Photos by Madison Brown
For my homestay, I traveled to Aberdeen, Scotland and stayed with the Sturgeon family. I spent the majority of my time with Annie Sturgeon, the mother of the household. I also briefly met Annie’s daughter, Jenny who goes to Edinburgh and her son, Joe, who works in Aberdeen. My first and probably favorite event of the trip was attending a Scottish Cehildh, which is a traditional Scottish dance. I had a great time learning the dances and meeting Jenny’s friends from university. I really enjoyed Annie’s company. Saturday, she took me to the coast of Aberdeen and we walked around that general area for most of the afternoon. Scotland is a beautiful place and was a great break from the hectic atmosphere of London. Saturday night we made a lovely dinner together and spent the rest of the evening listening to music and talking about each other’s lives and passions. Annie is a very intelligent, well-spoken, outgoing, and kind person. We talked about education, art, the election, tattoos, boys, style, films, her family, my family, traveling, and everything in between. We instantly bonded with one another. Sunday afternoon, Joe took me on a hike in a heavily forested area near the Sturgeon’s home. When we returned, we were greeted with a traditional Scottish dish of fish pie and baked apples; another great meal with great company. I had a wonderful time in Scotland and would recommend doing a homestay to anyone who is studying abroad. I learned so much from my experience and if given the opportunity, I would gladly do it all over again.
