Castle Rock Hostel

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Home sweet home. All the 'long-termers' that live there (around 75 or so) became family to me. We had a big open lounge with a fantastic view of old town, with a pool table and jukebox and lots of comfy couches. We also had a movie room with a projection screen, a fully stocked kitchen, and a quieter lounge with a piano and a view of the castle - which was right across the street. I lived downstairs in a long-term room for 4 months and then moved to the staff room for 7 months after I started working there regularly. We had pub crawls and pool competitions every week, and, if the weather was nice, BBQ's out on the patio.

I first stayed at the hostel twice in September of '06 before moving into my dorms for Edinburgh University. I liked it so much I came back again the day after I graduated in June of '08 - I floated around a few friends' flats for the summer to save money, but eventually moved back to the hostel when I discovered its magic (and that you could work off your rent!). I also worked at a pub a few doors down, so a big part of my life was here on Johnston Terrace. Because we were in the center of Old Town, which was a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there were always bagpipe sounds floating in through the window. I left the hostel July 9th of '09 after a big farewell party with the hostel family. Our tradition is to have everyone sign a Scotland flag and present it to the person who's leaving. I have mine hung over my bed right now - I miss everyone so much and would give anything to be back home with them.

Hostel life is definitely not for everyone; lots of people have come and gone who haven't appreciated its rhythms and lifestyle. But for me, as well as my friends there, there is certainly something inspiring and endearing about bunking with people who begin as strangers and end up as sisters and brothers. When I talk about living in a hostel, the first thing people ask is if the lack of privacy drove me crazy. The thing is, at Castle Rock, you don't always need privacy the way you need it in the real world. I personally adored always having someone to chat with while I brushed my teeth, no matter what time of day it was. I loved how ten of us would pitch in for a delicious homemade meal that we would cook together and feast on. I was so grateful when thoughtful little presents would appear on my pillow for no reason at all, or inside jokes written on scrap paper would appear in my pockets. All the horrible qualities you remember about old college roommates don't apply when your roommates are open-minded world travelers that you share your life with. I wouldn't trade all that kinship and bonding in for an empty, dark, single bedroom. Ew.

Being welcomed into a diverse, international family, learning colloquial sayings in different languages, dating and fighting and working with and standing up for and taking care of so many people who take care of you on a daily basis - it's a demented form of paradise. But it is paradise nonetheless, and part of my heart definitely got stuck in the doorway on my way out.

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