Spring is in full swing now. It is lovely to get to experience real seasonal changes- Santa Barbara is in a chaparral (Mediterranean) climate, so really only has two seasons. There are flowers sprouting up around town, especially snowdrops, a much admired symbol of spring and a species you never see in Southern California. In some places in the United Kingdom, especially in snowdrop gardens, there are so many that the ground looks white! They have recently begun a snowdrop festival in Scotland- definitely on my to-do list for next year!
Both my favorite poets mention the flowers in their works:

From: The Progress of Spring
by Lord Alfred Tennyson

The groundflame of the crocus breaks the mould,
Fair Spring slides hither o'er the Southern sea,

Wavers on her thin stem the snowdrop cold
That trembles not to kisses of the bee

From: Introduction- Childhood and School-Time

by William Wordsworth

I began

My story early, feeling as I fear,

The weakness of a human love, for days

Disown'd by memory, ere the birth of spring

Planting my snowdrops among winter snows.

•This March I did a lot more Women's Month/Day activities than usual. I don't think they were really supposed to be related to Women's Month, it is just kind of coincidental. For one of my classes, I wrote an essay on Mary Wollstonecraft (feminist pioneer). I also went to several "girl time" events:

• I went kayaking on the "Girl's Trip" to the River Tay (same river as on the Fresher's

  

  Not the best picture of me, but shows my favorite
  purple Perception kayak

  Trip). It was good practice- I got to go down the Grandtully rapids twice. My first time went really smoothly, but the second was significantly less elegant. I don't know exactly what happened, but somehow I got turned around by a rock and was going down backwards (also someone said at one point they saw the bottom of my boat- I think I was sideways!). Anyway, I managed to correct myself, so I was pretty happy! Afterwards we went to the Hermitage to see the waterfall, which I saw at the beginning of the year on my mini-trip to Dunkeld. It was spectacular to see again! In the evening we went to someone's house to cook a pasta dinner and talk about the day.
• I also went to the first ever KnitSoc pub crawl. We walked to about seven different pubs, and ended at Dervish, a snack food place open late at night. It was definitely a lot less crazy then the canoe socials I have been to, and it was nice to relax with my KnitSoc friends.
• In addition, I went out for brunch with the Design Team girls at a cute cafe called Gorgeous. We held our bi-weekly meeting, mostly discussing our venue for design work during the On the Rocks student art festival.
• Lastly, I worked at a comedy show featuring the girls from Blind Mirth and St. Andrews Revue and supporting ovarian cancer research.

I thought they dissapeared in the 90s,
but apparently they still tour

•I've done Ents crew on several occasions now, and am happy to be back into stage crew again! Since I last wrote I've helped set up and run sound/lights for a small charities fundraiser, get a stage ready for a band concert, set up for a comedy group (see above), prepare the venue for the 90's band "Vengaboys", and run sound and rig lights and smoke/snow machines for a play called "6 Characters in Search of an Author" during On the Rocks.

•Student elections were in March, so there was a lot of campaigning commotion for a while. My academic dad was trying to be re-elected as president of the Mermaids theater group, so my academic sisters and I helped pass out flyers at the library. My dad was on stilts, so we got some funny looks, but it proved to be a good eye-catcher. Unfortunately, he was not re-elected, but it was a fun experience anyway. Within the clubs themselves we were also elections. I went to the Canoe Club AGM, and was nominated for a position several times, but I didn't end up running for anything. I tried for publicity officer in KnitSoc, and got the position! I'm planning on running for something in Design Team as well!


•I came across the cat Hamish McHamish for the first time in March as well! He was walking along Market Street at a fast pace, peeking into several shops on his way. He seemed very preoccupied, so I thought it best not to bother him- I snapped some quick cell phone shots though! You can read Hamish's backstory here: http://www.heraldscotland.com/books-poetry/interviews/on-the-trail-of-hamish-mchamish.19050116

•I finished my mittens at last! I'm very excited because they are the first pair of mittens I've ever knitted, as well as the first time I've knitted using the Fair Isle multi-color technique. The pattern is called "Peerie Flooers" and is by Kate Davies, a Scottish knitwear designer (and definitely my favorite pattern maker!)- check out her site here: http://katedaviesdesigns.com/


•We were supposed to have a world record "strip the willow" dancing attempt right before break, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to slippery surfaces from snow, and I've heard no news about a reschedule. I will keep you all posted!

