Pre Med A George Tarabelsi, Sarah Ahmed, Nikhil Illa, Francesca CorsiniPre Med B Nicole Ocasio, Jen Roa, Bhumi Patel, Cassandra Gath

UMass Boston – Glasgow Caledonian University Exchange Pre-Medical Ambassadors

Ambassador Selection ProcessMembers of the community were nominated based on their ability to embody certain traits that were mutually decided by the Dean and the community. These characteristics included: 1. Academic excellence; 2. Strong community builders; 3. Poised and articulate demeanor 4. Regular blogging to share our experiences.A vote was then held; the members of the community chose the candidates thereby empowering us to truly serve as community ambassadors in Glasgow.

Day 1 Our first day in Glasgow was a success! Even after missing our connecting flight in Heathrow, we were able to make it to Glasgow before noon, and were able to explore the city, its shops, and even the River Clyde. The fact that everything is genuinely green is probably the coolest thing to see.

--Cassandra

Day 2Riding in the tour bus around all around Glasgow was an amazing experience. We learned a great deal about the city’s history and got the chance to see all the city’ main attractions, my favorite part was the Glasgow green. You haven’t seen green until you’ve seen the Glasgow green!

- -George

Day 3 Today, we were able to go see Loch Lomond in the Scottish highlands. The weather held out, and we were able to go right on the shores of the loch. Pictures don’t do it justice, but the view was absolutely amazing.

--Sarah

Day 4We learned a lot at the University of Glasgow’s Museum of Anatomy. We were given an assignment to do; a sort of ‘treasure hunt’. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the grounds and campus of the University of Glasgow. The campus was amazing; it felt like we were at Hogwarts getting ready for our first game of Quidditch.

--Nikhil

Day 5Thursday was our final day of shadowing the GCU students in their classes, which was a bit disappointing because their lectures and lab were really cool. We got to see Julie in action during one of her tutorials which was quite informative; we learned about catalysts and enzyme based reactions.

--Frankie

Day 6Today is Saturday, and we traveled to Edinburgh Castle! The train ride out to the highlands was about an hour, and then were able to see the city! We walked the Royal Mile, all the way from the castle down to the palace. Edinburgh is absolutely beautiful; all of the architecture is Gothic. We were even able to visit a cathedral from the Middle Ages. We even got some final shopping done in Scotland’s historic capital.

--Bhumi

Day 8This trip has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. So many beautiful places, so much to see, but so little time. The students were the great group of people that made us feel at home with care and kindness all throughout the trip.

--Nicole

Day 7Today, we explored the east side of Glasgow. Popular tourist attractions that we visited included the Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis. Within such a small perimeter, there was so much tradition and culture. It was amazing to see such a key piece of Glasgow’s history.

-- Jen