Less than 12 hours until departure!

These past 3 months have gone by faster than I could have ever expected. I've done so many things with my time here, and I took advantage of every moment. I traveled to different places, met new people and tried new things. After all these experiences, I feel like I've become a better person. I've learned to appreciate the chances I'm offered, because you never know when you'll be offered it again. So many people told me before I left that this was a once in a lifetime experience, and while I know I'll never study abroad again, I hope this isn't my last time in Scotland. This country has become a part of me, and I feel like this is my second home. Anyone and everyone who has he chance to study abroad...DO IT!! I can promise you won't regret it. Although the time goes by quickly, the memories last forever.
As I write this, I'm sitting on a bed without sheets, in a bare room. I've checked into my flight and out of the house. I'm truly looking forward to coming home and seeing all my friends and family that I haven't seen in 3 months, but I know I'll miss Scotland like crazy. I head out at 3:30 tomorrow morning, and my first flight from Edinburgh to Amsterdam leaves at 6AM. From there I have a 2 hour layover, head out to Detroit, another 2 hour layover, and finally Madison! For anyone who wants to check on my flight status, they are (respectively, and all Delta) 9354, 620, 5094.
I can't wait to see you all again!!

Things I'll Miss, Updated Version

Remember back in week 3 of my trip when I posted about old things I missed and new things I loved? I figured now would be a good time to update that post with things I'll miss about Scotland after arriving back into the US.

• Prices
• In the UK, the price on the tag is the price you pay. Tax is already added in, so you don't have to guesstimate the price you're going to pay.
• Cars
• Manuals, diesels and Volkswagen are my three favorite car traits, and that's all this country has! Volkswagen Auto Group rules the road with Audi, Seat, Skoda, Porsche and obviously Volkswagen. Diesel is sold everywhere while petrol is sold only at select stations. 
• Style
• People here seem to dress up as compared to people in the US. Boys and girls both put effort into their apperance and look great because of it!
• Palace
• If you didn't already know, I live in a palace. Although it may seem like this is typical in such an old country with an abundance of castles, it's not! I feel like a princess every day I wake up and remember where I am.
• Travel
• If I want to go to another country, I just have to take a train for a few hours and viola! I'm there. It's very similar to state hopping in the US, although you don't get the culture difference that you do here in the UK.
• Public Transportation
• To get to Dalkeith to Edinburgh, I take a bus for about 45 minutes, which is free to me since I have a bus pass. Bus stops are everywhere, and they can take you all over!
• Although not in Dalkeith, the tube in London was also a great experience! Although it did get quite packed at times, it was still much more efficient than driving.
• Because I didn't drive or own a car, I didn't have to worry about parking or gas! My money seems to last a little longer (notice I say little...this extra money went straight to shopping) when I'm not paying for a full tank of gas every other week.
• Meals
• On the weekdays, our lunches and dinners are prepared for us, and we just have to help out every once in a while. If you don't have lunch or dinner duty, all you have to do is show up, eat, then put your dishes on a tray. A lot like college dining plans, but with Scottish food.

Studying abroad in Scotland has been such an amazing experience. I've been introduced to so many different things. My mind has been opened up to new ways of thinking. And most importantly, I've learned to interact with people from all over the world. I have bettered myself as a person in ways I didn't think were possible. As I've said before, I've become independent. I'm taking inventory of all the new qualities within myself I've learned about, and I'm going to take advantage of them at every opportunity going forward.

So here's to you, Scotland. Thanks for being such a great host.

One week until touchdown

I officially have one week left in Scotland. 7 days. That's it. It's hard to believe that this much time has passed by so quickly. I've lived in Dalkeith for over three months now. How have I survived this long without cheese curds I'll never know. But seriously. I miss those things. Tomorrow we have our first re-entry to the United States session. This is where we talk about what we expect when we go home. From what I've heard, the culture shock coming back into the United States is surprisingly apparent. I'm sure there will be a few things about Scotland that I'll miss, but I'm definitely looking forward to cheese curds! Ahem!! I mean, my friends and family! I come home a few days before Thanksgiving, so I'm lucky enough to get to see my family right away! I can't wait to share my stories with all of you. After Thanksgiving with both sides of the family, I'm off to Stout to say hello to my campus (and friends!) before I have to go back to work at a real job.
If anyone wants anything brought back from Scotland, let me know before it's too late!! (Unfortunately, a sheep won't fit in my carry on, so that's out of the question.)

On an unrelated note, I have a new car! (For those of you counting, this is my fifth.) I bought a 1990 Volkswagen Cabriolet in nugget yellow, with tan cloth interior. I stayed up until 3AM bidding on eBay. (No, this isn't the first time I've bought a car off eBay.) After I won the car, I PlayBook chatted my dad and we spent about an hour looking at pictures and talking about everything I can (and can't) do with it! (Can: look cute, make everyone jealous, have convertible hair Can't: put more than one bag in the trunk, put tall people in the backseat, use CDs) I promise to take everyone for a joyride in it as soon as I get it! It's currently in New Jersey, so we're working on how to get it home to Baraboo. I'm following in my grandpa's footsteps...he has a yellow manual Volkswagen Ghia convertible as well! They'll look great cruising down the back roads of Baraboo together come summer.

November already?!

I can't believe I'm already in the month that I come home. When I look back at everything I've done; all the trips I've taken, the places I've gone, and wonderful experiences I've had, it feels like I've been here for a year. The thought that I've only been here 2 1/2 months is crazy. I have lived in Scotland. I keep saying it, but it doesn't get any less true...I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to study abroad.
In honor of my return to the States, I decided to make this spoof movie trailer. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

P.S. For everyone who might be a little shocked to see "Drinking" as a topic in this video, keep in mind that I'm of legal drinking age here! Also, drinking is a big part of Scottish culture. :)

