Those strange Scots: Social attitudes and values. Scotland through the eyes of a Russian migrant

Text: Yulia Krivonosova

In 2015 I graduated from my bachelor's degree in Russia with a degree in Political Science. I liked studying, and therefore, at the beginning of my fourth year, I thought about how to continue my studies. By that time, my scientific interests had already fully formed, and I decided that I wanted to study Central and Eastern Europe, especially Poland.

In Russia there were several options, but none of them included a scholarship on which I could live, and I wanted to devote most of my time to study rather than work. Then I began to look for options in Europe. That’s how I accidentally came across the master’s program “Russia, Central and Eastern Europe” at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. It was an interdisciplinary program, which, judging by the description, should be of interest to political scientists, international affairs specialists, and regional scientists. In addition, it turned out that this is a double degree program and the second year can be spent at one of the partner universities in Central and Eastern Europe, among which was the best university in Poland.

On paper, it looked like this program was specifically written for me. In December 2014, I submitted my documents, a couple of days later I received an invitation, and in March 2015 I found out that I had won a scholarship.

Admission

It was easy to do. All that was required was to send a standard set of documents by e-mail: a motivation letter, recommendations and evaluations. There were no tests, exams on subject knowledge or interviews, so admission was calm. As it turned out later, two or three places are usually allocated for the whole of Russia, but then, to my peace of mind, I didn’t know about it.

When applying to UK universities, you need to understand that if you are willing to pay for your own education and do not apply to Oxford or Cambridge, you will most likely be accepted. Therefore, the main problem is not entering a British university, but finding funding. Because of this, everything usually happens like this: first of all, you find out whether you are accepted into the university, and the answer about funding may come in three to four months. It’s important not to be overjoyed ahead of time: it can be quite unpleasant.

University

The University of Glasgow is incredibly beautiful. It's one of the oldest universities in the UK, so whether you're attending a lecture in the spiral staircase tower or taking a break in the arcaded courtyard, you'll definitely feel like you're at Hogwarts. The university is visited by an incredible number of tourists every year.

There is always something to do here besides study: there is an insane number of closed clubs and communities to choose from, from lovers of the Russian language to lovers of vodka. In addition, on the campus there is a multi-story sports hall, which has everything from a swimming pool to golf and fencing areas. Each university building has several student cafes and bars. Many of them were organized by students themselves - for example, last year they managed to get money from a well-known alcohol company to renovate and expand one of the premises. So that you can better imagine student government at the University of Glasgow, I will only add that from 2014 to 2017, Edward Snowden was the student representative to the university leadership (the so-called student rector).

At first, I was shocked by the segregation of undergraduate students and subsequent levels: separate university bars are open only to masters, graduate students and teachers, there are even separate floors in libraries and entire lounges in buildings with classrooms, to which bachelors are prohibited from entering. However, all this ends with groups of bachelors constantly hovering at the doors to the coveted rooms, trying to rush past those entering or openly asking one of the master’s students to take them inside. In my opinion, all this works rather to create in students a desire to continue studying at any cost, regardless of how much they really need it (this was well described in the 2014 film “The Ivory Tower”).

The educational process at the University of Glasgow is not at all similar to the Russian one: for ten thousand pounds sterling a year (the minimum cost of studying for a master's degree in the UK for students from countries outside the European Union), you are taught only by two or three classes a week. Everything else is self-study: being a student gives you access to the library (and it is really huge in Glasgow), where, as expected, you need to master most of the subject. In addition, individual consultations with teachers are possible by agreement.

For the first six months of my master's program "Russia, Central and Eastern Europe", we studied two compulsory subjects: research methods and a general course on Russia, Central and Eastern Europe. Each lecture in both courses was taught by a new teacher, and for us it was a kind of “talent show”: we had to choose under whose leadership and on what topic to write a thesis. In addition, the study of regional languages ​​(which includes Russian, Polish, Hungarian and Czech) was mandatory. Additionally, small seminars were organized where we discussed our written work, plans for our diploma, criticized each other’s work and gave advice. In the second half of the year we chose the subjects ourselves; in many courses, each student himself was required to teach a lesson to his classmates.

