Typical Day in Scotland

June 12, 2017

Each day on this dialogue has been unique in itself while also having the same rough structure with regards to our daily routine. In the morning, we normally plan to leave about 45 minutes to an hour to where we are headed for the day to come. Some of us like to get our runs in before we leave because here in Edinburgh the crisp, cool morning air is just perfect for an early morning jog! Once we have woken up and gotten dressed in our business casual attire, we head to a Lothian bus stop and travel to a variety of locations where we learn and immerse ourselves in the field of traumatic brain injury. Some days we go to Case Management Services (CMS) to attend presentations on how they assist with brain injury rehabilitation and medico-legal services while other days we go to Headway which is a traumatic brain injury volunteer therapy organization. At Headway, we spend the day alongside TBI survivors and participate in numerous activities such as physical games, quizzes, and our favorite: bingo! We have also attended legal presentations at Digby Brown Solicitors, shadowed professional Occupation therapists and Physiotherapists at Charles Bell Pavilion and participated in an empathy training session at the same location.

Once the day is over, which is typically around 3pm, we take the bus back to whichever apartment location we have been at and most of us take a few minutes to relax and unwind. After we’ve been recharged, a lot of us go walk and explore the city by walking to grab souvenirs on the Royal Mile or relaxing in the gardens on Princes Street. Some days we go to the grocery store and buy food to cook for dinner while other nights we treat ourselves to a nice meal out. Depending on the day, sometimes a nice drink or two is added to our dinner plans since we are of legal age to drink in Scotland. Lastly, at the end of the day we head back to our rooms and spent the rest of the night doing whatever we feel until it is time for bed. Personally, I either watch a bit of Netflix, read, write up workouts for when I return home, or compose one of these blog posts! Overall, our days are jam packed but I don’t regret it in any way. I think because we are always on the go, I can leave this experience without any regrets or looking back and wondering if I could have used my time more wisely!

Written By

Audrey Brigham

As a student studying health sciences, a dialogue encompassing research, cultural differences, and exploring the various fields embodying each aspect of healthcare could not have appealed to me more. My goals for this trip are to actively engage in every opportunity that presents itself to me. I hope to learn from the research I am assisting with, the professionals I am shadowing, as well as the patients I am working with. During this program, I also hope to take in all of the scenery and culture I can. Outside of school, I am the Vice President and member of the Northeastern Club Field Hockey team and am an active runner. I spend most of my time outdoors so I hope to catch some beautiful sights on my travels and runs throughout Edinburgh. I also have a passion for nutrition and cuisine so I hope to be able to indulge myself at some of the local restaurants as well. Overall, I cannot be more than grateful for the opportunity to document this experience and share everything that I can!