Edinburgh 2018

It’s hard to believe that our time abroad is coming to an end. It feels like it was just yesterday that we arrived here in Edinburgh after what had seemed like an eternal journey across the pond. Throughout our time here, we’ve experienced unforgettable adventures, adapted to a different culture and even come to call this place our home. Studying abroad has been such a unique opportunity that has allowed for so much growth and limitless exploration. As these last few weeks are wrapping up, we’ve found ourselves reflecting on these past four months, and how we’ve changed not only as students, but as individuals.

Over the course of our time here we’ve been fortunate enough to travel to some of the most beautiful locations Scotland has to offer. Our trip to Isle of Skye was by far one of our favorites.  With its breathtaking highland views and quaint small towns, it was this excursion that exposed us to a whole new part of Scotland unlike anything we had ever seen in Edinburgh. While living in such a beautiful metropolitan city has been amazing, it was so nice to escape to the highlands for a few days and enjoy the tranquility of the countryside. 

The views of Skye were unbelievably beautiful, but what stood out to us the most was our interaction with the group. It was our bonding as a group that made the trip a turning point in our minds. Traveling from the bustling city of Edinburgh to the sparsely populated town Kyleakin, all we really had was each other. For the first time since arriving in Scotland, we felt like we finally had the opportunity to just sit and chat with our fellow classmates. From staying up late in the hostel playing our favorite games and making some Slovenian friends to jamming to music together on the bus, it was there in Skye that we all really became friends.

For two devoted fans of the hit drama television series Outlander, we were both thrilled when we were accepted into the program. Of course, this wasn’t the only reason we wanted to study abroad in Scotland. There was something special about the Edinburgh program that was intriguing. We both wanted to experience living in a place that we had never been to before, but also be in Europe so we could travel during free weekends.

We are both experienced travelers having visited Europe extensively, so we were both curious to see how the UK differs from the other countries we’ve visited. Edinburgh is the perfect size. It’s a big enough city that begs to be discovered, filled with peculiar nooks and alleyways that tempt you to explore all your surroundings.

It is such a walkable city and public transportation is so easy to use. This freedom to roam without having to use a car allows for reflection and a chance to observe the surroundings.

One of the main reasons we were interested in the Edinburgh program was the internship component. We both wanted to experience working in a different country where we could learn how an organization and system works.

Working in the Scottish Parliament has been such a unique experience that has allowed for the growth and acquirement of certain skills that I will use in the future. As a Spanish and Communication Studies major who is fascinated by languages and cultures, I was interesting in seeing how the Parliament functions, especially with the current political situation with the independence movement and Brexit.

I’ve obtained a global perspective by working in a political system that I am not familiar with, and discovered an interest in international politics. Working in the Parliament has also allowed me to learn more about the culture, social dynamics and relationships between Britain and Scotland. As a parliamentary intern to MSP Colin Beattie, a member of the Scottish National Party and a representative of Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency, I have gotten the chance to write speeches for debates, write press releases and newspaper columns. Every Thursday, I try to attend First Minister Questions, which is when the members of the Parliament ask the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, any questions they have regarding Scotland’s economic, political, social, health and global status. It’s been such an interesting experience working at the Parliament and I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to work there. 

To learn more about the Scottish Parliament, visit their website: http://www.parliament.scot/

 

Working a non-profit that helps children with special needs, The Yard focuses on providing care, support, and opportunities for adventure and friendship for disabled children and young people. At The Yard, they are truly dedicated to creating a safe environment where disabled children and their parents can just play. It was so amazing to work at an organization like The Yard because it is a truly unique charity whose staff’s dedication to their cause is unlike anything I have ever seen. Though I was an intern officially assigned to their communications department, I not only got to see all the inner workings of marketing and public relations, but I also got to assist all the other departments including fundraising and the play staff.

I even got to help coordinate Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s first visit to The Yard and meet her myself! On my last day, my colleagues were kind enough to gift me an autographed piece of art that the children of The Yard had created during the visit. While I will always remember my time at The Yard and all of the wonderful people that work there, I now have something that I can keep forever as a token of my time on their staff. 

