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Heleena Williamson - Social Work (BSW) - 2025

Studying abroad in Canterbury, UK, was one of the best things I have done for myself both academically and personally. It pulled me out of my usual routine and let me slow down and take things in from a new perspective. Between class time and all the places we visited, I started thinking about ethics in a way that felt way more real and layered than before. Being in those historical spots made everything click differently. It made me think about what ethical social work really looks like when you look at it through different systems, cultures, and time periods. This trip helped me connect the dots between history, ethics, and the kind of social worker I want to be. I want to lead with curiosity, question power, and stay grounded in what is right, even when it is uncomfortable. I left Canterbury with more than memories. I am walking away with clarity, purpose, and a deeper commitment to this path.

Amanda Gomes-Torres - Social Work (BSW) 2022 and Social Work Graduate Student (MSW) - 2025

Since my first Texas State to Canterbury trip, I have wanted to participate in a volunteer placement and was sad that I was unable to do so in 2022 due to [post-Covid restrictions]. I am grateful for the opportunity to have returned to Canterbury in 2025 to volunteer at Safe Haven [and have] opportunities where I was able to observe how staff of different cultural and educational backgrounds assist clients through mental health crises. [This experience] has been one of the most meaningful parts of my social work graduate program because of the opportunity for me to engage with a crisis support agency. Having this volunteer placement before my final semester was an opportunity for me to ‘test run’ being a professional and allowed me to grow personally, ethically, and professionally, and I will be forever grateful for the experience.

Reese Stastny - Anthropology Major (Osteology)/Religious Studies Minor - 2025

Going into this experience I was truthfully very tunnel-visioned into the idea of osteology work. As an anthropology major who focuses on osteology, this program allowed me to experience cultural anthropology on the public facing side. Not only that but I was immersed in another culture while getting to be both a tourist and a student. [Before volunteering at a museum in Canterbury], I did not expect to be so infatuated with museum studies. This has been a really good experience that's opened my eyes to behind-the-scenes details of how museums function. I also grew socially as I worked with those I volunteered with, chatted on trains, talked to bartenders, and met new people around Canterbury which I feel like got me a little out of my shell. My dreams have been expanded as I have decided to apply to master’s programs in England and see what else I can learn there. I am really appreciative of this program because now I feel brave and prepared enough to attend university in another country. I have the McGees to thank for that.

Kate Buning - Social Work Graduate Student (MSW) - 2025

Deciding to come to Canterbury wasn’t hard for me. I wanted to come during my undergrad, but the stars didn’t align for me due to COVID

and personal reasons. Looking back, I’m so glad I didn’t come as a young undergrad. I think experience was much more valuable to me at 26 than it would’ve been at 20. Not only am I more financially stable, but I’m also more confident and grounded than I was in 2019. This trip was overall a great experience and exceeded my expectations. This trip is top-notch, and the way it is run is smooth and efficient. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else or involved with other staff. I love Canterbury and I love the freedom this trip offers….I love the….bond I get from Stacie when I seek it and value her and what she has to say so much. I think she and I have a bond that is a little beyond the classroom at this point, and I’m excited to call her a colleague in a couple of months. I will never forget this trip, the lessons learned, or the friendships made, as long as I live. I am grateful for….the McGees, and my self-confidence for getting me to this point.

Oli Reese - Psychology Major/Social Work Minor - 2024

I have so many words for this trip and so many feelings, that it’s hard to put into a few words. This trip changed my life, and I’m not just saying that. This trip was something I needed in my life. Thank you to the McGees for the entire month of July. I loved every moment. I already miss the Canterbury 2024 family! The trip was a once in a lifetime experience. I was nervous at first, but that quickly dissolved into excitement for each day to come. Every excursion we went on was an amazing experience, I learned so much about other cultures and history. The religion aimed excursions were extremely valuable to me as a person and as a social worker. I made so many connections Oli at Freud's House.jpeg

with the people on the trip, connections that have made it out of England and are continued in Texas. This trip was so much more than fun, it also helped me with my social anxiety and confidence. I feel like I came out of Canterbury a new person. Going out of the country for the first time, with people I barely know, was a jarring experience, but by the end of the first month I was talking to strangers and developing lasting relationships with not only the group but also people in Canterbury. My favorite experience on the trip is hard to narrow down, as every day I had a new one. If I had to choose a top four, it would be my time volunteering at Catching Lives, the Hindu temple, any time we went to a Cathedral, and Freud's house. My experience at Catching Lives especially helped me. I feel like the in-person, hands-on volunteering I allowed me to feel confident in my skills as a future social worker. The clients and staff were so welcoming and just amazing. The painting I received from a client was an especially beautiful moment. I got to see how much my help meant to someone in the form of art and giving. Overall, this trip was more than I ever imagined. It was a month of life-lasting memories and wonderful experiences. I made new friends, had an incredible experience at my volunteering, all the while developing and cultivating skills as a future social worker and person.

