Scotland Cried When I Said Goodbye

It hit me for the first time this morning: I'm going home tomorrow. I've been telling myself that for about two weeks now, and wishing for the day to come faster all term, but now that it's here, the moment has become bittersweet. I walked West Sands for the last time today, enjoyed one more coffee with friends. I played my last game of golf yesterday, enjoying having the short course to ourselves. We listened to Scottish music in the pub one final time, sat with friends for the last meal in hall. A bunch of lasts.
It started out as a bunch of firsts. The first friends we met, the first Ceilidh, first walk into town, first golf lesson...the list goes on. And now suddenly I'm saying, 'That's the last time I'll buy a piece of shortbread.' Or something along those lines.

Our final days in St Andrews were well spent. Saturday proved to be the most beautiful day we had the entire term, and Kate and I enjoyed a long afternoon on the beach. I should have been studying. But I wasn't. We got our first light sunburn, dipped in the North Sea (to cool off, of all things!) and enjoyed the rare moment we got to wear a bathing suit in Scotland. We went to church for the last time on Sunday, and were left with some excellent worship and a meaningful message. I took my one and only final on Monday, and then prepared to return to the beautiful USA. We made sure we got in everything we wanted to do before we left: music at the Whey Pat Tavern, practicing our chipping skills on the short course, coffee at Northpoint, and so on.

It seems only right that it should storm the last day we are here. We haven't had a good rain in some time, and Scotland was overdue. The wind is picking up, and the rain drops are getting bigger and heavier. Last night we even had some excellent thunder and lightning storms. Katelyn is finishing up her final day of work, and we will be enjoying a little jazz tonight before lugging my suitcase to her dorm and ceremoniously burying her tattered shoes.

Tomorrow is an early morning. We are being picked up at 5:30 am, and will have some time to get breakfast before our flight to London. Here's hoping that travel goes smoothly tomorrow. It will be a long day, long overdue.

Many lessons have been learned over the months spent here in St Andrews:
We've learned that when you eat in the pubs, order at the bar, because they won't serve you from your table.
We've learned that haggis isn't really as bad as some think; as long as you ignore the ingredients, it really just tastes like corned beef hash.
I've learned that there are some seriously harsh rules in golf, especially if you land in a bunker, so note: don't hit it into the bunker.
I've also learned the the most famous pirates in literature were created by Scots. Peter Pan and Treasure Island's inspiration for their pirates can all be traced back to Daniel Defoe's General History of the Pirates.
If you think someone is staring at you because you look funny...you're right. But then just stare right back because they're probably in some ridiculous ensemble that looks like the Big Bang of fashion failure.
When in Scotland, ALWAYS carry an umbrella.
NEVER trust BBC Weather. They're always wrong. Even when you look up the current weather.
Some of the nicest people you will ever meet are in Scotland. And some of the weirdest.
You make friends from all over the world when you come to Scotland. Germany, France, England, Russia, the Philippines, and of course the lovely USA.

There is no end to the memories that have been made here, and the friendships that have been formed. There were highs and lows to all of it, but it is all a part of the experience of studying abroad, and this is one that I have enjoyed immensely. Everything for the academics to the golf, to the people, has made this semester one of the most memorable of them all.

Thank you to all who helped to get me here, and thanks to all who made this term so fantastic. I will never forget you. And with a final wave, I say goodbye to this home away from home, and hello to the family and friends waiting for me in California! See you all tomorrow! YAY!!!!

Countdown

Hello to everyone stateside!

We had a lovely time at the polo tournament, and enjoyed some quiet nights out last week to wind down the last week of lectures. It is so strange that it has finally come to this. We are down to two weeks and counting. My final story will be turned in tomorrow, and then it will be time to hunker down and start studying for my one and only exam...Pirates and Privateers. Nervous! There's so much information to go through from the term, and it's making me slightly panicky. There are people who have three or four exams. I can't even imagine doing two! And I only have one...I should not be complaining. This week has been revision week for most, but for me and Hailey, it has been a relaxation/stay away from the books week. My last golf lesson was last week, but I had the opportunity to play the Balgrove Course on Wednesday, which was very fun (though my skills were a bit rusty on the golf course...) It was a great way to end such a fun semester of lessons, and it is definitely the best decision I made here.

During revision week we had one more Pirates lecture, with guest historian Eric J. Graham, who is very passionate about Scottish maritime history, and made the discussion very entertaining. When he finished his lecture, Jacob, Dan and I headed over to The Central pub for a pint...and to talk about more pirates with our fellow students! It was a fun way to end the lecture. As challenging as the course has been, I have learned so many interesting things, and have come to appreciate even more the period of privateers and pirates that has fascinated the public for centuries.

This weekend will be a quiet one, as many of my friends will be starting their exams, including Kate, who has her first one on Saturday! I am stocked up on food for the study period coming up next week, and next time you hear from me, it will be only a few days before Kate and I return too the beautiful USA!

See everyone VERY SOON! Cheers...

An Exciting Weekend

Hello friends and family!

The past couple of weeks have passed, and St Andrews is now on the homeward stretch. After turning in my final Pirates essay, the final events of the end of term are in full swing. We had a wonderful time at the Byre listening to jazz, and that weekend we danced till we couldn't move at the CU Ball. It was so much fun going for dinner, a time of worship, and ending the evening with a Ceilidh and a Bop (DJ). We also went for a pre-May Dip on Monday morning, and though the water was freezing, the sun was shining, so it was a warm walk back to hall. St Andrews really gets into the final weeks of the term, with so many things going on. The biggest event of this month is May Dip. On the first of May, at dawn, the students head down to Castle Sands to take a plunge into the freezing water. It is a whole night ordeal for most people, with students out the entire night getting extremely drunk and going to parties. Hailey and my alternative was to go to Tesco and get an Apple pie and some ice cream. We baked with a couple friends of our, hung out and watched Sandlot, and then at 3:45 this morning, we headed out for Castle Sands. Market Street had never been more deserted. Not a soul was there. And then we hit North Street, and a mass of students suddenly appeared. For those who don't know, Castle Sands is the smallest of the three beaches in St Andrews, no more than a cove, and yet every year without fail, 3,000 students make their way down to the beach, herded like sheep by the police down the steep steps to the beach for a dive into the freezing ocean just as the sun rises. After experiencing this, I am impressed at any person who can be completely wasted and still make it down the steps, dive in the water, and back up without getting killed. I was surprised we made it out alive! The experience was worth it for us, though; we couldn't leave University without having experienced May Dip. Yes, it's true many choose to do it in the nude, and we were very grateful for the darkness that still hung around. We stood next to the bonfires around the beach for a few minutes before fighting our way back to the top of the cliff and walking back to hall. We showered and fell into bed. At 8:30 we woke up got some breakfast, and went back to bed. The same thing happened at 12:30 for lunch, but before we could get a decent amount of sleep, the Garden Party started earlier than it was supposed to, so we were woken up to very loud music, and an interesting text message from a friend of mine.