If we talk about who mainly goes to study in Scotland, then these are Americans (especially those who want to study in Europe, but are not eager to learn foreign languages, and those for whom studying in the USA is quite expensive); Chinese (mostly children of wealthy parents who were not accepted to study in the USA because of low scores, and therefore had to go to the UK; at my university, in some courses there were up to 90% of students from China), students from the European Union, etc. how education in Scotland is free for them. Interestingly, EU citizens can study in Scotland for free, but English, Irish or Welsh people cannot.

At the University of Glasgow, few people follow a formal business style. They wear whatever they have to: leggings with the emblems of the University of Glasgow Sports Association are commonplace. They bring pillows and homemade soups to the library: many come here at opening time to take a free seat, and leave at two in the morning. Students often leave some of their things in the library (including a computer) at their workstation, go to a lecture, to the gym, to the grocery store, and then return.

Adaptation

Before leaving, everyone and everything they could think of frightened me with their Scottish accent. In reality, there is no big problem: firstly, most of the teachers are not Scots, and secondly, in Scotland there is a stereotype that a strong accent is perceived as a sign of provincialism, so parents often invest money in their children’s education so that their accent is less replaceable. I've only encountered a strong Scottish accent where you can't understand a word, only a couple of times.

Therefore, I would advise those who have yet to go to Scotland to think not about how to understand the Scottish accent, but about how to generally improve their level of English before the trip, because studying in English in Europe and studying in English in the UK, where the majority are native speakers, are different things. In my program, they easily deducted points for missing an article with the wording “it’s clear from your essay that you are not a native speaker,” despite the fact that I studied in an international program and it was obvious that many are not native speakers of English. And in general, if you speak English poorly, slowly or uncertainly, they will interrupt you and give the floor to someone else.

Also, before your trip, you should read about how to understand what meaning is hidden behind a seemingly polite phrase or approval. British primness is, of course, a stereotype, but not without foundation: for example, my teacher never directly said that the lesson was over. Usually she would pause and then say something like, “It’s so polite of you to still be here.”

Some of the stiffness of the academic community is more than compensated for by ordinary people. I haven’t gone a day without a stranger on the street talking to me: in a queue for coffee, in public transport, in a park, in a store, Scots start a conversation very easily. Thanks to this, I found many friends in Scotland, and also learned a lot of interesting things about Russia. For example, some Scots were sure that Russia was part of the EU.

What many were really unprepared for was the lack of central heating: some apartments had no radiators at all. Some of my classmates found out about this after they had already moved into the apartment after signing a one-year contract. Since the house was old, and also with high ceilings, it was not easy to heat the apartment with heaters. We saved ourselves as best we could: from ironing the bed before bed to covering ourselves with bottles of hot water and spending the night in the library, where it was warm. Luckily, I lived in a hostel with central heating. But for a room there you had to pay at least one and a half times more than for an apartment. This is the specificity of hostels in the UK: they are always more expensive than apartments; it is believed that a hostel is for those who do not want to make efforts to find housing.

As for the weather, on the advice of students from the previous graduation, before the trip I purchased waterproof outerwear and shoes. It’s not that they weren’t useful to me - everything was in place. But, in my opinion, the fears are exaggerated: there were no more rainy days and threats of flooding than in my native St. Petersburg, and there were plenty of sunny days, and by the end of May I was already tanned. In addition, because of the Gulf Stream, everything blooms much earlier than in continental Europe.

Glasgow as a whole turned out to be a very lively city: bars and pubs, parks and gardens, where office workers come to eat lunch during the day and in the evening to barbecue meat on the public barbecues installed by the city; museums and theaters, including one designed by Zaha Hadid, world-class music venues. All this is not surprising for a city where 40% of the population is under 29 years old. But at the same time, living in Glasgow is very comfortable, and here, in my opinion, it is easy to maintain a balance between work and personal life. In addition, I never had to worry about my safety. Of course, my positive experience stems from the fact that I lived and studied in the West End, a very prosperous area centered around the university. But in Glasgow there are still places with high crime rates, but they are becoming fewer and fewer. And although several years ago the city was recognized as the crime capital of Britain, in a couple of years it was possible to reduce the crime rate by 50% - an impressive result.

