Cheers! It's My Scottish Blog!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Seven Weeks

So it's been seven weeks! I can barely believe it. Time has really flown on this side of the pond. I'm sorry I haven't been able to update much, but between studying, sleeping, and the city life; I have been really busy! So last week, I was going to go to Livingston w/ a few friends to go see my second futbol (soccer) game. We went Friday afternoon and were all worried because we were running late. When we finally got to the stadium (a half hour late) it was completely empty. We had gone a day early! So we ended up exploring the city and then came back the next day for the actual game. I probably walked about 20 miles in those two days.... at least! So that night I decided I wanted a change... and I trusted my buddies to cut my hair. This is what they ended up doing to it.

One of them had cut a big hunk in the side of it, so I had to go to the barber the next day. I went to one of the old fashioned ones w/ the candy cane in the window and I got a cut and a shave for the first time in my life! He had to cut it pretty short to even it all out.

It prob. hasn't been this short since I was a baby! and I don't think I've had a buzz since the 3rd grade! But anyways, it's kind of fun for the time being. I am definitely going to grow it out some more.

So mom and Shea are coming this weekend and I am going to meet them in London on Saturday. I'm actually going to go a day early on Friday, so I am really excited! It looks like we might get some snow while they are here.

Here's a pretty cool picture of a snow storm that I took of my building that I have religion classes in.

So anyways, hope that all is well in the states! Leave me some comments below!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Almost 3 Weeks

It's almost been 3 weeks since I arrived. It has been amazing, but my classes are starting to get a little harder. Not only do I have lectures every day; we also have weekly tutorials in every class where you meet in small groups with the professor and discuss and ask questions (usually reading is required for the classes). All in all, classes up here are a good bit more difficult. But it's definitely worth it to get to live in a city like this for 5 months!
It snowed most of the day today and had to walk to my early tutorial in a snow storm! Sounds cool, but it was almost 2 miles in the snow uphill! no joke! haha Check it out on the map below.

as you can see, I def. get to do some walking every day! haha.. It doesn't bother me though with all the great scenery that I walk through.

So today after my classes I went to the...

Royal Mile!

and I saw...

The Castle

and

Some famous guy and his wife who got greeted with a bagpipe player and many quilted men

again...

The View from one side of the Castle

The Royal Mile as seen from the Castle

Saved the best for last!

Friday, January 18, 2008

This country boy's gone metro

Day 12 - 18/01/08

It's been almost two weeks since I've been here and it seems like a week. What I miss the most in America besides family and friends: my tahoe, American FDA approved meat, Wal Mart, free text-messaging, and being lazy. haha

It's gotta be good for me to be away from all those things for a while though. I'm staring to understand why Mississippi is the fattest state in the fattest Nation. Not only is the food so dang good and fattening, we don't have to walk anywhere! I've prob. lost 10 lbs since I've gotten here.

Today was a pretty neat day. I got up about an hour before the sun came up and walked to the center of the city. I watched the city come to life as everyone was going to work and the sun began to reveal a beautiful city. I also ate breakfast at McDonalds which was a big plus! But anyways, here are a few pictures I took this morning and then some other random pics.

That building I love right as the sun was coming up

My favorite alleyway in the entire city

British phone booth

My personal American Embassy

The building right by my dorm that screams Hogwarts (the school on Harry Potter)

The Golf Course that Lee and I discovered on Google Earth. It's right behind my dorm, but surrounded by a barbed wire fence

The big rock/mountain that is right by the golf course and my dorm

Me and two of the Ole Miss girls going to the club

On the dancefloor

My First Day

Day 1- 06/01/08

After three flight changes, 9 hours worth of layovers, and a long day of traveling in the city; it feels pretty dang good to be lying in bed with a glass of wine (it's legal here!). It was a pretty monumental moment when I flew into Newark, New Jersey and saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time in my life. It was a pretty great way to remember the states as Lady Liberty waved goodbye.

I arrived in Edinburgh this morning at about 8 A.M. their time (2 A.M. Mississippi time). I fell asleep as soon as I got on the plane to Scotland and didn't wake up until we were flying over Ireland. I didn't get a good look at the city when we were flying in because it was still dark. After going through customs, and claiming my baggage (which came out entirely and immediately), I split a cab with this girl from California I met in the airport who was studying at the University as well.

Finally I got to my check-in and as soon as I got to my room I went ahead and unpacked. It's a pretty decent sized room, considering I'm the only one living in it. It's also a big plus that I have my own bathroom, even if it is the same size as one on a cruise ship. Once I finished in my room, I hit the city.

Unlike most Universities, which have once piece of land dedicated to the school, the building of the University of Edinburgh are spread throughout the city. It took me about 20 minutes to walk from one side of campus to the other. It doesn't bother me though, this city is amazing. It has a historic feel like D.C., but also has an artsy/modern look like Seattle. Just as everything in Madison is brick, everything in Edinburgh is beautiful, aged stone. This city has nearly 1,000 historic buildings.

I met so many people today, but most of them are from the North. I guess since I am in another country, I will have to get along with them! haha. They asked me a lot of stupid questions about the south; so I finally told them that we had an outhouse, I just got my first pair of shoes, and I ride a horse to school. They're pretty cool people, but they are a lot more accustomed to a big city than I am. They are from Maine, New York, L.A., etc. so they think that Edinburgh is a small city. I think it's huge and I haven't even seen 1/3 of it yet.

Anyways, I am rambling now. So check out the pictures and I'll keep y'all updated once everything gets underway!