Prince William is at this wedding! Of course, my first thought was, Kim, what are you doing at a wedding here? But she sings in the Sallie's choir, and a friend of William was getting married. We weren't sure if this was true or not, but we had to walk into town to check it out. We went and got something from Northpoint, then went to the quad and saw the wedding party taking pictures. We sat on one of the benches and kept our eyes peeled. At first we were a bit distracted by all the crazy hats, but then Katelyn said, 'I think that's him, cuz that's Kate Middleton.' We all looked across the quad and lo and behold, there he was. Prince William and Kate Middleton. I was impressed we remained so calm the entire time. When we finally left the quad we saw tons of people milling across the street waiting for a glimpse. Lucky us, we got a front row seat.

After our amazing luck at seeing William, we walked back to hall to hang at the Garden Party. Tonight there are fireworks at 10, which we'll watch from the party, and tomorrow we are planning on going to the charity Polo Match at the Manor just outside of town. Who knows? Maybe Prince William will make another appearance... :)

Until another exciting entry...let the countdown begin!
Cheers!

I'm Alive!

Hello long lost friends!

Yes, I am still alive and still in St Andrews, studying away. The past few weeks have seen me vegging, ergo nothing to write about, but I have just returned from the Emerald Isle, with not that many stories actually, but a ton of pictures of the breathtaking west coast of Ireland. Easter break saw Katelyn and I taking a turn back in time to the Burn House, near Aberdeen. It is straight out of Jane Austen and is one of the most beautiful peaceful places I have ever been. We enjoyed our first weekend away from classes lounging around the huge house, enjoying tea and cakes, playing croquet, tennis, golf, and walking along the river paths that run into town. I felt like Elizabeth Bennett walking into Merriton. It was absolutely beautiful.

We headed back to St Andrews while my roomie Hailey went off the London. We caught a rather nasty storm in town, confining us to the room and our shows and movies (how unfortunate...) but still managed to walk down to East Sands on the only sunny day we had, as well as have a merry time at the driving range, with me teaching Katelyn the basics of golf, and her catching on quite nicely. She was a little worried about not being good enough, but she fit right in with the other players who had come out to 'hit' a couple balls.

On Good Friday, we took the bus to Glasgow and spent a lovely weekend with JJ. We had the chance to meet her boyfriend John as well as many of her other friends from church. Kate and I spent Saturday walking Buchanan Street and browsing the shops. The forecast said rain, but it never once rained on us. Easter Sunday we joined JJ for church, where we released hundreds of colored balloons into the sky, and afterward for a lovely lunch. It was so nice out that afternoon that we walked down by the River Kelvin and enjoyed out time out before going in and watching Chocolat before getting ready to catch a VERY early flight the next morning. We woke at 3:30 am and caught a taxi to the bus, which took us to Glasgow Prestwick. While it got us to our destination, I would not recommend anyone fly RyanAir. The rates may be cheap at first, but you tack on luggage, taxes, transport to and from the small airports, and it starts to add up. Even so, we reached Dublin with little trouble, and the day ahead of us to explore the city.

Dublin was very nice. It was once again sunny for us, and we walked to Trinity College to see the book of Kells but unfortunately it was not open. The college however is lovely and we enjoyed sitting in the quad for a while. We made our way to Old Dublin, the medieval part of the city, and saw the two old cathedrals, from the 10 and 11 centuries, as well as Dublin Castle, which is sort of like a rough looking Buckingham Palace. We then walked to Temple Bar and enjoyed a lovely lunch on the river.

Another piece of advice: If you have a choice, ALWAYS fly around Ireland. NEVER take Bus Eiraenn. None of the employees talk to each other apparently. We kept getting different stories telling us that we wouldn't make the Doolin bus in Limerick that night, and then the opposite. It was awful. We were finally told we could make Doolin that night, but even then we were unsure if we really would. It took us seven hours to get to the west coast, and by the time we arrived that night, it was pouring rain, and we were exhausted. We heated my leftover pizza and fell into bed.

The following morning, we had to find food. But when we walked out of the hostel, the place looked like a ghost town. The only living things we saw were the cows. We walked about fifteen minutes, with everything that we passed being closed, but finally found a lodge that served breakfast. With our stomachs finally full, we headed back to the hostel to rent bikes to ride to the Cliffs of Moher. They were only six kilometers away, and it was a lovely day. Silly us, we forgot that the cliffs being what they are, we had to go uphill to get to them. So what would have been about a 45 minute ride ended up taking us almost an hour and a half. But it was well worth it. The cliffs are even more magnificent in person than to look at the pictures. We spent the bulk of the afternoon there, then enjoyed a much more comfortable ride back, since it was all downhill. We walked around town a bit more, finding a mini market to buy food for the week, and then down along the coast, where there isn't any beach to sit on, just a bunch of huge rocks. But it was a beautiful day.

Indeed, all of our days in Doolin were lovely. The sun came out for us every morning without fail. We took the ferry over to the Isles of Aran on our second day and enjoyed walking around the old cemeteries and castle ruins, and then sitting on a real beach. The water was so clear that we could see straight to the bottom.

Unforunately, on our third day there, Kate got sick and we spent the day close to home. However on our last day, we decided to brave the bikes once more, and this time rode to Fanore, sixteen kilometers to the north on the coast. It was still a hard ride, but the hills allowed us reprieves every now and then, and the beach waiting for us at the very end was nice. We saw some kids go in with boogie boards and surfboards, but we being California girls thought them to be total idiots. The ride back was a bit harder, but no too bad. We stopped into a pub back in Doolin for some water and hot tea for Kate. We were only going to be there for a little while, but ended up staying for almost three hours talking to some of the locals.

