A Layer of Rain

Looking west on The Scores

It's been raining on and off since I arrived, and as a native Southern Californian, I really don't know what to do with it. I didn't even own a proper raincoat until two months ago. My first class is not for another two days so I'm cooling my heels inside getting a start on all the reading for my modules. I suppose now I understand how Scotland can be so green. 

This picture was taken on the Scores where many of the schools in the arts are located. I'll be taking both of my modules in a building on this road. 

St Andrews and St Salvator's Chapel

Statue of St Andrew outside the Botanical Gardens

St Andrews is named for the patron saint of Scotland. He was crucified on an X-shaped cross and thus the Scottish flag is blue with an white X-shape across it. There is a castle here from the 12th Century that is currently under restoration that was built to guard the remains of St Andrew that were brought here as a relic. Although, today there has been some question about wether the bones that came here were really that of St Andrew. 

St Salvator's Chapel from St Salvators Quad

On Sunday morning, I attended services at St Salvator's Chapel. The chapel is one of two chapels that belong to the University. It was built in 1450 and features beautiful stained-glass windows. The services are Church of Scotland and not dissimilar to the services I am familiar with.

The inside of St Salvator's Chapel

Typically following Sunday morning services at St Salvator's there is a pier walk, where university students often clad in their red students' robes will walk along the pier that juts out into the North Sea. Unfortunately, it was raining to heavily to take part in the traditional pier walk, so I just got to spend more time observing the beautiful architecture in the chapel.

One of the stained class windows in St Sallies

Ceilidh

A Ceilidh, pronounced cay-lee, is a traditional Scottish social event that features folk music and dancing. The University of St Andrews hold several ceilidhs every semester. The dancing is kind of like line dancing or square dancing, with numerous dances of varying speed. This particular ceilidh was part of Refreshers week, the week in the Candlemas Semester (semester two) that welcomes students back to school. All of the students studying abroad were encouraged to come and we were joined by a number of Scottish students who have been around a few ceilidhs. The band taught each dance, and we study abroad students butchered them until a helpful group of lads in kilts stepped in to redirect our efforts. As this ceilidh was held on Robert Burns Day, it ended with a jovial singing of Auld Lang Syne. We all held hands in a circle and stumbled over the lyrics until the music kicked up and we ran towards the center and back again. 

Here's a little taste of the Ceilidh:

Catching Up

I have not been so good about this whole blogging thing. So I'm just going to jump on into this. I'm in Scotland now! I hopped across the pond last Tuesday out of LAX on an Air New Zealand flight direct into London. My cousin Cam would be excited to see that my Air New Zealand plane had a huge mural of the Hobbit on its side. 

I had two full seats to myself on the 10 hour flight. Landed at Heathrow in mid-morning and then had to drag my luggage through underground tunnels to terminal 5 to check in three hours early for my flight to Edinburgh. After killing time in the terminal, I boarded the plane with numerous other young people headed for a number of Scottish universities. I caught a ride to St Andrews with the student shuttle service, but I admit I napped for most of the hour long journey from the airport to St Andrews.  

West Sands

I'm living in self-catered ensuite accommodation with five other flatmates. Or in plain English, I have my own room and bathroom and share a kitchen with five other girls who are First Years (or Freshers) here at St Andrews. My room boasts a desk, closet and a (rock hard) double bed.

My bathroom not too big and not too small and the floor tiles seem to be heated which is perfect for bare feet in the early morning. But I still am trying to understand western European showers. There is a corner of the bathroom with shower head, drain, and curtain, but the area is only about a centimeter lower than the rest of the bathroom and the shower curtain doesn't reach the floor. Perhaps I'm just an uncultured American or the bathroom is really almost supposed to flood.

The silver bar on the right is where the shower is located.

Having a corner room is quite nice, it means I have two large windows that face out towards the front of the building instead of windows facing towards the nursery school that is hidden amongst all the apartment buildings in our complex. 

My view on a clear day

27 January 2014

Although we only met once so many years ago, I still remember your intelligence and your incredible sense of humor. Wish we had made it to Jackson Hole to ski with you all those years ago. Rest in peace Ian, you are dearly missed.

