Oh Thursday

Life is just moving along here in Scotland. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I am not celebrating here, but it's cool. I don't feel like it is Thanksgiving since no one else is celebrating. My American classmate and I are going to have dinner together sometime next week to celebrate late.

I have a new roommate. Apple moved out due to financial and personal reasons. Unfortunately I wasn't here the week that she decided to move out. But our roommate is a German guy named Jens (sp?). Anywho, he's really nice and here to do some research for his masters. He has a girlfriend, so don't try to hook me up (Allison, Jena, Tangela). haha. He's already blending in with 3 girls. He went for a late night chocolate run last night. Ate dinner with us tonight as we talked about boys. haha. Poor guy.

I am leaving tomorrow for the weekend. My program is going to The Burn in the Highlands. It should be a beautiful weekend in the country...if it doesn't rain. It's been raining the last few days, but luckily this is the first time in a while. I now have to try to pack all the necessary items in a tiny Vera Bradley! Yikes. Oh, and go get snacks. haha. The good thing is I will now be able to enjoy myself cause my paper due next Friday isn't due until 17 DECEMBER! Talk about an extension. Yay.

Please keep my friend Jackie's step-dad Jeb in your prayers. On Tuesday he was in a very bad car accident. He is currently in the ICU and undergoing some surgeries to help correct all sorts of injuries. So any and all thoughts and prayers would really be appreciated by Jackie and her family during this hard time. Especially since it is the holiday season and a time for families to be celebrating!

Ok, well I'm off to finish packing! I will take pictures this weekend to make a fun blog for Sunday...so keep an eye out for those.

Viva Mexico

Being here for 2 months has made me miss our kind of Mexican food very very much. Tex Mex may not be the authentic version, but it sure as hell is better than Scot-Mex.

In order to overcome this slight barrier, I made tacos last night for a few of the people on my program. I bought "Old El Paso" brand taco seasoning, but it wasn't quite the same. Luckily my roommate is Mexican and has chilis in her stash of food items. I used some of those to give it some zing!

Only 2 of us at dinner were American and the other 4 were Canadian. The Canadians all had seconds, and some even went for more. haha. Because one of the girls is a vegetarian we also have meat substitute which a few non-vegetarians were brave enough to try. I was not one of those!

After dinner, wine, and just having a good time we went to John's house to watch the movie "Superbad." If you were ever in high school, you will love this movie! It is slightly crude however and references sex ALOT! But still sooo soooo funny!

Today and tomorrow will consist of me going to Starbucks and the library to read, write, read, highlight, research, etc for my paper. it is due on the 30th, but this coming weekend my program is going to The Burn. Although it is intended for studying, I'm not sure how much will actually get done!

Well I'm off to the library!

PS...there are a few of you who leave me comments. Where are my sisters and mother? Do you people still read this?????
Oh and I enjoy mail and emails too...if you want to send them. :)

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is next Thursday and I am here in Scotland. Lame. Luckily there is another American girl on my program who is going to celebrate with me. I am also lucky to have people from other nations who are willing to partake in the festivities! This all makes me very excited.

The bad part is I need to finish a paper before next Friday, and I need to cook for the feast. Such a dilemma..haha!

I hope all of you are getting ready to spend time with family. I sure do miss mine! I wish my mom and sisters could come here to visit me and cook together!

Next Friday-Sunday my program is going to a country house in the Highlands called the Burn. It is a beautiful place with 190 acres, so tons to do to enjoy the country.

Sorry for Disappearing

The weekend was CRAZY! I went to a friend’s for dinner on Friday. It was all girls and one poor boy. John was the boy, and he is a lovely person we enjoy hanging out with. Unfortunately he is only 1 of a few males on the program. Lucky for him he now understands the inner-workings of women. The party was good, but there was a Chatty Cathy there. The hostess, Reena, and I were drinking wine and smoking the hookah (tobacco...not drugs) and got a little into our conversation. Well the Chatty Cathy girl was I guess telling a story or something, but no one cared. Reena and I moved the hookah and a coal fell off. Of course, we freaked out and put the fire out. Chatty Cathy just gave us go to hell looks. Due to a little too much wine, we just laughed in her face. Oops! Don’t be such a story nazi!

Saturday I went to a Las Vegas party, but sadly the attendants misunderstood what exactly Las Vegas is like. They ALL wore suits. hahahaha. Too bad Las Vegas is in a freaking desert, so suits aren’t quite practical. If they had shown up in some Justin Timberlake gear, it would have been more believable. The flat where it was held was super posh and in the New Town. I saw a few more drug deals go down at this party. Drugs are like an everyday thing here, but I stay completely freaked out by it all. I don’t think I will ever adjust as I don’t quite understand the point. But overall the party was fun, and I looked HOT! haha. As usual.

After a few hours of debauchery, we departed for home. Lucky for me I got to walk almost 2 miles in heels. Yay! NOT!!!! My feet hurt so bad on Sunday, but I’m nice and recuperated. So that is about it for now. I got a new computer, cause the Toshiba gave up on life. She just couldn’t go with the thought of having to write essays and study. RIP Toshiba.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!

Ready for the Weekend!

So this week has been good. Went to a movie on Wednesday to see "Death at a Funeral". It is a British comedy, and pretty damn funny. I won't tell you all about it in case you choose to go see it.

Yesterday was super cold, and it actually snowed just north of here. Not quite sure I'm ready for the snow, but I think I can take it. I just want to make SNOW ANGELS! ha. My friend John and I went to Tesco (grocery store) to each get a meal. We both decided that we should pick one of the TV dinners that you could get 2 for £5. So my dinner last night was only £2.50. It was a nice Indian dish with chicken, onions, and peppers. I added some rice I already had into the mix which made it fantastic!

I have been watching Grey's Anatomy on my computer. I just watched the 2nd episode, so I'm a little behind. BUT I am loving this season. Makes me miss home though. Casey and I used to watch all our favorite shows together (cause he was the only one with cable).

I am going to the Burn country house in 2 weeks time with my program. Only a limited number of people are going, but it should be good fun. We will be able to just hang out in nature and read and play. It might snow which would make for wonderful photos.

This weekend has to be a productive one due to that trip. I have an essay due the week after the trip, so there will be no time to really get it completed. Tonight a bunch of girls from my program are cooking dinner and watching a movie. I'm totally excited about a quiet night at home (or at least someone's home).

I hope all is well back at home! I miss you all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!

Happy Birthday dear Katie! So sad to be missing it, but I hope you are having a wonderful day.

I can kick your butt!

I just got back from self-defense class. Looks like it's gonna be pretty SWEET!!!! Especially since the instructor is super duper hot. Too bad his girlfriend is in the class. :(

We learned just some basic techniques on how to hit someone if they get into your space, and Marcus (hot instructor) says not to punch them as this isn't natural for ladies. So we hit with our palms which actually creates alot of force (I felt it when holding the punching bag).

One class already made me feel a little more confident walking home alone tonight. Although we only learned the basics, I felt like I could hit them and then push them down. haha. So he says we are going to get more comfortable hitting since that doesn't feel natural to us right now.

As far as running is going...well it's not. My foot is feeling much better, but I'm trying to not run yet so as not to reinjure it. Hopefully I'll be able to get all this pent up energy out on Saturday!

Nothing crazy happened today. The 40 year old creeper on my program is so in love with me...haha not really! But he always has something to say to me and it gets old after a while cause he talks out of his ass. Like today I had to pee so bad that I almost wet my pants, and he wouldn't shut up. Finally I said "look I have to pee." haha. classy

Ok Peeps

Sorry to disappoint and be devoted to my studies instead of updating my "fans."

But I'm back for a while to keep all your lives interesting and worthwhile.

I am starting a self-defense class tomorrow night. REALLY excited about that. One of the girls on my program does Krav Maga (type of intense self-defense) and her instructor started an all-women's class. Because I walk home a good bit alone, I hope to feel safer after this. Also it should be a little exercise for me!

After turning my paper in on Friday we all went to a pub across from school to celebrate. Unfortunately my brain was no longer working and coherent sentences weren't happening. Later John, Moritz, Megan and I went to a restaurant called Assembly. It was really cool and had good food, so the lucky people that come visit will go there! Anywho, the little table next to us had its menu turned over onto the votive candle. hahahaha. Had John and Megan not put the small fire out, it would have caught the curtain covered wall on fire.

Saturday was festive. I slept ALL day, and then went out with some pals. We went to the Bongo Club for Headspin! It was really fun and I had a dance off with a breakdancer! Take that bitches! (oops sorry for the language)

Here is a picture of me (and a few others) as of yesterday!

