Greetings from Aberdeen • Pharmacy student Paloma does her degree project in Scotland

I have always thought about doing a longer stay abroad as the opportunity to experience a different culture and lifestyle seems both useful and very exciting. That I chose Aberdeen is because I had never visited Scotland, that the landscape seems like a fairytale and that the distance from Sweden is just perfect for me to try my wings. Also, a poem that I like very much added extra courage to go: A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. Another important reason was that Uppsala's Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences offered this opportunity as they already collaborate with a research group at the University of Aberdeen.

How have you settled in Aberdeen?
Already at the airport I met Lara from Germany who has become one of my best friends in Aberdeen. The next day I met another great friend, Emma from France, as we both tried to locate a bus to explore the city. As an international student, you always meet helpful people, and the University of Aberdeen had several student representatives on site offering tips and tricks as we made ourselves at home.

What are you studying in Aberdeen?
I am part of a research group at the Institute of Medical Sciences, and my office hours mix lab work, reading articles, attending seminars and writing my thesis. It is often independent and up to me to make sure that everything is included in the process - but of course I have a supervisor to help me and I am incredibly grateful to all the PhD students who answer my questions with genuine interest and patience.

What kind of accommodation do you have in Aberdeen?
I share an apartment with three other students who come from India, Ghana and China, we are like a small international community. We share a kitchen and a bathroom but have separate rooms with a desk, bed, wardrobe and sink, simply everything you need!

What is Aberdeen student life like?
There is a student union with lots of committees that arrange various get-togethers, often including a visit to a local pub. I have joined the archery, photography and hiking committees. Exchange students also have an international committee that recently organized a pub evening.

What else do you like to do in your spare time?
Mostly I practice my new archery skills, visit the gym and explore Aberdeen and its surroundings. So far, I have traveled to Stonehaven, where my friends and I followed the coast to Dunnottar Castle. I have also visited Slains Castle and hiked up Bennachie via the Mither Tap Timeline trail where the scenery is absolutely magical.

What do you hope to bring home to Uppsala?
I will stay just over three months in wonderful Scotland, and in addition to new knowledge in biotechnology, this semester provides valuable insights into what it actually means to move to a country you have never set foot in before and how to best use your time. In addition, I have met so many amazing people within the academy with whom I hope to keep in touch, and what I will definitely carry with me is to dare to take the chance when I have it.

See video with Paloma on life as a pharmacy student

Text: Magnus Alsne, Paloma van Setten, photo: Paloma van Setten a o