Two Weeks in Summary

These past two weeks have been filled with lots of different activities and plans! Starting this past weekend (while we were all in the Highlands), visitors started arriving from UW-Stout, Superior and River Falls. They were faculty from each of these schools who are coming to experience what the program is like. I gave them a tour of the house on Monday afternoon, and they were all extremely interested in the fact that my mom was the first one to study abroad through the Wisconsin in Scotland program back in Fall 1986! Since I had already given tours to the public on Doors Open Days (read about it here if you haven't already) all I had to do was slightly alter it to include more rooms throughout the house. I was able to show them the basement rooms, servery, study areas and lounges and then dorm areas. Most of the visitors were staying in the house for a few days at least, so they were able to experience what we do on a daily basis.
On Wednesday we went to Melrose Abbey and Bowhill Estate. Bowhill is another house owned by the Duke of Buccleuch, and the condition of it is more similar to it's original state than Dalkeith House. The wallpaper is original, although some of it is very faded. The furniture has worn quite a bit, and there are deep indents from people sitting on them. The house is currently used as a vacation house for the family, so there were rooms with flat screen TVs, which was a stark constrast between the old house! We got to tour a few rooms of the house and it made me feel like the visitors that came to Dalkeith House on Doors Open Day! It made me understand how lucky I am to be living, studying and working in such a wonderful place.
On Wednesday evening, we had a traditional Caledonian dinner. Everyone dressed up nicely (since we rarely get a chance to!) and we all got together to help out with putting it together, serving, assisting, and cleaning up. The staff and students all mingled in the dining hall while the food was being prepared. I was seated at a table along with the program director from 1992-1994, so it was interesting to hear all of his stories about what the program used to be versus what the program has become. He was also the most interested in hearing about my experience since my mom had been here before. He asked me all about my experience and how it was different from what I imagined after hearing my mom's stories. Before the meal started, we all sang Auld Lang Syne, which is a traditional song to sing here. Some of the students also participated in a traditional Scottish toast. First, the men toasted the women, and then the women responded with their toast. These were written prior to the dinner, something that is said before most special Scottish meals, so they didn't have to worry about saying something wrong. After the toasting, singing and laughing, the most traditional of all Scottish traditions was carried out...literally! Henry, who is the chef for the Wisconsin In Scotland program, brought out the haggis, dressed in a kilt. It was at this moment that I was overwhelmed with happiness. I truly felt Scottish. I felt like after 7 weeks of living here, I was finally accepted into the culture as one of their own. I was allowed to experience something that is reserved for only those who truly believe in their culture, and are proud to carry out it's traditions. This was the moment when I felt that not only am I American, I'm also Scottish. After the traditions were all performed, everyone was free to eat. We had mashed potatoes, stuffed tomatoes, gravy, meat (and in my case fake meat), and a delicious raspberry dessert (I ate it in your honor, Layne!). Afterwards, we were able to mingle with students, professors and staff about the program. I was also able to talk to the woman who started the host family program! She told me all about the first students she hosted and how much she loved being able to take part in such a wonderful program. As much as we've learned being here, she has also learned so much about America and our culture from us.
On Friday I was interviewed about my experience with the Wisconsin In Scotland program. I explained how I felt like not only does a study abroad experience help to build your professional career, it also helps enrich you as a person. I've learned so many things while I've been here, and one of the biggest things is that I'm able to figure out any problem. I've been here for more than two months, and I have not only learned about living in a different place, I have also learned more about myself. I'm able to do things on my own. I don't mean go to the movies or go shopping alone. I'm able to take on a new city with a positive attitude and not back down from that challenge. I conquered the busiest city in England at the busiest time of day, and was able to get around by myself on the tube when there were numerous closures. This isn't a skill that just anyone is able to achieve, and all this has made me so proud of myself. I'm independent for the first time in my life and it feels wonderful.
On Saturday we went to St. Andrews for the day. Although it's not that far away, the trek there and back is quite a long one! We had to take a bus from Dalkeith to Edinburgh, a train from Edinburgh to St. Andrews, and then another bus that took us into town. After all this, the total trip time was about two and a half hours. The weather cooperated with us for once, and it was an absolutely gorgeous fall day! The air was crisp and cool, the leaves were starting to turn colors and fall, so they crunched under your feet with every step, and the sun was beaming down happily. The weather was a stark difference than the ruins that we went to go see, though. Both St. Andrews castle and cathedral are almost completely demolished. It was a beautiful tragedy in every sense of the word. The city itself is full of life. There were people everywhere, whether they were shopping, golfing, or visiting the numerous tourist attractions. We also walked onto the pier, where we could see people and dogs playing on the beach. It was such a gorgeous day, and it was a wonderful chance to relax while taking in the sights of a beautiful beach.
As for the second week, it was mostly filled with astronomy! Since this was our last week before break started, we had to squeeze in a lot of information in a very short amount of time. We covered approximately 5 chapters in 4 days, which requires a lot of focus and very little sleep. By the time Thursday rolled around, I was definitely ready for break to start! We had our midterm on Monday and our final on Thursday night. We had lots of homework, and by class time on Thursday morning, I was literally sitting on the floor because I was so exhausted! Thankfully break was only one exam away!
With only 5 weeks remaining, I'm taking in as much as I can! I have lots of places and things to see over break, and I will report back with everything that I'm able to experience! I miss you all and can't wait to see you in November! Until then, cheers!

Highlands

Whenever I told people that I was going to the Highlands, the first thing that everyone said was, "It's so beautiful!" Of course I knew that the scenery would be amazing, and that I would have a hard time describing this to my friends and family, but I always thought that I would be let down. Since everyone had already built up the experience so much in my head, I didn't think it could live up to that. Fortunately, I was completely wrong. Beautiful isn't even an accurate word to describe the Highlands; it was breathtaking. I have come to accept the fact that no matter how hard I try, there will never be a way for me to find words to describe the things that I see.

In order to see all of the Highlands within 3 days, we traveled on a bus throughout the trip. On Friday we headed up to the Highlands at 9AM, which was much better than 6AM for London! Unfortunately for me, the roads that the bus took were hilly and winding, so even though I sat in the very front seat, I easily got carsick. The benefit of this bus trip though, is that we were never on the bus for more than a few hours at most. Often, it would be a 40 minute bus ride, then we would get off, explore for about 30 minutes, and get back on the bus to go to a wonderful new place. The company that we traveled with was MacBackpackers, which is a very well known tour company here. Everyone raves about how great the tours are, and they were right! Our tour guide seemed to know everything about Scotland, it's history, and the Highlands! He told us interesting facts at every stop, and was able to successfully answer any question we threw at him. For being a bunch of college age American tourists, he was able to handle us without much difficulty. Everyone was so amazed by the scenery and his knowledge of it all, and it was obvious that he took pride in his country.

