I went on a Highland tour today to the south of Scotland, an area called the Borders.
It was only a few hours, and we had about half as many stops as the first one I went on.
But this was by far, one of my favorite "adventures" so far.
The weather was pretty crappy...cold, rainy, windy, sleet/snow at times, but the sights I saw made up for it.
But I figured out today that I LOVE LOVE LOVE traveling alone.
I can do whatever the heck I want without worrying about stepping on anyone's toes.
And I especially enjoyed a day away from the city, school, flatmates, and everything else about this Scottish life. I NEED my alone time :)
Sometimes I just have to keep pinching myself.
Look around you! You're walking where freakin kings and queens lived out history!
here's a link to my pictures from today:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024030&l=9b137&id=177501993
12.19.2008
12.16.2008
if you can't fight 'em, join 'em
all of my flatmates, including myself, have come down with something this weekend.
a combination of congestion, sneezing, coughing, and just plain crumby-feeling.
so tonight, instead of having pity on ourselves, we made the most of our collective illness.
we shared a jar of vanilla frosting using our fingers as spoons :)
Two of them are leaving to go back to America in only 6 days, and we can't stop talking about how weird it will be on both ends: to go home to a completely different life or to stay in the new one minus the ones that helped form it. To think that we have all come from completely (let me emphasize completely!) different parts of the world, yet all of our lives somehow crossed for just a few short months. And after the term is over, we continue on in our separate ways, probably never to see each other again...as emo as that sounds, it's true :) We may never cross paths again (and some I wouldn't care to!), but for awhile there, we were vital to each other's survival.
I'm not sure why, but this has been fascinating me lately.
a combination of congestion, sneezing, coughing, and just plain crumby-feeling.
so tonight, instead of having pity on ourselves, we made the most of our collective illness.
we shared a jar of vanilla frosting using our fingers as spoons :)
Two of them are leaving to go back to America in only 6 days, and we can't stop talking about how weird it will be on both ends: to go home to a completely different life or to stay in the new one minus the ones that helped form it. To think that we have all come from completely (let me emphasize completely!) different parts of the world, yet all of our lives somehow crossed for just a few short months. And after the term is over, we continue on in our separate ways, probably never to see each other again...as emo as that sounds, it's true :) We may never cross paths again (and some I wouldn't care to!), but for awhile there, we were vital to each other's survival.
I'm not sure why, but this has been fascinating me lately.
12.12.2008
apologies apologies
sorry for the wait.
sometimes I forget people actually read this :)
so what's new...
Dad was just here last weekend and we had SOOOO much fun. I think I wore us both out pretty bad, but it was worth it, right Dad? We went to have lunch at the Edinburgh Castle, then flew to Ireland, drove on the other side of the rode (and the car!), almost blew off the Cliffs of Moher, made some new Irish friends in a pub, had a drink at the infamous Durty Nellies, flew home just in time to climb Arthur's Seat (almost!), then laid low the rest of the weekend just wandering the city eating fish and chips.
you can see pictures here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023797&l=40c8f&id=177501993
Most of my classes end next week, so what am I going to do for the next month, you ask? Well...
Caroline is coming to see me Dec 23-30. No big trips planned, probably just some little day trips around Scotland. Then she overlaps with Taylor who gets into Edinburgh on Dec 29. We'll celebrate New Year's at Edinburgh's Hogmanay, one of the largest New Year's celebrations in the world - literally! Then go to Paris for a few days on Jan 2-5. Then possibly spend a day or so in London before Taylor goes back to the homeland on Jan 8. Then a week of much needed rest before my final guest arrives :) Mom flies into Edinburgh on Jan 15. We'll be taking a short detour over to Sweden for a couple days before flying home together (finally!) on Jan 24.
Wow, I think I'm going to go take a nap. I have a long 6 weeks ahead of me!
views of the Edinburgh Castle around dusk
looking towards the Scott Monument on Princes Street through a canon opening in the Castle wall
Castle walls inside
view of Princes Street, Princes Street Gardens, and the German Market
sometimes I forget people actually read this :)
so what's new...
Dad was just here last weekend and we had SOOOO much fun. I think I wore us both out pretty bad, but it was worth it, right Dad? We went to have lunch at the Edinburgh Castle, then flew to Ireland, drove on the other side of the rode (and the car!), almost blew off the Cliffs of Moher, made some new Irish friends in a pub, had a drink at the infamous Durty Nellies, flew home just in time to climb Arthur's Seat (almost!), then laid low the rest of the weekend just wandering the city eating fish and chips.
you can see pictures here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023797&l=40c8f&id=177501993
Most of my classes end next week, so what am I going to do for the next month, you ask? Well...
Caroline is coming to see me Dec 23-30. No big trips planned, probably just some little day trips around Scotland. Then she overlaps with Taylor who gets into Edinburgh on Dec 29. We'll celebrate New Year's at Edinburgh's Hogmanay, one of the largest New Year's celebrations in the world - literally! Then go to Paris for a few days on Jan 2-5. Then possibly spend a day or so in London before Taylor goes back to the homeland on Jan 8. Then a week of much needed rest before my final guest arrives :) Mom flies into Edinburgh on Jan 15. We'll be taking a short detour over to Sweden for a couple days before flying home together (finally!) on Jan 24.
Wow, I think I'm going to go take a nap. I have a long 6 weeks ahead of me!
views of the Edinburgh Castle around dusk
looking towards the Scott Monument on Princes Street through a canon opening in the Castle wall
Castle walls inside
view of Princes Street, Princes Street Gardens, and the German MarketI forgot I had these pictures from the castle, so I'll try and get some more up on Facebook soon from that afternoon.
12.02.2008
comin to town
very cool sky outside my window. pre-snow.5 Signs The Christmas Season Has Begun In Edinburgh:
1. Vince Guaraldi is playing in ScotMid.
2. The German Market is up and running.
3. Princes Street Gardens has been iced over into a skating rink.
4. Starbucks is using the red cups.
5. It's snowing!
...happy Anna?!
11.28.2008
"im thankful for edinburgh"
My family this year. From the left: Jillian (Connecticut), Kristin (Minnesota), Jennifer (Minnesota), Alayna (New Jersey), and me.
Yesterday was certainly an accomplishment.
My flatmates and I cooked a true Thanksgiving dinner for 15 people.
Complete with decorations, handprint turkeys, and we even forced our foreign guests to go around the table and say something they were thankful for. They didn't quite understand what kinds of things they were supposed to list, so they all said they were thankful for the invitation to dinner :) I guess that counts.
On the menu:
11lb turkey (named Dwight)
homemade stuffing with chestnuts
green bean casserole
mashed potatoes
sweet potatoes in olive oil
broccoli/onion/cheese sauce medley
white baps (Scottish rolls)
cranberry sauce
turkey gravy
homemade pumpkin pies
chocolate mousse pie
red & white wine
and coffee & tea to top it off
No thermometer or baster for the turkey, 1 mixing bowl - yes, ONE, 2 tiny ovens barely big enough for the bird, 3 delicious pies, 4 forks, 5 different American traditions, and 6 hungry Germans. And it actually tasted pretty good!
I'm still in shock that we actually pulled that off. It was truly an accomplishment for all of us.
We decided that we passed the test - we can now all be moms.
see pictures and get more juicy details here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023545&l=cff4d&id=177501993
Now let the Christmas season begin...
11.25.2008
procrastinators unite tomorrow
Princes Street Gardens, below the Edinburgh Castlei think i've been procrastinating lately. like a lot. and with everything, really.
...my 2,000 word paper due on Friday.
...Grant's e-book, sorry to say, Fatty.
...my laundry, i'm not quite out of underwear yet.
...thanksgiving plans.
...blogging :)
...and oddly enough, being homesick.
this was probably the worst weekend yet in regards to missing my family.
i've missed them since the day i stepped on the plane, but i was never miserable about it.
and this weekend, i was definitely miserable.
i put off being homesick by staying busy with everything else Edinburgh has to offer,
and it all caught up with me, punching me straight in the face by sunday night.
i am exactly half way through my journey here, so i guess i held out longer than i thought i would.
11.20.2008
in the news
1. still sick but not as bad.
2. caught up on classes from missing last week.
3. talking to anna right now.
4. cleaning my room later.
5. lost my flash drive on monday. found it.
6. supposed to go to a james morrison concert on sunday, but tickets were sold out.
7. clearly, not much exciting is happening this week.
listening to live folk music at Sandy Bell's Pub a few weeks ago
2. caught up on classes from missing last week.
3. talking to anna right now.
4. cleaning my room later.
5. lost my flash drive on monday. found it.
6. supposed to go to a james morrison concert on sunday, but tickets were sold out.
7. clearly, not much exciting is happening this week.
listening to live folk music at Sandy Bell's Pub a few weeks ago11.15.2008
some of my associates
playing a very interactive card game. me, jessica (from "name a country") and charlie (from edinburgh).
sophia (from los angeles) on her birthday.
this face is for you, grant. me and jon, aka jonny one arm (from Canada, ay)
they're not as dangerous as they look. charlie, again, and whitney (from louisiana).
me, autumn (from alabama), and nick (from canada)
arm wrestling competition. me and osama (from nigeria).11.13.2008
open mic
Last night was monthly Eikon's Open Mic Night.
Last month we were at the sketchy Forrest Cafe, but this month we were able to book the Royal Mile Starbucks for free. It turned out a starkly different crowd than Forrest.
There was a girl, probably early 20s, sitting in doing some homework. Probably a University of Edinburgh student. She obviously noticed the live music playing just a few feet away, and she seemed to enjoy all the acts.
Towards the end of the night, she got up from her seat and approached the microphone.
She stood in front of about 30-40 total strangers and said she had never done anything like this before - she was just minding her own business with her studies.
Then she sang the most beautiful a cappella version of the Beatles' Yesterday. And her audience was absolutely captivated. We were dead silent until the room erupted with applause at the end.
Then she sat down and finished her homework.
What courage.
Last month we were at the sketchy Forrest Cafe, but this month we were able to book the Royal Mile Starbucks for free. It turned out a starkly different crowd than Forrest.
There was a girl, probably early 20s, sitting in doing some homework. Probably a University of Edinburgh student. She obviously noticed the live music playing just a few feet away, and she seemed to enjoy all the acts.
Towards the end of the night, she got up from her seat and approached the microphone.
She stood in front of about 30-40 total strangers and said she had never done anything like this before - she was just minding her own business with her studies.
Then she sang the most beautiful a cappella version of the Beatles' Yesterday. And her audience was absolutely captivated. We were dead silent until the room erupted with applause at the end.
Then she sat down and finished her homework.
What courage.
11.11.2008
how was oslo? dad asked...
lets see....
i woke up sick the day we left and felt terrible all weekend. sore throat, super congested, head ache, body aches, exhaustion.
it took 4 long and crowded bus rides in addition to the flight to get there.
we arrived in oslo city centre around 500pm (having left edinburgh at 700am) and it was sleeting, borderline hailing.
we got lost trying to find our hostel, bus dropped us off in the middle of a highway. after much wandering we found a taxi, thank goodness.
the hostel was out in the middle of nowhere, but it was super nice. like a 5-star hotel compared to our flat in edinburgh. that was good at least.
i went to bed around 8pm and felt even worse when i woke up.
