If Only In My Dreams

I wasn't physically at home for Christmas, but… my family came to Edinburgh instead. Even better, perhaps? It never quite felt like Christmas. Mom and I didn't bake. Anna and Dad didn't climb on the roof to hang decorations. A Christmas Story didn't play on BBC. Anna and I didn't quarrel over whose turn it was to put the top on the tree. We didn't go to my Aunt Janelle's to see Dad's side of the family. We didn't have Mom's side of the family over on Christmas Eve. It was weird. Different. But still great!

I went to bed last Friday night fearful that the fam's delayed flight from Charlotte to JFK would interfere with their flight from JFK to Edinburgh. I woke up Saturday morning with the disappointing confirmation that that was the case. I won't go into the details (I'll leave that to Mom, Dad, and Anna), but four suitcases lighter and 28 hours later than scheduled, my beloved family arrived in "my city" (as my mom calls it). I cried; I won't deny it. Mom was sans caffeine for days, Dad—against all odds—was extremely chipper, and Anna had a 2-day-old stain on her sweater. My family had arrived!!!

Sunday- The first matter of business after checking into our hotel was to buy something for my travel-worn family to wear since the luggage was MIA. Later, I showed off my flat, and we ate dinner at The Tron. We went on a tour of Mary King's Close-- an old close that is now underground and serves as the foundation for the City Chambers (see my "Drink the Beer, Not the Water" post).

Monday- I worked in the morning. I took the fam to Glenhas, our favorite deli, for lunch. That afternoon (after sunset... so like 4:00??), we rode on the Edinburgh Wheel... a ferris wheel in the middle of Princes Street Gardens. Anna is terrified of ferris wheels (and rollar coasters and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and It's a Small World), but I convinced her the ride was worth the panoramic view. Was I right, Anna? We had dinner at the Last Drop pub (yummmmmm) with Anna and the Brothers.

Tuesday- Day trip to Dunfermline, Culross, Stirling, and Roslyn Chapel. Dunfermline = chapel that the saintly Queen Margaret had built when she came to Scotland. Culross = 16th century sea town that escaped the Industrial Revolution. Stirling = William Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle. Roslyn Chapel = the most magnificent building I have ever been in!!!! Our tour guide grew up in the Edinburgh suburb, and he remembers the building being abandoned and covered with moss when he was in high school. A great deal of restoration work has taken place and is still taking place to preserve the chapel. Roslyn Chapel Read up on it.

Wednesday (Christmas Eve)- I worked in the morning. Anna and Mom explored the Edinburgh Castle in the afternoon while Dad and I took a double-decker bus tour of the city. My family, Kate's family (mom, granny, and brother), and Anna and the Brothers Wilson had dinner reservations at our favorite Italian restaurant before attending the midnight Christmas Eve service at St. Giles. Wow. The choir is beyond talented. Add it to the cathedral's acoustics and the setting of perhaps the most important church in Presbyterian history, and that makes one heck of a Christmas Eve service.

Thursday (Christmas day!)- I spent the night at the hotel. We ate breakfast and opened our presents (laid out perfectly beneath our Christmas tree—Anna's green pashmina taped to the wall with various odds and ends taped up as ornaments). We alternated between watching My Fair Lady and taking a Christmas nap. In the afternoon, we headed over to my flat to cook a pork roast and some veggies for our Christmas meal at Kate's family's rented flat.

Friday (Boxing Day)- I worked again in the morning. Mom, Anna, and I had lunch on George IV and explored the National Museum of Scotland (against Anna's will) while Dad rested a bit. We had traditional fish and chips AND haggis, neeps, and tatties for dinner that night before going to the movies to see Australia. Good movie!! Who knew a movie about herding cattle could be exciting? I opened my bday presents before going to bed that night… I got a backpacking pack! Wooo!!!!!

Saturday (my birthday)- My Christmas present to the family was a day tour up to Loch Ness. Sadly, we didn't see Nessie; however, we did see the thickest of Scotland fog, a bit of snow on the mountains, Glen Coe ("weeping valley"), and several castles. We took a boat tour out on the loch; it had to have been 10 degrees Fahrenheit. And then add a wind chill. Soooo collldddd!!!!! We had dinner at The Tass and went back to the hotel to pack.

Sunday- A taxi picked us up at the hotel and dropped me off at my flat before shuttling the rest of the family to the airport. The end of a great Christmas!
It was so much fun having my family here. Coming to Scotland was something I did very much on my own, so I love that I got the chance to introduce my family into this. I also loved knowing that I had a better sense of direction in the city than my dad!!!! (The sun is only out for 7 hours a day, and even then the sky is overcast-- cannot rely on the sun in Edinburgh, Dad!)

pictures for your entertainment

Christmas is over. :-( Birthday is over. :-( Now it's time for Hogmanay!!!!

Cheers.

Baby It's Cold Outside

In only two days time, my family will be in EDINBURGH!!!! In T -46 hours, I will be able to give my mom, dad, and sister big hugs! The first in over three months! I cannot wait for them to get here! EEEEEEE!!!!!!

My new job. Oh my new job. I’m not sure how much I am supposed to reveal about the history of St. Raphael’s (especially over the internet for all to see), but I’ll summarize it as briefly and politically as I can. Things had not been the best at St. R’s, and the Care Commission (the DHEC of care homes) gave them six weeks to shape up or ship out. To do so, a new manager (Mary) and a new team leader nurse (Ronnie) were hired. Over half a dozen staff have been “sacked” and another 10 or so have been hired. With four weeks under my belt, I have a bit of seniority here…odd as that may sound. The Care Commission came for the first review on Monday and Wednesday of this week and left us with tasks to be completed for our next review in six weeks.

