30/1/09

The River Clyde. My friend Becks says there are about 5 bodies a year that wash up on the banks.

More flats

Fountain in Kelvingrove park.

This is BBC Scotland.

Row of flats.

Fountain in Kelvingrove Park

The Uni is the tower in the background, I was standing in the park.

Walkway across the interstate to cross over to the River Clyde.

I can now tell the different accents apart! The only hard ones to tell apart are Scottish and Irish, but I've got them now! The hardest, tho, are the people like Paula who is Finnish, but lived in Russia and somewhere along the way picked up English, but has no particular or specific accent.

I was in a weird mood yesterday, kinda feeling lonely but at the same time perfectly content. Then Paula left and I felt really lonely, I was hoping to finally spend some time w/her, but she was off to her BF's. I can hear ppl in the hall shouting and laughing and having fun, and I felt like I was missing out and I didn't want to intrude on them. So I stayed in my room and watched youtube, trying to fall asleep. Around 11ish, there is a knock at my door. I reluctantly said come in. Emma and Becca walk in, and they want to stay in my room cuz they are avoiding some guy who is basically stalking Emma. So I say sure, whatever. The 2 of them are quite entertaining, especially when it comes to Paula. Last time she left them alone in our room, her wardrobe was gone and her shoes on the ceiling. This time they decided to write a whole bunch of little notes about Paula and her BF and they love Paula's brother, so they cut out little hearts and put them around all her pics of him and I helped them write a ridiculous poem about Paula, which they taped to the ceiling of course. All in all, it took them until 1:30am. Around 12:30 Becks and Sophie just walk in cuz they heard our voices and Sophie started playing guitar and singing (She sang Moldy Peaches "Anyone Else But You" and Regina Spektor "The Call", she was so good!). All the while I am thinking how horrible its gonna be getting up at 8:30 for class the next day. Finally, they left and I got to sleep, but they really brightened up my day and I didn't feel like such an outcast anymore!

Today went really great, too! Ok well, I was so tired I didn't want to get up this morning. Lectures and seminars are blah and not exciting, and I never talk and the tutor actually had to call on me to get me to talk today, and since I've been sick, I get into the coughing fits cuz its so dry inside and blah blah blah...

But after class I went for a walk and thats when the great part of the day started! And when I took all the above pics. I started out walking towards this bridge, then just kept walking and ended up at the River Clyde, then I just followed along the river. Then I came back to do some laundry (b/c its horribly difficult to get a machine) and then walked around the park.

Here's where it really gets great!

I came back and realized I was starving, I haven't had time to eat a good lunch cuz of my class schedule and the only place to eat at Uni is cafe's that don't take credit cards and I run outta cash way too quickly to spend it on food. I need it for clubs and taxi's lol! So I ate real quick and chatted w/sophie the french canadian for a while. Then I went back to my room just as paula came in. She asked if I'd eaten, cuz she wanted someone to eat with. I said yes, but that I'd have some hot chocolate while she ate. So we went to the kitchen and Becks was there, so the 3 of us had a nice chat. Then Paula and I went back to our room and had some more bonding time, and it was really nice! It's the most I've talked to her yet, but of course then she's left again for Fabian's house.

But earlier Beck's had invited me to come to her and Becca's room to chill. So I went to their room and Carol (another girl from our kitchen) came and we hung out a couple hours, til we thought we best go to bed. I had a great time! Becks is sooo nice, we had great talks and really got to know each other! I am so excited! I love people, they are just so interesting and nice and friendly and they are all so different, I love that there are so many ppl from all over the world here. I am beyond amazed!

I have to go to bed now. I needed sleep last night but i'll hopefully get it tonight, cuz now I feel like I have a sore throat again, and I just barely got over the last cold I had :(

Pub Crawl

This was my shirt...everyone wrote on it. (CX stands for Cairncross)

This is Ashton Lane...where all the pubs are.

Me and Sophie were tied together

Kitchen 44-(from left) Sophie, Becca, Emma, Sophie, and Debbie in front.

They were playing some sort of inappropriate game.
I was trying to play the game, but I lost (I'm the one int he white t-shirt)

Becca was trying to tell us how to play

This is Kelvin Way, thru the park.

What looks like could have been a Shakespearean Theater in Kelvin Park.

Kelvin Way...at night those trees look very menacing, and since its so damp its usually foggy.

