The flight attendant’s endless tiny bagged peanuts and beverage cart make the over ten hour flight bearable, but amidst the long plane trip, Wales waits. It’s historical arches and clear cut edges. It’s diverse land of vibrant green hills and valleys, aqua crayon ocean and rivers. Senior Kristina Marshall daydreams while the child behind her kicks, kicks and kicks the back of her seat in the cramped plane of the new sites and experiences awaiting.

When Kristina graduates, she will enter a new phase at the University of South Wales.

“I really enjoyed their forensic program,” Kristina said. “They had a whole bunch of different majors within it. You didn’t really find that in the U.S. schools between two to four forensic majors, but they had like six. They seem to provide funding and care to their programs. That’s why I applied there. That’s why I wanted to do this.”

Although Kristina first considered majoring in art, she decided to major in forensic science with criminology, instead. 

“Originally, I was looking at the AP Art Program,” Kristina said. “It’s something I really enjoy. I did a pre-college with an art school over the summer. It made me realize that I didn’t really want to do art in college or a career, so I started looking at other things I enjoyed, one of which being psychology. As I was exploring that field, I discovered forensic psychology which is super interesting.” 

Kristina and her dad, Paul Marshall, plan to visit the college and city a few weeks before her first semester.

“I plan to go across with her to help her set up her dorm, buy things she needs because there’s a unique challenge,” Paul said. “You can’t bring everything over there, so you have to buy things. Also, the fact that you’re restricted on what you can take with you just by the luggage capacity [is something] to work and figure that out as well.”

Kristina’s parents, Paul and Pam Marshall, support her in this transition.

“Being over there, there are so many countries that it’s so close,” Pam said. “She’ll get to experience a lot of different cultures and things that are on that side of the world. I mean here you go to a night out to one country, [and] over there she can go to five different countries. It’s going to be a unique experience I think.”

Kristina applied to two schools: the University of South Wales and Florida Tech.

“In a small town,” Kristina said. “It still has a lot of available resources in the hills, in the street. Wales is a really pretty country. It’s just such a different experience. I think there is a lot to gain from it, so I was really wanting to go [to college] outside the U.S.”

Paul’s side of the family is from Scotland, so Kristina has family in the UK. 

“I mean, there is definitely that nervous factor which is to be expected,” Kristina said. “It’s a change, a big one. I think that’s what makes me definitely nervous. It’s the change of going and being on my own, but I want that going to doing things on my own way. It’s something I am excited and nervous for.” 

Kristina began looking at oversea colleges last year.

“At first I was just looking at the U.S. universities,” Kristina said. “But what if I applied internationally, and I wasn’t looking until that one kind of question. It just became that it could happen. My family is British [and] my dad is from Scotland so it would be an easy transition for me. I can even apply for citizenship there, so it’s such a real option for me. This could be so much fun, so exciting.” 

On Sept. 20, Kristina will start her first semester of college in Wales.

“I’m hoping it won’t be too difficult for me to bring a different culture into the people,” Kristina said. “There are a lot of international people all over the world, so I’m hoping that it’ll pan out [so] that I can easily make friends. I’m really hoping to have the option to travel and have that cultural experience, so I wouldn’t be trapped.”