If I were a permanent member of staff instead of a long-term temp, I would be contracted at 35 hours per week and be paid salary with no overtime. I work a full 35 hours half-way through Thursday. What I’ve been thrown into is three month’s worth of tasks that simply have not been attended to. Slowly but surely, I am digging my way out of the hole and things are beginning to run more smoothly. Oh, did I mention that three offices were swapped around the week before I came? My big task for next week will be to unpack all the boxes of files, try to make sense of them, and try to organize them. Luckily, Kate Howard—the Queen of Organization herself—works here, so I may steal her for a few afternoons.

Messy working conditions and hectic schedule aside, I do enjoy it here. I am getting to know many of the residents and some of their families, and I absolutely love Mary and Ronnie. I won’t hide that the idea of leaving for a less time-consuming and less stressful position has crossed my mind many times, but here I am still working at St. R’s. After I’ve finished digging myself out of the admin assistant grave, we will need to have a conversation about allowing me time to travel.

So when I’m not working 9-10 hour days, I spend a great deal of time with a good niche of friends we’ve made. We are regulars at Belushi’s on Monday nights for trivia (we’ve won 3 out of 4 nights), but our group has gotten too large to be one team. Most of the gang are Canadians, so they bustle about the city in hoodies while the southern American girls wear wool coats, scarves, gloves, and hats. And long johns on occasion.

Princes Street Garden is transformed into Winter Wonderland for the month of December. The bottom of the gardens (remember it was a moat…) is an ice skating rink, and the benches along the walking path provide a perfect place to perch and watch people fall. The west end is a “traditional German market” (read: sinfully good food). Hot dogs. Crepes. Sausages. Steak sandwiches. Doughnuts. Chips. Waffles with all kinds of toppings. Mulled wine. “Fire punch.” Candied almonds and cashews. Cotton candy. Absolutely brilliant. The flat mates and I ate our way through the market last week. NO regrets. We explored the rides on the east end of the gardens last night with our Canadian buddies Ross and Mark. Adorning the Scott Monument on either side are swings, slides, a merry-go-round, and… the EDINBURGH WHEEL. The ferris wheel offers the same view you would get by climbing to the top of the monument for a mere £.50 more and without the physical exertion. I am slightly terrified of heights, and Ross had a bit too much fun spinning our car, but again… NO regrets! Anna and I then rode the merry-go-round. We were the ONLY people on ride. Sweet. Mark, Ross, Kate, and Anna opted to ride the swings that sling you in the air (and look as if you WILL hit the monument); I decided to keep my dinner in my stomach, so I took pictures.

Our flat will be packity-pack-packed this week. My darling baby sister Anna will be staying with my while the fam is in town. In addition, Anna Wilson’s friend from camp will be with us until Monday or Tuesday; incidentally, her name is Claire, leaving us with two Anna’s and two Claire’s in one flat. Ross is sleep on one (or possibly both?) of our couches over the holidays to keep from paying his hostel’s increased holiday rates. (We are sympathetic towards weary and broke travellers.) Now add the aforementioned congestion to an additional 7 family members in town—my mom and dad, Kate’s mom, granny, and brother, and Anna’s two brothers. I love it. Can’t wait!!!!!

It already looks like Christmas, but now it’s beginning to feel like it too…

Turkey for You and Turkey for Me

Thanksgiving was last week. It was strange to be away from my family and my home, but to add to the quintessential Full House sentimentality, it made me even more thankful that I have a family and a home to love and miss. Kate made a scrumptious pot roast for Thanksgiving day, but our feast was on Saturday.

We passed the message by word of mouth and Kate posted a sign in the BUNAC office that the girls of 26/1 Gardner’s Crescent were throwing an American style Thanksgiving feast for anyone and everyone who wanted to join. I was, needless to say, very nervous about preparing my very first Thanksgiving meal sans my mother’s knowledge and guidance. One of my favorite parts of my experience here has been experimenting with cooking, but experimenting with T-giving when numerous hungry mouths are expecting to be fed is a completely different ball park. Expecting that 12 people would be in attendance and wanting to be prepared for a few unannounced, we cooked a chicken and a 7.2 kilo turkey. Yes, kilo. Remember…I’m in Europe.

Our schedule for the big day was as follows:
9am- Wake up. Kate and Anna go to the market on King Stables Road for fresh vegetables. Claire finishes cleaning the flat.
11am- Chicken goes in the oven.
1:30pm- Turkey goes in the oven
5:30pm- Dressing goes in the oven
6:30-6:45pm- Cook vegetables and make gravy

Our first guests arrived around 6pm, and our last guest walked out the door around 1am. I believe the official head count was 12 guests plus Kate, Anna, and me. Out of the guests, we had two Americans, one New Zealander, and nine Canadians. Have no fear; we taught the Canadians what dressing is and how to have a proper Pilgrim/Original American meal. (Further note: Out of the nine Canadians, eight speak French. I wish very strongly that I could speak another language. Maybe when I have time on my hands, I will take Spanish lessons.) We got nothing but sincere thanks for having people over and for cooking the food. It was, if I might say so, a successful Thanksgiving feast! The turkey could have used a bit more salt and the gravy could have used more of the turkey broth, but I am still damn proud of the outcome.