BUT free (and tastey) breakfast at the hostel. that was also nice.
then we caught a tram to the city centre and it resembled a ghost town.
NO ONE was out, i thought maybe there had been a nuclear war I had missed or something. very strange.
nothing really opened until noon so we went to the sculpture park. that was pretty cool, except that it was raining. all day. and everything was dead. plants and flowers and trees. felt like i was back in ice storm 2007!
so then we went to the free museum in the park about the history of oslo. waited for about half an hour unti it opened only to discover that EVERYTHING was in Norwegian. we just walked around looking at pictures wondering what it all meant.
then we wandered around the city in the rain for awhile trying to decide what to do. navigating in norwegian is not easy and deciding on places to visit without making anyone upset was also a job.
so we had a day pass for all city transportation so we went out and rode a fairy around in a circle. would have been much more enjoyable if it wasnt so foggy and my body didnt feel like it was going to spontaneously combust :(
then we ate lunch at a weird little basement diner. i had a shot of whiskey to sooth my throat :) worked for awhile, then wore off. then i later calculated that i paid about 9 bucks for it. oslo is NOT cheap.
then we went to the edvard munch museum which i had been looking forward to all day cause i was so excited to see the scream.
went through the whole museum. no scream. not currently on display they told me at the end. of course. so i bought a postcard of it, close as i got :(
but what was up was still pretty cool.
by this point is was 4pm. already pitch black outside and the entire city had closed down except a mall in the center of town.
it was obvious nothing else was open because im pretty sure ALL of norway was crammed into this one building. very crowded.
and ya know that feeling when you have a ton of air in your stomach and if you could just burp for like 10 minutes straight you'd feel 10 times better?
well thats how I felt at this point and it made me want to throw up all over the mall. i needed some comfort food for dinner, so i had burger king.
at this point i thought my brain was going to explode so i told my traveling companion, "sorry i have to go home and sleep or im going to fall over dead."
so we went home around 6pm and i went straight to bed. then woke up at about 2am after having some super funky "sick dreams."
went to the tv room downstairs and watched a movie on tv with some other "couldnt sleep" people. ate the rest of my french fries. took some medicine.
went back to bed and slept much better. except woke up in the morning dripping in sweat. i now have a fever :)
so we left at 10am to catch a bus to the city centre. then a bus to the airport (figured out why the ryanair tickets are so cheap--the airports arent actually IN the cities).
then waited for 3 hours at the airport for our flight. the flight was only an hour and a half but i went to the bathroom 3 times because my nose would not stop running!
the stewardess thought i was doing drugs probably.
then catch a bus from the airport "in" glasgow to the real glasgow. a few minutes into the bus ride some drunk glasgow teenagers get on and sit right in front of us.
now, glasgow accents are way different than edinburgh accents. they are about 10 times harder to understand; literally a different language.
so a drunk glasgow accent is gibberish. needless to say, they were disgusting. brought on a pack of budweiser (classy) and spilled them everywhere to the point that the bus driver stopped the bus and threatened to kick them off. they were spitting on the floor and screaming lines from Borat the whole hour and half ride.
then we get on the bus in the real glasgow to take us to edinburgh. please, someone take me home to edinburgh!!
that bus ride was also full of drunken teenagers playing music on their cell phones with NO headphones.
that plus my headache plus my throat plus my fountain of a nose and my one soaking wet wad of toilet paper i had left as a kleenex, i literally almost had a nervous breakdown. got off the bus in edinburgh, went to the bathroom (which note: you have to PAY to use a bathroom in a bus terminal. thats right, pay to PEE). i said a few choice words as i searched for 20p to go pee. had a good long cry in the stall. then finished the 30 minute walk back to our flat.
so what did i learn on this trip?
1. always bring kleenex EVERYWHERE
2. oslo must be beautiful in the SUMMER
3. i LOVE edinburgh so much more now
pictures can be viewed here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023250&l=46bd5&id=177501993
i woke up sick the day we left and felt terrible all weekend. sore throat, super congested, head ache, body aches, exhaustion.
it took 4 long and crowded bus rides in addition to the flight to get there.
we arrived in oslo city centre around 500pm (having left edinburgh at 700am) and it was sleeting, borderline hailing.
we got lost trying to find our hostel, bus dropped us off in the middle of a highway. after much wandering we found a taxi, thank goodness.
the hostel was out in the middle of nowhere, but it was super nice. like a 5-star hotel compared to our flat in edinburgh. that was good at least.
i went to bed around 8pm and felt even worse when i woke up.
BUT free (and tastey) breakfast at the hostel. that was also nice.
then we caught a tram to the city centre and it resembled a ghost town.
NO ONE was out, i thought maybe there had been a nuclear war I had missed or something. very strange.
nothing really opened until noon so we went to the sculpture park. that was pretty cool, except that it was raining. all day. and everything was dead. plants and flowers and trees. felt like i was back in ice storm 2007!
so then we went to the free museum in the park about the history of oslo. waited for about half an hour unti it opened only to discover that EVERYTHING was in Norwegian. we just walked around looking at pictures wondering what it all meant.
then we wandered around the city in the rain for awhile trying to decide what to do. navigating in norwegian is not easy and deciding on places to visit without making anyone upset was also a job.
so we had a day pass for all city transportation so we went out and rode a fairy around in a circle. would have been much more enjoyable if it wasnt so foggy and my body didnt feel like it was going to spontaneously combust :(
then we ate lunch at a weird little basement diner. i had a shot of whiskey to sooth my throat :) worked for awhile, then wore off. then i later calculated that i paid about 9 bucks for it. oslo is NOT cheap.
then we went to the edvard munch museum which i had been looking forward to all day cause i was so excited to see the scream.
went through the whole museum. no scream. not currently on display they told me at the end. of course. so i bought a postcard of it, close as i got :(
but what was up was still pretty cool.
by this point is was 4pm. already pitch black outside and the entire city had closed down except a mall in the center of town.
it was obvious nothing else was open because im pretty sure ALL of norway was crammed into this one building. very crowded.
and ya know that feeling when you have a ton of air in your stomach and if you could just burp for like 10 minutes straight you'd feel 10 times better?
well thats how I felt at this point and it made me want to throw up all over the mall. i needed some comfort food for dinner, so i had burger king.
at this point i thought my brain was going to explode so i told my traveling companion, "sorry i have to go home and sleep or im going to fall over dead."
so we went home around 6pm and i went straight to bed. then woke up at about 2am after having some super funky "sick dreams."
went to the tv room downstairs and watched a movie on tv with some other "couldnt sleep" people. ate the rest of my french fries. took some medicine.
went back to bed and slept much better. except woke up in the morning dripping in sweat. i now have a fever :)
so we left at 10am to catch a bus to the city centre. then a bus to the airport (figured out why the ryanair tickets are so cheap--the airports arent actually IN the cities).
then waited for 3 hours at the airport for our flight. the flight was only an hour and a half but i went to the bathroom 3 times because my nose would not stop running!
the stewardess thought i was doing drugs probably.
then catch a bus from the airport "in" glasgow to the real glasgow. a few minutes into the bus ride some drunk glasgow teenagers get on and sit right in front of us.
now, glasgow accents are way different than edinburgh accents. they are about 10 times harder to understand; literally a different language.
so a drunk glasgow accent is gibberish. needless to say, they were disgusting. brought on a pack of budweiser (classy) and spilled them everywhere to the point that the bus driver stopped the bus and threatened to kick them off. they were spitting on the floor and screaming lines from Borat the whole hour and half ride.
then we get on the bus in the real glasgow to take us to edinburgh. please, someone take me home to edinburgh!!
that bus ride was also full of drunken teenagers playing music on their cell phones with NO headphones.
that plus my headache plus my throat plus my fountain of a nose and my one soaking wet wad of toilet paper i had left as a kleenex, i literally almost had a nervous breakdown. got off the bus in edinburgh, went to the bathroom (which note: you have to PAY to use a bathroom in a bus terminal. thats right, pay to PEE). i said a few choice words as i searched for 20p to go pee. had a good long cry in the stall. then finished the 30 minute walk back to our flat.
so what did i learn on this trip?
1. always bring kleenex EVERYWHERE
2. oslo must be beautiful in the SUMMER
3. i LOVE edinburgh so much more now
pictures can be viewed here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023250&l=46bd5&id=177501993
11.06.2008
happy guy fawkes day
Yesterday was the 5th of November (remember remember?), and here in Scotland we celebrate it as Guy Fawkes Day. I spent most of my 5th of November in class, but later I went with some people from church to pass out hot tea to some the homeless (no relation to Guy Fawkes Day), then we went for drinks at Assembly, and then a stroll home through the Meadows (a large park in the center of Edinburgh) watching with fireworks and bonfires through the fog.
So what is Guy Fawkes Day? you ask. I consulted Wikipedia for the same answer and stole this article to share with you all. (NOTE: this may or may not be entirely accurate, thanks to wiki-world.)
So what is Guy Fawkes Day? you ask. I consulted Wikipedia for the same answer and stole this article to share with you all. (NOTE: this may or may not be entirely accurate, thanks to wiki-world.)
Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night, Cracker Night, Fireworks Night, Bommy Night) is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November. It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5th of November, 1605, in which a number of Catholic Guy Fawkes were alleged to be attempting to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, England.
and a lovely poem to go with...-
- Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
- The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
- I can think of no reason
- Why the Gunpowder Treason
- Should ever be forgot.
- Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
- To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
- Three-score barrels of powder below
- To prove old England's overthrow;
- By God's providence he was catch'd
- With a dark lantern and burning match.
- Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
- Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
11.02.2008
day #40
I got pretty homesick this weekend. For no reason either. Nothing really reminded me of anything or anyone at home. It just hit me how long it's been. But I am 1/3 of the way through this crazy adventure. The longer I'm here, the harder it's getting thinking about leaving this place I now call home. But it will make my homecoming even sweeter.
I uploaded some photos on Facebook of some recent happenings in my Scottish life.
Take a look:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023094&l=16c77&id=177501993
Photos are from last weekend at Eikon's Open Mic Night at the Forest Cafe, this past Friday at Kyle's flat for a small Halloween gathering and a "friendly" game of Taboo, and some other random pics from days in the life of Kelso.
I uploaded some photos on Facebook of some recent happenings in my Scottish life.
Take a look:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023094&l=16c77&id=177501993
Photos are from last weekend at Eikon's Open Mic Night at the Forest Cafe, this past Friday at Kyle's flat for a small Halloween gathering and a "friendly" game of Taboo, and some other random pics from days in the life of Kelso.
10.30.2008
captain underpants
FACT: In Scotland, the word "pants" refers to "underpants," NOT "trousers."
FACT: My friend Autumn had been wearing the same pair of jeans for a few days and hollered to her flatmate in the middle of busy clothing store, "I haven't changed my pants in like a week!" To which the entire store fell very quiet. Awkward...
