I'll tell me Ma when I go home...

Quite a lot, most likely (as I tend to... :D ). Including the fact that a traditional Irish song I had only ever heard belted out by the jaw-clenched lead singer of the Dubliners was recently played in a dance club, remixed and synthesized, to hilarious effect. It is truly quite ridiculous and makes me laugh. A lot.

YouTube: I'll Tell Me Ma Irish Clubland (This is a (slightly less obnoxious) version of the same thing, and it amuses me no end as well: YouTube: I'll Tell Me Ma Sham Rock)

I will also probably tell her about the lovely hike I had yesterday. Edinburgh city is positioned on and around a series of dramatic bluffs and crags (likely because of the strategic advantage of having one’s castle, about which the city grew, on higher ground). The highest of these bluffs – it would be called a mountain in the Midwest, and a (large-ish) hill in Colorado or California, so take your pick – is called Arthur’s Seat. It is almost 1000 feet in elevation, and unlike every other mountain I have ever climbed, completely covered in earth and grass and moss. I swear, it was like trying to climb a sponge; a big, wet sponge, due to the recent drizzles of rain. Lovely on the knees, bad on the currently-mud-covered shoes. (For the Geology lovers: it was formed by a now-extinct volcano, then carved by passing glaciers in the last ice age... or so says my Scottish History professor.) The story goes that King Arthur used the peak as a lookout from which he could view the surrounding country-side, and while I am not going to spend much time on the veracity of said myth, I must say that as far as views go, it was truly spectacular. We got a 360 degree view of the entire city, and could see across the “firth” (not “bay”) to the north and on to the mountains beyond. It was encouraging to be able to look down and spot buildings on campus, my dorms, the castle, and other landmarks all around the area – I am actually getting to know my way around a bit of the city, which pleases me no end. We stayed just long enough to watch the sun set, (at 4:20 pm, by the way – the days are absurdly short here) then very nearly RAN down the hill to escape the icy wind. It took about fifteen minutes for me to be able to feel my poor fingers again. To the Minnesotans: Yes, we are badasses, and yes, it is not nearly so cold here as it is there (nobody freeze please). Alas though, I have discovered that in my hubris I have been wearing insufficient layers and getting cold anyway, which makes me feel rather silly. You all know I should know better. It was alright though, and the rosy clouds fading slowly to expose the huge full moon, heavy and golden, made it all worth it. Tons of curry for dinner helped too.

Fun fact: apparently, curry is the most eaten food in Scotland, or at least in Edinburgh. Not Haggis (still haven’t tried it; I am a coward, I know), or potatoes, or fish and chips, or mash, or …mutton, or whatever else it is that Scots eat traditionally. This makes me really pleased on a practical level, because that means that there are Indian, Thai, Middle-eastern, Chinese, and Japanese restaurants EVERYWHERE. Not always affordable, but no more expensive than most other places. And what quite amuses me is the fact that in the greasy-little fish and chips joints, where the grimy glass proclaims FISH CHIPS KEBABS PIZZA BURGERS STUDENT DISCOUNTS, one of the options for one’s chips (ie, fries) is to order chips and curry. Again, still haven’t tried it. It’s an interesting idea though I suppose…


What one ought to have on one's chips is just one of the many little assumptions about life that I am having to rethink. For example, for twenty years I have been operating under the assumptions that Week Night means homework and sleep, not parrtaaay!, that "Natural" on a container of yogurt refers to its production, not its (very plain) flavor, that it's okay to skip shaving my legs during the week in the winter (it isn't when you are going clubbing...), that "purse" refers to a bag and not your wallet (here, men put their cards and money in "wallets," women in "purses," which they put in their "bags"), and the assumption that saying, "It's cold! Wish I had worn pants! (Instead of a skirt)" will not make other people think you are going commando (here, it will. Underwear=pants). I got a few funny looks with that last one, I must say... Haha!

Zoe and Dan and I, beginning our ascent up Arthur's Seat,
with Edinburgh city in the background

Yay pretty views. And Mac kids! 

There was a ruined chapel part of the way up... not sure
when it was originally built, but it must have
been lovely, if only because of the location:
gorgeous views!

A view overlooking the south-western part
of the city.
(Right) Dan was brave and climbed up onto
the marker of the peak: SO TALL!

Can you tell we were freezing?

Arthur's Seat~ so high! 

Classes Smashes, + some gossip

Gorgeous hall on campus...  I want to have class
in there! (I think I would be distracted by the
general prettiness though, alas...)

