Turning British

I'm terribly sorry for not updating in several weeks. Things have gotten intense like they tend to do in Graduate school. After completing a 10 page paper and presenting it in front of all the other history Masters and First Year PhD students, I am now working on a 25 page paper due in 2 1/2 weeks. This thing is totally freaking me out because it is the entirity of my grade for the semester!!! EEPP!!!

However, I have been thinking of things and wanting to break the tension. Especially since I have been here for nearly three montsh!!!...

Reasons I'm turning British===

*~ I find it more appropriate to say "Cheers" instead of "thank you" when someone hold open the door for me.

*~ I gorge myself on "jacket potatoes" and fancy "a curry"

*~ I drink more than 3 cups of tea a day in place of coffee.

*~ I know a zebra is not refering to an animal

*~ I no longer hate beer at all... I actually prefer a pint of Carlsberg or Guinnius now and again at the pub

*~ Two words-- Universal Healthcare!

*~ I can vaguely make out what a heavy Scottish accented man is saying to me

*~ They are not "room mates" they are "flat mates"

*~ Rainy days are no reason to drive a car to class, enough said.

*~ "Lovely" or "Sexy" can be a very appropriate adjectives


I'm sure there will be more installments to this list as I complete my year abroad, but I find it a good start!

Now back to the paper!!!

My Fall Holiday to Wales

What a wonderful place! Wales is like a fairy tale by the sea. I greatly enjoyed the outdoors, food, and signs that I could not begin to read on my five day holiday. Although the Cardiff Airport is in the absolute middle of nowhere resulting in an exuberant taxis fee, it was worth it. My hostess Adell and her flatmate Matthew were great company in the new country.

I arrived late Friday night at Cardiff Airport. Adell and Matt met me at the airport in order to drive to Swansea where they lived.



The next morning I got to soak in some of the most spectacular scenery. It was a clear and blue day at Rhossilli and the water was almost as blue as the Carribean Sea. We had lunch behind a big rock breaking the wind on the cliff. Our trip was complete with a trip through a pasture of cows and sheep. It was an invigorating experience and I felt as if time did not exist on those rocky shores. Unfortunately it did.... I missed two weddings and the funeral for my great-grandmother Saturday. However, my great grandmother lived all 95 of her years to the fullest and she wanted all of her grandchildren to do the same. What a wonderful woman she was and somewhere through the clear blue sky I could almost see her smiling.



Sunday was a layed back day where we took a short trip to The Mumbles. This was one of my favorite things I did in Wales. This is the hometown of my favorite actress, Catherine Zeta-Jones. It was also my favorite because of the sailboats and sea walk. We had lunch at an Italian cafe on the walk. It was fantastic! I had a Bre (sp?) and grape sandwich and we split an ice cream sundae that we mixed ourselves at the table. Hazelnut ice cream is something I highly recommend! We also took a short walk to the castle. (What trip would not be complete without a castle?) That night I tried curry for the first time. Indian and Turkish cuisine is like the Mexican restuarants of the UK. However, I enjoyed my mushroom curry a lot and would like to bring this experience into Edinburgh.



Monday we took a bus to a place called Pernard which is another seaside village. The weather was rougher and the tide was up. I think it gave a wilderness look to the high cliffs and valeys. There was the ruins of the castle which allowed Adell and I to fantasize about what it looked like in its full glory. After getting lost on a golf course and being rescued by a nice old Welsh man, we headed back to Swansea. That night we tried "Pub on the Pond" with Adell's hiking club. I think pub food is the closest to Southern cuisine with all the fried selections. Met some really nice people and got in a little late.



My last day was really laid back. I really did not do too much at all. We took a walk through this rather large park and I finally captured a few pictures of British squirrels for my aunt. I spent the afternoon reading and surfing the web while Adell was in class. When I waled down to the convenience store I saw one of my friends who was a student at a class I had at USM. She was an exchange student last year and had returned back to Swansea Uni. I felt guilty for not informing her of my trip, but I was glad to run into someone I know an ocean away. I also watched the movie ITrainspottingI which was interesting because it is set in Edinburgh and stars Ewan McGregor as a druggie.

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My trip back to Edinburgh, as mentioned previously, was an adventure. I got back to my dorm by 6 pm and am so happy to be back to my "home." I had a great holiday, but glad to be back to Scotland where the holiday really never ends except for a few days out of the week.

Apologies

Sorry... I haven't posted in a week. However, I will be posting about my trip to Wales next week!!!!

