As a Ph.D. student in the United Kingdom, I have a far smaller pool of nearby knowledge to draw upon and far fewer people to work with than my American counterparts. Modern research is such a global effort that getting the most out of your time involves collaborating with other research groups and institutions and attending conferences.

I am lucky and unlucky that, being in the U.K., this can involve a significant amount of international travel. I am unlucky in that it is far more expensive and time-consuming for me to attend a conference in the United States than for domestic students. However, I also am incredibly lucky that I get to explore a range of places and discover a variety of research processes in those places.