After Bongo we had chips and cheese (or fries with shredded cheddar melted on top) yummy! Because Liz and I shared an order, we then were forced to eat out of the boys' bowls! Moritz, our German friend, later told me "Mo doesn't like to share his food." hahahaha. Oops! He also informed me that German men are "soft wash program men"...which means they cook, clean, sew, and iron! Not bad.

Today was a lazy day. It gets dark here so early. By like 2:30 it was starting to get dim. At 4 I thought I had missed dinner. And at 6 I thought it was time to go to sleep. So now it is 9, and I have alot of reading to get finished due to not doing it last week while writing my paper!

Love you!

Sweet!

So I got a package from Lauren on Monday! She is so sweet to have sent me Halloween candy and CHEETOS! haha.

Life is crazy and I'm pretty cranky right now. Everything is just driving me crazy, but I know it is due to this paper being my only grade. After Friday, I should be back to normal...at least I hope so!

Well I can't write too much today as I am trying to finish getting this paper cranked out, but I may post later on tonight!

Tuesday!

Ok, so sorry for the lack of posts. My one and only grade for Health Policy Analysis is due this Friday, so I have been locked up in various locations reading, reading, and reading. I have an intense outline (pretty much an essay), but for some reason have writer's block and can't just write the essay. Oh well!

Yesterday I got a Reader's Ticket to the National Library which is really exciting! They don't just let anybody get one, so I feel really privileged and special. :) I had to "order" the books I want to look at last night, and I am going now to read them. You can't take them home as the library is just a reference library. So I will have to take tons of notes or apply to have some stuff photocopied. YES, apply for them to photocopy it. Everything is really strict and regulated.

After applying and getting my ticket, Megan and I went back to the postgrad room to work. Being a single girl who doesn't consider herself a freak is sometimes hard. Megan began to play the 'what-if' game about her ex. So I immediately cranked up the iTunes on my computer for a spontaneous dance party. Megan was laughing so hard cause I was doing my stupid silly dances that most of you have seen before and that I utilize with my nieces. Our friend Rob was there too and was reluctant to dance with us at first, but he gave in after some peer pressure (and some forced dancing situations when we danced on him). So at 10:00 PM yesterday three 20-somethings were having a dance party in a study room!!! hahahha. I wish I had a video of it cause it was hilarious and my story is not doing it justice. We were there until almost 2!!!! At the end I took a power nap thinking that would get me going, but it just made me sleepier. So we all walked home. Mom, don't freak Rob walked me all the way to my door for safety and then the poor guy walked 40 minutes home. Nice boy!

Ibuprofen Gel

Dearest Jackie,

Yes ibuprofen gel is a topical pain killer. It works very well for an hour or so! Unfortunately I do not think you can walk into the nearest Walgreens and purchase this miracle ointment.

Love Ibuprofen Addict #1

In other news, today was an interesting day. After lunch Megan, John, and I got onto the elevator to come to our study room. As the door was closing 2 bigger girls decided to get on. As soon as they were both on an alarm started going off. It was the OVERWEIGHT alarm. hahahahaha. The weight limit is 750 kg which is ALOT, so either they weighed a ton or something was wrong. Our friend John got his hair cut today. He has blonde curly hair, but because this is Europe his stylist straightened for him. Because he said no one at home would believe it, he had us take pictures of it.

I am working on getting my costume ready for tomorrow night! I'm going as the Wicked Witch of the West Side, so I am dressing ghetto. It should be really funny, so I'll take alot of pictures. Other than that I have a full weekend of reading, writing, reading, writing, and eating. Lots of eating.

Midsummer Night's Dream

I just got home from an AMAZING showing of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream." The performers were a troupe from South India. They used ropes and fabric to do a Cirque de Soleil-esque show! It was soooo cool, and the costumes were beautiful - BRIGHT COLORS!

Running is so amazing right now. We have been running beneath Arthur's Seat on the Innocent Railway. The path is absolutely gorgeous and so natural. Megan and I ate fresh blackberries right off the path yesterday! haha. Just being in nature makes me feel so healthy!

BUT my foot is just aching and aching. I am now pretty much glued to my ibuprofen gel and my bottle of pills. The tendinitis is way worse, so running is completely out of the question for now. Trainers are now part of my attire which completely pisses me off. Skinny jeans, cute tops, and scarves DO NOT look good with huge trainers. I am so upset about not running because I have been getting runner's high and so happy after running. Just pray that my foot heals VERY soon.

I got a package from my mom which was wonderful. It contained Puffy Cheetos and a rain jacket. I have eaten all the Puffy Cheetos and worn the jacket.

That is all for now folks! It is 11 PM and I have school tomorrow.
:(

Block One - CHECK!

So Block One is pretty much complete! Yay - that is one of four down. Feeling pretty good about it. I am currently working on a pretty intense essay for one of the two classes that ended last week. The other class has an exam in December which means I have 5 weeks to forget the information. AWESOME.

The weekend was crazy. Friday night we went bowling again. Here is a picture of my form.

It was the usual group - Megan, Moritz, John, Rob, Fiona, Fiona's man, and ME! Bowling is so fun that I want to go everyday, but clearly that's not an option. After bowling we went to Henry's cellar which was a hole in the wall cellar bar. They were playing indie freak music, but I loved the place. We clearly stuck out in our jeans, cute tops, etc. They were all dreads, thrift store clothes, etc. Have no fear, they played Kelly Clarkson!!! Rock on! ha. People like that are my favs though...they had chocolate covered marshmallows and jelly worms that they passed out to everyone. I was waiting for the weed tray to be passed around, but it never happened. haha.

Saturday was more low key. We watched the Rugby World Cup final - England vs. South Africa. South Africa won which was good since we live in Scotland, and the Scottish didn't really want the English to win. It was 3 girls and 1 boy watching. We drank white wine and ate profiteroles (pastry filled with creme that you dip in chocolate sauce). haha. Poor John...he was subjected to discussions of boobs, boys, drama, etc. He's a good sport.

A girl on our program had a wine and cheese party that night too. We got there about an hour before it was supposed to end. Oh well! The girl had passed out before we got there - LAME! Because we were the party, we left for Dropkick Murphy's. After doing the eye-flirt game with a guy and deciding he was lame, we left.

Our new thing is to exchange lame pick up lines, so if you have Facebook and notice alot on my wall now you know.

I bought some more slim jeans! I love them...I also got a gray pair. Yes, colored denim is cool here and I'm down with it!

I am also running again which is so awesome. I had a long run today and feel amazing (why I'm still up). BUT my left foot had tendinitis and is in serious pain. Ibuprofen rub and pills are getting me through. There is no way for me to "stay off it" cause I walk EVERYWHERE! I guess I could stop running, but the emotional and physical high is addictive. So Mom, don't freak when you read this! :)

That's pretty much it for now!

Thursday!

The weekend is almost here, and I can barely stand it. Just 2 more classes standing in the way! Yay. So the past few days have been great. It is getting cold here, but I keep forgetting to dress warmly. Oh well! It starts off decent in the mornings, but I always stay at school or with friends until after dark. My walk home is usually quite cold, but I kind of like it. :)

Yesterday at 4 PM I saw a severely drunk guy walking down my sidewalk. He was soooo drunk that he kept falling of the curb, running into walls, almost hitting people, etc. Unfortunately he had also peed down his pant leg. Sick! So I kept a VERY comfortable distance behind him. After he passed my door, I ran inside very quickly. haha.

Really that is all my exciting news for today. Sorry it is lame, but I know Katie, Jena, Jackie, and Allison like to read this. So ladies here it is! ha. I have my first assignment due in 2 Fridays. Each class only has one graded assessment and this one is a paper. Quite nervous, but I hope Rhodes taught me well!

I should have something more interesting after the weekend! We are already working out the plans and it is looking promising!

Quick Update

This weekend was good. Got alot of work done.

Friday went to a place called Dropkick Murphy's to just hang out with some friends. Ended up staying out until 3 AM. haha. I got 6 grown males to dance around the table in our booth to songs such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Mustang Sally". haha....soooo proud of myself!

Saturday was relaxed. Just read and watched rugby. England and France played each other in the semi-finals of the World Cup. England won, so there was mixed emotion at the pub where Tracey and I watched the match. Some people were happy, but the die hard Scotland fans were angry. hehe. Tracey and I then ate alot of Chocolate Oatmeal Candy and pizza. Yummy!

Sunday was very relaxed. And today I spent 8 hours in the post grad rooms reading. For most of the day it was just my friend Rob and I reading and chatting. He is a really cool guy with tons of crazy life stories. He lived in Uganda for a year working with a water sanitation NGO. VERY VERY COOL! He is also a rugby fanatic, so rugby always works its way into the conversation. I was in that room so long that I ended up using my scarf and sweater as a pillow to take a nap. haha, but coming home would have meant going to bed.