FACT: My friend Autumn had been wearing the same pair of jeans for a few days and hollered to her flatmate in the middle of busy clothing store, "I haven't changed my pants in like a week!" To which the entire store fell very quiet. Awkward...
10.28.2008
ghosts & gouls
Tonight Jillian and I accompanied our friend Jon on a "Ghost Tour" through Old Town Edinburgh, something we had been wanting to do for awhile. Though it wasn't in the least bit scary, it was quite entertaining. An old Scotsman coincidentally named Scott took us down closes (narrow alleys) of in an area known as Old Town, off the famous Royal Mile. He told us tall tales of "real people who lived and died in Edinburgh." His stories were somewhat gruesome and dripping with irony and Scottish humor. His acting out of the stories definitely added to the suspense. We ended the night in an old graveyard where we stood around in an empty tomb as he elaborated on grave robbers, murderers, adulterers, witches, and the mentally insane. Unfortunately, our bodies were using every last ounce of energy to keep from slipping into hypothermia for us to be fazed by his grand tales. It seemed like an eternity making it back to our flat, my fingers and toes have truly never been that cold in my life! It took a good 10 minutes of standing in front of my heater to get the feeling back. So here I am drinking hot coffee to finish thawing out the rest of my body.
10.27.2008
blow out the candles
Happy Birthday Anna!!
Love you Big Papa :)
that's all today.
sorry to everyone except Anna.
Love you Big Papa :)
that's all today.
sorry to everyone except Anna.
10.25.2008
10.23.2008
i miss you lists...
1. Met Autumn at her flat to go to this volunteer thing Eikon did with another church in Edinburgh. We were supposed to meet at the other church to catch a ride with the leader of the entire shindig, Roger, but got lost and ended up at the wrong church. Problem was resolved, he picked us up at the wrong church and we went on our merry way to the town of Dalkeith to fix up a lady's flat who was suffering from depression after her second child was born.
2. Upon arriving, the house was rubbish (that's the Scot coming out in me). It was the former home of drug addicts, and not much was done before the new owner, Sarah, and her two small children moved in. Apparently Roger's last visit to the flat proved to be quite different than the one today. The living room was previously piled to the ceiling with trash and we were to help Sarah sort through the junk and tidy up the room so we could begin painting, etc. in the weeks to come. Oddly enough, Sarah stayed up all night last night doing some tidying of her own -- she moved all the trash from the living room into her bedroom and would not allow any of us into the new "rubbish room." It was sad because she was clearly embarrassed, but frustrating because our leader was slightly frazzled with this new arrangement.
3. So Autumn and I, as well as a girl from the other church, Natalie, did Sarah's dishes and cleaned her kitchen all morning. Her kitchen was an absolute mess as well. She had bottles from the children left with spoiled milk all over the counter, pans with rotting food left on the stove, and other dishes piled high on every inch of the tiny counter. We held back out gagging and washed, dried, and put away every last dish in that room.
4. It's strange doing volunteer work in another country. You expect people to struggle with different things on the other side of the world, but they really don't. We're not all that different from each other. I've been in homes in Springfield that looked identical to Sarah's flat today. It was cool to be able to forget about my obstacles of fitting in in a foreign land to help a local do her dishes. Not easy, but definitely worth it.
5. Then I ate some Chinese, watched Project Runway, and took a nap.
2. Upon arriving, the house was rubbish (that's the Scot coming out in me). It was the former home of drug addicts, and not much was done before the new owner, Sarah, and her two small children moved in. Apparently Roger's last visit to the flat proved to be quite different than the one today. The living room was previously piled to the ceiling with trash and we were to help Sarah sort through the junk and tidy up the room so we could begin painting, etc. in the weeks to come. Oddly enough, Sarah stayed up all night last night doing some tidying of her own -- she moved all the trash from the living room into her bedroom and would not allow any of us into the new "rubbish room." It was sad because she was clearly embarrassed, but frustrating because our leader was slightly frazzled with this new arrangement.
3. So Autumn and I, as well as a girl from the other church, Natalie, did Sarah's dishes and cleaned her kitchen all morning. Her kitchen was an absolute mess as well. She had bottles from the children left with spoiled milk all over the counter, pans with rotting food left on the stove, and other dishes piled high on every inch of the tiny counter. We held back out gagging and washed, dried, and put away every last dish in that room.
4. It's strange doing volunteer work in another country. You expect people to struggle with different things on the other side of the world, but they really don't. We're not all that different from each other. I've been in homes in Springfield that looked identical to Sarah's flat today. It was cool to be able to forget about my obstacles of fitting in in a foreign land to help a local do her dishes. Not easy, but definitely worth it.
5. Then I ate some Chinese, watched Project Runway, and took a nap.
10.22.2008
the tellie
Tonight I went to one of Eikon's small groups at these two girls' flat down the road. When I got there, they had their television on. Their tellie. I could have sat on that big suede couch all day long. I haven't watched REAL television on a REAL tellie in a month! It was playing some 7th-Heaven-grade-acting British soap opera, but I didn't care - it was TV! I knew it was bad when I got excited about the commercials. Up next was the very American My Name Is Earl. The Europeans didn't find it as funny as the Americans in the room. They complained about not being able to understand Earl's accent. "Welcome to our world!"
10.21.2008
mighty duck
Waiting for the bus to pull out on my way home from class this morning.I've been quite productive this week in the travel department. Here are the trips I've booked so far:
Nov. 7-9 to Oslo, Norway with some flatmates
Dec. 4-6 to Shannon, Ireland with Dad when he comes to visit
Jan. 2-5 to Paris with Taylor when he comes for New Year's
Hoping to book soon...
sometime in January to Stockholm, Sweden with Mom when she comes across the pond, and to the LARGEST Ikea store on planet earth! Literally!
Greece fell through unfortunately...prices were rising, we were taking too long to make decisions, and were having trouble finding a couchsurfing host. Considering Madrid instead, but who knows.
This afternoon, Jennifer and I decided we were going to check out Portobello Beach, which is apparently a REAL LIVE beach just outside Edinburgh. We headed out to the bus stop to catch the 15 or 15A Bus. We realized neither would stop by for about 20 more minutes, so we ran in to ScotMid and bought some Jaffa cakes and Diet Coke, then back to the bus stop. A couple minutes later, Bus 15A comes around the corner, so we step out towards the street. The bus driver looks us straight in the eye and keeps driving! We were so mad! So we decided to wait for Bus 15, which was supposed to be there in a couple minutes too. 30 minutes later we're still standing there and it's starting to rain. Although Bus 16 passed by about 4 times, Bus 15 never appeared. We went home Portobello-less.
Then tonight was my dinner night (my flatmates and I are on an unofficial rotation), and I made some asian-style chicken with rice and huge loaf of bread, which we devoured. Yum.
Then we went to a real Scottish hockey game with some other international students. I was unaware that hockey was a popular sport 'round these parts, but apparently. It was quite entertaining. I told my flatmates that I had never been to a hockey game, to which they looked astonished. I think they took that as, "I had never heard of hockey before." They proceeded to tell me that the players skate around on ice skates and try and get the puck in the other team's net, and sometimes there's fighting, and that's a Zamboni, that cleans the ice. "Thanks guys, I've seen hockey on TV, and I've even seen some hockey movies." I'm not one of the Germans!"
10.18.2008
justin timber-loch
The Glen called Rest and Be Thankful.Today was the long awaited Highland Tour and don't worry, I took notes. I wish so bad I could just throw it all up right here on my blog in about 10 seconds, but that's not gonna happen. I'll probably reveal random stories for the next few weeks, so for now, just follow this link for some photos of the day and a quick summary of the stops. Please enjoy this visual diary and I'll continue with more antidotes in the near future. For now settle on these fascinating factoids:
there are 5.5 million people in Scotland.
there are 11 million sheep in Scotland.
that's 2 sheep per person.
there's 440,000 people in Edinburgh.
there's 1 million people in Glasgow.
there's 200,000 people living in the Highland areas.
Scotland only makes up 10% of the UK population, but it takes up over 40% of it's land.
thats all for now, go look at pictures...like right now.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2022738&l=a9e93&id=177501993
moshpits & topshop
Goodbye Lenin playing at Henry's Cellar Bar.Today was much more productive and exciting (although Project Runway marathons do have their moments):
1. Tried Costa Coffee - caramel latte - delicious. Like a European Starbucks-type chain.
2. Mailed some stuff at the post office...hmm...
3. Picked up a lovely package of random food items and manicure sets sent by my lovely family :)
4. Went shopping with Kristin and Alayna on Princes Street. Thankfully I bought NOTHING. But my new favorite stores are TopShop, Next, and H&M. So wish these were in America (with the exception of H&M).
5. Then wandered down to the Royal Mile and visited a VERY cool bookstore called Blackwell. I bought a cute little sketch book for a class and another book that will remain nameless as I am still deciding who to give it to. Also considering keeping it for myself.
6. Made pasta (again) and had a lovely conversation with my flatmates about everything from slavery to baby names.
7. Felt very American as me and Jillian and Jennifer went to see Jon (from Eikon) play a show with his band Goodbye Lenin (look them up on MySpace). Reminded me so much of going to concerts with Marcus and friends :) Those were the days. I sat on the floor in the front and took some sweet pics.
8. Then we all moved on to Shakespeare's, I cute little bar down the street for some more laughter. We nearly convinced our friend Nick from Canada that I was bit by a bat and now I have rabies. This stemmed from a conversation about how to spell the word 'rabies.' Wow.
9. Came home to each an Ultimate European Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Mom, that's slightly different than the Regular Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich).
10. Now I'm tucking in to leave early in the morning with Jillian for our 10-hour Highland Tour. Don't worry, pictures will most definately follow.
Thanks for reading.
10.16.2008
im a bum
i was quite unproductive the past few days. Sometimes I felt bad because I've been blessed with a short time in this beautiful city and I literally spent all day in bed watched Project Runway on YouTube. I'm a bum.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll get up earlier than noon, run some errands, get stuff done, do something exciting OUTSIDE of my flat. Tomorrow I will be productive. Maybe.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll get up earlier than noon, run some errands, get stuff done, do something exciting OUTSIDE of my flat. Tomorrow I will be productive. Maybe.
