Scotland is a fantastic country and I am definitely proud to be Scottish, it is a country that is visually stunning and a place I felt sad about leaving in last year. There are a lot of great things about living in Scotland and here are just a few of them.
1. The Scenery
Scotland is described as one of the most beautiful countries in the world and it’s understandable why. Make a train journey through to the rural areas and especially in spring and summer time you will be blown away. This country boasts thousands of lochs and mountains that are waiting to be explored. I would say that Scotland is a perfect destination for people who love hiking.
2. The Safety
Despite the fact that Glasgow has a shady reputation, I can tell you that Scotland from my own experiences is the place I feel incredibly safe. Scotland is a place where you can walk around at night without any worries. Moreover, Scotland is a place where violence is uncommon and it is almost unheard of to get robbed.
3. The Tap Water
This is not even a joke, Scottish people really do pride themselves in having high quality tap water which everyone drinks. The reason why it tastes so pure is because the water is sourced from the Highlands and it is the envy of the world.
4. Free Healthcare and University Education
Scotland has its own National Health Service which is paid for by taxpayers and that means you don’t have to pay for a visit to the Doctor or hospital emergency. It’s a similar situation when it comes to university education, if you’re Scottish, you are not required to pay the tuition fees. This is seriously one of the best things about living in Scotland and it’s an immense privilege that people from other countries don’t have.
5. Easy to Travel Out of Scotland
It’s not too much of a challenge to get a flight for less than £40 and head out to some European destinations like Romania or Italy. Scotland’s location within Europe means that there are good number of countries that you can fly to either from Edinburgh or Glasgow airport. The existence of budget airlines such as Ryanair means that I don’t have to break the bank to go on my next backpacking adventure.
6. Scotland is Incredibly Peaceful
I’ve had my experience of living in a big city and it can really wear you down. In contrast to that, the pace of life in Scotland is much slower and it feels a great deal more peaceful. If you’re looking to live somewhere that has peace and quiet, you can definitely find it in Scotland. One thing I really appreciated when I moved back to Stirling was how completely silent the atmosphere was in the evening.
7. It’s a Perfectly Sized Country
I remember during my time in Mexico City, I would be in a car for an hour and I’d still be in Mexico City. On the other hand in Scotland, you don’t even need to drive for an hour and you can find yourself at the beautiful Loch Lomond. If you can drive, it’s perfectly easy to make your way around and failing that, you can always take the train. The two biggest cities – Glasgow and Edinburgh are a 40 minute train ride from each other and I’d say that makes Scotland unique within the world.
8. The Pub Culture
In Scotland, there’s no better way to spending an evening than getting together with your friends at the local pub over a few pints. I’ve been to many pubs around the country and I should write about them in future posts as they are not to be missed. Even if you’re not much of a drinker, pubs are decent social spaces where you can make memories with your friends and have a laugh.