Adventures Abroad: From Boston to Edinburgh Past Review

My experiences abroad cannot be sufficiently summarized in just a few paragraphs, but I'll do my best to share the highlights. Edinburgh is such a unique place and is at a pivotal moment politically (with the September 18th Scottish independence referendum coming up). As an American abroad in the UK, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the University of Edinburgh and never felt socially awkward nor at a disadvantage because I was from the States. For someone who attends a small liberal arts college in New England (and a historically women's college at that), attending the University of Edinburgh offered so many new experiences for me. Prior to leaving the States, I was afraid that I would stick out like a sore thumb, but I never felt unwelcome in Edinburgh. There are so many social and cultural differences, some small and others quite large, but I felt I was able to adapt relatively quickly to my new environment and luckily my flatmates (who were all from around the UK) were more than willing to help me in my contextual transition. The highlights would have to include 1) climbing (on multiple occasions and at various times of day and night) Arthur's Seat - a dormant volcano that offers incredible panoramic views of the city at its summit 2) observing a debate in the Scottish Parliament debating chamber 3) celebrating Burns Night, an annual celebration that commemorates the life and works of Scottish poet Robert Burns, of which the festivities typically include eating a "Burns supper" (i.e. haggis, neeps and tatties), drinking Scotch whiskey, and reciting Burns' poetry. Lastly, I enjoyed meeting the wide variety of truly amazing people, many of whom I still keep in touch with. Edinburgh is a very university-friendly town, but you're not just limited to interacting with 18-26 year-olds; in fact, I met many people outside of that age range and was able to socialize with them as well without feeling overly cognizant of the age gap between us. This is unlike the States, where it would've been seen as strange to interact with men and women outside of a certain age range, especially in a pub or festival setting. As cliché as it sounds, the most invaluable part of studying abroad was getting to learn more about myself and my personal development over the course of those five months really skyrocketed. In addition to the exposure to the different people, cultures, and schools of thought, being abroad helped inform me of what I am personally capable of when placed in situations that I am typically not placed in. Whether it was being in a new city and getting lost for the first time, living with and sharing a bathroom with men, going on a pub crawl with my new friends, traveling around Europe and staying in hostels, encountering new ways of life, and generally trying new things, being open to new ideas and not being afraid of accidentally making a fool of myself, I was able to have these experiences and because of the hospitality of the city and because I was surrounded by friends (some from the States but most from around Europe and the UK) I felt safe and supported.