My final days in Scotland were a physical and emotional roller-coaster ride. Near the end of my second to last week in Edinburgh my health started to deteriorate. I thought that if I just took it easy for a few days I’d be better in no time. About five days later I didn’t feel any better and finally made an appointment to see a doctor at the medical center on campus. She told me I probably had a chest infection and prescribed a week’s worth of anti-biotics, which I finished the day of my return to the U.S. Being ill that last week cost me a lot of time and rendered me unable to see most of the things in Edinburgh that I had been putting off until the end. I also didn’t feel very ambitious about studying for my final exam. But the worst part about being sick that last week was being unable to spend time with all of the friends I’d made.

When I made the decision to study abroad, people told me that I would have so many adventures, see so many new things, and meet lots of different people. I had counted on making friends in Scotland, but I never thought I would become so close to them that it would break my heart to say good-bye. I made several American friends, many who I plan to remain in close contact with and see again. Yet I also became very close to some of my flatmates and others who will be spending four years at Edinburgh. And saying good-bye to those people was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I know that we’ll stay in touch and hopefully visit each other from time to time, but it’s going to be rather strange returning to Gustavus instead of Edinburgh and not seeing my new friends.

I had the time of my life while I was in Scotland. I miss it already. My final week was filled with so many tears and good-byes. Between saying good-bye and trying to get rid of my chest infection, I just ran out of time. I will go back, I am certain of that. Now it’s just a matter of saving up the money and making the time. I know now that I returned a different person. I feel so much more independent and confident that I can make it on my own. While it is nice to be home, I do miss Scotland terribly. At least now I have several reasons to return…

I also participated in the second Butler-organized weekend trip. In mid-November, Butler took us to the Isle of Arran. The one hour ferry ride seemed to last only minutes and was quite enjoyable. The island itself is known as “Scotland in Miniature” because its features are amazingly similar to mainland Scotland. Arran is gorgeous; words do no justice to the island’s beauty. It was also the first time that I have seen seals, red deer, and standing stones.

Thanksgiving in Edinburgh turned out to be a very special occasion. About seven Americans, myself included, worked together to produce a bona fide feast for over twenty-four people from all around the world. The dinner was complete with two turkeys, three different kinds of mashed potatoes, candied yams, stuffing, green bean casserole, carrots, bread, cranberries, and homemade apple pie with ice cream. All our guests feasted until they were rendered immobile. A toast to the cooks completed the night. It was truly one of my most memorable experiences in Scotland. Thinking about it now reminds me how much I’m going to miss all of the people I’ve met in Edinburgh, as well as the city itself, and how thankful I am to even have this opportunity. But before I start thinking about all those things, I have a lot to do with the time I have left.

Mid-semester break ran from October 21-26. I took full advantage of the time off and traveled to Ireland with a fellow Gustie for four days. We’d booked plane tickets about a month in advance, so we were able to find a round-trip flight for less than $50 each. We also booked a hostel in advance in Dublin. The hostel turned out to be in a decent location, but didn’t have any outlets. I could’ve left my hair-dryer at home.

Having not done much research into Dublin before traveling there, I had expected the city to be much like Edinburgh with lots of spectacular old buildings, etc. Needless to say I was shocked to find Dublin comparable to any larger American city. To be fair, Dublin is over twice the size of Edinburgh. But I was still amazed at how modern Dublin looks, at least in comparison to Edinburgh. The first two days in Dublin were our major sight-seeing days. We saw Dublin Castle, Dublinia (a museum), Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a Viewing Chimney, St. Stephen’s Green, the Book of Kells at Trinity College, O’Connell Street, Temple Bar, and we walked by the Guinness Storehouse. We walked by so many other significant buildings, but I’d have to dig out my guidebook to remember them all. A highlight was being able to venture down into the crypt below Christ Church and actually attend mass there on Sunday. On our third day there, we took a bus to Galway. The three hours in the bus gave us a chance to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous Irish countryside. Galway is a charming little town and, although it is also becoming more modern, it was nice to be able to experience life in a more traditional Irish town. After discovering that Temple Bar, while very lively and enjoyable, was much too expensive for two poor college students, we spent the remainder of our nights in a traditional Irish pub close to our hostel. The pub, called The Celt, was quite small, but managed to pack in dozens of people for the live Irish music and the unbelievable Guinness. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Ireland. Next time, however, I will definitely have to spend some more time in the more scenic areas of the country.

