Well, it’s been almost a week since I got home and I have finally finished unpacking and caught up on my sleep. I’ve also had a lot of time to think over my recent adventures in Scotland and what I have learned from it.

After traveling about 18 hours, I was pretty exhausted but also exhilarated to see my family in person after two months of just skyping. As soon as I landed in Portland, I got huge butterflies in my stomach, because I was so excited to see my family. They had a sign and everything! As soon as my Mom saw me, she started crying, I swear, I have never been hugged so much in my life! My Mom, Dad, sister, and Aunt were all there to welcome me home.

And we have takeoff!

I didn’t realize how much I missed Oregon until I came home again. While Scotland and Oregon have a lot in common, I missed the smaller things, like the trees everywhere, or the smell after it rains (it surprisingly smells different in Scotland). It was also nice to sleep in my own bed again after over two months.

Me and my sister at the airport!

Even with a common language, the US and Scotland are very different. One thing I loved about the UK was the public transportation over there, it was amazing! The people over there were all so nice and welcoming, I am going to miss talking with them.

My sister and friends made me a welcome home cake (they aren’t the most artistic people ever)!

Overall, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to study abroad, and more specifically, choosing Scotland. I originally was looking at England, but I think that Scotland was the perfect place for me. It gave me the opportunity to learn about my ancestry and heritage in the most incredible way possible. I feel like I have grown so much about myself personally and what I want in the future. Even though I have traveled outside of the US before, I feel that this trip has shown me just how big the world is. No matter how much you think you know, just remember that there is so much more out there than any of us can imagine.