1. What should I know ahead of time?
Get excited. You are going to have the adventure of a life time. Oh, and drink as much water as you possibly can at every opportunity - with all of the hiking, your body will function better and you'll be much more comfortable.
2. What should I bring?
Have a way to waterproof everything - especially your backpack. Windproof clothing will also make you much more comfortable. I had a fleece jacket with a "windwall" and it was my favorite thing I had with me. My other favorite thing was my boots which were also water proof. The two things that I didn't bring with me that I wish I had were a hair dryer (I would have been so much warmer at night if my hair was dry!) and slippers or Ugg boots. I spent a lot of time walking around the hostels in socks. I was also glad for my little ziploc baggy of dryer sheets and my little bottle of clothing soap, they helped with the smell and the emergency laundry, respectively.
3. What should I leave behind?
Anything bulky.
4. What should I do or see no matter what?
Um, all of it? Yell at the ocean on Tennyson Downs, touch the rocks of Stonehenge, see a play at the Globe, read Tintern Abbey IN Tintern Abbey, go to Evensong at Christchurch in Oxford, eat Indian food, stand next to the table where Jan Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice (take a picture), burst into song in an abbey or cathedral (great acoustics!), try not to get lost (but if you do, take the bus), climb the ruins of Tintagel (preferrably dressed as a pirate), eat the clotted cream... Most of all, don't say no to the spontaneous opportunities for adventure that present themselves. Do it all - dawn hikes, midnight swims, cave exploration, field frolicking - if you have the choice to stay in the hostel or go out, ALWAYS go out.
5. What should I miss?
Nothing that I can recall.
6. What attitude should I take with me?
As an American - Be respectful of local attitudes and excessively grateful for kindnesses. Remember you're the visitor and they are graciously allowing you to experience their treasures and rich histories. Also, Americans, particularly young women in a large group, have a tendency to be louder than your average European. Keep the exuberance at a respectable volume.
As a student - Remember that this is a unique opportunity. You will get out of it as much as you put into it. Doing the reading beforehand will give you a much richer experience, and more to write about, along the way.
As a traveler - Have an adventuring spirit! Understand that when you travel, nothing goes as planned - Embrace it! Remember that everything in life is either a good experience or a good story. Be sure to collect equal measures of both. The best writing is about the things that didn't go smoothly. Also, don't get distracted by home - it will be there when you get back.
As a companion - You are part of a whole. You can either make yourself a part of the group or you can alienate yourself. Either way it is 100% up to you what kind of relationships you have with your fellow group members. Just try to keep in mind, that adventures are more fun in groups. If you look for reasons to be offended, you'll find them... so just don't look.
7. What can I expect from the experience?
You can expect to have experiences so thrilling that they are almost unreal. You can also expect to have at least a few days or hours of acute discomfort. However in the future, I promise that your memories of the good days will overshadow your memories of the less-good days. 6 years later I couldn't be more thrilled that I went on this study abroad. Whenever I talk to people about the experience I had there, they are amazed and wickedly jealous. You'll learn things about yourself that you never expected. It will change you for the better and you'll carry that with you for the rest of your life.
Ed. note--although in 2011 we will not be doing the intensive hiking of previous Spring programs, we will be out in all weather in the city and in the country, and clothing advice still applies.
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