When you hear the word England, what do you think about? Fish and chips, London, the Queen, and rain certainly come to mind. For me, the main word on my mind was rugby. So when I was accepted to study at Durham University in the U.K., the World Heritage Site that encompasses the university wasn’t on my mind, it was the opportunity to play a sport that fit so well with my mindset of a typical British person.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of other features about Durham University that attracted me to it. In fact, my original interest was drawn by its World Heritage Status. Its cathedral was finished in the 12th Century, and the university’s unique collegiate system is only found in some of the oldest universities in the U.K., including Oxford and Cambridge. Finally, the opportunity to live in a castle that has been transformed into a residence was enough to sway my decision to apply there.
Yet despite all of these amazing features of Durham University, it was my original desire to play rugby that will leave me with memories that I will remember most from my time abroad. Although I am a sporty guy and love many different sports, I am by no means physically built for such a grueling sport like rugby. However, one of the amazing features that accompanies the collegiate system, unlike the University of Calgary, is that no matter your experience or skill in a sport, there will be a league that will be perfect for you to play in. So, rather than attempting to play for the University rugby team, I joined with a couple of my friends to play in my college’s rugby club.
One thing I quickly learned amidst the various training sessions and match days is that joining a sports club at Durham involves a lot more than just playing the sport itself. There are dozens of socials and other opportunities to befriend your teammates, making rugby a much bigger social catalyst than I had previously thought. I wasn’t only meeting with the group of twenty other students to train, suddenly I was meeting up with them at least once a week to socialize. Rugby not only gave me a new sport to try, it also connected me with the U.K. and Durham University in more ways than I had previously imagined.
When I originally began my study abroad year in England, my first priority was to get involved with the culture and experience as much of it as I could. Although playing rugby was a physically difficult sport, it was one of the most rewarding things that I experienced during my time in the U.K. If you’re like me and love sports and competition, I could not recommend anything more than trying a truly British sport. I couldn’t have been happier that I decided to participate in rugby, regardless of my apprehensions before starting. Not only did I have a great experience in participating, but I will never look back on my study abroad trip and regret not trying something new. Regardless of what you choose to do, if step out of your comfort zone like I did, I can promise you that you won’t be disappointed.
Submitted by Cole Bailey
UCalgaryAbroad 