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!