Tuesday 24 November 2015

Life … in Scotland

Books and coffee: Still life from Scotland · Lisa Stefan


I have been silent for a month and during this time I somehow managed to pack our things and move to Scotland. I will give you a moment to digest that … or perhaps read again. I am now living on the west coast, southwest of Glasgow, within walking distance from the town's centre and the beach. A real beach. On my first day I woke up to the sound of seagulls and immediately felt at home. I love the closeness to the sea; I was brought up with it in Reykjavik, Iceland. Our new home is an old, renovated house with soul: it has French windows, a high ceiling, original wooden doors and stairs, and both old and new floorboards. It speaks to me. I even have a garden with hydrangeas! During our no-Wi-Fi-yet period, I would sit in this corner in the dining room with my coffee and play solitaire, with actual playing cards, when taking a break from the unpacking. Very old school and calming.

These days life mainly consists of unpacking and arranging things, getting the children settled in their new schools and allowing the ear to get used to the Scottish accent. I thought it would be more difficult to understand the Scots but I was wrong. As I have only been living here for a short time, I cannot really make any general statements, but I have to say that I find it astonishing how one line on a map can change people. The Scottish are very different from the English in temperament; nature and climate must have something to do with it.



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