Halloween in Edinburgh was fantastic. Practically every club, pub, and bar had special promotions and events just for Halloween. Edinburgh is a bit eerie to begin with at night, and on Halloween, the spookiness was just amplified. I dressed up as Poison Ivy and joined my flatmates at a party in my building before heading over to one of our favorite pubs, The Three Sisters, for the remainder of the night. Unfortunately, I had to call it an early night, since I had an essay due on Wednesday and had already begun to have nightmares about something going wrong.

I spent last weekend relaxing and celebrating the completion of my first two essays. On Saturday, I finally made my way up to Edinburgh Castle. It’s kind of embarrassing that I’ve been in Edinburgh for two months and, up until Saturday, I hadn’t even seen the Castle. The admission was rather expensive, but there are so many things to see and the breathtaking views of the city were worth it. I have so much I need to see yet before I leave, not only in Edinburgh, but in Stirling, Glasgow, and St Andrews as well. I’m starting to feel like my time’s running out, and that’s been good motivation to do more traveling.

Sunday night’s “family dinner” was unique (for lack of a better term) last week. The main course was…drum roll, please…haggis. Up until Sunday, I had never come in counter with the traditional Scottish dish. And now I can say that I have no plans to do so again anytime soon. Granted, it was slightly better than I had expected. Slightly. I also sampled the vegetarian version, which was a bit of an improvement over the real thing. The rest of the meal consisted of “neeps” (mashed turnips) and “tatties” (mashed potatoes). Dessert was plain yogurt with blackcurrant jam. Other than the haggis, I really enjoyed the meal. At least now I can honestly say that I have tried haggis.

While I’m on the topic of food, which I seem to write about a lot, there are plans in motion to have a traditional American Thanksgiving with the two flats. There are a few problems that need to be solved, such as where to find a turkey that will actually fit in these tiny ovens. Even if chicken is the only alternative, a real Thanksgiving meal with 24 people will be quite the feast.

It’s hard to believe that it’s Wednesday already. Only two more days until the weekend! Christmas seems to be on the minds of everyone in Edinburgh already. I suppose it helps that there’s no Thanksgiving between Halloween and Christmas. The stores are beginning to sell Christmas merchandise, and there’s a rumor that there’s some type of winter carnival around Princes Street, the main shopping street in Edinburgh. I only hope that I’ll get to see a snow-covered Edinburgh before I leave, even if it’s only for a day.

Just over two weeks ago I went on the IFSA-Butler-organized trip to Inverness and the Highlands. It was quite possibly the most enjoyable weekend I’ve had since I’ve been in Scotland. The trip was amazing; it included a tour of Scone Palace (the site of the coronation of Scottish kings for 450 years), a falconry display, a sheepdog demonstration, a trip up into the Cairngorn Mountains, a tour of a traditional whiskey distillery, a cruise on Loch Ness, a visit to the ruins of Urquhart Castle, and stops at Glen Nevis, Culloden Battlefield, and Glencoe. The Highlands are truly breathtaking and words and pictures cannot possibly do justice to their grandeur.

While I have enjoyed the trips to St Andrews and Inverness immensely, I did find myself impatient to get back to Edinburgh. I’ve become very close with my flatmates and the honorary flatmates (the guys next door). I feel like they’ve all become my third family, if you will, right behind my actual and forensics families. It’s very hard to think about leaving them in a month and a half, so I try to always concentrate on living in the present moment. I’m looking forward to this Sunday, which will mark the return of the now traditional “family dinner.” Each Sunday, one girl teams up with one guy to cook dinner for both flats-a mere 24 mouths to feed. Luckily, my turn hasn’t come yet.

Speaking of food, I’ve actually become somewhat of a cook myself. With that being said, I must state that I am still a novice. My skills have increased, however, and I’ve actually made a broccoli and cheese casserole served over rice (my crowning glory). At the very least, my meals are healthier, and I find myself going through quantities of tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, and, much to the amusement of my flatmates, frozen peas. I’ve also taken up drinking tea. It hasn’t been easy, since I was a hard-core coffee drinker back home, but sometimes I find it preferable to the inferior instant coffee I have here.

On a more serious note, I was notified a few weeks ago about the death of a good friend. Being across the ocean and helpless to anything has been incredibly frustrating and disheartening. It was also difficult being surrounded by people who had no memories of this person. It was during those couple of days after I got the news that I felt more alone here than ever. However, my friends here, particularly my flatmates, have been so supportive and understanding. They truly are like another family to me.

