My dad’s side of the family is somewhat Scottish. I never really understood it until I went to visit Edinburgh, Scotland this past weekend.
Scottish culture is heavily rooted in these things called clans. It’s a way of tracing ancestry into smaller familial groups and labeling them in a cohesive manner. My family is part of the Boyd clan – Boyd being my great grandmother’s maiden name and the middle name of every man on my father’s side, including my brother.
Before I left for Edinburgh, I decided to do some research. I looked through some Wikipedia articles and found some facts out about my clan. For example, my family was known for fighting for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.
My friends and I enjoyed a lovely morning walking around Edinburgh Castle, one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. On our way out, we saw a little booth devoted to discovering ancestry and the history of many clans. I decided to pop over for a second. I can’t remember ever learning so much about my history! The man told us that the Boyd clan goes back as far as 1205. He even showed me my family crest and unique tartan pattern
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We saw a lot more of Scotland, and it was one of the most stunning places I have ever seen. It was amazing and wonderful to have a reminder of home and my family when I was in a foreign country.
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Julie Alderman
<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">I’m Julie Alderman, a junior at the George Washington University studying political communication, and I’m ready for the adventure of a lifetime in Amsterdam. I love strong coffee, good writing and all types of music (from opera to country). I hail from Manlius, New York, a small town outside of Syracuse and I am ready to live it up in Amsterdam and travel all around Europe!</span></p>