So, it appears that people occasionally do study here, despite all appearances to the contrary. After a week of stressing, I have finally gotten my classes sorted out, which is rather a relief. I am taking: Celtic Literature (2B), Scottish Studies 1B: Creating Scotland, and Shakespeare: Modes and Genres (typical, yes I know). Shakespeare promises to be interesting and not too hard (especially considering I have read about 10 of the 12 plays on the list! Hah. Nerdiness is a wonderful thing) and as an avowed lover of the Bard I think it should make me happy in general. Creating Scotland is a multidisciplinary study of the various forces that have shaped Scotland over its long history, and we have six or seven different lecturers coming in to talk about their various areas of expertise as they related to Scotland: Archeology, Anthropology, Geography and it's influence on the Scottish culture, linguistic studies of the Scottish dialect, cultural formation of the clan system and its eventual breakdown, ... It's a pretty exciting lineup. I am not even dissuaded by the fact that the lecture hall is massive (really, quite huge, and very steep, so that you are nearly writing on the head of the person in front of you...) and that there are seventy people in it (which, for a Macalester person, seems positively gargantuan). Celtic Literature will kick my butt, I think. It is taught in two sections, an Irish one and a Scottish one, and both of them involve tons of totally and completely unpronounceable names. Case in point: Giolla-Coluim mac an Ollaimh, Eoin MacMhuirich, Aonghas MacDhomnhaill, Mhac Fhionghuin, etc. And those are just the Scottish ones; somehow the Irish ones are worse. Dearie me. (Of course, they are absolutely gorgeous sounding when not mangled by the stupid Americans in the class...) The two professors are both very nice though, although the Scottish one is rather difficult to understand. The Irish professor is adorable; she looks like someone out of a history book, or a Victorian novel. In addition to her layered skirts, her leather boots, quaint buttoned sweaters and delicate features, she also manages to gather her hair into a heavy, elaborate, elegant bundle at the back of her head that looks like it must take HOURS. I really enjoy her lectures, and it is at least in part because her appearance is so appropriate: she matches the gorgeous, intricate molding and dark faded portraits that grace the walls of our classroom.

That is Teviot House, our student center.
Guess what?
IT IS ANOTHER CASTLE.
Oh, and it has multiple bars in it. ...!!!

I have gotten to know a few people in my Celtic literature class, which is pleasant: a few fellow American students, whom I identified by the looks of mild panic - identical to my own - that they had when required to say one of the horrendous names aloud; also a Canadian girl, and a few Scottish students as well. Bit of an amusing situation with one of the Scottish fellows - he and a few of his friends (I thought) were going for coffee after our morning class on Thursday and he invited me to accompany them. Turns out it was just the two of us, and we chatted for quite a while. I like getting to know people and he was very nice, so that was pleasant, and I let him talk me into getting lunch afterwards. Perhaps I am unpardonably dense, but it wasn't until we were halfway through the meal that I realized this was likely NOT meant just as friends (it was around the time of my joking admission that flavored vodka for me leads to bad decisions and his only half-joking assertion that that would be the first thing he would ply me with that I really caught on).  It was flattering to have someone want to buy me lunch/a drink, but he is a little older (26 I think; not a problem but not really my cup of tea) and alas, I am not interested. (Sorry for the lack of juicy gossip ladies ~ he is "not nearly handsome enough to tempt me," not to mention not TALL enough - you know me. Hah. Gold stars to the first one to name the quote... ) I had already agreed to visit a museum with him the next day - something I had been wanting to do anyway - and so I asked my friend Alice to accompany me to diffuse the potential awkwardness (for more on what does or does not count as leading someone on/a date, see the other blog to which I contribute: http://boygirltalk.blogspot.com/   :D It is amusing and silly and fun!) which she did beautifully. Three cheers for Alice!

We waited in The Forrest Cafe, a wholly volunteer-run
venue with eclectic, off-beat decor and excellent drinks.
Yes, that is a string of single gloves, with tags stating where they were found.

On our wanderings on our way to the museum we came
across yet another ancient gorgeous building.
Huzzah for shameless tourists snapping photos!!
No idea what the palace to the left is, but it is
truly beautiful.

Alice! And Teviot Row House. Yay.

I have been pretty lucky to have made such a lovely friend here: not only has Alice kindly saved me from the possible embarrassment of a not-date, but she has also been my fellow explorer, someone willing to split pints of Guinness (because really, that is a lot of very heavy beer for one person... or at least for me), and has accompanied me out into the big, scary world populated by People Who Go Out On Weeknights. Apparently, this applies to just about everyone in this city, or at least everyone who goes to the University. There is a club literally around the corner from my residence hall (or "Accommodations" as they are usually referred to) called the Hive, which, while not the classiest of venues ( it is peopled by either "twats" or sullen emo kids, depending on the night and music, it seems) does play danceable music, and has drinks that are affordable, and, most attractive of all, THE GUYS OUTNUMBER THE GIRLS ON THE DANCE FLOOR. I swear, I am NOT lying. Reportedly, this is not at all uncommon, I was amazed and ecstatic to learn.