Now it’s time for me to return to the Picts. Wait, you’re probably thinking, didn’t she mention she just had a mid-semester break? Why didn’t she get the essay written then? A valid question. Unfortunately the answer must wait until I finish up with the Picts and a History of Art essay. I’ll leave you with a hint, though: think green…

I got here on September 7th and spent the following three nights in a four-star hotel for my orientation. My room even had a view of Edinburgh Castle! I met many other students from all over the U.S. during orientation, and I’ve kept in touch with a few who are living in different areas of the city. I moved into my flat (apartment) on the 10th. From the building descriptions we were given during orientation, I expected to have 3-4 flatmates. As it turns out, I have a few more. I’m living on the top floor of Kincaid’s Court, and I’m living with 11 other girls. I’ll admit that, at first, the idea of sharing a flat with so many other people was a little intimidating. Now, however, I wouldn’t change a thing. There is a huge variety of cultures and languages in the flat, as the girls are from all around the world. There are girls from England, Northern Ireland, France, Poland, Italy, China, and the U.S. Everyone speaks English, but the majority of the girls also speak at least one other language. It’s quite humbling. Granted, I have taken five years of Spanish, but I would hardly consider myself fluent. There is also a flat of 12 guys right next door to us. The two flats have become very close, and we even have group dinners and go out together.

I am now into my second week of classes. I remember thinking that the introductory biology and chemistry classes at Gustavus were huge. Yet two of the classes that I am enrolled in at the University of Edinburgh are downright overwhelming. I am taking History of Art 1 and Scottish History 1, both of which meet in gigantic lecture halls that can, and do, hold hundreds of students. Both of the classes have three 50 minute lectures each week plus one 50 minute tutorial. The tutorials are much smaller. One of my tutorials consists of five students, the other has about eight. In addition to History of Art and Scottish History, I am taking a class called Saints and Their Cults in Medieval Europe. This class is much more similar to a typical non-introductory class at Gustavus. There are about 20 students, and it is a seminar-style class. Something that has been driving me, along with several other American students I know, absolutely crazy is the fact that most classes here hand out long lists of books and readings. There are dozens and dozens of books listed, and, generally, there are no specific page numbers. Most of the books are on reserve at the library, which means that I’m not allowed to keep them for more than three hours at a time. I’ve found this system rather frustrating because I prefer to study and read in my room, not in the library. Also, because of the horrible exchange rate, I’m trying to buy as few books as possible in an attempt to save money for other necessities, such as food.

During my research on the city before coming to Edinburgh, I was repeatedly warned that it is an expensive city. And, indeed, it is. The prices of goods in pounds are nearly equivalent to the prices of the same goods in the U.S. in dollars. However, with the exchange rate, I basically multiple by two. So most items in Edinburgh are almost twice as expensive as items in the U.S. I guess the exchange rate isn’t a completely bad thing. I’ve come to look at the exchange rate as somewhat of a challenge to my thriftiness and as an opportunity to practice the skills I’ve learned from my mother and grandmother. Within my first few days of getting settled into the flat, I located what I hope to be the cheapest supermarkets and charity shops. As a testament to my family of rummage-salers, I managed to purchase almost all of my dishes and cutlery for a grand total of 50 pence (about $1)!

I have yet to experience the more “touristy” side of Edinburgh, but I have a mental list of all the places I need to visit before I leave. This weekend I hope to climb Arthur’s Seat just before dawn to capture some amazing pictures of the sun rising on Edinburgh.

I spent last weekend in Cumbria, England, for a home-stay as part of the IFSA-Butler program. The family I stayed with lives in a tiny village called Shap and was very welcoming. The couple has three children and a dog, and the entire family made me feel at home. I must admit, it was nice to get a break from the big city and enjoy some hot, home-cooked meals again. I also got the chance to see some of the English countryside, which is gorgeous, and lots and lots of sheep!

Since I’ve never been more than two hours away from home for an extended period of time, I have been a little bit homesick at times. I went into the program fully aware that I probably would be homesick occasionally, so it hasn’t come as much of a surprise. Ironically enough, my worst case of homesickness came on the very day that I arrived in Edinburgh. I’m not sure why, but the moment I arrived here I was ready to return to the U.S. After a warm shower and a little walk around the city, I changed my mind. I’ve met so many amazing people from all over the world, and I’ve found the Scottish to be very friendly and helpful. The city itself is beautiful and the countryside is breathtaking. I took a day trip to Portobello Beach and saw the North Sea, which is also gorgeous. So far, I’ve had so many positive experiences that I’m convinced that I will not want to leave come December.

