From a Third-Floor Flat in Scotland
by mpickoff
Today was my first day abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland. Before this weary traveller goes to sleep, I thought I’d share a few thoughts as this long and magnificent day comes to an end.
This ‘day’ was actually a marathon of days, starting yesterday afternoon when I arrived at Newark airport and tearily bid farewell to my parents at the international terminal. One look at the inhabitants of Gate 80, however, showed me that I was far from being alone in my travels. Nearly every other seat was occupied by a bright-eyed and nervous-looking American college student, bound for the University of Edinburgh, just as I was. Some flipped frantically through travel documents, while others exchanged goodbyes with family members on their cell phones. I struggled at first to keep my backpack, coat, and fiddle in order, like an overburdened mother trying to keep track of her many children. (“Sit STILL, you three!”, the stress-laden college student screamed at her inanimate objects).
The flight was remarkably smooth. I was seated next to another student bound for Edinburgh, and next to him sat a young Scottish man who, to our delight, turned out to be a guide for one of Scotland’s most raved-about touring companies. He shared wisdom on sites not to be missed, beers not to be overlooked, and made us practice our pronunciation of the word Edinburgh (“Edin-BRAH! Edin-BRAH!”).
When the plane landed, the local time was 7:30 in the morning. The day was just beginning, yet I hadn’t slept a wink. (Needless to say, I’m thrilled at the imminent joy that is bedtime!) The day proceeded as I met my flatmates, navigated cobble sidewalks, and tried not to pass out at the sight of remarkable, centuries-old architecture. A truly emotional, exhausting, and inspiring start to a semester-shaped journey.
