NOTES FROM ABROAD
Halfway through study abroad
A year abroad means the adventure is still going.
By HANNAH CONTRERAS
I envy everyone still back at USC. When I signed up to go to college, I loved the sunshine, warmth and SoCal-ness of everything at USC. And now, back in Edinburgh for another semester of study abroad, it’s been nothing but cold. As a born and raised Angeleno, the transition in temperatures has been tough. Still, it has made me realize that even in below-freezing temperatures, life goes on.
My parents had a taste of my life over here across the pond during winter break. We went and visited relatives in Aberdeen and enjoyed Hogmanay — the Scottish New Year’s celebration — in Edinburgh. Hogmanay was truly a spectacle: The city was packed full with tourists from all over the world and activities were constantly going on.
My mom and I attended a concert in the Princes Street Gardens, where we did “Massaoke,” basically a giant sing-along with the whole crowd, and saw an ABBA tribute band. It was interesting to see the differences between U.S. karaoke and U.K. karaoke. There were some songs that my mom and I had no idea how to sing, while the Scots were singing their hearts out.
Hogmanay is huge in Edinburgh. My mom and I watched the fireworks sparkle over Edinburgh Castle as it hit midnight on New Year’s Day, and it was a surreal, stunning experience. From years of watching the fireworks at Disneyland growing up, now here I was, standing with tens of thousands of strangers, singing “Auld Lang Syne” as fireworks burst into dazzling colors over a real-life castle.
My parents and I headed down to London since it was my dad’s first time in Britain. We did all sorts of activities, from seeking out the restaurants mentioned on my dad’s favorite show, “Somebody Feed Phil,” to standing in line in the rain to see the Sherlock Holmes Museum, a perfectly kitschy Victorian recreation of 221b Baker St., as if Sherlock Holmes was a real person.
It was amazing to see my parents enjoying themselves in London as they soon became experts at taking the Tube and fell in love with the scones with clotted cream and jam at GAIL’s Bakery. It was also fulfilling to share something new and deeply personal with my dad, as London is one of my favorite cities.
After my parents left, I wandered around the city for a few days, checking things off of my London bucket list. I explored the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. You can actually walk right into the museum from the Tube because subway tunnels connect most of the museums in the area.
The V&A has one of the best collections of decorative art in the world. Their exhibit on fashion is one of the most interesting I’ve seen, as it’s in a circular room that traces fashion history spanning five centuries. Another highlight is the Raphael Cartoons, which are immense practice drawings done by Renaissance artist Raphael as the drafts for tapestries that he made for the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel under Pope Leo X.
The room that houses the Cartoons is massive and a suitable venue for such breathtaking pieces. I was at the museum fairly late and one of the only people in the room. I sat and contemplated the enormous works of art in front of me, thinking of all the time and space between Raphael and myself, and yet I was still able to marvel at his talent and mastery of his craft.
The British Film Institute Southbank hosted a 35mm screening of Sofia Coppola’s film “Priscilla” (2023), which writer Hannah Contreras attended. (Hannah Contreras / Daily Trojan)
For all the cinephiles, I was fortunate enough to see a 35mm screening of “Priscilla” (2023), directed by Sofia Coppola, at the British Film Institute Southbank. The building is situated right next to the River Thames, and it is a true home for all movie lovers. There’s multiple bars, a cafe, a restaurant, a library and even an interesting space called a “mediatheque” where you can watch selections from British film and TV history for free.
The entire place was a hub of activity, and it was amazing to see such a place dedicated to film so overflowing with life. People were having a drink, conducting meetings, hanging out with friends and more. Although we have something similar in the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, it doesn’t compare to the sense of community that I felt at the British Film Institute Southbank.
After my brief but immensely enjoyable sojourn in London, I took the train back to Edinburgh to get settled in before the new semester started. It’s been different for me, as a year-long study abroad student, than what I know most of my peers are experiencing. Of course, a semester abroad can be life-changing, but a year abroad makes you feel as if your life right now has changed.
I feel so far removed from USC, but not in a bad way. It was comforting to know that the relationships I have forged here, from friendships to professional connections to even my love of the city, would not be taken away after just one semester. Instead, I have another five months to enjoy Edinburgh and everything that’s in it — including the cheap easyJet flights to other European cities.
Edinburgh is a city that is full of life despite its macabre aesthetic and generally dreary weather. I’m excited to spend more nights at The Jazz Bar, see the Scottish Opera perform “Marx in London” and visit even more bookstores to drain my bank account. There’s always something happening and always someone willing to go. Even the city itself feels inviting.
Studying abroad has opened my eyes to a whole new world that I never would have known existed if I hadn’t taken the plunge and made the admittedly terrifying journey across the pond. I’m grateful for another semester in Edinburgh, and although I know USC and its wonderful weather are waiting for me at home, I’m glad I made the choice to do a full-year program.
Hannah Contreras is a junior writing about her experiences abroad in Europe. Her column, “Notes from Abroad,” runs every other Friday.