I didn't leave until 6, and wouldn't have come home if this creeper in our class hadn't showed up. He is in his 40s and hasn't cut his hair in 3 years. I know cause he told me. He used to be a truck driver, but got injured so went back to school. He ended up on our program because he mistakenly got an email from our department. So here he is!

Megan told me the freak completely looked me up and down during my presentation (SICK). Anywho, he got to the post grad room around 6 pm. Rob, Tracey, and I were all chatting and didn't notice his arrival. Tracey left, so Rob and I went back to our stuff only to find him sitting there. I quickly began to pack up as Rob gave me the "let's get the hell out of here" look. After an awkward 5 minutes of the creeper's random chatter, we escaped. haha. I then went to my favorite coffee shop to read.

While at Beanscene I had the pleasure of being on a date. No, it wasn't actually me on the date, but I could CLEARLY hear the entire conversation of 2 people on a date. They had never met as this was one of those Internet hook up things. She was from Bulgaria and he was from Scotland. He thinks she is more attractive in person than in her picture. They discussed how they both read palms and tarot cards. He used to meditate, but is now using an alternative method of relaxation as it takes him "to a much deeper dimension of personal experience." OH OK! haha. The guy used to play the guitar, but after an injury to the hand can only play the sax. In case you were wondering, no he cannot just freestyle. 3 years of playing isn't quite enough time for that according to him! I swear that is the only date I've been on in over a month. Oh Freaking well!

Megan came to read also, so I was saved from the torture that was the internet date occurring next to me!

Sorry for the delay in a post

Happy 50th Mom!!!

Today Teresa is 50!!!!!! Yay. And now that I have told the world my mom is going to kill me. :) I felt kind of sad all day about missing this huge day for my mom, but luckily her boyfriend is taking her out. At least she had that.

I made my first batch of Chocolate Oatmeal Candy (ever and in Scotland). If you are in my Dad's family, you know how AMAZING this is. If you are everyone else, you should learn. I will send you the recipe. It was somewhat hard to gauge if they taste right or not. It was also hard to make it as things such as a stick of butter don't exist here. Luckily Google can tell you that 1 stick of butter is 113 g, and 1/4 of the block of butter I got equaled 50 grams. So I guess that is about right.

People on my program have started gathering on Thursday afternoons at a pub across from school. There was a pretty big group, but only 1 boy. Pretty typical as there are just a handful on our program. The group was lucky enough to be the recipients of my Chocolate Oatmeal Candy. haha.

Fun Night out for Tracey's Birthday. Forgive the awkward way I am standing. No, I am not suddenly super flexible in the hip/waist region.

My presentation in Policy Analysis went ok. Just glad to have it over and done. Speaking in public is not my forte. Yes, I can chat with anyone (even walls), but speaking about significant material in front of a large group creates a mental block. My heart begins to race. The cheeks feel as if they are on fire. Giggling becomes the way I feel empty time, although I did not do this yesterday!!! HUGE. To celebrate 3 members of the group went bowling last night. I bowled a 102, and that is my personal best for sure. I am pretty sure an 83 was previous best.

I also don't have to go to that gala with Callum which is making my life a lot less stressful. Now I can read and just hang out here this weekend!

Oh, and Casey will be so proud of me! I just saw a drug deal go down. 3 nasty looking girls were shadily standing at the entryway to a laundry facility. As I walked up they all started shuffling around and passing something to each other. Then 2 went inside still shuffling between each other whatever it was they bought. The hooker who sold the shit pranced off in her "classy" black leather boots. These disgusting shoes were clearly pleather (plastic leather) with silver chains and a silver heel. I am going to the high street tomorrow to get a pair. So I now feel cultured and worthy of Casey's awe.

Case of the Mondays

First of all I am seriously going through a state of confusion. My life was smooth sailing, but now I am starting to contemplate the future. If I want to do a PhD, some applications are due in December. I also need to decide if that is an option as funding and scholarship deadlines are shortly there after. So my life is getting busy, hectic, and slightly stressful. I am still so happy to be here and enjoying every minute of it.

I have my first presentation on Wednesday in my seminar for Health Policy Analysis (don't be jealous), and I am not stressed. Amazingly! But I do feel some pressure for the content to be well placed and relevant to the discussion. I also want what I have to say to be provocative and cause conversation amongst the group. My course director (not a professor...only chairs of departments are professors. Everyone else is "only" a doctor) is a leading researcher for tobacco companies and their influence on policy, so he knows everything. haha.

My part of the presentation (it is a group project) is covering the pharmaceutical industry's regulatory capture of various agencies. In layman's terms, I am discussing the ability of Big Pharma to boss the US government around. Then through the USA's corrupt trade agreements with various countries and its ability to have formed the World Trade Organization, Big Pharma can charge astronomical prices everywhere! How considerate...assholes. So that is my rant for the day. You are welcome for that bit of education. hehe

Katie and Jackie will be visiting soon, and that really excites me. They have no knowledge of this trip, but I know it is going to happen. And if it doesn't I will crawl up in a ball and cry until they get here (guilt trip ladies).

I have a ton of work to get done through the week and this weekend. Callum wants me to attend a gala in Glasgow for Scottish pro and amateur golfers. Main problems are the amount of work I have to do this weekend, lack of a fancy dress, must take a train and taxi there by myself (he will already be there), and won't even be at same table as him. So not sure what will happen with that. Will sort that out tomorrow.

Must go to sleep! Too many late nights of reading and typing.

Oh Bugger

So yesterday (it is 2:15 AM) was a beautiful day as I already mentioned. I ended up sleeping away the afternoon. The plan was to have a night in by myself. I do need some quality "me" time. I love hanging out with everyone, but you know how it is. Being independent and doing things alone has always been what I enjoyed. So after the nice long nap, I ate 4 snack packs of Pringles. Gross I know, but I need some serious junk food mailed here ASAP. Please mail me puffy cheetos!!!!!!! I will pay you if you do.

Megan and I went to a ghost tour, but it was sold out. Supposedly it is a 5 star attraction. haha. Our friend Moritz already had a ticket, so he and his group went ahead. He later informed us it was good and we should all go. So when you get here (hint) we can all go to Mary King's Close for the ghost tour. Closes by the way are just tiny alleys. The old town buildings are built on top of each other. So some streets are called bridges cause they actually go over other roads...even when it doesn't look like there is anything below them. Old town is literally buildings stacked onto other buildings. So there are lots of stairs, hills, and CLOSES. ha

Went to Oddfellows AGAIN. Kind of becoming our meeting place. I took a picture of a lamp they have there. It is literally a life-sized horse with a lamp shade on its head. haha.

We went to Revolution after leaving Oddfellows because we had some "Debbie downers" in our group who "just aren't club people". So after wasting 30 minutes there we went to Lulu again, but we got there a little before 1. Must get there earlier as everyone else wants to go there too. There was a massive queue (line). We waited 20 minutes and then punked out and went home. Luckily our friend Rob was there and gave us a ride home. AWESOME! Saved my cover charge and the 1 pound fee for the bus home. Overall still a good night.

Miss and Love you all!

Working for the Weekend

So this week was wonderful! School is soooooo much easier here. Like 1/2 the reading at Rhodes. No assessments or essays until the end of the semester. So I just spend my days reading for class, thinking about health inequalities, contemplating what my future holds, meditating (which is absolutely amazing if you haven't tried it), walking, observing, and over all just loving my life right now. I have never been so relaxed or able to just let things roll off my back. I won't say that things are just slipping off my back, but perhaps they are going over with a little less resistance. I'm still stubborn, still desire to always be right, and still love being the center of attention. ha

Last night a group went to Oddfellows again. It was so fun because we got a ton of new people to come with us. I just asked in class if anyone wanted to go bowling and started getting phone numbers! My job at UTCI planning meetings and parties is paying off!! haha. We decided to go bowling on Wednesday instead cause it's 1/2 price and you have to reserve a lane. Oh well. Still very fun. I had a girl from Ireland trying to imitate my Southern accent. Might be the funniest thing I've seen/heard in a while.

Picture of me in my "skinny jeans". They aren't as "skinny" as some available here. Alot of girls wear them so tight they look like leggings because they are tight all the way to the ankle. Sorry it is crooked. For some reason my roommate didn't quite understand my "take the picture vertically" command. OH well. You get the point.

We all wanted to go dancing. Some girls went to change and took a little longer than normal, but that was OK. What wasn't OK is that we just sat there and waited on them when we should have worked on figuring out a place to go. The person supposedly figuring out which club would be most fun kept going back and forth on where to go. I'm not patient enough for that. When I want to dance I just want to dance. ha. I started to get super bitchy cause no one could decide what to do, and we were just sitting there. Then a girl on a program decided she would flirt with a guy by throwing paper at him. So fifth grade if you ask me! Completely got on my nerves. By the time the girls got back to us from changing, I was just a bitter, pouty bitch. So unfortunately I was cranky and just went home. But I hope that Megan and the rest had a nice time!