We are meeting more and more people every day, and our social calendars are becoming more and more booked. Last night, we all visited our friend Scott while he was bartending at T G I Fridays. (Yes, I know that’s an awfully American restaurant to visit whilst in Scotland, but we are loyal friends.) We got to benefit from two order mistakes, and I got a free milkshake. It’s great to have connections where it really counts.

Work is very incredibly totally busy. At all times. I get to work thirty minutes early, usually stay a bit late, and take the shortest lunch break the Scottish government permits, and I still can’t seem to keep up with my growing to-do list. I am really enjoying myself. I love the people I work with, and thanks to my sting-pulling, Kate will so be joining our ranks. I love seeing Thelma’s face light up when her husband comes for his daily afternoon visit and watching her wave goodbye until his car is completely out of sight. Whenever I need a five minute break, I know Peggy will always be willing to take a hand-holding stroll down the hall. I don’t think I have to admit that work isn’t always smooth sailing; the constant busyness and overload of tasks and a certain unfriendly employee can start to get to me by 5pm, but an evening with our new friends gives me the energy for another day.

My family gets here in 16 days!!!

Speak English to Me

The employment agency must have felt benevolent because I have a new job...and a rather long-term one at that; it could not be more different from my old position at SCVO. The agency had a lead for a position at a construction company, but that fell through, giving me three days to wander around and enjoy the city before starting work at The Viewpoint Housing Association (“housing association” = “nursing home”).

Viewpoint is broken up into several care facilities, and I work in St. Raphael’s, a former Catholic hospital turned elderly care facility. My office is right inside the doors, so I get a great number of visitors throughout the day: nurses, staff, visitors, and residents. It never gets boring (or should I say quiet?); however, most of the staff at St. Raphael’s are new, leaving them the task of figuring out their own job and not having the time or knowledge to tell the poor temp what she is to do. I feel useless waiting for a task to be divvied my way, but I am rarely content simply passing time. It could be much worse…

The patients keep me entertained. Anna gets to tell Kate and me stories about the kids she watches at the nurseries (like the child who was blown over in the wind), and now I get to join in with similar tales. After being introduced to Mrs. Heyes, she was quick to tell me that she went to school for a bit in the States. In school in Scotland, she and the other students had to sit with their hands behind their backs and their eyes no where but on the teacher; things were much more relaxed in America, she assured me. When the tea trolley came ‘round, she was given a plate with three biscuits (cookies). She did not shy at telling the staff that she wants “VARIETY WITH [HER] BISCUITS!” When no one responded to her repeated cry, she stole a biscuit off another resident’s plate and promptly got her hand slapped and the biscuit snatched back by her hungry neighbor. Finally, a care attendant gave her a slight variety to appease her cravings. Peggy, another very active resident, gets very restless and does not like to sit. She does, however like to hold someone’s hand at all times, especially when strolling around the house. If no one is paying her any attention, she will stand in the foyer and cry, “Help! Will no one help me? I need help!” I have been warnedn and she is indeed the resident who cries wolf. When her help cries prove ineffective, she alternates between cawing like a crow and squealing like a siren. By then, one of the care workers will usually come hold her hand. On Friday, the biscuit avenger told her rather bluntly, “Will you shut up? You make so much noise!” Thelma is perhaps the most persistent resident. She is bed-ridden today with the shingles, but she normally comes by several times every hour. While she does wear hearing aids, I am convinced that they do nothing. I have to put my mouth to her ear and practically yell. While this technique works with a Scottish brogue, she constantly has to remind me to “speak English” while talking to her. (Post note: Thelma's husband came to visit today with hearing aid batteries in tow; they had no batteries...)

We did have a resident pass away Friday only a few hours after I left. When I came in Friday morning, Ronnie, the head nurse, was getting Doreen’s files ready so that he could fill in the family. He told them she was not doing well, and the family said just to call the mortuary and not to phone if she passed during the night. It was a harsh dose of reality to know that a family did not visit and did not want to be notified in the night. I’m beginning to pick up that this job may turn into a character-building experience. (Isn’t that what you are supposed to call not-so-pleasant but very real experiences?)

This weekend was a very good one! Anna and I met Kate and Erin and three BUNAC Canadians at The Tass for burgers after work on Friday, and that turned into a night of fun people and long conversations. On Saturday the flatmates and I had lunch at Glenhas (our favorite deli/café) before heading to Our Dynamic Earth, which I always want to call the natural history museum…because that’s what it is. That museum was a well-spent £9.50. It’s very interactive and incredibly cheesy, but so much fun! (A birthday party of screaming 6-year-olds did not prevent me from enjoying myself.) You start your journey in a time machine (naturally) and learn about the creation of our solar system. From there, you travel through the volcanic age, to the ice age, to the dinosaurs, through the Antarctic and a rain forest, and finally to the future to see how our decisions will affect our water source 100 years from now. When you finally return to present-day Edinburgh, you are graciously dropped off at the over-priced souvenir shop. It may be dangerous that we realized Saturday night is crime scene prime time on the tellie. Our Saturday night consisted of spinach and ricotta ravioli, NCIS, CSI Las Vegas, and Law and Order Criminal Intent. On Sunday, for the sake of seeing new things, we visited St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road for the choral matins service. That evening we met Keith to visit a new movie theater (where we get student prices with our YoungScots card!) for Body of Lies. Good movie! Good weekend!