Everywhere that we went in the Highlands was so unique, and one of the most interesting places was Faeries Glen, a place where faeries live.

Faeries Glen is set in a bowl-type area, similar to Baraboo with the cliffs surrounding it. As soon as we drove into it, I immediately noticed that this was unlike anything else I've seen in Scotland so far. The rolling mountains and bluffs that surrounded this area were all covered in lush green grass. The trees grew out of castle remains, while sheep trotted around us. The difference between the highest peaks and the lowest weren't as extreme as the rest of the Highlands. Climbing to the top of a peak was a challenge though, mostly because all of the paths have been used over so many years by sheep and humans, that the groove is very deep. It was hard to get one foot in front of the other! While we were there, there were three rules that we had to follow if we didn't want to make the faeries angry. The first was you can't put your hands in your pockets and leave them there. To get something out of your pocket was fine, but the faeries don't like when your hands are hanging out in your pockets. Second rule was no swearing. This was understandable, especially since I've always seen faeries as innocent and young. Finally, the third rule was no whistling, due to the faeries not liking the sound. These may seem like easy rules to follow, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to not do something after you've been told not to do it. Or maybe it's just the rebellious child in me...
We also saw numerous castles. Scots love to say that their country isn't just about castles and old buildings, but according to what I've seen so far, it really is. One of the most interesting castles that we saw was the one used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I've loved that movie since I was little, so it was exciting for me to see the place that helped create it!
While we were traveling through the Highlands, it rained pretty regularly. Thankfully, I was prepared with my wellies and Salomons (okay, my mom's Salomons-thanks mom!) If you haven't heard, the weather in Scotland is extremely bipolar. The local's favorite saying is, "If you don't like the weather, stick around 10 minutes!" There couldn't be a truer saying for the weather! One minute it's heavily raining, and the next it's sunny and warm. This happened to us in the Highlands, but it also created lots of beautiful rainbows! We saw about 5 throughout the 3 days that we were there. I managed to get some pictures of castles with rainbows in the background, which is a picture you'll never see from America!

We also saw tons of gorgeous waterfalls, whether they were big or small. Two waterways that we went to were supposed to have magic powers. The first was supposed to be a "healing well". If you stuck your face into the water for 7 seconds, you would look young and beautiful forever. The second was if you drank from the waterfall, you would have great sex for 7 years. Interesting!! The water was so crystal clear that you could easily see to the bottom no matter where you were. It was also so clean that we were able to fill our water bottles straight from the waterfall. The water was crisp, cold and utterly delicious; great for our 3 hour long hike! Our tour guide had us start at one end of a trail, hike up the side of a mountain, then climb down the other side and met our bus.
We stayed at a hostel called Skye Backpackers, located on the Isle of Skye. This was a gorgeous island that was very small, and had only recently been connected to mainland Scotland. There was a kitchen and dining room there that allowed us to make our own meals instead of having to go out for every meal. The one pub located on the isle was called "Saucy Mary's". The first night that we were there, everyone went out for the typical Scottish fish and chips (fish and french fries to all you Americans) but of course I just had chips.
Overall, this trip was by far the best (and most beautiful!) trip that I've gone on since moving to Scotland. The scenery was breathtaking, like a place out of a movie. (Which is appropriate, since Braveheart, Harry Potter, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and others were filmed in the Highlands.) I will always remember the border collie herding sheep into a paddock, something that is so typically Scottish I laughed when I saw it. The rolling hills covered in green grass, the ruins of castles that once stood so proudly over the land, and the feeling of being surrounded by something so pure and noble will be forever engraved into my memory.

London, Part II

Sunday
We got up nice and early in the morning in order to make the most of the day! Most people were heading off to the Harry Potter studios later in the day, so they didn't have as much time. We went down to Camden, where there are loads of different markets. We went to three different markets, one of which was mostly food, one was mostly clothing, and one was a huge mixture of everything. There were people selling donuts, food, scarves, jewelry, antiques, clothing, purses, and so many other things. Anything and everything you could think of was at the markets! Thankfully I didn't spend nearly as much money on Sunday as I did on Saturday, but I did buy a lot of food. It just smelled so good! And of course after I bought it I realized it tasted even better than it smelled too! I quickly found out while I was in London that street food is the way to go. After a few hours of browsing and digging through mounds of stuff, the group I was with headed down to the train station around 2PM, since they were off to the Harry Potter studio tours. I originally bought tickets to the Harry Potter studios, but sold them. A girl in the group somehow didn't get signed up for the tour and was really bummed about it, and since I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan anyway, I decided she would have a much better time at it than I would. That was my good deed of the day! Because I'm a pretty intense shopper, and most people don't like shopping with me, I decided today was the best day for me to explore the best shopping streets in London. Armed with an Oyster card and Underground map, I went out in search of the coolest and most unique British stores I could find. I ended up on Oxford Street, which is a few mile long street filled with interesting one-off shops next to ginormous chains. The most interesting thing for me to see was Selfridges. So many people told me that I had to go there, since I'm such a fashion junkie. As soon as you step out onto the street you can see it. The week I was there they had a huge polka dot Louis Vuitton display, since a collaborating designer was working with them. They had decorated their windows with a woman wearing polka dots and even put a blow up version on the top of the building!

