Edinburgh is a truly international city. As you walk its most touristy streets you're almost as likely to hear any number of languages as you are English, something that plays with your mind occasionally. The university itself is no exception, drawing students from across Europe and the rest of the world. Of particular note is the large population of Americans (which, of course, I am part of.) We are so numerous that some of my tutorials (which is the equivalent of a discussion section at GW) are 30 or 40% American. This means that in addition to witnessing myself I've had plenty of other people to watch and learn what mistakes we make. Here, in no particular order are some common mistakes I've observed.
1. Not looking the right way before crossing the street: Now this is something I'm certainly guilty of. Having spent all but a week of my life prior to my arrival here in a country where we drive on the right side of the road it has been hard to get accustomed to looking for cars driving on the left. I've never had any close calls because I've made a habit of playing it extra safe but it definitely takes me substantially longer to make sure that it is safe to cross now than at home.
2. Political rants: America's a lot crazy right now so it's easy to hop into a rant about it. In many situations your take might be welcome but in class these rants tend to drag the conversation off topic. I could probably rant about president Trump and his policies for the entire 50 minutes of the class period but that doesn't advance the discussion. In fact, every question I've heard referencing America could have been answered without diving into current politics but instead were designed to evoke longer more stable trends. Basically, keep you opinion, be ready to discuss it because there will be people interested in knowing your take, but be certain that's really what is being looked for before you start talking.
3. Improper currency conversions: This one is short and simple, make sure you're doing the math properly. One pound is equal to about 1.33 dollars right now. I've heard people look at a 8 pound meal and be like wow, "that's only 5 dollars!" That sort of erroneous math might make you happy right now but there will certainly be a rude surprise waiting for you in your bank account when you return home. (Also, on a side note, always double check the currency for your destination. I overheard some people in the airport discovering that the UK did not use Euros minutes before our departure.)
4. Underestimating the weather: Another overheard story, although this one is not my own. One of my GW friends told me that they heard a girl on her flight who was coming to Scotland to study abroad say that she didn't bring any jacket other than a jean jacket. This would be quite a mistake given both the quantity of rain Scotland receives and the quick rate with which winter is approaching. Make sure you check the average temperatures(and the records for good measure) for the entire time you'll be away before you study abroad.
5. Walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk/path: I'm just kidding, no one knows the right answer on this one, not even the Scottish. It isn't anything like the states where you are expected to default to the right just like you were driving. Instead you should basically just dodge and weave your way through hand hope for the best. With any luck you'll make it to your destination sooner or later and not get swept away by the oncoming crowds.