More photos from today:
This family of bunnies lives near my residence on the edge of these bushes. I see them at all hours of day and night as they constantly munch the grass here. Each time I walk by I have the urge to snatch one up.
On Friday night, Allison and I attended the ceilidh and it wasn't the greatest ceilidh as ceilidhs go. A few too many people for the small space and about 80% female. Very few kilts and rigid instructions for ceilidh-ing properly. Allison and I left after a couple hours and ended up talking for the next three hours. We're on the same study abroad program and first met at our Edinburgh homestay. Allison is a pre-med student from Portland, Oregon and it was wonderful being able to honestly discuss all aspects of studying abroad with someone who completely understands it. As it's the middle of the semester, we both feel like we're adjusting, and beginning to plateau but also recognizing aspects and challenges that remain present.
While everything in this blog is accurate and I am loving my experience here, there certainly is more than traveling and having fun that comes along with living alone in a foreign country for a year. I didn't realize until I had spent eight weeks here that it's incredibly hard to not be yourself. In this case, I mean be less American and try to blend in. While there is no anti-American anything here, as an American, you still feel a bit on the outside, one can't adapt to culture and all customs associated with it and in a short amount of time, and while I'm proud of where I come from, I think everyone wants to blend in to the culture they're living in and feel that acceptance. I've grown to have an enormous amount of respect for the international students I've met in the States and have come to understand why they may act, speak, and understand nearly everything differently.
Saturday was spent finishing up my Virginia Woolf essay and pouring over the School of English handbook to be sure everything was in place. I was able to turn in the essay tonight and it feels great having it finished.
Much of my weekend reading:)
I met up with Allison again for a wonderful afternoon lunch/brunch meal at a local cafe here. I had a delicious meal and it was a nice break from studying. That evening I met up with my friend Marissa for a local wine and cheese party. It was quite fun and beautifully warm weather.
This morning I was set to attend the Catholic Mass and meet a friend (who also happens to be my academic Aunt Jeannie) after for tea at her flat. I was a bit late and wasn't totally feeling like a Catholic Mass. I ran into Allison randomly when headed to Mass and she was headed to the University Service I had attended with her and Lydia last week. I chose to go along with her and was delighted to find that the non-denominational service included a nice choir as part of the weekend's St. Andrews music festival. St. Salvator's chapel is so gorgeous, and as we were late, we sat in the back behind the intricate stone architecture that encases the inner chapel. We stayed after for a small communion service which was nice. Rather than accepting the host and wine seperately, we were led to dip the host into a glass of wine, and the sign of peace was incorporated into the communion service.
The choir leaving the chapel, taken from out spot in the back.
An intricate ceiling piece.
The balcony and the very top of the organ.
Earlier this week, I received a large manilla envelope in the mail from Saint Michael's. It included some information about registering for classes next semester which I don't need, but also, tucked behind it, was a Defender! The Defender is the campus newspaper at Saint Michael's that I spent writing for last semester as the News Editor. I was walking across a field when I spotted the Defender, and laughed loudly. I read the full issue in the hour before the class I was heading to, and so enjoyed reading about everything going on on campus. Also included, a beautiful Vermont postcard which now hangs on my wall:
For dinner tonight, I tried an experimental dish that was extremely delicious! I made some quinoa (a protein-rich grain a bit like rice), boiled chunks of sweet potato, slices of carrots and onions and then mixed everything together. I added some garlic and halved cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese. I baked it in the oven and when it emerged I knew it would be completely delicious. But it wasn't quite finished. I'm not sure if this is super crazy, but I added greek yogurt on top and it made it even better! Mmmm..I also have a wonderful lunch to take with me to the library tomorrow.
Mmmm..almost there.
Perfect! It was good.
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