We were quite ready to go back to civilization and technology but had one more hurdle: the hostel did not accept credit cards, and we were down to our last bucks. The ATM was being hellish with us until Kate remembered she had gotten a PIN for her credit card, saving us from a tough spot. We caught the bus early the next morning, and while the west coast was absolutely beautiful and we had had four lovely days, we were more than happy to say goodbye to Doolin.

We arrived in Dublin around 2:30, a much quicker bus ride coming back we found. We walked around O'Connell Street, got a cheap lunch, and browsed through Carroll's. We didn't want to do too much walking; we had already walked our feet off in Doolin. We got to the Travelodge an hour before our check in time but were still able to get into our room. After what we'd had in Doolin, the Travelodge seemed like a 5 star resort! I spent two hours in the bathroom getting clean from all the dust and sweat that had accumulated over the week, we snacked on food we'd brought with us, as well as some chips and candy from the vending machine (our budget was limited) and spent the evening watching Harry Potter on TV. It was so nice.

We didn't have to wake up quite so early as we'd had to in Glasgow the next morning, and for some reason I was rather perky that morning. That lasted for about an hour, then I crashed in the airport. We got Starbucks to help wake us up, but still ended up sleeping for most of the flight and the bus ride home. The trip back was much more relaxed than going, and by the time we got to St Andrews, we were so happy to finally be home. Ireland had been a fun adventure, but I think I still like traveling pampered style...

We enjoyed a full meal at The Rule that evening, the first we'd had in a week, and promptly answered all emails and facebook notices that had accumulated over the days we had been gone. Movies were definitely on the agenda that night. While I love Pride and Prejudice, I would not be able to live without technology I've decided. Pretty pathetic, but true. At least, that has been my experience so far.

The first week back has been rather nice, not too much, but I do have my second history essay due next week, so I've been catching up on my reading for that. This is the fun one too: Pirates in the Golden Age. Hello Blackbeard and Captain Kidd! (they actually both have very interesting stories, and are not the only pirates worth hearing about...more to come later...) The countdown has officially begun to summer, and the days are already flying by. April is already halfway over!

Kate and I also had a little bit of a Shel Silverstein/missing home moment, and here's what came out of that:

West Coast to West Coast

West coast to west coast, the forecast is rain,
But Cali girls come and scare it away.
If we go inside, the sun becomes sad
But we step outside and the sun becomes glad.
There's rain when we travel,
And Sun when we stay.
There's clouds when we're sick,
And sun when we play.
And of course there is rain when we must go away.
They said, 'Be prepared for rain and storm clouds.'
But we got here, looked up and inquired, 'What clouds?'
For the sky was as blue as it is back at home,
The breeze was as cool, and the sun was a warm.
We can't boast Cliffs of Moher, or the Isles of Aran,
So what does home have that Ireland's not sharing?
Home has soft beaches and sun all year long.
Home has got hamburgers that never go wrong.
While Ireland has beautiful mountains and glens,
Home has my bed, my family and friends.

Until next time (which will probably be the next time my blogger light bulb goes on...) Cheers!

Best week ever...

So, the title of this post is relevant to the fact that I basically did nothing after Monday. This week has been a recuperation week for me. Tuesday I only had one masterclass, in which a guest poet came and talked to us about how because we want to be writers, we should be warned that they are top on the list of becoming completely mental. So nice to know.

Wednesday I slept in, had a nice walk through town in the afternoon, and enjoyed a movie before dinner. Thursday morning, Kate and I did our run through Hepburn Gardens again, a beautiful spot a two minute walk away. We returned on Friday and took pictures to show the flowers coming up and when we crossed the creek, the water reminded us of polar bearing during the summer! We also planned our Easter break plans, which even though our only big trip is to Ireland, took us almost three hours to book flights, bus tickets and accommodation! While we are actually going now (which we are glad to have everything booked) we couldn't imagine everyone who was planning huge trips across Europe! All we're doing is going to Doolin, and it was driving us crazy! But everything is set and we are officially going to the west coast of Ireland for the week to spend some much needed relaxation time.

Saturday, Hailey and I did absolutely nothing. That wasn't how we planned the day, but it turned out that way. We both curled up in bed, because it was cloudy and rainy outside, and watched our favorite TV shows. It was probably the best day of the week. We enjoyed economically fasting on bananas and peanut butter, pringles, and chocolate. So healthy...

Sunday, the three of us and Hailey's friend Saad went to the beginning of church for the worship and then discreetly slipped out for the Easter Egg Hunt in the cathedral ruins! We ended up only having to pay 1 pound to get in, which was nice considering we only found 2 tiny eggs. They had hid 400 eggs all over the ruins, and we got there right on time, but Kate and I didn't find one. Saad found 2, and we ended up getting consolation prizes in the form of cream Cadbury eggs at the end. It wasn't quite what we expected, but we enjoyed walking around and then going into town to get some REAL chocolate! :)

It's clouding up again this afternoon. It's going to be a work day today, getting ready for tomorrow's lecture, which shouldn't be too hard because my essay topic is the discussion for the week. Probably an episode or two of Bones will be thrown in as well. Only 4 more days, then Easter break begins! And we'll be off to the Burn House...

More adventures to come! Till then, cheers.

Jelly Beans, Jesus, and Just Getting Through Those Essays!

My deepest apologies for having faltered on the blog front. The past couple of weeks have been very crazy. All of last week was devoted to writing my history paper, which had me nearly pulling my hair out, but has as of last Thursday been completed and turned in. I'm sure I am going to be blind by the end of term from looking at all of those manuscripts. I spent an entire weekend squinting at my computer, trying to make out a word in Scots, or attempting to make out a name written in flowing English script. While the work was difficult, it was so enlightening to look at primary documents, instead of reading about events out of a history book. A letter to Charles XI of Sweden from the Privy Council with statements like "We no more value a seapasse of Sweden than the barking of a dog." Classic lines that had me doing a double-take and thinking, 'They actually said things like that in the 1600s...to a king?' So overall, it was a very rewarding experience, and I believe that the paper turned out well.
The following day I had my first creative writing essay due, which was another adventure in and of itself. It had to be a work of nonfiction, a literary essay, and we were given prompts. I chose to write about a travel experience. But they also told us we needed to have sources. Sources? Like what? Bibliography: my brain. There, that was my source. No, I'm kidding. But still, it was strange writing a literary essay and citing books on Notre Dame and Versailles. While I didn't put nearly as much effort into that one as my pirates essay, I still think it turned out the way they wanted. Now I just have to wait and see.