10.13.2008
highlands, here we come
I booked my first adventure today!! Jennifer and Kristin returned tonight from their 3-day tour through Scotland's infamous and breathtakingly gorgeous Highlands. They spoke of misty valleys and greener-than-you-can-imagine mountains, crystal lochs and jagged-rock beaches, majestic castles and mysterious abbeys. Jillian and I were hooked and had our's booked within the hour. Our intimate bus of 16 passengers will head out at 9:30am this Saturday morning for a day-long trip through the western Highlands, stopping at significant castles, including the popular castle used in the film Monty Python, as well as another one used in the film Made of Honor. We will return the same day around 8:00pm, after which picture will most definitely be posted. Until then, read about what the day will bring at this website, and be very, very jealous:
http://www.rabbies.com/scottish_tour_pages/west_highland_lochs_castles_1day_tour.asp?lng=en
My good friend Osama (not the terrorist) posted some pictures today from our hike up Arthur's Seat last weekend. I thought I would include some more evidence, since I unfortunately forgot my camera that day...
http://www.rabbies.com/scottish_tour_pages/west_highland_lochs_castles_1day_tour.asp?lng=en
My good friend Osama (not the terrorist) posted some pictures today from our hike up Arthur's Seat last weekend. I thought I would include some more evidence, since I unfortunately forgot my camera that day...
in the heat of the night
Dear Americans,
Please do me one favor as you snuggle into your cozy beds with your fluffy feather pillows. Don't every take for granted the warmth you'll feel in the shower in the morning. All you'll have to do is turn the knob to the red and wet warmth with spill forth like blessings from heaven. You will bathe in a steamy sauna and emerge clean and refreshed, ready to start your American day. Enjoy this moment. Relish in knowing that you don't have to push a "boost" button 30 minutes to an hour before said shower. Take pride in the fact that your shower head does not slowly swing from side to side as you try and follow the traveling sprays below. Smile as you think about how your shower curtain stays put in it's place instead of creeping onto your leg and sticking to the backside of your entire body allowing buckets of water to spill out onto the bathroom floor forming a small wading pool under the vanity. Be content that you can shave not one, but two legs, before the water turns arctic and causes your entire body to slowly go numb and let out an occasional gasp for air. Be thankful that your shower is not like my shower. I am going to sleep tonight with clean hair and one shaved leg; that's all I could manage before the icicles began to form in my hair. So be thankful, my fellow Americans, for your fancy water heaters and spacious tubs. I envy you on this cold night in Edinburgh.
Sincerely,
Kelsey
Please do me one favor as you snuggle into your cozy beds with your fluffy feather pillows. Don't every take for granted the warmth you'll feel in the shower in the morning. All you'll have to do is turn the knob to the red and wet warmth with spill forth like blessings from heaven. You will bathe in a steamy sauna and emerge clean and refreshed, ready to start your American day. Enjoy this moment. Relish in knowing that you don't have to push a "boost" button 30 minutes to an hour before said shower. Take pride in the fact that your shower head does not slowly swing from side to side as you try and follow the traveling sprays below. Smile as you think about how your shower curtain stays put in it's place instead of creeping onto your leg and sticking to the backside of your entire body allowing buckets of water to spill out onto the bathroom floor forming a small wading pool under the vanity. Be content that you can shave not one, but two legs, before the water turns arctic and causes your entire body to slowly go numb and let out an occasional gasp for air. Be thankful that your shower is not like my shower. I am going to sleep tonight with clean hair and one shaved leg; that's all I could manage before the icicles began to form in my hair. So be thankful, my fellow Americans, for your fancy water heaters and spacious tubs. I envy you on this cold night in Edinburgh.
Sincerely,
Kelsey
10.12.2008
the weekend top five
1. Splurged today at H&M and bought a jacket, a scarf, some new black flats, and a purple bag. Will now need an additional suitcase for the flight home...
2. Discovered my new favorite sandwich: raspberry jam with cream cheese on toast. Nothing too ground breaking but so satisfying for any meal of the day.
3. Went out for drinks tonight with people from church, had so much fun. They treat my like family :)
4. Had lunch with a girl from church yesterday at an adorable deli called "Always Sunday." Had a wonderful conversation about boys and the mayhem they stir up.
5. Planning a trip with my new friend Whitney to Greece in November. Couchsurfing in Athens perhaps...?
2. Discovered my new favorite sandwich: raspberry jam with cream cheese on toast. Nothing too ground breaking but so satisfying for any meal of the day.
3. Went out for drinks tonight with people from church, had so much fun. They treat my like family :)
4. Had lunch with a girl from church yesterday at an adorable deli called "Always Sunday." Had a wonderful conversation about boys and the mayhem they stir up.
5. Planning a trip with my new friend Whitney to Greece in November. Couchsurfing in Athens perhaps...?
10.09.2008
oops again
I forgot to write again last night! I was watching Project Runway online, so that may have been a factor. Anyway, here's another chewable:
Bread in Scotland is HUGE. Not that the bread is large in size, it's just popular. It's everywhere. Half of all groceries are "The Bread Section." And every kind of bread you could think of: baguettes, rolls, buns, pastries, french, toasted, untoasted, crispy, soft, chunks, no-chunks, muffins, sliced, loaves, etc. I've never seen so many carbs in my life. Also, the bread is VERY dense. A regular loaf of sandwich bread weighs a couple pounds (NOT currency, REAL pounds). It is very heavy, very rich, very dense. And VERY tastey. I think I'm going to have a hard time going back to American bread, which is about 79% air.
Bread in Scotland is HUGE. Not that the bread is large in size, it's just popular. It's everywhere. Half of all groceries are "The Bread Section." And every kind of bread you could think of: baguettes, rolls, buns, pastries, french, toasted, untoasted, crispy, soft, chunks, no-chunks, muffins, sliced, loaves, etc. I've never seen so many carbs in my life. Also, the bread is VERY dense. A regular loaf of sandwich bread weighs a couple pounds (NOT currency, REAL pounds). It is very heavy, very rich, very dense. And VERY tastey. I think I'm going to have a hard time going back to American bread, which is about 79% air.
10.08.2008
oops
I forgot to write something last night, so here's an interesting European factoid for your brain to ponder:
Instead of signs reading "For Rent," they read "To Let" or "For Hire."
Hmm....
Instead of signs reading "For Rent," they read "To Let" or "For Hire."
Hmm....
10.06.2008
study hard, do your best...
And to prove to all of you who don't believe I am actually in Scotland (ahem, Grant), here is a picture taken by my friend Jillian yesterday at the start of our hike up Arthur's Seat. Notice my wildly appropriate hiking gear.That's Luke in the background searching for Nessie. No actually he was my "unofficial" safety coordinator, since my usual safety coordinator could not be here :)
My mom sent me a text message this morning before my first day of classes in Edinburgh:
Study hard, do your best, and don't forget I love you.
I can't remember the first time I heard that, it's been said for so long. Both my parents have said this to me and my brothers as we rushed out the door to the bus each morning before school. And even though I was halfway around the globe, today was no different.
Scottish school systems are quite different than the ones in the US, and it didn't help that Napier (my Scottish university) restructured their entire academics just this year. We are the guinea pigs, if you will, as if I wasn't already confused enough. Unlike the MSU, Napier students with the same "major" (they call it programme) take ALL the same classes, at ALL the same times with ALL the same students, for ALL four years. I felt like I was back in elementary school. They all ate lunch together, took breaks together, discussed the other classes that they are ALL in together. Like an academic cult, or something. I felt much like an outsider, but I can tell that the course materials will be interesting, challenging, and hopefully useful for my career, which is more than I can say for any MSU class I've taken so far.
And then I rode the bus home at the end of the day... like a Scottish school girl, except more posh.
10.05.2008
roughin it
Today was full of surprises. I was looking forward to a lazy Sunday afternoon; maybe a nap, some Ramen for lunch, a Skype chat or two, hit the sack early, you know.
Instead I climbed a mountain. Literally.
After church, everyone (literally the entire church) went to Kyle's house for some homemade chili, relaxation, and good conversation. After a few hours of fellowship, Jillian (my flatmate) and I left to go grocery shopping before the stores closed. We wandered to a bus stop and attempted to wait for what we thought was the bus to Asda (the European Wal-Mart). While we were waiting, some friends from the chili lunch came walking around the corner: Luke, Sarah, Steph, Frasier, and Osama. They said they were headed to Arthur's Seat and invited us to join. We agreed and began the long walk to the base of this famous landmark. (See pictures below.)
On the way to the Seat, I acknowledged that I was wearing flip flops, but they assured me the trek to the top was an easy one. They lied to me. The entire hike took about an hour and a half, and it was FAR from easy. Most of it was climbing, literal rock climbing, up ridiculously steep slopes of jagged rocks and boulders. Every few minutes, we'd make it to an area of flat ground and take a break. Everytime I'd tell the others that I was done and couldn't go any further, but everytime they picked me up and helped me go one more leg, until finally, I looked up and we were standing on the top of Arthur's Seat looking out over all of Edinburgh, miles in every direction. The sun was setting over the steeples of ancient abbeys and castles, boats were coming into the harbor, the Highlands were visible off to the north, and the air was crisp and clear. Too bad I left my camera at home :( These photos will have to do from Google:
Arthur's Seat from the southeast. If you look closely, you can see climbers along the top, which shows how tall the cliffs are. We hiked up the larger mound on the right, then through the "valley" and over to Arthur's actual Seat, the smaller mound on the right. About 823 feet above the city!
The view to the west, city of Edinburgh. See those jagged rocks going down the steep cliff at the bottom of the photo? Yeah, that's what I conquered in flip flops and church clothes.
Instead I climbed a mountain. Literally.
After church, everyone (literally the entire church) went to Kyle's house for some homemade chili, relaxation, and good conversation. After a few hours of fellowship, Jillian (my flatmate) and I left to go grocery shopping before the stores closed. We wandered to a bus stop and attempted to wait for what we thought was the bus to Asda (the European Wal-Mart). While we were waiting, some friends from the chili lunch came walking around the corner: Luke, Sarah, Steph, Frasier, and Osama. They said they were headed to Arthur's Seat and invited us to join. We agreed and began the long walk to the base of this famous landmark. (See pictures below.)
On the way to the Seat, I acknowledged that I was wearing flip flops, but they assured me the trek to the top was an easy one. They lied to me. The entire hike took about an hour and a half, and it was FAR from easy. Most of it was climbing, literal rock climbing, up ridiculously steep slopes of jagged rocks and boulders. Every few minutes, we'd make it to an area of flat ground and take a break. Everytime I'd tell the others that I was done and couldn't go any further, but everytime they picked me up and helped me go one more leg, until finally, I looked up and we were standing on the top of Arthur's Seat looking out over all of Edinburgh, miles in every direction. The sun was setting over the steeples of ancient abbeys and castles, boats were coming into the harbor, the Highlands were visible off to the north, and the air was crisp and clear. Too bad I left my camera at home :( These photos will have to do from Google:
Arthur's Seat from the southeast. If you look closely, you can see climbers along the top, which shows how tall the cliffs are. We hiked up the larger mound on the right, then through the "valley" and over to Arthur's actual Seat, the smaller mound on the right. About 823 feet above the city!The view to the west, city of Edinburgh. See those jagged rocks going down the steep cliff at the bottom of the photo? Yeah, that's what I conquered in flip flops and church clothes.When we finally reached the top of the seat, I almost broke into tears I was so happy to have made it so far. From the base, I really didn't think I was going to go all the way to the top, especially in my inappropriate climbing gear. I felt so overwhelmed with accomplishment and acheiving, what I felt, was the impossible at the moment. Cheesy, but so true.
The climb back down was another story. I pretty much held Luke and Osama's hands the whole way back down, it was so steep and rocky. But so much fun. There were moments on the way back down that I literally had to put all my weight on either Luke or Osama in order to make it down a steep bank safely. I couldn't make it on my own in certain parts. It felt strange, but at the same time very cool, to put all my trust in someone I hardly even knew. And it worked. I made it down alive and in one piece.