•A couple days before my birthday (March 14) I went around town and did a snow photo shoot. The results were quite ethereal!

•During Spring Break I went home so I could attend my cousin's wedding. The wedding was lovely, held at the Muir Woods Clubhouse on a spectacularly clear day. Over the break we also got a puppy, which was unexpected, but nonetheless exciting! I was happy to get to see my family and friends (I visited my high school) for a short while before I had to head back to Scotland!

             

Bridget and the beautiful wedding venue view

Our new puppy!

KnitSoc Competition

•A couple of weeks ago, the annual KnitSoc competition took place. The theme was food, so I entered in a knitted bowl of pasta and a fork. I invented the pattern for everything but the bowl, so was happy that it actually turned out. I ended up getting second place- the prize I chose was a bag of 10 balls of white yarn, which I plan to make a sweater with (or jumper as they say here)!

•During On the Rocks, several of my posters were featured at a new cafe called "Our Story", it was nice to have them shown again!

Beginner's Training Group

•Last weekend I went on a really informative and fun "Beginner's Training" kayaking trip. We stayed in a hostel in Aviemore, and had two days with an awesome coach. The first day we did a section of the Findhorn, and the second day we went down the Tummel. It was nicely paced throughout both days, and got progressively more difficult. I really enjoyed learning to "read" or scout out the river and going down rapids like "The Wall of Death" and a technically complicated S-Bend. On the way home, we stopped at the Hermitage again, so I got to see the magnificent falls for a third time! This time, because of recent rain, they looked much more fearsome than my previous viewings. (See here for full account: http://staucc.blogspot.co.uk/)

My view while kayaking

•Earlier today I turned in my last bit of coursework for the year, so am very relieved! These past couple of weeks have been a bit chaotic work-wise, with a philosophy essay, a sustainable development project and paper, and assessed logic exercises due, along with normal readings and tutorial homework. I'm happy with how my project for SD came out, especially my efforts to eat locally. Here's an excerpt from the essay to explain how I switched to a "locavore" diet:

"In the first couple of weeks, I became a member of “The Fife Diet” and made a pledge to eat locally and responsibly, signed up to get a weekly “veg box” from Bellfield Organics (a farm within Fife), and created a Google Form to track my purchases. In the following weeks, I made a conscious effort to read labels and packaging for origins and production locations for everything I bought at stores, went to the farmer’s market as much as possible, and cut down on pre-packaged and processed foods. The choice to become a “locavore” helped me to achieve a greater sense of balance between the environment and myself. I felt good about eating more healthfully,[1] trying new foods, and making more meals from scratch, while experiencing less guilt about inadvertently causing harm to the Earth through my food choices by supporting monopolistic agribusiness corporations. I ended up “buying local” more often than I had planned, since it was easier than I imagined."

A meal I made with part of one of my
veg boxes

Food and Item Purchase Data

Thanks for being so patient!

Once again I have broken my promise of writing more frequently! This past month has had its ups and downs, but luckily the good has outweighed the bad. Here are some notable things I've done (in relatively chronological order):

Yarn Bombed Bench (photo credit: Ruth)

• I participated in the KnitSoc yarn bomb, which I had been looking forward to for a while. We completely covered a bench in front of the Museum of Saint Andrews with knitted and crocheted squares. It was a nice way to brighten the atmosphere- it was just beginning to get very wintery. I also went to the KnitSoc Christmas dinner early in December which put me in the holiday spirit (pictures on the Knitting Society blog: KnitSoc Blog). I especially liked the Christmas Crackers which we pulled by crossing our arms in a circle, rather than between two people like I am used to. Everyone wore their paper crowns throughout the meal!

Biking on a Golden Afternoon

• I went out to dinner with my academic sisters and then saw the movie "Silver Linings". We were a bit annoyed with the restaurant service (I wrote a poor review afterwards), but the movie was pretty good and overall it was a very enjoyable evening!

• I've continued to bike around town- the roads and paths are great for exercise or simply taking in the scenery. I love to ride at a relaxed pace and take in the sights and smells of the town- the smell of damp leaves from rain the night before, or fresh bread and cheese from shops; the sight of a little girl with a huge umbrella, or a flock of birds flying south in a V-formation.

• I finished the environmental posters for the CAPOD (Centre for Academic, Professional and Organisational Development) offices, which will be put up to encourage sustainable practices throughout the building. The Design Team is already beginning to plan out and work on projects for next semester.

