Taylor Watson
CIEE Summer in Edinburgh, Scotland
Major: Visual Arts – Animation
Pre-Departure Blog Post #1
Hello from Dover, Delaware, Dear reader!
My name is Taylor Watson, and I am a sophomore animation major at UMBC!
I leave for Scotland in about two days, and I am buzzing with excitement. I’m taking some time today to prepare for my trip with all the necessities. I’m starting my morning with a fresh retwist! Getting my hair done before big trips is my favorite part, honestly. It’s so relaxing!! I get to tell everyone at the salon why I’m getting my hair done! I’m also gathering up my hair-care products! I’m worried they might take up too much space. Wish me luck! I’m getting my passport and documents in order as well. It’s super important to have your ducks in a row on this, so make sure you have copies and copies and copies. I’m also printing out other papers like my flight information as well! I have an overnight flight, and I’m so ready to take a nap and wake up in a completely different country. Can you imagine getting shaken from your nap in a completely different timezone?! It might be jarring, but I find that incredibly cool.
Packing has got to be the most difficult part for me. It can’t get harder than this! I mentioned my hair products taking up too much space, and man, was I right. It’s like Tetris in my suitcase. I’m watching the weather and climate, and making sure I have the appropriate clothes to wear!! Sunscreen, bug spray, ponchos, umbrellas, make-up, shoes, and school supplies. Every time I think I have everything, I remember I need something else. Unfortunately, my room is trashed with all my clothes. Keeping an eye on unpredictable weather is something I didn’t really think about until recently. I just got my hair done, so I am bringing SEVERAL ponchos. I can’t have my hair rained on!! While I get ready, I’m making sure I keep a journal with me! I want to call it a connection journal and use it to maintain meaningful experiences during my time abroad. A new friend? They get a page! A funny joke? Written down! Somebody held a door for me? Well, that’s awfully sweet. I’m writing it down. Beautiful sunset? I’m drawing it AND writing it down! I want to remember everything about everything with my journal!!! I think it would be nostalgic to read back on the things that made me happy, and I can also share my journal with the readers of this very blog!
I’m also taking time to talk to my parents about being as safe as possible. I’m going to be 1 million miles from home, and frankly, I haven’t been farther than Colorado. My mom asked if I’d be interested in sewing an AirTag into my hair. It was funny, but she wasn’t serious….. I think. I hope she wasn’t serious. Regardless, I’m making it a point to remember important numbers for the police or ambulance. Having this information is incredibly important for me and those who are traveling with me. Having all of these papers printed and lined up makes me feel like such a professional traveler. Was packing hard? Yes. Do you know what’s harder? Hugging my friends goodbye! I’m making some last visits to my folks back home before I’m gone for a month, and I’m going to miss them terribly. My family hasn’t let me out of their sight!
How am I feeling now, three hours after I started writing? I am so excited! I am also equally nervous. While I sit in my room, surrounded by 100 outfits and 26 pairs of socks, I’m feeling my tension ease up a bit. I can’t wait to share everything about my time. I’m so happy I get to take you along with me, dear reader! My main goal is to just have a great time. I am so happy I get to blog in real time about my experiences because I’ve never been this far from home before. This is new, this is exciting, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There’s no going back now, my tickets are non-refundable!! I’ll see you next time, dear reader! I can’t wait to tell you everything!!
Goodbye, From Dover, Delaware.
Blog #2
Hello from Scotland, dear reader!!
Man, I’ve been on the move since I’ve been here! Let me get you up to speed!! I got on a flight from Philadelphia and was a little afraid!! I don’t do very well with plane take-offs, so I always get nervously chatty!! Regardless, I went through the TSA area and hugged my mom goodbye! She cried, I cried, and the officers working the line were tired of us! I got on my first flight from Philly to Dublin for my 2-hour layover. From there, I had another flight from Dublin to Edinburgh! I slept through most of it and woke up in a different country! It was a bit jarring, but it gave me a good chuckle! When I landed, the head of my program took me and my classmates to our apartments! It is so nice to have my own room and bathroom! I was absolutely tickled!! It’s super cozy and comfortable!
It is only day 4 here, but it feels like I’ve been here forever! I am studying abroad and taking a history course about Scotland, as I am sure you’re aware. That’s been keeping me so busy, I haven’t had time to be homesick. Every time I get mopey and sad, I find a new cafe to try. I’ve been seeing beautiful landscapes and historical monuments, and trying to take pictures of everyone!! The weather has been unusually sunny here in Scotland, and a few locals have joked with our group that we “Brought it with us”. Unfortunately, it’s about to rain for 2 straight weeks! I do like the rain, but because I have been walking everywhere, things are about to get a little more difficult. 
Edinburgh is such a diverse and safe city!! I feel super comfortable walking around here, and there are so many places to eat and explore!! Fun fact, they repurpose their old churches into community centers!! I find that to be amazing! I’ve been to a community center here and it is just brimming with fun events and little cafes I fancy. It is a ton of fun, and there is always something to do! There is always something to see, there is always a bus to take or a train to catch. I still have 28 days left here, and I am already devastated that I have to leave at some point. However, I will live in the present and not get too wrapped up in the future. 
What have I done so far? Dear reader, I haven’t walked this much in a long time. I’m talking 20,000 steps every day! That is a lot for me, and my feet hurt a bit!! Every day, there is a new place to explore in this city. My favorite thing I’ve done is the Stirling Castle tour. It is always so interesting to be in a place with such a rich historical history. Walking cobblestone streets built hundreds of years ago fills me with curiosity I just can’t describe. Other than that, I’ve done a trivia event, a hike to the Wallace Monument, and several strolls around the gigantic parks in the area. Everything here is just so breathtaking. During the trivia event, I was on a team called the lady-dragons! We didn’t win, but our name was cooler than everybody there, so that should count for something. There is the old city and the new city, and it is super cool to see how there is a shift in architecture! These buildings are beautifully done!
What have I learned so far? I learned so much already!! I learned about Scotland’s history and its relationship with England! I’ve learned how to navigate the wing of the city I am staying in. I also learned that the national animal of Scotland is, wait for it, a unicorn!! How awesome is that!! This city has so many stories, and I haven’t even breached half of them in class!! I really want to tell you everything about my classes, but I’d hate to spoil it! What if you decide to join this program, dear reader? I want you to be as pleasantly surprised as I am! Thank you for joining me, dear reader! I’ll see you next time!
Goodbye from Scotland!