2024, a recap

2024 was a year of change. I graduated from University, finishing the studying chapter of my life, and began a new job in a new country. 2024 had three phases for me: "Aberdeen" from January to May, "summer" from June to September and "Corsica" from October to December. In Aberdeen I was finishing off my degree and making the most of my last few months at university. In summer I spent some time at home as well doing some travelling, some volunteering and some work. In Corsica I started working a primary school English assistant and got to know a new place. Looking back, I got to do some very cool things this year. I discovered new interests and spent lots of time doing the things I love. I made new friends and reconnected with old ones. I travelled to beautiful countries and discovered new parts of the world. I started new jobs and learnt lots along the way. I was challenged academically, professionally and personally.

Dance

This year I did a lot of Scottish dancing and I absolutely loved it. Dance gives me an opportunity to socialise, it gets me moving, it distracts me from all my problems and it almost always puts a smile on my face. It's the perfect activity because it is both mentally and physically engaging and ideal after a stressful day of studying!

I was still president of the university Scottish dance society at the beginning of the year so I was working with the committee to build up numbers in the society and organise events. We were able to plan a number of socials and get people to dances across the UK. I made friends with many of the students who joined that term and I think we did a good job with the society. During my last semester I was dancing three evenings a week where I could.

Probably my favourite dance event of the year was the Intervarsity Folk Dance Festival (IVFDF) in February which took place in York. Three of us from the society took the train down for the weekend and met with another friend there and it was so much fun. We tried folk dances from all over the world, attending workshops and social dances from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. Among my favourite events was the techno contradance, the American square dancing workshop and the old English ceilidh dancing. The weekend was exhausting but I loved every second!

I also attended Spring Fling in Cambridge in April which is an annual weekend event for Scottish dancers under 35. It was really fun and the evening balls were challenging. One of my favourite parts of Spring Fling was the highland dance workshop on the Saturday afternoon where I learnt some highland steps and how they can be incorporated into Scottish country dances. We had lovely weather so it was nice to spend some time outside looking round Cambridge too.

Over the summer I started dancing in Edinburgh, going to the weekly summer socials as well as any dances that were organised nearby. I discovered new groups and met people dancing in all kinds of circles. I quickly got past my fears of going to dances alone as people are usually quick to ask others to dance. One of my favourite summer events was the Linlithgow Hop Scotch which is an event which runs weekly for a month every summer at Linlithgow Palace. It is marketed as Scottish dance for all and it is a sort of mixture of country and ceilidh dance. It was super cool to dance inside the palace and in an open-air space with a live band. The dances were all new to me which made it much better than a typical ceilidh. I had a lot of fun and I will definitely try and go again next year.

Travel

It's been another good year of travel and I've been to some amazing places. Following my final exams in May, I headed off to Northern Ireland with three university friends. We took the ferry over to Belfast and spent a night in the city before heading up north to Bushmills. From this point it began raining almost continuously as we spent the next couple of days walking along the coastline, visiting the Giant's Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede bridge and a couple of castles. We then took the bus back down to Belfast where upon the skies cleared and we had a lovely sunny day exploring the city. However, despite the unfortunate weather, it was still one of my favourite trips of the year with great people! The north coast was beautiful even in the rain.

From Belfast I travelled down to Dublin where I spent a day looking around before flying to Barcelona. In Barcelona I met up with some friends who had graduated the year before and we had a good time visiting the sites. I really liked the city and we spent many hours wandering the streets. I particularly enjoyed the Spanish tapas, the architecture and the company.

In June I took myself on a solo bus tour of places I'd never been in Europe. I started by taking the overnight bus from London to Brussels. It was a bit of a rough journey because we had to get off the bus to go on the ferry at about 2am and then back on again a couple of hours later so not much sleep was possible but at least it got me there! I had wanted to visit Brussels for many years so I was very happy to finally get the chance to explore the city. It was very interesting to see the multiculturalism of the capital and I enjoyed visiting the European Parliament as well as all the iconic landmarks.

From Brussels I took a bus to Mainz in Germany where I visited a friend who studies there. We went to watch the first match of the Euros, Germany v Scotland, which was rather painful to watch from a Scottish perspective. I was pleasantly surprised by what a nice place Mainz was with its medieval architecture, Saturday market and the Rhine running through it.

After Mainz, I travelled on to Prague, Vienna and Budapest. All very impressive cities which were interesting to explore. I think my favourite was Prague because the the buildings were so beautiful and there are so many little things of interest around the centre. However, I also really enjoyed climbing up to Buda Castle in Budapest. There did happen to be a heat wave in Europe around this time so I was struggling slightly with the temperatures! In Vienna I stayed with a friend from university who is now doing a masters there and so it was nice to catch up and to have a local guide!

