Study abroad tips - Scotland

Applying to College
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<p>All, my daughter is going to study abroad in Edinburgh this fall. I am not sure how to approach the logistics such as winter clothes and any other items she will need while she is there. She will be in off campus housing provided by the university. Anyone with experience who can share their wisdom will be appreciated.</p>

<p>Also is there regional information she should know about Scotland? Scottish terminologies, local do and don’ts she should be aware of? Food items, customs etc. Thanks!</p>

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<p>There are thousands of answers to your second question for any country! Purchasing a guide book would be a good start. I would also recommend travel websites like TripAdvisor for the general stuff. </p>

<p>I have no idea why a student would be bringing anything into the UK that would require going through customs! If she has a bag of gold bars or $100,000 in cash then maybe this is an issue. Otherwise you following the “nothing to declare” or “green channel” signs at the airport (this is the same in all international airports). There is no-one there, nothing happens, it takes 30 seconds of your life. </p>

<p>For the first question, you do not really give us enough information to answer it.
-does your daughter own any winter clothes at all or do you live in a climate where they are not needed?
-if she own winter clothes, bring them as you see fit
-if she doesn’t own winter clothes, it will almost certainly be cheaper to buy some in the US, but the problem with that is you will have to pack them and also she may change her mind about the type, amount and style of clothes once you arrive. This especially applies if this student has never experienced winter, as you don’t know she is going to feel. Note that in the UK most people turn their heating off at night, no matter how cold it is. In student accommodation this often happens automatically and you cannot control it. I would take with you at least a winter coat and boots, and expect to spend money on clothes there in the case where your daughter has no experience of winter. Otherwise she could be very cold and miserable. </p>

<p>It’s not that cold, mainly dark (at 4pm) in the winter.</p>

<p>There are a couple of Edinburgh students who have posted on this board so they may be able to help regarding the specifics of the accommodation. Also google the student room for a UK version of this board.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>Thanks Cupcake, We live in the northwest so it is rainy but it doesn’t really get freezing. My daughter goes to college in So Cal so she hasn’t needed winter outerwear in the last couple of years. When she comes home for Christmas she usually just borrows my stuff.</p>

<p>This year she bought a pair of rain boots that she wanted after she learned she was accepted to Edinburgh, something she felt was unnecessary for the California climate. The boots are heavy and large. I am wondering how to fit everything in a suitcase if we start getting coats and sweaters or is it better to buy the outerwear once you are there?
I believe the intent is to live in a suite apartment with other students who will cook for themselves; does anyone have any experience with this? How are the grocery store options, can you buy stuff like peanut butter and other staple foods? She doesn’t eat meat so I hope there is some basic stuff she can survive on. </p>

<p>If anyone can provide some insight of what worked for them, what was expected and unexpected or wish they knew… Thanks!</p>

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<p>Food will be fine - she can get every staple food she needs from local supermarkets, peanut butter included. Although in the UK, jelly means this <a href=“http://modernwomansociety.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2012/02/jelly.jpg[/url]”>http://modernwomansociety.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2012/02/jelly.jpg&lt;/a&gt; and it’s not usually veggie. She wants jam, if she likes pb&j’s. Food not an issue (I’m also veggie)</p>

<p>Much cheaper to get the supermarket ‘own brand’ products, only spend money on a more expensive branded product if you badly need or want it.</p>

<p>Pack a few jumpers, one coat, one thin raincoat. Then just tops and trousers, underwear etc. If she wants to take one pair of heavy boots, wear them on the plane, don’t pack them. Ditto a thick coat, carry that on the plane. You’re right, they take up a heck of a lot of space in a suitcase. A thicker pair of PJ’s is a must if she gets cold easily at night. The heating will probably be turned off in the late evening - we do that at home as well, it’s not the norm to leave heating on overnight.</p>

<p>Otherwise for footwear, does she have trainers, or ugg boots, or fashion boots? Really, that’s what most people wear in winter, with heavy boots only outside when it snows</p>

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<p>Thank you, I feel better knowing she can at least buy peanut butter!</p>

<p>The boots she bought are i guess what you would call Wellies. The tall study rubber variety that has become a fashion statement. In my younger days they were considered barn boots.
Does anyone know if there are second hand shops where you can purchase sweaters?</p>

