My First Week (and a half) in Scotland

Edinburgh... my new city.  What?  That doesn't even sound real.

I've been here just over a week now and still walk around with a silly grin, taking it all in... Scotland is my new home for the coming year.  It has been very refreshing (and rather exhausting) stepping back into university life, and it is truly amazing to join such a global learning community.  In my flat of 6, my roommates and I represent China, Japan, India, Austria and the US.  In my Sustainable Energy Systems Program of 57 students, we have Scotland, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Germany, UAE, Spain, Jordan, Colombia, Bolivia, Senegal, Malaysia and so many others...  just walking across campus you can hear at least four different languages along the way.

Spending time with Aberdeenshire friends before taking the train to Edinburgh last week and visiting Scotland last year really has helped me to get my bearings.  There are certainly plenty of things that I haven't done yet - big differences between good ol' West Lafayette (BOILER UP!!) and Scotland's capital - but it has been great fun finding my favorite Tidelines music played on the Royal Mile, eating Stornoway black pudding and enjoying my sherry-cask whiskies.

Here are some highlights since my arrival in Scotland -

• Seeing the Queen and members of the Royal Family at the Braemar Highland Games
• Celebrating Harper's 1st birthday with the Doig family (very special after meeting her this time last year)
• Enjoying Aberdeenshire's clean air, blue skies and beautiful hills
• Navigating the administrative processes to claim my UK student residence
• Meeting fantastic, supportive new roommates, classmates and faculty
• Watching Trainspotting (intense and eye-opening, SO serious)
• Finding Vin Diesel filming Fast & Furious 9 near the Edinburgh Meadows
• Immersing myself into the University of Edinburgh 
• Joining the Hillwalking and Country Dance Societies
• Exploring nearby Pentland Hills Regional Park (disregard my public transport struggles)
• Participating in the Edinburgh's largest ceilidh dance (video below) as part of the 2019 Riding of the Marches

... and the adventure is only just beginning.  We will see how things change once classes really pick up.  More soon!