To learn more about The Yard, visit their website (that I assisted in reformatting!) https://www.theyardscotland.org.uk

 

During this time of the year, days are shorter and colder. As two Greenville natives, we’ve often found ourselves missing the warm South Carolina sun and blue skies, but there is something special about Christmas time in Edinburgh. There are several different activities and things to experience like the Christmas Market and the Silent Disco. 

At the market they have a number of different food options like crepes, raclette cheese sandwiches, braddworst sausage, chocolate covered strawberries and so much more. The Christmas Market also has several stands with Although the sun sets at 3PM, the Christmas lights illuminate the entire city and warm your heart. 

To see all of the amazing activities at the Christmas market, visit their website here. http://www.edinburghschristmas.com/#stq=&stp=1

 

Studying abroad has changed both of our lives in more ways than one. While the two of us have completely different backgrounds when it comes to international travel, we both agree that studying abroad is unlike any other trip we have ever taken. Studying abroad allows you to discover the world and experience a brand-new country with incredible new customs, perspectives and opportunities. It’s a breath of fresh air, one that you might not be familiar with, but allows you to completely immerse yourself in the culture. After nearly four months here, we can both say that there is nothing quite like being on your own in a foreign country. It’s so liberating getting to explore a new place and become fully independent. Often times, we would find ourselves discovering who we are and observe how we adapt to diverse situations. Being in a new place by yourself can be overwhelming at times, but it allows for self-growth and the opportunity of a lifetime. This semester has challenged us in so many ways and forced us to grow out of our comfort zone, and for that, we are grateful for all the memories and experiences here.

We will always remember Dr. Armstrong’s lectures on media in his apartment Tuesday nights, our weekend trips across Scotland and the special friendships we’ve made during our time here. We have loved our time here in Edinburgh and we can’t imagine our study abroad experience being anywhere else. While we are sad to leave the place we have called home for almost four months, we couldn’t be more excited for the next group of Furman students who will soon embark on their own adventures in this fabulous city.

 

So, let’s toast to an unforgettable semester, or, as they say in Scotland, Slainte Mthath!

Cheers,

Liz and Marina

 

(photographed by Megan Rizzi)

Hello everyone and welcome to tea time with David and Emily! You are about to read all about what we are thankful for on this fine Thanksgiving week. You might be wondering, Thanksgiving? In Scotland?

Although it wasn’t a conventional Thanksgiving, we realized we have so much to be thankful for here in Edinburgh!

And don’t you worry the class still had turkey time, at none other than the Hard Rock Cafe; courtesy of Ms. Elizabeth Davis!

We are going to take you on a highlight tour through Edinburgh of not only the things we did this week but of the things we are most thankful for that we get to enjoy every day here.

Arthurs Seat

Arthur’s Seat might just be the best *chair* with a view anywhere in the world. It can be windier than a hurricane, but that can actually be nice after you’ve been sweating from the near vertical climb to the top. And if you’re lucky enough, you may even see a rainbow like we did last week! It sometimes seems like we are on a movie set, one minute you are in a bustling city and the next you have a 250 meter tall slice of the Scottish Highlands in front of you. The interns at parliament all have a view from their desk that over looks the mountaintop, and it’s a great reminder that even just outside their work environment there is true beauty in the nature and wide open spaces of Scotland. Spectacular spaces like Arthur’s seat inspire us to get outside as much as possible and take advantage of Scotland’s endless network of walking paths.

(it’s all about the climb, to Authors Seat credit-Emily and David)

Leo’s Beanery

Grab your cup of joe and stay awhile at the coffee shops here in Edinburgh! Whether you are in the mood for coffee or tea, Leo’s Beanery is the place to go! It is a local coffee shop where we tend to study for Napier classes and write our papers for Dr. Armstrong’s class. Leo’s is in the basement of a building, and when you walk down the six stairs and open the big glass door, you are greeted by a combination of freshly ground coffee beans and freshly baked out of the oven cakes and pastries. Leo’s is a home away from home for us, the baristas know us, they know where we like to sit, try and save us our table, and they keep out kettles warm and full. We love this place and are so thankful that the equivalent of our James B. Duke Furman library is in this quaint little local beanery, that always smells like home.