Somewhere during this week of endless work and rubbing my eyes from weariness, I found time to go to the Ladies Golf Society cocktail party at Ma Bell's pub on the Scores, which was a nice break. A daiquiri cocktail (rum and pure lemon juice along with something else I can't remember) and some excellent small bites were enough to give me a second wind. And after all the papers had been submitted by Friday, it was time to celebrate the end of a long week with a drink and some catching up with friends. We headed to the Rule that night and enjoyed St Andrews Ale, Tennants, and Bulmers Cider with Natalie, Dan, and Kim.
Also during this long week, I received a much needed pick-me-up from home: a care package stuffed to the brim with dark chocolate, jelly bellies, and my old camera (since my new one is being weird and won't turn on). This, along with drinks on Friday, and Saturday to amble around town, take fun pictures basking in the sun, and watching Aladdin, were quite a huge help in recuperating from the long time with my nose in the books or staring at my laptop.


Saturday night, Kate and I headed over to the Fairmont Hotel, quite a ways past East Sands, for her New Hall Ball. The Venue was very impressive, complete with Chocolate Fountain, Vodka ice sculpture, casino, and ceilidh, it was a fun few hours for us. The only problem was that no one told our transportation where we were going. Our bus driver stopped at least twice and said, 'This is where we're doing, right?' Uh...no, sorry. And then at about midnight, when we were ready to leave, the security guards were telling us that the buses weren't leaving until 3 am. We were not about to stick around for that long, since we could hardly keep our eyes open, so we asked for the number of a cab company. No number. Excellent, so we moved on to text friends and see if they could look up the number of a cap company. No service. Great, now we were stuck. We were at the point of wishing we'd brought coats so we could just walk back (no matter how far it was, since it was way out of town) when we followed a group of students heading for the buses, and we sat there for about fifteen minutes. God bless that wonderful bus driver when he finally came and drove the group of us back to hall. Getting ready for bed that night, I got yet another bloody nose, a small one, so not that long, and forgot to take off my jewelry, so needless to say, I was a mess waking up for church in the morning.

We showed up in comfy clothes, ready for some Jesus after our long week and transportation nightmare. It was a lovely service, about God being for you, and the worship was wonderful. After, Kate and I stuck around for the lunch they were holding. We met some nice girls from Albany Hall, and had warm baked potatoes with chili, and best of all...FRESH FRUIT! Everything from blueberries to the sweetest pineapple I've ever tasted, and melons, kiwis and strawberries. It was heaven. I think I got three bowls full of fruit.
Sunday afternoon found me back to the books for a presentation the following day (which ended up being more of a discussion) and living off of a banana and peanut butter for dinner. We were fasting economically.

Our travel plans for spring break seem to be coming together nicely. We will be going to the Burn House (which will be like walking into Pride and Prejudice; yay!), have a few days around town to probably do some hiking and a day or two in Edinburgh, and then spend Easter weekend with JJ in Glasgow. Following that, we will go to Doolin, Ireland (on the west coast) and relax, see the Cliffs of Moher, and enjoy break in a small village on the coast. I can't wait, less than two weeks away!

The rest of this week will see me in bed vegging, since it's low key (finally!). The weather continues to get warmer, and the sun is out more. It is just lovely. Kate and I have been doing a different run this week, Hepburn Gardens, a small park with beautiful huge trees and a path that runs right along the creek. Shorter than running the beach, but lots of hills, so definitely more intense, which is good for both of us!

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

At church this morning, I found myself praying that my passion for God would be reignited, and that I would seek Him out even more than I ever have. A minute later the pastor got up and said that God had put it on his heart that there were those in the room who desired for God to light the fire in their hearts once more, and urged those who felt that way to ask for God's guidance and wisdom. Thought that was pretty cool. Just food for thought.

I went to the library this afternoon to work some more on my essay and look through the Privy Council documents, and wound up spending a good chunk of the time in the bathroom with a blood nose. Work in the library and a bloody nose? Possibly the worst combination on the face of the planet.

Just a little snippet of my thoughts during the day!

March is here!

Can I just say that I have never been happier to say goodbye to the month of February? The thing about adjustment to homesickness is that until you're into a new month, the current one seems to drag on forever. So when March 1 arrived, there was some major celebrating going on. With the coming of March came more sunshine, and more warmth. Kate and I got back on our daily running schedule much happier that it was warmer and sunny. We ran all the way to the end of the dunes this week, about a 3 mile run there and back. We continue to improve our running skills!

Homework this week has centered mainly on history. My first essay is due March 11, and to make sure I knew what he was looking for, I met with Professor Murdoch on Thursday morning with an outline and my opening paragraph for him to look at. 45 minutes later, I came out with a new prompt, about 10 resources, including several primary ones. I am very glad I went to meet with him in that now I know what he's looking for, and he gave me several good sources, some of which he himself discovered in the Swedish Archives. The downside is that I now am focusing on a whole new question, so all the time I put into research for the past week...means absolutely nothing now. So I now have a week to delve into completely new research (some of which is extremely hard to read because it is in Scots, Swedish, and very elegant scripted English, to the point where you can barely read it) and write up a 3000 word essay...by Thursday! Can't wait...

On a happier note, I have officially moved from my old room to my new one (or should I say my newer room to my older room). Things were getting pretty back with my roommate, so I have now moved from Lumsden Wing, which is more modern, to the Old Wing, so named because it is...old. While I no longer have my own bathroom (my new room is a standard double) I am perfectly content giving it up for some peace and quiet at 1 am. I have had boys in my room till 3 am, drinking parties, family rampages via Skype, with some audacious language thrown in, and guys walking in wondering if we have any alcohol. Oh yes, and my shoes have been insulted. Unforgivable. I now live with Hailey, a very lovely girl from Baylor, who not only is a Christian, but goes to the same church that Kate and I do! She is much more considerate, and is very sweet. We both love quiet while we're studying and want a room to be the place we can crash after having fun out on the town. Needless to say, we are well matched. These past few days have been the most peaceful and productive days I've had in weeks. I don't have to walk to the library all the time to get work done, and I don't have to worry about loud music and drinking greeting me when I come home at night and am ready to fall into bed. Yay!