Thanksgiving is in three days. Since the UK is not prone to celebrate America’s independence (too big of a blow to their ego?), my flat is hosting a regular Thanksgiving feast on Saturday for any and all who want to come. This will be my first attempt at preparing a Thanksgiving turkey without my mom’s guidance… Wish us luck.

So long. Farewell. Auf wiedersehen. Adieu.

Today was my last day at SCVO, and I was very sad to tell everyone goodbye. I have been very lucky to have had the same job for eight weeks and even luckier to have worked with such warm and friendly people at an organisation that I believe is doing a great amount of good. I suppose I should also note that Sunday marks Edinburgh and my two month anniversary. I’m thinking of buying a wide, stylish belt to celebrate. As a ‘thank you and farewell’ gesture, the SCVO networks team went out to lunch today, and I got to pick the restaurant! I chose Blue Moon Café, one of my favorite restaurants just off of Broughton and only a short walk from the office. Oh dear, I will miss SCVO.

I have burned the dickens out of my right forearm. I suppose the scar that will soon be once the burn heals will simply balance the scar on my left hand from a similar accident my senior year. You see, our oven is very low, and I have twice now touched my forearm to a rack whilst trying to remove a casserole dish. I first did it last week while making macaroni and cheese (the good Southern kind with eggs but without the dry mustard—we deemed that an unnecessary luxury), and I did it again last night whilst pulling out our barbecue chicken. The second burn is in a perfect line with the first, leaving half the burn a fresh blister and the other half a scabby mess. It stretches almost two inches across the top of my arm half-way up to my elbow, it hurts like none of your business, and it looks disgusting. Perhaps I should limit my cooking tasks to the stove-top and leave the oven works to Kate and Anna.

Our landlady is due to come into town tomorrow, carrying a second couch and a fringe hinge in tow. Joy told us she intended to add another couch to the living room when we viewed the flat, and two months later, we may finally get it. Granted, we have sat waiting for the delivery that never was on two other occasions, but since Joy will physically be in Edinburgh (she lives in Aberdeen), I have high hopes for this scheduled delivery. We went through the same thing with our kitchen floor. When we moved in, the floor was half-ripped up, and the man failed to show twice to finish the job. However, we now have a complete kitchen floor, so perhaps we will soon have a second couch. Right now we have a love seat, and while we three do fit on it, our couch-lounging, BBC-watching evenings are spent in a close snuggle. It will be nice to spread out. The fridge was a bit be-jiddity when we moved in, and now the bottom hinge has broken in to two. Refrigerators here are dorm-sized, so it is not like we have a 5-foot door swaying too and fro, but our mini-fridge door does fall to the floor when you open it. If all goes according to plan, this will also be rectified tomorrow.

I just finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's Poinsonwood Bible, and it comes with the highest of high recommendations from this former English major (and it's even American literature, which, as we all know, is not my favorite). I think it meant a little something else living away from the US in more basic circumstances than I have ever done before, even though I am fully aware it is leagues away from living amidst war, hunger, famine, and poverty in the Congo. Read it. You won't regret it.

Adieu. Adieu. To you and you and you.

The Globe, The Tron, and Snake Bites

I have not written in a while because I have not had exciting happenings to recall; however, for the sake of updating my blog, I will write.

I am still at SCVO. I have been asked to stay until 14 November. I greatly appreciate the familiar faces and steady income!

I have sent in my deposit to Union- PSCE. I am going to grad school when I get back to the states!

I have met my soul mate. Her name is Erin. I typically do not believe in “soul mates” (certainly not in the romantic sense), but I’m pretty sure Erin and I have one soul that was divided: she was an English major and she appreciates the brilliance that is Sex and the City (the show, not the movie). We met Erin at a BUNAC pub meet last Wednesday. It was her second night in town, and we need friends, so we were a perfect match. We started off at Jekyll and Hyde’s, a pub on Hanover Street, and eventually moved to the Globe so that we could introduce Erin and Keith (another BUNAC-er) to Snake Bites. (A “Snake Bite” is our favorite drink; it’s ½ beer ½ hard cider, and black currant syrup. Yummo.) Over our hot pink beverages, Erin and I discussed my senior seminar thesis: Jean Rhy’s Wide Sargasso Sea as fictional criticism of English culture as found in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. She understood my angle and appreciated my findings. It was brilliant. While at the Tron this past Saturday night, we had a conversation about Wuthering Heights over pints of “exotic cider.” I felt like a giddy under-grad English student once again. I am also able to make SATC references around without being stared at with blank, un-understanding eyes… or having these same eyes rolled at me. She chips in with my SATC allusions and laughs as enthusiastically as me. (Gretchen, Beth, Bay-Bay, and Shelbs-meister: it is these SATC moments when I realize how much I miss you.)

Halloween was Friday. We were warned that people over primary school age traditionally do not dress up here. Without the ability or the desire to go completely blah, Anna bought us fairy wings and wands. We were precious. (Totes presh, that is.) Angela dressed as a ninja fighter meets geisha character, and Erin was an American college student. Halloween marks the end of the Celtic summer and the beginning of the Celtic new year and is celebrated with the Samhain festival held outside of St. Gile’s Cathedral. The elaborately dressed participants act out something about the winter king driving out all the light, but we were in the very back of the crowd and it was drizzling rain, so we left. We made our way to Frankenstein’s, but it was packed beyond belief (and not out scene), so we eventually wound up at the Globe for Snake Bites. (Trend: we always end up either at the Globe or the Tron.)

