Sitting in a pub in Shipston-on-Stour, England, I thought to myself, this is what study abroad legend is made of. One accidental hotel booking had given my travel buddy and me an evening we would never forget.
We were staying in the White Bear, a hotel above the village pub we had been led to believe was in Stratford-upon-Avon. Upon arrival, we realized the truth had been stretched a bit. We were a twenty-minute ride away.
Saturday night, after a long day of Shakespearian sightseeing, we walked down the stairs from our room to the pub which was full to the brim with locals and a Great Dane eating chips out of the bartender’s hand. His Yorkshire terrier friend was more refined, opting for sips from his owner’s beer.
We’re not in Kansas anymore.
The pub was packed, so we shared a table with an older couple from Coventry, England, who were more than happy to fill our evening with friendly banter. Ten minutes into our pub adventure we were fully immersed in a way we never could have been in a big city. Everyone wanted to know why we had come to Shipston. It may have been a mistake at first, but it won’t be an accident when we visit next time.
As I write this, I am finishing up my semester at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, an experience that has afforded me many such opportunities to travel, get lost, and find a new experience, if only I am open to it.
Like my friend and I, many U.S. students are choosing to study abroad, more than ever before. The 2006 Open Doors report, put out by the Institute of International Education, said 205,983 Americans are finishing part of their degrees abroad, a 144 percent increase during the past decade.
While traditional countries, such as the United Kingdom and Italy, continue to be top destinations, China, India, and South American countries are growing in popularity. China alone saw an increase from 4,737 in 2004 to 6,389 the following year.
