For three weeks from the 4th to the 25th of June, we had the luxury of living in America and studying on a beautiful campus located in a stunning beach town in North Carolina. Not only did I make friends for life, but I gained a unique taste of American culture and lifestyle. What inspired me the most was how laid back and happy everyone on campus was, from the students to the professors. Our classes in Environmental Science taught me to appreciate the natural environment around us even more, and the lectures about the local Waccamaw tribe were thought provoking and inspiring. Our trip to the tribe allowed me to gain insight into a unique way of living and we even became close with one of the tribal leaders, Ms Pam, who grew very fond of our group and gave us some amazing American candy upon our departure!  

On our first week, we were given the chance to get used to our surroundings and explore the town and campus. What shocked me the most was the size of the campus - at first, it was like a maze! We were wandering around trying to get from A to B. It was like a self-sufficient town of its own - the campus was equipped with a supermarket, fast food restaurants, pools, leisure centre, sports courts, coffee shops and dining halls! By the end of the trip it really felt like home. At first we mulled over whether or not to rent bikes, but soon realised that it was a necessity to get around. The campus was quite isolated in the sense that nothing was close, and if I was to stay there for a full semester or year abroad, a car would definitely be necessary - although I must say the fast and affordable Ubers were amazing and badly needed in Belfast! We met some great drivers who were able to tell us all about American culture and Wilmington itself.  

At first, when I was getting prepared to go to America, I was nervous about the safety of the country, what with the constant gun and crime problems. I assumed, based on the accounts of others and what I had seen in the news. However when I got there, I was surprised by the friendliness of the locals, the safety of the streets and the relaxed nature of our surroundings. While I understand that other parts of America may differ, our group was so lucky to experience such a wonderful part of the states. The cost of living was starkly different to home, however. Basic groceries were shockingly expensive, making us grateful to have access to Food Dollars granted to us by UNCW for use in their dining halls! 

The fourteen of us became friends for life on the trip and we even organised our own excursions in-between classes, taking the ferry to ‘Bald Head Island’, a beautiful tropical island which made us feel like we were in Miami! Haider and I also took a trip to Raleigh and met a very famous bodybuilder called Sam Sulek - then we all had brilliant times on our trips with the university. We also went to baseball games multiple times and even became known by the staff and players! I enjoyed everything, but the Sunset Farewell Boat Tour was definitely a highlight. We also organised nights out as a group and even met some locals who were amazed to hear that we were Irish!  

The programme definitely added value to my degree and career ambitions, in the sense that I was able to see the amount of opportunities there is for young people in the States, in comparison to back home. It was the experience of a lifetime and it taught me not only about local issues but also about America as a whole. Before the trip I would have dreaded the idea of living in the US full time, but by the time the trip was over I didn’t want to go home.