I went to my IFSA dinner last night, and apologized for all the deadlines and meeting I missed. They were very nice and smiled and said don't worry about it. It was all good. It wasn't only the people from my program, but it was the Glasgow Art students and the year long students at the dinner. I sat next to a girl, Emily, who lives in Cairncross (the dorm I live in) on the same floor as me. We exchanged phone numbers and room numbers and we walked back together. She told me (this is the second person to tell me this) not to walk along Kelvin Way, thru the park, alone at night. (Apparently there has been a stabbing and raping.) Which I have been doing, and frankly I've been fine. There is a no gun law in the UK, so I feel relatively safe, and the only other way to walk back would take an extra 30mins. Emily said she would come knock on my door today, I hope she didn't forget!

Then I went to the Cairncross Pub Crawl. My whole dorm building went to 4 different pubs and we had to have a partner that we were tied to. I came late cuz I walked w/Emily after dinner to her dance studio. So I was tied to a French Canadian girl that I met at orientation. It was a bit overwhelming for me, lots of people and I become shy and awkward. After we could untie ourselves, I pretty much attached myself to Debbie so I don't get lost and can find my way back, and that's what I always do when I go out w/them. Paula is a bit strange when it comes to being sociable, and always seems to disappear by herself, which I hate cuz I live w/her and want to get to know her, but she is never around.

I ate lunch in my kitchen today and got to talk to Emma for a good 30mins. She's really nice and always talks to me. Its easier for me to talk one on one than in a huge group, so it was nice just to talk and share. I like Emma, but she seems to be Paula's best friend, and kinda follows her around and is always fighting for Paula's attention, tho there is no one to fight for it...its odd.

On another note, I finally found almost all the books I have been looking for. I am behind in my reading somehow...I don't know how it happened, it's like we covered two books in one week and it origianally sounded like we only needed to read one the first week...then again I have a problem w/listening and understanding due dates...

This one is for HannaH!!

I don't know if they mean yeild to red squirrels crossing...or beware of red squirrels. I didn't see any.

A Few Pics

I went to the Museum of Transport, which would have been more exciting if I were a guy and liked cars.

This church is across from Uni and the sign says Wellington Church, I thought this was funny b/c they call rain boots Wellingtons or Wellies here.

This is a pic of a river and bridge overgrown w/vines. The University is in the background, the tall tower.

This is Glasgow City Centre, where they have everything: shopping, cinemas, buses, train station, subway station (called clockwork orange) and anything u could possibly need.

To get to the city centre, I have to cross a bridge over the interstates (M8 and A104, I think)

Anyone seen the movie "Being John Malkovich"??? I came across this little door on the way to one of my lectures. The sign on it says "Dr. J. Malkovich". I thought it was hilarious :D

I Can't Seem to Understand Deadlines

For about the tenth time, I have missed yet another deadline. I was supposed to get signatures from the departments of the courses I am taking. Of course I got my last signature today (which is pathetic since I have only 3 classes and this paper was given to us at orientation). For some unknown reason I thought the paper said deadline was monday 2 weeks ago, I don't know why. So I wasn't worried, strangely, cuz I had missed the deadline anyways so I was taking my time. Then I read the paper at 4:50pm and noticed it said DEADLINE IS MONDAY 26TH, IF NOT TURNED IN BY THIS TIME YOUR TRANSCRIPTS WILL NOT BE SENT TO YOUR HOME UNIVERSITY. I quickly finished filling it out and took off running from my dorm. I made it to the building at 5:07pm, which is pretty good considering it usually takes about 30 mins. for me to walk to class. Unfortunately, the automatic doors wouldn't open, and the sign said they closed at 5pm. Then, I saw someone walking out the side door and I ran up the steps to grab the door. I got inside and luckily came across a mailbox that said Study Abroad Course Registration Papers. I put the paper in it and left to email the international coordinator to let her know. I really hope it still counts that I got it in today. Otherwise, none of my classes count, and I hope they don't send me back to the states!

I finally get back and then I have to turn around and go outside for a fire drill. I met up w/my friend April and she said she also turned her paper in today, so I don't feel so bad, but she obviously was there b4 they closed.

I had also missed the deadline to RSVP to an IFSA-Butler dinner at 6pm tomorrow (I paid all that money to come here and they use that money for free things for us like this dinner) but luckily Dierdra (whom I owe many apologies to for missing various other deadlines and meetings) is letting me come. I ran into Lindsay and Katie today and they asked me if I wanted to walk w/them to the restaurant tomorrow, which is fantastic b/c I probably could not find my way there by myself.