My golf lessons are still fun, and I continue to see improvement in my swing (though every once in a while I get too confident and send one flying to the right, Dad). The Golf Society is having a cocktail party next week at one of the nice pubs on the Scores, which should be very fun, and Kate can come along!

Well, back to the books. Hopefully tonight will see some fun, and get me away from the desk for a little while. Till next time all. Cheers.

Battling Wind...

Well, I'm getting slightly more prompt in my posts if I do say so myself. The weather has taken a turn for the worst. Wednesday saw the end of the wonderful series of sunny days we enjoyed for a time. I spent the afternoon at the library and then had a break that evening with the Welcome Wine Reception in the Old Wing Dining Room, where I had the chance to meet other JSA's and finally heard the story behind Hamilton Hall.
For those of you wondering what on earth I'm talking about. I will fill you in. Once again, I reference Chariots of Fire: In the opening scene as they run across the golf course and the town is seen in the background, there is a giant red building on the corner that stands out amidst the rest of the gray town buildings. This is Hamilton Hall. When Kate and I were here three years ago, we often passed Hamilton wishing we could live there, because it's location was so beautiful and it was such an elegant building. It was empty that summer, and when we came back this semester, we wanted to see what it had been turned into. The building is still empty, but the St Andrews Grand Hotel will soon be coming to the corner of Golf Street and The Scores. The story begins with a wealthy gentleman who wished to join the Golf Club, but he was rejected on the grounds that he was Jewish. Feeling very jilted, he promptly purchased the lot across the street from the Clubhouse and built Hamilton Hall, a huge five story building, overlooking the Course and towering over the Clubhouse, and there he would sit and gloat that he was higher and much more grand looking than the Golf Clubhouse. After his death, the building sat unused for many years, going to waste. Doors had been left open, water was leaking in, and birds were flying in, dying, and then laying there for years. The City Council of Fife finally sold the building for a very cheap price to the University, who turned it into accommodation for students. Several years ago, the building was bought from the University by a man that no one knew much about. After his purchase, he disappeared for a few years, and the building once again went to the dumps. It got to be so bad, and the man had disappeared, that the City finally repossessed Hamilton Hall, and is now going to be turned into the St Andrews Grand Hotel. If that man ever turns up again, he will find that his building is gone. Oh well. The mystery of Hamilton Hall is finally solved.

Thursday brought more terrible weather, even worse than the day before. Needless to say, Kate and I did NOT run that morning. The walk to class that afternoon was a miserable one, and I spent the rest of the day inside, warm and cozy in bed reading, watching movies, and feasting on a chocolate bar. Friday found me in the library once again (because over here, independent study is an absolute must in order to survive honours modules). Since the day was still so terrible, I treated myself to a hot cocoa and caramel shortbread before heading back to the dorm to change for the night. After dinner, we met up with friends at The Rule, and just in time, because 6 Nations was just about to start, and the pub quickly filled with people. Our table continued to expand, and we all enjoyed a pint, some beer battered onion rings, and a very exciting game of rugby between Wales and France. Carter and Alex decided to head out for more drinks after that, but the rest of us (Kim, Natalie, Kate, Dan, Tyler, and Matt) headed for the Union to play some foozball, darts, and pool.
It was a fun night out, and much needed too, because Saturday found Kate and I once again on the beach for a run (the hardest one yet since we were running into a severe wind) and then in the library for the bulk of the afternoon reading some Shakespeare and reading up on letters of Marque and Privateers in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland (very old primary resources, which are very intimidating to look through sometimes!) We once again met up with friends, this time at the Vic, for a quieter night of onion rings and hot coffee to warm us up. After a few games again at the Union, we headed back for a movie in my room.
However, Kate and I found ourselves wandering around Old Wing, where I will be moving in (hopefully soon!) We looked into the Arts Library, the Old Dining Room, the TV room, and the West Common Room. We also peaked in on Hayleigh, who is going to be my new roommate, and looked at the room. It is a spacious standard double on the corner with a big window overlooking the tennis courts and athletic fields, very nice. Kate and I then spent the next hour in the West Common Room playing on the piano and conjuring up a song while we were at it. Natalie came over to Uni about 10 pm and we watched Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (simply to see Taylor Lautner when he was 12) and ended up talking well past 1 in the morning. We were about to call it quits when my roommate (hereafter called The Girl from D1, because that's how most people refer to her; no one really knows her name, she just kinds of joins whatever party she can find) came back with Carter and watched the end of Inglorious Basterds, which took us all the way up to 3 am (longest freakin' end of a movie I've ever endured). Finally the party was over and I made it to bed, only to have weird dreams and needless to say, I was ready for church the next morning, even though I had only gotten 5 hours of sleep.
Kate and I went again to Vineyard, which we are really enjoying, and met more people from Uni Hall who attend as well. Uni has a Christian group called Link that meets on Monday nights, which I will definitely be checking out. Link group is putting on free meals this weekend (since halls don't provide dinner over the weekends) and tonight is free pizza and a couple short talks on Christianity and any questions people have about it. Natalie and Kate and I are going, and we'll see if Dan and Kim want to come as well. Anyway, this afternoon is looking like another working one for me, but probably with a short movie thrown in for a break. :)

P.S. Our package from Mom and Dad arrived with chocolate, jelly bellies, and Kate's camera cord! So there are new pictures up on her facebook for those who want to check it out.

Till next time, family and friends. Cheers!

Running, Balls, Laundry...Life.

You know the opening of Chariots of Fire? The part where they're running with a look of absolute bliss on the lovely shores of West Sands? The sun is shining brilliantly, and you wonder...'Can I ever be that happy while running?'
The answer is yes! Just blow out your knee in a sporting match, crawl around awkwardly for the next four months, then suddenly go down to the beach on a beautiful morning and RUN! The chilly wind in your face and the warm sun at your back, the soft sand cushioning your feet as you let the realization wash over you...you can RUN!!!
That was the feeling I had on Friday morning, a clear sky above me, the cold shores of the North Sea at my feet, and me...running! And yes, the music was going through my head. I'm pretty sure I was smiling the entire time too, which is unbelievable, because I loathe running. Well, I did, until now. Kate and I now have a schedule set out for us, three times a week, a quick run on the beach in the morning (weather permitting of course...what permitting? Who said that? [Sgt. Bilko moment]) Hehe...

