And It Begins!

Well hello! My apologies for the delay in posting. I had slight complications with my computer charger.

Let's see, where do I begin? I have explored the city, met some wonderful people, taken the wrong bus, consumed delicious food, and started my internship! Let me break it down.

Week 1:

Upon arriving in Edinburgh and fighting sleep for 40 hours, I slept for about 15 and was adjusted almost immediately! I had one full week to explore the city, meet new people, and start off the new year in a new, and might I add, stunningly beautiful city. And that's exactly what I did! My new flat mates have been very helpful while adjusting to the city and I am quite grateful.

My week was filled with exploring pubs, marveling at streets and buildings, meeting the people and culture, photographing beautiful sights, and even attending a film at the cinema! I have quite enjoyed the pubs- The Waiting Room, Green Mantle, and Pilgrim pubs to be exact. Every pub seems to be full of the locals who are all friends and like to hear 'where my funny accent comes from'. So far, I've made great friends there, had delightful burgers, and tried the Scotland brewed beverages (quite delicious I must say). Most every time I am out and about, I am meeting new people and learning even more about this wonderful country called Scotland. As for the beautiful sights, I'll simply show you:

The Edinburgh Castle

Princess Street Gardens

Edinburgh Castle

Princess Street Gardens

Scotland Memorial

Scotland Memorial

The Royal Mile

A view from the castle

Edinburgh Castle

Stunningly beautiful, right?!

Now here is a bit about the culture: While walking down the street, I noticed that in 90% of the conversations I overheard, someone was laughing. Quite a jolly place this is! According to some scottish people, the laughing is probably stemming from 'giving an arse of a time to each other'. Scottish humor is quite sarcastic and demeaning (yet in quite a playful way). So far, I have not met an un-friendly person. The funny part? Every scottish person is surprised by that comment and view people in their culture as generally quite standoffish. They say it's because I'm from America.

Coming up, Scotland will vote on the decision to become their own country. There are quite the mixed views on this subject, according to the locals. Pros: Pride (scottish people are very proud) and having their own unique system. Cons: 16 year-olds 'who know nothing about this issue' are voting and some believe that it will only take a short time before the country collapses. I must say, I'm quite interested in the voting results.

Week 2:

The Eric Liddell Centre

And I have begun my internship! The Eric Liddell Centre is located in an enchanting building with a beautiful winding staircase and stained glass windows filling the halls.

My desk with my own computer, centre email address, and personal phone line (I feel so important) are located in a cozy little copy machine room that opens into the Ca(I)re Programme office. Despite how secluded that sounds, coworkers are frequently entering the copy room and I couldn't find a more social office to have! The other great part? We never stop drinking tea! It's quite lovely to always have a warm drink in hand.





This week I began researching carer support and setting up carer courses for the Ca(I)re Programme. Carers include those who are in an unpaid caring role for a loved one, spouse, friend, or neighbor. Specifically, the Ca(I)re Programme aims to provide free courses for caregivers to have a break from caring, learn something new, receive much needed support, and even get more exercise. Courses include anything and everything from birdwatching walks to yoga, painting, relaxation, and even computer courses.

My research began with calling all the carers who had participated in the courses last autumn. Speaking to the carers allowed me to discover how these courses have helped them in the long run, how the course helped give the carer a break, and other factors like the improvement of overall health. Speaking with scottish people with various experiences has been quite fascinating and typically ends with discussing where I come from.

The next part of the research included creating a survey that I dispersed to the carers within the Ca(I)re Programme database. This survey asked carers what kind of courses they would like to see this coming summer and other feedback for our programme. So far my survey has received many results.

Every response from the survey and those I spoke to on the phone had something positive to say about this programme. Whether a course gave a carer a break or allowed the carer to relate to other carers, everyone was genuinely grateful. It is clear that the Ca(I)re Programme is doing amazing things for the caregivers of Edinburgh!

My walk to work everyday!

Other than research, I have been busy signing carers up for the courses starting next month and meeting my wonderful coworkers. My supervisor within the Ca(I)re Programme is beyond helpful and encouraging, while the director is the most jolly man I have ever met. Everyone with the centre has provided me with the most warm welcoming possible!


Last but not least, I was able to visit the Edinburgh Castle! Upon taking a guided tour of the castle, I learned how the cannons were never fired out of anger and many other historical facts.  On top were beautiful sights of the city:

A view onto Princess Street Gardens

The Castle War Memorial

While I could go on and on about many more details, those were some great highlights from my trip so far. I'm loving it here and am truly lucky to be living and working in such a wonderful place!

Until next time... Cheers!