What's next?

I am currently studying at a university in Poland, which is part of a double degree program, which is largely why I applied to the program in Glasgow. But so far all comparisons between Scotland and Poland are not in favor of the latter.

After finishing my studies, I would love to stay in Scotland. I manage to get along with the locals, during my studies I was able to develop contacts and become immersed in Scottish history and modern politics. Scotland has a harmonious combination of nature and large modern cities: I love, when living in a big city, being able to take public transport and within an hour be in a national park or on a rocky cliff by the sea. In addition, the Scots are really open to migrants and, in my experience, are quite welcoming to foreigners.

But staying in Scotland is not so easy. A student visa gives you an additional four months after graduation to find a job. But even if you are successful in finding a job, it is not a fact that you will be able to obtain a work visa: your position must meet certain requirements, you must receive a salary of at least twenty-five thousand pounds sterling per year, the employer must provide you with a sponsorship letter, and a list of organizations that the right to issue such a letter is small. Although, of course, nothing is impossible.

1) Accommodation. A multi-bed motel room with bunks costs between £18 and £25 per night. A private hotel room costs between £60 and £500 per night. with the names of economy class hotels and reviews from tourists.

On our last visit, the four of us stayed in an excellent 2-room apartment with a kitchen at a price of 100 pounds per week!!! (I recommend the site that all Britons use to find similar temporary apartments for about 18 pounds per day per family:) And after settling in, we looked all over Scotland by train.

This visit actually turned out to be original: the four of us lived for free for a week with a work friend of mine, as a token of gratitude I simply designed and decorated his interior at my own expense (the decor and furnishing of 2 rooms cost 280 pounds, if interested, see the article about " Decor the size of a suitcase" in my diary...)


2) Inspection of museums, castles and other historical attractions. Almost all state museums are open to tourists for free, although some special exhibitions will cost around £10 to enter. Entry to Edinburgh Castle will cost the average tourist £25. In large cities, you can save money by taking walking tours. As a rule, they are free.

But tour operators are silent about purchasing a pass - a travel pass for free access to a bunch of attractions. And I’ll share: on this site you can independently buy a 3-5 day pass or even an annual subscription for 85 pounds in total to visit more than 70 castles and attractions in Britain (not only England or only Scotland, those separate passes are called National Trust and work only on separately either in England or in Scotland, which is not profitable....)

Here is a map of attractions and castles that can be visited with this pass:

3) Food. When in the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, you can save some money on food by sticking to classic pubs. The average cost of a regular breakfast with a drink will be no more than £10. In high-service restaurants, the cost of breakfast, including a drink, will increase to around £25.

If you prefer to cook your own meals, the average food cost will be no more than £60 per week. Pay attention to the sleeping pubs-cafes, in Edinburgh they are called , or Monster Mash Cafe. Lunch costs £4.95 and includes a large bowl of soup and a main course - usually a huge selection of bratwursts and mashes, served with horseradish, caramelized onions and roasted bell peppers, and toasted bread in tomato sauce.


>The first rule of a tourist in Scotland is to never eat at the first cafe you come across in the center of, for example, Edinburgh. Please note that the further you are from the center, the cheaper the prices in cafes and shops! Here are the prices for products in stores: at Aldi or Lidl:

Doctor's sausage (Polish or German) - 70 pence per pack, smoked salmon from 1.7 to 2.4 pounds per pack, you can even buy Kiev cutlets here, sliced ​​bread from 80 pence per loaf.