Friday night saw the evening of the University Hall Ball. The theme was A Night at the Oscars. Though I really don't know that many people in hall, I found myself rather spontaneously deciding to go. I spent the afternoon with Katelyn shopping for a suitable pair of shoes to go with my sparkling silver dress, as well as a fun hairpiece to complete the outfit. (Picture soon to come) She was a lifesaver helping me get ready. She gave me a lovely hairdo complete with my new (and very cheap) silver flower hairpiece with small shining feathers coming out the top. That afternoon, the sun disappeared and it began to snow like crazy, huge flakes falling from the sky. So I ended up walking to Younger Hall, the music building where the ball was being held, in my blue wellies. I must say, I was quite a sight, walking up to the door in my stylish hairdo, vintage looking coat...and muddy wellies. I was greeted with champagne and a chocolate, after quickly changing into my black heels. The night was looking very fine, until I realized we wouldn't be let into the venue until about an hour later, and my shoes were a size too small. Needless to say, I found a chair the moment they opened the doors and sat there for almost an hour without moving, just wanting to be off my feet. The Ball started off with a Ceilidh (traditional Scottish dancing) which was very fun to watch. I didn't join in until later on, however, because even barefoot my feet were sore. I found a few friends later on and we all spent the rest of the night together. After the Ceilidh, we went to the free ice cream bar, which was very much needed. A DJ came on for a little while, who wasn't actually that impressive. A live band followed, but we only stayed for a few songs. The night was past the elegance and glamour part and into the drunk people making out on the dance floor part. The three of us headed back for hall, with me taking a quick detour to Kate's place to pick up my stuff.
The following morning, Uni Hall served brunch, since most everyone slept in. It was nice, with a selection of breakfast pastries and breads, bacon, eggs, coffee and juice. That evening we met up with our friends who had taken the trip to the Highlands that day. Kate and I had already eaten, but we joined them at a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant and heard their stories from the day.

Sunday it was still very icy from the storm, so the walk to church was a slow one. The sun was out yet again so we picked up a complimentary donut and coffee afterward and just sat outside enjoying the warmth. We decided to meet after lunch and go down to the beach to get some studying in because it was such a beautiful day, but of course, right after we got down to the beach, it clouded over and got cold. The only cool thing was that we saw a group of students playing baseball on the beach! Ah, America's favorite past time. So, we decided to go back to her room and watch Harry Potter, which was followed by Moulin Rouge (I know, procrastination tactics...awful) and after our movie fetish we once again met up with our friends at The Rule to hear their stories, this time from Loch Ness. I was again very glad that we had done these tours already, especially during the summer time when it was warmer!

Monday it was back to school, but not without another run on the beach! The sun came out again for us, and it was very cool because the higher part of the beach was still covered in snow from the shower the night before. We stuck our feet in the water when we were done because we wanted to cool off...yea, that lasted about half a second, and then we were definitely done! After the run, I did some reading before my pirates class in the afternoon and caught up for my masterclass the following morning. My desk is currently piled high with every possible book on piracy, privateers, buccaneers, and maritime history in Scotland and England.

Tuesday...another run! I know, I never thought I would be so into this whole running thing...go figure! I read up some more for my masterclass, then afterwards, went to the library to pick up some more books (I think half the history section is currently in my room) to start work on my first essay. Didn't get very far on it though. Since I have a welcome wine reception on Wednesday, Kate and I did our Prince Caspian night that night. We've been filling in during the week until NCIS comes back...next Tuesday! Or, Wednesday for us.

Wednesday was a nice free day, but the weather turned vile. We woke up to snow, sleet, rain and wind. It was awful. Good thing we weren't planning to run this morning! I used the day to read some more and went to the library to get deeper into my essay, and came back with seven more books! Some of them look very interesting actually. Since the day was dreary, I warmed myself up with a mocha and caramel shortbread at Costa. Half the university was in there with the same idea, but I didn't care. Luckily, it wasn't raining too badly on the walk back.
Laundry was waiting for me when I got back. It ended up costing about 10 U.S. dollars (no more complaining about paying for laundry at Gordon!) but it was worth it to have clean clothes. Dinner's been over for a while, and now I'm off to a lovely wine reception. Talk to you all again soon (hopefully).

Cheerio!

In to the Second Week...

I know it's been quite a while since I last posted, so I will attempt to fill you in on all that has happened (which really hasn't been much) since last we spoke. Only halfway into the second week, I am already feeling rather intimidated by the expectations. Obviously, it is nice to only have class four hours a week, but the problem is trying to manage the rest of my time. I probably will have read over half the books in the history section of the library by the time this semester is at an end. Have you ever tried to read Scot? If you haven't had the opportunity...don't. It is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to read, including trying to read French or Russian. I have had to figure out which letter makes what sound, and where I just should skip over half the word all together! Along with this, I have never had to juggle more acronyms in my life. WebCT, SaulCAT, iSaint, Jstor...the list goes on. I along with most in my history class have learned to simply nod and smile when our professor asks if we have gone to some such acronym and looked at some such article that nobody in the world knows is there but him. However, I have the exciting opportunity to do something in that class that I know will be fun for me. Dan and I are teaming up to lead the discussion for Informing the Public Imagination. What is this you might ask? Well, we basically get to read about all of the most famous pirates in literature and film (i.e. Captain Hook, Jack Sparrow) and point out what is historically correct and what is absolute crap! So I'm really looking forward to that.

Creative Writing is going well. We're focusing quite a bit on nonfiction, which I wasn't sure I was going to like, but turns out it can be really boring or quite exciting, so we'll see how that turns out. I sit right by the window looking out at the castle ruins during our masterclass, so needless to say I get a little distracted when Meaghan just goes on and on about some boring stuff about nonfiction...by the way, isn't that just the longest spelling of Megan you've ever seen?? Meaghan...I don't think you can add any more letters to that.

Anyway, I can't quite remember how far I have caught everyone up, so if I repeat some things, I apologize. I have officially joined the Ladies Golf Club. I take lessons every Thursday evening at the driving range right next to the Old Course Hotel, and God willing, I'll get a chance to play one of the most famous golf courses in the world! Keep your fingers crossed. I got a polo shirt and sweater that have the logo on it, very nice looking. It's the St. Andrews crest with a pair of golf clubs crossed between. And of course, it says 'Ladies Golf Club.' That will have some good stories attached to it soon. I'll definitely keep you filled in on how that goes.

