BY: AISLING DOHENY, LAKE VOICE STAFF UMD Junior Amanda Hass spent a year abroad in Worcester, England. Among countless adventures, new foods and a new found sense of independence, Hass, above all, reminisces on her time spent with her travel partner, Kim, and credits her amazing study abroad experience to Kim.
“Everything we did we would basically do together,” Hass said. “Every plan that we made we would make with each other and we just went everywhere together.”
Hass met Kim in her freshmen choir course. It was in this class the two developed a scheme for their England adventure.
“We both talked about it for so long and then we found out that we were going on the same trip,” Hass said.
From there their friendship grew.
“Kim and I were pretty close and this whole year we got closer because everything we did we would usually do together,” she said.
Hass wanted to gain a sense of being independent and gain self-confidence from studying abroad.
“Kim helped me get out of my shell,” Hass said.
Hass and Kim were roommates, a term England refers to as flat-mates. In their flat, Hass and Kim experienced Hass’ expanded cooking abilities, homework assignments, preservative-free foods and a mac-and-cheese mishap.
Hass got really used to eating fresh food and preparing fresh meals every day, so when her mom sent her a care package with mac-and-cheese boxes, it didn’t taste the same.
“I got really sick after my first time eating it,” she said. “It’s such a shock to think about how different the food is.”
Hass and Kim went on to experience many other foods in new places.
“We would go on trips all the time,” Hass said. “Every weekend just anywhere we could go, we would go.”
Hass and Kim traveled together around UK and Ireland on their days off.
Kim was there for Hass when the two of them had to share a 15-bed mixed hostel room in Ireland.
“It was just a really sketchy hostel, but it turned out to be okay,” Hass said.
Today, Kim lives off campus and Hass is busy being an RA, but the two talk as much as they can and meet up to relive old times.
“I get really nostalgic when I think back on it,” Hass said. “But one thing with study abroad is that the connections stay alive.”
Hass lived with students from UMD and met a handful of life-long friends during her travels, but none stands out as much as Kim.
“There were so many reasons to study abroad,” said Hass. “I was pretty unhappy at UMD my freshmen year and I had recently changed my major.”
Hass figured going to the homeland of the English language was the big-or-go-home element to her major switch.
“I’ve always loved England the image behind it,” she said. “Studying abroad there really did help me realize my love for English.”
Hass sums up her travels to a life-changing experience accredited to life-long friendships.
Perhaps she and Kim will return again someday.