Student Bloggers

This past week has been rather great. I’ve made a solid group of friends here from my Arcadia group, and we’ve been able to go a lot of places around town together. Mostly its been trips to the movies, visiting each other’s flats and having movie nights, having “family” dinners together, and visiting karaoke bars. Although it may not sound so thrilling, I know it’s these little moments that I will remember most when I return home.

One event held this week was a Ceilidh, (a Gaelic word pronounced: Kay-lee). Ceilidhs are celebratory gatherings which usually involve food, traditional dances, and of course some drinks. I enjoyed this way more than I expected to. All the dances are group or partner dances and involve repeated steps. Although they aren’t too difficult, they are very tiring. They usually involve lots of hopping and jumping. So far I am really enjoying the social aspect of Scottish life. People are also incredibly friendly (something new to an LA native).

As my last night before classes has arrived, I look forward to beginning my final semester of college. I also look forward to spending as much time as I can traveling and seeing all that I can see.

I will leave you with some things to take note of.

• Go on those little local tours. Many of them have been around for awhile and are worth it. We went on a Terror Tour, (Ghost Tour) of Glasgow’s vaults and it was the best Ghost Tour I have been on. Our guide Darren was funny, but also very knowledgeable about the history of the city. These tours are a great way to learn some history while also getting in a fright as well.
• Just because you’ve successfully made it to your flat twice, doesn’t mean you’ll get there the third time. Check a map. Today my friends and I walked nearly a mile in the wrong direction before we realized nothing looked familiar and we were going the opposite direction. On top of that, we were carrying groceries and bedding. This made a long walk even longer. When you have Wi-Fi access, pin yourself on the map and save it. That way you can access the map at a later point when you don’t have Wi-Fi. This can save you a lot of trouble. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for directions or take a cab.
• It will be hard to be away from home, but the thing to remember is everyone is in the same boat as you, even if it doesn’t seem like it. For me, being out with people during the day makes it all easy, but when you come back to your flat at night alone, that’s when it can set in. No matter what who you leave behind, your SO, parents, friends, siblings, your dog, you’re going to miss someone a lot. I cannot stress enough how important it is to Skype, FaceTime, or call. Texting is nice, but its not nearly the same as hearing someone’s voice or seeing their face.