Oklahoma in Scotland
Brittany McGarry
Issue date: 9/6/07 Section: Entertainment
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By Brittany McGarry
When I was in high school trying to make my decision about where to attend college, I knew studying abroad was a goal. I came to Bellarmine, hoping to study for a semester, but ended up not having the opportunity. Instead, I chose a summer program in Edinburgh, Scotland, taking a photojournalism class. I did not want to come home.
While I have traveled overseas many times, this trip was unique because I was staying in one place for three weeks. Three weeks still was not enough time. I was very greedy. I did not get along very well with the group I went with due to unforeseen circumstances, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I had the chance of waking up every morning and meeting someone new. The first weekend of my trip, the rest of the group went to London while I took it upon myself to book a tour up north in the Highlands.
The bus tour made for a long day, but I saw the true heart of Scotland. The green rolling hills, the mountains covered in fog, and the Scottish bagpipers playing at lookout spots. While seeing some of the best small towns up north, I met some people from Oklahoma on my tour. Robert had just graduated from college and Garrett had been stationed in Germany for four years and they were traveling about Europe. After conversation on the way back towards the city, we decided to hang out that evening and it continued the next day. It turned out to be one of my favorite weekends of the trip.
After a long night of experiencing city life, we woke up early and took a tour of Mary King's Close, an underground alley that once was used as housing. Wandering the city, we took it upon ourselves to climb the Scott Monument with 287 spiral stairs. The view from the top was breathtaking. I could see the entire city all around me. Edinburgh Castle, Arthur's Seat, Calton Hill, Princes Street Gardens, and the Balmoral Hotel were presented right before me with wonderful photo shots. The Balmoral Hotel was a special place for me because it was the location where J.K Rowling finished the last Harry Potter book. It is great to be able to say I walked past it almost every day. Although these people had a great affect on my experience in Edinburgh and I miss them to this day, I met new people every day. I learned I could be independent and hold myself up even when things seem to be falling apart. I had one of my most memorable experiences and want to go back and do it all over again.
When I was in high school trying to make my decision about where to attend college, I knew studying abroad was a goal. I came to Bellarmine, hoping to study for a semester, but ended up not having the opportunity. Instead, I chose a summer program in Edinburgh, Scotland, taking a photojournalism class. I did not want to come home.
While I have traveled overseas many times, this trip was unique because I was staying in one place for three weeks. Three weeks still was not enough time. I was very greedy. I did not get along very well with the group I went with due to unforeseen circumstances, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I had the chance of waking up every morning and meeting someone new. The first weekend of my trip, the rest of the group went to London while I took it upon myself to book a tour up north in the Highlands.
The bus tour made for a long day, but I saw the true heart of Scotland. The green rolling hills, the mountains covered in fog, and the Scottish bagpipers playing at lookout spots. While seeing some of the best small towns up north, I met some people from Oklahoma on my tour. Robert had just graduated from college and Garrett had been stationed in Germany for four years and they were traveling about Europe. After conversation on the way back towards the city, we decided to hang out that evening and it continued the next day. It turned out to be one of my favorite weekends of the trip.
After a long night of experiencing city life, we woke up early and took a tour of Mary King's Close, an underground alley that once was used as housing. Wandering the city, we took it upon ourselves to climb the Scott Monument with 287 spiral stairs. The view from the top was breathtaking. I could see the entire city all around me. Edinburgh Castle, Arthur's Seat, Calton Hill, Princes Street Gardens, and the Balmoral Hotel were presented right before me with wonderful photo shots. The Balmoral Hotel was a special place for me because it was the location where J.K Rowling finished the last Harry Potter book. It is great to be able to say I walked past it almost every day. Although these people had a great affect on my experience in Edinburgh and I miss them to this day, I met new people every day. I learned I could be independent and hold myself up even when things seem to be falling apart. I had one of my most memorable experiences and want to go back and do it all over again.
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