From Hali to the Highlands

I am currently sitting in the comforts of my bedroom; listening to Alt-J, with twinkly lights on, and my cat snoozing at my feet. But instead of my mind finding relaxation within these comforts it is running a mile a minute.

In a little over two weeks I will be leaving these creature comforts I have grown so accustom to and will be diving into something completely foreign to me. I will be moving away from my hometown of Fall River, Nova Scotia (just outside of Halifax- kind of by the airport) and moving to Glasgow, Scotland (a huge city filled with people I do not know) for a semester abroad at Glasgow Caledonian University.

I have felt so many emotions over this past month as my departure date looms closer and closer. Beaming happiness, exploding with excitement, twitching with anxiety, sweet ecstasy, wanting to vomit, feeling the urge to dance a jig, great dragging sadness, overwhelming nerves, and the urge to curl into a bawl and jump into the air all at once. I know, it's surprising that my eye twitch which, usually emerges right around midterms and finals hasn't resurfaced yet (give it a week).

Many people over the course of a year have asked me so why Scotland? Doesn't it rain there (a lot so I've heard...), don't people have thick accents (I think so...) then why did you choose Scotland?! For which I smile and laugh a little as I try to explain how I have fallen in love with a country that I have never even been to before. I guess the best way to explain why Scotland, is written in the first sentence of my personalized Letter of Intent intended for Glasgow Caledonian University;

"When my mother enrolled me in Highland dancing at age seven I doubt she realized that she would instil a knowledge of discipline, passion for wearing a kilt, and the desire to travel the world on her bright blue-eyed daughter." 

Highland dancing has opened my eyes to the world of Scottish culture and the love of wearing a kilt. Through my love of highland dance I have been given opportunities to learn, grow, teach, perform, travel, and experience so many amazing opportunities, people, places, and things. Highland dance first turned me into a dancer, then a drummer, but even more importantly a dreamer, as I have discovered the endless possibilities the world offers.

Even as I sit here on my bed making a mental to-do list on top of to-do lists on top of the YOU REALLY NEED TO-DO THIS lists, I still can find comfort in the fact that I will be moving to a place that already feels like home. I guess even if I miss the people, places, familiar faces, comforts, and familiar routines in Nova Scotia I can find comfort in the fact that Scotland already feels like home. 

From Hali to the Highlands I will still be that dancer, drummer, and dreamer who had only dreamed of this amazing and thrilling life changing experience a year ago. 

Cheers,

Meagan 

Photographed by Sydney MacLennan