The town of Dollar in the county of Clackmannanshire, Scotland is actually quite similar in its layout to Culver, Indiana. It is a small town, with a respected high school at its heart. Its charming village is surrounded by farmland and rural country scenes. But this is where the likeness stops. Instead of farm cows, fluffy sheep graze for miles. Instead of lakehouses, ancient stone houses line the streets. And instead of cornfields, mountains can be seen far into the distance.
As far as shopping goes, Dollar keeps it simple. A Co-op (the grocery store), a few art galleries, a few more pubs, a paper shop, a miniature bridal store. The best lunch spot, I have heard, is the Cafe Des Fleurs-- where Dollar Academy girls like to go on lunch breaks. I myself have only yet gotten tea, but I'm sure I will be spending much more time (and money) there in the future. There is also a small museum, where visitors can experience the rich past of this tiny village.
Just out of town, however, is the beautiful Dollar Glen. I'm told "glen" means "valley," but it's more of a mountain walk decorated with beautiful falls and vibrant life. The long and rugged walk up the trail, however, is rewarded by Dollar's own Castle Campbell. I've only seen the building so far after my hike up the mountain, but I hope to explore it before school gets to be too much.
As for the school, it is actually smaller than Culver-- 70 acres, and while it has the equal of 800 students, they are spread out from ages 5 to 18. Students are more commonly day students than boarding students, with only about 90 of the latter. My boarding house is one of two for girls, named Heyworth House (and I have a single room!). The facilities otherwise are excellent, from what I have seen, and an excellent place to live, learn, and make new friends
Despite my eagerness to stay in Dollar for the year, I am already daydreaming of where to travel when the opportunity presents itself. Amsterdam? Paris? Rome? Maybe somewhere unexpected? There is so much to see and not enough time to try and experience everything.
But, knowing myself, I definitely will try.
You know what the photo of the castle reminds me of, right? ;)
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