Hello,
I moved to Scotland from Italy in August 2009...That's basically an account of all the biggest (not all) bad experiences I had so far:
- Crappy accomodation: I first took accomodation for 2 months in a small town near my workplace. Basically a flat on my own, old but functional...unfortunately, after a few days I realized the place was infested with spiders (some of the biggest I had ever seen, and I come from a place where we have big spiders and snakes) and woodlice/slaters.
The old landlady didn't move a finger to help me solve this problem, either because she lives in London, and because the law doesn't force her to do anything (if they were bugs, mices, or other kinds of pests, maybe she would have been forced to, but woodlices are not considered pests, so she just told me that "spiders and woodlice are not dangerous"..."even when you find them on your bed in the morning?" I might add...).
So I had to resist and try to solve the problem on my own. In the end I was able to find where this nice little animals came from, and isolate it with tape, but this didn't solve the problem 100%, so I started soon to look for a new accomodation in civilized Edinburgh...
- All alone in the dark: In the two months I've been in the small city, I wasn't able to make friends with the locals, so my life was basically work-lunch/dinner alone-go to sleep. During the weekends I went to Edinburgh, but this didn't improve my social life very much.
- Broken heart: In Edinburgh, near the train station (I'm a commuter), the average quality of housing is quite bad (old and dirty houses, where it's considered normal to have mices), although I saw some good rooms...But now comes another sad story...
I saw a room near the Murrayfield stadium (Roseburn place). The flat was good (although it had basically no Internet...2 GB/month cap, for me, being an IT guy, is like nothing), and the location ok (although a bit far from the Haymarket train station), but in the end I took another one cheaper, with en-suite bathroom, unlimited broadband, and a lot closer to the train station.
But, the young landlady (in her late-20s) remained in my mind...she was attractive (not a top model, but still cute), quiet, reliable, not a "party animal", but also friendly and polite. So, after a few days I told her I had chosen another room, I sent her a long, polite and non-intrusive e-mail, asking if she was interested in going out or taking a coffee together, since I still hadn't any friends and was bored of visiting Edinburgh alone...I asked for a 'Yes' or 'No, thank you', because I understood she might have not been interested.
Results? No answer, I was left in a limbo.
After 2 days I sent her an SMS, asking if she could reply to my e-mail, but still no answer.
Only when I asked her if her room was still available, she answered, but without mentioning my previous request to go out together...In any case, the room had already been taken in the meantime, until March.
I didn't directly phone her, because I didn't want to look like a stalker, or push too much, but probably it would have been better to do so, at least I would have got an answer.
In any case, this left me with a broken heart, because I would have preferred a 'No, thank you, I'm not interested', to a long silence.
I still think about her...
Note: I tried the same thing recently with a Swedish girl that I knew while looking for a new room, but in this case...she told me she had moved to London the day after I sent her an e-mail asking if she was interested in going out together/taking a coffee. Bad luck, or are people (both Scottish and non-Scottish) here simply unreliable?
- Better go by feet: Expensive public transportation, and idiotic payment system on Edinburgh buses, where you need to have the exact amount of coins and pay it to the driver.
- British politicians: I consider them all thieves (Labour, Tories, Liberals...all). Not that in Italy we have great politicians, but don't think that in the UK they have geniuses or masters of honesty (the bankers basically run this country).
- Let's not talk about my bad job, otherwise I might add too many bad elements to my Scottish experience.
Good things about Scotland: The highlands, which seem like another different country.
So far, so bad
whoa i hope to move to scotland, but it sounds like you had a horrible time there. Sorry to hear it! So are you still there or back in Italy?
Dear Bill
you're not alone. I just moved in Glasgow area. originally from the states I used to things done right, not all the times but mostly. In Scotland people are so close minded, unconsiderate and unfriendly. lucky you, at least you have a job. I am a nurse and I basically cannot find a job here. I have to undergoes total scrutinity with the board of nursing. I am exausted.
It's funny because women always want men to be straight forward but then if they are too straight forward you end up being accused as creepy. It's a tough game. Perhaps you need to understand that people here are not as forward when wanting to meet new people. You need to use your imagination to sneak your way into their lives 
Not all of Edinburgh is like that.
