Walking away from St. Andrews.
There are loads of seagulls here. Not like the seagulls I remember from home though - these seagulls aren't constantly hungry. These seagulls are loud and fly in packs above the ocean, and screech loudly each time a rain/wind storm approaches.
The St. Andrews harbor.
St. Andrews from the very beginning of the coastal path.
I walked along the pier when I returned, with the time change here last week, it's grown dark so quickly.
From the pier.
Walking back into town.
Halloween here was quite fun. It fell on a Wednesday and I kept busy with a lot of reading throughout the day, but I got a laugh when at Tesco (the grocery store here) workers were dressed in costume. I met up with friends for tea and lunch, and attended a Halloween ceilidh (pronounced cay-lee) in the evening with my Scottish friend Connor. This was my third ceilidh, they're a Scottish dance that's a bit of a mix between a waltz and some type of Irish-step/American-southern country dance, as there is always an accordian, and at this particular ceilidh, solely an accordian. We arrived (Connor in the traditional kilt, myself in a blue dress) and found several students dressed in costume which was really fun to see! Cowboys, gypsies, witches, and skeletons were all popular, and I think my favorite were the characters from the Wizard of Oz. There were also quite a few elderly Scottish gentleman there in the traditional kilt which was quite fun. They were some of the best ceilidh-dancers and very interesting to talk to.
Last night I attended a debate here which was wonderful! It was the first debate I had attended - usually Thursday nights (debate nights) I devote to seeing friends/academic family members at the Libertarian Society - while I was sad to miss this, I didn't want to miss this debate. I attended with a few American friends, and it was held in Lower Parliament Hall, the same beautiful chambers the St. Andrews debating society has held debates since the 1790s, and the same chambers that the Scottish parliament met in when the plague overtook Edinburgh! The proposition:
This House Would Re-Elect Barack Obama.
It was fascinating! There were three men who argued for the proposition, one a St. Andrews International Relations professor, one a professor from Oxford and the chair of Democrats Abroad, and one a St. Andrews American Democrat student.
The opposition involved two Republican students and one libertarian student.
I think 5 of the 6 were American, but it may have been 6 of 6. It was so interesting hearing the debate jump from debator to debator and the topics discussed. We were there for nearly three hours, and the end involved students in the audience being permitted to speak and the evening ended with a vote for the proposition or opposition. The proposition won by a huge majority.
I was so pleased I had attended. It was incredibly entertaining and fascinating witnessing a debate days before the American election in a foreign country, a country which feels overwhelmingly involved in the U.S. election, so much so that 'Obama 2012' bumper stickers are on cars here and the news channels continue to cover the election and continuously play commercials that (while not political ads) involve Americans reflecting on the election with a plug at the end to continue following that news source. It all continues to be a leading discussion here.
I'm not sure yet how Tuesday will unfold here or in the U.S. There are several events/parties hosting election results Tuesday night here which sound very fun, the time difference might play a role (imagine waiting for Hawaii's results!) in all of it, but it sure will be interesting watching from away, and I think it will be a close race.
In Lower Parliament Hall.
Before the debate. The traditional St. Andrews red gowns are permittable to be worn to debates.
A Republican student arguing for the Opposition.
The program.
After the debate, the debating table.
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