Last night I met up with an ‘05 Gustavus grad who is now a grad student at the Uni. It was so good to see a familiar face and be able to talk about life back at GAC with someone who actually knows what I’m talking about. She’s promised to go to London with me for a weekend, so I’m really looking forward to that. There’s a five-day break from classes near the end of October, and I’m hoping to spend that time in Dublin. Fingers crossed!

I came to Edinburgh without a laptop, thus I am currently in the Main Library. I think the GAC library could probably fit into one floor at Edinburgh. The library is so big that it’s a bit overwhelming. But I have managed to find an open computer whenever I’ve been here. It’s just after 8:00 pm here, and the library is deserted. It really is true that students here tend to study during the day and then go out at night. And the kicker: they don’t pull all-nighters here! I’m really going to work at adapting to this system! For now, however, the books are calling.

About an hour after finishing my falafel, I rushed over to the church for rehearsal for my last choir concert in Edinburgh. The concert itself was marvelous, also a milestone marking the end of the year. Even though I performed after attending only two rehearsals this week, I had a great time. Two of our pieces are performed at every royal coronation, and I must say I was moved by chills running down my spine when we sang.

During the stressful week (filled with studies), the floor of my room disappeared under papers and clothes. After taking advantage of the opportunity to sleep in, I spent Saturday cleaning and organizing, and finding my floor. In order to clear some things out, I even packed a suitcase with clothes that will be going home with me in six weeks. I must say it was very different to be packing to return to Minnesota . . . I wonder how it will be in six weeks when I actually do return home.

And as yet another landmark, I said my first goodbye to a friend last week as she packed to return to the U.S. Even though I knew the day would come, I honestly didn’t expect it, and in turn wasn’t prepared for it (I miss her already). Her departure was the first of many, and I must accept the fact that even though I will be staying in Edinburgh until the end of June, my friends will be gradually leaving Edinburgh to return to their families and homes throughout the world.

Anticipating changing circumstances due to incoming visitors, and realizing that time is passing more quickly than expected, I was able to spend some good quality time with my flatmates last week. I have been making regular appearances at a coffee/dessert shop in which J.K. Rowling penned Harry Potter, and I will accept any excuse to return there (any time of day). Also last week I made another visit to our cinema with stadium seating – quite a treat. And yes, I was actually studying before and after all of these excursions. To end the week, I made a batch of MN pancakes at midnight on Friday night . . . I don’t know how my parents would feel if I made pancakes at midnight at home during the summer . . .

Unfortunately since the sun is now up at 5am every morning, so are the birds. They evidently have no concept of humans trying to sleep – argh. Thanks to an earplug, I should now be able to sleep in a bit more, but yesterday was an early and rude awakening.

Yesterday I went to the airport to pick up my first legitimate visitor. Although the People magazine which I requested didn’t make the final pack, I am thrilled to have some true Minnesotan company for awhile. Having somebody experience Edinburgh for the first time helps me to remember why this place is so amazing (although I hardly forget). I will be playing tour guide now, rehearsing for when my family comes to visit.

Upcoming plans include enjoying Edinburgh (and it’s random 80° days), exploring parts of the city, introducing my friend to the unhealthy Scottish cuisine, taking advantage of the 10pm sunset, and sleeping in. Next weekend we will head to Ireland, only to turn around and head down to London for a quick visit.

Time is flying, and I am definitely looking forward to my family coming to visit. I think by their arrival, I will be ready to show them around, and then close my time here in Edinburgh. I like to think that my family will come to Scotland in order to take me home.

As a way to relax after my first stressful exam, and as part of my tradition, I made my monthly visit to storytelling on Friday night. It is comforting when I recognize many names and faces at the monthly gathering, and I feel that I have been a part of the club long before my arrival in January. Had I not sat through an exam during the afternoon, I may have had the courage to tell a story myself. Unfortunately, as the semester is quickly coming to an end, I realize that I have only one night of storytelling left before I return to the U.S. Maybe then, as part of a closure to my time in Edinburgh, I may decide to become a storyteller for one night only, in dear Scotland.

Actually, earlier last week, I was asked to sing at a pub with traditional Scottish folk tunes. Had I actually known any tunes by heart, I would have “performed” at the little pub down the street, but I could only think of nursery rhymes and mass choir pieces at the time. Singing along (or by myself) at the pub will be another goal of mine – something to accomplish before my feet leave the Scottish soil (actually peat to be exact).