Valentine's day was a single ladies day...woohoo. Kate and I went to Kingdom Vineyard church, which was like a breath of fresh air. So wonderful. They do a kind of adoption thing for students where a family will have them over for dinner or something during the week, and we would love to get involved in that somehow. We treated ourselves to ice cream after that, even though it was quite cold outside, and the rain was coming. There are some times when ice cream is just necessary, and this was one of them. On a fluke, we walked over to the cinema to check the times for Princess and the Frog, and turned out it had just started! So we bought tickets and got in just as it began. It was very cute, a good Valentine's day movie. It had started to rain when we came out, so we went back to Kate's room and watched another romantic movie, Shakespeare in Love. We met with friends at 1 Golf Place pub and watched the Pebble Beach tournament, which was like a piece of home. It was a grand day overall...

I may be moving out of my room to a quieter part of hall, simply because being right by the stairs and on the rowdiest floor doesn't do well for my already struggling study habits...and let's face it, the walk to the library does not sound like fun when it is halfway across town and in the mid-twenties outside. While I do have the biggest room in the house apparently, it will be nice to have a little quiet, and probably move into a more picturesque part of hall! We'll see. I'm meeting with a potential roomie tonight to see if we're compatible, and from there who knows? I'll keep you posted.

Even though it's only been three weeks since we came, parts of me feel like I've been here my whole life, which can be either a good or bad thing. I remember feeling that way going to Gordon for the first time. September dragged on for eternity, but once we hit October, we hit the highway! Same thing is happening here with February. Hopefully things will pick up once I get into golf, school, and hopefully a job!

For those of you wondering about the knee...it is getting much stronger I feel. I've been doing my exercises religiously every morning, and all of the walking I do to get around town definitely helps it to get stronger. Hopefully within the next couple weeks, I will be joining Kate for a short jog on the beach. The sand will help to make the muscles stronger along with being a soft impact on my knee. I never thought I would be saying this, but I have never missed running more!

Missing you all tons and tons! More stories to come soon...till then, cheers.

First days of classes

Our weekend ended by spending the evening with Mared and meeting her friends. We went out to the Vic and just hung out until about 11:30. We watched the pregame and national anthem at the Super Bowl, and Jack, Tobes, and Andy all started singing Loch Lomond. Very patriotic of them. Kate and I then went across the street to the Union and met with some of our JSA friends for a drink and to watch the start of the Super Bowl. We got about an hour into it, and then felt ourselves needing some serious sleep before starting lectures on Monday.

Monday morning was nice, because I did not have class until 3 in the afternoon, so I did some walking around town, but not much, since it was freezing and rainy. I found out that one of my friends, Dan, was in my Scottish History class, so it was nice to have someone I knew in the same class. The class we are taking is called Pirates and Privateers in Early Modern Scottish History. And no joke: when my professor walked in, he looked just like a pirate, complete with short blond hair, tan leathery skin, and an earring! I am definitely looking forward to some of the things we will discuss in the class, but I will admit it sounds pretty intimidating. The reading list for just a week is longer than one for an entire semester of class back at Gordon! The nice thing is that is won't be lecture style, but more discussion. I was very surprised to hear that most of the famous pirates were Scottish, and some of the most famous fictional pirates, like Captain Hook, came from the minds of Scots! I am so looking forward to getting into that mix of reality and fiction, and where the legends and stories' truths come from. After an overwhelming introduction (in which we were also told we would definitely be watching the Pirates trilogy!) Dan and I walked over to the library to check out the reading list. We were only able to find a few sources, so we sat down and started to read, but only got about a half hour through it before we gave up on reading. Something about the day and being in the silent catacomb of a library made us want to take a break (however short a time we'd been reading). The nice thing is that we have all come up with several times during the week to meet in common rooms around University to study for a couple of hours, which will definitely help to keep me accountable.

On Tuesday the sun came out!
That was definitely the best part of the day, so Kate and I met near the castle in the early afternoon after her class got out and just sat outside on a bench to feel the sunshine on our backs and enjoy looking out at the sea. I then went into my creative writing class in Kennedy Hall, which will probably be a nice class, because they will cater to our level of writing, so it won't be an intro class like I was wondering. However it will be different from other writing classes I've taken because we will also do a lot of delving into other books, newspapers, magazines, etc. and writing our take on what was said. We got our tutorial times, and I took a leisurely amount of time walking back to Uni Hall. I just have to mention that dessert at dinner that night was apple cinnamon something or other drenched in a vanilla bean sauce...so good!

Wednesday was even better than Tuesday! The sun was out again, with less wind and clouds, and Kate went on her first run today. I sat on the beach as she ran and got some writing in which was wonderful. I just wanted to capture the moment, so I could look back at that entry and remember exactly the sensation I felt as I sat there. We didn't have classes today, so it was a nice leisurely day, but we had our first study meeting in the Kennedy Hall common room, and got in a good amount of work. Feeling very accomplished, we walked back to the Tesco to get some snacks for the evening because NCIS was on! It was a good episode, and we enjoyed cheese and crackers, chocolate mints, pringles, and lemonade. It was a little disappointing finding out that the next episode isn't being aired until March though. However, we are now sitting here listening to our favorite Narnia radio theatres, and hopefully, the sun will shine again for us tomorrow! (but I think the forecast is for rain...)

Until next time...cheers.

Orientation and Old Friends

Hello again!
The past few days have been a mix of business and fun. Thursday morning, we began our first day of orientation at 10 am in Buchanan Hall, where we met the International Representative, Wendy, who welcomed all of us with an orientation to safety and rules in St. Andrews followed by options to travel around while we were here for very decent prices. After a quick break for lunch, we took a tour of the library to get acquainted with book loans, and then went back to Buchanan for another intro lecture on studying and living in St. Andrews. While studying is definitely the first priority around here, they do want you to get out and have a good time, which we fully intend to do. After a wine reception where we met some of the professors we might be having, I went back to Uni Hall and had a rather nice dinner actually. I sat with a JYA student (Junior Year Abroad) and a first year medical student who were very nice to chat with for a while. We talked about places to visit and such, and after that, the night was free. I went back to my room to do some business before finalizing matriculation the following day. After a movie and some reading, it was off to bed.