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<p>Scotland is an English speaking western European country with a large amount of cultural similarity to the US. It has food, electricity, running water, shops, cars, computer etc. Your D will survive. She is not hitch hiking in Afgahanistan. I think you are over-thinking this way too much! However, if you genuinely think your D cannot cope with the culture shock, maybe you should re-think the trip?</p>

<p>Most people in the UK only wear wellies on a farm or while camping. I have never owned a pair. You don’t see them in cities much. I was thinking of knee high leather boots that many people wear in the winter. However, if your D wants to wear wellies, she is free to do so. </p>

<p>Almost every US student seems to take an entire suitcase of peanut butter on study abroad. This is totally unnecessary as mentioned above.</p>

<p>It is entirely the norm for UK students to cook for themselves. However, there will almost certainly be several student caferterias in univeristy buildings somewhere, where you can pay for hot cooked food. </p>

<p>Common UK supermarkets include ASDA, Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose and co-op. Go to their websites and view the food. There will only be a big issue if your D refuses to eat anything but US brands. ASDA is owned by Walmart so you can get a lot of US brands there, but I would encourage your D to at least try some non-US imported food while in the UK (but she can eat every meal in McDs if she wants. They have a veggier burger option). It will be much cheaper, especially if buying “own brands” as suggested above.</p>

<p>Second hand shops are known as charity shops in the UK. There are probably hundreds of them in Edinburgh (they will be named after the chairty they collect for - Oxfam, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research Uk etc) and I am sure other Edinburgh students will be able to point your D in the right direction.</p>

<p>It’s not that cold in the UK most of the time, mostly rainly and very similar to the climate of Seattle (a bit drier). Average temperatures linked below. I would just bring whatever she normally wears in the winter, and buy a couple of extra things in Scotland if needed. Chocolateorange has used at least 2 words you will probably not understand - trainers and jumpers - so I will leave them for you to look up.</p>

<p>[Weather</a> Averages for Edinburgh, United Kingdom](<a href=“http://www.holiday-weather.com/edinburgh/averages/]Weather”>Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Average Annual Weather - Holiday Weather)</p>

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<p>If your DD was going on a Geography field trip to the outer Hebrides or the Northern tip of Scotland, then you could worry about buying things. But Edinburgh is the capital city!! Of a western country. It will have everything she needs, guarunteed. Loads of charity (second-hand) shops, loads of shops for food, supermarkets, farmers markets etc etc, clothes shops, McDonalds (their fries are now fully vegetarian, as well as Veggie burger they have veggie delhi wraps and sandwich), Burger King, KFC etc etc</p>

<p>As mentionned, your DD will probably be choosing between 4 supermarkets for her bigger food shopping trips- ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s. Other cheap food stores include Co-op and Iceland. They will have all foods (except certain US brands obviously, and what branded US products they have will be expensive so IMO not worth the money). Upmarket shops include Waitrose and the food section of Marks and Spencers. The likes of me don’t shop there :smiley: Most students stick to the big supermarkets</p>

<p>To be honest, clothes are sometimes more expensive in charity shops than they are in Supermarkets or cheaper clothing stores. ASDA have a clothes range called George, Tesco sell a good range of clothes as well. The cheapest and most popular cheap clothing store in the UK would be Primark. She will get jumpers (sweaters) there of any kind, cheaper than almost anywhere else. Plus any other clothes she could possibly want</p>

<p>Wellies, she doesn’t need. Sorry, I was thinking of snow boots! A couple of pairs (about two, three at most) of warm shoes, either boots (like this [Womens</a> Boots | Knee High & Ankle Boots | Ladies Boots | Next Official Site](<a href=“http://www.next.co.uk/women/boots-wellies/6]Womens”>http://www.next.co.uk/women/boots-wellies/6)) trainers or converse/plimsols, uggs etc will be fine</p>

<p>Also -she does NOT need to bring masses of OTC medicine’s with her. She can buy any first aid or pain-killers she needs, in addition to food, clothes and so on. Boots is a good bet for pain-killers or first-aid, but she can get Ibuprofen or Paracetamol at any supermarket as and when she needs it</p>

<p>General advice to your DD - </p>

<p>If she is 18-20 years old. Yes, she can legally buy alcohol. The freedom to do so will probably feel great. Don’t go out and get smashed/****ed/drunk/hammered every night, just because. We like going to the Pub to drink, going out clubbing and drinking there quite a bit, but there’s no need to go crazy. Moderation and all that. I probably sound like a right bore, but if she gets drunk and gets her passport stolen or someting, it’ll be one heck of an (expensive) problem to sort out</p>