A Few Mini Posters for CAPOD

• I went back to Edinburgh on my own the weekend after Victoria visited to return the jacket I bought (the zipper didn't work properly and I didn't like the overall design very much). Unfortunately, I don't have the same persuasive returning skills as my mom, and the store would not accept it back. I had a very nice day exploring Edinburgh though!

My Path through the City

I started out at the castle, trying to master the art of taking pictures without getting my camera lens wet and avoiding crowds of tourists. Then I headed down the Royal Mile to visit the Kirk of St. Giles and the "Heart of Midlothian". I loved the gothic-y mix of styles throughout the church. Next I walked through the Grassmarket District an popped my head into a knitting shop and the National Library. I also went through the Greyfriars Kirkyard and saw the Flodden Wall. After that I went to the Holyrood Palace and Abbey, where I enjoyed viewing the royal apartments of Mary Queen of Scots. Then I decided to hike up a hill in Holyrood Park (in the shadow of Arthur's Seat) at sunset, following the "Radical Road" path past the Salisbury Crags. Finally I went back into town to get some dinner and catch my bus back to St. Andrews.

• My fleece arrived in the mail and I had a lot of fun cleaning it, carding it, and making it into some yarn (press play on first set of photos) and felting a hat (press play on second set of photos). I still have a lot left over and am trying to decide what to make next!

• I spent the last couple of weeks of the term studying for exams during the revision period. Not too much to note- I started to get cabin fever by the end, and had to make sure I was getting time outside everyday. I had an Anthropology exam on the 14th and a Art History exam on the 17th. I was very excited that Italian was all coursework so had no final test.

• When I found out that I had a few days after my last final but before my flight, I decided to plan a mini trip out west. Here is where I went:

Day 1

I started out taking the bus from St. Andrews to Dunfermline, arriving around sunrise (8:30ish!). I walked around the town and through Pittencrieff Park until the Dunfermline Abbey and Palace opened. Many medieval Scottish royals were buried in the churchyard, but due to political upheaval most were disinterred and hidden. In the 19th century they found the remains of Robert the Bruce (though his heart lies in Melrose Abbey, literally) and cemented over the area, then built a new section of the church over it. It is still difficult to say where the rest of the "eight Kings, five Queens, six Princes, and two Princesses of Scotland" are, but there is some chance they may be under the cement as well.

Next I went to the Abbot House, a small museum where for £3 I got a private tour including a lengthy explanation of the history of Scotland. I found the history of the Picts and the real vs. romanticized accounts of St. Margaret quite fascinating. After that, I stopped by the first ever Carnegie Library (of over 2,500!) built by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie as a way to give back to his hometown. Then I went back into the park and visited the remains of Malcolm Canmore's Tower, a notable defensive location in the 11th century, and another small museum.

I then caught a bus to the small village of Culross, which has many preserved historical buildings. It was very scenic, though there was quite a strange contrast with petrochemical complexes on the other side of the Firth of Forth. Next I took the bus to Glasgow where I strolled some major shopping streets and checked into the Glasgow Youth Hostel. Finally, I went and saw "The Hobbit" at the IMAX theater in the armadillo shaped science center.

Day 2

A Classic Mackintosh Design

I left the hostel early in the morning and walked through Kelvingrove Park to the Hunterian Art Gallery where I visited the reconstructed house of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a renowned Arts and Crafts/Art Nouveau designer from the Glasgow School whose style I really admire (pretty much the main reason I wanted to visit Glasgow was to see his works). After that, I went over to the nearby Kelvingrove Museum to see an exhibit about the Art Nouveau movement in the U.K.

Then I headed to the Mitchell Library, which wasn't quite what I was expecting, but was still fun to visit. Next I went to the Glasgow School of Art to take a tour of the building (also designed by Mackintosh). I liked a lot of the innovative architectural details and the overall structure.

When the tour was over I walked to the Necropolis, an intense burial ground that was used mostly in Victorian times. I also visited the nearby Glasgow Cathedral, which was very impressive, especially with the huge Christmas trees inside the church! I saw a lot of sign posts around with the Glasgow coat of arms, which is probably the oddest coat of arms I have ever seen. It features these things:

There's the tree that never grew, 

There's the bird that never flew, 

There's the fish that never swam, 

There's the bell that never rang.