After the hike, we went to Osama's flat where he fixed us a delicious meal of spaghetti noodles with ginormous chicken wings swimming in his "special sauce." Sunday is my new favorite day of the week :)
The climb back down was another story. I pretty much held Luke and Osama's hands the whole way back down, it was so steep and rocky. But so much fun. There were moments on the way back down that I literally had to put all my weight on either Luke or Osama in order to make it down a steep bank safely. I couldn't make it on my own in certain parts. It felt strange, but at the same time very cool, to put all my trust in someone I hardly even knew. And it worked. I made it down alive and in one piece.
After the hike, we went to Osama's flat where he fixed us a delicious meal of spaghetti noodles with ginormous chicken wings swimming in his "special sauce." Sunday is my new favorite day of the week :)
ladies and gentlemen
Today was relaxing. I woke up at noon, took a shower (surprise!), did some design work for my fat brother, ate some toast and extraordinarily amazing raspberry jam, watched an episode of Project Runway, etc. The fun came in the evening...
"The Germans" (not sure why we call them that, they're not all German) invited the girls of Flat #7 over to their Flat #2 for a dinner. "Dress to impress," they kept saying. We had all been joking around a lot lately so we figured this was another "jk." Around 8pm, we threw on some presentable outfits and headed downstairs to #2. When the boys answered the door, we were pleasantly surprised. They were certainly dressed to impress. Decked out in button-up, collared shirts, nice slacks, and even a navy blazer that looked more like a captain's jacket on a cruise ship (we proceeded to call him Captain Robin from Belgium all night), they served us ladies a three course meal, to which we never lifted a finger. They filled our plates at each course, poured our wine, and shouted at us when we offered to do the dishes. We immersed all our cultures into an evening of comparing countries and every other phrase was followed by, "Is that how you say it?" They were true gentlemen, hard to find in America (except I found one!).
We ended the evening with a friendly game of "Who Am I?" and a trip to Frankenstein's, a dance club built inside an old church, which I think played the exact same list of 80's songs from last night. I still can't get Bon Jovi's "Livin On A Prayer" out of my head.
"The Germans" (not sure why we call them that, they're not all German) invited the girls of Flat #7 over to their Flat #2 for a dinner. "Dress to impress," they kept saying. We had all been joking around a lot lately so we figured this was another "jk." Around 8pm, we threw on some presentable outfits and headed downstairs to #2. When the boys answered the door, we were pleasantly surprised. They were certainly dressed to impress. Decked out in button-up, collared shirts, nice slacks, and even a navy blazer that looked more like a captain's jacket on a cruise ship (we proceeded to call him Captain Robin from Belgium all night), they served us ladies a three course meal, to which we never lifted a finger. They filled our plates at each course, poured our wine, and shouted at us when we offered to do the dishes. We immersed all our cultures into an evening of comparing countries and every other phrase was followed by, "Is that how you say it?" They were true gentlemen, hard to find in America (except I found one!).
We ended the evening with a friendly game of "Who Am I?" and a trip to Frankenstein's, a dance club built inside an old church, which I think played the exact same list of 80's songs from last night. I still can't get Bon Jovi's "Livin On A Prayer" out of my head.
10.04.2008
edinburgh night life
I experienced the Edinburgh night life tonight...quite interesting.
I'm rather sleepy now, so I don't know if I'll make it through this post.
I'll just stick to the highlights:
1. Dancing to Mexican/Jamaican music at the International Students "Welcome."
2. Wandering the streets with about 15 others from our building trying to decide on our next place of entertainment.
3. Settling on an Irish pub called Finnigans Wake.
4. There was a live band there playing ALL 80's music, and everyone loved it.
5. The neatest part was this: even though none of us have known each other for more than 10 days, we all seemed to look out for one another. If someone was missing from the group, we'd stop what we were doing to figure out where they were. No one went anywhere alone or let anyone we didn't know (specifically locals) into our "party." Very interesting to see this develop in just a few hours.
I'm rather sleepy now, so I don't know if I'll make it through this post.
I'll just stick to the highlights:
1. Dancing to Mexican/Jamaican music at the International Students "Welcome."
2. Wandering the streets with about 15 others from our building trying to decide on our next place of entertainment.
3. Settling on an Irish pub called Finnigans Wake.
4. There was a live band there playing ALL 80's music, and everyone loved it.
5. The neatest part was this: even though none of us have known each other for more than 10 days, we all seemed to look out for one another. If someone was missing from the group, we'd stop what we were doing to figure out where they were. No one went anywhere alone or let anyone we didn't know (specifically locals) into our "party." Very interesting to see this develop in just a few hours.
10.03.2008
confuse-ed
5 hours running around campus to enroll in classes
4 phone calls to Napier staff regarding my "timetables"
3 "modules" to decide on and fit into a VERY complicated schedule
2 tearful breakdowns in professors' offices out of utter frustration
1 long day, a Milky Way bar, and a chat with my future mister to make it all better
falling asleep as we speak...go look at some pictures while I go to bed:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2022415&l=2e6fc&id=177501993
cheers.
4 phone calls to Napier staff regarding my "timetables"
3 "modules" to decide on and fit into a VERY complicated schedule
2 tearful breakdowns in professors' offices out of utter frustration
1 long day, a Milky Way bar, and a chat with my future mister to make it all better
falling asleep as we speak...go look at some pictures while I go to bed:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2022415&l=2e6fc&id=177501993
cheers.
10.01.2008
don't worry america, i found osama
Ok, I'm likin' this whole "List of Today's Happenings" thing, so let's continue here on this first fine day in October...
1. Today we matriculated. They cut off our limbs. No, actually that's their word for officially enrolling at the university, but it sounds more like some kind of amputation procedure. They fished us through a very strange process of mile-long lines down random hallways, being directed through 15 different "clusters," they kept calling it, explaining over and over who I was, what program I was on, who was paying for my schooling, and how long I was going to be here. We all came out of it feeling like a pin ball in a pin ball machine...it only took about an hour, but we were worn out!!
2. We were required to register with a local doctor. There were several booths of representatives from different "surgeons," they call them. We chose our surgeon based solely on who had the best Scottish accent.
3. One of the staff I spoke to at the matriculation was clearly Scottish, and he commented on how he really liked my accent....what accent? I thought.
4. Upon finishing the ridiculous matriculation process, I went outside to meet Alayna. There were several doors that led outside, one of them being a set of automatic ones. I stood in front of it for a few seconds and when it didn't open, I naturally went to push open the door next to it. Unfortunately it wasn't until half a second after I pushed that I noticed the door was covered in signs reading, "Fire Exit," "Do Not Open," "Emergencies Only," "Will Trigger Artillery," those types of things. Next thing I know, the whole lobby is peirced with an annoying beeping alarm and everyone calling me "Number 6." Apparently I was not the first to commit this embarrassing offense. So the security gaurd came over and was half-jokingly asking me if I could read all the signs on the door, to which I assured him I was indeed able. All the while, Alayna standing on the other side of the many doors laughing at my expense, not to mention the countless other students in the lobby at the moment. Whatev.
5. On the way home from our amputation or malnutrition or constipation, whatever it was called, we stopped by the grocery for some dinner ingredients. I offered to make my mother's famous potato soup. Ah, it was so wonderful to have some real comfort food, and share that with my new friends. It tasted quite different than when me and Mom make it three times a week during the winter months, but this could be due to the fact that Scotland doesn't have half&half, so I'm not sure what it was I used. I also never found green onions. We thought we bought salt and pepper, but upon returning home we discovered we had grabbed two peppers. Plus we didn't have a can opener for the cream of chicken. We kind of live like cavemen.
6. Other things I found at the grocery included an oddly shaped bottle of Dr. Pepper. Thankfully it tastes much like I remembered it :) Alayna also introduced us to Jaffa Cakes. A soft, cake-like wafer with orange jelly stuff on top, and chocolate on top of that. A jolly good treat!
7. Whitney (from Flat #6) and I went to the first meeting of Eikon's small group called Eikon 1.0. It's basically a 6-week introduction the the church and its values. It was at these two girls' flat about 15 minutes walk from ours. It's view of the city, the skinny winding staircase, narrow halls, and high ceilings with gorgeous crown-molding made me want to move to the city for good....someday.
8. One of the girls who lived in this beautiful flat coincidentally had lived in Springfield, Missouri for some time. She attended New Covenant and Hillcrest High School.
9. One of the guys at the small group, who actually leads a different small group but it sounds like he goes to one every night, was perhaps the most interesting person I have met thus far. He is a tall, black man from Nigeria...drum roll please...his name is Osama.
10. Osama is a gentleman, you see. He didn't want me and Whitney or Ilinda (another new friend from Finland) to walk home after dark by ourselves, so he decided to walk all of us home to our different flats. We wandered all over the city "dropping" people off, literally skipping through "The Meadows" (a large park near our flats), and discussing topics such as, "If you had to choose one song to describe you, what would it be?" I like Osama. Don't tell George.
11. Princes Street pictures will come tomorrow...I swear.
1. Today we matriculated. They cut off our limbs. No, actually that's their word for officially enrolling at the university, but it sounds more like some kind of amputation procedure. They fished us through a very strange process of mile-long lines down random hallways, being directed through 15 different "clusters," they kept calling it, explaining over and over who I was, what program I was on, who was paying for my schooling, and how long I was going to be here. We all came out of it feeling like a pin ball in a pin ball machine...it only took about an hour, but we were worn out!!
2. We were required to register with a local doctor. There were several booths of representatives from different "surgeons," they call them. We chose our surgeon based solely on who had the best Scottish accent.
3. One of the staff I spoke to at the matriculation was clearly Scottish, and he commented on how he really liked my accent....what accent? I thought.
4. Upon finishing the ridiculous matriculation process, I went outside to meet Alayna. There were several doors that led outside, one of them being a set of automatic ones. I stood in front of it for a few seconds and when it didn't open, I naturally went to push open the door next to it. Unfortunately it wasn't until half a second after I pushed that I noticed the door was covered in signs reading, "Fire Exit," "Do Not Open," "Emergencies Only," "Will Trigger Artillery," those types of things. Next thing I know, the whole lobby is peirced with an annoying beeping alarm and everyone calling me "Number 6." Apparently I was not the first to commit this embarrassing offense. So the security gaurd came over and was half-jokingly asking me if I could read all the signs on the door, to which I assured him I was indeed able. All the while, Alayna standing on the other side of the many doors laughing at my expense, not to mention the countless other students in the lobby at the moment. Whatev.
5. On the way home from our amputation or malnutrition or constipation, whatever it was called, we stopped by the grocery for some dinner ingredients. I offered to make my mother's famous potato soup. Ah, it was so wonderful to have some real comfort food, and share that with my new friends. It tasted quite different than when me and Mom make it three times a week during the winter months, but this could be due to the fact that Scotland doesn't have half&half, so I'm not sure what it was I used. I also never found green onions. We thought we bought salt and pepper, but upon returning home we discovered we had grabbed two peppers. Plus we didn't have a can opener for the cream of chicken. We kind of live like cavemen.