I then went on to visit Croatia. I started in Zagreb, then took a bus down to Korenica to visit Plitvice Lakes National Park and finally I finished my journey in Split. Of all the countries I visited on this trip, Croatia was definitely the one I enjoyed the most. By that time I was ready to escape the cities and some time in nature was most welcome. Plitvice Lakes was one of the most stunning places I have ever seen, with crystal clear turquoise lakes and waterfalls surrounded by forest. I spent the day there with a couple of people I met at the hostel, walking around, crossing the lakes on a little ferry and generally marvelling at the beauty of it. In Korenica I also did a lovely hike from where you could see the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Split turned out to be another beautiful place to visit. It is a very interesting historical city as much of the old town is within the walls of a roman palace. I went on a walking tour to learn more about it. I also spent a day on a boat trip to go snorkelling and visit some of the nearby islands. The water was so clear and I got to see lots of cool fish as well as an underwater shipwreck. Would highly recommend snorkelling in Croatia!

Once in Corsica, during the October school holidays I visited some of the further away places on the island. Along with three other language assistants, I spent a couple of days in Bonifacio, the southern tip of Corsica. Bonifacio is very striking with white cliffs and a citadel overlooking the harbour. The town is very small so a day was enough to see everything but is is very picturesque and the old streets inside the citadel are very quaint. We went on a boat trip which gave a great view of the bay, the cliffs and the Lavezzi islands which have very interesting rock formations. The water was super clear and the boat had a window in the bottom to watch the fish swimming underneath which was cool. From Bonifacio we took a bus up to Porto-Vecchio on the east side of the island. We spent a night in a cute little glamping pod on a campsite on the outskirts of the city. The centre had lots of nice small streets to explore and plenty of interesting shops to look around. We walked along the coastline and through the salt marshes which were really pretty at sunset. Finally, towards the end of the holidays I headed up north to Bastia. Another pretty town centre with a nice harbour and beaches. I went on a walk up the hill behind Bastia which gave a great view over the town. I am now convinced that Corsica is beautiful wherever you go.

Walking

In 2024 I did quite a bit of walking. I did two big walking holidays as well a number of day trips. I climbed mountains and walked along coastlines and saw lots of amazing scenery in several different countries.

My first big walk was the West Highland Way which I completed in the first week of June. I have been wanting to do this walk for ages but I knew it was going to be a challenging so I was really happy that I managed it. I did it with a friend and we took 7 days, camping all the way. The weather was not particularly kind to us as we had heavy downpours, thunder storms and freezing nights but at least we had a dry couple of the days at the start, some sunny patches and the wind kept the midges away! By the end I had blisters, my boots and jacket were soaked through and my sleeping mat had a puncture so I was quite happy to go home to a dry bed but I still had a fantastic time. The scenery was amazing and completing so many miles every day was a great achievement.

My second big walk was St Cuthberts' Way which goes from Melrose in the Borders to Holy Island in Northumberland. In fact we modified it slightly to finish in Berwick instead of Holy Island in order to get to the train station. This was a 5 day walk done in September with my parents. It was a less strenuous walk as we booked beds along the way rather than carrying camping gear and we also didn't walk as far each day as I had on the West Highland Way. It was rather nice because I was still enjoying the walking by the end of each day rather than spending the last couple of hours in pain and longing to be at the campsite! The scenery was lovely and it changed every day. A very successful holiday!

I added a further three Munros to my collection this year during a beautiful day in the hills in July. A lovely loop at Taynuilt, taking in Ben Starav, Beinn nan Aighenan and Glas Bheinn Mhor. It was a full day outing with spectacular views and we made it back to the car just before the rain set in.

On my way to Corsica I spent a day in Toulon and while I was there I climber Mont Faron which is the mountain just behind the city. There is a cable car going to the top so there were lots of people up there but the footpath up was nice and quiet. There were superb views looking down on Toulon and out to sea as well as out the other side to further mountains heading inland. At the top there was a WWII memorial, an old fortress and a few other points of interest. It was an excellent way to spend a morning.

In Corsica I managed to go on a few different walks in 2024 and I hope to do many more in 2025. The scenery is so beautiful wherever you go in Corsica and there are lots of footpaths so it is perfect for hiking. The first hike I did here was to Punta Castle which is a castle up a hill not far from Ajaccio. I went with a walking group and about half way up there was a reservoir with lots of little turtles which was cool to see. A couple of weeks later I went on a hike at Vizzavona which is high up in the mountains so it was pretty cold. It was crazy to see how different the climate was up there compared to at the coast - the leaves were falling and it felt like winter whereas, by the coast, people were still swimming in the sea next to palm trees as though it was the middle of summer. The route took in a section of the GR20 and I really enjoyed seeing a different landscape. I have also done lots of walks straight from my door. From Ajaccio there are a number of walking paths which head towards the end of the peninsular along the mountainside and there are lovely views from there too.