I got up this morning to run with Tracey. We went to the Meadows and it is an absolutely beautiful day. Full sun. I even wore a t-shirt and shorts. Kind of cool in the shade, but extremely comfortable in the sun. We ended up taking about 2 hours to run and walk around the park. Oops! That did include about a 20 minute bathroom break when we had to hike to the student union to find one. There were families, people with dogs, rugby teams, soccer teams, a 5k run, and other things happening in this park today. The amazing thing about the weather being crummy here a good bit of the time is that when it is sunny EVERYBODY goes to the parks. It is so fun to just people watch.

Ok, well I must shower now and go read. Miss and love you all!

First one to book their flight gets a special Scottish prize. So get booking slow pokes.

Update for Last Post

Ok, so although in my last post I said I was losing weight I am not doing it on purpose. I eat like a PIG over here, but walking at least 4 miles a day makes it hard to gain weight. In America I wore a 6-8 and ate fast food everyday....without exercising. So right now my body is just finding its natural weight. I am really eating a lot of vegetables, fruit, falafel, cheese, meats, etc etc. I was being really healthy until last week when I had a week of fried food. This week I am back to eating healthy. But I still have the occasional Coke cause they make me feel good...even though they taste nothing like Sonic's.

I sleep well here and wake up not feeling tired at all. I have never ever experienced that! So this post may be boring, but I didn't want anyone to think I'm like going anorexic or anything. Just living a much healthier lifestyle than people in America do (in general). Also my program has enlightened me to the ways people suffer from food-related illness. In poor countries they suffer from malnutrition. In rich countries people are obese - they call this an illness of affluence. So if ever you thought about losing weight or eating healthier, now is the time. When you sit down to eat a whole tub of ice cream just think how lucky you are! And then put the damn thing back in the freezer.

So I will post a picture of me in my skinny jeans soon. I have asked around if any of my friends have one, but no one has one. Somehow we all take a picture or two each time we go out, but because we took a few on each camera it always feels like a ton were taken. Then we end up with like 5. Weird.

Just Keep Running

I bought some new trainers (running shoes) yesterday. I am really excited about them cause I got them properly fitted at a running store. My goal while living here is to start running again. I am eating healthier and losing weight naturally. Running would just be another way to get myself super healthy. Jackie, I wish I had you here to run with me...and then we could use your little counter for doing laps.

That is really the only update I have so far. Classes are still going well. Just had to do a serious bandage job on my heels...had some super crazy blisters that started bleeding while walking to class. GROSS!!! Luckily some girls in my class were nice enough to give me a band-aid and some disinfectant.

Will post soon! Pictures too.

I Miss Home!

I am missing home and everyone there. Just talked to my mom on Skype which always makes me a little sad. I miss our kind of Mexican food with free chips and salsa. I miss Chinese take out from Wang's in Memphis with Casey. I miss my little baby Annabelle. Miss my sisters and nieces. I miss eating Chik-fil-a with my mom and then walking around Target "for exercise". I miss seeing Kristin, Kori and Colton on a regular basis. I even miss Uncle Jim haha.


My mama is gonna kill me for this picture. But I miss her. :)

My little babies when we went to the circus. Such cuties!


Katie and Jackie I think about you so often it hurts. I wish you were both here to share this experience with me. But I know that no matter how much I miss each one of you, I am making new lifelong friendships and memories.

And I am getting the chance of a lifetime. So I feel completely blessed to be here following what I truly believe is God's plan for me. My classes and readings are opening my eyes to just why it is I landed on this program. Applying for programs was liking walking blind, but I had faith that I would end up where I should be. I am here as a testament to the idea that what will happen will happen no matter what adversity you must overcome.

There are so many inequalities in this world and most relate to health care. I won't blab on about all this, but just believe me when I say I leave the library pretty mad some days. Some days I have to go get a Coke just to chill out about the tragic stuff I'm reading. Clearly Coke is my drug of choice. I lasted about a week before the harsh readings began and ultimately the coke obsession renewed. I honestly wasn't sure how strong of a person I was until I came here. My ideas and thought processes are challenged everyday, and although this makes me uncomfortable I am loving this experience. There are so many cultural differences I am having to wade through in order to properly communicate with classmates, everyday people on the street, professors, and my roommates.

Alot of people on my program are from Africa, Canada, and America. America is honestly a breeding ground for self-centered people. It is amazing how big business can manipulate our government in the chase for the almighty dollar. Many days I sit in a great amount of discomfort during discussions of the US and its role in international health care. My old job is interesting when I consider it compared to what I'm learning. I was obviously doing alot of illegal things and didn't know it. Using drug companies to promote my boss's agenda did not improve health care. It actually was a waste of money. So I will stop my rant there. I have been in the library and a coffee shop for the entire day reading. Coke and hot chocolate were needed during this reading session. :)

So do know I think of you often. I can't wait for Christmas to see everybody. I want you all to come here so bad I can taste it. Please check your schedules. I know cheap things to do, good restaurants, fun bars and clubs, and most importantly how to get around the city! So if it seems like I am begging, that is because I am.

Black and Blue

I had a wonderful weekend of hanging out with new friends. I hope all of you have been enjoying yourselves too!

We went to a bar called Oddfellows on Friday to just hang out. Super cool place. They were showing the England vs. Tonga rugby match. Pretty funny to hear all the Scots cheering for Tonga. haha. Oh well. I have some photos from that evening, but another girl has more. Will post some on here ASAP so you can put a face with the names I mention. And you can see what I look like...not really that different.

Saturday went to a birthday party for Tracey who is on my program. She turned 24! The interesting part of the evening was we went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. First of all it tastes nothing like in America. Secondly, it was EXPENSIVE. Why couldn't it be 3 enchiladas and a drink for $5??? No it was one enchilada for £10 ($20). haha What the hell? The enchilada was just a tortilla stuffed with some beef chili. It did tastes nice however.

I was late to the dinner due to my roomies wanting to have dinner together. Our roommate dinner was supposedly going to be at 5:30, so I told Tracey I could be at the birthday party at 7. But when I left my flat at 7 the food wasn't even ready. On my way to Mariachi (Mexican restaurant) I literally face planted into the cobblestone street. There is not much grout between the cobblestones, so huge holes are in the streets. I wasn't even wearing heels (I was carrying them in order to wear to the club later haha). People here don't have the manners I am accustomed to in the South. People literally laughed at me, and NO ONE offered to scrape me off the ground. I ran into Mariachi to find my friends. Of course I immediately had tears in my eyes due to the hard fall. The man at the restaurant had a look of horror on his face when I told him I fell in the street. Instead of making me go downstairs to the toilet (through a maze of doors), he let me go in the staff bathroom on the 1st floor. So now I have 2 black knees, a bruised right palm, and 2 scraped feet. But my shoes, handbag, and jeans are all fine. :)

The club later on was fun. It is a bar called Revolution which specializes in vodka. Good music and funny people to watch. One funny person to watch was our friend Rob. haha. His dance moves are hilarious, but at least he tries. Most guys just hold up the wall. Although I had plummeted only an hour earlier, I somehow managed to dance for 2 hours. It closed at 1, which is very strange here. Most places close at either midnight or 3 AM. So when the lights came on at 1 we were slightly confused and sad. We were really getting into the grove at that point.

The good thing though was I started to get a sour stomach from the aforementioned "Mexican". Oh my god! I was having serious gas pains (sorry if that is too much info for you.) The 1.5 miles home was brutal, but Zantac cleared it all up once I got home. haha. My knees were also killing me after dancing in high heels. But I looked really cute. I wore my skinny jeans which I now love, and a cute top. I have pictures of that outfit too that I will post. I am writing this from the library, so I don't have my photos.

Yes Mom, I am doing work also! So you don't have to ask. :)

Ciao Bella

So I went to Italy yesterday! Yeah right, but really I went to an awesome Italian restaurant that reminded me of my trip to Venice with Katie. It is called Ciao Roma. It's across from the Edinburgh Festival Theatre and near the Royal Mile (where all of you who get your butts over here will soon go). I went with my friend Megan. We had a bread starter that was amazing. Pasta dishes that were amazing. And amazing dessert. Oh and amazing wine.

The waiters were Italian which added to the atmosphere of feeling as if you are in an Italian ristorante. The walls were painted Michelangelo style. The ceiling was plastered with kind of an impressionistic take on a sky. There were broken columns. And so you get the picture. The funny thing is when you walk in there is a gelato counter. Just like one of the little places Katie and I went. It was weird that as we sat there longer and longer it really did seem far away from Scotland. That is until the rough sounding Scottish accents took over the air.