What I have been eating!

So a lot of questions have centered about what I have been eating in Scotland. Scotland has a plethora of local dishes, and Edinburgh has any restuarant you can imagine. However, since I am on a student budget I have been eating mostly in my flat.

However, my domestic side is beginning to appear the longer I am hear and the more sick I get of sandwiches.

**There is these bagged pasta's that are way better and just as easy as Mac and Cheese. They have flavors such as Chicken and Mushroom yum!

** Then there are the stables with Bread, Nutella, PB&J. (Yes there is peanut butter around here, but it doesn't taste the same)

** I also enjoy a lot of tea instead of ginger ale because it is so heavy to carry liters back to the dorm from South Bridge and up five flights of stairs.

**Of course I still love cereal!!!!!

I have eaten at a pub and a few other random places since I have been here, but I avoid anything over 6 pounds. So my food post isn't that exciting.... however it does answer a very pressing question!

Arthur's Seat--- My Saturday Cardio

This weekend, in the spirit of not doing anything on Saturday I climbed Arthur's Seat with a few of my friends. We got a later start in the day by leaving at noon. I went with my flat mate Dido from Turkey, and a course mate Justin from Oregon. The day was beautiful. We began by walking to the end of the Royal Mile and turned at Holyrood Palace.

I thought I had been shaping up with climbing up to the fifth storey of my flat everyday and walking everywhere. The ascent up to Arthur's Seat proved me wrong. We made it up to the top after about an hour and a half (mostly due to my frequent breaks to catch my breath!) But the climb was way worth it. The view was breathtaking. You could see New and Old Town and even the coastline leadnig away from the city. The birds even were suspended right above our heads floating on the wind! I had climbed Arthur's Seat before, but today the weather made it stunning.

The way down we took a different root and passed by some lakes full of ducks and swans. Ultimately we ended up at pub by Nicholson Street full of some angry Scottish rugby fans. When we sat down to our pub grub, England had just beat Austrailia 12 to 10. The whole place was an uproar with Scottish Accents. The food was great since I have been eating almost every meal in my flat. We all got burgers and "chips' or fries. I also got some Ginger ale which is something I can get at the grocery, but do not want to carry back all the way to the Mound! Sorry for this being such a short post, but the grad school work is beginning to be pressing.....

I Smell Fish-- An Afternoon by the Sea

So I had all intentions of getting up early and going to the Naitonal Library of Scotland to make copies. However, after getting up earlier than originally planed, I looked out of my window at a brilliant fall day. I would not consciously subject myself to being cooped up in the library around the corner. So instead I did something that I had wanted to do for awhile.

I took the number 22 bus a few miles away from the town center to Leith. Now it was an interesting journey when the bus drivers changed shift and I hear the new driver mention that he "had never driven a double decker before." (I was glad not to be sitting up top.) I watched as we drove away from Princes Street taking into account at all the different shops in my new surroundings. I got off by one of the roads that led to the legednary battle ship Brittania. Leith is the old port town that has somehow over time merged into Edinburgh. The architecture is the same, but different. I did not focus on any significantly historical attraction. I just wanted to walk by the water. My only street references were Leith Walk and Bernard Street.

Where the bus dropped me off, I had no clue where I was. After a detour through a residential area I found Bernard Street. It had some nice looking Seafod restuarants and shops. The things that surprised me was how quite it was at 4 in the afternoon. No tourists, just a little old lady standing guard at a cross walk waiting for children to get out of school and shop keepers cleaning their windows. I found a little bridge, canal, but that is not what I wanted. After walking awhile I finally asked directions. The end of the street was the ocean.

To get there I had to walk by modern apartment complexes, through construction sites, and of course up a hill. But I did make it to the North Sea. Let me tell you, it was worth it. The two pounds fifty for the bus there was the best I have spend since I got to the city. It was calm, the gulls were floating in the small wavelets, and there were boats out on the brilliant day. It is strange to realize that you can feel at home halfway across the world. I walked along the sea wall for awhile, noticing an old man in a park reading his novel. There were a few inns and pubs catering to their regulars and a father held his daughter's hand as they crossed the street. I was sad to leave the sea, but it was getting dark and I was trying a different bus back to Mylne's Court. I do not regret delaying my trip to the library one bit.

Doors Open Day **Saturday September 29**

For one exciting day in Edinburgh a lot cool places open up to the public. There are over 70 establishments all over the city which participate in this day organized by the Cockburn Association. Needless to say I only saw a very small fraction of them. We began the day early (9 am!) and tried to hit up some different places around the dorm.