Isabella Ojeda - Anthropology - 2024

I am incredibly grateful for you guys and the whole study abroad experience. I remember my freshman year McGee told me about the program and I knew this was something I wanted to accomplish eventually throughout my college experience. It took me two years, but I finally signed up and it was the most rewarding experience EVER! I met so many new people with a variety of different backgrounds, I was able to pray at a mosque and visit a Hindu temple, and I learned so much of Britain's history with all of the excursions, readings, and volunteering. Overall, I was able to step out of my comfort zone even more by being put into certain situations that I wouldn't necessarily experience in Texas. Lastly, this trip was going to make or break if I truly wanted to pursue a career in archaeology. I can talk about how much I love learning about history, and different cultures but I have never worked at an excavation site. However, one month later I can say that this trip enhanced my passion so much to the point that I am seriously looking at coming back next summer and potentially getting my masters in England focusing on Anglo-Saxon history.

Again, thank you for everything and always believing in me and giving me advice. I am taking away so many new friendships, a Canterbury family, and more knowledge and experiences than I've ever had before.

Kaylana Schools - Anthropology - 2024

Getting to go and volunteer or visit all the sites we did this month has taught me about what direction I want to take with my educational and professional career. Originally I majored in anthropology because I was interested in cultural anthropology as a career and while I am still interested in that, I feel I might be better suited for an archeological career. I ultimately enjoyed the Dover WWII site most of all the sites we got to visit, but I am glad we were able to see so many locations and the history that goes with them. I have learned so much this month from the fun digging parts, to the strenuous backfilling parts, the complex surveying process and even the paperwork and business side of archeology. I truly do not think any other program would have been able to give me such a comprehensive look at what being an archeologist is… I enjoyed every moment of the process. The camaraderie I have found with my fellow archeology volunteers has also had a huge impact on my enjoyment…and I am so grateful I got to build these social and professional connections.

Sarah Carter - Anthropology Major/Medieval Renaissance Studies and Studio Art Minors - 2023

As I look back on my time in Canterbury, there are three things that I miss the most: Deep new friendships, a sense of freedom from my life back home, and the simplicity of life in a quaint town like Canterbury. I met the people who were going on the trip with me months prior but only a couple times, I would look around our meeting room wondering who of the 27 students surrounding me would change my life and leave an impact. I can confidently say over the course of the month I spent with them, each person made an impact one way or another in my life, and I miss them deeply. Not only are these students your peers, they are your roommates, travel companions, pub buddies, a shoulder to cry on when things get tough, and a heart to be around that reminds you of home. I've made deeper connections with these people than I have in my daily life in Texas, and yes, we still talk!! Before this trip, I was going through a dark time in my life, routine was becoming a never-ending cycle, and I was losing a sense of wonder in my life. Getting away from that for a temporary, but long, amount of time truly opened my eyes up to how badly I needed to get away. I thought the whole time I was away, I wouldn't get homesick, but I stayed an extra two weeks in Europe after the trip and when I said goodbye to all my friends and the McGees at the end of the program, I felt anxious and alone. However, the time I spent traveling alone taught me the most out of the whole trip, to live and accept who I am with myself and trust myself to make the best decisions. I needed that lesson at that point in my life...So why did I choose Canterbury? I knew I could take some Anthropology classes and I wanted to support the Anthropology side of my career by being in an ancient place such as Canterbury in a country with vast history such as England....Canterbury is so great because it feels like a safe home, you can walk the streets at night on your way back from playing pool all night at Cousins Pool Lounge. As you walk along the Roman wall of the city you wonder how many people have made that same walk that you were making, and you wonder who the first person was to step foot on those grounds. As you walk through the High Street during the day, you see it blossom with all kinds of people, and you wonder how is it that the town looks so timeless in such a modern world. Not only do you get to explore the wonderous historic sites of Canterbury, you also get to make a few trips to London and remember that you live in the 2020s. I could go on and on about why one should go on to Canterbury, but let me just remind you that this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity, sure you can travel at any point in your life, but going with a group led by the McGees is a great introduction to travel and seeing the world. I had a support system with my friends, but I really felt safe and sound because of the McGees, who will look out for you like their own kids, but also respect you as the adult adventurer that you are. If I could convince you to go with only a few words, I would say this trip is like time travelling to the past by staying in the present.

Lottie McCoy - Social Work Major/Anthropology Minor - 2023

I learned so much about myself during this trip abroad. I became life-long friends with people I had just met, ate food different from anything I had Lottie McCoy- Fav pic from Salisbury Cathedral (1)-1.jpg tried, and worked through many stressful moments. I would not trade it for the world. I am very privileged to go on these excursions and learn so many different people's perspectives on life. If anyone asks me if they should go on this trip abroad, I will thoroughly advise them to do so.

Thank you so much, Stacie and Dr. McGee!

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