Unfortunately for those around us we aren't sure how loudly we were talking. A bottle of wine gets to your volume after a while. Oh well! After we left, we called some friends to meet us at a pub. We weren't ready to go home. I have spent sooooo much time in the library and reading, that getting out for a night was much deserved. Because of the aforementioned wine, I decided doing the moonwalk down the sidewalk would be a novel idea. hahaha. A guy walked past and in a thick Scottish accent said, "that is quite impressive." He then said I should put a hat down for people to give me money. I asked if he was willing to donate, but he said next time. Worth a shot huh?

Callum came to visit today. It was good to see him. We went to Deacon Brodies which is a tavern on the Royal Mile. I try to avoid that part of town due to the enormous amount of tourists who don't speak English, don't know when to cross the street, don't walk on the right side of the sidewalk, and on and on with what they don't do properly. Then we met Megan again. Clearly she is my favorite friend here so far. Super fun and sweet. You will all love her when you come here (I will continue to mention the need for each of you to book a flight until someone does so.)

MISS YOU ALL! It is freezing here (almost 2 degrees, but that is in Celsius...so like 30 degrees Fahrenheit) and I have only 1 coat that isn't really that warm.

Tangela, if you read this EMAIL ME! I am still waiting and waiting and waiting. :)

They Own Me

So I got my matter sorted with the lovely course administrator. She realized I was right and that her infamous timetable was however incorrect. Now my poor director of studies is having to work with that ignorant department because most of the people on my program will have to miss a few classes due to other class obligations. Cows!

Anywho, if I haven't mentioned it yet the Main Library is currently my home. And I do mean that literally. Besides sleeping, eating, and showering I LIVE there. I prefer to camp out in the Mac lab as those people seem to be nerdy like me. The weird part about the lab is they are using those new Mac Minis (you get a tiny CPU but have to supply your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse), but have Phillips monitors. Weird! They bought the keyboards and mice, so what was the deal with the Mac monitor??? That is just my rant on how cheap this school is.
Mom, hint hint on the type of computer I want. :) love you!!!

On Sunday there was absolutely no one in the library. And in the mornings it is empty. Once 1 pm hits, all the slackers wake up and haul their asses to the library. Then they decide they are going to copy entire books and hold up the 10 copiers. Jerks! There is no copy concession for students. You have to PAY! Alot! So I think my next task will be to buy a cheap printer for those late night printings I might have.

So that is my rant for the day.

We have a guy on our program named Rob. Won't lie, he's good looking! Every time he walks into class girls start randomly giggling. He's Scottish, so we don't understand most of what he's saying. That doesn't stop the giggling. It's SICK! So today he missed class. Liz (on my program) said "Where's Rob?" and immediately started giggling. How messed up is that? A guy that none of us knew before 2 weeks ago has us all giggling about him when he's not even there!!!

I went to The Elephant House yesterday. They claim to be the birthplace of Harry Potter, but in reality JK Rowling dreamed up the idea on a train from London to Edinburgh. She did however go there all the time to get the first book written. They serve good drinks and food. The decor is literally elephant-everything. It has a wonderful view of the south side of the Castle. For those of you coming to visit me (and I mean some of you need to get on it), I will take you there...my treat. :)

Typical Tourist Attraction

Just thought this might bring a smile to your face!

Bureaucracy 101

After 4 years at Rhodes, I am completely spoiled on how colleges and universities operate. Everything ran smoothly, and I always knew who to contact with my questions. Here absolutely NOTHING is easy to get accomplished.

Each course has a course organiser (main professor) with tutors running the tutorial sessions. Then there is a course administrator who handles all the random questions and concerns. Each course gives the students a timetable listing the dates and times of the class meetings. All of my classes are at one distinct time EXCEPT one. This class typically meets on Tuesdays, but has a few Thursday meetings listed on the timetable. One such Thursday course conflicts with another class, so I may have to miss one or the other. I would prefer not to have to do this, but may have no choice. The other course is one specific to my degree, so I'm not missing it.

I contacted the course administrator to determine what I should do. She told me to consult my timetable as the dates and times are correct and to email my professor if I need to miss. He then told me to ask her cause she made the schedule. She again says the times are correct, but she is rude and writes things in her emails such as "Tiffany, Again consult your timetable." She clearly isn't reading my emails as I have outlined my issue.

My problem is there is a class listed for Week 4, on Tuesday October 4. First of all, October 4 is a Thursday and is during week 3 of classes. So it could be Tuesday October 9 which is during Week 4. But again she refers me to the infamous timetable, so I copied and pasted her timetable into my last email to show her the issue - she hasn't replied yet.

I want to take the damn timetable and a calendar and throw them on her desk. And ask her to explain to me how October 4 is a Tuesday and during week 4. Maybe she knows something I don't. But either way I don't know if my course is supposed to meet on Oct 4 or Oct 9. I have resorted to emailing my advisor to see if he can get through to this crazy woman. I am pretty much going to her office tomorrow.

PS She is the reason I picked the Public Health Policy program over the Public Health Research program here. This class is in the PHR's dept...we unfortunately have to take it. So if you are considering doing Public Health Research at the University of Edinburgh, don't do it. You will only have to deal with a ton of idiots.

Tall, Dark and Handsome

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting Meredith Allison for lunch and shopping. For those of you from Rhodes, you know her. For those of you in my family, she went to Rhodes and was a Tri Delta. We ate at a wonderful little cafe on the Royal Mile called Always Sunday. She had soup and salad (why she is a toothpick), and I had the special. It was a croissant filled with parma ham (not exactly sure what that is), mozzarella, and some sort of vegetable mixture. Very good! It was a beautiful day and not too cold. I actually was able to walk about with just a sweater.

Last night about 10 of us went to a club called Lulu which has a light up dance floor. It is in the basement of the Tigerlily hotel which is a super swanky boutique hotel on George Street. This is the street where you go if you want to spend $2000 for a handbag. So we had seen on their website that if you get there before 11 there is no cover. We pretty much walked as fast as we could in order to make that time frame. I carried my heels and wore flats (they were stored with my jacket at coat check). I was NOT about to go in a posh club wearing flat shoes. I even wore Skinny Jeans! Anyway, we stood in the queue for probably like 15 minutes. After we got in it was extremely crowded with middle aged people, and we couldn't find the light up dance floor we were anxiously anticipating. I finally asked one of the bouncers where the dance floor was, he quickly informed me we had stood in the wrong queue. I mean really?? By now it is after 11 so we the cover was 7 pound...sad. We made it to the correct queue only to have to stand in that one for 15 more minutes.



While standing in the queue we met a bunch of Kiwis here for the Scotland vs. New Zealand rugby match today. They live in London, but they still have thick New Zealand accents which are even harder to understand while in a club. And note to those of you who are single, move to New Zealand. They grow them tall, dark and handsome. Holy cow, every guy in that group was at least cute. Some were gorgeous, and some were hot. Two of the guys had on the exact same shirt. I am not shitting you. I literally almost peed on myself laughing. Unfortunately they kept standing next to each other, so it was even more obvious.

While in Lulu we also had the pleasure, and I use that term loosely, of being surrounded by some guys on the Scotland rugby team. Can you say douche bags? I mean really is it necessary to walk your no-necked self and your anorexic hooker onto the dance floor whilst forcefully pushing others out of the way? And yes, the dress code does apply to them too even though they tried hard to wear their sneakers inside. They look like they take steroids morning, noon and night. Gross is all I have to say! And too bad they are going to get their arses handed to them tonight by New Zealand.

But I do plan on visiting New Zealand in the near future for the sake of nice eye candy. It is only a 26 hour flight from here. haha

Mind The Buses

So class is interesting. I understand pretty much nothing this first week. I have absolutely no prior knowledge about the topics being discussed, so I'm a little lost. But I am confident that after I do my 1.1 million pages of reading this week I will be in a much better position for class.

After class on Thursday, 2 girls from my program (Megan and Selam) and I walked around Old Town and Princes Street. I finally took some pictures of stuff around here. (To be posted soon.)

While walking down Princes Street we heard sirens and saw 2 policemen blocking traffic. I got SUPER excited and immediately said "There must be royalty nearby." To which Megan responds, "No that dude got hit by a bus." Big bummer!! But the good news is the person was moving and an ambulance came straight away. Just glad I didn't see the actual contact. You must "mind the buses" as they say here, or you will get hit. They really don't seem to care about pedestrians...even though there are 500,000 of us.

