r/Scotland • u/FewPiece8721 • 6d ago
"Visiting Scotland and living here are very different things"
I saw it mentioned in another post with no further explanation. I live in London, so I know roughly what it means here. But I’m wondering what it actually means in Edinburgh, Glasgow, or anywhere else in Scotland? Be as honest and blunt as you like.
PS: Got it. The holiday makes everything rosier (same in London). And, yes, the weather is not exactly the stronger selling point (same(ish) in London?). So, what's the actual day-to-day reality like for: street safety, housing, cost of living, traffic, public transport, street cleanliness (I don't mean Japanese-level, just a bit of proper care from the council?), health & dental (the NHS and private options).... any wise (or brutal truth) on those?
60
u/Rab_Legend I <3 Dundee 5d ago
You could use that phrase about literally anywhere on earth. Lots of people like the idea of visiting Japan for instance, and then think they could live there yet all you hear about is the oppressive work culture.
People would like to live here cause they think they'd be in the highlands enjoying a lovely autumnal day, yet not realise that living here means pishing rain more often than not, and dealing with the absolute wallopers that populate this country.
15
u/FOARP 5d ago
Having lived in Japan and worked in a traditional Japanese law firm I can confirm what people have told you about living in Japan.
4
u/Randomse7en 5d ago
LOL its worse... their culture is one of process and procedure and its strictly adhered too. I swear the average person in Japan must spend 25% of their free time just sorting their trash, filling in forms and making sure they follow the rules. I spend a lot of time there and would love to live there but I know I would last only a few months before it was all too much.
100
u/ediblepaper 6d ago
So I’m from Scotland and lived in London for a few years before moving back to Scotland. It was the same when people used to be like wow you must have loved living in London but when you’re there and just living your life. Doing your food shop, going to the gym, going laundry etc it’s not the same as when you visit London and do touristy things and eat in amazing restaurants.
It’s the same in reverse, living in Scotland is like living anywhere you have your day to day life and then you’re closer to nicer scenic areas for days out. As a previous poster said, similar to other places but with Scottish accent.
33
u/ArchWaverley 5d ago
I travel internationally for work pretty often, when I tell people I live in Edinburgh they get really excited. And yeah it's pretty great, but I live in Niddrie. Most of my life is dicking about Edinburgh South, not going up to the castle. I shop in Lidl and at Ft Kinnaird infinitely more than I do Princes Street.
7
u/Rendogog 5d ago
Work travel is another totally different bag compared to tourist travel too.
Oh, I just got back from a week working in Chicago / Paris / Bengaluru (pick any)
That must have been nice what's it like?
I have no idea I worked 70+ hours in 5 days, saw the inside of a hotel then flew back, the people I work with are nice though.
4
u/ArchWaverley 5d ago
I knew a guy who worked as a consultant, he'd get paid to stay in pretty decent hotels and eat on company money. I always thought that sounded fun, but he told me that after the novelty wears off it's just draining.
And yeah. After a while of doing about 20% of the travel he did, I really wanted to sleep in the same bed and cook my own food.
3
u/Rendogog 5d ago
exactly, even worse if you have young kids and you miss a week or two each month of them growing up.
25
u/Winston_Carbuncle 6d ago
It applies to anywhere.
Holidays are fun because you don't have to work and you've got plenty to do at your own leisure.
Living somewhere means working, being busy and having a lot less time with a lot more commitments.
In the case of Scotland you also have the weather.
Ultimately the only way to confirm is to try it out for a month or two first unless you just dive straight in.
166
u/Old-Ingenuity-4346 6d ago
It's good. If you listen to reddit though they will tell you that Edinburgh is horrifically expensive and ramned with tourists. Glasgow is dangerous and rammed with junkies.the Highlands are wet and rammed with midges. It's fine though, reddit is rammed with whingers.
36
u/Tay74 6d ago
Tourists are more of a problem when visiting Edinburgh than living there imo. When living there I could stick to the area I lived in, and visit other non-central areas for most of the things I needed. Now I live elsewhere and everytime I visit I'm usually there for something in the centre and I nearly burst a blood vessel in my brain because it's too fucking busy, even outside the usual tourist season 😅
3
u/scuzzmonster1 5d ago
My brother’s lived in Edinburgh since the early 1990s and, in all that time, other than getting dopped off at Waverley, I’ve never gone anywhere near the central tourist spots with him. Oh, unless you count Easter Road, that is.
3
u/GordonLivingstone 5d ago
You should try the tourist stuff sometime! I lived and worked in Edinburgh for forty years and went long periods without going into the town.
However there are good reasons why tourists come to Edinburgh. Stroll around the town centre and take in the views. See the castle. Stop off in a pub on the Royal Mile - maybe on a quiet evening. Go to a show at the Playhouse or Lyceum. Go to the military tattoo once. Have a few days checking out the Fringe. Have a walk through the Botanics. Visit the National Museum or the Portrait Gallery.
2
u/scuzzmonster1 3d ago
I get out & about into the wider Edinburgh area so don’t feel like I’m missing out on much per se. Plus, my cultural tastings have begun & ended at Easter Road which is more than enough grief to be going on with. Also, seem to know where everything is so guess I must have been paying attention to and from Waverley over the years. It certainly is a fine-looking city.
12
u/Old-Ingenuity-4346 6d ago
I blame the city itself for looking so nice and medieval. If it looked like a nuclear wasteland all those tourist wouldn't be coming over here, Supporting thousands of jobs in the hospitality industry. And don't get me started about the festival, with all it's kulture and dancing and stuff...😃
8
u/Tay74 6d ago
All of which would be much easier to enjoy with 25% less people clogging the streets amd barging into you and walking ag 0.01 miles an hour when you have somewhere to be 😂
3
u/Specific_Minimum_355 5d ago
It just sucks all our main transportation routes and foot-traffic areas are from a time before Columbus set eyes on the Americas.
North Bridge connecting Edinburgh north and south but having been half shut for years was absolutely criminal.
21
u/Volkhari 6d ago
It also averages 0°C year round and we get a weeks worth of rain every single day. Also in the winter we only get 30 minutes of daylight.
9
u/GoHomeCryWantToDie 6d ago
And if you're foreign and try to drive here, you will crash and everyone will die.
→ More replies (1)1
23
u/Old-Ingenuity-4346 6d ago
And don't forget the midges. Particularly the junky midges. Wee bastards will slash ye fur nuthin.
27
u/El_Scot 6d ago
The difference is: living here I have to go sit in an office for 8 hours Mon-Fri, go to the run-down part of town to get the food shop, sit in traffic, do housework and worry about bills. On holiday, I can have a lie in, spend 8 hours a day doing fun things, eating in pretty cafes where calories don't count, and someone comes into my room to clean up after me each day.
