Joshua Isleta
POV: You’re an SPS International Student in Glasgow
Culture shocks. A global community. Crazy weather. The great outdoors. Research papers and dissertation topics. All were a part of my international student experience!
I was super excited to move to Scotland. Taking a postgraduate degree abroad in a subject I was passionate about was always something I dreamed of doing—and being able to do so in Glasgow was one of many answered prayers.
Still, with 11,000km between Glasgow and my home city of Manila, studying abroad came with as many challenges as it did joys. I share a few of these experiences in this blog and show a little about my adventure as an international student.
The Ups and Downs of Being an International Student
Of course, any conversation about studying abroad has to start with culture shocks. I encountered many! From small ones like having to stretch my hand out to make sure the bus stopped for me (I was a whole hour late for an event once because of this) to having Haggis-loaded fries and Greggs for the first time, I feel like culture shocks add value to the entire experience of studying in another country. One of my favourite shocks from moving is the huge sunlight and temperature shift. I love how the sun doesn’t set until 10:00PM (or even later) in the summer months, but I also found it interesting that people in Scotland see anything above 20° as a heatwave. In Manila, we can get temperatures as high as 45° C and still enjoy a boiling hot cup of coffee!
Of the many things I love about being an international student in Glasgow, two stand out. The first is the diverse community. Just during my first day at school alone, I met students from Taiwan, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Mexico. Potlucks and class discussions during the school year were always very vibrant because of this cultural mix—my classmates (and good friends) come from the USA, Ireland, Italy, China, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and even Iceland. It was great to meet new Scottish friends as well, who always pointed me in the right direction when it came to where to go during days off from studying.
This brings me to the second reason why I love living in Glasgow: during study breaks, I’m always less than an hour away from a good hike. Scotland offers a ton of scenic and challenging walks and, as a nature lover, I tried to make the most of this in between paper deadlines. My favourite walk so far has been to The Cobbler in January. It starts out as a circuit around Loch Long, then goes through a quiet forest trail. The path ends on the white-topped summit of Ben Arthur. I remember thinking it was my first time hiking through snow that went up to my knees.
Still, studying far away from home can come with its own difficulties. Family celebrations are a big thing in Philippine culture and, while I try my best to dial in when I can, it can be challenging to miss big and little milestones—especially from a different time zone. I also miss Filipino food, which was something I normally had during study breaks back home. When it gets tough, I make it a point to visit Jollibee, a family-owned Filipino fast-food chain, on Sauchiehall Street to get some reminders of Manila. It’s also been great to connect with the University community in Glasgow (and even meet some of the other Filipino students here) who have been so helpful in making the city feel like a second home.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being an international student. I could go on about Glaswegian football, fish and chips, the city's great concert scene, the beauty of the Highlands, and the warmth of the Scottish people. If I were to record every adventure and culture shock, I’d probably be writing until the seasons change again. That’s because every day has given me something new to learn and to love about studying abroad.
All of this is to say that the ups and downs of being an international student are exactly what makes the whole experience so exciting. This is perhaps the best thing about going to school in Glasgow: everything is an adventure, and the growth that comes with it is something I might not have gotten anywhere else.
Some Words of Advice for Future International Students
I would be enjoying my international student experience a lot less if I hadn’t heeded some of the advice given to me before I landed in Glasgow. Here's some of that advice:
1. Your ‘second home’ is what you make of it
Everybody has a different international student experience, and some feel more at home than others. The adjustment can be challenging and finding both things you enjoy and a community can take time. In everything, pray, take pictures, and live in the moment. It might not happen again!
2. Keep your mind open
Being an international student means stepping out of your comfort zone in every area. This makes keeping an open mind necessary for enjoying the experience, and it also gives you the opportunity to learn new things along the way. This brings me to the next point...
3. Try everything
Studying in Glasgow means consistently being faced with new experiences. My advice is to say no as little as possible when you have the choice to try something new. Whether or not you like it is something you can decide afterwards, but in my opinion, it’s better to think “why did I try [insert Scottish food here]” now than to regret it after arriving home later on.
4. Have some Sticky Toffee Pudding
Just trust me on this one.
