Friday Happenings

19 September 2008

Lyrics of the Day:

“For me, this is beautiful.  

A brand new thought and a brand new world.

Can I stay here forever, here with you?” - Starfield

While the morning started out somewhat strangely, the rest of the day worked itself out to be surprisingly pleasant.  What I mean by that is...My roommates moseyed on in to our chalet at the bright and early hour of 7am.  They didn’t make too much noise.  I heard Nuella muttering about something to Jemma and Adelle, but for the most part they were quiet.  I went back to sleep, thinking of nothing but the sound of my alarm sounding at 10am.  

As luck would have it, I actually woke up at 9am.  Having heard more voices in the kitchen area I decided to get dressed and investigate.  I soon learned there was a cleaning woman in the chalet.  Her name is Francis, and she cleans the chalet bathrooms and kitchen area every Friday morning.  She seemed nice, albeit armed with a hoover and rubber gloves.

Once I was ready for the day I left the chalet and headed toward the library.  I wanted to check Facebook and email as well as double-check on the time for my Religion lecture.  So I spent a few hours there, updating the blog, writing various people, basically bumming around until noon.  Becca and I planned to meet for lunch at noon.  I left around ten to and met Becca outside.  

Although at a different venue, the lunch options remained unchanged.  I had a feta and cheese tomale-type thing, water, and pie.  Becca had similar.  The lunchroom wasn’t too crowded.  I really liked the scenery.  The hills beyond Stirling were very visible,  beautiful in brown and green patches.  

We finished lunch around 12:30 then walked to Becca’s dorm to drop off some stuff.  Becca had to register for a doctor, in the event that she get sick while abroad, so we walked to the medical building on campus for her to fill out a form.  I actually filled one out too, not knowing study abroad students who were only on campus for one semester didn’t need to register.  (Becca is staying for a year, which is why she had to do all of this.)

So, after being slightly embarrassed by the fact that I filled out a form I really didn’t need to, I waited for Becca to talk to a nurse about her form.  We were out of the medical building by 2.  We walked back to her dorm.  I grabbed my backpack, which I had left in her room, and the two of us walked around.  

We ended up in the library again, checked our email, then wandered around the atrium booths (there was another involvement fair going on).  We stumbled upon a booth advocating for American students to vote.  Becca and I hadn’t registered to vote yet and so we sat down and filled out a form to register/receive and absentee ballot for the upcoming election.  It was relatively painless, although I did have to call my dad to get my driver’s license information.  Anyway, once that was taken care of, Becca, who didn’t have her driver’s license information with her, took her form back to her room while I went over to the posters to meet Laura (she had wandered in while we were filling out the voter forms).  One of her flatmates, her flatmate’s sister, and a friend were there with her, also looking at the posters.

Laura and I eventually broke away from them to go to the bookstore.  I needed to purchase a book for Environmental Sciences.  I also wanted to see if I needed any books for Religion.  As it turned out, I didn’t, thankfully.  The professor for our religion class is giving us a reading packet with various readings already inside it.  Of course, we have to pay for this, but it should be better and less expensive than buying three different books.

After purchasing the Environmental Science book, Laura and I once again visited the library.  Kyle was there, checking his email.  The three of us, after having our fill of Internet life, sat in the atrium drinking soda and talking, waiting until we had to go to our 4pm lectures.  Laura and I had our religion lecture to attend, while Kyle had a history lecture, or something.  Before leaving, Laura, Kyle and I agreed to meet up at 6 for dinner.  Becca and I already decided to meet for dinner.  I merely extended the invitation.

Once Laura and I reached our religion lecture, we sat down and waited until the lecturer appeared.  The three hundred other students gathered also waited for the lecturer.  We waited for about twenty minutes, then realized he wasn’t showing up.  The class dispersed.

Laura and I walked out of the building then Laura told me she didn’t really want to eat dinner, as planned.  She had something at her flat she wanted to make.  So we said our goodbyes and I walked to the library.  I didn’t stay long.  I wanted to drop off my books at the chalet before dinner.  So I checked email and Facebook, then walked to the chalet.  My chaletmates were there.  I said hi to them briefly, put my books down, freshened up a bit, then left.