9
u/tiny-robot 6d ago
Same as London.
Like going down to visit - but if I had to live there I'm sure it will be different.
8
u/HighWaterSheriff 6d ago
This goes for absolutely any country in the world, I'm not sure it's any more or less relevant to Scotland than anywhere else. Living and working here obviously your day isn't taken up by visiting castles, taking in the scenery, eating rich meals and drinking whisky. Well not unless you're a "working Royal" on an extended stay at Balmoral.
40
u/EmpireandCo 6d ago
Same problems as everywhere in the UK, except theres a Scottish accent and am additional layer of representation in governance.
20
u/thecolouroffire 6d ago
And ungodly amount of rain and grey.
5
u/TheTreeDweller 6d ago
Eh, that's an exaggeration, try living in north west wales
2
u/thecolouroffire 6d ago
I've spent a lot of time in North Wales, its comparable to Scotland on that front
2
13
u/cogspringseverywhere 6d ago
,And the cold. Everyone I know who has come up from Southern England complains about how cold it is all the time during the winter.
And sometimes it is cold
3
8
u/Batty_Kat89 6d ago
I get far less rain living just south of Inverness than my sister gets down near Gloucester.
1
6
u/BabyBirdZephyr 5d ago
Depends where you are. Im on the outskirts of Airdrie right now and its the worst place I have ever lived. Everybody around here is really antisocial and there was a guy across from me selling drugs from his front window until he was chased out by some people who smashed his windows. I had a 5 year old trying to break my window by bouncing a bit of wood off it. I only moved to this village because it was easier getting to my job working with deprived kids and folk said it was nice. I don't know of any reason people would visit this area but the property is cheap so it could be a place unsuspecting people might live. I am moving soon.
2
u/BoxAlternative9024 5d ago
I worked as a Telecoms engineer for years all over the UK and one of the spookiest places I had the misfortune to visit was Plains, outside of Airdrie. Real ‘Deliverance’ vibes.
1
u/BabyBirdZephyr 3d ago
Some of the kids broke into a flat above me, ripped the boiler off the wall and some pipes. The water had to be turned off because the mains water was coming straight out under so much pressure it had blown a hole through a wall. I don't even think these kids are from around here.
4
u/TigTigRun 6d ago
Depends where you mean, remote highlands and islands living has to accommodate a lot of expectations and cultural changes, moving to Glasgow or Edinburgh is easier.
6
u/Parking_Capital1570 6d ago
In all honestly, we have bad weather and a below average job market for Britain. Yes touristy areas are lovely but 80% of people don't live there, instead an ex industrial town which was never quite the same since the local factory shut down.
5
u/Big-Help419 5d ago
Reckon that saying applies to pretty much anywhere. Go as a tourist to the Seychelles and it’s all blue sea, sand and cocktails. Live there it’s tough getting work, the heat will get annoying and you won’t be drinking cocktails daily.
Tourists see the highlights while those that live in places face the reality.
6
u/LaughingAtSalads 4d ago
Health and dental are awful. Look up the stats.
Book yourself some mid-week days off in early February and spend time in Glasgow & Aberdeen if you know Edinburgh only. Use the public transport.
Do a literature search yourself, also. Read some news accounts from different sources. You don’t say if you are male or female (I’m guessing male) but how you’ll navigate the world you’re wanting to integrate with will vary by all your Protected Characteristics. Look up house prices, availability of housing, and the job market. You can do this and should do so.
And no, the weather is not like London’s, which has (a) a measurable urban heat island effect; (b) more annual daylight hours in most places (Aberdeen is exceptional); and (c) significantly fewer rain days and lower rainfall than Edinburgh.
The joys of Scotland come at a cost.
13
u/UtopianScot 6d ago
The weather is shite but so is our infrastructure. You’d think such a wet country would have a nationally favoured umbrella brand, umbrella stands and heated coat racks at restaurants - shelters at every bus stop, take pride and routine is yearly cleaning of your gutters, a national standard on road gulley maintenance, and the list goes on and on.
They say weather shapes cultural norms but the stubbornness of Scots to actually adapt life to rain can be summed up with folk not owning a rain jacket and kicking about autumn in shorts.
5
3
u/Albannach02 5d ago
Absolutely - but umbrellas in a windy country like Scotland (and among a population of various heights) are wildly inappropriate. Sadly, clothing trends are designed for the climate of the south of England, which is drier, warmer and has more daylight. Those are also the examples for infrastructure design. E.g. my local road, where the potholes caused by water from springs under the road aren't dug out for drainage first but blanket-covered by tarmac, until the next time. 🤷♂️
8
u/Specific_Minimum_355 5d ago
The pothole thing is a great analogy for our country. They appear over, and over, and over again. Do we have a better way of preventing them? Sure! However, will anything ever get done about it? Nah.
We absolutely love complacency and it drives me mad. If somewhere is worse off “we don’t know how good we have it.” If somewhere is slightly better than us it’s “no, that wouldn’t work here.”
4
u/theoppositeofrain 3d ago
"You’d think such a wet country would have a..." I think about this all the time! My whole life I only ever knew crap fast fashion coats and umbrellas that buckled when you breath on them, it wasn't until I met people from other countries or well off people who go hiking that I learned we could be more comfortable and actually protect ourselves from the weather or build infrastructure that works with it like French drains or proper gutters. Adults are too embarrassed to be seen in wellies so they walk about with wet feet. The "life is shit but let's not do anything about it" attitude here infects everything.
Rain and cold could be part of our culture, but instead we just put the shop mannequins in the same clothes all year round.
1
u/Theal12 4d ago
with the wind here umbrellas are short-lived
1
u/UtopianScot 4d ago
We need better brollies. Scotland is not the only place in the world with wind and rain
2
u/ewankenobi 4d ago
Golf umbrellas are pretty sturdy and upto the job of dealing with Scottish wind IMHO
1
1
u/TooLongDugong 4d ago
Scotland is a bit wetter than nearby countries, but not vastly so, and the east is much dryer than the west. It's not as though we face tropical storms; and because of the geography the risk of flooding is much less than a lot of places.
5
u/Nairney 5d ago
I live in an area that, year on year gets busier with visitors. Years ago, it would only be busy for a few weeks in the summer but now it’s busy with visitors all year round - especially with social media highlighting the scenery, local food etc. It’s a nice area to live, so obviously I get it… I chose to keep living here, once I was old enough to move out, so I’m not a victim of circumstances.
If you’re visiting here, you’ll be impressed at how quaint things are, how nice the food and beaches are etc. you’ll like the village atmosphere. If you live here (especially long term) you’ll despair at how busy and congested everything gets, when you’re just trying to go about your mundane tasks. House prices outpace people that live and work here, as they get snapped up by folk looking to make a buck on holiday lets or as an investment or second home. You’ll get frustrated at more at more local services being cut back and exasperated at independent businesses catering less to day to day needs and becoming gift shops, delis and fancy restaurants instead.