The election was Tuesday. I am incredibly glad it’s over with for the simple fact that people will no longer ask which candidate I support--hoping I will say Obama)--even before asking my name; now I will likely be asked about my reaction to the outcome. The US election is a bigger than big deal here. I was one of the few people in my office who did not stay up all night or set an alarm for 4am to check the final results. People were wearing Obama buttons left and right all day yesterday, celebrating the election of our new president. The purpose of this blog is not political, so I will leave this topic at that.

Remember, remember the 5th of November! No one tried to blow up Parliament this year, and the cold rain stopped us from watching the fireworks. But we did enjoy the Celtic vs. Manchester football game--at the Tron, of course.

That is all. Bye just now.

There's No Place Like London

This will be a long one. Bare with me. Lots to write about. (Author's note: Since I enjoy organizing, I have done so to this blog.)

Kate, Anna, and I had our first official European mini-break (American translation: "long weekend") this weekend. I asked for a holiday (American translation: a "day off from work") on Friday and on Monday morning so that we could fly into London on Thursday 23 October and fly back on Monday 27 October.

Thursday 23 October

Tired, weary, and extremely excited, we arrived at our hostel with just enough time to make our beds and to perform the necessary preparing for sleep rituals before hitting the sack.

Friday 24 October

• Tower of London: Since we pay UK taxes, we were able to make a "Gift Aid Donation" (the taxes go back to the Tower of London instead of to the government), earning us unlimited free entry to the Tower for a year. (Anyone interested in going to the Tower?) We took a guided tour led by a retired Beef Eater who actually lives inside the fortress. William the Conqueror built the first structure in 1066, and kings throughout the ages have built additions to make the fortress stronger and more impenetrable. While the Tower is still one of the official palaces of the English monarch, Elizabeth does not lay her head to rest inside these walls. Instead, the buildings have been converted to museums. You have to get there early to avoid the long line at the crown jewels exhibit; it’s worth the early morning to see the 2 largest uncut diamonds in the world! The Tower was also the site for private executions; if you were a friend of the monarch-in-power (ie: Henry VIII's 2^nd wife, Anne Boelyn), you may have been extended the privilege of not being executed in front of a crowd that paid to see your spilled blood. I must also admit that I cast a vote for thinking Richard III killed his 2 young nephews. (I’m a Shakespeare dork; I’ll admit it.)

• Walking Tour: The same company who gives the really good walking tour in Edinburgh also has a walking tour in London, so we caught the afternoon one. We started outside the Tower of London; viewed the Tower Bridge and the London Bridge; heard about the great fire in 1666; saw The Monument, erected as 1) a symbol of London’s ability to rise again after the fire’s destruction and 2) a warning to the Catholics who were surely the cause of the massacre; learned about the Knights Templar and saw their church; and ended with a trip to the WW2 bomb-damaged RAF church.
• China Town: We walked to SoHo for a family-style dinner at The Crispy Duck Chinese restaurant. Yum! On our walk there, an old black-and-white movie was playing in Trafalgar Square. How picturesque!

Saturday 25 October

• National Portrait Gallery: The best ₤11 I spent was to see the Annie Liebowitz exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. Seeing her work here and there in magazines and hearing her on talk shows in no way does justice to her talent. I got to see her exhibit as she designed it, complete with photographs of Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, Jamie Fox, Robert Dinero, Annie’s family (mom, dad, sisters, nieces, and children), and the documentation of Annie Liebowitz’s best friend’s battle with cancer and death. I couldn’t have cared less about the stale photographs of England’s royalty of past.
• Tate Museum of Modern Art: I can now claim to have seen original works by Monet, Picasso, and Pollock, as well as a disturbing video by Paul McCartney. The main exhibit was a 4-story spider standing over 25-30 metal frame bunk-beds sprinkled with political thought books. Explain that one to me. My favorite part about this museum was leaving it. I appreciate modern art’s right to exist, but I appreciate it more easily while not trapped in a 5-story building full to the brim of such artwork.
• The Millennium Bridge (“Wobbly Bridge”): Along with Bridget Jones, we walked on it. Alas, it did not wobble
• Avenue Q: The second best purchase of the trip was a ticket to see Avenue Q in the West End. A personal review: an incredibly witty and entertaining musical not for the young or the easily offended; two thumbs up!
• Picadilly Circus- We walked through Picadilly Circus after the show to see the sights and lights at night.

Sunday 26 October

There was an NFL game in Lodon on Sunday: the Saints v. the Chargers. I still don’t fully understand why two American football teams flew across the pond to play each other, but the Brits decked out in baggy jerseys seemed to appreciate it…

