alohomora-sherlocked asked: Hi, Addie. =) I came across your blog via Eurolearn. I am thinking of studying in Stirling during the upcoming Spring semester. Would it be okay if I asked you some questions?

Of course!!! :)

I like blogging. A lot. But there are things you can’t blog about. There are things you shouldn’t blog about. There are experiences and emotions that will remain, for the time being, tucked away in my little personal journal, between myself and my thoughts alone.
A lot of Scotland was restful, rewarding, and rejuvenating. But a lot of it wasn’t. I constantly missed calling my mum or texting my friends. These weren’t only occasions where I “needed a friend,” but often just because I like to share my joys with my friends, and doing that immediately wasn’t an option. While I appreciated the communication I did have, it must be said that being left with facebook as the only means of communicating with the people who know you the most is a sad ordeal to live with for four months. 
I have therefore compiled a list of “acknowledgements” for this novel that was my semester in Scotland. Among many others, these were the people who deserve a hearty “thanks” for dealing with the stormy days in Scotland, armed only with their words of comfort and the fact that I knew they were rooting for me:

Bob and Karen Latta
I always know the Lattas are praying for me, and reliable prayer is sometimes a big thing to be sure about. Bob and Karen have always been part of the extended family, after knowing my family for so long, but to me, they really represent what my home church is. I’m reaching the point where that church will be my “old church” soon. Before I graduate and leave New Wilmington Presbyterian to find a new church in my new home, I’m coming back to work there my senior year. Though I’ve had a job there for years now, this year will be in an entirely different atmosphere, structure, and with unknown leaders. Bob and Karen have represented consistency for me. They’ve represented a consistently caring support system. I don’t need to write home with a list of problems to know that Bob and Karen are praying for me anyway.

Ronee Christy
Although I knew there were people who were praying for me, there were still times (many) where I needed to write home anyway.
I did a good job at first of not writing home, as I outlined in this post, but I eventually caved about halfway through and sent out what I’m sure were sad and pathetic, “get on skype” emails to my mum to chat, which had unreliable results. (Not your fault, mum.) :)
My mum just moved to a new church. Her consistent life with me for the last 14 years was disrupted by my trip, but even as I’ve missed out on the experiences of her new life, she was always a constant comforter for me.

Tyler Jennifer Domske
I love my brother. He’s pretty much the coolest guy I know, and I always like when he’s around. There are too many experiences on this trip that he would have appreciated and made more fun, but with the place he is in life now, he supported me through constant contact—through fb, skype, postcards, and tear-jerking 30-Day Picture Challenge picture captions about how cool he thinks I am—and the sharing of his equally cool lady friend and little friends, A, X, and HaLo (his wife and kids.) :) Harper was born after I arrived in Scotland, but I was still an important part of the experience. I loved that. Ty and A were a vital support system in Scotland, and that’s saying a lot with the busy life they have now, raising the cutest kids in the world.
Ty was a different source of encouragement as well in that he encouraged me to get through it. I learn a lot from the retrospect of my brother’s experiences, and I held fast to his advice to enjoy things to the best of my ability. (Sometimes crappy trip experiences are unavoidable, but it’s better to have someone reminding you to try to keep smiling despite those experiences than to have to tell yourself that alone.)

Chrissy Babycakes Moudry
Right now, I’m on an airplane back to the US after living in Europe for four months. On Monday, I leave for South Korea with this girl. Her cute little face in the form of a fb video, sending me consistent Korean facts, and her overall familiarity have been a great asset to have had and to expect this Monday. We were blessed to have been chosen for the same program this summer, and I can’t wait to cuddle with her soon.

Hillary Taylor, Alex Leslie, and Puke Learson
I giggle a lot, and not everyone in Scotland does. When I needed a good giggle or an escape from my Scottish escape, I turned to these ladies and this good sir. Hills was always good for returning from an England trip to 67 skype messages from her, Al was obviously a laugh when trying to even figure out skype, and Luke was, as always, there for a bit of simple encouragement and to laugh at my jokes. :)

Amy Pomps
The summer after my freshman year I worked with Amy at Ligonier Camp and Conference Center. We only knew each other from camp, but, like most camp relationships, it stuck. Amy and I were both feeling a hole in our study abroad experiences, with Amy alone in Germany and I alone in Scotland, so Amy came to visit. While a short one, this visit was a welcomed Sabbath for the both of us. Amy gave me a little sunshine, and that was all I needed to sustain me for the rest of my time in Scotland.
I like to describe people who I think have been put together intentionally without much time or experience together, but with a definite and inexplicable understanding of trust and respect, as “kindred spirits.” Amy is my kindred spirit, and seeing a kindred spirit in a place like Scotland certainly makes the list. 

Mumford and Sons has a song (that some of you know will permanently be with me forever) called “After the Storm” that I’ve mentioned before here in these thoughts. I found a lot of storms in Scotland. I appreciate them all. I acknowledge the people above who got me through them. And I’m happy to see that after the storm is a lovely place to be.