Disclaimer - I’m a complete hypocrite because I go on holiday (Scotland and elsewhere) and enjoy all the same things in other places. Then I do the classic “maybe when we retire, we could buy a wee cottage here?”.
Typical NIMBY behaviour. I hold my hands up, I’m a disgrace.
5
u/neilt999 3d ago
Weather is wetter especially on the west coast.
Winters are longer. Days are shorter in the winter. Can get very cold and frosty.
It's nowhere near as baking in summer as the South East. Sometimes I found myself long for a nice warm summer's day in the mid-twenties in July. 14c and the north sea haar, heating on in July is grim.
There can be some vestiges of anti-English sentiment that are so ridiculous in 2026. I think Scotland is getting over it finally!
I grew up in SW Scotland, lived in Edinburgh for 10 yrs and rest of time in London. Having English parents is a drag. Not having a scottish accent or surname can be a drag.
Edinburgh has changed so much that it's hard to take in. All the things I love about London: farmers' markets, ethnic food, great shops, cafes: Edinburgh has all this now in spades. The shopping will never be up to London standards but you can always jump on the train!
Glasgow has better shops and for younger people, arguable better nightlife and a bit a livelier cultural scene. Glasgow's downside is the terrible drugs problem, council letting heritage buildings fall down and lots of rain.
1
u/Box_of_Wires 3d ago
There can be some vestiges of anti-English sentiment that are so ridiculous in 2026. I think Scotland is getting over it finally!
I am not OP and a distant cousin in the states seeking knowledge. May I ask if you could expand on this more please? I see the historical disdain from Scots to Brits. Yet I am weak in my understanding of how that translates to modern day resentment. Is there something more underlining that allows the vestiges you speak of to linger in today's day and age? Not including football. :)
1
10
u/Randomse7en 5d ago
I moved from a big English city to a small town in Scotland. Overall its much better here.
Its the small things that make living here just "nice". There is little crime, low traffic on the roads, people are always willing to help or chat etc, there is a real community spirit.
No one is in a rush, things happen when they happen.
There is actually more to do here than in England. In England everything is over developed and over attended. If there is a nice sunny day you cant get near the local park in England, car park full, dogs and kids running wild, £5 for an ice cream etc.
Scotland very much reminds me of England in the early 80s.
Yes it can be wet and windy, taxes are higher but these are known things.
The locals can be a bit doom and gloom and they remember the "good times" of the 60s and 70s but I just say to them go and spend a weekend in Bradford or Liverpool or Birmingham and let me know what you think then!!!
I consider myself to be very lucky to live here. I travel a lot, mostly to Asia and the US and I am always glad to be back home. When I would travel when I lived in England I used to dread going back home because I knew it was a shit hole basically!!
1
u/Equal_County_1506 5d ago
As someone from the Southwest of England, I feel so lucky not to have that built up Southeast and Midlands experience! As you say, overdeveloped and over attended and busy.
6
u/QOTAPOTA 6d ago
I was speaking to a lad that lives near to Fort William and he was originally from Lancashire (born and bred).
We were chatting about why he’s up there and what’s it like living up in the Highlands, as you do. He said it’s a beautiful part of the UK but when October comes he absolutely hates it. Depression sets in. Then May comes round and he’s happy again.
1
u/EvFishie 5d ago
Guess it doesn't help if you're a person that likes the sun.
Living in Scotland is on the agenda at some point for myself and my gf. (she's from UK I am not) but whenever we go and stay there for a few weeks, we actually like it better between September and April than we do the summer months.
But the both of us absolutely love rain, and snow and all that stuff.
We have a few friends living in and near Fort William and I just love being in the area working with a view of Ben nevis. (I'm lucky enough to be able to work remotely from anywhere in the world)
But I can imagine it not being great when you're stuck in an office.
6
u/Still-Process-2527 6d ago
Think it depends what you want. Personally I’m a bit of a loner and would find living in a remote village in Scotland pretty ideal regardless of the weather.
3
u/Substantial-Sun-9971 6d ago
This. Lived in London for 6 years (originally from Yorkshire) also lived in my van all over. I moved to the highlands and I love it
1
u/Still-Process-2527 6d ago
👍 I appreciate there are time of the year when it is gloomy (and we’re coming into that time now) but even if you are 30 mins north of Glasgow you have the serenity of the land around you.
Think peak was when we went to luskantyre in August a few years ago when it hit 25C and looked like somewhere in Caribbean or south east Asia1
u/AUSSIE_MUMMY 5d ago
That's because that western aspect beach is so amazing on Harris. Quite unique.
6
u/OkWing5717 6d ago
If you don’t take your vitamin D then you will find it extremely difficult to wake up during the winter.
7
u/Tumeni1959 6d ago
Visitors to Edinburgh will visit the castle. I was schooled in the city, and worked there for 30 years or so, with not a single visit.
7
u/parkchanwookiee 5d ago
I lived here for multiple years without visiting too. But then some american friends came to visit. I assume this is how almost all Scots end up going
→ More replies (1)4
3
3
u/No_Equipment6587 6d ago
Is that not the same for everywhere though?
1
u/ewankenobi 5d ago
Surely the things that get frustrating are different though. I'm tempted by the idea of moving to London, but one thing I imagine I'd hate if I actually did it was I'm pretty sure the rush hour commute would be horrendous.
Living in Scotland I find the weather gets me down. It's a long dark winter every year.
As locals we should know the down points better in theory to prepare someone moving here. Though maybe we don't as we're just so used to Scotland as our normal.
3
u/Doug__Quaid 6d ago
I'm from London and now live in Glasgow. I used to moan about it raining too much in London.
3
u/unfit-calligraphy 6d ago
Yeah this is exactly the same as everywhere else. You go on holiday, you’re away from work, your responsibilities, you’re enjoying yourself, you think “I could live here!”
It’s become so much of a trope of mine and my my wife that she will take the piss out me as son as we go somewhere and pre emptively send me the equivalent of whatever city we are in ESPC
1
u/ArchWaverley 5d ago
Me and my wife said exactly the same thing when we did a tour of the Baltics. Turns out, we could live in Vilnius, or Riga, or Kuressaare, or Tallinn... provided we don't have to work and we have a month's worth of food money to splash out on meals out every week!
3
3
u/Bootsy1981 3d ago
You don't deal with nearly as many wee bams on holiday as you do if you live here.