The streets of Edinburgh were hopping on Saturday, so much that I made myself run pointless errands just to experience the lively atmosphere. Although disappointed that many of the individuals strolling on the streets were tourists (those dang tourists), I felt as if the city was actually alive with happiness (must be the spring). In the afternoon my flatmates and I joined a BBQ with the residential area in which I live. I suppose I had a great time interacting with all of my fellow students, but the highlight of the event was eating a delicious and freshly grilled cheeseburger I did enjoy chatting with people which I haven’t had contact with since before Easter, although it was also somewhat bittersweet. I will be in Scotland with my family through the end of June, but many students will be leaving directly after their exams — many of them departing within the next two weeks.

As part of a welcoming celebration for spring, I attended a Beltane Fire Festival on Saturday night (a way to welcome May into the year). Not thinking much of the event, my flatmate and I wandered down to Calton Hill at the end of Princes Street, only to find about 1000 other individuals doing the same. Once on top of the hill, we were surrounded with beautiful drums, costumes, creations, outfits, plays/performances, and best of all, fire (no worries – the flames were controlled throughout the evening). The fire offered an amazing contrast to the black sky, and was actually our only source of light for the entire event. The festival was something that I would never participate in (I don’t trust myself with flames), but I loved every second of it.

Sunday was filled with pouring rain, and amazing Chinese food. In December I would never have guessed that an all-you-can-eat (western) Chinese buffet would sound appealing, but I can honestly say it has been a tremendous source of joy and happiness — and full stomachs. I felt no need to eat for the rest of the day . . . I tried to get back on a fruits & veggies meal plan right after my deep-fried Mars bar early last week, but I am having a bit of trouble sticking to the plan while surrounded by Scotland’s “recipe for a heart attack.” I’ll be good once I get back to Minnesota, but until then . . . hee hee hee.

The next two weeks will be spent wrapping up my academic life at the University of Edinburgh. With two exams to look forward to, I will balance studying with packing and preparing for my first legitimate visitor from home. It has been very difficult to get back into the academic mode after being away from classes for so long, but I only need to do it for two more weeks. Next Friday (after my last exam), one can find me either jumping for joy throughout the streets of Edinburgh, or taking a nap. Either or, I will be very excited to actually finish with my class requirements for the semester.

And, I believe I will still have plenty to keep me busy after the completion of my exams. First and foremost, I have a list of my favorite places that I need to visit at least once more before my departure – which might take me awhile to get through. Then, while saying farewell to friends, I have to come up with a method of getting my things back to Minnesota. With that and appreciating springtime in Edinburgh, I doubt I will have time to get bored.

Until the time when I get to dig out my suitcase from under my bed, I will try to study (heh – no promises though). Two weeks to study for two exams . . . I should be ok, but wish me luck!!

Cheers!

On Friday morning, 110 students studying with the IFSA-Butler exchange program hopped on three buses and ventured out of Edinburgh. Led by an energetic tour guide born and raised in the highlands, we headed N/NE to Inverness, making various photo stops. One of the greatest aspects of the trip (at this point) was the variety of Scottish music playing on the bus speakers. The Celtic sounds, bagpipes and such, were great compliments to the fantastic scenery. Once at Inverness, we turned west and cut through the country, ending up at the Isle of Skye. Our group took over the town and the hostel on the coast, although I wouldn’t be surprised if there was only one hostel on the entire island.

Saturday we took the entire day to explore the island. Surprisingly enough, we still had sun and clear skies (quite unheard of in the northern parts of the country). With lunches in hand, we climbed up the side of a mountain, above the tree line, to dine with a spectacular view. Our itinerary stated that we would take a “hill-walk,” so not many were prepared for the 45 minute vertical rocky climb. Watching our tour guide scale the mountain side in a kilt and flat shoes, I didn’t think of the path as being treacherous or rough. Heh – my mistake entirely. Due to knee problems I was not able to make it entirely up to the top of the mountain, but I am proud to say that I did climb quite far up the mountainside. Perched on one of many rocks and unpacking my lunch, I was startled as a sheep casually walked 10 feet in front of me, simply wandering around (this shouldn’t be a surprise considering that there are approximately ten sheep to every one human walking around in Scotland.)

