This post was written by Tess Malone, who is studying abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Climbing a mountain was the one thing that stood between me and Edinburgh.

Before you think I’m getting too metaphorical here, I’ll set some facts straight. One of the most famous tourist attractions of this Scottish city is Arthur’s Seat. About 350 million years ago it was a volcano; today, it is an exhilarating hike that boasts the best views of the area. Scots may tell tourists that finding your clan’s tartan is a good representation of national heritage, but if you really want to see what this country is made of, climbing the hill is a better patchwork than a piece of wool.

Climbing Arthur’s Seat is the first thing you are supposed to do after moving in, but I had a cold, then the weather got cold, so I settled for saving the big trek until spring. However, Snowpocolypse hit Edinburgh this week and you know what happens to students cooped up indoors too long. So last Thursday three friends and I decided to hike up a hill you would normally need a chairlift to get up.

I learned two things that day: 1) I will never be a mountain climber if I can’t even make it up a designated path without falling over a dozen times and 2) Scotland is an awe-inspiring country.

It took me an entire semester to reach the point of really seeing Edinburgh. Of course I’ve been examining it in the details: sipping out of tea cups that J.K. Rowling could’ve used at cafes, having a pint at pubs where criminals were executed outside a few centuries before, and tripping over cobblestones. Yet Arthur’s Seat seems to be a fitting conclusion for everything I’ve experienced so far. Study abroad may be arduous, it may lead to a few stumbles when you miss subtle cultural differences, but the places you see and the people you meet make the difficulties worth the effort.

Now that I have friends and favorite haunts throughout the city, I couldn’t imagine leaving, so it’s a good thing I’m studying abroad for the entire year. I have a feeling my next hike up Arthur’s Seat will be a lot easier.