As soon as I walked into Selfridges, I realized why so many people loved it. The inside was incredibly huge. The building itself took up an entire city block, front to back and side to side. There were numerous levels, all filled with clothing, accessories and shoes from hundreds of designers. There were even stores within the store! American Apparel and Topshop were just two of the many examples. As I was walking around, I wondered how anyone was able to find anything in the store. You could spend a week inside that store and still not get to see everything inside. I can't imagine what it's like working there! Because it was such an incredibly large building, I started to get overwhelmed after a while and decided it was probably a better idea to start off with smaller stores first. I went into Wallis, Next, New, Primark, and lots of other fun stores, but I made sure not to go into anything that we had back in the States, because where is the fun in that? I found a great bronze metallic faux leather jacket and a sparkly pink case that was designed for an e-Reader, but fit my PlayBook tablet perfectly! I had to limit myself to the amount of stuff I could buy, since I still had another day left in London. While I was walking, I was also able to see the London College of Fashion, which has always been a dream of mine. Just because I'm a business student now doesn't mean I don't still have fashion in my heart! I loved people watching as I walked up and down the street, admiring what people were wearing, things they were doing, and how they were interacting with others. Of course I also watched the street to see just how many Bentleys, Ferraris and Audis I could spot (way too many to count!). One interesting difference between Britain and the United States is how early the stores close, even on a popular street! Everything was closed by 6PM, whereas in the US they would be open until at least 9 or 10. Deciding I did my fair share of supporting the economy (look mom, I'm helping!) I made my way back to the hostel for some dinner and relaxation time. I got back shortly before another group who didn't go to Harry Potter, so I was able to chill in my cubby of a bed for a few minutes. As I looked back on everything that happened that day, I realized how proud I was of myself. I had traveled through London by myself. There was nobody there to tell me where to go, what stop to get off on, or how to deal with closures. For the first time, I truly felt independent. It's such a powerful experience to be on your own in a city as big and crazy as London. An overwhelming feeling of accomplishment washed over me as I sat there and soaked it in. After taking in as much as I could from my overwhelming (in a good way!) day, I headed down to the pub in the basement of the hostel with a few other people from our trip. We ended up meeting more Americans and an Australian, and talked to them for a few hours. After a few beers, we headed back upstairs for our last night's sleep in the hostel!

Monday
After sleeping in a little bit to re energize ourselves from the previous days, we packed up our things since we had to be out by 11AM. Thankfully the hostel had a storage shed available for us to use so we didn't have to tote our luggage around with us all day. We headed back into the city for our last day in London. With so many things to see, we had to make the most of our time! One of my friends has a friend who lives and works in central London, so we stopped over to have lunch with her. We ate at an adorable chain restaurant that seems to be very popular over here, called Pret a Manger. We sat on benches overlooking the River Thames and ate delicious croissants. Then, after a quick goodbye we rushed across the river because we had important places to be! One of the most exciting things that was going on while we were in London was London Fashion Week. If you don't know what this is, please crawl out from under your rock and read the newspaper once in a while. Two of my friends and I decided to stalk the scene and see if we could spot any celebrities, designers or socialites. As we walked across the bridge, we could immediately tell that we were getting closer to Somerset House, which is where the main events were being held. We found an entrance that was mainly for other, less important parts of the building, but easily found our way to the top part, where shows were staged. Everyone was dressed in designer clothes, perfectly emulating the trends of the upcoming season. As much as I tried to dress up for this day, I found my effort was lost among the groups of immaculately dressed men and women. We walked around a little bit, but quickly realized that in order to get into any of the rooms, you needed a fashion week pass, which unfortunately we didn't have. So we decided to do the next best thing, which was sit and people watch. We weren't able to see any big names, but we saw lots of big outfits! There were so many people showing off their style, and in a completely unique way. Looking back on the pictures from fashion week, I'm able to say, "I saw that person! I was there!" This was just another absolutely incredible experience that goes along with being in London.

Overall, London was incredible, amazing, wonderful and overwhelming all at once. There is no one word to describe everything that I experienced while I was there, and I'll never be able to fully explain the things I saw, but hopefully this gives you a better insight into my experiences. Although there were so many things I adored about London, it did have a few drawbacks as well. For example, it has a very unique smell, and coming from someone who isn't used to big cities, it isn't pleasant. It smells like pollution. That is really the only way to describe it! It's also an extremely dirty city. After a few hours of walking around, I washed my hands and blew my nose and noticed both were black! As soon as I got back to Dalkeith I washed my clothes with an insane amount of laundry softener to make them smell and look nice again. One of the most interesting things I noticed as we were coming back on the train from London was that everyone was talking about how excited they were to go home and sleep in their own bed. Of course, we were all talking about Dalkeith. It's amazing how 6 weeks in one place can make you feel so comfortable that you start to call it home. Although this could never be my true home, I know that this is as close as anything could come. The people I'm meeting, experiences I'm having and places I'm seeing are all so wonderful and I truly feel blessed to be able to experience all of it. I promised everyone that I would take advantage of everything as long as I'm here and so far, I definitely think I'm making good on that. Until the day I see you all again, cheers from Scotland!

London Trip, Part I

I'm definitely a small town girl. I grew up in a town of 10,000 people and I go to school in a town of 14,000, 9,000 of whom are students. I've been to big cities before (Paris, New York, Chicago) but nothing that even comes close to comparing to London. London is a bustling city, filled with tourists from hundreds of different places. Before I left I posted on Twitter and Facebook, asking people for recommendations and the response was overwhelming! Everyone had something to say about this incredible city, and were more than willing to share their tips and tricks on how to handle London. It was either someplace to eat, the best shopping areas, the most informative museums or an amusing people watching area. There are so many things to do, places to see and new experiences to be had that of course there was no way I was going to see it all in four days. Seeing as how big the city is, I think I did a pretty decent job of seeing the very coolest things. Here is a rundown of my action packed four days, broken into two parts to make it easier to follow:

Friday
I woke up at 4AM in order to have enough time to get ready before heading out to the train station at 6AM! Train ride for 4 hours, most of which was fairly uneventful. Thankfully all my electronics were charged, so I was all set! They charged for WiFi on the train, so I was more than happy to use my handy BlackBerry/PlayBook connection, and had internet throughout the whole ride. This saved everyone around me from a lot of, "Are we there yet? How much longer? I'm bored." As soon as we pulled into the London station I noticed immediately that you had to be aware of what was going on. You need to be quick to get where you're going and not get sucked into a crowd! We went straight to our hostel, which was so cute! I had a preconceived notion in my head that all hostels were dirty, cluttered, and old, but this proved me wrong! It was called Palmers Lodge Swiss Hostel (you can check it out here: http://palmerslodges.com/swisscottage/hostel/).

