A Major Turning Point

In 2012, I decided to study creative writing in Edinburgh. I knew I'd be there for the Edinburgh festival, which, if you don't know, is a huge 3 week event in the middle of Scotland's Capitol. Huge doesn't even begin to describe it. Literature, Dance, Film, Music, Drama . . . everything you can think of is there! I didn't truly understand that. To me, it was just going to be an average festival with fair food like crepes. They did have amazing crepes. But there was just so much more.

Those in charge of the festival snatch up talent from all over the world. ALL OVER. Chinese acrobats, symphonies, authors from every corner of the planet . . . the number of cultures represented at this place is stunning. And that's not what I expected. That's what truly makes this a travel treasure.

This festival is so well-known that people from all over the planet visit Edinburgh. I would walk down the Royal Mile and see too many cultures to count. All types of street performers were everywhere, some dressed in traditional Indian clothing, a lot in kilts to represent Scottish tradition, and many in clothes and makeup I had never seen before.

The Royal Military Tattoo also takes place during the festival. I had no idea what it was. I saw the word tattoo and needles and ink entered my mind first. Thankfully it didn't, and thankfully I went.

Think of a marching band show. Now multiply the number of players by, I don't know, 100? Military bands from, once again, all over the world, perform by the Edinburgh Castle in front of thousands of people. According to the web, and my own eyes can confirm, only 30% of the audience are from Scotland. 35% come from the rest of the UK, and the rest comes from people overseas! 70,000 foreigners!

I've never seen so many different cultures in a single place. And honestly, I doubt I ever will again. Unless I attend the festival again, of course. And I plan to.

So . . . Culture shock? That's too tame of a phrase. Being surrounded by so many cultures was way out of my comfort zone. But it was absolutely amazing to see and so so SO worth it. We all gathered in one place, and though we were very different, we have something in common; we were all there, searching for an unforgettable experience, wanting to just have fun. The song, We Are The World, always comes to mind when I think about this. And it's so true. You realize it when you find yourself surrounded by the world, all in one place. Kind of hard not too.