Living in Edinburgh has been an amazing experience. It’s hard to believe that this is my last official week of classes. I’ve met so many amazing people while studying here; the majority of which are other Americans or European exchange students. It’s funny how you gravitate towards people with familiar experiences and cultures. I’ve met a fair amount of Scottish people as well through classes, site visits, and school sponsored events. It did take me a lot longer to meet them though. All the local students have been taking classes with the same 70 or so kids for the last three years, so they all know each other very well. They have their study groups already established, and it was hard to get to know them in the beginning. They were always so welcoming, but it took extra effort on my part to get out of my comfort zone and introduce myself!
Going to pubs is another great way to meet locals. The pub culture is huge in Scotland, and every pub has it’s own warm and welcoming character. The locals are always friendly, and they love sharing their city with you. They definitely have made my abroad experience exponentially better!
Another part of local living was switching to the Great British Pound. Adjusting to the currency wasn’t hard at all because pounds and pence are very similar to dollars and cents. Once you get use to the different shapes and colors, it’s very easy to figure out what you need to use. To make it even easier, the majority of the time I use my card that doesn’t have transaction fees. Although it slightly inconveniences the cashiers because it takes slightly longer to process, it allows me to monitor my spending much more closely. I don’t have a set budget for abroad, but it’s been really important for me to keep an eye on my spending habits. I’ve been saving up for this trip for years, and living on a tight budget at home has given me so much freedom to take advantage of new experiences here. I highly recommend saving up before you study abroad.