6. Other things I found at the grocery included an oddly shaped bottle of Dr. Pepper. Thankfully it tastes much like I remembered it :) Alayna also introduced us to Jaffa Cakes. A soft, cake-like wafer with orange jelly stuff on top, and chocolate on top of that. A jolly good treat!
7. Whitney (from Flat #6) and I went to the first meeting of Eikon's small group called Eikon 1.0. It's basically a 6-week introduction the the church and its values. It was at these two girls' flat about 15 minutes walk from ours. It's view of the city, the skinny winding staircase, narrow halls, and high ceilings with gorgeous crown-molding made me want to move to the city for good....someday.
8. One of the girls who lived in this beautiful flat coincidentally had lived in Springfield, Missouri for some time. She attended New Covenant and Hillcrest High School.
9. One of the guys at the small group, who actually leads a different small group but it sounds like he goes to one every night, was perhaps the most interesting person I have met thus far. He is a tall, black man from Nigeria...drum roll please...his name is Osama.
10. Osama is a gentleman, you see. He didn't want me and Whitney or Ilinda (another new friend from Finland) to walk home after dark by ourselves, so he decided to walk all of us home to our different flats. We wandered all over the city "dropping" people off, literally skipping through "The Meadows" (a large park near our flats), and discussing topics such as, "If you had to choose one song to describe you, what would it be?" I like Osama. Don't tell George.
11. Princes Street pictures will come tomorrow...I swear.
becoming a local
Some cliche red phone booths on Princes Street.It's late again, and I still need to get in an episode of Prison Break before I go off to sleepytown, so yet again, I have compiled a Top Ten of my day, in no particular order:
1. Woke up at noon. We all seem to be sleeping really late and staying up til ungodly hours...our bodies are clearly retaliating.
2. Walked up to Princes Street to take care of some business. Passed a very cool store that, Mom, you will definately want to see when you come. I think it was called something like Feather Black, maybe. But it is like a European Crate & Barrell or Pottery Barn. Looked cool, though I didn't go inside.
3. Finally invested in a cell phone. I'm pretty sure I totally got ripped off, but at this point, I don't really care. Europe's entire system of cell phone usage and plans is COMPLETELY different than America's. Pretty much everything is Pay-As-You-Go, with weird plans named after animals (Dolphin, Camel, Raccoon, etc.). SIM cards are a big deal here. Your entire plan is built into your SIM card. Your phone number is determined by your SIM card. The name of your soul mate is probably etched in there somewhere, too.
4. I registered online with the US Embassy, so if the President needs to get ahold of me...
5. I finished opening my Scottish bank account at HSBC. I feel like Jason Bourne!
6. We had another American night and stopped by ScotMid (the grocery) for some frozen pizzas, salad, bread, and - dare I say - a bottle of Chardonnay. So I guess maybe it was actually a French night?
7. A few more items were added to the flat, including a bath mat, some lamps, ice trays, a French press with 4 matching mugs, and some operating blow dryers. Our trips to the store result in very random assortments of things we remember at the time. We haven't quite mastered the art of a list yet, even me.
8. We visited a store we heard of, which was supposed to be similar to a Target, called Argos. Perhaps the strangest thing I've encountered thus far. We enter the store, which is about the size of our entire flat, and I think maybe we've stepping into the wrong place. There's not much in there. We stand around observing the pros, and we eventually figure out the system. Get this: There's several rows of countertops, all with huge catalogs of every product available at Argos. You go through the catalog and write down the codes of the items you want. You take your little paper of special numbers to Counter A and pay for your items. Then you are given a ticket number. You wait by Counter B until your ticket number is called and all the items you "purchased" have been gathered by the employee and are ready to be picked up. How cool is that?
9. I purchased a Coke at one point (didn't have Dr. Pepper in that machine), and it has quite a different taste than back home. It's more like carbonated iced tea. Doesn't really taste like Coke at all.
10. After dinner, I was pleasantly harrassed by Grant on Skype trying to get me to start his designs again. I was told I would be paid in pounds from now on. I think that was a fat joke.
11. You know I can't resist one more...I'll keep it short. I heard a Lily Allen song playing in Woolsworth (like a Walgreens) this afternoon. Made me smile :) Later I was asked directions by an old lady...just another milestone in becoming a local.
9.30.2008
rainy monday
This is obviously a little late for a post (0042 in the 24 hour clock, which is what I am having to translate everyday). So in keeping with my tradition of lists (Tradition? It's only been 5 days!), I'll make note of the top 10 happenings of the day:
1. Rode the bus for the first time and quickly learned that drinks were not allowed, having to throw away my 2-minute old, still mostly full cafe latte from the coffee shop on the corner.
2. Discovered that Bus 23 is where I will be spending much of my time. It goes from my school campus, past my flat, and into the city centre...the three most important locations in Edinburgh.
3. I noticed on the weather map that it was due to rain today, so I took my umbrella with me to the orientation meeting. Well, as with any "New Person Meeting," we were given mountains of information to take home and read, so I was juggling purses, folders, and Bella the Umbrella. We decided to go into the city centre between the morning and afternoon sessions of the meeting. We got off the bus to drop off all our stuff. It was clear and sunny out - no rain cloud in sight - so I left Bella behind. Upon leaving the afternoon session, it was about 20 degrees cooler and raining. Figures. Thus, the umbrella still sits dry in my room.
4. We rode the bus to the city centre and I saw all that Edinburgh is famous for for the very first time since I arrived. The Edinburgh Castle and the Holyrood Palace, and we even took a stroll through Old Town. Pictures tomorrow hopefully.
5. I am beginning to narrow down which classes I'll be taking, starting next Monday. I'm only allowed three courses, and I'm considering a range of design classes (or modules, as they call them here), a branding class, an entrepreneur class, and a couple publishing classes.
6. This post is turning out longer than anticipated...my bed is calling to me.
7. We had an American night home in the flat, going to the grocery on the way home (that's right, I left off "store," which is apparently the correct referral to all shops full of food) and purchased some noodles, sauce, cheese, and bread. We made spaghetti in a tiny pot from a thrift store and had to strategically use our few utensils in the correct order so we could all have something other than our hands to eat with.
8. Note: Scottish butter is AMAZINGLY TASTEFUL. Scottish milk is AMAZINGLY THICK.
9. The "we" is referring to myself, my flatmates Alayna and Jennifer, and Kristen from Flat #6. All American-bred.
10. "We" ended the night talking about boyfriends, fiances, our favorite books, fake foreign accents, and Ben & Jerry's. We also went on a late night outing which involved a quick spy on the German party downstairs, chatting with a drunk Asian, and a short hunt for some good ice cream. Unfortunately, the only places open on a Monday night in Edinburgh are Chinese restaurants. Literally. Even our neighbour, the Golf Tavern, was already closed for business. Those Chinese must STILL not be adjusted to Greenwich Time.
11. Ok, one more... Jennifer and Kristen, we soon discovered, are also die-hard fans of McDreamy and the drama at Seattle Grace (Grey's Anatomy for you, non-fans). We finally found the premiere online and huddled around Jennifer's computer for 85 minutes of pure televised joy. Except the video messed up around 80 minutes...did Hahn and Cally hook up?
12. For realsies, last one. One of the staff who spoke at the orientation meeting could have easily passed as an al Qaeda operative. His long straggly beard went nicely with his wrinkly skin, over-sized thick glasses, stringy dark gray hair, and quite a tall stature. But upon introducing himself to the auditorium of 100 plus students from all over the globe, he assured us (and acknowledged the pink elephant standing in the middle of the room) that no, in fact, he was NOT an international terrorist. We could relax. A prime ice breaker.
1. Rode the bus for the first time and quickly learned that drinks were not allowed, having to throw away my 2-minute old, still mostly full cafe latte from the coffee shop on the corner.
2. Discovered that Bus 23 is where I will be spending much of my time. It goes from my school campus, past my flat, and into the city centre...the three most important locations in Edinburgh.
3. I noticed on the weather map that it was due to rain today, so I took my umbrella with me to the orientation meeting. Well, as with any "New Person Meeting," we were given mountains of information to take home and read, so I was juggling purses, folders, and Bella the Umbrella. We decided to go into the city centre between the morning and afternoon sessions of the meeting. We got off the bus to drop off all our stuff. It was clear and sunny out - no rain cloud in sight - so I left Bella behind. Upon leaving the afternoon session, it was about 20 degrees cooler and raining. Figures. Thus, the umbrella still sits dry in my room.
4. We rode the bus to the city centre and I saw all that Edinburgh is famous for for the very first time since I arrived. The Edinburgh Castle and the Holyrood Palace, and we even took a stroll through Old Town. Pictures tomorrow hopefully.
5. I am beginning to narrow down which classes I'll be taking, starting next Monday. I'm only allowed three courses, and I'm considering a range of design classes (or modules, as they call them here), a branding class, an entrepreneur class, and a couple publishing classes.
6. This post is turning out longer than anticipated...my bed is calling to me.
7. We had an American night home in the flat, going to the grocery on the way home (that's right, I left off "store," which is apparently the correct referral to all shops full of food) and purchased some noodles, sauce, cheese, and bread. We made spaghetti in a tiny pot from a thrift store and had to strategically use our few utensils in the correct order so we could all have something other than our hands to eat with.
8. Note: Scottish butter is AMAZINGLY TASTEFUL. Scottish milk is AMAZINGLY THICK.
9. The "we" is referring to myself, my flatmates Alayna and Jennifer, and Kristen from Flat #6. All American-bred.
10. "We" ended the night talking about boyfriends, fiances, our favorite books, fake foreign accents, and Ben & Jerry's. We also went on a late night outing which involved a quick spy on the German party downstairs, chatting with a drunk Asian, and a short hunt for some good ice cream. Unfortunately, the only places open on a Monday night in Edinburgh are Chinese restaurants. Literally. Even our neighbour, the Golf Tavern, was already closed for business. Those Chinese must STILL not be adjusted to Greenwich Time.
11. Ok, one more... Jennifer and Kristen, we soon discovered, are also die-hard fans of McDreamy and the drama at Seattle Grace (Grey's Anatomy for you, non-fans). We finally found the premiere online and huddled around Jennifer's computer for 85 minutes of pure televised joy. Except the video messed up around 80 minutes...did Hahn and Cally hook up?
12. For realsies, last one. One of the staff who spoke at the orientation meeting could have easily passed as an al Qaeda operative. His long straggly beard went nicely with his wrinkly skin, over-sized thick glasses, stringy dark gray hair, and quite a tall stature. But upon introducing himself to the auditorium of 100 plus students from all over the globe, he assured us (and acknowledged the pink elephant standing in the middle of the room) that no, in fact, he was NOT an international terrorist. We could relax. A prime ice breaker.