After unpacking all of our things and putting them into our own little cubbies, we went off to explore the city. The first stop? None other than Abbey Road of course! We not only got to see the iconic crosswalk, but we also got to walk across it, pretending to be the Beatles. After more than a few failed attempts at taking a picture, due to cars trying to run us over, we decided to reenact the scene a bit farther down the road. Then we had free time until our show later on that night. Deanna took us to a very quaint shop filled with Beatles knick-knacks. Everything in the store was one of a kind and very unique! We bought a few collectibles and then decided to make our way back to the hostel. Our plans for the night included going to see the play Wicked, which I was more than thrilled to see! Naturally, this was a great excuse for all the girls to get super dressed up with full hair and makeup, and new dresses purchased at local stores. The styling process took about 2 hours, a time in which we got yelled at for taking up all of the sink space with our makeup bags, blow dryers and straighteners. After making sure everyone looked acceptable, we had to get pictures, which took another hour. Heaven forbid that all of us girls spend so much time getting dressed up only for it to be wasted by not having photographic evidence!

After all that, we finally made our way downtown and to the theater. The venue itself was extremely nice, which apparently most theaters in London are. Wicked was absolutely incredible. Everyone has been telling me for so long to see it, but I've never had a chance. Now I know why everyone loved it so much! The set was so detailed and over the top, the costumes fit the characters perfectly, and the actors had amazing voices that filled the room. As much as I wish I could describe it, there is no way I would be able to, much less be able to do it justice. By the time the show was done and we had gotten back, it was late and everyone was definitely ready to go to bed.
Saturday

Banksy was one of the main things I wanted to see in London, so we booked a free walking tour to see some of the graffiti around the area. The tour didn't start until noon, but we got up early so we could have plenty of time to find it, and also have time to walk around the area. We found a few cute shops and restaurants, but nothing that really stood out. After a while of walking around, we headed back to the area where the tour was starting, a place called Spitalsfield Market. We were waiting on a few other members of our group to show up, since they knew the exact location of the tour. Unfortunately, their time management skills weren't the best, and by the time we had reached the starting point, the group was long gone. Fear not, though, because we found something even better to spend our time (and money!) on. In the center of the area, there was a market where vendors sold tons of different things, clothing, jewelry, food, vintage items, you name it and it was there. We were so excited to find something that was so unique! I've experienced a few markets in bigger cities like Madison, but this truly outdid anything I've ever seen. This wasn't somebody's junk placed on a plastic table, this was handmade items, creatively displayed. I found so many wonderful things there, including a skull print scarf with the Union Jack flag inside, great vintage jewelry (all of which reminded me of Layne and her wonderful jewelry collection which I desperately miss stealing from), handmade cards, prints of Banksy's work (so even though I couldn't see it, I could see it!), and so many other things. After spending lots of time and money at the market, we made our way down to the London Eye. The underground stop that we got off on was Trafalgar Square, which I was told to just sit and people watch in. Boy are there some different characters there! Tourists and locals come to this beautiful area, where there are plenty of statues. We saw kids on a break from school, tourists looking lost as ever, locals enjoying a beautiful sunny day and became so entranced! After a while of being amused by people watching, we crossed the bridge over to the London Eye. As it came into view, it hit me that I was finally in London! I've wanted to visit this magical city since I could remember, and here I finally was. It truly made me realize how lucky I am to have these experiences. Although the line for the London Eye looked really long, we made it to the front in about 30 minutes. The view from the top was absolutely magical! You could see every iconic building. They even had Samsung tablets on the inside of the Eye that showed where specific places were, and famous things that happened there. After our typical tourist stint, we headed back to the hostel to drop off our stuff. We were off to a pub crawl! The trek there was quite an interesting one. There were 5 girls together, who were meeting 2 guys at the first stop. After a little miscommunication on who was where, we finally got it figured out on where we were supposed to be. Since we were a little late, the group had moved on to the second stop, but thankfully it was just right across the street from the first. We were given coupons for a free shot, which ended up tasting like black licorice. We spent an hour there, then walked to the next stop, which was a really fun club! We danced like no other, and for those of you that know it, did a little Gangnam Style as well. (For those of you that don't, it's a very typical Lauren-like dance that involves a lot of jumping around...check it out on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0) We ended up meeting a group of 3 American guys who were really cool, one of whom even gave me a Sharpie mustache on my finger!

After all the crazy dancing, partying and mingling, we decided to call it a night and head back. Two action packed days in a row exhausts you pretty quickly, especially in a city like London!
Whew, what a post! I've decided to give your eyes (and attention spans) a rest, and I'll post part two very soon! Stay tuned for Sunday and Monday! :)

Old Things I Miss/New Things I Love

Things I Miss From America:

• Mom, Dad, Layne
• Family
• Friends
• Nellie
• Ella (and Buddy I suppose)
• My silent room
• Cheese curds
• Extensive collection of clothes and shoes
• Working at Spa del Sol
• Stout
• Driving
• Verizon
• Living in a log cabin

Things I Love In Scotland:

• New friends
• Host family
• BlackBerry overload
• Volkswagen overload
• European car brands
• European cars in general
• Fashion in Edinburgh
• Castles
• Travel opportunities
• Public transportation
• Landscape
• Cool fall weather
• Colorful money
• Living in a PALACE!!