As for spiders they hate chestnut oil.
You can find houses /flats try espc paper, at estate agents, they also might help in finding place to live.
It is hard to meet people in Edinburgh if you come from outside. The Scots are quite reserved, and Edinburgh is probably one of the unfriendliest places in all of Scotland.You just need to follow your interests and join the relevant clubs. Bridge, football, rambling, scrabble(!!), dance, cooking, painting - you name it we have a club for everything :-)
I am not sure how up to date these are, but at least you'll probably get a half decent cup of coffee and someone who can speak Italian and understand your despair about our terrible food :-)(Not sure abot the golf 6km around a golf course wouldn't appeal to me, but Edinburghers, from what I have seen, are golf mad.)
EDINBURGH.
ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE
82 Nicholson Street, Edinburgh
Telephone. 0131 6682232 Web: www.italcult.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
ASSOCIAZIONE CAMPANIA IN SCOZIA/IRLANDA DEL NORD
President: Cav. Francesco Martone - 85 Albert Street - Edinburgh EH7 tel 0131-467-7544 - fax 0131-467-7468
CIAO ITALIA
President: Gianni Donfrancesco - 26 Grindlay Street - Edinburgh EH3 9AP tel/fax 0131 229 8689
Fondazione: 1982 Iscritti 140
Finalita': Promuovere e difendere la vera cucina italiana.
C.O.M.I.T.E.S.
President: Giovanni Costa - c/o Istituto Italiano di Cultura - 82 Nicholson Street - Edinburgh - EH8 9EW
tel 0131-667-2334 fax 0131-668-2777
EDINBURGH ITALIAN GOLFERS
President: Antonio Crolla - 120 High Street - Dalkeith EH22 1AU tel/fax 0131 663 4492
Fondazione: 1992 Iscritti: 28
Finalita': tenere assieme I giocatori di golf italiani e partecipare rappresentando l'Italia ai vari tornei di golf.
LAZIALI IN SCOZIA (EDINBURGO)
President: Gianni Donfrancesco - 26 Grindlay Street - Edinburgh EH3 9AP tel 0131 229 8804 fax 229 8689
Fondazione: 1985 Iscritti; Tutti i Laziali residenti a Edinburgo
Finalita': Sociale per tenere la comunita' laziale insieme e per tenere legami con la regione Lazio.
Hello deb568.
Can you please write in english on this Anglophone forum?
Thank you,
Aurélie
to deb 568
not all the people in Edinburgh are like that.
It will take time to make new friends / find job.
As for Bill meeting females, If you seem pushy it will put women off. You just need to take your time.
As for housing if you are looking to buy or rent a house / flat try outside city center. where i live we have flats fro sale £90,000+ and houses from £100+ you just have to look.
Well Edinburgh is a fantastic tourist destination, but its an awful place to live and work. The Weather is bad, the people are closed and you can live years in town without getting to know anyone (my way to make friends is go play basketball).
The city is expensive, rents and other different taxes are too high for outside people with 1 job/part time(maybe for locals too) but if you try move by feat and make your shopping from Tesco - your gonna be fine.
the weather is alright, so what if it rains for more than i day.
It depends on the area you live in for getting to know people. what is wrong with tesco, we also have asda and other shops if you look.
Ok, all the people on the forum are wrong, and your right...
Diantonio what you on about?
Sure rents are expencive if you live in edinburgh city center, best to live on the outskirts or either midlothian or east lothian. The buses are easy to get into town. If the people dont want to know you that thier problem.
I agree the weather in scotland stinks at times...the 4 seasons in 1 hour sometimes,
There is still plenty to do and see in Edinburgh which has a rich history. Tell me what city has hidden streets and houses underneath the Royal Mile since the 17th century that you can now visit.
diantonio wrote:Well Edinburgh is a fantastic tourist destination, but its an awful place to live and work. The Weather is bad, the people are closed and you can live years in town without getting to know anyone (my way to make friends is go play basketball).
The city is expensive, rents and other different taxes are too high for outside people with 1 job/part time(maybe for locals too) but if you try move by feat and make your shopping from Tesco - your gonna be fine.
Living in a town for years without getting to know anyone well is a British thing. We live such parallel lives. We really don't "do" integration.
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