Eviana Lopez- Blog Abroad
Blog #1
When I arrived in Stirling with my mother, I felt the comfort of having her beside me as we drove through herds of livestock and the grand rolling green hills of Scotland. She has always been my closest friend, my anchor, the person who knows how to make any place feel safe. And as we drove into the city, I found myself watching the streets and hills unfold with equal parts excitement and hesitation. I wanted to take it all in, but part of me was already bracing for the moment she would leave. The goodbye itself was tender, shaped more by feeling than words. We didn’t need long speeches or dramatic tears to know how much we love each other. It was there in the way she lingered, the way we held onto each other just a little longer than usual, the way silence seemed to say everything we were feeling. The distance in feet suddenly seemed like too much but it was truly about trusting that her love would stay with me even when she wasn’t physically here. Still, the ache was heavy. I imagine an elephant sitting at my chest and then that specific burning sensation behind your eyes before you cry. I had already missed her, even as she turned to leave. In those first moments alone, I felt a swell of vulnerability. The quiet after she was gone pressed in on me, and for a moment I wondered how I would build a sense of home without her near. But then as the quiet went on and I released the breath I didn't even know I was holding, I felt a sense of uneasy joy for what was ahead. And so I began to meet new people. Other students carrying their own goodbyes, their own hopes and nerves. We exchanged names, laughed awkwardly about jet lag, and compared notes about our first impressions of Stirling. Each conversation was almost like a small light, flickering against the uncertainty. In those first introductions, I realized I wasn’t navigating this alone. Everyone was carrying their own version of goodbye, their own doorway between comfort and courage. What surprised me was how quickly hello followed on the heels of farewell. One moment I was watching my mother leave, and the next I was beginning to imagine a life here in Stirling. That doesn’t erase the ache, but it reframes it. This goodbye isn’t a severing of our relationship but simply a handoff. My mother carried me to this place, and now it’s my turn to carry myself further. I am beginning to see that arrivals are less about destinations and more about transitions. They hold space for both grief and possibility, for the tension between missing what you had and leaning into what’s ahead. So far in Stirling, I am learning that growth comes not from erasing vulnerability, but from walking with it. It reminds me that I care deeply, that I am capable of change, and that every ending is quietly lined with beginnings. Hope everyone has a great day! Thanks, Eviana LopezFinal Goodbyes and New Hello's
September 2025
Blog #2
Stirling has become my little world. It’s not a big city, but that’s what makes it feel so close-knit. I’ve spent days wandering around the old streets, finding quiet cafés to study in, and climbing up to Stirling castle just to take in the view. Everywhere you go, you run into someone you know or someone new to talk to. The town has this easy rhythm, slow mornings, beautiful walks, and friendly faces that make it hard to ever feel lonely. And then there’s the other side of Stirling: the nights out. The pubs and clubs come alive with students from everywhere like Spain, France, the U.S., Japan, etc. Suddenly, everyone’s part of one big mix of music, laughter, and accents. Some of my favorite memories are just dancing with friends until our feet hurt, or sitting outside after, sharing fries and stories about home. The thing about being an international student is you form friendships fast. We’re all figuring it out together: how to study, how to cook something edible, how to feel at home so far away. It’s comforting knowing that no one has it perfectly together, but we’re all trying. I didn’t expect to find such a strong sense of community here, but I have. Stirling has a way of pulling people together. Between the calm of the days and the chaos of the nights, I’ve found something really special, friends who feel like family, and a place that already feels hard to leave. PS: The photo is from a school trip I took to the Church of the Holy Rude, where Mary Queen of Scots son was crowned King of Scotland!A Late, But Honest Post
October 2025
Blog #3
We stayed in a cozy cottage surrounded by green hills and mist. It felt tucked away from everything, the kind of quiet that makes you forget about time. Every morning started early with coffee, rain jackets, and a group of sleepy but excited travelers getting ready for the day. Our route took us through Glencoe, past landscapes that looked like they belonged in a painting. We visited Dunkeld, a small town full of charm and history, and then continued to the Isle of Skye. The Fairy Pools there were something out of a dream, with water so clear it almost glowed. At Loch Ness, everyone took turns pretending to spot the monster, and the laughter carried over the still water. Every stop had a story, and every view felt older than time itself. What made it even better was the group I shared it with. We came from all over the world, each of us with different accents, snacks, and stories. By the end of the trip, the bus rides were filled with music and laughter, and the cottage felt like home. We bonded over small things like late-night card games, cooking together, and getting caught in the rain on hikes. Somewhere between the long drives, muddy boots, and endless views, I realized how much I’ve grown since coming here. Taking this trip reminded me how important it is to step into the unknown and try something new. Scotland keeps teaching me that the best memories come from the moments that begin with a little courage and a simple "yes".Hello to the Highlands
October 2025
Blog #4
One of the most surprising things about being in Scotland is realizing how much older everything is here compared to back in the US. It is honestly hard to imagine that some of the castles I have visited and the stones I have touched have been around for hundreds of years long before the US even existed. Standing in these places makes history feel really real and close, not just something you read about in books. Take Mary Queen of Scots, for example. Her life was full of drama and political struggles that still echo through the castles she lived in. The stories of the Jacobites and the colonization of Scotland remind me that this country has had to fight hard to hold on to its identity. That history is not distant or boring, it is messy, complicated and shaped by real people with real conflicts. It is strange to think about how close I am to centuries of upheaval and change. These walls have witnessed everything from royal conspiracies to everyday lives long gone. Sometimes I catch myself just staring at a stone archway or a faded tapestry imagining all the lives that passed through before me. Studying abroad here has given me a front row seat to this deep history but it has also opened up a chance to experience so many different cultures at once. The old and the new mix together in the streets, in the people I have met and in the traditions still alive today. It is a reminder that history is not just something you learn about, it is something you live and breathe especially when you are far from home and seeing the world from a new perspective. Being here has made me think differently about history not just as something fixed in the past but as something that connects us all. It has helped me appreciate where I come from even as I learn about places and stories very different from my own.Everything is Older Than You Think
November 2025