If you're staying in an apartment with a kitchen, you can take semi-finished chicken legs in barbecue sauce, or a lot of other goodies like lasagna and shepherd's pie for only 1-2 pounds per pack, if you come across Sunsbury's along the way - take lamb cutlets 6 pieces in 2 .5 pounds will cost you, or 8 popsicle ice creams for 1 pound (choice of dark or milk chocolate, milk is tastier :-))

And in general, given that there are a huge number of “Everything by the Pound” stores in Britain where you can buy 12 eggs or 1 kg. sugar and candy-cookies-muffins-chocolate-cocoa-coffee-leaf tea-bacon-bread, etc. all for the price of 1 pound. It’s stupid to be afraid of spending all your money on food. This is not Moscow!

And Chinese-Indian-Japanese cheap restaurants in Scotland are thriving with food absolutely adapted to European stomachs! Did you know that such a popular Indian dish as TIKKA MASALA was invented in Scottish Falkirk, when, at a client’s request to make gravy for Indian chicken, the indignant chef poured ketchup, mayonnaise and seasonings into a frying pan, poured this mixture over the client’s chicken and the dish took root and spread throughout the world like our Russian beef stroganoff!

Attention, advice on how to eat in a restaurant for free:

Sign up as a volunteer at a museum or castle, after working for half a day clearing the site, like on a cleanup day (and the slopes along the castles are now in a deplorable state), the compassionate administration will offer you lunch in a cafe or if you cut firewood from the branches collected at the cleanup work, stacking them under the sign " free woodpile”, then chances are that the chef at your local restaurant will give you a £50 per person free lunch voucher in exchange for that woodpile!

For our family, for example, this happened several times, and we dined at the Turkish restaurant at both the Italian and Scottish culinary colleges. If you are passing through the city of Stirling on WEDNESDAY, keep in mind that on this day from 4-6 pm you can get an excellent 4-course lunch (haggis appetizer with mashed potatoes and carrots, escalopes with rice/fries + bagel + vegetable salad, separate salad optional, and dessert to boot - a miracle of culinary delight), served at the highest level of a restaurant for only 5.9 pounds per person, as it is prepared by apprentice chefs.
(Community center is the website of the culinary college, in my opinion forthwalley.ac.uk)

This is what the castle slope looked like before our cleanup day



And this is what it looks like now!


Photos of the cleanup event are attached at the end of the article :-)


4) Transport. Local council bus fares are £2.00. You can also hire a tour bus, which will show you around the main attractions of Scotland and will cost approximately £200.

For the last 4 years I have been traveling around Britain by intercity buses. The cost of a one-day return ticket for such a bus for a family of 2 adults + 2 children under 15 years old is only 10 pounds!

There are night buses where you can sleep as if in a reserved seat carriage - Blankets and pillows are provided, as well as dry rations in the evening and in the morning of a cake-cake-cookies + juice. It's worth traveling on a company sleeper bus like this Megabass-Gold, London to Edinburgh or London to Glasgow from £12 per person per night!

A very convenient option to save on a hotel - you left London at 11 o'clock, and they woke you up at 7.20 am already in Edinburgh. And train fares have literally dropped since this September - you can get 24 pounds from London to Edinburgh one way.

5) What can you visit in Scotland?So, there are places, so to speak, of “public use” aimed at international tourists - Edinburgh, Stirling Castle, Fort William, Loch Ness and others like them, there are also places for local history buffs, castles, gardens, and for extreme sports enthusiasts: paragliding, rock climbing, bikes, trekking, surfing...

At the station or in any castle-museum at the counter you will find booklets laid out, from which you will decide what you want to see more - a bunch of gardens and parks:

Or historical interesting places:

Firstly, visit Edinburgh, which is rich in beautiful medieval cobbled streets, parks, museums and even, according to old-timers, ghosts. Don't hesitate to visit Edinburgh Castle, which is a symbol of the former power of the Scottish Kingdom and fits perfectly into the history of the city.

Secondly, visit the University of Glasgow by taking a walking tour (in Glasgow, half a day is enough, no matter what they say about enjoying the architecture of this city, but in my opinion, it’s not worth spending more than one day on this city, which is more specialized for shopping and administrative, educational and social life...) The main museum of the university and its art gallery in the Spanish Baroque style, founded in 1892, are interesting.

