Harlow diaries

By Morgan Chafe | April 9, 2015

Student Morgan Chafe is completing the winter 2015 semester at Memorial’s Harlow Campus in Harlow, England, and has provided regular updates on her experience. This is the last installment of Ms. Chafe’s column.

With just two weeks left to my semester abroad in Old Harlow, I am feeling bittersweet. As much as this semester has been the experience of a lifetime, there is no place like home. I will miss the short and cheap trips to beautiful destinations, but I am more than ready to head back to Newfoundland and Labrador and start my final work term, and so is my bank account!

I have learned so much about the culture and history of so many destinations, including London, Bath, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Berlin, Lisbon, Dublin, Paris, Kraków, and of course my temporary home, Old Harlow. Once my finals are complete I will be able to add three more destinations to the list: Venice, Rome and Athens. Each destination has left me with a feeling and a lesson. Walking down St. John’s Walk in Old Harlow after a weekend away definitely gives me a feeling of going home, and has taught me that there is nothing comparable to the comforts of a small town.

My educational experience, much like my travelling experience, is irreplaceable. My professor, Dr. Sudhir Saha, incorporated his work history and personal experiences into each lecture, making the lessons more valuable than just words in a textbook. He ensured we made the most of this opportunity by providing us with the most interesting guest lecturers and field trips possible.

This opportunity has helped me broaden my horizons, both personally and professionally. Gaining a first-hand insight of education and business abroad has forced me to look further than Newfoundland and Labrador, and Canada, for my future, and I believe it has done the same for my classmates. Possibly the most valuable lesson the Harlow semester provides is a new perspective.

As great as the past four months has been, and as much as I am eager to see the rest of the world, I am more than happy to head back to St. John’s and spend some time in the comfort of my own home. The support of family and friends is irreplaceable, and being distanced from it for so long has been my biggest struggle, aside from budgeting!

However, I will miss this opportunity that I was so lucky to receive and sharing my experiences abroad with fellow students, faculty and staff has been so rewarding.

 Morgan Chafe is a fourth-year commerce student at Memorial. She can be reached at mec850@mun.ca.


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