Week 1-3rd Post

And now for the new stuff

Day 4,5&6: Flats and Classes!

First of all, I cannot believe I've been here for almost a week already!!! It has flown by AND at the same time, I feel like I've been here forever! At the beginning of this experience, I couldn't understand how I was going to survive in another country for 5 months without knowing anyone. Now, I just hope it doesn't go by too quickly (although I know it will!)

So for my flat: I'm living with 3 other flatmates. 2 are from Scotland (Georgia and Cathrine) and 1 is from Canada (Lara). All seem really cool, but I have my own dorm room, so it's nice to have my own space. My dorm is called Robertson's Close and sits on the side of the Royal Mile and is about a 5 minute walk to campus. Not bad! It is also above an Indian restaurant and a pub, so I really have no complaints! I finally got settled in, but it was pretty exhausting moving bedding, sheets, lamps, mirrors, and stuff into the room because everything I bought throughout the city had to be carried back to my dorm and up 3 stories. My view is incredible though. I look out onto the side of one of the mountains that make up Edinburgh's 5 volcano peaks, and on Arthur's seat, which is an old watch tower ruin.

My room!

View from my flat!

As for classes: They started yesterday, and have been pretty good so far. I'm taking 2 Scottish History courses (Celtic Civilization and Scottish History Since 1914) and 1 Psychology class but that is subject to change by tomorrow. The school system is set up differently here though, and there is a much larger emphasis on self-teaching and self-research. Because of that, much less time is spent in class (or lectures) and more time is spent in smaller tutorials and in the library on our own. It will be a big adjustment getting used to it, and my time management skills will definitely be put to the test! Edinburgh's campus is beautiful though, of course, and the school is SO incredibly old it's hard to imagine. University of Edinburgh (or Edinburgh Uni) was founded in 1563 and so buildings like the Student Union are in buildings that look like castles! It's nice to start to have a routine here though. In the mornings, I've been going to a great coffee shop, The Black Medicine Horse, before class, and then for lunch, my friends and I have been trying out cheap cafe's that give student discounts. Two we've found are apparently pretty famous--The Elephant House (where JK Rowling wrote the 1st Harry Potter Book) and Elephant's and Bagels (their sister shop). Both are super cute, super cheap, and have free wi-fi for uni students, so I can see myself spending lots of time in there!

Adjusting to Scottish life is going pretty well. I'm exhausted all the time from all the walking, but am still going to join the gym here so I can keep up having a schedule...I like having routines and order, so that will probably help minimize all the other unknown stuff we have to face here. Also, I think my friends and I are going to join some societies (or clubs) that are run by the University, so we can meet more students and branch out. I still can't get over how lucky I've been in meeting my friends here--it feels like we've known each other forever, and not just 6 days! We were also talking about going through this experience together, and how crazy it all is. It's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't done something like this, but the feeling of being on your own in another country gives you a sense of independence and freedom that's not comparable to anything else...and again, it's only been a week! I can't imagine how I'll feel in 5 months, but I'm excited to find out!