Pre-Trip Expectations

                Sitting on my couch in my comfortable American home with my two dogs lounging on rug at my feet will be exceptionally different than sketching out the rolling countryside and crumbling castles that dot the Scottish landscape. This reality is something that I must come to terms with as I approach the day of my flight to London and then, Aberdeen. 

                A large part of the reason for my abroad adventure is to experience a different culture. I believe that my most impactful encounter will be with the many different accents and dialects. While the majority of Scotland speaks English, the number of dialects is vast and extensive. The region of my study speaks Doric, a language noted for the thick tone and dropping of consonants. Coloradans have a similar approach as we often drop the ‘t’ in mountain or soften the vowel ‘a’ to pronounce Colorado as ColorAHdo. However, Scotsmen and Scotswomen take this accent and thicken it even more and speak quite rapidly. This can make it hard to hear and distinguish words from each other. My excitement for the experience of hearing so many different dialects and languages comes from my love of linguistics. I’ve always appreciated Scottish and British accents so being able to listen to them spoken in native context just makes the encounter so much more amazing. In Scotland, the dispersion of the clans have shaped how their language has evolved. While I explore the Highlands, I hope to get first hand experience and see how speech has been influenced by the surroundings.

Scottish deer ("Stalking and Walking")

                While I could speak to how excited I am for classes, I am most excited to learn more about how Scots celebrate their history and country. A large part of the American image of Scotland is clans and ancient castles dotting the landscape. Is this truly apart of Scotland or is the idea romanticized to the point of fantasy? During my travels, I hope to answer this question completely. Currently, Scotland has become increasingly modern, especially in the southern portion, due to the boom in tourism as well as the textile industry that produces plaid and tartans. While the cities and villages have been updated to fit into the present day, the Highlands have continued to cling to the old traditions such as continuously hosting the Highland Games and sticking to their agricultural roots of farming and raising sheep and hardy Highland Cattle. During the duration of my stay, I will participate in these traditions as well as bring back the habits and routines that the native people have that allow their culture to appreciate their history.

                Looking to the future of my journey, I believe that my free time between classes will allow me to discover new friends from different nations and parts of the UK. Making new friends and connections around the world will help me shape my world views by learning about how they behave and how their society has influenced such activities. While there were things I wish I could have seen, in the time there, I was able to delve into the culture, pick up some of the dialect, and makes friends from all over the world. As the final days are closing in, I hope to take one last look around and appreciate what I've come to know.


Bibliography:
“Stalking and Walking: Don't Get Shot in Scotland!” The BMC, www.thebmc.co.uk/dont-get-shot-stalking-walking-scotland.