We went to a little market off Princes St. They had loads of food items...marinated olives, nuts, candy, patries, and bratwurst. They also had HUGE frying pans with paella, noodle dishes, and mushrooms. Here is a pic of the huge pans they were using! And check out the price...4 pound which is $8.

There is an Andy Warhol exhibit at the National Gallery, so the columns to the building are covered in giant Campbell's Soup cans. If you don't know how this relates to Warhol, LOOK IT UP! Because Campbell's Soup is VERY American, I had to take my picture in front. (Wind is not good for hair styles.)

Will write more soon! Just got the internet after 2 days without, so have lots of email and work to catch up on.

Hairstyle = Not Too Bad

I have had a week to adjust to and get acquainted with my new hairstyle. It isn't super drastic, but the back is "stacked" which I don't particularly enjoy. The style is fine for now, but I probably will get it cut slightly different in a few weeks when I get it cut again.

Caitlin did an excellent job. Her trainer cut some of it to correct some errors. I will definitely go to Hair by JFK in order to get my hair done. I am pretty sure I'll have to use a different stylist, but I watched them cut some other people's hair well.

For now, here are some pictures:

Scarves are the wardrobe staple here. If you have one, it instantly warms you up. Honestly it is amazing how much warmer you are when wearing a scarf to warm the neck.

Almost Forgot...

Last night I went with a group of people on my program (2 boys and 6 girls) to the Scotland vs Romania rugby match at Murrayfield stadium. The match was part of the Rugby World Cup. Pretty amazing really. We had 2nd row seats...which were supposedly "limited view" seats. They couldn't have been better! We could see everything, and we were so close we could see the players' HUGE thigh muscles. I guess being higher would give you a better overall view, but I seriously appreciated our proximity to the hotties warming up. haha.

Our friend Rob (on my program) is from Scotland and plays rugby but not for the Scotland team. Anywho, he used to play with some of these guys while in his younger years, so he knew their heights and weights. One dude was 6'4" and 280 lbs. Can you say massive?

After the game we went to a pub where I got a vodka and fresh orange as they say here. This bar was so nice they squeeze their own oranges - no Tropicana for them! While at the bar one of the barmaids accidentally sprayed me with water, so I got a FREE drink. yay. I had to walk part of the way home at 12:30 by myself. Won't lie, I got a little freaked out by the emptiness of the streets and a person walking really close behind. I don't think the person was following me, but I still ran the last quarter of a mile to my house. Once inside I felt much better. There can be some creepers out late at night....due to the excessive drinking they have just undertaken.

School Is In Session!

So I am back to the daily routine of a few hours class and then hours of reading. I must admit I quite prefer this lifestyle to living on a schedule of 9-5 with 60 year old hags looking over your shoulder. (clearly referring to Carol).

Anywho, school is going well so far. My classes are all so different yet very related to one another. I have a MASSIVE amount of reading for each course. The courses are geared so as the lecturers speak for 50 minutes once a week, but these only give you about .009% of the material. It is our responsibility to teach ourselves. This shouldn't be a problem as this is somewhat similar to the style of teaching at Rhodes.

On the roommate front I DO NOT enjoy living with a person who speaks very little English (and understands very little). She is completely unaware of the idea of evenly distributing the responsibilities of sharing an apartment

After living on my own for a year, I completely dislike this sharing of a kitchen thing. I hate having to put up dishes cause the others are too lazy or cleaning the floor cause they have let crumbs stay there for 3 days. I am NOT a maid nor do I expect them to clean up after me. These people are 25, 30, & 34 by the way, so their sloppiness is COMPLETELY ridiculous. Oh well.

It seems like most of the people on my program are having the same issues. Many are moving out of their flats and into private accommodation, but I don't really feel like moving and getting resettled. There is also the aspect of finding a new place at a reasonable rate and paying utilities. So for now I will continue to stay in my actual bedroom 99.9% of the time I am at home. I quite enjoy my cozy little space. And don't misunderstand that I am having a poor time cause I most certainly am not. I just do not foresee myself being friends with my Chinese roommate.

Daily Ramble

So food here isn't really that great. There are no "convenient" places...it is either a sit down meal or food from a take-away. These places sale gross pizzas, random rice dishes, fried everything, etc. I usually eat at home, so that means I eat ALOT of salad and sandwiches. I have gotten creative with my sandwiches...random meats and different cheeses. I pretty much shop in the produce and meat sections which is great for my budget. I can eat on 20 pound a week (about $40). That's not too bad!

Because of this change in diet and the huge addition of about 5 miles a day to my daily routine, I have lost weight. I don't know how much because i don't have a scale, but my collar bones are protruding and my pants are loose. Oh well! I sleep much better here due to the amount of exercise and the healthier diet. I did however eat at McDonald's twice this weekend....those fries are absolutely amazing! I also went to a BBQ where I probably ate more than everyone else there! I literally sat AT the buffet table. haha

School starts tomorrow, so it will be an interesting day.

New Hair

As I walked home today from correcting an error the University made with my finances, I was stopped by a girl with crazy hair. She asked me if I would be willing to let her wash and blow dry my hair as she worked at a nearby salon. Here in the UK they don't necessarily go to school to do hair because they can be an apprentice in a salon. So although she had multi-colored bangs and essentially a mullet, I said yes. It was 1:30 but I didn't have anywhere to be until 3:00. So why not?

Her name is Caitlin and she has been training for 5 months. For some reason I agreed to let her cut my hair tomorrow. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for me. It took me a long time to get someone to cut my hair properly, so this could be very upsetting. But this is a year of new frontiers, so I figure this is something I would never agree to normally. I am going to ask her to just trim it, so if it is not how I like it I can have someone else fix it. Yikes!

Our conversation was very interesting as she had a hard time understanding me! This was a first. I said the word 'dry' and she had me repeat it because I drug the word out in true Southern fashion. I will definitely take a picture of my new hairdo no matter how good or bad. If it is bad, I am getting a haircut on Friday as well! :)

Updated Room

My room is still a work in progress. I've used some of the stuff I purchased at IKEA, but there are a few more posters and decorations for the wall holding my bookshelf and desk. The bookshelf is in a state of limbo. It currently holds some of my clothes, but I would like to put them in the closet somehow.

Here are some before and after images. The common spaces haven't changed. I don't want to spend any money on them. I never go in them.

The Sun DOES Shine in Scotland

Today was the most beautiful day in Scotland thus far. It was extraordinarily sunny. Unfortunately I was on my own most of the day and didn't take any pictures. I get kind of nervous pulling out my camera on a street corner due to the very large number of people in the city right now. I'm slightly afraid someone will yank my purse off my shoulder while doing this.

The streets are so busy that stopping for photos causes serious traffic jams. I am guilty of getting very angry at those stopping, so I am finding it hard to stop. I promise to do so very soon.

I am officially a student here at the university. I matriculated (registered, enrolled, and PAID). So that is a weight off my shoulders.

I went to top-up my cell phone (add more money to it cause it is pay as you go), and unfortunately they wouldn't take my debit card. Here in the UK all debit and credit cards have a chip in them. So people just put them into little machines and enter a PIN number. I don't have a card like that, but most big stores accept my cards. Anywho, I then had to go to an ATM to get some cash. I went to the Clydesdale Bank and put in my card. The machine turned all its lights off and said "Sorry, this machine is not currently working." I IMMEDIATELY PANICKED!!! Luckily a very nice looking girl walked up at that exact moment and was kind enough to go inside and get some assistance. I refused to leave the machine as ATM scams are quite prevalent in Europe. A bank employee fetched the card for me and told me it was probably due to the lack of the infamous chip. Fortunately it worked in the ATM within the branch, so I now have some funds in my phone.

On my way home I wanted to take a different route. I went from Princes street across Waverley Bridge straight UP Roxburgh's Close. Closes are little alleyways. They are all over the Old Town. It is as if people of that time didn't realize there was land on the other side of the castle so they just built streets on top of streets. It is an absolute maze in that part of town, but completely fascinating. Roxburgh's Close was at least 200 steps straight up. (I will get a picture very soon.) I am not exaggerating. I was completely out of breath at the top, but was determined to not turn around. I felt amazing at the top...like I had just climbed a huge mountain. I wanted to dance like Rocky when he ran to the top of the steps in one of those Rocky movies....don't remember the number.

I think that is all for today!

IKEA...does a girl's room wonders

So IKEA is absolutely amazing. I spent 2 hours there and I won't tell you how much I spent. That's not the point. I bought some posters, a vanity mirror, a shelf, plants, a lamp, a mattress foam pad, desk organizers, and I think that is all.

I built the shelf in order to have a place to do my hair in the morning and for more storage. It looks pretty good I must say. My bed is now conducive to sleeping. Before it was little more than a thin mattress with a plastic coating and springs that were pointy. Now it is cozy and slightly comfortable. At least I slept more than 2 hours last night!!! yay.

