I was amazed to realize we’ve now been in Scotland for longer than we lived in Switzerland or Italy. I mean, our first year here was so strange that it almost doesn’t count. And the past two years have had a different quality about them, as well – a combination of “WTF just happened to us?”, “Yay, everything’s fabulous!”, and “What if it comes back?”. But the longer we live here, the easier it becomes to separate the Edinburgh experience from the leukemia experience. These days we have a lot of acquaintances here who don’t know Scott was ever sick. We’re just two regular old American expats in Edinburgh, two among many.
Despite the bumpy landing, Edinburgh definitely feels like home. We moved here because we fell in love with this city, and the romance is still going strong. The striking architecture, the cozy pubs, the diverse eateries, the green spaces, the ales, the whiskies, the friendly international community – all of these things still charm me as much as ever. I love that we live in a city where we can hike up a dormant volcano or take a long walk on a sandy beach or spend a morning watching an otter frolic.
Some additional random thoughts about life in Scotland:
- Never has there existed a society more in love with cake.
- I still struggle with the word “trousers”.
- I am also failing to muster up the appropriate degree of delight over a cup of tea.
- I love that cheese is a Christmas food here.
It definitely feels like we’re in Edinburgh for the long haul. Even on this gray, rainy day, there’s nowhere else I’d rather live.