Two weeks ago I got my first glimpse of Scotland from a window seat inside a small regional plane that heaved and rattled and jerked back and forth with every gust of wind. As we descended out of the cover of the clouds and glided over the Firth of Forth, I marveled at the ancient stone buildings clinging inexplicably to craggy dots of rock just offshore, the water racing away from the land with the lowering of the tide, and the rolling emerald pastures sprinkled with sheep like tiny white grains of rice. As I soaked up the raw beauty of the country for the first time, the exhaustion of staying awake for 23 straight hours melted away, and I was hit by the reality that I knew absolutely no one in Scotland and was about to spend the next five months halfway around the world from the only place and people I have known since I was born. However, in my two weeks at the University of St Andrews, I have started making friends in my classes and dormitory and have begun exploring the rich and fascinating history and culture that the small, charming town of St Andrews and all of Scotland have to offer, from traditional cuisine to medieval monuments. I am incredibly grateful and excited to receive this opportunity to learn more about a culture different from mine and learn more about myself in the process. Pictured are photos from my visit at dusk to the Cathedral of St Andrew on the western edge of the town, built in the 12th century right on the coast of St Andrews Bay.