Sian Taylor – Public Sociology – Level 3
Venice, Italy
The trip with QMU to Venice was for me an unbelievable treat, especially as I was asked to go along as a ‘mentor’ being a 3rd year student rather than 1st or 2nd who all had to put applications in for the process. It was one on the most enjoyable experiences I have ever been on.
Before we set off on the trip I was rather unsure of what the trip would actually entail. Would it be entirely full of just sitting in a classroom in a foreign university? Was the content going to be strictly related to Venice? Would I be able to understand what was being discussed and would I be able to take the content away with me? But as it turned out the trip went above and beyond my expectations.
Our accommodation was lovely, we were in a beautiful part of Venice, with lots of lovely little places to explore around – especially food places! (which being a part chef excited me very much!) The free time we got to explore the city was also a wonderful plus, especially a very good trip to see Damian Hurst’s new exhibition. But what I think I took from the whole trip most of all was what I learned from our study. The lectures that we took part in were fascinating, it was a real treat to be learning about the sociological elements of a foreign culture whilst actually being in that culture. I think it made it more engaging and easier to understand and take in. As well as this the day we spent exploring the historical side of sociology and psychological treatment by visiting the island where there was the old treatment centre for mental health was a great bonus. I think being able to visit places like that in person really help one to understand what actually happens in these sorts of places. But the biggest treat of all I think was the fact that this trip was entirely made up of like minded people. The conversations we all had about what we were experiencing whilst there were what made the trip in my eyes such a worth while experience. The group chats, little seminars and casual debates about the lecture content and our shared casual experiences where of great benefit both educationally and personally.
I would defiantly recommend other students to put there names down and take part in future trips like this. The benefits that come from going to a foreign country and experiencing the culture there are precious, especially when given the chance to visit a foreign university and experience what it is like to be a student there. And as a well as all the study benefit’s and culture and so on, the whole trip was a lot of fun where you get to visit beautiful new places with people like yourself and have a laugh with it.
And also Venice is a gorgeous city when you explore outside the main tourist bits, and to be able to go there through Queen Margaret University was an opportunity I could never have hoped possible. Thank you! it is an experience I will never forget, especially all the delicious food we got to eat! Yummy scrummy!