Glasgow Coat of Arms

It would take a while to explain each element, but if you are interested check out this site: Glasgow Coat of Arms. Next I went across the street to the Provand's Lordship, the oldest house in Glasgow and looked around the museum.

After that, I walked back into the main part of town and saw the small carnival and lights set up for the holidays in George Square. I would have gone ice skating, but it was pouring and crowded so I watched the skaters for a while instead. Then I went to the Lighthouse, another one of Mackintosh's designs. There was a nice museum about his works inside, as well as an awesome exibit featuring aerial shots of Scotland, and a high look-out tower (at this point, I think I have climbed way more spiral staircases than the average 18 year old). Finally I got some dinner and went back to hostel.

Day 3

I took the subway, nicknamed as the "clockwork orange" (probably because it runs on a circular track and the trains are orange) to George Square to get the Rabbie's tour bus. I've always been rather against guided tours, we Mitchells enjoy exploring on our own, but since I have no car in Scotland and the public transport is a bit difficult to manage in the regions I was interested in seeing (many I had seen before but wanted to see in winter), I decided to book a tour. The group was quite small like I had hoped, only seven of us plus the informative and amusing tour guide.

We started out driving past Renfrew, where some of my ancestors may have lived, and Paisley, where the paisley pattern was invented, and then up towards Loch Lomond. It was interesting see the city fading away, gradually becoming countryside. Our first stop was in Luss, a village on the west coast of the loch. I walked along the bonnie, bonnie, banks of Loch Lomond (song here: Loch Lomond)- it is true what they say about Scotland only getting prettier when it rains. The fog made the loch all the more mysterious and thought-provoking. Our next stop was in Glen Croe at Rest and Be Thankful Pass, which was also transformed by the rain. It is called "Rest and Be Thankful" because it is the highest point after a steep journey, and so one can rest and be glad for making it to the top. Next we drove to Inveraray, a quiet town on the edge of Loch Fyne.

After that, we visited Loch Awe and Kilchurn Castle. Rabbie's had exclusive access to the castle in winter, so we got to unlock it and explore around without any other tourists. The surroundings were stunning! I found it fascinating that a lot of the seemingly peaceful lochs and hills of Argyll had a lot to hide- everything from a hollow mountain that contains a power plant to a submarine torpedo testing ground.

Next we stopped in Oban to get some lunch. Of course, I went off exploring- I did not want to spend an hour at a sit-down restaurant! I climbed up to the folly, known as McCaig's Tower, overlooking the town and was just in time to see the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry take off headed towards the isles. I went back down and popped into some shops, including a cool kayaking store, and strolled around the harbor.

Castle Stalker in Monty Python

Then we got back in the van (we were in a hurry at this point because we wanted to get to Glen Coe before sunset at 3:30) and drove to Castle Stalker (famous for its appearance in Monty Python and the Holy Grail). My dad and I really like Castle Stalker and its dramatic setting, so I was excited to see it again. After a brief look, we continued onwards to Glen Coe (another film location: Harry Potter, Rob Roy, and Skyfall).

Glen Coe was breathtaking- definitely my favorite of the day's locations. The tops of the mountains were frosted with snow and little streams of water were trickling down. The wind was ripping through the valley, and rain was coming from every direction which added to the tragic beauty.

From there we headed through the Rannoch Moor and back to Glasgow.

Day 4

I spent the morning shopping around the Buchanan Galleries looking for Christmas gifts and then took the bus back to St. Andrews and packed to fly home.

• My trip home was really nice- the plane rides did not feel overwhelmingly long. I only encountered two problems. The first: My last flight, Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, was mysteriously cancelled so we quickly booked the airbus instead. The second: While trying frantically to get through customs to catch the airbus after my plane landed I was stopped for what seemed like a random inspection. Security dumped everything from my suitcase and backpack onto a table and proceeded to ask me questions about each item (special inquiries were made about my Nintendo DS, a piece of bread, and my knitting!). Luckily I made it out to the pickup area just in time!

• I've had a great time celebrating the holidays with my family. Bridget and I made elaborate gingerbread houses this year- hers is a castle and mine is an Art Nouveau inspired manor.

