Ellen Boomer, 18, started her blog Lockerbie to Syracuse 2015 earlier this year with her first blog post detailing her excitement at finding out she had been chosen as one of two lucky scholars who would spend the 2015/16 school year at New York’s Syracuse University.
She said: “Applying for the scholarship was an opportunity not to be missed, I wanted to be able to represent my town on one of the biggest chances it gives 18-year-olds in the area.
“Being chosen was one of the greatest feelings in the world. I felt extremely lucky and I still do, it’s a complete honour and a privilege to have been chosen.”
The teen ventured to the US in August taking classes in sociology of families, economics: ideas and issues, food studies, tennis and digital commoners to help refine her blog writing skills.
Discussing her blog, she said: “I started my blog because I wanted to be able to share my time here with people back home, and not only through Facebook, but through a story.
“A way that I could expand on my adventures and go into a lot more detail than what people see on Facebook.
“I wanted something that I could look back on in 10 years and remember the good and bad times of being here.”
She added: “I hope to cover everything in my blog – the good the bad, the exciting.
“So far I have covered topics such as the announcement, the journey here, my first football experience, the worst week so far and Remembrance Week and the lead up to it.
“I want it to be broad, so people who are thinking of applying can get a good grasp of what it’s like here and those who maybe weren’t considering applying, can read it and realise that maybe this could be for them.”
Thrilled to be studying Stateside, Ellen said: “Syracuse is somewhere I will always call home. “It feels so normal for me to be here, I for one am loving life.
“We have just had our Remembrance Week, the main reason we are here, and to be a part of something so special was truly amazing.”
Ellen is gearing up to study photography and blog writing next semester to help develop her blog. To read Ellen’s experience visit: lockerbietosyracuse.blogspot.co.uk.