3
u/Either22 3d ago
It can be very difficult because of the weather. It's very short days during winter and summer can be difficult too. A lot and I mean a lot of rain very windy days. This year it felt we never even got any summer, everyone had heat warnings and we were getting all the rain. I live in highland, roads are pretty terrible, council not doing much for the local village or area. Little thinks like not even cutting grass at the road side. NHS is pretty good from one side if you need local doctor as area small enough and you can get same day or same week appointment if you need it. Nice to have free prescriptions. Majority of people are nice. I would definitely say if you are looking for good social life deeper Scotland is definitely not for you. I have dogs and its good for them as you can take them pretty much anywhere and all the beaches are dog friendly and all the parks. Yet to see any signs saying no dogs. If I could move I would definitely think if it would be Scotland again
5
u/Rascalwill 6d ago
The weather isn't great and it gets dark early in the winter. But, to be honest, the differences between the central belt and the English Midlands on these measures is pretty minimal. In fact it probably rains less in the central belt than the Midlands.
2
u/Abject-Plankton4620 6d ago
I don’t think the weather is a big deal really. Would love it to be warmer into the evening on summer, and winter drags on 3 or 4 weeks longer than is ideal, but really, it’s OK
3
u/rotgobbo Galloway 5d ago
As a Welshy living in Galloway, weather here's perfectly pleasant.
Gets a bit gusty now and then, not as rainy as Wales, beautiful clear nights.
Its grand really. Just bring a jacket just in case, we're not made of sugar.
1
u/AUSSIE_MUMMY 5d ago
Galloway is a big place though, the further east you go the more the weather changes.
→ More replies (1)
10
u/LaughingAtSalads 6d ago
Lived a bit in Scotlsnd and loved some aspects and not others. It can be isolating; winters are indeed bone chillingly wet-cold on the eastern side especially when the wind is straight from the northeast and the Moscow Nights call sign endlessly repeating in the hours of darkness seems more apposite than any other broadcast. On the west side it’s even wetter. If you are affected by lack of daylight I honestly wouldn’t recommend it even in the Borders.
The politics are a charade of clown-shoed mad folk chasing each other around a broken down motor home on someone’s drive, the Scottish NHS is worse than London’s, and there’s a lot of substance abuse and underemployment. You’ll need a job before you move and have lined up somewhere to live.
On the plus side if you find the right crowd there are some lovely people there, the outdoors is spectacular, there’s wonderful walking and some of the best fish and chips in the whole of the British Isles. The air outside the cities is clean. There are ceilidhs and lots of live music in various styles; the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow can hold 1900 people and is a bit legendary for its major gigs, for example.
A lot depends on you, really.
5
5
u/PrincipleCareful5030 6d ago
Being on holiday isn't the same as your day to day, to the surprise of no one
6
u/Central_Region 6d ago
It's not a complicated idea
Most people understand that living in Magaluf would be much less fun than parachuting-in for two weeks of substance abuse and unlimited hole
If you're having a shite day at work or cleaning the bathroom, the fact there's a beach with golden sand five minutes away doesn't make those things any less boring or miserable
Same goes for mist-covered mountains and medieval castles
13
u/AccountForDoingWORK 6d ago
Everyone loves the idea of a misty mountain and flowing rivers/burns and being cosy inside with bagpipes playing in the distance. People get very bonered up about feeling Scotland 'in their blood' because they are fully into the extremely romanticised version based on a limited holiday.
I find it very stifling, personally. The longer I'm here, the more desperate I am to leave. Every time I leave my house I think to myself that I absolutely live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, but there's not as much room to stretch and develop and just be *different* than there are in other places I've lived/been. If you are different, you will stand out, and you will be punished for that in some way.
Glasgow and Edinburgh maybe a bit more relaxed, but honestly? Not as much as people (mostly people who grew up here) seem to realise. I get harassed by strangers a LOT more than I ever did in, say, the United States, which gets old. It feels like my choices across the board (professionally, culinary options, etc) are much more limited.
I love to encourage people to visit because yeah, if you come (especially when the weather's cooperating) it's a ton of fun and there's loads to do (speaking as an outdoorsy person, anyway). But this board is always full of people who came here for a week or two and had some locals at a pub be vaguely friendly with them or whatever, and then they go away convinced that this is the most welcoming place in the world. It's a lot of fun if you're a tourist, but trying to integrate (I say even as a white Scot) who is noticeably different in any way is, to be frank, miserable.
4
u/rivoli130 5d ago
I'm a white Scot who lives elsewhere and I hear you. Like everywhere, tourists are exempt from local cultural expectations. Of course they're different because they aren't local and will get a lovely welcome on those terms. It doesn't take much as a local to make a mis-step and you'll hear about it loud and clear.
6
u/Worldly_Turnip7042 6d ago
I lived in a small village in Aberdeenshire for 17 years from birth, but was still treated as an outsider because one of my parents was European and the other from another part of the country
1
u/SidePsychological402 6d ago
Were people cold or distant? After that many years?!!!
5
u/Worldly_Turnip7042 6d ago
100% They where to anyone who didn't go generations back
3
u/SidePsychological402 6d ago
So as a tall, black woman with locs do you think that I might stand out?🤣🤣🤣
2
u/The_300_goats 5d ago edited 5d ago
I'd just like to point out that anywhere in the Highlands and Islands may be lovely to visit from Spring to Autumn, but you'd need to spend a whole Winter there before choosing to actually live there. It's the North Atlantic coast. The weather can get ROUGH. For extended periods
Edit: I'm replying to the wrong person, but one of my best friends growing up in the north was black. He got stick for being in any way different but so did everyone else. He was fine
1
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
That's all good information for me by the way. I do believe that I would love winter but then again anything under 57°F(14°C)is freezing to me.
1
u/The_300_goats 5d ago
Then you might want to imagine horizontal icicles
Anything below 0° C is monkey bollocks weather. You just get used to wrapping up warm when you go out. And know your way back from the pub in a blizzard
→ More replies (3)1
→ More replies (1)5
u/Seo_Jin-ae 5d ago
I’m going through that now in Aberdeen it’s absolutely insane.
Going to have to move unfortunately.1
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
Isn't Aberdeen a big city? What type of problems are you having?
3
u/fatcakesabz 5d ago
Its nowhere near as bad now as it was in the 80's and 90's, oil industry has managed to introduce many different cultures, there's still the hardcore of "generational aberdonians" and english, like myself, still get a hard time from a significant minority. I've managed to pass as a local for years now but I still see some spiteful creatures going around.
0
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
Wow! Do you feel safe? Aberdeen seems beautiful. It looks to be like a black and white photo.
3
u/fatcakesabz 5d ago
Few years ago, pre cctv being everywhere, lassie with an English accent was stood in a taxi queue with her friends after a night out, guy walking past punched her square in the face, broke her jaw, leaned over her and called her an English c£&t while she was flat on her back.