       

(studying hard or hardly studying, Leo’s Shots form one of our study days credit-E and D)

Stockbridge

Every Sunday that we are here in Edinburgh, we look forward to visiting the local Stockbridge outdoor market. A blend of tourists, hipsters, and young families stroll through this park filled with tents selling fruits, cheese, pastries, jams and so much more. But most importantly, Stockbridge Market has the best Sunday lunch options! Each week the food stands are different, but you can always bet you stomach will be full of international fare from savory and sweet French crepes, sizzling Japanese Gyoza, or even spicy Kenyan Street food. It’s also a great place to people watch, and make new friends.

            

This week while in line for paella, we met a friendly Belgian man who asked us (clearly locals) what our favorite spots in town were. Little did he know he was already our favorite Sunday hangout. To see what good eats we’re looking forward to next weekend, you can check out their website here that lists the vendors for the week.

(our local market gems, all the food we love credit-E and D)

Christmas Market

For the past month, the entire city of Edinburgh has been a construction site as the city has prepared for their annual Christmas festivities. Edinburgh does not take the season lightly; the Christmas market shines bright every night with it’s nearly one hundred stands and fair rides. In the past week, our class has visited the fair multiple times to enjoy the warm drinks and snacks and the thrilling rides like the Star Flyer that swings its brave riders 60 meters over Edinburgh. The City of Edinburgh Council released that the Edinburgh Christmas 2017 festival generated an economic impact of £113 million in additional output, equating to 2,260 full time jobs in Edinburgh making it one of the most beneficial single events for the city year round. Not only are we enjoying this annual tradition, but it looks like the Edinburgh economy is as well. You can learn more from Edinburgh’s Christmas official website here.

    

(Christmas Market morning and night credit-E and D)

Home away from home

They say home is where the heart is, and you can be sure that our hearts are officially here in Scotland. We are lucky enough to have spent 4 months here exploring and embedding ourselves into the Scottish culture. We are very lucky to spend our time living in New town. New Town is more residential and gives us the full package, as we can explore the hustle and bustle of Old Town while also getting to rest and live as locals do. Our flats are incredibly nice, one might say 5 stars, and we are surrounded by local shops and stores that we have become regulars at. There is a smell to Scotland, and every day it creeps up on you. It is unexpected but all the more satisfying as you take in a big inhale. We have spent the past months trying to figure it out. Our epiphany happened while walking past our local pub, the Wally Dog. They were receiving their daily shipment of kegs and one had spilled, when we walked past it we instantly recognized the smell on the street, and we knew in that moment that the Edinburgh smell we have been searching for was right under our noses. The delicious smell  was the beer from all the local pubs and bars, case closed! With local businesses and hangout spots that make us feel at home and comfortable every day.

                    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(80 Dundas Emily’s Home credit-E and D)

Family Fun, under the sunny RAIN.

Our families joined our adventures this week, as they spent their Thanksgiving break with the people they are most thankful for… us! We were lucky enough to take them to our favorite spots and enjoy good food, and even visit some sights we have never seen before such as, Holyrood Palace, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and some delicious restaurants we hadn’t discovered.

Throughout the week, the Savini’s had the chance to explore the city, and eat some unforgettable food. On the day of Thanksgiving, the Savini’s had an amazing Indian dinner (unfortunately no turkey) and then went ice skating at St. Andrews Square. Although not your typical Turkey Day, it was special celebrating in a new place and appreciating each other’s company in such a unique setting.

The Zeytoonjian family enjoyed time exploring the city, climbing the famous Royal Mile to the castle, eating good food for noodles to Indian but we can’t forget haggis, all forms, at every meal. The best Zeytoonjian excursion was to loch ness where we hunted for Nessie, and guess what we found her! She was a little shy so we couldn’t get a picture but let me tell you she was there. It was amazing seeing family especially around Thanksgiving, it reminded us how grateful we are to have them in our lives, supporting us and our time here. The Zeytoonjian family definitely loved our city and want to come back and stay even longer.

(Zeytoonjian classic Selfie credit -Father Richie Z)

(Savini Silly Skating credit- Mother Irene)

 

Thank you next !

 

 

Listen along with us!

Hello all, it’s Matt and Isabella! We decided to spice things up for this week’s blog by interviewing each other! So without further ado, let’s get to it!

Isabella: I’ll start us off! How are your classes going at Edinburgh Napier? Did you have any interesting lectures or assignments this week?

