Elianna and Annabel, both 25, were advised by their coaches in Texas, that Cardiff Met FC would provide them with a great platform to play football at a professional level.
With a master’s costing close to £100,000 in the United States, studying in Wales – where costs were nearer £12,000 – also made financial sense for both girls. So, Elianna and Annabel applied for Cardiff Metropolitan University and moved to Cardiff in January 2021.
Since moving here, they have found the capital city to be vibrant, but with a small-town feel. And both Elianna and Annabel have been surprised at how easy it has been to travel across Wales, the UK, and even into Europe.
Studying in Wales has been a big change for Elianna and Annabel who have benefited from the different education system and learning methods. Elianna – who is studying International Business Management – has found discussion-based learning, as opposed to multiple assessments and a GPA, much more suitable. While Annabel – who is studying Financial Management – has found the interactive learning style has resulted in a heightened ability to articulate answers and develop more rounded opinions.
Looking to the future, both Elianna and Annabel are excited about their career prospects thanks to their time studying in Wales. Elianna feels like her experience stands out, compared to her peers who studied a master’s in the US. She has been able to spend a lot of one-on-one time with her professor, who has great connections in the UK and the US, to put together a career plan – and hopes to stay on next year to work in business development. While Annabel believes that her time in the UK has given her fantastic exposure to an international community and diverse perspectives.
With training three times a week, a game every weekend and having finished second place in the league last season, both women have big hopes for their team this year.
Both Elianna and Annabel would urge anyone thinking of studying abroad to come to Wales so they can experience the beautiful landscapes, an outdoorsy life and the friendly city of Cardiff – especially on a match day
Cardiff is very green – a big city with a small-town feel. It’s friendly, packed with culture and history – they don’t have a castle in the middle of their cities in Texas. I would encourage people to come to Wales – there are so many outdoorsy things to do.
