I can't believe that I've only been here less than a week because it feels like it has been much longer. I'm still adjusting to being away from CH and living in Edinburgh but I've already recognized some of the things that I love about it and will miss about it come Christmas time. Some of them include:

1. Walking around campus and hearing the multitude of different accents and languages
2. The architecture
3. Conversations with people from different countries about every thing from politics to music to cultural norms and food
4. The people

What I already know I won't miss: windburn.

It has been really windy here the past two days and because the wind is so cold, my pale skin has been turning tomato red. What did I do when I first noticed my red face and neck? Believe I was having an allergic reaction to my dinner (baked beans on toast) so I told my flatmates that if my throat closed up to call an ambulance. It took Google and narrowing down my lack of other symptoms to realize it was just wind burn. At least I won't have to wear blush for the next few months!

On Tuesday I had to go to a meeting for the Edinburgh College of Art and another meeting for international/exchange students. There are a lot of people at the university who are here studying from different countries but of course America has the largest number of study abroad students in Edinburgh.

The building where I'll be taking my art history classes, Minto House, use to be a chapel. I visited it today for two other meetings and it definitely has more aesthetic appeal than Hanes Art Center at UNC. It's right across from the National Museum of Scotland and the university's own Talbot Rice Gallery so I'm excited to explore them after taking class.

On a side note, one of my favorite TLC shows - besides Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Say Yes to the Dress - would have to be My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. I was talking to some Meadow Court (MC from here on out) people last night about gypsies and travelers and apparently MBFGW shows the best side of them which is saying a lot. Mom: they're pretty much loathed here.

My flatmate Ellie and our friend Henry are both in the ECA which hosted a "Curry and Quiz," tonight. We took along are flatmates for free curry, naan, and to increase our chances of winning the trivia contest. Of about one hundred people split into about 15 groups, our team came in second! Knew the McGrail Jeopardy-loving gene would come in handy one day. Mom: would have made you proud, especially in the culture category.

Oh! On our team we had a guy born and bred in Edinburgh and he sounded American which apparently a good number of Edinburghers do. Still waiting to meet Scottish people who I can't understand though.

Looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow (no meetings), exploring and going on a pub crawl!