We have spent 119 days, 2,856 hours, and 171,360 minutes in Edinburgh and it seems like only yesterday we were all fumbling with our luggage, some heavier than others (Allie), through the chilly Edinburgh air, lead by our notorious leader Karen to our new home. Little did we know what was in store for us over the next few months. After a brief adjustment period, we all became acclimated to our new lives in Scotland’s capital. Looking back on the trip, there have been some significant memorable moments that we felt the need to share:
An Edinburgh Education
One of the things we will miss most upon arriving back in the States are our accommodations here in Edinburgh. Each flat has its own quirks and history that have captured our hearts. Naturally, we are biased to love our home in Ramsay Gardens, which is where our group congregated each week, and is as beautiful as it is rich in history. The poet and wig-maker, Allan Ramsay, initially built Ramsay Gardens in 1733. The flats were then renovated in the 1890’s by Patrick Eddes. The four of us in Ramsay 2a also had the pleasure of sharing our lovely home with a less than lovely and very cunning mouse!
The moments from the trip that have stood out the most range from every day to extraordinary, from Glasgow to Skye. Our weekly movie nights were times where our bonds were tied tighter and our views of Scotland were broadened. We screened a variety of unforgettable and cultural films including: Trainspotting, Brigadoon, Gregory’s Girl, and Braveheart. As time went on, our group became more inseparable and many “international-family-dinner-nights” ensued. These get-togethers included our new friends Laura, Maggie, and Danielle, and always ended in raucous rounds of our favorite game: fishbowl- a combination of charades and Catchphrase. Although the games were always heated, they were surely not as brutal as the sports here in Scotland, as Matthew found out the hard way.
Our group also made many fond (and some not so fond) memories while on weekend trips out of Edinburgh. Our first day trip to Glasgow put into perspective just how cruel and cold Scottish weather can be. But our journey to Skye warmed us back up and left us with unforgettable images of mountainous landscapes as well as the stories told to us by our kilt-clad guide, Mac. Three days spent in a speeding mini-bus on the winding, one-way roads of the highlands with nothing but Scottish folk music to listen to is not something we will easlity forget.
One of the best things about this wild Scottish adventure has been the opportunity to learn in a way that is different than at Furman. Yes, we still had to take classes; some of us broadened our knowledge of film, while others refined our palates to the many varieties of wine. And we all learned quite a bit about Scottish media from our interim patriarch, Dr. Armstrong. Every week, we followed the current political hot topic of the Independence Referendum. In 2014, Scotland’s citizens will be voting in a referendum to decide if they want independence from England. We weighed our opinions and experiences throughout our encounters with locals. As a part of our curriculum, we have read portions of the book, “The Media in Scotland”, edited by Neil Blain and David Hutchison. This book challenged our thinking around the cultural sphere in Edinburgh and how the media is continually molding this nation. As quoted in the book:
“The media are not the only carriers of cultural identity, not by far, nor can they deliver their functions as guarantors of local democracy or political transparency in a predictable manner. However, they are politically and culturally very important, and their local dimension is crucial. The Scottish voice is as likely to get lost in the clamor of the digital age as to be heard through new forms of specialized provision.“
pg 17
But, the majority of our learning occurred out of the classroom – at our internships and on the streets of Edinburgh and out amongst the wilderness. Our internships included working for members of Scottish Parliament, Energy Saving Scotland, Blackhall Primary School, Filmhouse, National Trust for Scotland, Children’s Parliament, and Bethany Christian Trust. Through these experiences, we began to understand how to work in a new country. Our internships allowed us to be actively involved in Edinburgh, instead of being spectators looking from afar.
Our confidence grew as we continued to learn valuable lessons from our everyday lives in the city. Using the trial-and-error method, we finally mastered the Lothian bus system, some quicker than others. Quick-tip: never try to go down the bus steps before the bus has come to a complete stop- thanks Jordan! Many of us had to learn a real-life lesson about the dangers of fraud when we had the Great Money Fiasco of 2013. When more than half the group had their card numbers stolen through a rigged ATM, they had to quickly adapt to a new and frustrating situation. Persistence is a quality ingrained in anyone living in Scotland for a long period of time. It is something you learn in order to survive the ever-frustrating and unpredictable weather. When it goes from sunny to rainy to hailing like there’s no tomorrow, you simply have to put up your hood and keep going, always remembering that the sun will be back soon…maybe.
Answer: Infinite.
Over the past four months, we have skipped rocks on Orkney and tasted haggis. We have chased sheep through the glens and imagined fairies on Skye and escaped from Glaswegian cemeteries. We have frequented the farmers’ market and pub-crawled and solved mysteries and become Bees. We have explored castles and joined the search for Nessie. We have consumed our weight in tea and spit out whiskey. We have had the chance to change our fate and we have taken it. We have hiked every single step to the top of Arthur’s seat and looked down at the view of our beloved city.
We have lived 119 days 2,856 hours 171,360 minutes in Edinburgh and we have loved every second of it!