Matt: Classes are going quite well. In my Introduction to Journalism module, I’ve been looking at print media’s coverage of homelessness, while in my Data Analytics course I’ve been practicing data cleaning and preparation using WeKa and OpenRefine.

Speaking of coursework, outside of our Napier classes, we’re also taking Survey of Scottish Issues with Dr. Armstrong. You’ve been pretty active in our class discussions — care to give our readers an overview of what we’ve learned?

Isabella: Well, this class is definitely focused on media in Scotland, but when you take the time to analyze another culture, you tend to reflect back on your own quite a lot. I often find myself comparing and contrasting Scottish media with American media. For example, in America, we tend to get our news through digital content, like on the TV or on social media. In Scotland, many people still read daily newspapers and tabloids to get updates on current events. And this is something that has evolved over history as Edinburgh has been known as the literary center of the UK, while America is generally known as a leader in the entertainment industry.

Matt: I also love our movie classes, they’re a good blend of education, entertainment, and free pizza.

Isabella: For sure! So, you’re interning at QikServe, right? What type of projects have you been working on this week?

Matt: I’ve been looking at digital order receipts from our client’s self-ordering kiosks. I’m performing what’s called a market basket analysis, where I’m looking to see what products the kiosk can recommend to a shopper based on what’s been placed in the cart. It works just like the “suggested items” tab on Amazon.

Isabella: Very cool.

Matt: Thanks––it’s basically a massive formula and it’s kept me pretty busy lately! What about you? What do you do to stay busy outside of work and classes?

Isabella: I’ve done so so much since arriving in Edinburgh. I’ve made friends with other international students at Napier. We’ve gone hiking and seen some movies together. When it’s cold and rainy out, I’ll stay home and watch British TV shows like The Bodyguard and listen to Breaking the News on BBC Scotland Radio. I try to put myself out there as much as I can, so I’ve been trying my hand at stand-up comedy! You should come to open mic one night and check it out!

Isabella spotted at Monkey Barrel Comedy

Matt: Awesome, I definitely should! It’s easy keeping busy with all the traveling we do too.

Isabella: What’s better than exploring Scotland with your closest friends?! What did you think about our trip to the Orkney Islands?

Matt: I didn’t expect the Orkney Islands to have such a varied history with sites like the Ring of Brodgar dating back before 2000 BC. Meanwhile, the Italian Chapel tells the memories of the 550 captured Italian prisoners of war from WWII that were forced to construct the shrine. These two places were definitely highlights to remember. What were some of your highlights from your trip to Orkney this weekend?

Emily Z. and Liz channeling Jamie Fraser at the Ring of Brodgar

An inside view of The Italian Chapel

Isabella: I thought our visit to the Tomb of the Eagles was awesome. Just hearing all about the Neolithic history from Kathleen — the daughter of the man who discovered the tomb– was such a surreal experience. My favorite part though was walking along the South Ronaldsay cliffs on the way back. The rocks were absolutely breathtaking and I got some really good pictures of our classmates there!

An impressive view of The South Ronaldsay Cliffs

Hey I almost forgot! Halloween was last week — want to tell everyone what we did that night?

Matt: To celebrate Halloween this year, we decided to go on a ghost tour around Edinburgh. Learning about the dark secrets of the Blair Street Vaults was equal parts educational and spooky. I was only slightly freaked out after our final stop at the Black Mausoleum in Greyfriars Kirkyard—home of the Mackenzie Poltergeist.

Isabella: I was freaked out the entire time…

Matt and Isabella daring to brush shoulders with the ghosts of Edinburgh

Matt: Ha ha, you definitely were! Okay, last question: Any projects, trips or plans coming up that you’re excited for?

Isabella: I’ve got trips planned to the Netherlands, Ireland, France, and Spain — traveling is so exciting! But I’m also still excited about my classes and my internship. At work, we’ve got some film shoots coming up that I’ll get to help with, and for my TV Scriptwriting course I have to submit an original TV pilot as my final. There’s so much going on here it’s hard to believe how fast this semester is flying by!

Matt: Well that wraps up our interview. Thanks for following along in our journey through Week 8 in Edinburgh.

 

Also, make sure to check out Isabella’s video about everything we did this weekend!