Our first several days here in Edinburgh have gone well, overall. The kids have had some emotional ups and downs. Each of them had one notable tantrum-like event, but mostly seem to be getting used to the new normal. N loves Scottish eggs, for some reason, and A is a fan of Irn Bru, the most popular soft drink in the country. Its flavor is a cross between orange soda and bubble gum.
The kids and I now have library cards and have enjoyed the bright, pleasant children's section at the Central Library. N discovered a British chapter book series she hadn't seen back home. We were only able to bring limited number of books with us, so the library access is a godsend. Our flat for this month is very near a large playground, and our shared back garden has a serviceable trampoline, so our very energetic children are getting the exercise they need.
Ben and I have been enjoying the French press in our kitchen, sharing a quiet cup of coffee in the morning before he leaves for work. He has been walking all over the city on his way to and from work, or taking the bus home if it's raining. He suggested I take some time for myself on Saturday, and I jumped at the chance to have some independence for a while.
The kids and I explored the National Museum of Scotland this week for check out the T-Rex skeleton and to look around a bit. During my free time Saturday, I returned alone to view the "Celts" exhibit. What a joy, to read all the texts and take as much time as I wanted to! It was the best museum experience in my memory.
I've been thinking a lot about the challenges of these first days, and the closest thing I can liken it to is changing high schools in the middle of the semester. Where is my locker, anyway? People walk by and know we aren't from around here. No one thing stands out as vastly different than what we were used to back home, yet everything is new. We are starting from scratch with finding the things we need -- grocery stores, transportation, meeting new people. For example, even the cooktop in the flat presented something new. You first need to switch on the power on the wall. Then you turn on the cooktop. Then you set the burners to the right temperature. If the toaster isn't working, check the wall switch. Need hot water for coffee or tea? Use the electric kettle on the counter. All of the newness takes a lot of concentration and is exhausting.
This weekend, though, felt like a transition from total newbie to slightly more comfortable temporary resident. I reached out to a contact I'd met through our landlord, and we had a spontaneous meet-up on Friday. I had my first lengthy conversation with a friendly local, and just that one conversation made me feel somehow less alone here.
Yesterday, our family set out on the city bus to have lunch together, followed by a hike up Calton Hill. It was a beautiful day, great for views of the surrounding city. We followed a trail down past the Robert Burns Monument to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, past the Scottish Parliament, and then paired off to make our ways home -- A with Ben through the valley behind Arthur's Seat, N with me through the city. We all slept very well last night.
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