Kindness, Empathy, and Exploration

Today, I and the amazing Doralyn Rossmann (punster extraordinaire) took 16 MSU students up and down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. We did all the things that tourists here do: We visited Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Castle, and had a lovely tour provided by Kiersten--the Blue Badge Guide who has taught my students about Scotland since 2015. The day was spectacular--66 degrees, sunny, with a bright blue sky. Our first full day in Scotland did not disappoint.

After walking ten miles, our group convened to discuss our insights from the day. The students all had interesting insights into Scotland--the juxtaposition of the new with the old, the lack of racial diversity, the surprising number of tourists and the wide array of languages spoken, and the layers of history in Scotland--with buildings and traditions older than our own country. But the observation that struck me the most in the moment was made by one of my students who has a gluten allergy. She was struck by how kind and helpful she found Scots in helping her navigate menus in restaurants, and how appreciative she was for this kindness. She remarked that at home, in the United States, she has found that when she divulges her allergies at eateries, she is often treated poorly. Servers and hosts express annoyance when they have to prepare food differently to accommodate her allergy. She shared that at times, when she has sent food back that has been in the presence of gluten accidentally (when a bun is mistakenly put on a sandwich), sometimes servers will simply take the bun off and send the meal back--this despite the fact that even traces of gluten can have severe health consequences for her.

Conversely, her experience in Scotland has been one of empathy. Servers patiently work through recipe ingredients, making suggestions. Others have extensive recipe books they provide her and another student with allergies to make sure the students will not come into contact with anything harmful to their health. Another remarked at how helpful EU regulations are in identifying, consistently and clearly, possible allergens located in packed foods shelved in markets. In fact, we made a special trip to Marks and Spencer to load this student up with food she could safely eat--and her basket was quickly full in 15 minutes. And, best yet, the food was SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper than what she'd pay back home.

This makes it far easier for my students to enjoy one of the best parts of travel: Experiencing other cultures through food. Three of my students, including one with those food allergies, tried Indian food for the first time tonight. They came away as converts--and most importantly, the student with food allergies was easily able to explore without any fear of negative health consequences.

All of this resonates with one thing I've come to appreciate about Scotland: The kindness I feel here. Sure, Scotland and Scots can be rough around the edges as they themselves will admit, but in many respects, there is an effort to be inclusive and supportive of people. I remember back in 2017 when we visited an SNP campaign office, I suggest that I and my students would happily campaign on the doors for them during the election (we had done so for Labour and the Tories in London), but I thought our American accents would be a detriment. No, assured the office manager, it would not matter at all. If you lived in Scotland, you were a Scot--full stop.

Inclusiveness and kindness. Two qualities I've come to appreciate about Scotland and its people.