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.