Friday morning, I missed breakfast (again). It was rainy and grim, and of course it would be the day I would be out walking around a lot. Finalizing my modules went fairly smoothly. As of right now, I am taking Pirates and Privateers in Early Modern Scottish History (so excited!) and Creative Writing II. This could possibly change within the next few weeks, but as of right now, that is what my schedule is looking like. These classes also allow me a great amount of free time, so I will be looking into getting a part time job with some of my friends. After completing matriculation, it was off to Younger Hall to turn in medical forms, scan passports, and pick up student ID cards. This also went fairly smoothly, except I had to exchange some details with student finance, but they were very nice and accommodating about it. Once Matriculation was done, we had the whole afternoon ahead of us before the Ceilidh. Kate and I went to Costa's and got something sweet and a hot drink, brought our books with us, and sat at the window watching the people walk by and the misty rain falling steadily into the cobblestone streets. Costa also has a point card that we took full advantage of to get a free coffee from time to time.

The Ceilidh was definitely the highlight of the week. We met new friends, Kimberly, Dan, and Natalie. The five of us had a good time hanging out and trying out the dances. We also all tried haggis for the first time...it tastes rather like corned beef hash. It's actually not that bad. I will remember not to judge anything too harshly until I have tasted it. We danced until midnight, then made our way back to our respective halls after a busy day. From the Flying Scotsman to the Virginia Reel, Ceilidhs are definitely my favorite dance ever!

Saturday morning began with sleeping in and then meeting Kate for a quick cup of FREE coffee (love Costa cards!) before heading over to Tesco to meet Mared! What fun that afternoon was! We just stood there for a while catching up and laughing at stories, then headed down to the beach for a walk through the mist. While we were there, we saw a horse galloping through the waves in the mist. Definitely felt my heart skip a beat seeing that. It was so out of a movie or book. When we turned around the head back to town, the fog was so thick that we couldn't even see Sallie's Chapel. Though there was only a light mist falling, we still were fairly damp walking into the Rule pub for some lunch. We warmed up and watched the Rugby game on the telly for a while, just enjoying being out of the cold for a bit and talking. Mared introduced us to Tobes, a Scottish friend of hers studying medicine who worked at one of the stores on Market Street, and he was very nice. We walked into a clothing shop just down the way after that where I got a really cute beanie for 2 pounds. After our short shopping excursion, Mared took us back to her flat (very close to the Byre Theatre) and we sat around with warm cups of hot cocoa and coffee and chatted for another couple of hours. The time got away from us, and before we knew it, it was 6:30. Kate and I headed back up to Tesco for our dinner (since we have to fend for ourselves for the dinner hour over the weekends), buying tuna and sweetcorn sandwiches and little cups of cookie dough ice cream. By the time we got back to our halls, it was too late to join up with Kimberly and Dan for a pub crawl, but there will be plenty of those going on throughout the semester. Tomorrow, we have our welcome service in Sallie's Chapel, and then term starts up on Monday!
Until next time...cheers.

Turmoil and Restoration

Imagine coming home and not even recognizing where you are. That was the experience I had the moment we drove into St. Andrews. After a fairly easy travel day, we arrived in the evening, but it was already so dark, that upon stepping out of the van, I found myself turning around in circles wondering where in the world I was. I did not recognize the street, the buildings...I hadn't even seen the steeple driving into the town. To add onto the confusion, I had to find Kate's hall (in the dark with a suitcase) to give her the rest of her things, and upon finally finding it, the security guard did not believe me when he said I was her sister and I just wanted to drop something off. I finally was allowed to leave it at reception and made my way back to Uni Hall, where I had been greeted and told that there would be a meet and chat followed by a pub crawl.

I arrived late and had no idea where anyone was, so I skyped Kate and told her where I left her stuff and told her to come to my room. (That is a whole other story that she can tell you) Finally after nearly forty minutes wondering where she was, I was waiting in the foyer when several already very drunk students were ready to go pub crawling. I found myself starting to get turned off the the idea, and when Kate arrived looking very dismal, we mutually decided it was a stay in night. We skyped with Mom, watched and uplifting romantic comedy (Sydney White) and since my roommate had not yet arrived, she slept in my room for the night.

I woke up this morning having forgotten how painful being homesick can be. It brought me back to my first week as a freshman at Gordon, when I wondered what on earth I had been thinking deciding to leave home and go so far away. The upside to thinking this was knowing how it turned out, and that once I got busy, it was going to get much better. With the sun shining and a new day before me, I was ready to get out and explore the town. We had a couple of errands to run, and after that, the day was ours.

Kate and I met after lunch at West Sands, and both of us agreed that a huge smile lit our faces the moment we saw that beach. We spent the entire afternoon walking the beach and around town, getting ourselves reacquainted with the town we remembered and loved. It was so refreshing to point out places and the things we recalled happening there. We walked the pier, past the castle, the buildings where we had classes during the summer, countless stores and cafes we remembered, and after a wonderful walk, we stopped into our favorite joint, BeanScene for a warm drink, as it was freezing outside. A long night sleep and walk around town had done the trick. I have just finished dinner at Uni Hall and am about to head out again with Kate for our own pub experience, without a bunch of wasted students. Orientation starts tomorrow, and we are ready to dive into what awaits us in the next few months. Be back soon...

Well, the visa has been issued, matriculation is in process, packing is nearly done...and so many other loose ends are finally coming together (after a long and panicky period of time!) and I am getting very excited and nervous. :) I am leaving Monday evening, February 1, to arrive Tuesday afternoon, the 2nd. Less than a week away and I'm starting to feel the surreal feeling ebb away and realize that it is all actually happening!
God has really blessed this whole thing along the way. All the pieces have fallen into place and it has only been possible with the help of all of my family and friends who have contributed to this once in a lifetime experience. Thank you to all of you for prayers and help in this. Next time you hear from the Lifted Kilt, it'll be on the other side of the pond!

Welcome to The Lifted Kilt

Hello Friends and Family!

Welcome to The Lifted Kilt, the blog for my semester of study at the University of St. Andrews. For all of you Gordon friends, I know many of you recognize the name, but I couldn't resist. Within this blog you will gain access to the experiences of a student living in the home of golf, the beaches of Chariots of Fire, and the hospitality of the Scots.

I hope you all enjoy the posts and pictures that will soon be gracing this web page, and if you would like a postcard, send me an address! :) I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with you all!