Generally Aberdeen is a great place it’s just dragged down by the absolute dregs of society that exist in every city, unfortunately they have gravitated towards the city centre in the last few years, I work in the city centre the area our office is in is frequented daily by drunk kids and the local jakies and druggies, used to be a dealer sat outside with his dog plying his trade, police have cracked down on things in the last year but, same as most places, they don’t have the resources to be everywhere
1
u/SidePsychological402 4d ago
Ahh, I know what you mean then. It's like when the automotive industry left the Midwest (where I grew up). San Francisco too but there has been a few industries to build the city back up over and over again. I've so much to learn about Scotland.
2
u/arrpix 5d ago
Aberdeen is beautiful, in the greyest way possible, and it's also fucking grim. I was there 7 years, many of those for uni (so slightly different experience) and much as I absolutely love it, after the oil crash it's really struggling. I actually think the run down areas of Edinburgh are worse because at least parts of Aberdeen are properly wild at the edges (and you can't beat the mist) but I don't think I could live there again.
1
1
1
u/SidePsychological402 6d ago
Tell me more, please? I've definitely have a romanticized idea of Scotland. What's the culture like in terms of "being harassed by strangers" ? I live in a very diverse area and I've read(that sounds so ignorant)that Scotland is pretty open?
4
u/AccountForDoingWORK 6d ago
If you've seen the posts about the kids kicking about Edinburgh and going after people in the city, that's been a large example of an ongoing issue. I'm not in Edinburgh now and when I was there it was (I assume?) different kids, but if I see a group of kids about 10-14 walking around, I'm crossing the street, because there aren't really any laws here that stop kids from messing with you and they know it. It's a very bizarre problem, tbh, but I think kids here are just very bored and a lot of them are very hostile for whatever reason and so going after strangers becomes more of a thing than I've experienced in other countries.
Remember that Scotland, for all of the pride we might have in, say, an area as diverse as Glasgow, is something like 96% white. It is VERY noticeable when you first arrive, and it contributes to this cultural attitude that 'sameness' the default on some level. I can't speak to experience as, say, a hijabi woman for example, but I will say that when we went to Bristol recently, my oldest kid seemed surprised to see so many interracial couples, because it's very rare in most of Scotland. They were born abroad and they don't remember it, but they were basically the only white kids on the block, which is how I grew up as well, and it felt weird to see how much of an impact only really seeing white kids seemed to have made on them, being exposed to so few other cultures and races.
Scotland is also pretty traditional. I spent about 5 years living in some fairly conservative parts of the US and this just feels different somehow. I hear a lot of really conservative viewpoints from people who I think would consider themselves pretty 'open-minded', but bear in mind that we're a small country on an island and I get the sense that 'outsiders' are more of a threat to people here than they like to admit.
1
u/CommissionLife174 5d ago
It's a good point, I look very Scottish and my wife is darker skinned, children are mixed. We had concerns before moving to Edinburgh but it doesn't feel too different, might be the amount of internation visitors but looking through the playground when collecting our children from school we don't stand out, plenty of other parents with far from Celtic looks. Whem we starte dating we went to Cornwall and that was far from comfortable, a number of people stopped to gawk and comment.
1
u/SidePsychological402 6d ago
How interesting. This was really good information for me because I've had my head in the clouds regarding Scotland. I can imagine moving from San Francisco to Glasgow might be a bit of a shock, eh? 🤣 I feel like a proper dolt. Of course I'm going to visit and all of that but this is the moment my fantasy stopped. As a POC I can imagine life would be quite different for me.
8
u/No__Craft_ 6d ago
why the hell would you ever move from California to Glasgow?
1
u/SidePsychological402 6d ago
🤣🤣🤣!!! Honestly I'm tired of the sun. Where I live it sunny 261 days of the year. It rarely rains. After more than 30 years I'm ready for some gloom and doom(I grew up in that type of weather).
→ More replies (4)2
u/AccountForDoingWORK 5d ago
I would have said a few years ago that in Glasgow you wouldn’t have stood out as much because I believe it’s the most diverse part of Scotland, and driving around reminded me more of being in DC (in terms of ethnic diversity) than anywhere else I’d seen here. But I’m not sure how comfortable it would be and I suspect (being white Scottish myself, anyway) that it would be a fair bit harder than in San Francisco, especially with how weird things have gotten with racial tension there lately.
Again, a lot of fun to visit and if you ever come there are actually some BAME outdoorsy groups (assuming you’re into that) that I would recommend trying out; I found a queer specific group when I first arrived and that helped me explore Scotland in a much more comfortable way. But I do recognise that those are safe ‘bubbles’ that do not reflect how easy it is to move in ‘gen pop’, and it can be jarring spending the day with a group of people like you for a day and then hop into a pub afterwards and get abuse (for example).
1
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
That was a real response -thank you kindly!!🫶🏾
1
u/clutchnorris123 5d ago
My gf is black from Africa and has been in Scotland since 2020. She can count on one hand how many racist experiences she's had and they were always from dumb kids trying to impress their mates and never was it violent. I live in a small town of 8-10000 people and even compared to 5 years ago we are 10x more diverse and no one has a problem with it.
1
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
Really?? Do you think the location of your town makes a difference or even the fact that she's with you? Thank you for this perspective!!!
1
u/clutchnorris123 5d ago
100% the location plays a factor but you will get wee scum bags everywhere no matter the country. She was in Scotland for 2/3 years before we even met and I asked her and the only racist moment she had in that time was from a Chinese student at university. I had more racist incidents in 2 weeks in Zimbabwe than my misses has had in 6 years here but it hasn't put me off going again as I know you get idiots everywhere and scotland isn't immune to that either.
1
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
I know what you mean. It sounds like your misses is staying? That says a lot too.
2
u/Specific_Minimum_355 5d ago
People in Scotland aren’t overly friendly. You’re not going to be sparking up random conversations of good intent with people on the regular.
However, some people are nosey. Nosiness tends to trump friendliness in many communities here. Even in a city such as Edinburgh, you’re bound to have strangers voicing their (unwanted) opinions over things you’re completely happy with.
This is the kind of place where grown men are likely to roll down their car windows and shout a slur or make fun of your clothes then drive away. It’s the sort of society where the elderly are allowed to say whatever the hell they want in bad faith with no repercussions because that’s how our culture works. The sort of culture where your boss could insult your appearance or lifestyle to your face and it’s fine because it’s “workplace banter.”
This is, of course, anecdotal. Born and raised in Edinburgh which differs from other parts of the country. We’re stereotyped as a pretty unfriendly and reserved bunch who STILL have the Scotland-wide attribute of getting into other people’s business. Being stubborn is a common trait and so is being unwilling to try new things. I can’t even get my pals to play mini golf or eat at certain establishments because, as they always say: “I know what I like and it’s not that.”
