Why Scotland? The Decision

It's not every day that a person wakes up one morning, during their Senior year of high school, and says, "I'm going to go to college in Scotland." Well, this didn't happen to me either. The idea to go to school thousands of miles away from home began to form when I was a child.

I grew up in a family that believed in its history and legends. At an early age my parents started to fill me with information about my heritage. I learned that my family was present in America since its founding. Between my mother and father I had anceastors who were Native Americans (Cherokee), present on the Mayflower (John Howland) , and deeply involved in the establishment of the United States as we know it (Alexander Hamilton and Eli Leinhardt to name a few). I also learned that I was a descendant of the Scottish Hamilton Clan. For me, being a Hamilton meant a lot, but it did not mean I would choose to spend four years of life in a foreign country.

Also, my parents have always loved the natural. As a family we would do long road trips (Our record being over 6,000 miles in one, long trip). On these escapades we would go to national parks and other locations to experience the natural. We camped, kayaked, hiked and observed. Due to these experiences, I was determined to do my own adventure. On my 16th birthday I committed to going on my own journey in Alaska. That June I took a plane there to visit and explore for five and a half weeks. For the first three I participated in an International Wilderness Leadership School kayaking leadership program. For the next two I traveled from Anchorage north to Fairbanks, staying a few days in each and also a few in Talkeetna and Denali. During those five and a half weeks I got to learn and partake in Alaskan culture. This experience is like non other I had been through.

Here's how everything came together.

That feeling of letting a culture engulf me stuck. When I was applying to colleges I picked ones far from where I had been before; I wanted to find a new culture. Then it occurred to me when a college counselor of mine suggested I look at the University of St. Andrew: I want to go to Scotland. Scotland would be the perfect place to learn more about m family history and learn a whole new culture. I applied to the school, received my acceptance, and confirmed my place.

My decision was made.