Third, visit the abbey Melrose "the Melrose Abbey". According to legend, the heart of the distinguished Scottish monarch Robert I the Bruce rests in the ruins of a Cistercian abbey. This monastery was repeatedly destroyed by the British in the 14th century, but due to the harmony of the remains of the abbey with the surrounding nature, this historical monument attracts a huge number of tourists from all over the world.

Fourth, visit the lake Loch Ness in search of the famous Nessie monster.

Fifth, go to the chapel Rosslyn "the Rosslyn Chapel"and examine its mysterious wonder - a puzzle in the style of symbolism. Try to find the da Vinci code there. Until now, most scientists are trying to solve the mystery of these drawings, especially strange for them is the image of corn, a cereal that did not exist in Scotland for several centuries after the creation of this puzzle.

Rosslyn Chapel - A late Gothic church in Scotland, in the Midlothian village of Roslyn, built in the mid-15th century near Roslyn Castle as the tomb of the Sinclair clan.

The temple was founded in 1446. During the lifetime of the founder, Earl William Sinclair, the foundations for the nave and transepts were laid, 14 figured pillars with intricate ornaments were erected, and the choir and chapel of the Virgin Mary were completed above the crypt, which was probably preserved from an older structure.

After the death of William Sinclair in 1484, construction ceased; his son Oliver later added the roof, but the chapel remained unfinished. It took 40 years to decorate the building with lavish stone carvings.

This carving depicts: animals, plants (roses, lilies, maize, etc.), angels, demons, as well as symbols carved on stone blocks of the fourteen-meter ceiling.

Roslyn Chapel is surrounded by romantic legends. According to one of them, it is believed that if you decipher the symbols located on the ceiling, then using the data received you can make a map and find the place where the Templar treasures are hidden. According to another legend, the crypt with the Sinclair burials is connected by secret passages to a cache where either the Holy Grail is hidden.

The plant patterns on the arches look like ears of maize, and this may indicate that the owners of Roslyn Castle knew about the American continent long before its discovery by Columbus. The most famous legend is about the Disciple's Column. The master went to Rome to complete the column project that had already begun. When he returned from Rome, he saw that his student had already completed the column with all the missing details that he saw in the dream. The talented student counted on the praise of his teacher, but he was very envious; instead of gratitude, he killed his student right in the chapel.

It is said that the column itself resembles the Yggdrasil tree, which, according to Old Norse mythology, connects hell, earth and heaven. The top of the Yggrasil tree is formed by all the constellations of the Zodiac, and the branches, in turn, symbolize the planets of the solar system. The legend about the Holy Grail is also connected with the column, that it is hidden inside the column.

The chapel became widely known thanks to the book and film “The Da Vinci Code”.





In general, traveling through castles, of which there are about three thousand (!) in Scotland, for me personally has always remained an interesting and inexhaustible topic for many years. The main thing on such trips is not to get tired, and to choose places with the greatest crowding of castles, for example, in order to see all the castles of Perthshire it will take at least a week, which means it is more profitable to settle locally in a small town, from which you can already travel by bus or train to the castles.



In the spring, in April, the time when in London the daffodils and crocuses have long since faded and the cherry blossoms, magnolias and lilacs are in full bloom, in Scotland the slopes and fields are still yellow with daffodils, gorse and broom.

And in June the bluebells will bloom, and in August - the heather.






6) Tips for saving money.Firstly, try to take a walk in every city you visit. This allows you to join a free walking tour organized by volunteers especially for tourists.

Secondly, it is known that Scotland is a country of pubs, so try to eat in such establishments. They offer the most refined and sophisticated food, which will cost you much less than food in hotels and restaurants. In addition, thanks to the good nature and unbridled fun of the Scots, only in pubs can you learn the culture and history of this free people.

