University of St Andrews

It was an unvaluable experience, of course, as far as language experience is concerned. Nevertheless, I lived and had contact throughout the whole period most of all with other international students. So I became really proficient in a specialized area of the language - the philosophical jargon - and reached an advanced level in everyday english. I attended an eglish language summer course in study skills, which was very helpful, and then another one in the first semester which allowed me to take the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English once I was back in Italy.

Well, seeing as I am a "native" American speaker, I was looking forward to experiencing "proper" English English. As one who has devoted most of her time to studying and enjoying the English language in all its forms, I greatly enjoyed listening and being exposed to novelties of usage, accent, vocabulary, slang, etc. And of course the Scottish accent is impossible not to like. It was difficult to hear Americans speak. I see now where the "loud" American stereotype comes from. I tried my best to avoid that way of self-presentation.

At first I was quite stressed, because I didn't know who I was going to cope. But then I became more confident, I met people, and began to work. That was important becuase I got used to the Scottish accent.

Being English, the only communication problem with the locals was immediately after the release of "Braveheart"!

The slang was hard to grasp at first and some accents are very thick but the more you talk with people, the easier it will be to understand, just don't be shy.

They have a different accent and sometimes even the English people dont understand them.