restaurants offer gluten free food for gluten intolerant people, and there are also many vegetarian and vegan restaurants and pubs where you can go! This was definitely a culture shock for me, as it is something that does not happen in Spain as often as in here.
If you want to go for a pint or two, the possibilities are endless. In many pubs you will also find that there are themed nights (for example, pub quizzes where you can win prizes), and more importantly, live music almost every single day!
The nightlife
In Spain and in other countries it is normal to head out of home around 11 or 12 pm, with the possibility of clubs closing around 6 or 7 am. Forget about that in Scotland. Usually, your plan here will consist of heading to the pub (or to a flat party) at around 8pm, going to the club around 12, and staying there until 3am, when it closes. There are very few exceptions when a club will close at 4am. So be prepared to adapt to these time changes, and do not complain about it too much if it is weird for you, they will not like that!
The scenery
Scotland is one of the most beautiful places I have been to. You will be amazed by its many monuments and places to visit. If you have the chance, go to the Highlands and the Islands (Isle of Skye is particularly special), you will love it!
Has this article inspired you? Find out about studying in a Scottish University.