After tiredly making our way back down the mountain, we jumped back on the bus and headed for yet another castle, finishing the day back at our hostel. I have no problem admitting that I was in bed by 9:30!
Eilean Donan Castle

Sunday morning we woke up to yet another amazingly beautiful sky. Our tour guide as well as locals were simply amazed at our luck in weather. The first stop on our last day was the famous Eilean Donan Castle – the most photographed castle in Scotland (however not many of the photos are taken with a clear sky). We then headed to one end of Loch Ness (home of the Loch Ness monster), and although I took many pictures, none of them show any signs of a monster lurking beneath the still waters (yet). Our guide informed us of a couple of theories regarding the sea creature, a few of which seem very legitimate. The creature has been seen about 1,000 times since 1930, but the amount of whisky consumed by witnesses at the time of the sightings is yet to be determined.

After leaving the west end of Loch Ness, we drove along the fault line of Scotland, which spans the entire width of the country, viewing remarkable and unique mountains. We made a stop to see the tallest peak in Great Britain – Ben Nevis. Ben Nevis only has an average of 13 clear days per year, and as luck would have it, we arrived during one of those 13 days – I feel quite honored.

Making our way back through Stirling and finally arriving in Edinburgh, I was happy to head home to my own bed. The music playing on the bus was a treat for the first day, but after hearing the same songs for the 27th time in a row, I was ready for a change of tunes. Our energetic and fantastic guide provided us with a large amount of history and information throughout the weekend excursion, and by Sunday evening, my brain was ready to rest.

I am so thankful that I got a chance to travel into a part of Scotland which I had not previously touched. We had a great time looking at the bens and glens, (mountains and valleys), as well as the newborn sheep roaming the fields. Most importantly, I was able to see a few hairy coo (cows) as well, although I couldn’t grab a picture). I have seen mountains before, but there is no way to accurately describe the unique landscape which I saw this weekend. So different, and incredibly majestic.

Returning to my flat, I was glad to know that I would be spending at least a week in the same room with the same bed. Traveling has been absolutely incredible, but it has been trying, both physically and mentally. My body is crying for a long couch to lay on while watching television, as well as a few solid nights of sleep. Even though I was in bed for 12 hours, screeching seagulls perched outside of my window prevented me from even relaxing for at least three of those hours. I know that someday I will look back and miss the seagulls, but until then, I will find it hard to appreciate the annoying little things.

Mentally I find myself in a very awkward position. I only have three weeks before I am done with finals. A friend from home will then visit, immediately followed by the arrival of my family. I understand that I only have weeks left of my experience here in Scotland, and I am still trying to appreciate every second. I am excited for my friends and family to visit, but I am not ready to go home yet nor am I missing home. I know I will be more than ready at the end of June, but until then, I am focusing on my time here (yes, including exams).

Now, at this point, many of my friends (who will be leaving sooner than later) are completely focused on home and on getting home – away from Edinburgh. In fact, they have already mentally removed themselves from Scotland, and are happily counting down the days until they leave. Each situation is unique and different, so in no way am I saying that this is a bad thing. If only one friend was in this position, I would be fine. However, since I am surrounded by this mindset of returning to the U.S., I am feeling quite frustrated. Not only am I completely surprised that I am still not homesick, but I am trying to stay positive while being constantly faced with individuals who are, which is a very difficult situation to be in. At the beginning of the semester I was with many people who were anxious to share new experiences with me, and together we would embark on adventures, excursions, and explorations. Now, I find myself experiencing things alone, and then searching for individuals to share them with. I am perfectly fine, just disappointed in the small number of other students who are also doing well. Luckily I have a few things to keep me occupied, but it will be interesting to see how the following weeks turn out.

So now as the numbers begin to dwindle, and as fellow students start to disappear from Edinburgh, I will work on studying for exams, and I will continue to appreciate my fleeting time in Scotland, even if I am appreciating it by myself. Never did I imagine that I would be the one attempting to live every moment of this experience while watching others deal with a growing need to return to their homes. But, since this is the case, I will do my best, as the end to my journey is in the not so distant future.

Most likely, the next time I will write will be after the completion of my first exam . . . wish me luck!

For now, I can only think of two big adjustments I had to make upon returning to the UK: the language, and the traffic. With the last half of my trip being in Italy, I grew accustomed to responding with “Grazi” to say thank you. For two hours after landing in London, I caught myself responding in Italian to individuals with thick British accents. Furthermore, I had first trained my ear to listen for Greek, then changed to pick out words in Italian. When we landed in London, and then in Edinburgh, I could hardly understand anybody!!