It has been a frenzied but great few weeks (yikes!) since I last wrote. Time has been flying by so quickly- it's hard to believe I've been gone from home for three months! Here's what I've been up to:

• On Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Day (Nov. 5th), we had a special canoe pool session where we had a "Rodeo" competition to see who could do the coolest tricks. I was kind of lame when it was my group's turn to go- I was nervous to have people watch me, and also couldn't think of anything outstanding to do. I was going to stand up in my boat, but the water was a bit too turbulent. Next we played a quick game where we all stood on the edge of the pool, then had to start running and someone would shout "jump" or "dive". You were out if you did the wrong one. Afterwards we had some dessert at the pub and a committee election. Being a first-year, I had to go with the other freshers to make a speech for being a first year rep. I didn't know this would happen, so I had nothing prepared and was really embarrassed!

Playing a game at the "Rodeo" (Photo Credit: Sarah)

Concert Poster

• I've been doing more graphic design lately than I ever have before. I just finished a poster and tickets for an A Capella event and I'm currently working on environmental notice posters, a poster promoting the Design Team, and a project for my family. I'm also wanted to do another poster in a few weeks. I love graphic design but it is time consuming- it's difficult to fit it in with everything else I'm doing.

• I decided to be a total "Nathalie" and buy a local sheep fleece to use for a felting project. Ever since I took a felting class with Bridget's 4H group I thought it would be fun to get the raw wool myself so I could see the process from start to finish. I found a family from the Scottish Borders who sell individual fleeces online (Tweedside Borders), and contacted them to buy one. I chose the fleece from a ewe named Damara, who looked very darling in her picture. I really look forward to receiving the beautiful grey wool in the mail- hopefully it won't look too suspicious to the janitor! I'll post any projects I make with it- so far I'm planning on making a cloche hat.

• I am really glad because almost all the work for this term is finished. All I have left is an Italian test, an Italian paper, and my Art History and Social Anthropology exams. Though there is a lot of pressure from the exams coming up, at the moment I am feeling very relaxed because I just submitted my last Social Anthropology essay on "Does ethnic tourism destroy what it seeks?" and completed the Art History visual analysis test. The visual analysis test was quite brutal- we had to remember about 120 art and architecture pieces and their context as preparation. In the actual test, 5 pictures were shown and we had 9 minutes to write as much as we could for each. I found the time limit really crazy- I was able to identify each slide easily, but didn't have time to write coherently about them- I wish we could have just done bullet notes. I'm worried because people around me were writing full pages, whereas for each one I only got half a page- I'm a really slow writer (the main reason these blog posts are so spread out- I need a good chunk of time to write them).

Victoria and I at West Sands

• I met up with my friend Victoria last weekend. She is studying abroad in Paris, and (lucky girl!) has no classes on Fridays so can take short three-day trips around Europe. She visited Glasgow on Friday morning, then took the bus to St. Andrews to meet me. On the evening of her arrival, we went for a small walk around town and went out to dinner. In the morning, I took her on a special "Nathalie Tour" of St. Andrews, which was pretty fun! We started at the Golf Course and West Sands, then made our way along the Scores to St. Sallies, the Northpoint Cafe (where "Will met Kate"), the Castle, the pier, and the Cathedral. Then we headed back the other direction, stopping into small shops until we got to West Port. We were hungry by then, so I suggested we try the Whey Pat nachos, since I had heard they were a "must do" of St. Andrews. Let's just say they weren't exactly up to Southern California standards- I don't think it is necessary ever to get them again. In the afternoon we took the bus to Edinburgh, and surprisingly met another girl who lived in Santa Barbara who noticed us because of Victoria's Santa Barbara backpack!

A lovely day in St. Andrews! 

Skyfall poster

When we got to Edinburgh, we walked to the hostel on High Street. As we were walking, we saw another person from Santa Barbara who Victoria knew from elementary school (it really is a small world)! We checked into our hostel, then strolled along George Street. We decided it would be fun to go see Skyfall, especially since there was supposed to be a scene in Scotland, and thought we should try to catch a show in the Cameo Picture House, a vintage-y type theater. It was really fun running through the streets to get there. It was drizzling, and people were everywhere because of a big sports game, so things were just generally chaotic. We wove our way through everything in such a way that it felt like being in a time-lapse film. The movie was great- I liked it a lot better than Casino Royale- though the "true" Bond movies to me are the originals with Sean Connery. I especially liked the allusions to past Bond films and the historical tie-ins in the paintings (see here). When the movie was finished, we grabbed some food and went back to the hostel.

