What a busy time we’ve had in a beautiful city! Jennifer has been a fabulous guide (she spent a year at the University of Edinburgh) and has provided us with a wealth of information as she led us around the city.

We met with Joe Marshal, head librarian of rare and valuable books collection at the University of Edinburgh. He gave an incredible behind-the-scenes tour. Imagine looking at (and being able to touch) books that are several hundred years old! We learned about the preservation process, saw Adam Smith’s personal library collection, viewed medieval manuscripts, and much more. It was an amazing experience!

The next appointment was with Dr. Fraser Hunter, curator of Roman Antiquities at the National Museum of Scotland. He gave us a tour of some of his favorite exhibits, providing us with the rich history behind each. It was very interesting to learn about ancient Scottish culture. We truly needed more time; there is so much to see in this museum!   

It’s hard to believe that our trip has come to an end. I’m eager to see my family again but this has been a fantastic journey. I’ve learned so much and can’t wait to share information with our faculty. We were lucky to have good weather a majority of the time (showers are pretty common in the UK). I’m already trying to figure out how I can get back to this part of the world!