But, for today, a quick list of things Scotland (and the UK more generally) does right:
1) Health care.
Yes, there is grumbling about long wait times and the fact that people may not be getting top-line care from the National Health Service. But here was our experience of getting health care in Scotland:
- We arrived in Scotland for my job
- Human resources told me to go check in at my local health centre
- We checked in at Ryehill Health Centre, just up the hill from our house
- We gave them a little bit of information (our passports and visas and immunization records for the kids)
- Now we can call them whenever we need health care.
- It costs nothing out of pocket. No out of pocket costs for prescriptions either.
- If you need care on the weekend, you call a national number that does triage with you and tells you where to go to get help.
2) Fresh, local food
This was a sign I took a picture of today outside the larger Tesco (large UK supermarket chain) in Dundee city centre. It's really common to see meat and dairy labeled as Scottish or British. There is a local butcher and a local grocer just a few blocks up the hill. When Paul asked where the Christmas turkey we ordered was from, the butcher pointed across the River Tay, approximately 15 minutes away by car.
Things also have a more limited shelf life. I told my (English, but has lived in Scotland 20+ years) boss that milk in the US will stay good in your refrigerator for a week. She was appalled. Milk is really only good here for 3-4 days after being opened. Fewer preservatives, I guess. Organic food is also common, and often as cheap (sometimes cheaper) that the non-organic item.
Even the small market just up the hill (which is bigger than a US convenience store, but would probably charge premium prices in the US anyway) advertises their Scottish/British foods (and the prices for most items are comparable to the large chains like Tesco).
3. Walk-ability
We do have a car here, which is convenient, especially when traveling around the local area. But like most of Europe, Scotland is much more walkable and accessible by public transit. I can walk to work in about 10 minutes. Walk Audrey to school in about 15 minutes. Walk to the city centre in 20 minutes. And I could take the bus to these places even faster. I can really get everywhere I need to go, and many places I want to go (singing rehearsal, the cinema) by walking. And everybody walks. There is no such thing as a school bus...literally everyone walks to school, or takes the city bus there. And in the city centre there are always scores of people (proper Scottish would be "loads of people") walking around, shopping, visiting the library, having coffee, all walking from place to place. Don't get me wrong, Dundee does have shopping centers and strip malls - but they are not the norm, and you have to work a bit to get there. I kind of like that (although I do miss Target for one stop shopping...not really a familiar concept around here).
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