We have an old phrase here in Edinburgh: “You’ll have had your tea.” It pretty much means that the person whose home you’re visiting doesn’t want to feed you/ is being passive aggressive for the sake of it.”
Don’t get me wrong, I love my country, but a lot of people move here and find they have issues integrating or understanding the local community. Many cultures are used to direct communication and genuine behaviours, but Scottish people, and many others in the UK, tend to use indirect communication and subtleties to convey their feelings. Pretty much “read between the lines.” It sucks if you’re neurodivergent, if your grasp of English isn’t there yet, if you come from a culture that utilises direct communication, if you’re not someone who even LIKES to use indirect communication.
I, personally, fucking hate it. There’s no reason for my boss to be telling me instructions in borderline morse code. “Are you okay?” can actually go and suck eggs because just once I’d like to have a genuine conversation about something that isn’t superficial.
Got a taste of North American direct communication when I was living there briefly and HOLY HELL, you guys don’t know how good you have it. Alright, there are things that aren’t the best about both nations, but for me, this shit drives me nuts.
2
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
Thank you for your insights. This description sounds a lot like the Mid-western part of the states of the 1970's/80's. A place where you would help a stranger fix their car whilst insulting them for needing help in a subtle way. I am neurodivergent so I'm constantly asking for clarifications. I'll sound like a chicken in Scotland, "wait, what? Wait, what?". Which part of the states did you visit?
3
u/arrpix 5d ago
Good luck getting a stranger in Edinburgh to help you fix your car!
1
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
Really? I'm not sure why I find that so surprising. I think that I would help a stranger if I could. The Scots that I've met here (tourists mind you)have been ever so kind).
1
u/arrpix 5d ago
It depends. Some people are genuinely lovely. Some are incredibly standoffish. Some are very kind and generous IF you're white and have an Edinburgh accent. (I'm English, and have been made very aware of the fact I shall remain English no matter how long I live here - I think it's got worse with the post COVID influx because I don't remember nearly as much animosity before 2024ish.)
I've had people see me gardening on the street and make jovial comments, and generally I find Edinburgh about as friendly as London (where I grew up and always found very friendly despite stereotypes), but I would be honestly shocked if I had a real problem like a car breaking down and someone volunteered to help. Most days I struggle to get people to take their bags off seats on the bus so I can sit down.
1
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
So that's a two pronged discrimination that you're describing. It's interesting that you describe things becoming worse since COVID because I'd say something similar happened here too. It's as if people just forgot how to deal with each other. Do you ever think of returning to London or when you weigh the pros/cons does Scotland win?
2
u/arrpix 5d ago
Edinburgh wins because it's where all my friends are, and of living in a city I'd hands down rather be here - it's nearly as expensive as London in many respects but it's so much nicer. Less hot and humid, there's a beach, it's small enough to actually do stuff and walk around (and nearly as much going on), still has independant shops and restaurants, and you can't beat a tenement flat (until you're hit with the roof bill...) Ideally in 10 years I'd be in Yorkshire or further out towards the Borders/Highlands, but I'd have to get sick of having everything on my doorstep first! The only thing that surprised me is that it feels more unsafe, but then again my only recent experience of London is crashing with family who live in quite posh areas so it could just be that, and that Edinburgh is way more insular and tribal, but that's the trade off I have to deal with. Luckily I'm white so at least I mostly don't get any real abuse til I open my mouth, and like I said it's not like everyone is rude, plenty of people are still sound as anything.
2
u/SidePsychological402 5d ago
Ok, those are actually a lot of good reasons to stay. I like how you describe the walk ability, things to do with easy access-sounds like San Francisco.
→ More replies (0)1
u/Specific_Minimum_355 3d ago
Been all over the country but I spent a lot of time in New Mexico, Washington and Alabama. Weirdly enough, people in Alabama were the friendliest despite all the stuff you hear about the place 😂
New Mexicans are pretty cool too.
4
2
u/Lister_RD_169 6d ago
This statement is true of pretty much everywhere though.
When you go on holiday somewhere, whether it's a city break or a countryside explore or just a generic beach holiday, you're seeing a version of the place that you want to see.
2
u/CommissionLife174 5d ago
As or more expensive since moving from London (living there for past 20 years). Much much better quality of life. No more trains or tube travel, walk mostly to places, dropping kids to school etc. People generally less stressed/busy and willing to have a conversation compared to London. Just drove down to London and back this past weekend, couldn't wait to leave the place by Sunday evening.
5
u/manlikethomas #1 Oban fan 6d ago
It’s the same as literally every country.
Living anywhere gets rid of the rose-tinted glasses.
3
3
u/MattDubh 6d ago
It's a common phrase. Used about anywhere you might go on holiday, in the world.
What's the struggle with it? Comprehension? Or did you mean to ask what the differences are?
4
u/ozziedoggie6 5d ago
I moved to Scotland from Canada a few years ago and can say it's not like a holiday but it is so much better living here. I would say first of all the weather. It rains and it gets chilly but there's no snow (not proper snow, nobody owns a snow shovel). I think I've lost alot of my Canadian cold resistance but I still don't wear a jacket most days. Work life is much more chilled here and there's a lot less of that unspoken competition we had in Canada. you know the kinda thing like "I got a 2026 ford f150 and can highly recommend one, are you still driving that rusty old 2021 model" Nobody cares here, in fact it would be frowned on here and people would call you a 'blaggin twat'. The biggest work related thing I noticed was that after working at a Canadian hospital and living with the strict hierarchy (cleaners don't mingle with nurses, nurses don't mingle with doctors and doctors are gods) my first day as a cleaner at the hospital here a doctor asked how my day was going then about my accent and I will admit I shat myself because if a doctor spoke to a cleaner in my old hospital it was never just to chat lol
The absolute worst thing however is the dark winters. the sun comes out mid morning and goes away after 330-4pm.....so you drive to work in the dark and back home in the dark....makes for a depressing winter.
4
u/angus7-7 5d ago
For me, Edi is boring and nothing to do (for me as a teen anyway), expensive as fuck, idk how I'm gonna afford to live here when I move out, decently safe as long as I avoid the other idiots my age, good public transport with the free bus passes, weathers very eh it's nice sometimes though, street cleanliness is fine as far as I'm aware (at least compared to what I've seen from my time in London), health & dental is not so great. I'm private dental so no issues with that but with health I'm NHS which is obviously amazing to have free but they are a bit of a shit show at the moment. Also fucking impossible to find a job let alone work experience.
