Ola Olšinová

I came to the UK from Slovakia when I was 17. I studied at a boarding school in England through a scholarship for Eastern European students.

After school, I came to Edinburgh to study at the University. I returned to Slovakia after graduating for a job, but I came back because I loved the city and lots of my friends were still here.

One of my most beloved parts of Edinburgh is the Meadows. It’s a very social, communal place, where I often run into people I know. I do appreciate how Scottish people can turn a sunny day in a park into a festival-like, barbecue-filled garden for all age groups to enjoy

Home for me is something other than just my flat. My apartment is where my things are and where I can be hidden from the world. Home, however, is something from my childhood, a place with memories. It’s where my parents are. It’s a very complex feeling being at home in two places: one where my family and my childhood are, and another where I have built my adult life. But it also means that at most times I am missing one of these places.

Ever since I was at the boarding school, I realised my friends from Czech Republic and Germany had the same toothbrush I did. We were told by our dentists that this is the best toothbrush, and everyone had it in lots of different colours. But none of the British people ever heard of those toothbrushes. I did try other toothbrushes, but they're either too big or too small or they just don't have the right grip. So, I always bring some from Slovakia when I am visiting.