Semester Abroad, Global Correspondents Can I Get the Bill Please?

Anna, one of the Semester Abroad Global Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during the Spring 2024 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.

Before leaving the States, I fully prepared myself for the inevitable cultural differences that I would be encountering in the coming months. Every place has its own customs, and I was ready to experience and embrace them. Albeit awkward at times, I feel like I’ve become accustomed to the place I call Home now. From figuring out which side of the stairs to walk on to saying “takeaway” instead of “to-go,” Edinburgh has become a part of me just as I’ve become a part of the city.

Even the frequent overcast weather and lack of sunlight has grown on me. The 5 o’clock sunset has forced me to start my days earlier, and on the few occasions that the sun does come out to say hello, I never miss the chance to jog around and hike Arthur’s Seat (an extinct volcano practically in my backyard) to soak in the sunlight. As cliché as it may sound, the gloomy climate really does make you appreciate the sun more when it does make an appearance.

One cultural difference in particular thing that I’ve really come to appreciate is dining out. I’ve noticed that people here take longer here to have their meals, perhaps partially due to the fact that food takes longer to come out…but there’s a genuine commitment to engaging in conversation at the table here, and the waitstaff never rush you. In fact, I learned that it’s actually considered impolite to give customers the bill before they’ve asked for it. While some of my friends get slightly annoyed at how “slow” service can be, I like the change of pace—I enjoy being able to sit, take my time, and enjoy meals with my friends without feeling rushed.

Since arriving in Scotland, I’ve checked off all the typical touristy things in the city already. From climbing Calton Hill (which arguably has the best views in the city), to visiting the castle, eating the Scottish national dish haggis, and walking down the Royal Mile. But I’ve also done a lot of things that you won’t find on TripAdvisor, and somehow over the past two months the city has become intimately familiar to me. I’ve attended a Scottish social gathering involving group dancing called a Ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”). I know the best hot chocolate spot in town and which restaurants give the most student discounts. Moreover, I’ve become attuned to the rhythm of my new home, knowing which late night spots are the most bustling and when all the farmer’s markets in town come to life.

Slowly and without realizing it, I’ve transitioned from being a visitor of the city to truly living in it.