Here We Go

I fought against starting a blog for sometime, fearing not having much to write about. After the repeated encouragement from a number of people, I thought I might as well give it a go. Perhaps my lack of inspiration is more an attempt to hide my laziness.

In the awkward week between Christmas and New Years, when the internet is bursting with look backs at the last 12 months, I found myself reflecting in the mid-holiday glow. 2013 was a pretty good year for me. Without turning the past year into a drawn-out novel, I thought I would give a quick summary with the help of my favorite photographs from the year.

I rang in the New Year in San Diego. Enjoyed the company of good friends before heading back up to San Francisco to begin the second semester of my sophomore year. I took a class I thought I would love and hated it. I took a class I thought I would hate and ended up loving it. So it goes it seems. I often fled dorm life for the freedom provided in my friends' tiny seaside apartment.

I was assigned my teacher's education fieldwork at a charter middle school in 7th grade humanities class, and although my personal experience in middle school was dreadful, I quite enjoyed working with the lovable awkward souls that make up a middle school classroom. I applied for and was accepted to a short study abroad program through my school, and at the end of May following the conclusion of classes, set off for Salzburg, Austria. 

The conference was geared towards students and focussed on the many facets of globalization. We were lectured by numerous professors from around the world, and even a few people involved in multinational humanitarian organizations. We spent a week staying at Schloss Leopoldskron. The back terrace of the Rococo Palace and the lake it overlooks was used for the filming of "The Sound of Music" as the home of the Von Trapp family. I also had the opportunity to visit the Dachau, the first concentration camp set up by the Nazis outside of Munich. A very powerful visit.

After the seminar was over, I took a train to a plane to another train to visit our family friends in southern Sweden. They welcomed me to the country and ensured I had a wonderful time. The sun was out everyday. I was also able to experience the equivalent of a Swedish high school graduation.

The Swedes forgo boring speeches and time consuming diploma handouts, for a far more celebratory bash. The graduating students turn up to school in navy blue suits and white dresses and their personalized white cap (studentmössa) for a champagne breakfast, they make their speeches and say their farewells in their classrooms. At the end of the school day, families gather at the exit of the school building armed with large signs with baby pictures of their student, flowers and more alcohol. Students run out of the school in their classes and find their family for pictures before marching through the city with all the other graduating students from around the city. They part on open trailers that parade around the city, and are expected to sober enough to meet grandma back at the house for a meal before they spend the rest of the night out. It's really quite the sight to see!

After ten days in Sweden, I said "Hej Då!" and returned to the states. I took a detour home and took in two Broadway shows (Once and Peter and the Star Catcher) with my aunt in New York. After a whirlwind trip around Europe and a New York, I went home only to pack up my things and move into my new apartment in San Francisco, located just six blocks from the beach. I enjoyed the rest of my summer taking in a concert or two. I saw a little known act by the name of Sir Paul McCartney. He was quite spectacular, I would recommend getting tickets if he comes to a town near year. But with the school year fast approaching I packed up some things and headed on another little adventure.

I spent six days in North Dakota spending time with my family. Went diving into the treasure trove of old photographs my grandmother has and got lost in the history for hours at the time. I spent time with my cousins and enjoyed the last few days of summer out at the family lake cabin. 

First semester of junior year was different than the previous years. With many of my friends all over the map, I found myself sending quite a number of daily text messages. My first semester off campus was pretty good, although I learned that one can tire of pasta. In October, I headed block north to San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. 

I saw a few bands I had seen before and enjoyed San Francisco's 'Indian Summer' with good friends. Mixing all ages and numerous different genres, all for free in the park, HSB is the perfect way to spend three days in San Francisco. The rest of the semester was filled with homework and little jaunts around the city. And now I have returned home to spend the holidays with my family. 

It was a pretty exciting year and a year I will look back at very fondly. But with the New Year only a few hours away, I am ready to look ahead. I applied and was accepted to study abroad at St. Andrews University in Scotland for the spring semester. A new adventure I can't wait to begin. So in the typical holiday spirit, I've come up with a few New Year's Resolutions:

• Be my best self
• Say "yes" more
• Spend more time outdoors
• Stray outside my comfort zone
• Stay surrounded by the people I love

Little improvements, but certainly things I will focus my energy on. So for now, I'll bid adieu. 

Happy New Year!