9.28.2008
lazy sunday
I found my church today :)
Eikon Edinburgh. www.eikonedinburgh.com
It's a very small church made up of about 30 twenty-somethings from all over the world. Ireland, Scotland, America, Finland, Canada, the list goes on. They believe in a simple philosophy: connecting people to each other and to God. They are by far the most interesting church I have ever encountered, and the most welcoming service I have ever attended. Very few awkward moments. As you all know how I am with my lists, here are my reasons for immediately falling in love with this hodge-podge group of believers and the church they planted only 18 short months ago:
1. The service was held in a movie theater filled with leather couches. Took me back...
2. Clementine bread was out with the coffee and tea to enjoy.
3. When I first walked in the door, the pastor was the one arranging the couches for service.
4. All Powerpoints were run from the pastor's Mac simply hooked up to a projector.
5. The worship service consisted of a woman leading us in a capella songs while we all patted our laps to the voices.
6. The worship leader said "sucks" from the pulpit, while one of the pastor's illustrations used another choice word.
7. The church bulletin included a Sudoku puzzle.
8. During the sermon, the pastor invited us to join in on the topic with a discussion.
9. The daughter and wife were extremely generous in helping find my way to my school campus after service for an orientation meeting in the afternoon; to the point of finding someone to give me a ride right up to the door of the campus, to avoid the confusion of buses.
10. I met a woman from Chicago who graduated from Evangel University, in Spring-vegas, Missouri in 1992. That's when I knew I was home.
Needless to say, I'll be back.
After making a quick appearance at the orientation meeting and soon discovering it was a bucket of information I had already heard, a girl, who I met on Day 1, and I walked back to our flats together. I told her about Eikon, and she seemed very interested. Back in her home in Louisiana, she also attends an AG church. She is planning to join me next Sunday. Oh, and she is also newly engaged and getting married in May. Who knew.
Our last flatmate arrived today. Jennifer from Minnesota, ay. Amidst a long discussion about our travels, another flatmate, Alayna from "Jersey," casually threw out in conversation that she couldn't get comfortable on the plane because she has 2 steel rods in her back.
"What did you just say?"
She repeated it, and got that face that said, oh great I have to explain it to these people.
"I have 2 steel rods in MY back," I told her.
"No way."
"Yes way."
We both smiled and knew immediately that this was just plain weird. We high-fived and at the same time said, "Spinal Fusion!"
And then 7:00pm rolled around (that's 1:00pm for you Midwesterners), and I finally got to Skype with my handsome fiance for the first time since I arrived :) It was so good to see his face and those funny expressions that are unmistakeably his.
And now, I am sitting at my desk, trying to find a website that will let me watch Grey's Anatomy (and by the way, my other flatmates are Grey's and Lost fans as well, praise-a-lujah), while sipping hot camomile tea from a mug I threw on the wheel myself. Just another lazy Sunday here in the Burgh.
Eikon Edinburgh. www.eikonedinburgh.com
It's a very small church made up of about 30 twenty-somethings from all over the world. Ireland, Scotland, America, Finland, Canada, the list goes on. They believe in a simple philosophy: connecting people to each other and to God. They are by far the most interesting church I have ever encountered, and the most welcoming service I have ever attended. Very few awkward moments. As you all know how I am with my lists, here are my reasons for immediately falling in love with this hodge-podge group of believers and the church they planted only 18 short months ago:
1. The service was held in a movie theater filled with leather couches. Took me back...
2. Clementine bread was out with the coffee and tea to enjoy.
3. When I first walked in the door, the pastor was the one arranging the couches for service.
4. All Powerpoints were run from the pastor's Mac simply hooked up to a projector.
5. The worship service consisted of a woman leading us in a capella songs while we all patted our laps to the voices.
6. The worship leader said "sucks" from the pulpit, while one of the pastor's illustrations used another choice word.
7. The church bulletin included a Sudoku puzzle.
8. During the sermon, the pastor invited us to join in on the topic with a discussion.
9. The daughter and wife were extremely generous in helping find my way to my school campus after service for an orientation meeting in the afternoon; to the point of finding someone to give me a ride right up to the door of the campus, to avoid the confusion of buses.
10. I met a woman from Chicago who graduated from Evangel University, in Spring-vegas, Missouri in 1992. That's when I knew I was home.
Needless to say, I'll be back.
After making a quick appearance at the orientation meeting and soon discovering it was a bucket of information I had already heard, a girl, who I met on Day 1, and I walked back to our flats together. I told her about Eikon, and she seemed very interested. Back in her home in Louisiana, she also attends an AG church. She is planning to join me next Sunday. Oh, and she is also newly engaged and getting married in May. Who knew.
Our last flatmate arrived today. Jennifer from Minnesota, ay. Amidst a long discussion about our travels, another flatmate, Alayna from "Jersey," casually threw out in conversation that she couldn't get comfortable on the plane because she has 2 steel rods in her back.
"What did you just say?"
She repeated it, and got that face that said, oh great I have to explain it to these people.
"I have 2 steel rods in MY back," I told her.
"No way."
"Yes way."
We both smiled and knew immediately that this was just plain weird. We high-fived and at the same time said, "Spinal Fusion!"
And then 7:00pm rolled around (that's 1:00pm for you Midwesterners), and I finally got to Skype with my handsome fiance for the first time since I arrived :) It was so good to see his face and those funny expressions that are unmistakeably his.
And now, I am sitting at my desk, trying to find a website that will let me watch Grey's Anatomy (and by the way, my other flatmates are Grey's and Lost fans as well, praise-a-lujah), while sipping hot camomile tea from a mug I threw on the wheel myself. Just another lazy Sunday here in the Burgh.
9.27.2008
my new neighbourhood, with a "u"
The gothic church on the north side of my block.Sorry for the crappy quality of image.
So today I did some shopping, still on the hunt for some toilet paper and Kleenex. Got some food finally for my flat. Some honey-nutty-fibery-branny cereal (looks like owl pellets, but tastes pretty good), a liter of milk (NOT gallon), some Ramen-wannabes, familiar Ritz crackers, camomile tea, and a ginormous orange. The milk kind of tastes/looks/feels like whole milk. Very thick and creamy. Half and half-like. Got some dishes and "cuterly" (silverware). More hangers for my clothes. A roll of tape (some assembly required) to hang photos, now it feels like my room :) Oh yes, and an alarm clock to confuse my body's clock some more.
Two more flat mates arrived, both Americans, from Connecticut and New Jersey. Me and Jersey went to eat dinner at a TOTALLY ADORABLE cafe next door to our flat called Katie's Diner. Eight tables total, and the wall were filled with New York City photos and memoribilia, though everyone there was clearly Scottish. I had "Garlicky Chicken," as the menu read. It was quite delicious, the first real meal I've had. Nothing garlicky about it though, just a pool of butter. I also tried a new soft drink, which I was instructed to try before I left this cozy city. "Irn Bru" is it's name. It's like a bubble gum-orange-lemony soda. Very refreshing and yummy. I will most definitely order it again. Apparently Edinburgh is the ONLY place in the world you will find it. The sweet 60-something waitress wanted to make sure I liked it before she left our tiny table :) I did. When we were finished, we eventually figured out we had to ask for the check. It came on a nice little plate, hand written ticket. Felt very fancy and old-fashioned. We weren't sure about tipping--I had heard it's the same as the US, 15-20%. Our total was 20.40 pounds, so we gave him about 3.5 pounds. Then we weren't sure if we left it on the table or took it to the register by the door. We waited, and he came by to pick up our "real money," as he called it. (Most people were paying with a credit card, which he ran through a "magic machine," a handheld credit card machine that he carried with him.) And then in a sweet, Scottish accent, and old-man charm, he thanked us for our generosity. Ah, the true meaning of gratuity.
Next story:
Last night, we all went to the pub next door again, Golf Tavern. I chatted with a girl from Glasgow, which is about an hour west of Edinburgh. We had the usual small talk that I had already partaken in with about 54 other people since I arrived. What's your name, where are you from, what are you studying, why Napier, and do you like it here? Over and over and over and over and over and over....After that prequisite, she asked if I was much into the US election. I said in America, it's hard not to be right now! She did not understand how our choosing of Presidents worked so I explained it to her. I then asked about her form of government in the UK, and she proceeded to educate me on the history of Scottish government and politics. I mentioned that I had seen Braveheart once, to which she made a sour face. Apparently Mel Gibson needs to get his facts straight. In a nutshell, the Scottish hate the British, the British hate the Scottish. If you mistaken a British accent for a Scottish accent or vice versa, prepare for a brawl. The two countries are not allowed to play versus in rugby because of the extreme violence that comes as a result, let alone the violence the sport carries on it's own. Before William Wallace ever came along, the Scots were already a free nation. It was James IV, I believe, that screwed everything up. Someone's queen died, Scotland or England - can't remember which, so James IV had to take over for BOTH nations, thus bringing Scotland under English rule. Still not quite sure what it was William Wallace did or why they made a movie about him, but to this day, Scotland is still TECHNICALLY under England. That's why we hate them (I am Scottish now, by the way). And the whole UK, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Scotland stuff...who's a country, who's a region, who's under who (or whom? Taylor?). Still under speculation, even to Miss Glasgow. Kelly was her name. The whole time I thought she was saying Kaylee, until she spelled it for me. The accent, eh. Apparently the UK includes Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England, while Ireland is off on it's own now. And what about Great Britain? Same as the UK. But what about the British Empire? That includes Hong Kong, Singapore, Gibraltar maybe, the list goes on. All I know now, is that the Queen has her hands full, and it's not of tea and biscuits.
Oh, and the Germans and French are mortal enemies. Never mention them in the same sentence or certain death awaits you...
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MY NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD...
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2022329&l=70e42&id=177501993
Two more flat mates arrived, both Americans, from Connecticut and New Jersey. Me and Jersey went to eat dinner at a TOTALLY ADORABLE cafe next door to our flat called Katie's Diner. Eight tables total, and the wall were filled with New York City photos and memoribilia, though everyone there was clearly Scottish. I had "Garlicky Chicken," as the menu read. It was quite delicious, the first real meal I've had. Nothing garlicky about it though, just a pool of butter. I also tried a new soft drink, which I was instructed to try before I left this cozy city. "Irn Bru" is it's name. It's like a bubble gum-orange-lemony soda. Very refreshing and yummy. I will most definitely order it again. Apparently Edinburgh is the ONLY place in the world you will find it. The sweet 60-something waitress wanted to make sure I liked it before she left our tiny table :) I did. When we were finished, we eventually figured out we had to ask for the check. It came on a nice little plate, hand written ticket. Felt very fancy and old-fashioned. We weren't sure about tipping--I had heard it's the same as the US, 15-20%. Our total was 20.40 pounds, so we gave him about 3.5 pounds. Then we weren't sure if we left it on the table or took it to the register by the door. We waited, and he came by to pick up our "real money," as he called it. (Most people were paying with a credit card, which he ran through a "magic machine," a handheld credit card machine that he carried with him.) And then in a sweet, Scottish accent, and old-man charm, he thanked us for our generosity. Ah, the true meaning of gratuity.
