14 days down!

So it's been really awesome here in Scotland! We've taken some really fun field trips and one group even came to us. We went to Edinburgh Castle on Sunday and poked around in the city all day. I took over 250 pictures!!! It was a very cool to see all the history of a place it was just sad that we had to squeeze it into such a short amount of time. We also went to the National Museum of Scotland and saw Dolly!!! If you don't know who Dolly is, then I will tell you: she was the first successful clone of an animal (she is a sheep), she was successful because she was able to reproduce without any birth defects or medical issues. The cells were mammary cells so if you can put 2 and 2 together that's why her name is Dolly.

We had a lot of class work this week, learning about different habitats and what species are in each of them. I have become pretty well educated about their types of plants, trees, flowers, and birds; so when we are out and about on sites and around campus I bug the equine people with the knowledge of knowing what kinds of flowers are around us. The funnest thing that happened this week was that we got to play paintball. The students at the college set it up for us because they were something Recreational Tourism majors and it was a group project for them. We played Americans versus Scottish, and us Americans won all four rounds. The first two were capture the flag, the third we were on teams trying to get an object to the other side of the field, but we were all after the same object. I got the tin and hid in a pond until my team mates got the other team out. Then the fourth round was shoot until your out of ammo and I hid in a bush in the middle of the field and I was third place. The first place winner was someone from my team so we won, YAY!!

Today we cleared out more of the orchard because on Sunday the community is having some kind of event where the people that fund it are coming and having a party so we trimmed it up some more. Then after lunch we made bird boxes, and finished some bat boxes from another group of previous months. I love arts and crafts, and man do I love power tools. I didn't cut off, bruise, or hit any of my body parts so I was very proud of myself!! I've official been out of America for 14 days, and it only feels like half that. Time has flown by here, and I'm going to be really sad when the program is done. It is so beautiful here, and I can't wait to travel more in a couple years when I get a big kid job and can afford it.

Fun Fun

Greetings everyone! Trips been going pretty great so far. Tuesday was spectacular with the week-wackers, I didn't hurt myself at all!! Then we did some class work, had dinner and had a Welcome to Scotland night on campus. Bagpipes, haggis, the works were involved. I had one shot of whisky and it was awful and I do not plan on having any more any time soon. Plus I don't like alcohol in general...

Wednesday was went to the sea coast and did some bird watching. We also found some rabbits, dogs, and deer. Even on a cloudy day, Scotland is still beautiful and that just amazes me!!. Afterwards we went to Linlithgow Palace and ran around taking pictures. Pretty much Scotland is a chance for me to run around like an intrigued little kid and not get in trouble, and I'm loving it. After running around and looking for the Dungeon, which I never found :(, we took a trip to Cainpapple Hill; not too bad of a walk, and a gorgeous view!!

Today we spent majority of the day at Beecraig Country Park hiking around looking at stuff and then we identified some wildflowers. That also means that today I learned how awful I am at attempting to identify wildflower in Scotland. Arkansas trees, birds, and flowers: No Problem! Scotland trees, birds, and flowers: I'm awful!! It will take some practice, but hopefully I catch on pretty fast. Tomorrow we are going to a Loche so that should be pretty exciting. Well, time for me to go now; I've got homework!

First Monday

I'm am so tired!!! Today we became students of the school and got our paperwork done. Then we got an orientation from an Assistant something of Education. We meet all the people that will be in charge of our schooling for  the next 4 weeks.Then we took a fake What Do You Know About Scotland quiz that I only got 8/20 correct. Oops!!! The highest score by a kid was only 13. Then we hiked around the campus and up a 'volcanic plug' (pretty much a giant hill/mountain). Then we walked back to our dorms and passed by the farm so of course I had to look through the windows of the pig farm and we passed the beef cattle: semmintal and a Scottish Angus.

Then we had dinner and after dinner a group and I went back to the playground and had some fun. After the playground we went to the store in town since we were already so close. So now I'm tired and sore and I am soo ready for bed! I'm getting pretty close to a normal sleep schedule so hopefully I'm just about there. Tomorrow we get to do some yard work for the school so that should be pretty fun, I get to use a weedwacker; excitement!!

Travels

I am finally in Scotland everyone yay! It took three planes, but I finally made it! My flights were all good; 1st I had the whole row to myself, 2nd I sat next to some funny old men and had some laughs, 3rd I sat next to a kid in my same program, but I slept majority of that flight. 

When we got to campus we were shown to our rooms and left to get settled. Then at 5 some girls, that go to the college, came and brought us to where dinner was. Then a lady took us on a mini tour of the campus and let us go free afterwards. We went back to our rooms and decided to go for a walk. One giant group went on a walk around the farms on campus, and myself and three other girls walked to town to go to the store. One of the girl's luggage was lost so she kinda needed some basic stuff. 

The store was a 30 minute walk and on the way back we stopped at a playground and climbed this weird thing that had a lot of rope. Then we walked our tired butts back to campus and now I'm getting ready to go to sleep. The weather wasn't too bad today and this country is gorgeous! There is green everywhere and I love it! Alright I'm calling it a night and I'm going to bed. 

Less than 3 days

I'm getting so excited because I am finally in the single digits of my countdown!! I've started gathering all the stuff I'm packing and I'm starting the actual packing in the morning. Then to clean my room because it looks like a disaster zone from unpacking from my move and then re-packing and then unpacking and now to re-pack again. I'm getting my address list together of people I'm going to send postcards to and I'm saying goodbye to all my friends and family. I know it's only a month but I'm just so close to my family I'm going to feel like there is a little piece of my heart missing as soon as I step foot on the plane. On the bright side, I love flying and I haven't been on a plane in forever!! I don't know who you are or why you are reading this, but thank you. I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures as much as I will enjoy making them.

The Count-Down

So there are 24 days until I head to Scotland, and I am so excited. 1. I love planes. 2. I have never left the country and am so excited to finally travel. 3. I'm going to Scotland for 4 weeks! I still have two days left of class, and four finals next week and then I'm free of school; at least until I start my study abroad. In my head I've already started packing, I need to get a new suitcase here pretty soon. I already bought a rain jacket, and I meet a girl that will be on the same program as me. Things are going pretty smoothly in the states and I am so excited to see what all is in store for me this summer.

Hello

My name is Amy, and this summer I will be going to Edinburgh, Scotland to do a Study Abroad. Stay tuned to read all about my exciting adventures this summer!