Third, visit free government museums. Fourthly, there are a lot of free parks in Scotland with beautiful views of lakes and meadows. Take advantage of this. Create a picnic for yourself in nature. We combined a cleanup day and a picnic:






The nature of Scotland is conducive to deep philosophical reflection. The sounds of bagpipes give the impression that you are in a distant land from civilization.
Clean transparent air, bright greenery, mystical castles allow us to say with confidence that Scotland is a magical country that you want to return to again and again...Have a nice trip!

In contact with

Classmates

The beginning of the story

I am a native Muscovite, I have lived all my life in my hometown. She studied and worked in Moscow. I am an English philologist by training. She worked as a school teacher for about five years. When I got married, I didn’t even plan to move. But my husband’s work is related to mobile games. He is a fairly successful developer.

The desire to improve his career growth pushed him to look for work abroad. Thus, one day he was invited to a fairly decent computer game development company in Scotland. We did not refuse, because there is always the opportunity to return back. This is how we ended up as labor migrants in the Scottish town of Edinburgh.

A little about Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the oldest capital of Scotland. It has been considered since 1437 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also the second largest city in the country. The largest is Glasgow, the center of industry in Scotland. Having traveled a lot around Scotland, I realized that Edinburgh is the best city for me. He's perfect, really.


Many people consider Edinburgh gray and dull because the city is built of gray stone. But they simply did not like this beautiful city. Edinburgh is an incredibly beautiful and unique city. Having traveled a lot throughout Scotland and Europe, I have never found a single city with which I could compare it.

An extraordinary combination of elegant architecture of antiquity, closeness to nature and modern comfort.. You will find everything in Edinburgh: the most beautiful castles on the mountain of an extinct volcano, and the comfort of modern areas and streets, and delightful hills, beaches, parks and forests.. The climate is quite mild. Summers are slightly cool - no more than +23 degrees, but winters are warm - about 0 degrees.

Continuation of the journey

Trying to comfortably integrate into Scottish society, I immediately encountered the first difficulties. The most surprising thing is that the language barrier became such. This was somewhat shocking, because I am an English philologist, plus I passed the international IELTS exam very well. The problem turned out to be the local accent.

He is so individual and specific that sometimes it seemed to me as if the Scots were speaking their own language and I didn’t understand them at all. At first I was very worried and upset about this and tried to imitate the Scottish accent. But then I relaxed and everything went by itself. Of course, my speech is still noticeably different, but I no longer worry about it and, most importantly, I have learned to understand the Scots.

The second problem was the temperament of the Scots. Yes, they are extremely polite and well-mannered. They always apologize and behave very delicately. But you are unlikely to feel real closeness and support. These are calm, nice people, but deep down they are wary and aloof from foreigners.

Perhaps the fact is that I have only recently arrived in Scotland and over time they will learn to perceive me as one of their own. I hope that you will make friends too. My opinion is also shared by European friends who come to Scotland.

And yet, the Scots completely misperceive the image of that. It seems to them that this is a slightly backward third world country with eternal cold. Some people even sympathize with me when they find out where I came from, and this is quite annoying. But some would still like to go to Russia.

About finances and expenses

We rent a small apartment almost in the city center. Rent is £625. There is a private courtyard for the residents of the house. The only thing that is not clear to me is the location of the batteries. They do not stand under the windows, but stand wherever necessary. You can even say anywhere - in the corridor or on the wall. Well, since it’s blowing from the windows, there’s very little use for heating.


We eat in restaurants and cafes quite rarely. The local cuisine is quite specific and we can’t get used to dishes that are non-standard by our standards. The average weekly food price is around £70.

In Scotland, I started working as a photographer and noticed some nuances of the Scottish mentality. For example, feminism is far from the last place, including body positivity. Also, many Scots do not get married right away according to their mood, but plan a budget and save for a big wedding.

As for - in this regard, Scotland is simply magnificent. Everything is absolutely free, all services and maintenance. Even for us, for migrants, there is no need to pay for medicine. It is quite difficult to get attached to a clinic, because they are usually overcrowded. Sometimes an appointment opens, and that’s when you need to be in time.

