Emily Bradley boarded a plane in September that would send her on the adventure of a lifetime. Her aerial journey ended in a place she would call home for four months: Liverpool, England. Bradley traveled to England to continue her study of English language and literature, as she is a Spanish and English major here at Ouachita. However, as is with most students studying abroad, academics were not the only reason for her crossing the Atlantic. One of Bradley’s main interests in studying abroad was to broaden her worldview and experience a different culture.
“I think it’s important for all of us, if possible, to explore how different societies around the world think and live,” Bradley said. “A little culture shock can be a really valuable thing.”
Bradley, along with two other Ouachitonians, are studying abroad at Liverpool-Hope University. Liverpool-Hope is a private, Christian school located just outside of downtown Liverpool. It has a good academic reputation, and it’s in a great location for foreigners.
Liverpool is a diverse port city that is home to worldwide icons such as the Beatles. Liverpool is also home to two of the most celebrated soccer teams in the world, Everton and Liverpool, and it’s only a short train ride away from Manchester and London.
In short, Liverpool is the perfect place to live and study for a semester, according to Bradley.
Bradley also had plenty to discover beyond Liverpool. One of Bradley’s favorite study-abroad experiences has been getting to explore Conwy Castle in Wales.
“To get there, we rode on a bus through the countryside for almost two hours, and the landscape of Wales is so beautiful. It is a different shade of green than anything I have ever seen,” Bradley said. “The castle itself was built in the 13th century, so having the opportunity to simply wander freely through something that old, to learn about its place in history, to see where the families who lived there used to gather and cook and pray was very humbling.”
However, even though she is living in such an amazing location, adjusting to a different culture can be tough. While there are some differences between British and southern culture, Bradley likes to focus in on some of the similarities.
“It’s a different culture from the south, but the people here are still really friendly,” Bradley said. “If you sit next to someone on the bus, odds are you are going to have a really good conversation.”
While living in a foreign country and being immersed in its culture is fun, what fascinates Bradley the most are the academics.
She is currently enrolled in three classes in Liverpool: modernist literature, Shakespeare and linguistics. Bradley thoroughly enjoys all three.
“My modernism course has been so fantastic. On the first day, we jumped straight into the material. It is amazing the amount of depth that we go into.”
Bradley also likes the way that the British education system is structured. Because she is only taking three classes, it allows the classes to go much more in depth. The student is able to devote more time to the subject and learn it better. However, there is not much accountability in the system, something to which Bradley has become accustomed.
“Here [in Liverpool], it is very much the student’s responsibility to stay engaged with the material. Attendance is not mandatory. There are no regular quizzes or assignments to turn in,” Bradley said. “That is cool because it allows the classes to go much more in depth. There is not class time wasted on worrying about regular quizzes or assignments, but it’s just jumping into discussion.”
Although the system is different, Bradley says she still enjoys her schoolwork. She believes that the material she is learning is helping to prepare her for her future career as a teacher.
“My heart is telling me I want to be in the classroom,” Bradley said. “I really love the secondary classroom, and I would love to bring the experiences I am absorbing here in England to high schoolers and show them that there is a bigger world.”
Bradley’s experience in Liverpool is one that you could experience as well. Ouachita has a long-standing relationship with Liverpool-Hope, which allows the study abroad process to go very smoothly.
“The international studies office streamlined the process so much. Before I left, I was worried about getting a visa and insurance, but Tanya Jackson is an absolute rock star,” Bradley said. “Before I could even send a second email, she had mailed my visa to me. She took care of insurance for me. The international office at OBU is awesome, and the international office here in Liverpool is awesome as well.”
So that begs the question: should you study abroad in Liverpool?
“I’d absolutely recommend it,” Bradley said.
by Caleb Byrd, staff writer