Exploring locally

As it was my last semester in Aberdeen after five years of studying, I really tried to make the most of those final months to do everything I wanted to do in Aberdeenshire. Getting out of the little university bubble I was in really made me appreciate the region more. There are so many beautiful things to be discovered near to Aberdeen.

I first went to Slains Castle, which is about 40 minutes north of the city. The castle is in ruins but is still pretty to wander around. From there, we did a lovely walk up the coast towards Boddam, past the Bullers of Buchan. The coastline is gorgeous here with lots of interesting rock formations and we saw lots of seabirds on the cliffs.

In May I visited the Duthie Park Winter Garden, which has glasshouses full of exotic plants as well as some outside areas. There is a little pond with turtles that were very cute to watch. From there, I cycled to Tollohill Wood and went for a walk around the woods. At the top of the hill, there is a nice viewpoint where you can see over the city and the surrounding area. Not far from here, on a separate occasion, I spent the day walking along the coast to the south of Aberdeen. Again, there were lots of seabirds and I also got to see some dolphins which was very exciting.

I went on a trip to Balmoral Castle and Ballater with a group of exchange students. I had never been to the castle before, so it was interesting to see the grounds. We went on a lovely walk in the woods behind the castle and climbed up to Prince Albert's Pyramid, where there is a stunning viewpoint. Ballater itself was a very pretty village to wander around and we got ice cream from the ice cream shop.

Another great outing was to Newburgh and Seal Beach, where I saw lots of seals basking on the sand and playing in the water. It was lovely to be able to sit and watch them in their natural habitat. I then walked along the beach back towards Aberdeen and between Newburgh and Balmedie the beach is completely empty. It was so relaxing to wander along without another person in sight, just listening to the sound of the waves.

I cycled out to Loch of Skene, a small loch to the west of Aberdeen. Unfortunately, my friend's bike chain broke halfway there, so we had to get a bus for the rest of the journey and I cycled back alone because the bus driver wouldn't allow the bike on board. Other than that, it was a fantastic outing. We walked around the loch and went swimming. It was a warm sunny day and there were lots of people out paddleboarding and canoeing.

Having had such a good time doing little trips in Aberdeen, I wanted to continue in Edinburgh when I was living there in the summer. I decided to do the peaks of Edinburgh that I hadn't done yet (though not all in the same day). I climbed Arthur's Seat, which I had done several times before, but this time I also walked along the Salisbury Crags which, as far as I can remember, I had not done before. I then went up Corstorphine Hill, behind Edinburgh zoo. I really enjoyed this walk and the views towards the Forth were great. I climbed Craiglockhart Hill, both East and West, and wandered round the nature reserve there. It was very pleasant and also interesting to finally see where Napier University is. I finished with Braid and Blackford hill as a joint venture and very much enjoyed the views there too. The whole thing was great for getting me out to different parts of Edinburgh as I am usually always in the same areas and I don't know the rest of the city at all. I also did a nice day trip to Bonaly for a walk in the Pentlands.

Local explorations in Ajaccio have mostly come in the form of walks. I have also tried out several different beaches in the area, although there are plenty more yet to be tested. I have been running semi-regularly here so I try to take different routes which allows me to explore the city a bit more. There are more local adventures to be had here.

Work

Amidst all these fun activities, I did in fact also do some work. At the beginning of the year I was still in my role as a go abroad ambassador for the university, now coming to the end of my second year in this position. Aside from the ongoing tasks, in that final semester I was involved in two new events. The first was organising a mixer event for people who had a year abroad planned to give them the opportunity to talk with others going abroad as well as those who had previously been to their destination. This was a successful event which the students seemed to find helpful and I spoke to a number of people who were to be heading off to Switzerland or France. The second event I did was a university open day for offer-holders. This was organised by the wider student ambassador team and it was the first time I worked with them. I gave campus tours to prospective students and their parents which is something I always think will be scary and then it turns out just fine. I also did a lots of directing people around campus and had lots of good conversations with visitors.

In July I spent some time volunteering with a children's holiday camp in Edinburgh. I did this in order to get some experience working with young children before I started working in a primary school in October. It took a couple of days for me to feel comfortable around the kids but then they also got used to me and I really enjoyed playing with them. The group was for all primary aged children but they were mostly 6-8 years old. They were very sweet and always wanted to show me whatever they were doing. We went on trips to Linlithgow palace and Craigmillar Castle, we went on an outdoor adventure to learn about bugs at the Water of Leith, we went to an adventure playground, we played golf on Bruntsfield Links and we did science experiments. It was great fun!