Hostel room

We slept on bunks with assigned names (I was Robin and Victoria was Batman). People drunkenly stumbled in throughout the night, but I pretty much slept through it all- I only remember waking up once when a person turned on the light, and once to throw off my covers because it was so hot in the room. We got up early in the morning, and walked along the Royal Mile until we got to the Castle. The sun was just rising and nobody was out yet, so it was perfect for taking pictures! We went back to the "new" part of town after that, and realized since it was Sunday nothing would be open until 11:00. We got some breakfast, then wandered around the empty streets (such a contrast to the night before!) looking for something to do. We finally went to the National Portrait Gallery, as it was free and open. I really liked the Gothic Revival architecture of the building itself, and also enjoyed seeing some paintings of Tudors which I've seen in books. We went to a few shops as they opened, then said our goodbyes. Victoria went to the airport and I stayed an extra hour in Edinburgh looking for a winter coat. Then I headed back home and finished my anthropology essay!

Edinburgh Castle

Sticky Toffee Pudding

• I went to the Adrenaline Ball last night, for students in Canoe, Cycling, Breakaway, Mountaineering, and Scuba. Admittedly, I was very nervous to go, but I knew it would be an excellent experience. Anyways, at around 6:00 in the evening I met up with some friends, and we headed over to the "Castle" for a small pre-party. When everyone was ready, we walked down the Scores to the Golf Hotel, where the event was being held. After a little while we sat down to dinner at our assigned tables. The meal actually went pretty well, considering I'm such a picky eater- I didn't have the tomato soup, but ate the risotto dish and tried the sticky toffee pudding, which I really liked. When the meal finished, we watched some members of each society participate in a "Boat Race" drinking game- unfortunately, I think Cycling won, but we were pretty close behind.

After that, the céilidh (kay-lee, traditional dancing) began, which was definitely my favorite part of the evening. I've done group dances at lots of Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations, once at a Greek Glendi, and a bit in ballet, and always really enjoyed them, so I was excited to try céilidh dancing. If you are interested descriptions of the dances see this link. I didn't do the first dance, The Gay Gordons, because I kind of wanted to observe the situation, but did all the dances after that. My favorite dances were Orcadian Strip the Willow, The Virginia Reel, and the Eightsome Reel (which was the most complicated). We also did The Dashing White Sergeant and a variation of the Canadian or Highland Barn Dance. They were all so much fun!

Next came the discotheque part of the evening, which turned out to be a lot more enjoyable then I was expecting! I avoided all my high school dances because I hated the experience in middle school, but it was much better in comparison to the dances I remember because:
a) The music was a nice mixture of lighthearted electronic dance music, which I much prefer to hip-hop and rap
b) We formed a large Canoe Club dance circle, instead of being in a chaotic mass of people
c) The dancing itself was not excessively "raunchy", for lack of a better word

At around 12:30, the music ended abruptly and the party was over. We took a few group photos, then went our separate ways. I went with a few people to the Union, where we just kind of relaxed and played pool for a while. Finally, I went home- getting to my dorm at 2:00am! It was quite an evening!

Canoe Club at the Adrenaline Ball (photo credit: Freda)

• Today I went to the Vintage Christmas Fair with my academic sister. It was really nice- there were many booths with vintage clothing and items, people selling cupcakes and Christmas-y goodies, and singing groups onstage. I got a small purse and some steampunk bobby pins. Afterwards we went to a used CD and DVD sale, mostly just to look around- the DVDs here aren't the right zone for the US.

• And now, just for fun- I've stumbled a few times with my British English over the past few weeks. Some amusing examples:

While paying a fee:
What I said:
"Here's the 15 bucks I owe you"
What it means here:
"Here's the 15 deer I owe you"
What I should have said:
"Here's the 15 quid I owe you"

While doing laundry (luckily to a friend):
What I said:
"I'm excited to get this load of wash done- I ran out of pants so I'm only wearing skirts."
What it means here:
"I'm excited to get this load of wash done- I ran out of underwear so I'm only wearing skirts."
What I should have said:
"I'm excited to get this load of wash done- I ran out of trousers so I'm only wearing skirts."

While talking about food:
What I said:
"I don't like pudding very much"
What it means here:
"I don't like dessert very much"
What I should have said:
"I don't like (insert type of pudding/custard such as "pease" or "figgy") pudding very much"

Other phrases I'm trying to get used to:
queue- line
you all right?- how are you?
cheers- thanks
toilet/loo- bathroom/ restroom
hiya- hi
swimming costume- bathing suit
revise- review/ study
faff- to waste time
chips- french fries
crisps- chips
biscuits- cookies
squash- concentrated sugary drink
em- um
sellotape- scotch tape
torch- flashlight
maths- math
cheeky- smart alecky/ impudent
fringe- bangs
lorry- truck
zed- the letter "z"


I'm sorry that was such a long winded post- I really need to write more often!