Remembering the traffic patterns of the UK was a more dangerous adjustment to make, but a quicker one. In order to cross the street in Italy, a pedestrian must wait for a slight gap and simply enter the road. The drivers stop and wait for the individuals to pass before zooming along. After exiting the airport bus, my flatmate and I entered the street (surprisingly enough, we did remember to look to the right first) expecting the cars to stop and wait for us to cross. After some angry looks, we hurried while realizing our mistake – Oops. We had a good laugh, and today I remembered to push the little white button on the street sign before I crossed.

My three week vacation was absolutely amazing — a trip to remember. Before we left, we came up with a rough plan of where and when we wanted to go, but the only actual plans were our airplane tickets on either end of the trip. We arrived in Athens with the intent of heading directly to some of the Cyclades islands (still part of Greece). While in Athens, we spent a large portion of our time at the Acropolis and in the nearby area. Due to unexpected weather prohibiting ferry travels, we spent three nights in chilly Athens before heading down to the island of Santorini. Even though my face was green from the rough ride to the island, I was awestruck by the natural beauty of the volcanic island and the smaller ones surrounding. Three days in Santorini left us with beautiful weather (still freezing, but sunny), a small sailing trip to an active volcano and hot springs, a sun burn, and plenty of cheap but delicious gyros.

After Santorini we island hopped to Naxos, where we spent only one night. With warm weather, or during high tourist season, I am sure the island is amazing. During our visit however, the beaches weren’t that tempting while we shivered in the streets. Our host for the evening was the mother of the owner, who spoke to us in a combination of Greek, French, and English (none of which we could understand). During our time in Naxos, we were able to play an ebony & ivory piano that Leonard Bernstein once played on. So many stories . . .

After the one night in Naxos we began our trek to see a Gustie in Sicily, Italy. The ferry from Greece to Italy was where I had my first and only real breakdown on the trip. As some already know, I tend to overreact when I am overtired. On the ferry, I misunderstood the printing on our tickets which said “deck” and asked a worker where my friend and I would be sleeping. Misunderstanding my question, he told me we would be outside! After visualizing all of our belongings falling off of the deck in the middle of the night while the two of us were freezing to death, I broke down into tears – which soon stopped after I was told that we were not going to spend the night outside on the deck. Hee hee. That’s what happens when I don’t get enough sleep . . .

2 overnight ferries, 2 buses, one long train ride, and 48 straight hours of traveling later, we arrived (eyes barely open) in Syracusa. The five nights allowed us plenty of time to fully experience Sicilian gelato, as well as pizza and other great Italian cuisine. Not shocking to some, at an internet cafe I ran into a girl from my hometown – our families have known each other for over ten years! Small world, isn’t it?

After Syracusa/Sicily, we headed up to Naples and experienced pizza from World Champion pizza makers — actually at the location where the Margherita pizza was invented! A day trip to nearby Pompeii was amazing (Pompeii was an entire city covered and in turn preserved by the eruption/explosion of the nearby Mt. Vesuvius).

Due to the passing of the Pope, we decided to completely skip Rome (instead of risking being in the middle of Rome when the new Pope was elected). Florence was our next stop where we tasted world famous gelato (twice in one day — so long for the diet). I was thrilled to see Michaelangelo’s “David” in the morning, but not so thrilled to stand in line for four hours in the afternoon in order to enter the Ufizi Gallery. I must say that works by Da Vinci, Michaelangelo and others were worth the wait, although I wasn’t to happy about it at the time.

After Florence we made it to Venice in time to spend the afternoon and early evening drinking coffee in la Piazza de San Marco. Two coffees cost a total of $34, but we did have a great time being served like royalty. A stroll through the streets of Venice ended up in more gelato (no surprise there). While standing on a dock innocently enjoying our treats, we were unexpectedly caught up in a flock of paparazzi as a famous man emerged from a secure speed boat. Later finding out that we had seen the newly elected Mayor/Leader of Venice emerge from his escort on the day of elections, we thought it would be funny if two Americans slurping melted gelato could be seen in the background of any of his pictures

We made it back to Edinburgh with no catastrophes (although missing an alarm clock the morning of our early departure was not great) and I am very glad to be back in one location. I had so much fun on the trip, and I can honestly say that I have backpacked through Europe. By this week, my backpack weighed in at 26lbs, plus a day-pack of about 7lbs, and the contents are now spread throughout my room (again, no surprise there). I was sad to see my cash flow so quickly through my fingers for transportation, food, and accommodations (especially after reaching northern Italy), but I should be back on budget sooner than later.

