Friday 28 August 2009

An intro to SUNY

The idea of being a globe trotter has always intrigued me. I like to travel, to experience different environments and cultures and I like to think that these happenings affect the person that you are in quite a profound way. This may be subjective, but my recent journey to another continent has promises of being a real life-learning experience, in more ways than one.

A three hour car journey, eight hour flight, a further one hour domestic flight, a ferry journey and a taxi ride (and a total of six hours waiting time) later, I arrived at my final destination; the city of Plattsburgh, up-state New York, USA.
Albeit a long and tiring day, I was both excited and nervous to finally be in the States. I was alone and about to register as an international student at Plattsburgh State University New York. My major: Journalism.

I arrived to the campus a week before school was due to start and the dorms, which at first left much to be desired compared to my single room in a six room flat back in the UK. However, I began to adjust to my new surroundings and come to terms with the fact that, come the weekend, I would share the next four months of my school life with someone else living in the same room as me. Upon the knowledge that some people have to share with two people brought seldom comfort to my state of culture adjustment. I chose my side of the room, unpacked, sat back and waited for the American Dream to begin.

I soon met other students who, like me had travelled alone, were nervous, excited, apprehensive and finding a way to adjust to the new temporary lifestyle.

The first stage of my globe-trotting ambition has been achieved, not without stress and difficulty I admit, but now that I am suited, booted and ready for my NY life to begin, I am adamant to enjoy the ride.