Although there are a few things that I really miss back in America, there are tons of things here that make up for it! I also know that the distance now will make returning home in November that much more special. :)

Doors Open Day

Today Edinburgh and Dalkeith had their annual "Doors Open Day", which is where private buildings open their doors to the public. This meant that our house, Dalkeith Palace, was open as well. On Friday we didn't have class, so this was our first extended weekend. Most people in the house went on trips, so the house has been much quieter as normal. (Although, as you all know, nothing is ever completely quiet while I'm around!) I decided to stick around the house this weekend, mostly because I wanted to give tours to locals who came here for Doors Open Day. The 30 minute tours took people throughout the house, and into about 10 different rooms. Nikki and I were tour guide partners and gave 3 tours throughout the day. It was such a great experience hearing people talk about how they grew up around the castle without actually ever being inside of it. Hearing locals talk about how much this place meant to them really proved just how special it truly is. As like most people, I appreciated the house for the first few days I was here, then took advantage of it. After listening to so many different people tell me stories from their lives about seeing the inside of the castle after 40 years of looking from the outside made me realize that I can't take this experience for granted.
It also shows how large this house is, but how little of it we actually use. For example, most days the only rooms I use are my dorm, the kitchen/dining hall, library and maybe a lounge. Even with only a few rooms of the house being used, trying to find somebody here is like looking for a needle in a haystack! Most of the time people give up and end up calling that person's cell phone, only to find out they're in the room next to them.
This upcoming week classes are much longer than normal, due to the fact that we're covering about 2 months worth of material in 4 days. We have 6 hours of class a day, and also 2 reports due this week. Thankfully we also have a great treat for making it through the week-we're heading off to London on Friday!! We're going to see the play Wicked, which I haven't had a chance to see yet, but I hear it's fantastic. Most of the girls in the house went out and bought a going out outfit for that night, since everybody dresses up to go to the theatre. I actually bought a dress that wasn't a neutral color!!

(This picture doesn't do the dress justice. I promise to take a better one when I debut it in London!)

There are a few things that they have planned for us, which they're going to talk about tomorrow night at our ice cream social, but for the most part we have free time to do what we want. Naturally my first idea of something to do was go shopping! Does anyone have any suggestions of places to go or things to do/see in London? I would greatly appreciate any tips! :)

Castles, islands and football, oh my!

I know that many of you are waiting on pictures from my trip and believe me, I desperately want to show you! But it seems that no matter how hard I try, fate does not want me to share pictures that I've taken. I've ordered a camera cable and USB adapter, but both of them were the wrong products. I've emailed the companies and I'm waiting on hearing back from them. So in the meantime, I'll just keep stealing pictures off of my friend's Facebook. This is a picture of Nikki and I sitting in the player's chairs at the Celtic football stadium. Keep in mind that football here is soccer! :)

We've learned quite a bit about Scotland and the culture here so far! On Monday we start our third module, which is learning more history and society of Scotland. We have an interesting class schedule, which means that most days this week I only have 2 hours of class per day. This module we also have 3 different professors. They want us to learn about Scotland from the eyes of as many different people as possible, so it will be interesting to hear what they each have to say! I have to say, class here is much easier than at home! I could definitely get used to doing 4 one-page papers in two weeks for 3 credits!
On Saturday we went to Crammond Island. There was a mile-long walkway to get onto the island (yes I walked the whole thing-there AND back might I add!). There were tall concrete pillars next to it that were used to prevent boats from getting onto the island during World War II. The island itself was absolutely gorgeous. We were lucky enough to go on a day when it didn't rain; the sun even came out for a few minutes! From the island you could see the Firth or Forth and Edinburgh. Located on the island was a building that had a "Dangerous Building" sign on it, so naturally I had to go exploring! (It never said don't go in it because you'll fall to your death, so I figured I was fine.) I found out later that it was an old bunker. There were lots of little nooks and crannies with tiny windows, fun to explore!
Today our host moms (Patty and Natalie-Patty is the director of the program and Natalie is her wife) took us out to a car boot sale and breakfast. The car boot was essentially a giant garage sale in the bottom of a parking garage. Everyone had all their things out on tables or display racks. There were a few interesting things there, but since it was basically a garage sale, most of it was just other people's random things. After the car boot we went to Wetherspoons for breakfast, or brekkie. I ordered the vegetarian breakfast and MAN! There was so much food! 3 hashbrowns, 2 pieces of toast, 2 eggs, 1 veggie sausage, 1 portabella mushroom, baked beans, and a half of a tomato. Like a good American, I ate it all! All of that for only £3!! One of the things I have noticed is that unless you're at a very posh restaurant, the prices are much cheaper here for food. After all this, it was time for a tour of the Edinburgh castle. It's less of one building and more of a royal neighborhood. There were tons of different buildings, including a prison! It was a very creepy feeling to walk around where other people had lived, and some probably died. On the bright side, I did get to see the crown jewels! I'm still trying to figure out if they were real or imitation. Probably a very realistic replica.
The weather here has been extremely mild the past few days! We've had lots of sun (by Scotland standards) and mid 60s. We had a bit of a thunderstorm a few days ago, which flooded a few places, but thankfully the palace escaped unharmed. I'm looking forward to a great week full of interesting Scotland information! Until then... :)

New week, new class!

Now that the theatre class is over, I've had time to actually hang out around the castle! Everyone here loves getting together and watching movies downstairs in the movie room, where there are 6 couches to relax on! There is also a room here called "Willie's Cafe", where we go to eat meals on the weekends or watch telly. There are also drums and guitars down there, which people love to bring out while we're drinking. Otherwise everyone hangs out in the library. I wish I could say that it's because we're all extremely studious people, but it's actually just because it's one of the only places to get WiFi.
Today we started our module 2 class, which is Globalization and Heritage of Scotland. It's basically a class about the society of Scotland. Today we talked about Scotland wanting to become it's own entity, not part of the United Kingdom. We're also learning about the history of Scotland. I keep saying it, but it's hard to believe how old everything here is! This Friday we have a house trip to Glasgow, where we have a full 12 hours of things to do! Our professor told us that it's gorgeous, so we can't forget to bring our cameras! Hopefully it won't be long before I'm able to put those pictures up, as long as the ones from the first few weeks.
The favorite sport here seems to be cricket and football (but definitely not American football!). I still haven't quite figured out how cricket works, but it's interesting to watch! Football season starts here soon, and our globalization professor told us that if we were going to pass his class we have to support the Celtic, so that's who I'll be cheering for!
As far as the stores go here, they seem to be laid out very similar to the ones in America. Grocery stores can be a little more difficult, since everything has different names. Everyone in the house accidentally bought fabric softener instead of detergent because of the weird names on the packaging! Usually you bring your own cloth bags for groceries, but if you don't, you bag them yourselves in plastic bags. I have yet to see paper bags here.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday we have class all day, so there won't be anything exciting to report until the Glasgow day trip.
How is everyone doing in America? I know school has either started or is starting soon for most people. Are you looking forward to it, or dreading it? I have to stay up to date! :)
Also, for those of you that have been waiting, so very patiently...here it is...finally, a picture of my "house"!!

