Meet our Student Ambassador
This year's Student Ambassador for Study Abroad is Emily Swaddle.
"I am a fourth year Spanish and Italian student and I have just returned from my year abroad working in a book distributor in Florence, Italy. I've learnt so much in the past 15 months linguistically, personally and professionally, and I look forward to helping other students get the most out of their time abroad in any way I can.
"Moving abroad, be it for a semester or a whole year, can be a daunting prospect and I know all too well the nerves that come along with such an undertaking. Attending events organised by the Study Abroad team and the AHASoc in the months leading up to my departure gave me the opportunity to speak to students who had recently returned from their time abroad; having all my questions answered really helped me to feel more at ease.
"So, I took the leap and my feet didn't touch the ground for the next few months as I flew through my year abroad. Being immersed in an office environment helped me to pick up the language quickly as well as develop several invaluable skills. My colleagues did everything they could to help me settle in straight away and, through Erasmus groups, I met people my age who quickly became friends and made my time in Italy really special.
"To any student who has the opportunity to live abroad, I would say grab it with both hands and see how much you can get out of it. There's so much to learn and discover and the adventure of living in a new place and meeting new people never gets old."
If you would like further information or have any questions then please e-mail Emily.