I also missed the deadline to sign up for a Cairncross (<--my dorm) Pub Crawl tomorrow night at 8pm. Luckily, Emma is on the committee and she said she'll get me on the list. So I'm going to wait for Paula to get back at 9pm, then we'll go meet up w/the rest of the dorm ppl.

Just what I need another late night w/no sleep. At orientation they warned us about the local students going out on weekdays and stuff, and I was like, nah thats not me I won't go to pubs or clubbing. And now I haven't really slept in a loooong time...

Well, I'm going to make my 3rd cup of hot chocolate for the night! (my newest obsession)

Crazy Weekend in England

View from the top of the mall parking garage.

Streets of Cambridge, England.

Me and Melissa (We went shopping so I could get some "club clothes" cuz I feel out of place going out w/the ppl in my hall and I don't have any nice clothes, tho their clothes are all kinda "risque", I really want to look like them so I fit in, but I still ended up looking what I think as "cutesy" oh well. I did get a little purse to wear while dancing at the clubs that looks like Paula's!)

The University of Cambridge.

Melissa driving us in England!

For the first time, I took a bus to the airport to fly by myself to England. I arrived much too early b/c I couldn't print out my boarding pass so I wanted plenty of time to sort things out. The bus ride was about 40mins. to the airport for 3 pounds. How I made it thru security at the airport I have no idea. I had a huge bottle of shampoo w/me (i just took my backpack w/all my stuff in it on the plane w/me) and all my pens & pencils in my backpack. I said I had no liquid and they didn't stop me at security, both ways.

Melissa and her friend picked me up from the airport and it was an hour's ride to the base. I was able to get right in cuz Melissa is a cop on base. There are not very many girls on base, so they all get kinda excited when a girl comes to visit, and sometimes things got really uncomfortable. The base was really just like a mini U.S. inside England, it was kinda nice.

Saturday, Melissa's friend was going to let her drive his car so we could go to Cambridge, but then it ended up it was a stick shift and she didn't know how to drive stick, nonetheless on the other side of the road! We lucked out and her other friend let her drive his car, which was American and was really difficult for melissa to drive it w/the steering wheel on the left side, and driving on the left side of the road, I had to look in the blindspots for her all the time. Once we got to cambridge, we were trying to find the mall and we got lost and couldn't understand the road signs and got stuck at dead ends and one way streets. We had to ask multiple English ppl how to get to the mall, they were all very nice and tried to give us directions. One thing about roads in the UK, is they are very confusing and there are round abouts, or rotaries, that are like fourway stops, but you drive around in a circle to make the turn. Melissa did a great job driving, I never coulda done it!

(Note to self: I hate fire drills, we just had the 3rd one since I've been here, and I had to go out in the cold in flip flops and pj's...i would rather burn.)

I haven't really slept more than a couple hours each night since Wednesday...I desperately need sleep right now, but I need to do laundry more and hopefully a machine is open now!

1/23/09

As my night continued last night, it did not get much better. I went to the club and forgot to bring my ID card w/me, so they wouldn't let me in. Luckily, April was with me, so I didnt have to walk back thru the dark park myself. But then she decided not to come back, so I had to walk by myself thru the dark park at 11pm to get back to the club. I got there, and its so loud and crowded I couldn't find my roommate or hallmates, and they couldn't hear their cell phones ringing. Luckily I ran into Sophie and stayed w/her til we found Emma, Debbie and Carol (Carol just moved in, and I like to stick w/Emma and Debbie cuz they stay together and I don't want to get lost lol). Then in the cab ride home, Debbie said it wasn't safe to walk the park at night cuz not that long ago someone got stabbed. (My mom is gonna love to hear that.)
I had seminars today, and I don't like seminars cuz its a small group and ur graded on participation. I don't like to talk, so my participation grade is going to be terrible.
I am going for the weekend to visit my friend Melissa, at the military base in England, b4 she has to go to Iraq :(
Bon Voyage!

Overwhelmed :(

I haven't posted in a while, not much has been happening. I've had an overwhelming day, I have missed deadlines for several forms, missed a meeting w/IFSA-Butler about my course credits and I feel really bad about it. I also missed an RSVP to an IFSA dinner. There is just so much going on and I can't keep track of everything!

I was invited by my friend Melissa (b4 she has to go to Afghanistan/Iraq) to stay the weekend w/her at the military base in England. So, I walked to the city centre yesterday to try and get a train ticket to England, but it would take 6-7 hours for $107 to get there. So I decided to try and take a plane. Which is costing $130, but only takes an hour to get there. However, I do not have a printer to print off my boarding pass. I did print off an email they sent me from Debbie's printer, but couldn't print from the boarding pass from the internet. I tried to use the computer lab to print it, but there were a million ppl there and I felt overwhelmed and confused, so I just left. But it's a 45min bus ride to the airport from Glasgow. Luckily, Paula and Emma drew me a map and helped me look up the times to catch the bus. If I actually make it to the plane tomorrow, it will be a miracle.

