With my semester in Glasgow winding down already, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why I wanted to study abroad in the first place, and why I ended up in Scotland of all places.

It’s strange to think about what I wanted to accomplish so many months ago when I was first applying for programs. (But what else are you going to do on 8-hour layovers spent waiting for the train station to open in the only shelter around, i.e. a 24-hour McDonald’s? Sidenote: if you are interested in people-watching, you will be most entertained between the hours of midnight and 8 a.m.)

There are plenty of cynical reasons out there for spending a semester abroad, some of which are the undoubtedly the sole reasons that convince students to pursue such programs. Resume-boosting, the allure of partying all over Europe, escaping the stress that can accompany a semester at Duke. Or earning the right to identify yourself as a backpacker, along with all the mystical romanticism which that culture implies.

Christian Lander, author of the blog “Stuff White People Like,” would probably say that study abroad is solely for the purpose of bragging about it later on. Granted, there might be some of that involved upon return to Duke; for example, “When I was in Spain last fall, I had the most amazing tapas at this one bar with the freshest ingredients caught just that morning from the Mediterranean….”

Still, there are multiple other reasons, ones that are probably more worthy and ultimately more valuable, like learning a new language, immersing yourself in a different culture or pursuing a course of study that Duke doesn’t offer.

At the same time, I realized when I got here that whenever someone would ask me, “Why Glasgow, of all places?” I’d be hard-pressed to provide an answer, despite the countless choices available. I thought I knew at first. My reasons were simple, really. The Duke public policy program with the University of Glasgow fits my major and I’d be able to travel around continental Europe easily. It was a simple option to go abroad, so I took it.

But after spending some time here, despite whatever reason I had to go in the first place, I realized that, rather unwittingly, I was going to take back much more than I expected. It’s just about asking yourself how much you want to make of it. And what you learn can really come from the most unexpected of sources. So here goes, a selection of odds and ends:

Lesson No. 1: We have all been pronouncing “Duke” wrong our entire lives. If in fact we are to trust the British, a.k.a. my Irish, Scottish and English flatmates, who admittedly probably have greater claim to the English language than we do, then Duke is actually pronounced with a “j” tossed in there for greater sophistication. The end result sounds more like “juke,” and apparently our American pronunciation is quite amusing to the Brits.

Lesson No. 2: Free university tuition. Free healthcare. Reputable public housing projects. And it all works. Just think about it.

Lesson No. 3: Great things can come from teatime, particularly late-night chats with a cup of hot tea and a bit of toast to go with it. The most interesting things come from just talking to people. Conversation topics range from discussing the phenomenon of Neds (non-educated delinquents, aka the gangsters of Britain), the failure of the American soccer team, the intricacies of Northern Irish politics and the wonderful vocabulary of British slang.

Lesson No. 4: Student unions can be a major part of social life. At Glasgow, there are two student unions, each complete with pubs, clubs, eateries and study space. And everyone hangs out together in them, regardless of social cliques or stereotypes. You can be friends with whoever you want to be friends with. Imagine what such a space might look like at Duke.

Lesson No. 5: Explore wherever you are. Here in Glasgow, it’s all about finding spots with beautiful views of the horizon or little eclectic tea nooks and restaurants. In Scotland in general, exploration means getting in touch with nature and seeking out hiking trails. There are plenty of things to do everywhere, Durham included. Make plans and keep busy. Time everywhere flies by faster than you think it will.

So there you go. Some gems from abroad. I don’t know how applicable this is to everyone, but the overarching lesson is this, I think: take what you can from the things you do and the people you meet, and hope that the time you’ve spent anywhere changes your life in some small way.

Doris Jwo is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Thursday.