Our first stop was Old College, which I mentioned last post as the original campus for the University of Edinburgh. The really awesome thing to see is Playfair Library Hall. It was used as the library until the 1960s and is decorated with the busts of notable Scottish figures. It is an incredible room with tall vaulted ceilings and balconies supporting the numerous bookshelves. Leading into the library are this large staircases decorated by huge portriats. Adjoining the Playfair Library, there is a art gallary. Had some interesting things, and my favorite were this pieces made from cheap plastic things such as sunglasses or hairbrushes.

Continuing on to other places, the next stop was the Parliament House. Not to be confused with the brand new Scottish Parliament building. This is the Court House next to Saint Giles Cathederal on the Royal Mile. They had private tours of the advocates (Lawyers) libraries. They had manuscripts from the 1600s just sitting there! The librarian told us that every summer they dust the books and hire students.... So I definetly know what I want to do if I'm short of cash come June. One of the library rooms used to be a courtroom and a very famous murder trial was held there. The rest of the courthouse displayed the old judges outfits with the wigs. Pretty cool.

I toured the Central Library also which wasn't as impressive because I had already been in the building to get a library card. However, there is an awesome reference room with balconies of books. There is also a lot of passages and it is not the tour for the closterphobic. The stacks were so crammed! They had floors and floors of reference books that only the librarians can retrieve. It made me a little nervous because I noticed there were no sprinklers.

The other thing I did was climb to the top of Calton Hill which is a very touristy thing to do. It has an awesome view of the city where you can get the Castle in your picture. The hill also pays tribute to Robert Burns and Horatio Nelson. There is also a tiny observetory. It was awfully crowded because it was Doors Open Day and was not raining like it tends to do on a whim in Scotland.

I saw a few other places. A small music hall with a collection of old pianos. Also a modern apartment converted from stables in the back of fancy residences in New Town. In all honesty I am sad that some of the things I wanted to see were so far out from the city. I did not get to see any old residences or museums. Despite this fact, I do believe a lot more of these places are obtainable to the public than I thought previously. Using the guide for Doors Open Day I know there is a Museum created from an old Fire Station, a museum of Geoscience, a National History museum, and the Royal College of Surgeons has a book bound in human skin! Sometimes I think a year is not going to be enough to see everything in Edinburgh!

The University of Edinburgh 101

*** Please forgive me, but most of this blog is from the University website or google image because of time constraints this week!

University of Edinburgh FACTS:

~Founded in 1582 from a Royal Charter making the Uni over 400 years old. This means, unlike most universities in Europe at the time, the University of Edinburgh had no religious affilliation at its founding. The benefits of this type of establishment simply means that the secular could be taught without debate for the church.

~ The first campus structure build in the 18th Century is what is now known as Old College and another attractive structure is my neighbor--New College which houses the School of Divinity. Both are a step back into time. New College Library is amazing!!!! Another beautiful structure is McKewan Hall which is a gorgeous neo-classical arena built specifically for graduation.

~The University is divided into colleges which then divide into schools. There are three colleges: Medicine and Vetenary, Humanities and Social Sciencies, and Science and Engineering. The school are History, Classics, and Archaeology for example. There are twenty-one different schools.

~Today the University has 23,000 students with a International Student Population of over 5,000. The International student represent almost every country in the United Nations.

~Some famous alum include: David Hume (Philosopher), Sir Walter Scott (Novelist and founder a Scottish "Identity"), Sir Arthur Conan Doye (Creator of Sherlock Holmes), Robert Louis Stevenson (Author/Poet of "Treasure Island" and "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde"), Sir Patrick Geddes (Founder of my Residence Hall), Elsie Maud Ingles (Founder of the Scottish Women's Suffrage Federation), and more recently featured as "Alumnus of the Year" Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith who are both well loved writers. A very special honorary degree holder from the University is J.K. Rowling!!!! And the pride of the School of History is Gordon Brown the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who received a PhD. from the University. This are just a few of the incredible individuals apart of the 400 year legacy of the University.

~With prestigeous Alumni, the University has also had some very noteworthy achievments. It is a top research University that still has great facilities and opportunities for graduate students in all subjects. Lots of scientific as well as philisophical questions have been answered at the University. Presently the University of Edinburgh is considered the top university in Scotland, the fifth best in the United Kingdom and part of the top 30 in the world!!


