Week Nine: Edinburgh

On the train, I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's. Then I listened to some Jeff Buckley and John Butler to calm my nerves. I started to think about how this opportunity is actually quite exciting because obviously I would eventually find a place to live. I started to think about how I was now at the part that I actually came for, the part that I had been organising and looking forward to for over a year. This is the time where shit was going to get real. I would describe it to somebody as like living by yourself in another country, as you see-saw from terrified to excited constantly.

I arrived in Edinburgh with my big suitcase and about 25 thousand bags. With no phone, no google maps or anything I tried to navigate my way around, trying to find my hostel. After about 45 minutes walking around by myself like a total looney-tune, I finally found the hostel. This place has a 4.5/5 star rating on trip advisor, The Baxter. If you do one day go to Edinburgh, which I highly suggest you do, definitely stay there. I was still over hostels that this point in time, but this one was pretty cosy. The staff make you scrambled eggs in the morning and it's just the best. Anyway, I settled myself in, and that day I went and got my McDonald's meal and sat with the most excellent view. I was completely alone, there was not a soul in the city I knew. It was really, really weird. So I went back to my room and watched Frozen.

Then, I started my house hunt. I spent 3 days spamming Gumtree ads trying to find places to stay. At that point in time, almost all of the people staying in the hostel were students trying to find places to live. It was crazy, it was like this desperate buzz that was everywhere I went, everyone was talking about like this "housing crisis" which apparently happens every year. Which, to me, is fucking bullshit. There was no warning, really, about the uncertainty of the housing situation. I wish someone had told me before that it was going to be so difficult. Steve told me to email my exchange co-ordinator to see if someone could help me out with finding a place to live. After spending like 35 years trying to work out the bus system, I eventually made it to the campus. A nice guy greeted me, and when I asked about receiving help about accommodation he proceeded to hand me a pamphlet with a list of websites on it that I could look at. Which were all the fucking websites I had already been looking at because I'm not a fucking retarded 83 year old woman who doesn't know how to use Google.

Before this, in desperation and fear, since I obviously was not going to get a 1 bedroom apartment to myself because I would be a total loner/recluse. Like, I like myself, but not enough to spend 4 months totally alone. I messaged this guy on Facebook who had made a sassy comment about how he flew all the way from Australia and he was told he didn't have a place three weeks before arriving in Edinburgh. Now, I figured I was going to try and immerse myself in the culture but I definitely felt more comfortable bunking up with a person who speaks English, which he was the only person that appeared to speak fluently. And, of course, he looked like a "cool dude." This is now, my good friend and room mate, Harry. (Shit, spoiler..)

Eventually, after Edlets.com noticed that I was spamming every single advert they had, they called me (I bought a phone by this point by the way) and they asked me if I wanted some help. At this point, a beam of light shot from the sky and angels sang "hallelujah" and I was so happy because it was the first time anyone had even offered to help me find a place. I had actually gotten to the point where I thought I might have to stay in a hostel for the entire 4 months. Anyway, within an hour, a nice lady from Edlets who I forget the name of, sent me a place that looked about 10 million times better than the places that I had been looking at, which was totally affordable in a prime location, 15 minute walk from the city centre and 10 minute walk from my Uni. Within two hours, we had put the deposit down on the place, and I was over the fucking MOON. I was so happy.

By Friday that week, me and Harry had moved in with two french students, Anais and Alex who were in the same boat of desperation as us. Above, is a picture of my room, that features a fucking KING sized bed, and in the right corner there, is another double bed. The white walls, I couldn't really do anything about. It's strange to live somewhere for a weird period of time where it's long enough to get comfortable in but not long enough to actually decorate.

That week, Harry, Alex, Anais and I went to a Fresher's party. Which is exactly the same as O-Week. And it was like being at an 18 year olds birthday party in a club. Everyone was too young and too drunk, and all I did was dance in the foam the whole night. It was my first foam party, and most definitely my last.