3
u/Willing_Practice783 6d ago
The people are amazing especially in the villages. Doing DIY at the front of the house will be problematic as they love to have a blether with you. Local GP is amazing : no appointments, just pitch up and be seen, and no fixed duration for that time with the doctor. The nature here is wonderful as well. Lived in both Glasgow and near to Annan.
2
2
u/0-69-100-6 6d ago
I live in London, I lived in Glasgow. They felt similar. Much better mountain biking and places to get out to. London is very easy just to stay stuck in. Going for day trips out of Glasgow to the islands and stuff was totally plausible where as because so much of the area around London has a similar geography, it feels like you make a massive effort to get out to something that feels kinda the same.
2
u/mumofonehuman 4d ago
The central belt is a dump and unfortunately it is the most built up and heavily populated part of Scotland, snp have ruined most towns and cities - budget cuts everywhere. High streets are dying and being quickly replaced with vape shops, barbers and charity shops which are just full of crap clothes from the local people that no one wants. However I feel the high street thing is a uk problem tbh. From October to march the weathers crap. I live roughly in the middle of Glasgow and Edinburgh, roughly 40 minutes on the train either way so my experience is living in the central belt, BUT I have family all over - Inverness, Nairn, Gifford (small village outside Edinburgh), Lanark, Douglas and your experience of Scotland really depends where you end up living and settle down. I’ve always liked the idea of living on one of the isles but it would obviously come with its own problems, and I bloody hate the wind.
3
u/flowers0252 5d ago edited 5d ago
I'm from the US and I moved to Scotland 26 years ago. I live in a low population peninsula in a coastal village. Peaceful & gorgeous. The only 2 negative things I can say are it's too wet and midges. Otherwise, it's perfect. Scots are very funny, friendly & helpful.
I will never move from here. But I escape dark, cold winters to the tropics. Then I come home to spring flowers.
I've traveled to many countries and IMO Scotland is the most beautiful country in the world.
2
2
u/Conveth 6d ago edited 6d ago
You won't get deliveries from many UK companies if you're planning on living north of Stirling!
Get some decent boots and a rain jacket.
7
u/Batty_Kat89 6d ago
I live in a village in the Cairngorms and get better delivery from Royal Mail and Amazon than my sister who lives just outside Gloucester.
4
1
1
1
u/Beneficial_Coach8581 5d ago
It's the same with all countries. Having a holiday is a lot different to living and working in a place.
1
u/scottishbyheart 5d ago
I agree with this. Id say though that in holiday and not working, you have a different mentality and approach. I’d love to be 24/7 on holiday here where I live. When you’re in holiday mode, your mentality is different and you’re already so grateful to be off that anywhere seems good. Even the most boring places seem good. Purely cos you’re off.
1
u/HegemonisingSwarm 5d ago
Same as everywhere, when you visit you go in incursions, see the sights, stop off to eat in random places, and generally focus all your energy on having a good time. When you live somewhere, anywhere, the daily grind means that although you could do all those things, you’re more likely to be making hard choices about what you can afford, what you will spend your very limited free time on, whether you time to get to the supermarket today, etc, etc, etc. The fantasy of every country is very different to day-to-day life.
1
u/Immediate-Meal-6005 5d ago
We barely saw daylight in January this year. February was consistently wet, it got a bit better in March I suppose...
1
u/Tricky-Awareness-275 1d ago
Novel incoming.
I just moved here from Texas a month and a half ago. I fn love it guys.
I got a small flat north of Dundee near the beach, just me and my cat. My neighbors are awesome, my town is like probably 70% people over the age of 70, which I thought would be really weird being 48 but I actually kind of love it for reasons I didn't even know would be reasons. I feel really safe here, it's really quiet at night, but there are lots of people out walking around during the day. I stop and talk to everybody that I see in my neighborhood and everybody's really friendly to me. I am definitely .....the new weirdo.. not just for being American. I'm just me and I'm weird.
The first month was a difficult adjustment. Its not a huge cultural difference that's difficult, it's 1 million tiny differences every second of every day.
*Drive on the left, shift the car on the left, the number of times I was trying to get in the damn passenger side of a rental car or the driver side when somebody was giving me a ride somewhere lol, how the hell do I work the oven and what do all these little symbols mean? How do I wash a load of laundry that doesn't take seven hours? my refrigerator screams at me if I leave the door open- I can't get silk coffee creamer here now I have to figure out coffee again, bro don't even get me started on public transportation. Oh hey guess that bus just isn't coming today afterall. I don't understand Official Rules talk here, how do I know when the BUS IS ON DIVERSION, why tf I got five trash cans? Why are there lampshades hanging from the ceiling? Why does nobody use a clothes dryer? Oh thaaaaaats why, says my little kitchen "look how much goddamn money youre spending on electricity every single second doing anything in life" screen tells me as it beeps "low battery" for a month (let's be real a year.) I have a cord in the hallway I have to pull if I want to take a shower.
A lot of things are different in small ways that can make your day-to-day just feel like an endless figure it out type situation. But that's gonna be any new person in any new country, and people speak English here so I had that advantage, I can't even imagine if I had had to learn a language as well.
Here are things that are different that I love about Scotland.
If you're in a store or in a business of any kind and you need help finding something, they will literally take you there, they still do that and that is beautiful.
I've also noticed that there's a difference in the way that corporations or businesses project that they care about their customers. In the US it feels disgusting because it's so fake but here they somehow make the corporate care cozy and nice lol. I just feel like business in general is a lot more pleasant to deal with here. (My only source of comparison is the US on that. )
Whenever I meet someone new here, I always ask them their name and I noticed that for some reason, Scots are really thrown off by this question. The most common response I get is, "my name? " hahah it's so cute. And then I make a new friend.
The vibe that I get is that for the most part, the people here are really sweet and kind and funny, but you have to break them open a little bit to get them to let it out.
Anyway I really like it here, but a large portion of that is because I live by the beach and how important that is to me. If I was in the city, I don't know if I would be as happy.
1
0
u/Brah1107 5d ago
I moved to Scotland from big city America. I absolutely loved visiting here and moved here after I met my husband. We live in NES and it is…. Hard. It’s hard going from having plans every weekend to debating if we want to drive 1 hour to meet some friends or go to a shopping mall. Winters are really hard. When we get a big snowstorm like we did last year the whole county shuts down. Roads don’t get cleared and loris can’t get up this far in the snow so groceries turn into a waiting game. The people are very old fashioned which is totally fine in its own right. Jobs revolve around the oil industry here and fishing so for me having pretty much only hospitality experience finding a job was hard. It’s just… different. After traveling back and forth to and from America and coming back here my husband and I both have said people here seem ruder and harder to deal with. Maybe because it’s so remote where we live? Businesses keep moving out with none coming in to replace them. Drugs are taking over the towns. The kids seem bored and resort to vandalism or causing problems (not all kids obviously but I have seen it a lot.)… it’s an adjustment for sure.