As for my first weeks here, I have been so impressed with the University, resources, instructors, and most importantly my fellow graduate students! I still have a lot of work ahead, but I definetly understand the value of the degree I will hopefully earn next fall..

"Dear, Green Place"--Glasgow in Brief

I am lucky enough to go to a Uni that bolsters a huge International Student population to entertain. Every Saturday the International Student Center sponsors trips to various place. This weekend I accompanied my flatmate to Glasgow. Touring a large city, a day is hardly ever enough. However, after this trip I am very content in the fact that I did not decide to go to The University of Glasgow.

We began our journey from the Edinburgh Bus Station in New Town around 10 am and pulled into Glasgow's station by 11. The trip was actually shorter than the distance between Hattiesburg and Biloxi, Mississippi. There was a lot of chaos leaving the station becasue Glasgow was so crowded!!! We walked through the main shopping district and through the city center. I broke my rule (no eating at American establishments abroad) and had Subway for lunch because corporation had already sunk it's claws into the streets of the city.

The first cool thing we saw was the City Chambers built in 1888. It was a beautiful building with a WWII monument in the front and statues comemorating Sir Walter Scott. It was very impressive, but out of place in the gridlocked streets.

After a further hike through the city we came to the Cathedral. Which was the only thing that I actually knew was in Glasgow besides the University. It was actually very nice. Not as big as Canterbury, Wincester, or Westminster. It had great stained glass windows and statues so detailed they made me a little nervous. It is one of the only gothic cathedrals to survive the Scottish reformation. Today the religion that worships there is the Church of Scotland or Presbyterian. We also found a street fair with all kinds of booths and live music. My mouth watered as I noticed a crepe tent with huge jars of Nutella. We settled for a coffee break.

Eventually we just walked to the River Clyde and back to the bus station. All in all the weather was beautiful and the city was not too intimidating even with the high murder rate and the old ladies who wore mini skirts. I'm sorry there is not too much to say, except that the symbol for the city is the trout and Nae Botha! (Glasgoegian for no bother!/Your welcome)

A Tour of my Humble Abode

I cannot believe I have already been here for two weeks. Classes began and I already have a ridiculous amount of reading to complete in the next two weeks. My supervisors are really interesting and nice. I had no idea how much my dissertation topic fit into the new initiative made by the Centre for the Study of Both World Wars is creating. War and religion are both key in their joint partnership with Birmingham University. Now my reason for admittance has become increasingly clear. As for the city, it is such a wonderful place. I have seen a few things, but still have a lot of other things to adventure out and try in the upcoming year. Now for the subject of my blog tonight. I would like to make an introduction to my residence hall, which in itself is an experience.

I live in a series of buildings on the Royal Mile known as Mylne's Court. They are a series of converted tenement buildings made to accomodate students and purchased for that purpose by the University of Edinburgh in the 1960s. However, my particular building Patrick Geddes Hall is known as the oldest student flat in Scotland. It was an idea from medical(?) professor Patrick Geddes in 1887. My particular dorm is five stories and yes I have absolutely no elevator or lift. It does provide a spectacular view of Princes Street and New Town.

The series of building's in Mylne's Court creates a maze of sorts. Adjoined to New College which is a section of the University that specializes in Divinity and history of the Church of Scotland. The structure of New College creates a close or small allyway which connects the buildings. There is also a back garden behind my dorm that is only accessed by students of New College or Mylne's Court. There is even a secret tunnel. Yes that is right. The common room in the other buildings has a little side room with mailboxes. There is a set of double doors almost always locked. But on rare occassions like our orientation meeting for Mylne's Court extra space is needed. Those double doors unlock to enter into a grand hallway with the huge black and white tile floors and portriats of past headmasters. This hallway leads to New College's dining hall which is like a miniature version of the grand halls found at Oxford and Cambridge.

Now living here is pretty amazing, but there is drawbacks. The tourists pose a problem because they are always lost and needing directions. Tour groups stop in front of our building which is a little unnerving when your dragging laundry down street. Laundry itself costs about three pounds for a load which is about six dollars in American dollars. But I look forward to an interesting time here in my flat with my four other flat mates and the best view of the city. I wish everyone in much warmer climates the best, until next time!

Break Down in Paris-- My Adventure Getting to Edinburgh

So... finally I have an internet connection in which I can post on. I feel that it is appropriate I start from the beginning. So tonight I am going to share with you the experience I had getting to Edinburgh.

