How long can one generally live? Say sixty or seventy? In this sense, two years seems short and unimportant. Yet for me, the last two years has almost been so far the best of my life, in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh has a nickname in Chinese, “The Castle of Love”, a name that already suggests the wonderfulness and romance of this city. Two years ago, before I came, I had some knowledge about Edinburgh, or Scotland. But practice is always the true way of knowing. Since I came, I have experienced so much that I couldn’t have known beforehand, for example the local food, drinks, people and local life. I will always remember the first time I Facetimed my father when I first got here. I was in Georgie Road at the time and I showed him the street view and he said, “Is that It?” Yes, dad, that’s probably it, but no dad, there’s so much more than that. There may not have been many tall buildings, but every small one has a rich history; there may not be broad roads, but the antique paths have witnessed all the changes in this land.

As I’m leaving next week, it’s almost time for me to properly say goodbye to Edinburgh. But saying goodbye is never easy. It’s not easy to say goodbye to the picturesque views five minutes from where I live, to the quiet and calm life that everyone here seems to have, to the friends that I love and to the great burgers (kidding, but not really).

But I guess life is about saying goodbyes, and that is how we grow. When I packed recently, it was like reliving the past two years, and I feel privileged to do so. I’m determined to enjoy my last few days here, finishing all my work and packing, it’s the best way of leaving. And I do wish everyone that I know here the best. The world is big, but we’ll always meet. Well, Soraidh Slàn Edinburgh!