Today marks one month of me living in Scotland, the first half spent traveling the U.K. and the second spent settling into my new home at Heriot-Watt. In that little time, I’ve seen the most beautiful hills and flowers, visited the sweetest sheep and cows, and met sweet, hilarious friends in my flat and in my classes. When I arrived in Scotland, I was fairly nervous about several things: Would I meet any new friends? How would I navigate the bus system? Could I survive without my guitar? From the first day, however, I met a great group of friends in my flat that I’ve spent nearly every waking moment with (to their enjoyment or not I’m not sure), I learned the bus system quickly (despite a couple misses and wrong stops), and ultimately caved and bought an acoustic guitar for the semester.

Any worries I had were immediately washed away by the company of good friends, help from friendly locals and the beautiful Scottish sights. The classes at Heriot-Watt have been very interesting, though their schedules and assignments are nothing like those at Mizzou. Unlike the rigid, reliable schedule I’m accustomed to, classes here are scattered across campus throughout different days and hours. Courses typically consist of a few large assignments and tests that makeup the entirety of your grade as opposed to the homework-heavy coursework at Mizzou. Despite the strange schedule, I’ve appreciated the change of pace; it has given me plenty of time to explore the city, walk the campus trails and get acquainted with my flatmates.

My first month in Scotland has been a fantastic experience, filled with gorgeous sightseeing, new friendships and unique learning opportunities. I’m especially eager to dive deeper into Scottish culture in the coming months and travel around Europe with my flatmates. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to spend this semester at Heriot-Watt, and I plan to make the most of it as I know it will be over in the blink of an eye.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Heriot-Watt University