Since I've had such a horrid day, I am treating myself to going to the GU, glasgow university union (the uni's club) w/paula, emma, debbie, etc. Its supposed to be a traffic light dance (if ur single u wear green, taken red, and unsure yellow). Too bad I don't have any of those colors to wear (tho i am wearing green socks...does that count?)

Anecdote

Not too much happened today. I have a cold, so I didn't do much cuz I feel yuck.
I went to one lecture, then to the grocery store. I was doing laundry last night (washing my gloves from petting cows this weekend) and apparently they lock the laundry room at 11pm, so I didn't get my clothes til today. So I had to walk 30mins to the grocery store and it was drizzly and cold. On my way back, I was carrying my 2 bags of food and my hands were so cold. All of a sudden, a bus goes by and thru a puddle. I got drenched in dirty street puddle water. I was freezing, my hands were red from being wet and cold. No wonder I am sick. :(

IT SNOWED!!!!!

Becks trying to catch a snowflake

Snowball fight

We went outside specifically to get a pic of us in the snow.

First snowfall!

It snowed today! It was so beautiful to see the snow fall and it stuck a little bit in the green grass. Priceless!

Family homestay in England weekend

These are the girls from my hall.
Becks, me, and sophie^Paula (my roomie), Emma, Becca, and Debbie^ This was a small town in England where we went w/our host family for the kids swimming lessons.

Me, Ashlee and Lindsay by a river in England.

Me, Ashlee and Lindsay in our room for the weekend.


Our host family, I was walking to try to get in the pic.

Seeing their cows.

Sheep!

Sheep in road!

The house we stayed in.

We had a beautiful day, which is unusual.

Isabel showing us the cows.

There were the 6 of us in my program going to England for the family homestay, plus 2 Glasgow school of arts students. We got split up on the train ride there, and when it came time for us to get off, the only guy in the group couldn't get his train door open and ended up stuck on the train til the next stop, which was 20 mins. away, then 20 mins. back on another train. He wasn't in my group, so Ashlee, Lindsay and I left w/ our host mother. She and her husband had 3 kids, all under the age of 7, Megan, Michael and Isabel.

They took us on a drive around the countryside, which was beautiful! At one point we had to stop b/c there were sheep crossing the road! Then we went w/the mom to take the kids to swim lessons and we got to walk around the small town. (we got to see another castle, it seems there are castles EVERYWHERE here). Then we took a long walk along the road by their farm. The kids took their bikes, then laid them by the side of the road so they could race us. We were all exhausted.

Lindsay, Ashlee and I shared a room and a bathroom. The shower was HORRID. We couldn't figure out the hot water, so all we could take was freezing cold showers. Lindsay didn't take a shower the whole weekend (yuck!), but I figured out to use the kids play bucket and fill it up with hot water in the bathtub to at least wash our hair.

We also went to a chocolate factory and got some brilliant hot chocolate! Then we ate lamb and some kind of vegetables for dinner one night. (actually they call lunch dinner, but i don't know what they call dinner). Then we had custard and apple pie for dessert, which was excellent. The next day for lunch we had bread, salad and cheese, and the cheese was Wensleydale, which is what Wallace and Gromit eat (claymation movie characters). I love cheese and had like 5 pieces. Then we were going to have ice cream and strawberry bread roll (or something like that) and our host father was trying to be funny and gave everyone their bowls and in mine he just put a block of cheese.

In the evenings after the kids went to bed, the parents like to stay up and talk til 11 or 12 at night. We even watched a movie called Housesitter starring Tori Spelling, which was a horrible movie and all we did was make fun of it the whole time, it was a lot of fun! Finally it was time for us to leave. We met up w/the other students and got on the train. We were supposed to switch trains in Carlisle (i don't even know if that is in england or scotland) but somehow we ended up on a bus for an hour and a half back to Glasgow. It was strange.