These past couple of weeks have been hectic but amazing! Here's an overview in slightly chronological order:

• I turned in my papers for Art History and Social Anthropology, did my Art History presentation, and took my Italian grammar test all on Monday of last week. My presentation, which was on the Brancacci Chapel frescoes done by Masolino and Masaccio, went pretty well I think. I am scared to death of public speaking, but have been better about it since the speech I had to give earlier this year for National Charity League. My main problem is that I freeze up and cannot "think on my feet" while in front of many people, so talks I give must be very scripted and I have to prepare myself for questions that I think will be asked. I didn't do particularly well on the Italian test, I just get so confused when it comes to grammar. I always mix up the different tenses and irregularities.

Brancacci Chapel collage I made for my title slide

• I went to the Design Team EGM meeting thinking I would just observe and cast my vote in the committee elections. It turned out that only four of us showed up, so I actually got a position on the committee without having to make a speech- it was really awesome! I am now the "Special Projects Coordinator" and will be helping to facilitate some of the larger design projects. On my own I've been studying the course material for the Adobe Associate's Certification for Photoshop. I want to eventually go to a computer center in Edinburgh where I can take the certification test.

• I went to a talk on Ancient Monsters in Legends and on Maps, which was really fascinating. The lecturer was mainly interested in what people of the day believed was real- not their myths or folklore. I liked one slide he showed us where a woolly mammoth skeleton was reconstructed into the skeleton of a giant- a possible explanation for why ancient people believed they existed.

• I met with my academic sisters for coffee last week before Raisin began. We thought up lots of fun family excursions we could go on- such as ice-skating in Dundee or having a cathedral graveyard picnic. I hope we'll actually do some of the things we planned!

• I've been getting a lot of Etsy orders lately, which is very nice. Unfortunately, it has been awkward trying to use the kitchen oven to bake the minis- I usually cover them with a paper towel until they go into the oven, just so I don't get the confused stares of people wondering how I'm going to eat such tiny loaves of bread!

• Last Saturday I went on an Art History field trip to Edinburgh. We visited the National Gallery of Scotland and went on a walking tour of the New Town. In the gallery we were given talks on Renaissance artists, and got to see many famous works up close. However, I enjoyed the walking tour a bit better because it was more "practical" (for lack of a better word). It reinforced the fact that art is all around you, especially in the form of architecture, and there are often stories or hidden symbols if you look around. I learned a lot about the classical orders because examples were close at hand, unlike in a classroom setting. I never realized before and loved the fact that classical architecture has its roots in old wooden construction methods (e.g. a column represents an upright tree trunk). After the tours I had some time to myself before the bus left, so I walked down Princes Street and took some photographs. I had just enough time to climb to the top of the Scott Monument- which has 287 narrow winding steps. The view was absolutely spectacular! I can't wait to explore Edinburgh some more in the future!

Edinburgh Panorama

At the top of the Scott Monument

• The Raisin Weekend activities were really exciting- to tell the truth, I was super nervous at first, but everything ended up fine and I had lots of fun. On Sunday morning, I met up with my academic relatives from my dorm and walked over to my academic mom's house. When we got inside I gave my mom a traditional present of wine and raisins (and for fun some baking supplies) and she gave me an awesome penguin Raisin string to go on my red gown. We proceeded to play a lot of party games- some which were really unusual. I ended up winning a game called After Eight where you try to get an After Eight chocolate from your forehead to your mouth without your hands- don't ask me how I did it, I have no idea. Other notable games were Mafia, Wink-Murder, bobbing for apples, doughnuts on a string, pass the parcel, Spoons, and trying to pick up a cereal box with your mouth as it gets cut down progressively smaller.