Edinburgh is in bloom – the people and the plants. Although a jacket is still absolutely necessary, the longer daylight hours are definitely welcoming. Much of the scaffolding has been removed from the castle, displaying a side which I haven’t seen since I first arrived. I am excited to see people enjoying the sunshine while strolling through the gardens and/or sitting in the parks. As soon as my exams are done, I will be sure to join them!

Just as I say that I am happy to be back in Edinburgh, I am leaving for a weekend excursion into the highlands of Scotland. At least I will be staying within the same country, but if I am exhausted now, I have no clue how I will be feeling next week. I have one exam to prepare for at the end of next week, which in addition to much needed sleep, will take up most of my time.

By the way, if anyone was interested, my essays all came back with very pleasing scores – which proves that I didn’t spend ALL of my time “experiencing Edinburgh” during my first few months here. Now that I have returned from my trip, I have just over 2 months left before my family will escort me from Edinburgh back to the Twin Cities — but I won’t think about that quite yet.

Until next week. . .

Cheers!

I was not able to cross the waters and make it to Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day, but I found out Scotland really isn’t that far away. The morning trains were dumping out individuals dressed in green, and pubs were already packed at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. I began the evening with a stop at the Storytelling Oscars, and stayed to see the actual Oscar (a lawn gnome named Oscar) be passed from last year’s winner to the new one. I look forward to this Friday with another storytelling evening – I only have a few left!

I will admit that I made my way to two Irish pubs last Thursday, along with the rest of Edinburgh, to fully take part in the St. Patty’s experience. People were quite surprised when I knew the words to the Stevie Wonder song as well as a few other hits of the 80’s. I felt so old . . .

Friday evening I attended a dance recital for my flatmates – watching one African dance as well as belly dancing. Afterward, the beautiful weather allowed time for a hearty walk (around midnight) to another side of Edinburgh. It seems as if every week I discover a new location with a beautiful view of the castle!

As a random decision, I ventured north with another flatmate on Saturday to explore the town of Perth. First, the bus stopped at the smallest whisky (notice the spelling) distillery in Scotland: Edradour Distillery. The tour of the distillery was complete with history of the whisky industry, information regarding the distillation process, and most importantly, a free taste of whisky.

(FYI – Ireland writes WHISKEY, and Scotland writes WHISKY – the joke is that Ireland has no clue about making whisky – they don’t even know how to correctly spell the word!)

A continuation of the trip brought us to Perth for the afternoon – long enough for a quick lunch and some ice cream. Perth is a quaint town set on the River Tay, and is filled with many small shops and stores (my mom would love it). Traveling to and from Perth I realized how much further North it was than any of my previous destinations. Perth gave me just a taste of what the Highlands will look like when I do some more exploring above Edinburgh. In a way, the terrain reminded me of driving in Colorado, although with its own special charm.

I honestly don’t know what I was thinking on Sunday when I agreed to walk from my comfortable flat to Leith (the coast). Had I known the round trip was about 8 miles (four of which were definitely uphill), I may have delayed the excursion. The walk would have been much more enjoyable had there not been any fog, or had we walked on a day when stores were open. I must say that I really enjoyed the quality time spent with my friend, even though my feet were a bit sore that evening.

A bit frustrating at the time, but comical now, we found ourselves with a map attempting to figure out exactly where the Firth of Forth was. We should have anticipated the lack of visibility when I walked out my door and Arthur’s Seat (the HUGE volcanic structure in my back yard) was nowhere to be seen. The fog was so thick that when I returned to Leith yesterday (BY BUS), I saw buildings which were completely invisible on Sunday. A sizable body of water, the Firth shouldn’t have been that difficult to find, especially since the map showed we were almost directly on top of it. At one point, we were actually standing in the middle of a parking lot knowing full well that water was near, but couldn’t figure out where it was. Furthermore, the Britannia (the Royal ship) was definitely parked somewhere, but that was invisible as well. We finally turned a random corner and found ourselves at a railing overlooking water – which was good enough for us. Even though we couldn’t see more than a few yards over the shore, we were happy to have reached our destination. (It would have been nice to actually see across the water, but I will save that for another day when I walk down to the water and bring change for the bus ride back).

This week I will finish my last few lectures, and will begin preparing for my first exam. The more I can get organized before my spring break trip the better, as I return only to jump on another bus and venture to Loch Ness!

Cheers!