<p>When in Scotland, she should NOT, ever
Confuse Scotland with England, call someone English unless she knows they definitely are, confuse the British and Scottish flags, assume Scottish and English laws are the same…basically, sort out the difference between Scotland, the UK, England etc before she goes. That’s about the only way I can think of that she would accidently offend or annoy a Scotsman/woman</p>

<p>Language - we call cigarettes, fags. No one is being a homophobe if they go buy and smoke some fags. She won’t offend anyone by making minor language mishaps, but she will find herself the butt of everyone’s jokes for the rest of the day. I only say this because mishaps happen, and I recently saw a foreign US student say “gang banging” in reference to violent gang behaviour. In the UK, that phrase means, without exception, group sex. It was very embarassing for that student. Hilarious for me watching though :D</p>

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<p>But the problem is, words like paracetamol and ibuprofen have no meaning in the US. So either look up online all the names for the required drugs, or bring your own (Also, Americans like to buy massive quantities of pain killers in HUGE bottles. Not allowed in the UK. You can buy 2x packets of 16 pills at most in one transaction, and the lady at Tesco’s supermarket till will look at you like you’re a drug dealer).</p>

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<p>Thank you for the advice! </p>

<p>I am not worried at all about her living in Scotland, my only concern is really is clothes and food. The clothes with the limited suitcase space might be easier to pick up sweaters there to use in the fall. Warmth, not fashion being the most important factor in the decision. </p>

<p>As far as eating, not eating meat, a staple such as peanut butter provides needed protein. Yes, this is more important to me, I am still a mother. She never sets foot in McDonalds here in the states so I doubt very much she would in Europe.
Drinking will not be an issue, she enjoys the social aspect of partying but not the alcohol part or how kids fall into that trap. First and foremost she is a serious student and while she is really excited about the opportunity of travel and living in another country, her studies will be first priority. This drive has always been an intrinsic part of her personality so I don’t see that changing with the scenery.
I will suggest she buys some form of Advil to have in case she gets sick, other than that the only thing I am a big fan of is Zinc for staving off colds and sore throats. That can be packed away. </p>

<p>She was discussing some of the politics of Scotland so I assume she is up to speed on the present political atmosphere and will hopefully not offend anyone with ignorance.</p>

<p>I am excited for her and the opportunity of living in Scotland. I am sure it will change her in a positive way and I hope she will represent the US well.</p>

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<p>If you are from the PNW, it is very similar climate, though could be a wee bit colder or wetter in some locations. When my DD comes home from the UK she requests Ice, Produce, and beef. I have sent her some surprise gifts via eBay or Amazon UK, things like JIF, etc. My DD takes Mexican sauces with her, she had a favorite brand of sauce, takes the ingredients back with her and makes a fiesta for her friends. Theoretically they have Mexican food there, but if your DD is accustomed to SoCal, she will see through that fraud immediately!</p>

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<p>My girlfriend studied in Scotland last year and recommended several Scotland blogs ([Blogs</a> in Scotland | GoOverseas.com](<a href=“http://■■■■■■/PCsuK8]Blogs”>http://■■■■■■/PCsuK8)) that were really helpful before and while she was there. I started reading them and honestly, I started to badly wish that I was the one going.</p>

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<p>OP, there are vegetarians in the UK. We survive just fine, we aren’t skinny and wasting away, we aren’t hungry all the time and we aren’t malnutritioned. Your daughter will be absolutely fine. She will also discover the joy of the chocolate hobnob and may never thoroughly enjoy the US again (that is the thing I miss most when I’m in the US!)</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.</p>

<p>Chocolate hobnob, hmmm sounds yummy. I hope she brings some home!</p>

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<p>I’ll just agree with everyone else - it’s a highly cultured city with every convenience, and there are guidebooks and lots of services and info on hand.</p>

<p>Also, as long as she doesn’t say Edinburrow, everyone makes allowances for study abroad students who wear slightly different clothes and say aluminum foil.
We all watch US movies and TV so they’ll know what she means.</p>

<p>(There’s less of a UK>US translation, I met with a couple of walls of silence during my year abroad - e.g. expressions like “bang in the middle” - but it’ll be way easier for an American abroad)</p>