I met Becca, Kyle, and one of Kyle’s flatmates, Steve, outside the cafeteria at 6.  It was good dinner.  Breaded turkey with greenbeans, potatoes, and pudding for dessert.  I also had watery pineapple juice for a drink.  Yay.  Well, the conversation was lively, at least.  Steve was telling us about waterpolo (he’s the captain of the team, apparently) and where he wants to travel one day (he said the US, but not to a big city since he doesn’t like those.  I should probably mention that Steve is from Newcastle, England.). 

I liked talking to him, even though he was talking to the group.  I asked most of the questions.  He looked at me quite a bit.  Yeah, I guess I was attracted to him.  Hah.  Well...anyway, they walked in the direction of the residence halls (not toward the chalets, but where the three lived) and I followed along, engaged in conversation with Steve.  I found out he didn’t really like to drink and that he didn’t ever want to live in a big city.  Two things I found on the same par of attractiveness as the accent.

We eventually split off, Becca and I returning to her flat where I checked to see what time the Christian Union was meeting tonight.  I’d received a Facebook message from a postrgad student from Northern Ireland, Claire, informing me of the meeting.  I took that as a sign from God and decided to go.  I’ve really felt isolated in my faith since coming here.  It seems so many people I talk to either don’t like talking about their faith or are atheists.  Anyway, the meeting started at 7:30.  It was 6:45.  I asked if Becca wanted to take a walk around the loch.  We did and, while we walked, we talked about our favorite pets, her cat who is eighteen years old, her cousin who finally got a puppy.  It was good conversation.  We then walked to the atrium where the meeting was.  Becca went off to view some other board and then go back to her room.  I went to the Chaplaincy room where I was greeted by Hannah, a study abroad student from Australia.  She’d been studying at the university for three years and was one of the officers of the Christian Union (CU).

She directed me to a table of girls, one was from South Africa, another from England, and the third from Northern Ireland (not the same girl who had Facebook messaged me earlier).  We talked for a while about our traveling experiences, our likes and dislikes, syblings - basic conversation-starters.  Then the officers of CU introduced themselves to the lot of us - there were quite a lot of students gathered there.  They gave  run down of the CU’s mission statement and some of the activities provided.  They do a House Party (weekend getaway), a Bible study on Tuesday nights, as well as participate in various ceilidhs (cailley’s).  Ceilidhs are traditional Scottish dances.  I am SO excited to attend one.  There is an informal one being held next Thursday.  Apparently, around Christmastime they do another ceilidh, a formal one.  Maybe I will be able to wear my one formal dress after all...Anyway, it should be interesting and fun.

After the introductions, my friend Claire pulled a chair up and we started talking.  We have a lot in common, and not just choir - so that is great!  Apparently she spent some time this past summer and the summer before in West Africa doing mission-type work with the locals.  Very impressive.  She also talked about seeing Wicked in London ANNND, I found out she has seen a Shakespeare play at the GLOBE THEATRE!!!!!!!  I am so excited.  She said she will send me the link to the Globe so I might be able to see a play there before they close for the season.  Wow.  Imagine that!  

Later, two other people joined our conversation - a younger, college-age guy and and older man, in his late fifties, early sixties.  Both are students at the university.  I found out the older man is in my religion class, a Scottish native, and taking classes at Uni for some reason (the noise, coupled with the Scottish accent didn’t help in my understanding what he said....so I missed pretty much all of his introductions, including his name).  Anyway...the other younger guy was from a different region in Northern Ireland.  Once again I didn’t catch his name.  He spoke too quickly.  But he seemed nice, was in his third year at Uni.  That’s about all I got out of that conversation.

Claire and I left around 9:30.  I wanted to get back to the chalet before my flatmates came back from their night out.  She and I decided we would go to dinner Monday night before choir practice.  She is going to show me pictures of the Globe, among others.  It’s exciting.  I am glad I went the the CU meeting and that she and I seem to be defying the “just Facebook friends” mentality.  We are becoming actual friends.  Yay.

Well, that is about it for now.  Tomorrow Laura, Sarah, Becca, and I are going to Stirling castle and to various shops throughout town.  It should be fun.  I’m looking forward to it.