We know there can be a lot of uncertainty about what to expect when moving somewhere new. We asked young people from armed forces families what they thought was most important to know and be ready for when moving to Scotland.
“The weather is crazy, prepare for everything in one day!” – Scotland can be sunny one minute and rainy the next! Check the weather before heading out so you dress appropriately.
“The people here will talk to anyone.” – If you’re somewhere new and find yourself lost, ask for directions. It can be scary for some people to strike up conversations but people are usually always happy to help if you need it.
“School systems are different.” – You might end up hearing about things you don’t quite understand at first but you can prepare yourself by reading up a little on what schools are like in Scotland.
“Learn the slang.” – There’s a lot of slang words in Scotland, you can learn a few of them here to get started!
“Find hobbies in your area” – Ask a family member to look into local activities in your new area in advance, or do your own research online to find age appropriate clubs you could join.
In the end, everyone’s experience with Scotland will be different. Your day-to-day life can vary depending on where you live so try to be kind to yourself and take things slowly as you get comfortable with your new surroundings.
But don’t take it from us, here’s a small piece written by a young volunteer at Forces Children Scotland:
A lot of people feel unhappy when they move. Yeah, it’s exciting but you are leaving everything and everyone you know and that’s quite jarring and scary. Personally I don’t like to bleed my heart out about things, and it makes me feel really awkward when I do open up, so what I do is when I move I instantly find something to distract me from what I’m feeling. Opening up is the best way to deal with your problems but I know it’s not always easy or what you want to do. So if you feel like that, try and keep your mind occupied and it will all work out.
Remember you’re not alone! Below you’ll find some advice and helpful info from some of the young volunteers at Forces Children Scotland.