This means that although I came down with a cold and don't feel up to partying this weekend, it isn't really a problem: the party will still be happening next week. (And the week after.... And...)

Houses, Caves, Dorm rooms, Castles

'The Elephant House' is the name of a rather lovely café about three minutes walk from the campus of the University of Edinburgh. It is renowned for its excellent hot chocolate (even better when one adds Bailey’s, or Kahlua, or ~goodness me~ BOTH), its pleasant atmosphere, the awesome elephant-themed décor, and the fact that about seventeen years ago a single mom on welfare spent rather a lot of time sitting at one of their tables, writing a story about a scrawny orphan with messy hair and a magic wand... Yes my friends, I am sipping a mocha in the café known as the birthplace of Harry Potter. (Aaaaahhh!!!!) As if that weren’t amazing enough, their drinks really are excellent, there are Babar books in the corner, and they are playing Mumford and Sons. If you are not familiar with them (and even if you are; they are AMAZING) take a moment and listen to this. Now.

YouTube - Mumford and Sons The Cave

As most of you are aware, I became admittedly obsessed with this band last semester. The listen-them-on-repeat, know-all-the-words, drive-your-housemates-nuts-by-refusing-to-play-anything-else sort of obsessed. Their lyrics are interesting and intelligent, their melodies are lovely and/or fun, and their songs were just what I needed to hear at times. So this situation right now makes me really pleased.

A very wise and wonderful woman told me once when I was going through a difficult time that I should stop, and ‘count my gratitudes:’ recall to mind all those many things for which I am so grateful. It’s a pretty darn long list even at the worst of times when I am wallowing and cranky with the world, because in general, I am supremely lucky and life is rather excellent, but right now? That list would go out the door. It would start with the opportunity to be sitting here, looking out the window at Hogwarts  the Edinburgh Castle, and would end with the fact that, although five floors worth of stairs – up a spiral staircase! – is a long, long way to climb to get to one’s room, I get to see the ocean out of the window on the way up. It would include having said room be abnormally large and quite nice, and having one's flatmates be not only generally friendly but people who share your interests (Theater! Crew!) and who are well on the way to becoming real friends. It would also include having the chance to get to know peers who are from somewhere else, different, unique (and wholly 'luvly) and at the same time to discover our similarities and to bond with both Korean exchange students and Scottish farmers’ daughters over things like protective fathers and extended editions of the Lord of the Rings (LOVE!). (Thus far, my family and I are still the only ones I have met crazy enough to watch all three in a row. So much Middle Earth. So worth it.) I am grateful for the chance just to be in this wonderful part of the world. …The fact that they listen to awesome music just makes it all a little bit better. :D

A quiet sunrise through the Edinburgh clouds,
out of my window on the first day of class.

This is as close as I could get to the Royal Palace (where the Queen and Princes stay when they come to Scotland)
without handing over several pounds. It was still quite impressive, and a mile directly east of the Castle.
Below is the Scottish Parliament, reinstated in the '90s; a thoroughly modern building that looked at least 500
years older than everything else in the city.

                                                                           

I came across this memorial on one of my
 random wanders. It looks ...Greek?
Also, please note that as per the photo to the left,
ALL THE BUILDINGS ARE CASTLES.

         

 Up to the right is the museum of Scotland, on campus, free, and rather pretty I think. To
the left is the statue of Greyfriars Bobby, a little scottish terrier who
was inseparable from his owner, a night watchman. When his owner
died, Bobby sat by his master's gravefor his remaining 14 years,
still guarding it.

One of the MANY elephants in the Elephant House cafe,
and a distant view of Edinburgh Castle...! (Hm. I
can't imagine where Jo Rowling got the idea for Hogwarts...)

Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus.
...
I am a nerd. And I really like this castle.

Dear frigid, ice-bound, arctic Minnesota...

...Thank you SO much. Had I not had the exquisite pleasure of having my hair freeze when I walked outside, or been grateful when my ears went numb from the cold (since numb means it doesn't hurt any more) or learned the hard way that at certain temperatures it is both chilly enough to make your eyes water and cold enough to freeze your tears, I might be a bit more unhappy right now. It is rather grey here in luvly Scotland, and certainly not tropical, but while I am enjoying a balmy 37 degree day, my friends seem rather put out about it. I used to be a complete wimp about the cold, but now, I feel rather hard-core. Once again, dearest, darling-est, freezing-est Minnesota, thanks a ton.

Honestly though, the weather here really isn't that bad. With a decent coat and good shoes it is not only possible to survive the trek from one class to the next (a marathon distance of a whole five minutes' walk) but positively pleasant to wander around. Of course, this might be because I am still very much in the awe-struck, wide-eyed tourist stage, trying to be subtle while I snap photos of EVERYthing and trying not to make my staring too obvious and in love with all that I see. I am still in my honeymoon with this city... Maybe I will get over it eventually, but I don't really think so.

