Most of my summer was spent in anticipation for September 5th to finally arrive and with it the chance of a lifetime to go somewhere that I've dreamed about for as long as I can remember. Now that I'm finally here, it's hard to imagine that I'm going to have to leave in a little over two months. Scotland has been everything I've expected it to be and I'm so grateful to be able to have this opportunity. If you ever get the chance to study abroad, even if it's not in Scotland (though of course that's definitely where I would suggest), go. Don't worry about the fact that you won't know anyone and that there is probably going to be some type of language barrier no matter where you go, just go with it. Believe me, the embarrassment that you go through trying to adjust to a different way of living is well worth the people you'll meet and the culture that you will get to experience. I always heard that you don't really know who you truly are until you study abroad, presumably because you have to figure out what you want to do and you are forced to do so without the constant input of the people you're most familiar with, friends and family, etc. That has been a big adjustment for me because I am forever asking others what I should do or what they think about something, I never want to disappoint. But what I've heard is true, while I've been in Scotland I have been deciding everything for myself, and sometimes I surprise myself with the outcome.
Sure, I still get the moments of "What would my parents think?" or "How is this going to affect me tomorrow?", but then I remember that I am 20 years old and in Scotland. This is never going to happen again and I need to make the most of my time here (With certain limitations, of course. I do actually have to go to class).
I don't want people to think that I've just gone wild over here, because that is definitely not the case. I'm just allowing myself to experience whatever comes my way, if I decide that I want to. And along the way, just as I was told I would, I'm finding out who I really am.
On a completely random note: the leaves are starting to change here and there are so many red trees that I think I may be falling in love...
