Loving Edinburgh

I've been in Edinburgh for a week now which could not sound any stranger. The past couple days I've just been trying to get settled into my classes! I still don't even really have a schedule yet which is kind of scary... but I should have one by 10am tomorrow after I speak with my director of studies. Yesterday was my friend Nora's 21st birthday!!! So we took her out to Edinburgh's "finest" mexican place--Mariachi, where we celebrated with margarita's. Afterwards, we went to an Irish pub where we met some really fun irish people!! It was hilarious, about 15 irish guys lined up to give Nora a birthday kiss. American boys should take note!!! It is so fascinating to talk to people from different cultures and walks of life. Already my perspective of the world has changed so much!! It's so easy to get in our routines and focus so much on our own little bubble and ourselves. But there is a whole world out there full of amazing people and adventures!! As scary as it was leaving everything and everyone I knew behind in America, I can't imagine now not going through this experience. I've learned in my life after choosing to go to SMU and now this, that life really is too short to be scared and nervous to do the things you really want to do. As cliche as it sounds you really can't gain anything without risking something. So there is my little deep life thought for ya! ha it's just that experiences like these really make life worth living and I'm so fortunate to have this opportunity!!

Here are some pictures from Nora's birthday night!!





My new Irish friend, Gary!

I've absolutely loved getting to know the people I am sharing this experience with. It's been so fun every night cooking dinner and meeting in someone's flat all together and chatting for hours and hours! And I've loved exploring all the amazing coffee shops where we can relax in between classes. We found this really cute one called Elephants and Bagels that we have been going to a lot. They have a thing with Elephants here, I guess, it's a little strange but I like it! Everything is so authentic here too. America is so new, we don't have cities like Edinburgh that have existed for thousands of years! I love simply walking on the cobblestone streets and imagining all the people who have walked over the same stones. I feel like such a grown-up living in the city! I made another attempt at the grocery today and it went much better! Except it took me about an hour to find the eggs and I eventually gave up and just had to ask. They do not refrigerate them over here so they were hiding behind the bread. This time, I remembered the bellini bag that my mom gave me and fit my groceries perfectly inside so walking home was much easier! I feel like now I could live in any city. Edinburgh is a nice starter city since it isn't huge and overwhelming. It's such a perfect size and the best city ever to walk. I don't feel unsafe at all either. So to sum it up, I love Edinburgh.

Things I am still working on:
-saying "Edinburgh" the correct way. It is not "Edinburough" or "Edinburg"... its "Edinburuh." They made a point to tell us this at orientation so now I am super self-conscience about saying it correctly, especially in front of natives. Hopefully by the time I leave I will sound like a scot!
-looking the right direction while crossing the street. I didn't realize how instinctive it was of me to look left then right so it has really been tripping me out!!!

I'm going to post pictures of my room tomorrow!!! Goodnight from Edinburgh!!!