Adjustments

So here I am in Edinburgh! A few notes on how I got here:

• My flight from Iceland to London was uneventful, the immigration officer was nice, and getting to King's Cross from Heathrow was cheap (£3) and a breeze. Piccadilly line: MVP!
• Because getting to King's Cross was so easy, I ended up being there around 3 hours early. It's always a good idea to allow for extra time, but this was a little excessive. And I wasn't able to catch an earlier train because I'd purchased a non-exchangeable ticket. That being said, it's hard to complain because, this being a train from King's Cross, it's a little bit like the Hogwarts Express.
• The train ride was everything I could have imagined and more. It was comfortable, had free wifi, and the scenery out my window seat was incredible. Whatever image you have in your mind of the English countryside, make it greener, more beautiful, pop in an extra village or two, and you'd have my view. I can see why Tolkien loved his country so much that he based his idyllic Shire upon it.
• Getting from Waverley Station to my flat was rather stressful. My train pulled in at 21:28 and I was supposed to collect my keys by 22:00. With two 22kg bags and a large backpack, just getting myself and the 50kg of luggage to the taxi rank was a test of my strength, nerve, and determination. I managed to flag a taxi without knocking over too many old ladies.
• Tired and harried, I arrived in reception at 21:58, though I needn't have worried. The RAs hung around well after I got there. Had worse come to worst and there be nobody there when I arrived, security could have let me into my flat.
• I proceeded to unpack EVERYTHING. Because there's no sleep to be had when suitcases keep screaming at you.

                

View from my wee flat

My wee flat

As nice as my view is, there were a few things that initially discomfited me. For one, my en-suite bathroom is tiny. Like, the toilet and sink are practically in the shower, tiny. I don't have to share it with anyone, though, so it's a fair trade-off. Also, since I knew I'd be getting in so late and didn't want to take up space in my suitcase with bedding, I ordered a bedding pack from University Accommodations. It was only £25 but, even so, I was taken aback by the quality of the fabric--quite scratchy! Now that I've slept in it a couple nights, it's better, but I still might make an IKEA run. The other thing about my bedding that I wasn't very pleased with is that it only came with a fitted sheet, pillow and pillowcase, duvet and duvet-cover--no top sheet. Sleeping directly under the duvet is, apparently, fairly common in Europe. Though I wasn't very fond of the idea to start with, it does make making my bed much easier in the morning and I'm sure I'll come to like it just as much as, if not more than, what I'm used to. It'll just be an adjustment--one of many, I'm sure, to come in the coming months.

As insignificant or as scary as they might be, it is these adjustments that I find most exciting because they offer the greatest opportunities for new experiences and personal growth. If you don't know what makes you uncomfortable, you'll never know what your boundaries are or if they can be expanded. If you're not needing to adjust your lifestyle or way of thinking, you're not learning. And if you're not learning, what's the point?

I don't want this post to get too long, so that's all for now. I'll try to post again in a few days with more updates on what I've been up to since arriving in Scotland. Until then...

Stay informed. -NLD