I’ve been in Glasgow for 20 years now, moved up from Newcastle to do my PhD.
I liked Newcastle, it is a great city to be a student in and I found it very welcoming and accepting of pretty much anyone.
I moved to Paisley initially. not for long though, so I kinda try to forget about that few months….moved up to glasgow as soon as I could.
compared to Newcastle, it was a small shock to the system. Hearing drunk men arguing at full volume at 2pm outside central station on a saturday wasn’t what I was used to. then however realising that after the argument, they hugged and went their separate ways, they were just having a drunken conversation..the language is a litle aggressive sounding for my worcestershire middle england ears.
I quickly got used to the banter, the hilarious stuff that comes out of neds mouths and a general acceptance, that in trying to follow glasgwegian conversation I was only going to get about 60% of it.
The city has grown and developed over my 20 years. seems softer and more accessible in areas that were once places to avoid (there are still places to avoid though)
The proper local city people are quite old fashioned, values set in community and family, though west end and more fasionable areas are losing that a fair bit, it still pokes it’s head through.
as said previoulsy, realy good food, really good junk food and really good decent food. especially good for vegan/veggie choices too.
also, music. lots of venues, lots of gigs (when we can sensibly do that stuff again)
it’s all quite welcoming.
short trip out of it and you’re in mountains and scenery.
I keep considering moving back down to my home town of Malvern, but I’d miss the easy access to the variety.