Next story:
Last night, we all went to the pub next door again, Golf Tavern. I chatted with a girl from Glasgow, which is about an hour west of Edinburgh. We had the usual small talk that I had already partaken in with about 54 other people since I arrived. What's your name, where are you from, what are you studying, why Napier, and do you like it here? Over and over and over and over and over and over....After that prequisite, she asked if I was much into the US election. I said in America, it's hard not to be right now! She did not understand how our choosing of Presidents worked so I explained it to her. I then asked about her form of government in the UK, and she proceeded to educate me on the history of Scottish government and politics. I mentioned that I had seen Braveheart once, to which she made a sour face. Apparently Mel Gibson needs to get his facts straight. In a nutshell, the Scottish hate the British, the British hate the Scottish. If you mistaken a British accent for a Scottish accent or vice versa, prepare for a brawl. The two countries are not allowed to play versus in rugby because of the extreme violence that comes as a result, let alone the violence the sport carries on it's own. Before William Wallace ever came along, the Scots were already a free nation. It was James IV, I believe, that screwed everything up. Someone's queen died, Scotland or England - can't remember which, so James IV had to take over for BOTH nations, thus bringing Scotland under English rule. Still not quite sure what it was William Wallace did or why they made a movie about him, but to this day, Scotland is still TECHNICALLY under England. That's why we hate them (I am Scottish now, by the way). And the whole UK, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Scotland stuff...who's a country, who's a region, who's under who (or whom? Taylor?). Still under speculation, even to Miss Glasgow. Kelly was her name. The whole time I thought she was saying Kaylee, until she spelled it for me. The accent, eh. Apparently the UK includes Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England, while Ireland is off on it's own now. And what about Great Britain? Same as the UK. But what about the British Empire? That includes Hong Kong, Singapore, Gibraltar maybe, the list goes on. All I know now, is that the Queen has her hands full, and it's not of tea and biscuits.
Oh, and the Germans and French are mortal enemies. Never mention them in the same sentence or certain death awaits you...
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MY NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD...
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2022329&l=70e42&id=177501993
9.26.2008
the life of a scot.
things ive learned thus far:
1. the " and @ keys are switched on a key board. and good luck finding the # key.
2. the top symbol on a key is the one you use with the Shift key, backwards from my US of A.
3. when you buy some coffee and sit in a coffee house, you pay when you LEAVE.
4. it's not "Take Out Food" it's "Take Away Food"
5. if you want to go shopping after about 6pm, good luck. everything but bars, pretty much, closes around 6pm.
6. You have to turn on a switch for a plug in socket to work...took me awhile to figure that out. couldnt understand why nothing was turning on.
7. specials at stores are most likely "buy one get one" instead of "save $1" or something like that.
8. you bring your own shopping bag or you have to pay for their plastic ones.
9. no drinking of alcohol is allowed on the street, only INSIDE the bar. (i did not learn this first hand.)
10. 24-hour clocks are everywhere. im a professional "subtract 12-er"
11. everything is small. toiletries, buildings, streets, cars, stores, shops, tables, chairs. cafes, EVERYTHING. they are very space-concious.
12. bikes are quite common. but if you dont know you're way, you'll probably get hit by a car.
13. i've already jay-walked and nobody said anything. apparently thats ok to do.
14. round abouts are EVERYWHERE. if you dont use your turn signal you will surely die, no joke.
15. street names randomly change, and street signs telling the name of the street you are on are VERY RARE.
thats all for now.
1. the " and @ keys are switched on a key board. and good luck finding the # key.
2. the top symbol on a key is the one you use with the Shift key, backwards from my US of A.
3. when you buy some coffee and sit in a coffee house, you pay when you LEAVE.
4. it's not "Take Out Food" it's "Take Away Food"
5. if you want to go shopping after about 6pm, good luck. everything but bars, pretty much, closes around 6pm.
6. You have to turn on a switch for a plug in socket to work...took me awhile to figure that out. couldnt understand why nothing was turning on.
7. specials at stores are most likely "buy one get one" instead of "save $1" or something like that.
8. you bring your own shopping bag or you have to pay for their plastic ones.
9. no drinking of alcohol is allowed on the street, only INSIDE the bar. (i did not learn this first hand.)
10. 24-hour clocks are everywhere. im a professional "subtract 12-er"
11. everything is small. toiletries, buildings, streets, cars, stores, shops, tables, chairs. cafes, EVERYTHING. they are very space-concious.
12. bikes are quite common. but if you dont know you're way, you'll probably get hit by a car.
13. i've already jay-walked and nobody said anything. apparently thats ok to do.
14. round abouts are EVERYWHERE. if you dont use your turn signal you will surely die, no joke.
15. street names randomly change, and street signs telling the name of the street you are on are VERY RARE.
thats all for now.
9.25.2008
greener pastures
I wrote this over the Atlantic Ocean, along with many other moments during my 20 hour journey to Edinburgh. 5 airports and 4 airplanes and 6 hours of layovers to be exact. almost. these came in random thoughts...
I am currently 39,000 feet over North Carolina getting ready to cross the Atlantic to Europe. It hit me. I'm going. That trip you've been talking about for the past year? That adventure you've been psyching yourself up for to everyone you know? You're on it! You're there!
The Dallas and Raleigh flights weren't bad. I pretty much cried the whole way to Dallas after leaving my family at the Springfield airport, but once I landed in Dallas, I was fine. I was ready to start Kelsey's Most Excellent Adventure. I only cried one other time. When we took off from Raleigh to head to London. Good-bye America, I said to myself. Good-bye home, familiarity, comfort. I'm going away for awhile. I'll miss you American soil.
There's a little girl crying a few rows back on the flight to London. She sounds a lot like Syd. I miss her already. "I blove you Aunt Telsey" she said when I saw her last.
The man sitting across the aisle from me, I think I heard, is from Sweden. That's where I'm going, right Grant? Anyway, I think he is a stereotypical European senior citizen. He looks like Bilbo Baggins' twin brother. Maybe his extra in the Lord of the Rings. Thick bifocals with slim gold frames, big bushy orange eyebrows, monsterous nostrils, and a cute old man smile. Kind of fidgety. I like him. He's reading a book about war.
We just flew over Ireland. It's black outside my window since it's actually 5:30am. I can see a lighthouse on the coast and I see it's light shine every few seconds as it turns to my side. There are also a couple boats out there. They look like they are taking advantage of that lighthouse. Kind of cool that even I can see the light from 30,000 feet up.
When I sat down on the plane in Springfield waiting to leave Missouri for greener pastures, I was exhausted from thinking about family, tears, crying, snot, blah blah blah. I put in my iPod to drown out my anxiety and sadness. And Marcus, get what song was the first on the list in my shuffled music? St. Patrick's Day by John Mayer. Oh gosh. I couldn't listen to it. I couldn't even get through the first verse. I switched it to something less sentimental :)
There's an old hippie couple sitting behind me. I think they live in London. He looks like Jesus got lost at a Beatles concert. Except they keep mysteriously trailing off to the lavatories at the same times. I don't think that's Jesus after all.
6:07am signals my very first European sunrise. I'll post pictures later.
There's this super thick layer of clouds over England, except every once in awhile I see a patch of clarity which reveals a bright orange glowing city beneath the Big Tylonel. I see these fast moving skinny slivers of light, which I soon realize are trains. Don't see many of those in the Midwest. And yes, even from the road I could tell. The cars are on the wrong side! Ooops...the other side.
Good morning, London.
I am currently 39,000 feet over North Carolina getting ready to cross the Atlantic to Europe. It hit me. I'm going. That trip you've been talking about for the past year? That adventure you've been psyching yourself up for to everyone you know? You're on it! You're there!
The Dallas and Raleigh flights weren't bad. I pretty much cried the whole way to Dallas after leaving my family at the Springfield airport, but once I landed in Dallas, I was fine. I was ready to start Kelsey's Most Excellent Adventure. I only cried one other time. When we took off from Raleigh to head to London. Good-bye America, I said to myself. Good-bye home, familiarity, comfort. I'm going away for awhile. I'll miss you American soil.
There's a little girl crying a few rows back on the flight to London. She sounds a lot like Syd. I miss her already. "I blove you Aunt Telsey" she said when I saw her last.
The man sitting across the aisle from me, I think I heard, is from Sweden. That's where I'm going, right Grant? Anyway, I think he is a stereotypical European senior citizen. He looks like Bilbo Baggins' twin brother. Maybe his extra in the Lord of the Rings. Thick bifocals with slim gold frames, big bushy orange eyebrows, monsterous nostrils, and a cute old man smile. Kind of fidgety. I like him. He's reading a book about war.
We just flew over Ireland. It's black outside my window since it's actually 5:30am. I can see a lighthouse on the coast and I see it's light shine every few seconds as it turns to my side. There are also a couple boats out there. They look like they are taking advantage of that lighthouse. Kind of cool that even I can see the light from 30,000 feet up.
When I sat down on the plane in Springfield waiting to leave Missouri for greener pastures, I was exhausted from thinking about family, tears, crying, snot, blah blah blah. I put in my iPod to drown out my anxiety and sadness. And Marcus, get what song was the first on the list in my shuffled music? St. Patrick's Day by John Mayer. Oh gosh. I couldn't listen to it. I couldn't even get through the first verse. I switched it to something less sentimental :)
There's an old hippie couple sitting behind me. I think they live in London. He looks like Jesus got lost at a Beatles concert. Except they keep mysteriously trailing off to the lavatories at the same times. I don't think that's Jesus after all.
6:07am signals my very first European sunrise. I'll post pictures later.
There's this super thick layer of clouds over England, except every once in awhile I see a patch of clarity which reveals a bright orange glowing city beneath the Big Tylonel. I see these fast moving skinny slivers of light, which I soon realize are trains. Don't see many of those in the Midwest. And yes, even from the road I could tell. The cars are on the wrong side! Ooops...the other side.
Good morning, London.
9.22.2008
almost there
I can count how many times people have asked me about my trip in the past few weeks. Are you excited? Are you nervous? Are you anxious? Are you scared? Are you packed?
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and no.
On one hand, I couldn't be more thrilled to finally start this adventure.
And on the other hand, I'm freaked out to no end to leave behind everything that is familiar.
New culture, new school, new friends, new home, new street names, new brands of shampoo.
Despite all the "new," I'm going to strive for some kind of consistency. This blog will be part of that. Not only will it be a chance for my friends and family to get a glimpse of my life across the pond over the next four months, but also an outlet for me to escape the "new" and record moments I don't want to forget.
So, I am all of the above. Excited, nervous, happy, exhausted, overwhelmed, scared, thrilled, anxious, sad, tired, exhilerated, relaxed, afraid, delighted, engulfed, freaked out.
I miss you guys already (and I haven't even left yet!), but I wont be gone long.
More to come upon arrival.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and no.
On one hand, I couldn't be more thrilled to finally start this adventure.
And on the other hand, I'm freaked out to no end to leave behind everything that is familiar.
New culture, new school, new friends, new home, new street names, new brands of shampoo.
Despite all the "new," I'm going to strive for some kind of consistency. This blog will be part of that. Not only will it be a chance for my friends and family to get a glimpse of my life across the pond over the next four months, but also an outlet for me to escape the "new" and record moments I don't want to forget.
So, I am all of the above. Excited, nervous, happy, exhausted, overwhelmed, scared, thrilled, anxious, sad, tired, exhilerated, relaxed, afraid, delighted, engulfed, freaked out.
I miss you guys already (and I haven't even left yet!), but I wont be gone long.
More to come upon arrival.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)