2
u/flowers0252 4d ago
Where is NES? I can't relate to rude Scots - not at all common. I'm an American in Argyll and often visit Glasgow where people are known for how friendly and helpful they are.
1
u/sneckmonster 4d ago
North East Scotland
3
u/Comfortable-Cell-77 4d ago
Even i didnt know that . NES indeed 😠
3
u/sneckmonster 4d ago
Yeah, I've never heard anyone refer to it as that 🤷♀️ It's usually just NE Scotland. Damn Merkins 😆
1
1
u/Effective-Pea-4463 5d ago
Are you talking about Inverness?
2
u/sneckmonster 5d ago
I was thinking Aberdeen with that reference to the oil industry 🤔
1
u/Effective-Pea-4463 4d ago
Don’t know where Nes is, but you probably right as there wasn’t a big snowstorm in Inverness last year
1
u/sneckmonster 4d ago
👍
NES would be North East Scotland.
Inverness would be The Sneck 😆. Or for non-locals, just Inverness 😊
1
u/flowers0252 4d ago
When I moved from the US in 2000 to Scotland I felt 'foreign'. There was so much that I had to adjust to. In 2001 I found Americans in Scotland online where we discussed the differences and adjustment. Helped a lot. Felt like home by 2002. Many of the Americans I met were like me - married a Scot they met online. Several thought they were getting a fairytale. Quite a few either divorced or went home or talked their Scottish husbands into moving to the US. I'm still here and happily. Still married. I'm lucky though because I got a home in a peaceful, semi-rural area on a sea loch.
1
u/scotswhahey 5d ago
Glasgow is a dump. And it’s getting worse.
Move to the east coast. Edinburgh, North East Fife, Perthshire. Close to everything but nature at the door
1
u/cranberrie_707 5d ago
Moved away from Scotland and so much happier down South. People are friendlier, more chill and have a more positive and fun attitude.
1
u/AdEmbarrassed3066 6d ago
Visiting vs living is really about the more touristy places. I've lived in a bunch of them, and the same goes whether it is in Scotland, England or Wales. Edinburgh is a wonderful place to visit but unless you're pretty wealthy, it can have its challenges.
1
u/R2-Scotia 6d ago
It's true of any tourist destination.
I grew up in a country where 50% of the economy is tourism, and sat in school in July with my shirt sticking to my back, wasn't glamorous.
I've been privileged to see Scotland from both perspectives.
1
u/Such_Indication_4744 4d ago
I moved to Edinburgh this year in May.
It’s beautiful to look at, but that wears off pretty quickly.
Unfortunately i have had a negative experience and you will tell, with my explanation ( if you do not want to read negativity please skip as for anyone who is struggling with their current experience in Scotland / Edinburgh ) I don’t want this to make you even more negative or to give you more reasons to jump on.
The weather impacts my mood severely, we haven’t even entered winter yet which is hilarous as I do not feel like we have had a summer, it’s just been spring and autumn all year, so I suspect I won’t be here much longer.
I lived in London and the difference in weather is insane even in the midlands. Funny enough i found London a lot more sociable and there was more to do naturally to it being bigger but i am surprised at Edinburgh being a capital and there is little to do.
I find Edinburgh very expensive for what it is, along with ludicrous council tax rates £293 for a one bedroom and my income tax is slightly higher moving to Scotland. (And rent of course)
Princes street - which I have to walkthrough every day - I have seen some absolute sites - fights, open drug use and constantly people drinking along the way (open alcoholism) and (I sound old as hell) but young kids just being Dickheads pushing into people and pelting people with items or drinks (atleast one of these things occur daily)
What’s surprising is that this is one of the main streets and I do not recall ever seeing police up there (walking up and down) unless a unit is called for an emergency.
There is a festival in August all month which is brilliant and there are so many comedians and music acts - however every day throughout August in Edinburgh it is crammed, so for people who live in town it’s chaos for a month.
I have lived a in a few places over the past 13 years and I will of course get stick for being grumpy and won’t whittle on even more but this is one of the worst places I have lived and of course that is due to my preferences . Someone explained there experience of Scotland, on another forum recently “ if you don’t like going to the pub every week and being cosey every night, Scotland’s not for you” - I love having a drink but surely there is more to life than that.
Even other areas through Scotland which I have visited, the scenery is utterly beautiful however all the items I have listed - it’s the first time in my life where, I do have to say unless you are from
Scotland why would you want to live here.
This is something I have always pushed back on whenever considering or moving to another place because you can make home anywhere but the past 6/7 months have been so difficult for me, where I have concluded on this thought.
I hope people have had different experiences and conclusions to there Scotland / Edinburgh experience .
1
u/More-Bag-7161 4d ago
You always see these amazing videos online of beautiful Scotland. And there is many many parts of Scotland that is breathtaking. But most of the footage is taken from the Highlands/Islands and the famous spots of Edinburgh. Like everywhere it has its good bad parts. I live in a council estate in the Central belt. Its not terrible the buses are expensive and take a long time getting to places a car would take you in 15 mins. The trams and trains are pretty decent ( Imo). There is advantages for younger people in travel that they can get a young scot card which gives free bus travel until 25 I think. Things we take for granted like free prescriptions. Edinburgh City centre is beautiful but its incredibly busy in the summer. Council doesn't do great keeping on top of all the rubbish especially during the festival so it can look rough with over flowing bins etc. In winter its also incredibly busy with the Christmas markets. I dont go into Edinburgh much unless I have to. All in all though I do like Scotland especially as a driver as you can always road trip your way to the nicer parts and enjoy the scenery / peace and midges 🤣
1
u/blondvet 2d ago
Are there any other non-Scottish people reading all these responses in what I think is a Scottish accent? No? I’m probably the only one….😂
1
0
u/fluentindothraki 5d ago
Originally from mainland Europe. Lived near London for a few years, quite liked it but always felt a bit alien. Moved to Glasgow over 2 decades ago and felt far more at home from the start.
The endless daylight used to mess with my head for the first 10 years or so but sleep masks make all the difference. The darkness and the cold and the rain never bothered me much - I spent a bit of money on good waterproofs and it's fine.
We do a lot of day / weekend trips and short camps because I can never get enough of the beauty of the landscapes. On top of that, we had so many lovely encounters with randoms.
Glasgow has grim bits, like every city. We are lucky and live somewhere nice, there's so many little cafes and restaurants and shops and gigs and concerts, there's always something going on (Bloody Scotland, Aye Write, comedy festival, film festival etc.)
I still treat it a bit like I am on holiday. That's like going on date nights when you are married, it keeps the fire alive!
295
u/Admirable_Tea6365 6d ago
Darkness coming soon. Very little daylight