In August I worked at the Edinburgh Festival as a front of house assistant which was overall a fantastic experience. It definitely developed my skills in dealing with customers which is not always easy! It also gave me insight into how these massive events are operated and what happens behind the scenes of shows which was really interesting. Finally, it allowed me to meet a lot of cool people who I never would have met otherwise.

For the final three months of 2024 I was working as a language assistant in Corsica. This job has definitely come with its challenges but I have enjoyed working with kids and watching them learn. It has improved my confidence in speaking in front of a group of people as I've got used to standing at the front of the classroom with twenty little faces looking at me. I have learnt to adapt my teaching to different levels and learning styles and I've tried out new activities with varying degrees of success!

Other exciting things that happened this year

I saw the Northern Lights for the first time! The Northern Lights were particularly visible this year and I was finally able to see them from Aberdeen beach in May. My camera's not the best so the pictures aren't fantastic but it was amazing to see in person. It was also very special to see hundreds of people at the beach in the middle of the night looking at the sky.

In 2024 I got to meet Alice Oseman who is one of my favourite authors. I won tickets to see her at the book festival including a meet and greet. It was really cool to meet her in person and I loved listening to her talk. She is such an interesting person and she expresses herself very well and the whole thing was just incredible.

Speaking of famous people, another person I saw in 2024 was the Pope! He came to Ajaccio in December and it was a very exciting day for all of Corsica. The city spent weeks preparing for his visit, cleaning the streets, laying out decorations and covering up all unsightly construction works. By the time he arrived Ajaccio was in tip top condition and, even better, the sun was shining and there was a beautiful full moon. The place had never looked better! He arrived at the airport and trundled along to the city centre in his popemobile, waving merrily to crowds of enthusiastic Corsicans lining the streets (me included). The city was abuzz. Roads were blocked so there were no cars in the centre and certain places were closed to pedestrians too so I had to find new routes to get where I wanted to go. There were policemen everywhere, even outside my building which is nowhere near the centre. After seeing him arrive I went home and watched on TV as he went to the cathedral. I then headed out again in the afternoon as he was doing his main mass in the park and I joined the crowds in the streets watching on big screens. To attend the mass you had to have a ticket but there were speakers all over town so there was quite an atmosphere outside the park too. A thrilling event for Corsica!

In 2024 I attended pride for the first time. And not just one, but two! I went to the Aberdeen pride parade at the end of May. It is a relatively small event so we were able to walk in the parade. It was lovely to see so many people out and about in Aberdeen. Many people had amazing outfits and there was music playing so there was a festive atmosphere. The weather was perfect and we all went to the park for a picnic afterwards, which was so nice. Then, at the end of June I went to London pride as I happened to be there anyway. It was a completely different experience to Aberdeen but just as cool to be a part of. The London parade is obviously massive so we were watching from the side. It was fun to see all the different groups walking past and people really went all out. There were lots of floats too, each group playing different music, putting on some sort of performance or sharing a message. London was packed but it was a vibrant sea of colour as people celebrated. There were also performances going on in various locations in the centre which we joined for a bit. All in all, two very positive experiences.

This was the year I started learning a new language: Italian. During my degree I felt that all the language parts of my brain needed to be fully focused on French but, now that I've finished studying officially, I finally have the capacity to take on something new! I am loving learning Italian. It is not too difficult because there are many similarities with French but it is still challenging enough. Starting a new language from scratch seemed a bit daunting given that I've been learning French for about 14 years and I still struggle to communicate at times but, I decided it was time to embark on that new adventure. It is exciting to discover a new language and, with it, a whole new culture which was previously hidden to me. I am doing a little every day and taking lessons weekly. I have an Italian friend here in Corsica who helps me out too and I listen in on the Italian conversations around me when I can. I am very hopeful that in 2025 I will learn enough to be able to have a basic conversation and communicate with locals when I go to Italy.

I suppose I cannot really write this post without mentioning graduation. I did not attend my graduation in person for a number of reasons but I still celebrated in my own way and I do not feel I missed out on anything. Upon finishing my dissertation (which was an enormous relief) I did the classic dissertation photoshoot in front of the most picturesque university buildings. I celebrated with friends at the student union activities ball which included a meal, a ceilidh and an awards ceremony for the societies. I spent an afternoon celebrating at the pub with my French class following our last exam. I spent graduation day in Croatia and received my certificate by mail shortly afterwards. I was very happy to conclude this chapter of my life. It included some my favourite times ever but I was very much ready to get out of there by the end!

So all in all, what a year! Many happy memories made, places been, challenges overcome and wonderful moments had. Lots to be grateful for in 2024 and fingers crossed for an even better 2025!