I left was at the Gulfport/BIloxi Airport at 4:30 am because I went for the cheap tickets. (When I say cheap tickets I mean VERY cheap tickets.) It was hard saying goodbye to my parents and Edward. How do you say goodbye to someone that you will not see for a year? Getting through airport security with my huge carry-on, pillow, and laptop was tricky. I also had a gallon bag full of "liquids and gels" which I had to downsize because a quart bag is all we're allowed. As the plane left the airport it was very nice because the sun was just rising, but the street lights were twinkling. I made sure to get one last glance at home.

Altanta was quite boring. I had a seven hour layover (again the cheap tickets). I sat at one gate for four hours only to find out that we were leaving from a gate on the opposite side of the airport. The wait was just so long... I completed several Sodoku puzzles to say the least. The flight borded on time, but taxied around for awhile. Not a good sign for my hour layover in Paris. The flight went alright. Not too big of a plane so we experienced some turbulence. I watched the movies Georgia Rules and Spiderman 3. I also viewed an episode of Heroes, which was really strange especially after six hours of flight.

We arrived to Charles DeGaulle at 6:15 am their time. Again the plane taxied around. Deboarding took forever because I was in the second to last row on an International flight. (Yes again the cheap tickets) I rushed as fast as I could through the buses, had my passport stamped twice for some reason, and went back through security only to have my bag checked and to be patted down. I missed my connecting flight from Paris to Edinburgh. The next flight was seven hours later....

Hence the beginning of my breaking point. All the doubts of this decision began dancing around my exhausted brain. I began fearing a drastic rise in the dollar pound exchange. I was scared that I would not be able to handle the cold or the coursework. I feared arriving in the city and trying to get my bags into my room. In the middle of my breakdown I called Edward. Bad idea because he caused me to worry about my bags which he had shipped for me the day before. I was concerned because I thought if the bags arrived before me that they would be returned to sender. So yes, you guessed it... I cried in the Paris Airport. I think if I would have been offered the opportunity to cut my loses and return home I may have taken it. But there was no turning back.

The excrusiatingly long lay over did end and I did make it to Edinburgh. Getting through customs, collecting my luggage, and getting to my accomodation was the easiest part of the trip. The day I arrived in the city was beautiful. The airport shuttle drove into the city and I saw all the site of Edinburgh I love so much. Arthur's seat still stood over the city. I was deposited on the side of the Royal Mile where I was greeting my the residence staff and I did not even have to carry my cases up five flights of stairs.

My room faces Prince's Street and the view I have is the best. (Reference my first post... yes that picture is my view!) I discovered my AT&T phone card was not working properly so in order to tell my parents I was alive, I had to find a UK phone card. So with all the travel grunge I walked down the Royal Mile and for the first time in a long time.. I wasn't worried about anything. The sun sparkled off of the cobblestone streets and the breeze was such a relief after the hours I had been cramped inside. It was if the city had waited patiently for me to return four years later and greeted me like a long lost friend. For that rare and special moment in time I knew the drastic decision I have made was the right one.

Update

I have made it here safe!!! Post pending the connection of my internet! Cheers!!!!

Preparing for Take Off

So I am on the verge of the biggest adventure of my twenty-three years. I will be completing a year abroad at the University of Edinburgh in the capital city of Scotland. I will be a natural Mississippi girl joining the ranks of the many prestigious people who walked the hallowed halls of the best University in Scotland. Robert Louis Stevenson (author of Treasure Island), Charles Darwin, and honorary alumni J.K. Rowling just to name a few.

However, the past few days these exciting details have been far away from my mind with trip preperations. Packing for a year away in a different climate and an exchange rate where I automatically lose half of my budget have been keeping me up at night. Arriving to this point has been a long hard road. When I fell in love with Scotland four years ago I had no idea I loved it enough to return to it, leaving behind the only home I ever known. After half a dozen failed scholarship applications and turning down one of my top US choice grad schools, I decided that I would always reget not taking this opportunity. Things work out for the best. I have a partial scholarship, a federal student loan, and some very fortunate savings to get me through my year.

Come join me for my adventure. I will post bi-weekly every Sunday and Wednesday I can. Hear about my travels to exciting locations such as the French Riviera, Amsterdam, and Croatia to name a few. Feel the cold breeze of the North Sea as I go to meet my advisors which are some of the most respected in field of modern history. Learn of my cultural mishaps and wrong turns. All you have to do is read on and enjoy the ride!!!!