Raisin Gifts and Shaving Foam

Playing After Eight game (photo credit: Lizzie)

Doughnuts on a String (photo credit: Josie)

After my mom's party, I went over to Sallie's basement for my dad's. This party was quite a bit bigger and more drink oriented. Every family member was "initiated" by drinking a very vile shot called Unicum (which I later looked up to be the national shot of Hungary). I spent most of the party with my academic sisters. We were given drinks by our father, but since he knew we were mostly inexperienced drinkers they weren't so bad (don't worry readers, we did have the option not to drink, it was not a peer pressure thing). I had quite a bit of hard cider and some disgusting Skittle-flavored vodka- overall I ended up just slightly tipsy, and it wore off within an hour. I felt comfortable with the amount of alcohol I had, it seemed like a good "maximum" level for me (especially since I felt completely normal in the morning). We ended up leaving the party at around midnight and getting some pizza (or in my case some garlic bread). After that we went to Sallie's quad where I filmed my dad and sister singing Aquarius from Hair. Then we went over to my academic sister's dorm to watch a bit of The Princess Bride. Everyone was falling asleep, so we all decided to say our goodnights and head home.

On Monday morning a met up with my academic mom in my hall and got dressed in my costume. She dressed me as a pirate, with a twirly mustache and handcrafted sword and hat. Then I was sent off down Market St. to my dad's house. I met one of my academic sister's outside, and we went up to his apartment. I gave him his Raisin gift, and he gave both of us our Raisin receipts which happened to be pieces of an Irn Bru staff of sentimental value (see earlier post) he had made in another year. He scrawled "LATIN" across them, and wished us luck in the foam fight. We waited a while to see if our other sister's would show up, but couldn't find them, so went to the fight as a duo, armed with our foam and receipts. At the entrance, they collected our receipts, then we put on our goggles and went into the fray. Our tactic was to wait near the entrance and attack those not yet covered in foam. At the end of the fight we met our academic moms. I changed at my academic aunt's house and said my goodbyes, then attended my Art History tutorial. The weekend was so fun it went by like a breeze!

Pirate Costume with Streetlight Costume (photo credit: Lizzie)

Covered in Foam with my sister (photo credit: Lizzie)

• Halloween this year was a bit of a let-down, but it was still pretty nice. I guess it just didn't feel as Halloweenish as I'm used to- this is the first year I haven't carved a pumpkin, trick-or-treated, or gone to a Halloween party. I went to my Italian class in the morning, and in the afternoon went with the Canoe Club to the Cambo Estate to help with some forest maintenance. We were basically cutting up and sorting some felled trees into piles (logs, poles, medium sized branches to be made into charcoal, and small bits to throw in a bonfire). It was fun, and I was happy when I created a little system for myself. We were all completely covered in mud and soaking wet by the end.

"The Tree Team"

Velma

I went back to my dorm, cleaned up a little, and got into my Halloween costume. I couldn't give up that tradition- I make a costume every year, and felt like I would be betraying myself if I didn't. I actually made a steampunk costume over the summer, but left it at home, so I had to come up with something else. I decided on being Velma from Scooby Doo because I had everything I needed in my room. I went out wearing the costume with a sweater and without the glasses, so I basically just looked like I was wearing fancy but normal clothes (I was secretly dressed up, only for my own enjoyment, I know it is sad). I walked over to the "Castle", the home of many Canoe Club members, and watched two Halloween movies- Ghostbusters and Friday the 13th. Everyone screamed at the end of Friday the 13th, it had a really shocking finish. I left at around midnight and walked home by myself. It was rather terrifying, especially because I saw a person wearing a mask of one of the movie characters down an alleyway!

• I've also been studying Arthurian legends again on my own- a little nerdy side hobby of mine. I'm reading the Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend alongside The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Arthurian Legends, as well as Tennyson's Idylls of the King and Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, and comparing and contrasting information with things I've seen in movies or read in contemporary fiction such as The Mists of Avalon series.

• The weather has changed much faster than I am used to. Fall kind of happened in a week- leaves fell off the trees almost overnight- and now it feels like winter is coming (not intended to be a Game of Thrones reference). Yesterday morning on my way to Italian, I skidded across what I thought was mud from the rain the night before and found that it was ice. We also had our daylight savings time change, so now it gets dark starting at around 4:30 in the afternoon.

• As for theater tech, I've still been just slightly involved. I helped find flowers for Hair last week, and helped a little bit with setting up lighting for the production yesterday. They didn't need me for the actual show, so I went to watch. It was really well done! I was surprised at the difference between the movie, which I've seen many times, and the musical itself. The musical is a lot more free form, with less emphasis on individuals and more on the overall group. I found it kind of ironic that one of the hippies handed me a flower during the performance.

• Oh yes... I also finished knitting Nessie!!!

Nessie