Nov 13, 20232 min read

Exams and Edinburgh

November 12, 2023

This week consisted of midterm exams, a trip to Edinburgh, and exhaustion. We had some MAJOR snorers in our hostel, and I cannot wait for a good night’s rest. I’m feeling extra grateful for getting to live here, learn, and travel, and I feel like I have so much to share, but I’ll be keeping this week’s post short and sweet:

This week we had two exams. They went well (I think). It’s so weird only being graded on final exams here — no busy work at all, no worksheets to make sure you’re caught up, no assignments to gauge where you’re at. Even these midterms were for for benchmarking ourselves. One was not graded at all, and the other one you could decide whether or not to count toward your final grade. It’s the opposite of the American school system. Memorizing here will get you nowhere. It’s all about understanding what you’re learning, which is how it should be.

After a busy three days of school, Rebecca and I headed to Edinburgh. It’s hands down my new favorite city. The architecture is incredible. Meat pie, sausage rolls, and scotch were a welcomed replacement of pasta, pizza, and wine. The coffee shops reminded me of the ones we have back home. There were poppies everywhere for remembrance day. There was not even a drip of rain (which I was a little sad about). There were bagpipes on the Royal Mile, and live music in pubs. It truly felt magical. We spent lots of time walking, reading in cafes, admiring art in galleries, and hanging out with new Australian friends. I didn’t have room in my backpack to buy the Starbucks “You Are Here” collectible mug, so I have to go back someday! I’m thinking a golf and whiskey tour through Scotland…. Anyone wanna join?