Well, perhaps another small minus, or maybe a plus. Local doctors won't just prescribe you antibiotics. They try to treat with fresh air and vitamins. It is very important to prove the necessity of using antibiotics. And perhaps this is rather a plus, because the thoughtless administration of this medicine leads to sad consequences.

Specific Scotland

Scottish holidays are a very vibrant and interesting spectacle, full of a mixture of cultural heritage, tradition and modernity. There are holidays here for every taste and for every viewer - processions with torches, ritual songs and dances, naked people with body paint, pagan masks and unique rituals.. All this madness looks very beautiful.


The Scots also love to wear kilts. Some grooms even wear a skirt to their wedding because they honor and are proud of their national traditions. The most interesting thing is that in this case, no underwear is worn at all, without which during dancing sometimes the piquant details of the male body become visible. This is how Scottish men like to have fun.

It only takes one visit to Scotland to fall in love with it. Beautiful mountain landscapes, Celtic culture, unique music. It is an independent state within England. It is attractive not only for tourists, but also for emigrants. Many people are thinking about moving to Scotland for permanent residence, and 2019 will be no exception.

View of Edinburgh the capital of Scotland

The country is interested in emigrants because there is a shortage of workers. Many young Scots are moving to England, where the standard of living and earnings is higher. The average age of local residents is 45 years. Life in Scotland is not the cheapest, but here you can find work for both highly qualified specialists and people with low qualifications.

The process of emigration to Scotland is regulated by the laws of England. According to the constitution, every respectable person can stay in the country and work. However, there are rules that should be taken into account. The country has several programs that allow emigrants to adapt.

What programs are there for emigrants?

If you have definitely decided to go and live in Scotland, then first you need to find out what conditions exist there for emigrants. Those who have already decided on their future place of work in a new country have an advantage in obtaining a residence permit.

What visas are available for expats?

If you score a large number of points during testing, then you can get Tier 1. Most often, it is issued to graduates who graduated from higher education institutions in Scotland. In order to obtain this visa, it is not necessary to have an invitation from an employer.

Another type of visa is designed for those who are highly qualified and have a job offer in a company in the country. It has a limitation: you have the right to work only in a company that is ready to officially employ you and has made an offer.

You can get a job on a student visa. You can work no more than 10–20 hours a week. Much depends on what program you are studying in.

People over 16 years of age can apply for this visa.

There is another type of this visa, which is issued to children from 4 to 16 years old so that they can receive education at school.

Student visa sample

Price level in Scotland.

Compared to neighboring England, prices in Scotland are lower, but for many residents they are considered quite high. Even a person with a low income can afford to buy inexpensive housing here. It's cheaper here. The standard of living of Scots is very different. Many of them go to work in England.

Local residents spend a lot of money on transport and housing.

Edinburgh is considered the most expensive city in the country. There are high prices for food, fruits, vegetables, alcohol, and tobacco products. In continental Europe, life is significantly cheaper and there are more social benefits. In order to eat quality food in Scotland you need to have a high level of income. Products from an economy-class store are of fairly low quality, and very often have neither aroma nor taste.

When it comes to clothing, you can buy quality clothes inexpensively in Scotland. A fairly large number of Russians live in the country, there are restaurants, schools, shops, and hairdressers. An emigrant from Russia will not feel separated from his fellow countrymen here.

What is required to obtain Scottish citizenship?

Based on the above, you should think through everything very carefully. In this regard, many European countries have a more stable system of social benefits for emigrants. In order to obtain Scottish citizenship, you must have been legally married for at least five years. By the way, the same rule applies to those emigrants who came for permanent residence on a work visa. That is, marriage to a Scot will not speed up the process of obtaining a Scottish passport.

In order to obtain a civil identity document, you need to have a good knowledge of the official language of England, or Celtic, and have a permanent job and housing. In addition, you need to be law-abiding.