• St. Paul’s Cathedral- We missed the notice to change our clocks back Saturday night, so when we thought we were rushed on our way into the city, we really had an extra hour to kill. After breakfast at the neighboring Starbucks, we went to worship at St. Paul’s, the only Anglican cathedral. History note: After the great fire, architect Sir Christopher Wren designed a new cathedral and a completely new layout for the city reminiscent of Paris. The designs were turned down by King Charles II because it was too Catholic. Wren redesigned a simple church and began to build. In the process, Wren got permission to make alterations to the cathedral, alterations that changed a simple Anglican church into the most beautiful building in the city. King James did not realize the drastic changes until travelling around the city one day. Disgusted, he ordered the cathedral to be demolished; as fate would have it, James lost his crown before his command was carried out.
• Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace: We saw them and took pictures.
• Lunch with Lynn: Kate’s step-sister, Lynn, and her family live in London, and we met them for lunch in trendy Camden. They showed us around my new favorite bit of London, walked us through the market and down to the Loch. They also took us for ice cream at the best ice cream parlor this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Kate, Anna, and I liked Camden so much, we I roamed the streets all afternoon.
• Westminster Abbey: When we visited the Abbey earlier in the day, we saw there was an organ concert that evening. We came back to attend the concert as a peaceful closure to three busy days in London. Note to all travelers: Learn to play the game. Many churches in Europe charge entry; while paying an entry fee is never top on a backpacker’s wish list, these churches and cathedrals really are worth a viewing. The solution is to join worship services on Sunday. You get a little sight-seeing and a little Jesus all in one.

Monday 27 October

We set our alarms for 3am so that we could leave our hostel by 3:25am to be at the bus stop by 3:50 am for the 4:00am bus to take us to the airport. I finished off today with a half-day at work. I’m fighting to keep my eyes open now.

London Backpackers Hostel

From experience at Brodie's Backpacking Hostel in Edinburgh, we learned that large co-ed dorms are the cheapest and are rather tolerable, so our room at London Backpackers was of such description. The room was choc-a-puck with 5 3-tiered bunk beds, but since we beat the weekend rush, these 3 lucky American girls all called dibs on bottom bunks. Our fifteen European backpackers smelled something fierce, leaving us gasping for fresh air by the time our alarms went off in the mornings. Stench aside,the hostel was very large and very nice. The kitchen was always crowded with a fun crowd and the internet was free (if you were willing to stand in a long line to use it). There were board games in the kitchen as well. We took advantage of Trivial Pursuit every night (oh the London night life…My co-workers did give me a hard time for not “going out” at night); our Genus Edition Trivial Pursuit of choice was of the British Persuasion, and answers to questions involved East and West Germany as well as the USSR. Entertaining.

Friday is my last day at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. I will be excited to start a new job (hopefully very soon), but I will be very sad to leave my SCVO friends.

Cheers.

Euro

Two weekends ago, fed up with our undeniably American wardrobe, my darling flatmates and I planned a trip to Glasgow. Correction: we planned a trip to Primark, a very cheap clothing store, in Glasgow. Despite the harassment I got from my co-workers for bypassing all cultural aspects of the largest city in Scotland, we did only see Argyle street (the main shopping district), and we did only go into Primark. I have never been so uncomfortable shopping for clothing in my entire life, but I must say I am proud of my purchases (including a pair of patterned tights and a pair of skinny jeans). We came out a little bit poorer but a little more Euro chic. Oh, I feel I must continue to boast about my fashion trip outside of my comfort zone by bragging about my new pair of cowboy boots. Here’s the thing about cowboy boots in Edinburgh: they have no practicality, but are rather very fashionable. The lack of practical use therefore removes the need for spurs and steel toes, which therefore lowers the cost significantly. I must also further my pat on the back by boasting that I wore skinny jeans out both Friday and Saturday nights and wore my boots as well on Saturday. I’m beginning to look like I fit in here instead of just feel that way.

I was asked to stay three weeks as a temp for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Services, but today marks the beginning of my fifth week here; they have asked me to remain through the end of October. I am working in membership services, filling in for Sarah, who has been on sick leave. Sarah will start back working part-time this week, so I am here to lighten her load. I really like the people I work with! I sit in the corner of the office with the networks team. I sit beside Paul, who sits beside Doug. On the other side of our desk are Sarah (who is to return to work this week), Margaret, and Jeanette. Behind us is our boss, Paul White, and catty-cornered to my left is Gordon, the head of membership. Now, this is only our corner of the office; there are easily 40 other people in our office. Jeanette is helping me plan my family’s trip for Christmas. She had holiday on Friday, so she spent some of her time searching for leaflets and pamphlets to various places I can take my parents and sister to visit for the day. Paul Hunter (who sits beside me) likes to intermittently offer bits of European/American history. The other Paul always asks how I am getting on and brought me a book to read about Scotland. John Ferguson, a journalist, likes to ask me questions about American culture (we bonded over the SNL Palin skits). The people here go out of their way to help me get settled. I really enjoy working here.

On that note, I have asked for a holiday this Friday and Monday morning; Kate, Anna, and I are going to LONDON! I am so very excited. We fly out on Thursday and fly back early Monday morning. More to come when I have more to write.

Cheers.

Drink the Beer and Not the Water

Our Highland tour was this past Saturday. We left at 8:45am and returned shortly after 5pm, so the trip was not a long one. Much of what we were to experience were very entertaining and well-told bits of Highland history from our tour guide and the beautiful scenery out the bus windows. Since I manage to get road sickness just by looking at a bus, my concentration was not out the windows but on the stories and the upcoming curves and bends in the mountainous roads. It rained the entire day, but our guide explained us to always expect rain in Scotland. That way, we will rarely be disappointed, and besides, if Scotland wasn’t pretty in the rain, no one would ever visit. She also pointed out the estate where Mary Queen of Scots was born and recounted her history for the group. I’ve heard Bloody Mary’s story more times than I can count (especially since Queen Elizabeth I is my favourite English queen!), but it was interesting to hear her history from the viewpoint of a Scot. The whole trying to take the English throne and ruthlessly killing Protestants parts were left out.

