My First Week in Edinburgh

Greetings from Edinburgh. James here.

I first arrived in Edinburgh on the 26^th August and The Kimpton Hotel where I would be working were nice enough to give me a free stay in house to help me get settled in to my new environment. I met one of the hotel managers Chris upon arrival and had a chat with him about the hotel and the city, he made me feel at home with them but unfortunately, he is from Dublin so we naturally had a GAA debate before I was shown to my room. I dropped my bags into my room and headed out to explore my new surroundings.

I took a walk up Princes St, which is the main street through Edinburgh New Town, and was blown away by the atmosphere and architecture surrounding me. There was a big city buzz to the place but it still felt safe and homely, I knew I wasn’t going to have any problems settling in. I found a lovely secret garden to stop in and have lunch so I could take it all in. The Fringe festival was still in full swing when I arrived, so the streets were lined with performers and of course, bagpipes. I sat and listened to the musicians as I had my lunch, and I instantly knew I was going to feel at home here.

Following my weekend in the hotel, it was time to move into my apartment. I was quite nervous as this would be my first time living away from home, but I was also very excited at the thought of having my own space and being independent. I unpacked my bags and introduced myself to my new roommates who were very welcoming and helped me to settle in. The apartment is only a 20-minute bus from the city, so it is very accessible, and the area has very safe feel to it.

After having a day or two in my apartment to find my feet, it was time to start work. I spent my first week working the breakfast shift so I could meet everyone and familiarise myself with the hotel and how it operates before moving into the restaurant the following week. It was quite overwhelming to see the large scale at which they work at having only worked in smaller restaurants before but I was excited to be experiencing something new. The head chef was very welcoming and taught me all the basics so my transition into the restaurant  would be as smooth as possible. The restaurant is called BABA and specialise in Lebanese/Middle eastern Cuisine, I love this kind of food and have always had an interest in the cuisine so this was a very exciting prospect for me. 

Exciting times are ahead, more soon.

All the best, James