All this data is verified by the authorities after submitting the appropriate application. It is reviewed within six months. Sometimes the review takes longer.
If everything is in order, then you need to undergo an interview and testing.

Before passing the exam, the candidate will undergo a mandatory ESOL with citizenship course.

But this rule does not apply to everyone, but only to those who do not know the main language of the country well. If the candidate is fluent in English, then the procedure is not necessary for him.

After the emigrant has successfully passed the test and the inspection authorities have confirmed his integrity, he is invited to the naturalization procedure. During it, a person swears allegiance to the British monarchy. After this he is considered a full citizen of Scotland.

1. The Scots believe that a black cat on the porch promises happiness and prosperity in the house.

2. The Whig political party in modern Britain has roots far back in the Middle Ages. Wigamores were the Scots' name for the poor people who opposed English rule in Scotland.

3. Scotland has the shortest flight - it lasts 74 seconds! In almost a minute and a half you can fly from the island of Vastra to the island of Papa Vastra.

4. In Scotland, there is a fine that a man must pay if a woman proposes to him and he refuses.

5. Charles Mackintosh, born in Glasgow, invented the raincoat in 1824. In English, the word “Mac” is still used to describe this item of clothing.

6. Bobby the dog, who sat on the grave of his deceased owner for 14 years, lived in Edinburgh.

7. Lucky Diamond Rich - leopard man - lives in Scotland. 99% of his body is covered with a tattoo that follows the pattern of the animal.

8. Edinburgh has more monumental buildings than any other city in the world!

9. There are 14 universities in Scotland, and most of them are the oldest in the world. Education in Scotland has always played a very important role.

10. The Scots prefer to spend their free time in their gardens, planting and caring for flowers.

11. The residents’ favorite drink is German beer. Of course, after Scotch whiskey.

12. Fishing is a favorite pastime of residents. A one-time fishing license costs about $27, about the same as what a person would spend on fish at the supermarket. At the same time, when fishing, you catch exactly enough fish to eat lunch. The rest of the fish are released back into the river.

13. 14% of Scots are redheads. This is the largest percentage. In Russia, red-haired people make up 0.7% of the population.

14. A one-time license can also be obtained for hunting – and for a specific animal. Animals are not at all afraid of people, you can even feed them by hand. Hunting is prohibited in Scotland, except on one-off licences.

15. The Scots strictly observe dietary standards. Stores sell milk with a fat content of no more than 1%, and meat is bought exclusively from farmers. The Scots always have a lot of fish and vegetables on their table. Food is prepared for two days; nothing is stored in the freezer as a reserve.

16. The Scottish Bank is the first bank in the entire Kingdom. It was founded in 1695 and was the first to print its own banknotes.

17. Scots live on average 95 years!

18. The best whiskey is produced at the Glenlivet winery.

19. The city of Aberdeen has the largest oil deposits in the world.

20. The largest attraction in the country is the Edradour factory in Pitlochry. Whiskey is produced here, and more than 100,000 tourists come to see it every year.

21. One of the residents’ favorite activities is throwing logs. Entire competitions are held to see who can throw the log the farthest.

22. Kilts are worn only on holidays, mainly at weddings. Color and pattern are a family protected mark that is passed down through generations in each family.

24. 5 million people live in Scotland. It is surprising that the same number of Scots live in the USA and Canada according to the 2014 census.

25. The bagpipes, kilt and tartar we associate with Scotland were actually invented in other countries.

26. Whiskey was invented by the Chinese. The Scots only learned about this drink in the 16th century and very soon became the best at making it.

27. On weekends, Scots go to greyhound racing and place bets.

28. The Scottish language is actually English, but with one, most important, difference: the Scots read all the letters without missing a single sound. So, the word government in Scots will sound “government”, with a clear pronunciation of all consonants.

29. The Scots are very seasoned people. Even infants are not wrapped in warm clothes before going for a walk. Children are accustomed to the cold from childhood.

30. Scots care about nature and love cleanliness. There is no garbage here, and after rain or snow there is not even dirt on the streets.