The Adventure Begins
Our trip began on Thursday with five of us cramming ourselves and our luggage into a van leaving Furman. At the Charlotte Airport, we met up with seven other students, while a few of the others waited in JFK, where we would all meet to take the final leg of our trip. Much to our dismay, our flight to New York kept getting delayed, so we decided to fly directly to London from Charlotte instead. Meanwhile, the few students that were already at JFK, (Rachel, Emily Z, Emily C, Isabella, and Megan) calmly got on to the originally planned flight and arrived in Scotland without a hitch.
Once in London, the group of twelve attempted to catch a train to Edinburgh from Kings Cross Station. After running to the train while lugging massive suitcases we finally got on board. David and Paris found seats, while the rest of the group searched. Only after the train departed, did Paris realize that the others were not on the train. Fortunately, a friendly student from Saint Andrews University lent Paris not only his phone to contact Dr. Armstrong but also insight into the Scottsmen. This is where we first encountered the saying which describes the friendly but blunt nature of the Scots quite well.
“You’ll have had your tea.”
After this never-ending journey, David and Paris made it to Edinburgh, and the rest of the group arrived a few hours later, tired, but in one piece.
The next morning we were finally all united as an entire group. We met with Nancy, who is the head of our internship program, to discuss expectations, balancing work and school life, and the rules of our flats. After getting our international SIM cards, we were free to roam.
We have been exercising our “Right to Roam” ever since. We started with some local pubs, where we made new friends from New Castle. They may as well have been speaking another language since we couldn’t understand a word. Next, we explored Edinburgh Castle. The views were outstanding and the history breathtaking. In addition to these group excursions, we also went in smaller groups to Portobello Beach, Arthur’s Seat, Stirling Castle, St Andrews, and of course, wandering the rich streets of Edinburgh.
We have already gone to impressive castles, incredibly green parks, and stunning beaches, but there’s still so much to see! We can’t wait to use these next few months to experience the beauty of Scotland, while also learning about the complex culture, and of course, having our tea.
We hope this video helps you feel a little closer to all of us!
-Sending love across the pond, Rachel & Paris