One more thing, Minnesota? Thanks for knowing how to deal with snow. Really Scotland, it is not that hard to scrape a sidewalk or salt a driveway. I suppose the cobblestones make it a little complicated, but really. A little more effort please. At this point, I am utterly convinced that if I do not get myself killed while crossing the street because I looked the wrong way (HAS NEARLY HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES) then I am going to die by slipping on the untouched ice and breaking my neck. Brilliant. :D

Here there be castles.

I have too much to say to make much sense, so I am going to pull an Emily and make a LIST.

Things that make me happy (there are a lot):

• SCOTTISH ACCENTS.
• Getting off the plane in Heathrow and discovering that the terminal is really a mall in disguise; not only that, but there was a live band playing Cuban salsa music, and waiters with little shot-glass samples of cuban rum mixed drinks, to go with the music. So tasty :D
• BRITISH ACCENTS.
• Meeting new flatmates. Not only are they nice, funny, and generally amiable people, but they also listen to fun music (yaaay Lady Gaga!) and like to party. Apparently a lot. As does most of the UK, it seems.
• The view out my window (photos to come soon)! Snow-topped roofs and chimneys and some sort of tower-dome-thing. (I am soooo articulate.)
• The fact that there is a CASTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY. SO wonderful.
• How compact Edinburgh is. In a few hours, I walked all around got damp sore feet, but saw so much!
• Getting lost. You find the best things that way (like a farmer's market, woooo!).
• 50p coins, and pound coins.
• The fact that despite all the complaints I have been hearing about the cold, it is still 25 degrees warmer here than it is in Minnesota.
• My bed! Not as soft as the one I left in St. Paul, but still very cozy. It made getting over jet lag much easier.
• Neck pillows. Lovelovelove.
• "The Best Hot Chocolate in the World!" Sold in a tiny little cafe, and topped with not only whipped cream and multicolored marshmallows, but also caramel, sprinkles, wafers of chocolate, and caramel-coated kettle-corn. Having not tried all the hot chocolates in the world I can't claim it's the best, but it was pretty darn good. Nearly passed out from the sugar though...
• Did I mention the accents?
• Overhearing conversations. I was standing in line for the bank and two University-aged boys walked in. They both had rather nice accenst; British though, not Scottish, alas.

              Taller Boy: "So... who'd you kiss last night?"
              Spiky Hair: "Well... lots of people." (laughs)
              Taller Boy: "Sure. But which BOY did you kiss?"
              Spiky Hair: "Wha... Boy... er." (shifts uncomfortably)
              Taller Boy: (to me) "He kissed a BOY last night."
              Spiky Hair: (conspiratorially) "I was REALLY drunk."
              Taller Boy: "And you were ragging on me for doing the same thing last month!"
              Hah. :D

• Inheriting things from the pervious residents of my room. Hangers, mirror, extra pillows,...
• Recognizing other new international students by their bags of necessities and their lost expressions. I have already met five or six people from the states... haha
• Urban buildings, with stores downstairs and flats on top. Especially when they are built of stone! It seems like all of Edinburgh is!
• The accents. Once again. So much love.
• University of Edinburgh welcome activities. They have a University sponsored pub crawl/walking tour of the city, to show us the sights and - most importantly - the bars. I am excited.

I am in love, my friends.

 This is the view out my window! lovely lovely

 The Royal Mile

 Waverly station, I think

 The castle, of course. Huzzah!

 Sun through stained glass

 The farmer's market I stumbled upon! 

Our Mascot, as he should look! I think we should get rid of silly looking Mac the Scottie and have this guy at our soccer games instead.

                                         

"The Best Hot Chocolate in the World!"

I'm leaving, on a jet plane...

It is a funny thing, that a single trip can be two different experiences at once: Leaving, and Going. Leaving is miserable. I hate saying goodbye, I always cry, and I have the exquisite blessing and curse of having a wonderful, hilarious, fantastic family whom I not only love but also like spending time with which makes the parting even more difficult. I like my home, I love my decrepit old dog, and boy oh boy do I like California weather. Leaving generally sucks. But Going... Going is another matter all together.

I am currently sitting in the International airport of good ol' Sacatomatoes, and my bags are packed, checked, and far too full to be allowed, honestly, and I am getting ready to get on a plane to Dallas, where I will get on a plane to London, where I will (assuming I survive customs) get on a plane for Edinburgh. Oh, my god. About that, I am extremely excited. Going is something I like, something I do well, something I intend to do rather a lot of in my life. I have grand plans of seeing the world, and traveling just about everywhere. Edinburgh is just the first step. Look out world, here I come! Hahaha!

I hate to leave, but can't wait to go.