Our first stop was the William Wallace monument in Stirling. Our guide compared historical facts to bits and pieces of Braveheart, but overall, she said the movie was pretty accurate (for Hollywood, of course). The most disappointing discrepancy is that Wallace would not have worn a kilt; kilts are specific to the lowlands, so an ordinary highlander would not have sported such an ensemble. Just as we pulled into the parking lot at the bottom of the monument, Mel Gibson’s battle speech played over the speakers in our bus. Kate, Anna, and I finished the speech with the PC fight song, fitting since Saturday was PC homecoming. We hiked (and I do mean hiked) to the top of the mountain to see the monument itself. The view was beautiful!

Our next stop was to see Hamish, a very large Highland cow (apparently named after Shelley McKay Baynahm?). Kate was pretty excited to take pictures for David, her stepfather/a cattle farmer. Funny story: One tour guide used to do a trick where he would put a biscuit in his mouth and let Hamish eat it. Gross? It gets better. The tour guide fell very ill, and his doctor could not diagnose what was wrong with him. Not a cold. Not strep. Not mono. During one of his visits, the guide mentioned his work, and the doctor was curious to hear about the various stops the tour made. The guide was sure to tell his doc about his popular feeding trick with Hamish, and the doctor was quick to take one more test on his patient. Diagnosis: bovine herpes. Henceforth, the tour guides are no longer allowed to feed Hamish by putting biscuits in their mouths, and the tourists are advised not to kiss the cow.

Our final stop was the Glen Turret whiskey distillery. We got a tour of the facility and learned how whiskey (the national drink of Scotland) is made and what the difference is between single malt whiskey and a whiskey blend. Neato fact: At one point in the process, this very alcoholic beer sits in vats for several days, giving off huge amounts of carbon dioxide; distilleries bottle the CO2 and sell it to "fizzy drink" companies, ie: Coke and the famous Scottish IRN-Bru. The tour was finished with a taste of Famous Grouse whiskey and a trip to a room with a video and an interactive floor. When the film boasted Famous Grouse will cool you off when mixed with water, the floor became a stream that rippled where we stepped. When mentioning that the whiskey will warm you when served over ice, the floor turned into a frozen pond that cracked when we stomped on it. Entertaining…to say the least. Good tour.

I was disappointed in the ghost tour we took a few weeks ago (since there were no scary ghost stories included in the tour), so I jumped at the chance to go on another last night. Only… this tour wasn’t a scary ghost tour either. Kate, Anna, and I met Angela the Canadian on High Street for the Mary King’s Close tour of the Edinburgh crypts. It may not have been a scary tour, but it was really cool! If you ever find yourself in Edinburgh, take this tour. Here’s the gist. Until the 18th century, Edinburgh was densely populated in Old Town with very narrow streets and very tall buildings. When the city grew and built new buildings, they demolished the top levels of the buildings, allowing the rubble to fill the “closes” (these narrow streets that ran off High Street) and used the bottom stories as an already existing foundation for the new structures. So, much of the city is built on buildings! Our tour took us down to parts of Mary King’s Close, these houses and streets that exist below the city.

Our guide reminded us over and over again to drink the beer and not the water. Since women could not be hanged, they were drowned in Nor Loch, a manmade lake that used to surround the castle, as a means of execution. When people thought cats and dogs were the sources of the plague, all pets were drowned in Nor Loch. All the filth gathered on the streets—mud, household garbage, human waste, remains from slaughter houses, etc.—would eventually be washed down to Nor Loch. Since this lake was the main water source for the people of Edinburgh, it makes perfect sense why you would want to drink the beer and not the water. I suppose the city eventually realized the sheer filth of the lake did not do much to help the state of the city and its inhabitants, so it was eventually drained. The beautiful Princes Street Gardens now fills the former Nor Loch. It’s no wonder why the grass, flowers, and trees are so luscious there…

Photos for your Enjoyment

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2019870&l=3cfd0&id=49500008
arrival, walking tour, Calton Hill cemetery

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020060&l=ced11&id=49500008
our flat, Calton Hill, Highland tour

Pictures I've uploaded so far. Includes our walking tour, Calton Hill Cemetery, and some other good stuff.

Attack of the Bed Bugs

I think our flat has bed bugs. Kate, Anna, and I are covered in red, itchy bumps. We’ve been spraying bug spray religiously, so all fingers crossed, the bed bugs will vanish.

We had a touristy day this past Saturday. After our ghost tour last week, we were determined to revisit both the Calton Hill cemetery and the top of the hill during daylight hours. After our necessary Saturday morning errands, we headed towards the cemetery. A statue of none other than Honest Abe Lincoln stands right outside the tomb of David Hume. The Scottish believe that a soul must have some place to go once it dies in order to reach heaven. Abe served as a gateway (for lack of a better word) for the souls of Scottish-Americans who died in the American Civil War away from their homeland. David Hume’s tomb is etched with Bible verses. According to our tour guide, whom we dubbed “Eyebrows” for 2 very obvious reasons, even though Hume was an atheist, his children were not and wanted him to go to heaven. And so we have Bible verses on the most well-known atheist’s tomb.

