First Impressions

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"My bags are packed, I'm ready to go..."

     23 June 2013 

     For those of you who don't know, I got a two-year research position in Scotland and so I'm dragging the family (my husband, Nico, and my four-legged, furry daughter, Kasha) along on this adventure. I'm anticipating exciting adventures with the move and lots of pictures and funny stories that I want to share. Facebook has been sufficient for my previous trips, but I want to actually share more than a picture and funny one-line comments. Enjoy!

    

View from my shared flat. 

    The move to Scotland starts with a first step - in this case, it's packing the first load of bags (three checked bags!) for the first trip over. Instead of shipping things, we're just bringing most of our stuff as checked luggage. As outrageous as the fees are, it's cheaper than international shipping! 

     I made it to Scotland! My luggage didn't, but that's why a well-packed carry-on is important. I had everything I planned to use on a daily basis. My bags showed up the next day and were delivered to the flat where I'm renting a room (a friend of a friend in the department). Quite handy that I didn't have to haul all my own luggage from the airport (less handy that I had to lug them up multiple flights of stairs). 

     

Came across some beautiful flowers while
I was out on a walk to keep from falling asleep
due to jet-lag. 

     Right from the beginning, it was clear that there will be some differences compared to living in the United States. When I first arrived, I tried to get into the car on the wrong side. Just crossing the street requires a fair amount of thought so I look the right direction first (pun intended!). Despite the fact that this is technically an English-speaking country, I don't understand most of what the locals are saying. While walking back from the store, I overheard a father talking to his son and it took me a minute to realize that it was English! My brain had immediately assumed it was a foreign language. 

     

      Some people say that jet-lag is worse going east; some say it's worse going west. My impression after numerous trips in both directions is that it's always worse whichever direction it is when the adrenaline wears off. Usually, the adrenaline wears off when I get home. This time, I had a full weekend to recover without a lot to do because most of the letting agencies (agencies that help you find places to rent) are closed on the weekend. With nothing to do, I definitely felt the jet-lag more severely than other trips. 

     

      I made it to Scotland, had a place to stay, and was starting to find my way around the neighborhood and recover from jet-lag. I think that's about the best I can expect for my first weekend!

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