The lamp and the 1 poster I have hung so far already make the place cozier. My plants were 3 for 69p. They are cute!! Unfortunately I don't have a green thumb, so they may die but I sure hope not.

I met my course director and staff yesterday. This is the first year for my program. The research centre where I'm studying was developed about 2 years ago from a group of researchers working in London at the big health schools there. Because we are the first group of students they are all soooooooo excited to have us. They have planned dinners, walks to Arthur's Seat (with a visit to the oldest pub in Scotland), and many other social events.

The one down side to my courses is the 1/2 semester courses only have 1 assessment. Either 1 exam or 1 essay. That is alot of pressure to do well. Absolutely no room for error, so the next year I will ONLY be in the library. haha. Not really, but I will only be going out on weekends. Back to being an old lady. Luckily the courses lasting a whole semester have TWO assessments...a test and an exam! That's huge for me! Because they have a different style of writing here than American universities expect, they are allowing us to write a short essay. They aren't grading for content, only the style and referencing. We are using Harvard's referencing system. I am unfamiliar with this style, so this should all be interesting for me!

My New Room

I am now all adjusted in my room.

I still need to get a plastic drawer set for my hair products. I can hang a mirror on the side of my little closet and use that as my dressing area. There is a plug on that side of the room, so it should work nicely.
My bed is made, but it still needs the actual duvet. I currently only have the duvet cover on the bed as I forget the duvet at Callum's house.
I had a lovely dinner which I made myself. I found the grocery store in my neighbourhood. Before I left Callum's village his mom took my to the grocery to get my "messages" (that's what they call groceries). But I still needed a few more things once I got here. My dinner consisted of a turkey sandwich, crisps (or what we call chips), and a Cadbury's trifle. The trifle was made of chocolate mousse, chocolate chips, and whip creme. YUMMY! Better than any chocolate pudding in America. The sandwich was divine as I found some French's mustard at the grocery. I didn't care how much it cost I was buying it. I'm sick of eating my sandwiches dry because I don't like English mustard.

I have only met 2 roomies so far...one is from Iceland and one is from China. The Icelander's name is Thorhiltur...not sure how to say it now, but she said I can call her Tota. The Chinese girl's name is Apple. I am not kidding! I asked her if she knew of Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress. She said, "I do not know what you mean by actress." haha. Should be interesting! She also asked me to help her with something on her computer, but alot of it was in Chinese. I simply said "well I'm not quite sure what that says."

Here are the beginning pictures. Will update once get the place all decorated!

Moving on Up

I was finally able to get my bank account open. I went for my appointment on Thursday only to be told to come back once I had a "letter of introduction" from my bank. Luckily I used to work for my bank so I am friends with the vice president. Teresa (VP of bank) was very kind and emailed me the letter right away. I went back yesterday and got the account open. Because I am not a UK citizen, my account is BASIC. Just an ATM card...no cheques, no debit card, no nothing. This is good enough. I mainly need it to pay my rent by direct debit.

I just moved into my flat at about 2 PM my time. It is simple but nice enough. Definitely not a palace. I'm still unpacking, but just thought I would update everybody on my status. I will post some pictures in just a bit once i get everything unpacked and somewhat decorated. I left my duvet and pillow at Callum's house. So I have the cover and the sheet, but no quilt. haha. There isn't quite enough storage in this room, so I will need to go buy some plastic bins or something tomorrow for tshirts and underwear.

I miss you all dearly and hope to hear from you soon!

September 4

I have an appointment on Thursday to meet with a bank officer about opening an account. I must open one in order to pay my rent. Who knew you can't just walk in and meet with a bank officer? Whatever.

Today was a lazy day as I am STILL recuperating from my miserable flight. Oh well! Saw the movie "Knocked Up". Very funny! I have eaten alot of Cadbury's chocolate already, so hopefully I won't be gaining any weight.

Tomorrow I am going to get my bedding from Primark. Primark is a quality store that is CHEAP. You can buy packs of underwear for $5, coats for $40, sweaters for $12 and they are of good quality. They don't have a website or sale name brands, but I am definitely in love with this store. Unfortunately there isn't one in Edinburgh...the nearest is in Dunfermline. I have already researched the bus routes between these two. Can't wait!!!

Before I Left

I was lucky enough to have a farewell lunch with my family. We went to good old Cracker Barrel...where I downed about 6 glasses of sweet tea! Sweet. There is no such thing as ice in Scotland, much less "iced tea." I also partook in several more glasses of the cherished drink in the Atlanta airport.

At the lunch I requested the staff sing happy birthday to my mom. haha. She will kill me for saying this, but she turns 50 on the 11th of October. Unfortunately I won't be there to celebrate with her, so I wanted to celebrate it before I left. You should have seen her face when they came out singing. I wish I had videoed it. She started off with that look like "i wonder whose birthday it is." Then she noticed I had a cheesy grin on my face. She said, "what?"

After lunch my mom and cousins took me to the airport. We all tried to joke around for a little while before I went through security. Saying "see you later" was really hard to do. Of course we all cried (even Colton no matter what he tries to tell everyone). As I went through security they stood at the entrance and just watched me. I waved several times to say I was ok and they could leave. But i don't think they wanted to do so. After I got through I wished I had stayed and chatted longer, but staying was only making leaving harder.

So here I am in the land of sheep, kilts, and whiskey. Come visit me soon!

Here are some photos of the lunch and my mom's "birthday."

I'M HERE!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Loves

I am now in Scotland. Loving every minute so far. I now have a mobile number, so if you want it email me! I am staying at Callum's house, so I have email. Which means you should all send me one! :)

The flight was rough. I was "lucky" enough to have an aisle seat. Normally an aisle seat is the golden ticket of air travel, but unfortunately it was my own personal hell on this particular flight. Stinky McStinkerson was in the seat next to me. Mrs Alcoholic-Pill Popper was in front. And a little brat was behind me. Wow, such fun! So after no sleep I made my way through immigration and baggage claim with no stumbles.

My ride (Callum's brother) was late. Of course my cell phone wouldn't work properly and I did not have his mobile number. About 20 minutes later he strolled in looking like he had just arrived from a beach vacation. Enrique Suave himself finally there to pick me up!! And let me just say I looked damn fine after 7 hours of riding in a coke can.

Took a quick nap (30 minutes after 24 hours awake) and then was escorted to Callum's golf tournament. Luckily we only caught his last 9 holes (the weather was SUPER windy and cold)....and he won the tournament in a playoff. I was later dragged to the golf club for celebratory drinks of diet cola and vodka (gross!) and a shot at the bandit. Slot machines are very different here - more like video games and called "bandits". Anywho, I won $50 (25 pounds)!

Almost had a panic attack on the way to St. Andrews today. I had about 3 bottles of water in about 30 minutes due to being slightly dehydrated. Well have no fear, I am no longer dehydrated. There are very few public toilets and not many "gas stations" along the roads like in the states. So we just had to keep going until we got to the Scottish Golf Union.

Today I bought a new hairdryer and straightener, and thanks to the 25 pounds I won the night before I didn't pay a penny for them. Also bought a nice robe, new underwear, and paper for class, and I am only out about $40. Feeling pretty good about that!

Tomorrow I plan to either take a bus to Edinburgh or Stirling. Still need to open a bank account and buy bedding. I am also contemplating calling the university about a possible preview of my new flat! I got a free duvet from Callum's Gran, so all I need now are a sheet, pillows, pillow cases and a duvet cover. I can get everything but the pillows for 7 pound ($14)!!! What a steal.

As it is midnight here, I will write more later. Also have some pictures to put up!

School Stuff

Let me just say paying 40 grand a year for a bachelor's degree is completely justified now that I have to deal with a large university. At Rhodes, you could call one person and they would answer your question. If that person didn't have the answer, they knew the exact person who would.

Unfortunately at UE that is not the case. I email one person what seems to be a simple question. In response I get, "I have forwarded your email to a person in XYZ department. In the meantime please reference xyz.com." Then the person they forwarded my email to does the same thing. NO ONE answers my questions. I don't know if this is a cultural difference or my lack of familiarity with a large university. Currently trying to answer my questions is a burden.

PS For the record, their website DOES NOT answer my questions.

Farewell Memphis

The last few days were a little sad. I spent some time with my sisters and friends in good ole Memphis.

I had a wonderful time at The Saucer with everyone! It is always nice to hang out with friends and enjoy many laughs. I already miss each and everyone of my friends...even though I haven't seen many of them in over a year! Thank you Jena for the super sweet note. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you! And I CANNOT wait for you to come visit me!!!