Calton Hill looks down on Leith, the northeast area of the city and where I currently work. Three buildings are on the tip-top of the hill: an observatory, a monument to Admiral Nelson, and “The Shame.” 1) The observatory is no longer used as such; someone finally realized Edinburgh has too much light pollution, and the 80% cloud coverage doesn’t help much, either. 2) Admiral Nelson served during the Napoleonic Wars. After receiving orders to retreat, Nelson disobeyed and pressed forward, and his ship was victorious against the Spanish enemies. Legend has it that after hearing his orders, he looked into his telescope—with his BLIND eye—and announced that he saw no reason to retreat. His monument on Calton Hill looks like the mast of a ship, complete with a telescope on top. A ball is raised to the very top of the tower every day, and at exactly 1:00pm, the ball drops. (Note: A cannon is also shot from the castle at 1pm. Punctuality is important.) 3) The National Monument, my favourite structure, is built to be an Athenian-style acropolis; it looks like the Parthenon in Edinburgh and was supposed to be a nearly exact replica. BUT… half-way through building it, the Scottish government ran out of money for the project and simply stopped. So, ½ of an Athenian acropolis, now nicknamed “The Shame,” adorns the top of the hill. The Shame is apparently a popular place for teenagers to drink excessive amounts of whiskey and is also the location of the annual Beltane Fire Festival.

Our Saturday was completed with trips to the Writers Museum and the Edinburgh Castle and finally to The Tron on Hunter Square (quickly becoming one of our favourite pubs) with our Canadian friend, Angela, to see our British friend, Mark, and his band, White Heath. (Good show; enjoyed by all.) We stopped for cookies before heading home, and as a result, we had to run like the wind to barely catch the last 35 bus. Good times and good cookies.

PC homecoming is this weekend. I must admit I am kind of disappointed to be missing my first homecoming as an alum; however, I am even more excited about our weekend’s plans than I am disappointed about what I am missing back in the states. We are going on a bus tour of the HIGHLANDS… including a boat tour of Loch Ness. Maybe I’ll see Nessie; I’ll have my camera ready just in case.

Coffee Here Is Instant Coffee; I Am Now a Tea Drinker

Yesterday marked the 1 week anniversary with the new love of my life: Scotland.

I HAVE A JOB!
An agent from Office Team called me the day after my interview to offer me a job, and I started on Monday. I work at Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (yes spelled with an “s”), or SCVO. Groups can join SCVO for seminars, discounted supplies, a payroll service, a credit union, etc. I will be here for 3 weeks or so helping with various odds and ends dealing with membership. SCVO is located in the Mansfield Traquair Centre, an old Catholic Apostolic (Wikipedia this denomination…it’s interesting) cathedral that has been restored into a new community type building with SCVO offices in the basement.

A link for your entertainment: http://www.cockburnassociation.org.uk/default.asp?page=145

WE HAVE A FLAT!
Kate, Anna, and I moved into our flat on Sunday. It’s right on the edges of the city centre on a street called Gardner’s Crescent, and it’s not too far of a walk from Old Town. We each have our own bedroom with a double bed, a small kitchen, and a living room (with 2 purple couches!). We are quickly getting settled there, but seeing as how our entire world in Scotland fits in merely 2 suitcases each, unpacking was not such a daunting task.

Now that I am getting the hang of looking right first before crossing the street, my new self-assigned task is to conquer the bus system. My work is in Leith, at the complete opposite side of the city. I bought a bus pass yesterday, and I am determined to find the best buses to take me to work.

We three girls are planning for a touristy weekend. We are going on a walking ghost tour tonight and will visit the castles and perhaps some of the art galleries tonight.

Pictures of the flat to come.

Snail mail appreciated.
26-1 Gardner’s Crescent
Edinburgh EH3 8DF
Scotland

Cheers.

Look Right First Before Crossing the Street

I, along with my travel companions Anna Wilson and Kate Howard, arrived in Edinburgh in the early afternoon on Tuesday, September 16. We are finally here! Nearly a full calendar year after our preliminary planning, all our daydreams have been realized!

Yesterday was our BUNAC orientation (our only scheduled event), so the three of us have had plenty of time to wander the streets and learn the area. I am nearly a resident! (I am at least a lot closer than I was on Tuesday). We have mastered our section of the Old Town; we have walked The Royal Mile, North Bridge, Blackfriars, Cockburn (pronounced koh-burn), and Bank and are learning Princes and George. We have cell phones, opened bank accounts, and even interviewed with an employment agency today. Claire (my interviewer...haha) sounded hopeful that she would be able to place me in a job before long. I was stopped somewhere along Princes Street on the way to the interview and asked directions. YES!!! Kate, Anna, and I searched the web tonight for flats and have already scheduled 4 viewings. We have two viewings tomorrow at apartments both south of The Meadows. We also have the numbers to call about 5 or so more tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that one of these will work out...

More to come when I have more to say.

Answers to my FAQs:

I am here simply to live and to work; no academic studying is involved in my plans. I applied for my necessary papers and documentation through a program called BUNAC. I have no job secured, nor do I have a place to live. I do, however, have a work permit and high hopes for finding the previously mentioned (hopefully sooner and not later).

I chose Edinburgh because it was the city of Anna’s choice; I originally wanted to live in London, but my preference quickly changed after finding a flat-mate-to-be. Some time before spring break, Kate decided to join the two of us.

Our work visa expires on 15 March, and afterwards we plan to “backpack” (or hostel-hop as I heard one of our 15 current roommates call it). We have not planned this trip and are very appreciative of any tips/suggestions you may have.