When I got back Sunday night, Becca and Emma had stayed in our room and i walked in to them w/ their laptops using our internet cables. They had moved Paula's bed, took all her clothes out of the room and put them in Emma's room, and used tape to stick Paula's shoes to the ceiling. They just made themselves at home while we were gone and camped out there for 24hours. I got back, took a shower, then paula got back, and they were still in our room. Then they left their laptops and backpacks in our room while we ate dinner and had a kitchen clean up. Later we all watched a movie in our room and then everyone went to bed and they finally came back for their stuff and brought Paula's clothes back. Then to apologize to us, Becca and emma came into our room at like 11 carrying a bday candle each, turned out our light and sang silent night. Then told us to blow out the candle and make a wish, that was how they were repaying us for letting them stay in our room. Thank goodness I know them and like them or I woulda been a little annoyed...tho it is kinda funny that one of Paulas shoes won't come off the ceiling.

1/15/09

I realized today that tho I have only 3 classes, they are expecting us to do alot of reading. I don't read at my home university. I seemed to have been blessed w/the gift of having not to study, at least back in the states. I feel like I am actually going to have to study here. But if I think about it, only one class is actually going to count back home, so I don't really have any reason to try...but I guess i will. I really want to focus on the social part of things, cuz i really do think all that matters in this world is other people. So I am going clubbing again! :)



I finally had my film class today. Even film calls for a lot of reading! But we do have Thursday night screenings, but tonight was boring, it was about documentaries, 2 films from 5pm-8pm. It was pretty boring. But better than sitting thru a lecture.

And tomorrow I am off to England for the weekend to stay w/a family!!

1/14/09

Awesome bridge^

I went to a club called Kushion last night. I went w/Paula, Emma and 2 other girls they knew, Debbie and Kathleen. We didn't get there until after 10:30pm. Paula immediately went to meet up w/her boyfriend. I was nervous about going to the club, since I had never been to a club before, but Emma and Debbie were very nice and I stuck w/them all night. We didn't get back to our flats until 2:30am and I had class today at 10am. At 7:40am a fire alarm goes off. I did NOT want to get up, so I stayed in bed w/my hands over my ears. But after 10 mins. I got up, put my coat on and went outside. I passed the firefighters in the hallway (I'm on the 4th floor), I just glared at them, I am not a morning person especially after only a few hours of sleep. Everyone else was already outside, and I met up w/my friend April. A minute later, Emma comes out w/the same evil glare on her face.

I finally did not have to use my map to navigate around campus today! I even got to all my classes on time! Classes are very confusing, there is always a different lecturer, so I never know if I am in the right class.

I went to Iceland today (a cheap grocery store about a mile from my flat) w/one of the girls from my program, Ashlee. The cashiers always have really thick accents and I can never understand them, and Scottish credit cards have special chips in them so the just stick them in a slot and it reads the chip, but w/american credit cards you need to slide them and the cashiers always seem to have an issue w/my card, so its very stressful and overwhelming just trying to pay for goceries. And today I left a bag of groceries there, and didn't realize until I had already walked the half hour back to my flat, so I didn't go back. Oh well, it was just a couple pounds worth of pasta.

There are around 11 girls that share a kitchen here, and thats where we all meet each other and chat. When i was eating dinner, it was so cool cuz i sat at a table w/a girl from Nigeria, Debbie from Scotland, Paula from Finland, Emma from England and Sophie a french canadian! Then I have befriended a girl named April, from Hong Kong! I feel so multicultural! Everyone is so nice here! It's crazy, everyone is from a different part of the world w/there own story and background, and its so easy to talk to them and share stories! I'm getting along better w/the international students and the local students than the american group i came with! I feel like this world is so big, and i want to get to know every part of it. I can't believe I've never left the U.S., I am just in awe of the world right now, and all the ppl, everyone is so interesting!

Well, I have to go read Shakespeare's Winter's Tale b/c apparently I didn't get the memo that today's lecture was on Winter's Tale. So I should at least try to be prepared for tomorrow's lecture, which should still be on Winter's Tale.

2nd day of classes

This is the Kelvin River, it cuts thru kelvingrove park, the park I hav to walk thru to get to the Uni. (both named after Lord Kelvin)

This is my building, I'm on the top floor. The small white building is the pub next door.

This is my roomies side of the room.

This is my side of the room.

It's pretty small.

Strange birds I saw at the river.

A crane or heron????

Today I went to the library. This is the view from the 9th floor. Altogether there are 12 floors. Everyone is in the library b/c there are no text books, so there are like 100 ppl who all need the same book, and there are 3 copies of that book. It's horrible.

They have Kraft Macaroni and cheese here! I got together w/the people from my program today and we had some mac and cheese for dinner, it was so good!

I've been invited to go to a club w/Paula and Emma tonight, so that's all for today!