Things to know

Today has been a pretty dull day, class in the morning, then I traveled into Edinburgh to see A Clockwork Orange. It was not at all what I was expecting! The rest of this week is going to be similar-one more show tomorrow and then Friday is my final exam for this class.
Thanks Mom for the comment on what to tell everyone about! Here are my list of answers! :)
I haven't tried anything new and exciting yet food-wise, but I have noticed their names for food are sometimes different than ours. For example, chips here are called crisps and fries are called chips. It can get a little confusing after a while! Mostly I've been eating pasta, because it's the only thing I can cook and it's incredibly cheap.
As for prices on everything else here, I've noticed it's fairly similar. The one thing that is much more expensive here are brands that are popular in the US. A basic pair of Toms at home is $44, but here they're $60! Uggs are also really expensive, so I'm glad I brought my own of each of those! There is a very nice clothing/accessories store here called Primark that would be equal to our H&M. You always see people (locals and tourists) carrying around bags from there. Jeans are 12pounds, shoes are 6pounds! Not a bad deal, but I have to remind myself that a lot of little things can add up to a lot of money!
I see some kind of goat/sheep type animal every time I take the bus into Edinburgh, and I have no idea what it is! It's very fluffy with long hair but it also has horns. I decided to call it a "geep" (mix of sheep and goat). I've seen a few normal cows, but a few highland cows as well! I always moo at them when I go by, because what kind of Wisconsinite would I be if I didn't?! We have lots of animals on property here, including llamas, bulls, cows, cats and dogs. I haven't found Charlie the peacock yet, which is sad because I wanted him to live in my room.
Weather here has been fairly nice, although it rains at least once a day. Highs of 70s with bright sunny moments! Thankfully it's not humid at all after it rains, which my hair definitely appreciates! Plants and trees look the same as at home, but there are lots of older trees, since this country is so much older! You can tell that everything here has a distinct time stamp on it, even the trees. For everyone that doesn't know, the palace has an area called "Adventure Land" very close, which is essentially a giant playground. Everything is raised about 20 feet off the ground, and the slides/pathways/climbing areas are much bigger. Basically a Lauren-sized playground! There are 2 ziplines that run down from the top of it, but they currently don't have grips on them, so I haven't used them yet.
There are lots of bugs here-we have to be careful not to leave windows and doors open for too long otherwise they get in. The moths here are gigantic-some are easily the size of my palm! They scare me when they're in my shoe and I lift it up and they fly away. Lots of spiders too, but they seem to stick to the warmth of the ceiling in the bathrooms thankfully! And don't worry, I'm not driving here so I won't crash into a tree! (That one's for you, Joel!)
Since I've been observing the locals and all the different things that they do, I've noticed a lot of new trends. Clothing wise, everyone dresses much nicer here than in the United States. You never see anyone with sweatpants and a t-shirt on while walking around. Even jeans are less common. If you know what hipsters look like, that's basically the entire population of Edinburgh. The guys wear skinny jeans, Vans, cardigans and v-necks, all in muted or toned down colors. Girls wear very trendy clothing, mostly long skirts and denim shirts/jackets. One huge trend here is to wear shorts with tights or leggings, which I thought was interesting. Every girl always has perfect hair and makeup, and if it looks disheveled, it probably took about 2 hours to get it that way. The ads are very similar to the ones in America, but of course here they have an accent! Also, because of how old the country is, decor in most places is very dated and vintagey looking. As for phrases, the most common thing I've heard is "cheers", which is basically like thank you or goodbye here.
I'll continue to keep you updated on what's going on here, but let me know if there is something you're dying to know! :)
P.S. Shout out to Peter, who wanted to be mentioned in my next blog post! ;)

1 week in!

So far, I've been in Edinburgh every day that I've been here! As much as I love it, it gets to be a little much after a while. Because of the Fringe Festival going on here, there are tons of people every day. One of the cool things is that there are street artists and vendors. It's fun to watch the different acts. Some people truly are so talented! Today we saw a lady who was painted and wearing all gold, and she moved so slowly and deliberately that she looked like a doll from a jewelry box! I also stopped to look at the local vendors, which   was mostly hand made jewelry and clothing/accessories. There was a gorgeous stall selling bracelets, necklaces and earrings made from vintage and one of a kind buttons. Naturally I bought a fabric bracelet with a mirrored gold button in, what else, black! For those of you wondering, yes I have a budget. No I haven't spent all my shopping money yet!
This year, they have the Scotland program set up by modules, which means that we have one class at a time for about 2 weeks at a time. I'm currently in a theatre appreciation class, which is great since the Fringe Festival is going on right now. The festival attracts people from all around the world, so it's very interesting seeing so many different cultures in one. I will appreciate when it's over though, because I am starting to get sick of having flyers for every single show shoved in my face whenever I walk down the street. So far I've seen about 6 shows, including Sweeney Todd and Elephant Man among others. Tomorrow I'm off to see Clockwork Orange, then 1 more after that. This is the last week for the theatre class, so we're trying to squeeze in as many plays as possible!
Also, I managed to get a cable cord for my camera, but of course it was the wrong one. So I ordered a different one and if this one isn't right, well that's just a sign that you all aren't meant to see my pictures! If only I had a camera with WiFi!
What else does everyone want to know? Sometimes there are things I glaze over because I assume not everyone wants to hear about it. Let me know! :)
P.S. For my fellow car freaks, I saw yet another Aston Martin today. I was standing on the curb, close to the edge and it roared by. My heart literally stopped and I gasped so loudly my friends were concerned something was wrong!

Vlog :)

Just a quick hello from Scotland!! :)

Hello Scotland!