I got to see Victoria's school and meet her teacher. While in Scotland, I'm going to be the pen pal of her class. As first graders, they are little more aware of things around them, so hopefully my emails and mail will help to bring a little slice of Scotland to Memphis.

Here is a picture of Miss Smarty-Pants herself. This was taken in front of her school. She is very much unlike me - I would have NEVER posed in front of school. That would have been embarrassing haha.

Language Barrier

So although they speak English in Scotland, it is COMPLETELY different.

Here are some examples...

aluminum = al-you-men-e-um

pants = your underwear (very embarrassing when they think you're discussing underwear and you think you are discussing your leg-covering)

trousers = pants

cheers = thank you, bye, etc

aye = yes (pronounced "I")

eh = what? (pronounced "A")

So pretty much when they talk I must "translate" in my head by rearranging syllables and determining if what they mean is the same definition I assign to the word. Many times the definition is different. OH well. Wish me luck!!!

My Last Work Day!

Today was my last day at the spa. Sad! I have really enjoyed my time working with all the wonderful ladies of Aqua. I will not miss the cranky ladies who frequent the spa however. haha. Those bitches will be quickly forgotten.


Only 1 more week! Scary. I have started to get things together to pack. Here is a picture of the current state of packing.

Don't forget to leave some comments for me to read! :)

11 days and counting!

Yes, I am "that" girl who does a countdown til she leaves. Don't get my wrong...I am very sad to leave everyone I love behind. Although this is so I am coming to terms with this new phase in my life, and I get a little more excited/anxious/nervous each day.

While napping today, I was suddenly awakened. No reason for this, but when it happened I thought "oh crap, I'm really moving." I hope it is normal for someone to be nervous, and I am pretty sure this is the truth.

Once I am there, everything will be wonderful. I will have 3 new roommates whom I know NOTHING about. Not their names, nationalities, genders, etc. We will be sharing a bathroom, kitchen and living room. Luckily I will have my own bedroom. And those of you close to me know how much I love to hang out in my bed. While living in an apartment all by myself I ALWAYS sat in my bed...to eat, read, sleep, lounge, relax, etc.

If you want to start planning your trip to see me, go here.

Only 12 more days!

5 months down and only 12 days to go! The next phase of my life is quickly approaching, and I am nowhere near ready to leave. I have sooooo much to do and only 12 days to do it. Yikes!

For those of you in Memphis, I will be there on the 26th and returning to Jackson early on the 29th. If you want to hang out before I jump the pond call me!

Pictures of my school!!

And a picture of a dorm room at my school! So small. Hope my flat isn't quite this tiny. :)

Better Late Than Never

Jackie and I went to visit Gong and Joey in July. We had a wonderful weekend relaxing on Laurel Lake which is the most pristine lake ever.

Here are some photos!!

A Fortnight

Two weeks are all that come between now and my arrival to Scotland. It seems like not that long ago this day was ages away. Too late to turn back now!

I depart on Sept 1 at 3:20 PM. Hopefully my TWO bags will be somewhat close to the weight allowance or I could be in for a huge fee. haha. But really, how do the airline gods expect me to pack everything I need for 12 months into 2 tiny bags? Not happening.
I have a rolling case, a very large duffel my sister is graciously allowing me to have, the biggest carry on allowed, and a gigantic "purse/personal item." Not only am I using large bags to carry everything, but I also bought some of those vacuum bags....the ones you put all your items into and then roll the air out. A ton of stuff will then fit in a smaller case or bag. BUT the downfall is then the bag does weigh more. I guess that is just one setback I'll have to accept.

The Pink Elephant

The pink elephant in my life right now is my move to Scotland. The thought of it is both exciting and stress-inducing. When I think of the move ahead I do not fully think about what it entails. I think of it as a fabulous vacation, but it is not. It will be a life and career changing year. I will be 7000 miles away from all familiarity and comfort I currently know.

Last week a serious dose of reality hit me. (My mom currently has the mattresses I slept on for the past 2 years in Memphis. I lived, ate, watched TV, talked on the phone, and anything else you can think of on those mattresses. Lying on them last week led me to tears.) It was the first time I thought "hey all these familiar things won't be near in 4 weeks." There will be no Mom there, no Annabelle, no family, no friends, no Chik-fil-A, and on and on. I have to find new friends, new favorite restaurants, and someone with a dog i can "adopt."

It is becoming clear that my year in Edinburgh is going to rip down everything I know about life. Thankfully new ideas will be formed, new friendships made, and new light added to my life.

I can't wait for the ride! love you all

For Fun...You Should Play Along

Your Preppy Name Is...

Hollister Cabot Northrup the Fourth But most people know you as Gigi

What's Your Preppy Name?

Your Brain is Purple

Of all the brain types, yours is the most idealistic. You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense. Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Brain?

You Are Bobby Brady

Ultra competitive, you will do almost anything to win. From pull ups to pool sharking, you're very talented. And while everyone is aware of your victories, they still (affectionately) consider you to be a little brat!

What Brady Are You?

Awesome...I am a boy. haha. Take one of the quizzes on the site these are from and leave a comment about what you are!!!

Just a Quickie

Went to Laurel Lake in Kentucky for the weekend. The best friend (and former roomie) I was going to visit got engaged just 1 day before Jackie and I's arrival. She and her fiance are VERY excited. They are both in med school, so it looks like no financial troubles ahead. :) Got a sweet new tan line. NOT!!! I used spray sunscreen and got a polka dot look. Gross!

I got my visa after a little nervous anticipation.

My former employer is now allowing open-toed shoes. Can I just say this SUCKS so bad? I have so many cute sandals, but I couldn't wear them to work. Now that I work somewhere else, they are legal.

Weekend (Plus Monday and Tuesday) From Hell

The weekend started off great. Got home Friday and relaxed for work on Saturday. After working Saturday, my mom and I headed to Memphis to get the last of my personal effects and move them to MS. Mom and I decided we were gonna meet Casey and his friend at the movies to see Ratatouille (or however you spell it). Anywho, after dropping my dog off at my apt we headed for the theatre. Unfortunately my car wouldn't really accelerate, so we immediately returned to my complex. As I was entering in the gate code, the f-ing car DIED. Right in front of the gate!! So Mom and I push it forward so other residents can get in. Mary, the security guard, and a rando man helped us move the car to a parking spot. After trying to operate on my poor car using a cell phone for light, we decided Sunday would be a better day to fix it. Luckily my sister lives in Memphis and was able to pick us up at 11. We needed a ride for Sunday in order to get the Uhaul.
SUNDAY. We make our way to the Uhaul facility. It was supposed to only take 15 minutes to sign the papers, pay, inspect the vehicle, and drive off. OH NO! That's not how it works when JC the assistant manager is on duty. We were there for 2 hours!!! One girl was working while he ran around aimlessly. Due to his inefficiency, he loudly exclaimed that he was doing everything he could to speed up the process. And by "everything" I assume he meant let random people skip the line and disappear for 30 minutes at a time. The line in the store was only like 5 people long, so it is RIDICULOUS that it took this long. Someone called in with a question. After putting the lady on hold he LOUDLY exclaimed "I am in Memphis. I am in Memphis....remember 3rd grade reading level." And let's just say the line would have had no problem kicking his ass, so this was a BAD move on his part. Have no fear, my mom get the store manager's card in order to complain.

Finally we made our way to Sears to get a new battery. We put it in and assumed everything was working great. After packing up, we returned the old battery to Sears and headed for the interstate. After 2 miles on the interstate EVERY light on the dashboard lit up. We went back to Sears where they informed us it was probably the alternator and we would not make it back to MS. So my mom and Annabelle went back in the Uhaul and I stayed with my sister. Called my boss to give her the news. And let's just say I cried in her voicemail and when she called back. YIKES!

MONDAY. I headed for the dealership. I missed my turn and went down a mile to the red light to turn around. Unfortunately, my car decided to DIE at the light. I called the dealership crying like a lost child. About 5 seconds later a policeman stopped to help me. After waiting 45 minutes and reading a book (for which I got many strange glances), the tow guy showed up. It cost a whopping $125 to be towed a mile, and he had to stop by an ATM for me to get the cash.***If I had not missed the turn, I would have made it to the shop. BOOOOOO! And for $450 they didn't even vacuum my car. Lame.

TUESDAY. I was supposed to be at work at 2. Well at 1:30 I can't find my keys. I looked everywhere, but no luck. Finally I found them. Where were they? Oh, just in the car with the doors locked. Awesome. Lucky for me there was no spare. A very sweet girl I work with stopped by my mom's office to get my mom's keys. Finally got to work at 3.

Now it is the 4th of July, but I'm too tired to do much. Don't worry though cause I had two strawberry shortcakes!!!