Wetting my feet

            I have been in Edinburgh for a few days now and have fallen in love with this city. Every day I am mesmerized by quaint storefronts set along rolling hills and stone-age castles. The crisp fall air and Georgian architecture is both unique to my time abroad, but also similar to my home. Here, in Edinburgh, cobblestone walkways are dusted with fall colored leaves and I am instantly reminded of my home in Boston. This sense of seasons set to a historic and local city is something I have always loved about New England, and particularly my home in Boston. Edinburgh captures this same hospitable virtue that I find particularly inviting about a city. Both Harry Potter and Hocus Pocus are movies who settings are built in old historic places changing with the seasons and transcribing their stories their history. These two movies remind me of the historic and seasonal pleasures of living in Edinburgh. I could not imagine anything better than the joy of living in a place that reminds me of two of my favorite stories and also my home.

The view outside my apartment! This mountain is Arthur's Seat, which is one of Edinburgh's most prominent sites. Travelers hike up and down the mountain daily and this Sunday I will be joining a hike up the mountain.

            I find it really interesting to look back on my first night in Edinburgh. I arrived late at night and was driven to what would be my accommodations through December. Having arrived in a foreign city, I was left only with my own understanding of what I knew of Edinburgh. We drove into the city and my eyes traced the contours of castles and mountain cliffs as they met the night sky. It was only the next morning that I truly could appreciate the outstanding views surrounding me. A week later, I am still amazed by the sites that makeup the historic city of Edinburgh.

The Elephant House! Inside the cafe is filled with delicious
 treats and amazing views.

     The past few days have, of course, been about exploring. Naturally, my curiosity is rooted in my gastronomical pursuits. I have found myself in countless coffee shops, bakeries and their culinary neighbors between. These local shops each offer different flavors and foods, yet all culminate to create a farm to table experience.

     One of my favorites spots so far is a café name The Elephant House. This café is famous for being the spot where J.K. Rowling sipped on a cup of coffee and wrote the first Harry Potter novel. 

       Here I am in Greyfriar's Graveyard. The Elephant House
 looks out right onto it.The graveyard looks like something
 out of Hocus Pocus and looks up to the castle.

      The views from this café are particularly amazing. As you peer out the window, you see the stone castle perched up along the hill cascading to the roads below. The view also includes Greyfriars’ Graveyard. This is the gravesite if Tom Riddle and McGonagall, which are the names of two of the Harry Potter characters. As I enjoy my lunch and continue to walk along the streets, I can begin to understand how  J.K. Rowling and other literary geniuses transformed the city of Edinburgh into inspiration for countless magical novels.

Well no experience in Edinburgh would be complete without exploring the nightlife. Cowgate is the main road in Edinburgh populated with countless bars and pubs. Each stop has its own atmosphere, but the road makes for a great place to pop in and out of different bars. One can create their very own bar crawl!

Through loads of tours and information related to the University of Edinburgh, I have had the chance to meet so many welcoming students. Everyone ranges from visiting students to first years and pull from all corners of the world. The diversity of the student body creates a community of scholars each pursuing their unique interests, yet united by their intellectual curiosity. It is not only in the students that I have found so much positivity, but also in the city of Edinburgh. Everyone I meet, is extremely welcoming and as equally interested to learn about their fellow students as they are the man behind the coffee counter.

This past week has been full of exciting adventures with many new friends. In just a few days, I have seen so much of the city through on-foot tours and exploration. As I begin my studies next week, I am sure my time here will only become more valuable. I am looking forward to meeting so many more people and beginning to understand what it is like to be a student at the University of Edinburgh. Here’s to a semester of a lifetime.