Well, I finally made it to Dalkeith!! Even though I managed to make it, unfortunately my luggage did not. We went to the lost luggage counter to try and find it, but they told us they didn't have any record of it, which definitely didn't make me feel very good. I filed a lost luggage form and they told us that it would arrive tomorrow morning at the house. Luke, Nikki and I booked a taxi to bring us to the Dalkeith castle (I can't get over the fact that I live in a castle!!!). Luke and Nikki got in the back and so naturally I hopped in the front. What surprised me though was the steering wheel on my side! The driver just laughed and asked if I was going to be driving us there. I completely forgot that they drive on the "wrong" side of the road and car! So I went around and got in the other side, not shocked at all about the fact that I just made a fool of myself in the first hour of being in my new country. I was amazed at all the gorgeous cars here! Although they all look very similar, and have a Golf-like look to them, with dipping noses and bubbly back ends. I spotted a Scirocco, which I absolutely loved. Once we arrived at the castle, our director, Patty, told us that they had just finished dinner. Typical. We ate leftovers and hurried into the last orientation session of the day. Afterwards, a group of people and I went to a local pub, where I experienced my first cider! It's similar to a flavored beer, and tastes very fruity. The first thing that I noticed was that although I was only in a group of 5, we were extremely loud compared to everyone else there. The noise level was one of the things that they addressed in the orientation session, but it's not something you think about until you experience it. Today, we had to wake up early (7AM for those of you who don't believe me!) to attend orientation sessions all day. One of the things that they told us about was how to act and behave in pub settings. After the 2 hour session, we got to drink...in a classroom!! (You know you're not in America when...!) Then we traveled to Edinburgh for the first time, to help us get comfortable with the bus system. These next few weeks, there are lots of festivals happening in Edinburgh, so there are lots of tourists. While we were driving there, I spotted an Aston Martin and TWO Rolls Royces! Nobody else even seemed to notice, I was shocked! But it may have something to do with the fact that I'm a car freak. :) We bummed around Edinburgh for a while, went to a local pub called the Scotsman, and then decided to head back home. We were all really tired and Nikki and I desperately wanted to check for our suitcases. Luckily, as we walked inside, we noticed that they had finally arrived!! After 2 days and 1 night of wearing the same outfit, we were finally able to change into fresh, clean clothes. After changing into something less American casual we changed into something more Scottish casual. One of the biggest things I noticed while I was in Edinburgh was that hardly anyone wore jeans, and if they did, they were ironed and a darker wash. Compared to what we typically wear in the US, everyone here dresses up. That includes hair and makeup as well! Thankfully I brought nicer clothes, so I won't be out of place here. The castle is absolutely gorgeous, although words will never do it justice. I'll upload pictures as soon as I get an adapter! :)

Finally the day!!!

The day has finally arrived!! As I'm writing this, I'm sitting in the Amsterdam airport. This day has surely been a journey, but nothing I couldn't handle! Made it to Madison without a problem, even got there 2 hours early! Thankfully I had enough time to download a travel book on Scotland so that I could read it on the flights over. As I was getting onto the plane from Madison to Detroit, I realized I wasn't able to gate check my bag like some people said (ahem DAD). I took my bag on and noticed it was just the tiniest bit too big. Thanks to a very helpful flight attendant and cooperative passengers, I was able to find a space for my bag to fit. Once I got to Detroit, I found my next gate and boarded my plane with no problems. Or so I thought. After our plane was on the runway, there was an announcement that there was a computer that needed to be replaced. After returning to the gate, they made yet another announcement that there were a few "discrepancies" between the pilot and flight control. After sitting there for an hour and a half, they told us that we would be able to get off the plane as long as we could be back in 45 minutes. We were issued meal tickets for $12, which isn't actually all that much considering McDonald's french fries were $4 for a small. I sat and waited for what seemed like forever, waiting for another announcement of what was going on. After sitting and waiting for 5 hours, they finally made the final announcement. The mechanics had given us an extra 2 hours to wait. They were still working on our plane, but were going to help us get new connections. At this time, our plane was supposed to leave at 4PM and it was 9PM. I waited in line and tried to figure out what to do next. Then we realized that there was a plane at the gate next to us that was leaving for Amsterdam at 9:45. I ran as fast as I could to the gate and made it on the flight at 9:36!! I even managed to get an economy comfort seat, with more legroom and it leans back farther. Everything happens for a reason! A cool thing about this flight was that everyone had their own personal TVs, and you could chose from a very wide selection of movies and TV shows. It was really amusing to watch every single person struggle to use them, until they realized that they weren't touchscreens. Other than that, the flight itself wasn't very entertaining. I wasn't able to sleep much for some unknown reason, and I started feeling it as soon as I got off the flight. While the plane was unloading, the people around me started talking about how they were in a rush because they had a connection in 20 minutes. As I was listening I realized that the person I was sitting next to for the entire flight was in the Wisconsin in Scotland program! The whole flight without talking when we could have been gushing about Scotland. Because we had landed while our flight to Edinburgh was taking off, we had to figure out a way to get there. Thankfully, now I not only had Nikki but our new friend Luke! We stuck together and managed to get everything figured out and made it on a new flight that left at 3:30PM, and got to Edinburgh at 4:00PM. Originally we were supposed to be in Edinburgh by 8:35AM. Because we had a few hours in between our flights, the three of us decided to walk around the Amsterdam airport. We then realized that...we were of drinking age. My first of age drink!! We all got a kick out of the fact that we were able to buy alcohol without the bartenders even batting an eye. We're off to Edinburgh now, more updates later!

3 days to go!

With 3 days to go until I'm off to Scotland, the packing frenzy has begun!! There are clothes spread out all around my room awaiting my yes or no decision. I thought I wouldn't be able to pack 3 1/2 months worth of clothes into one suitcase, but when all you wear is black, grey and tan, it's fairly easy! Everything matches and that means I have to bring less items along with. I've been researching the best way to fit as much as I can into a little space and I've figured out that rolling my clothes seems to work the best and give me more room. Not only do I have clothes, but I also have to bring sheets, towels, toiletries and other things to help me last 3 1/2 months in Scotland.
I've talked to many different people who have previously traveled to Europe about the best places to go, where to visit and what to avoid, and I can't thank them enough! As much as I want to find out things on my own, it's always good to get advice from others and learn from their mistakes.
I know I'm going to miss my friends and family so much, but hopefully this blog, along with my numerous other social media accounts will help me stay close and connected.
If you have any advice for packing or places to visit, please leave a comment or email me at kortbeinl6805@my.uwstout.edu!