“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the land, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” – Cesare Pavese
It was weird, being thrown or actually throwing myself into a new culture, a new world. I didn't fully understand the trip I was taking, until well I actually took it. Even crossing over through the different airports, I slowly realized I was not in the comfort of my own country, or in the comfort of familiarity.

I still got on my planes though, and I still got off at my ports. I wandered through Paris's airport confused by my inability to speak French, and the thick french accents everywhere I went. I found my gate by using different gestures and such to be directed to it. Face planted by tripping over, my own feet while going down the gate to the shuttle, that would take me to the plane. I slept for the first time on my trip for a wee 49minutes, and was awoken by the nice French couple next to me. I went through customs with the couple from France who temporarily adopted me on my AirFrance flight. I walked up to Patty who was holding the Wisc-Scotland sign, and boarded the Dalkeith shuttle after loading in my hot pink luggage.

The entire time, the only thing I could think was, why am I here? What am I doing? This isn't the USA any more. I just paid a load of money to go somewhere extremely different and strange and out of my comfort zone. What was I thinking?

Then I met the people I would be spending my semester with, and what an odd looking group they were. I saw old faces, new faces. I met people who immediately made me giggle. I met people who immediately made me excited to travel.

I entered the place that was to be my home, and was amazed by its beauty. It was historic, it was old, and it was mine. My place to call home on this odd journey I had decided to take. I then wandered out of this new sanctuary full of fellow Americans and Wisconsin and Minnesotan accents into Dalkeith. I ended up in a little food shop called Franco's. I was a bit intimidated. Franco looked like a short tough Scottish man who I thought would give me a gruff time or something.

He didn't.

He was nice, and made me a pepperoni pizza from scratch. It was delicious. It was amazing. His co-worker taught me the proper way to say Fanta, and told me what everything was in the shop. It turned out it was all fried something. Fried Pizza to Fried Haggis. Fish and Chips. Along with other such things. She was very pleasant, and she made me laugh quite a few times.

On my way back to my house aka Dalkeith Palace. I passed many locals of Dalkeith and was greeted friendly by each of them. Let's just say my fears and uncertainties were fading away with each smile I received.
After returning to the House I was assigned my room. I was place in Room 107 with 4 other ladies: Sara, Melissa, Amy, & Paige. It turns out this room was once the Nursery and believed to be haunted by two ghosts. A nurse and a baby. So far half of us believe this is true, the other half think it is bull.

At the bottom of this blog is a picture of the view outside the window by my bed. It is amazing, and I love waking up to it everyday.

After getting settled in my room. I met my roommates we all love eachother. It was then on to orientation. After orientation it was back onto the streets of Dalkeith. I was comfortable. This was my home. Dalkeith was safe now.

The next day we were taken to Edinburgh. Uncharted territory, and once again I was nervous and a bit fearful. I rode on a public transportation double decker bus for the first time ever. It was fun, and a long ride.

I entered Edinburgh and it was so big, and jam packed. There were people everywhere, and I just knew I'd get lost or get pick pocketed. Of course neither one of this things ended up happening, but at the time they seemed inevitable. I was led to Edinburgh Castle by Resident Director Patty and her wife Natalie. The group I was with was then told to just let loose and go. It TERRIFIED ME!! I am a pretty independent person, but we had just spent orientation being told about pick pockets, and knives being used more then guns and AHHH!

I made it to the castle and wandered around it. Marveling at its history and beauty. I received a tour by Gavin a Scotsman wearing a kilt, and was shocked at his hatred of Bagpipes, this just showed me that not all Scots enjoy the bag pipes, and to be honest I still haven't met someone who does!

I got lost in the castle and a nice man and woman helped me find my way back. Edinburgh was becoming safe as well. Towards the end of the day I returned to Dalkeith finding my way back with two others. It was a comfortable ride back, like I'd been doing it all my life.

I grabbed some fish in chips on my way back from the bus drop, and enjoyed a bit of brown sauce and salt on them. As I was walking up to Dalkeith house I looked at it, and was happy. I was living here. Exploring here. Nothing seemed scary any more. Everything just looked so much brighter.

Plus with a view like this outside my window each morning how could my future travels not be anything but amazing.