40 Days and 40 Nights

In the two weeks since last writing, I have discovered that I have fully acclimatized to this new situation. I know this because I am incredibly home sick – but not in a painful and  upsetting way. I am homesick for the beautiful place that I know so well and the people that occupy it and make it familiar for me. I am also homesick for Tim Hortons but that’s another story.

Some friends and I

I went to an art show at the student art gallery here at Dundee Uni. It was pretty cool. I’m not one to appreciate art for any interpretive analytical meanings. I enjoy it, most simply, because it looks neat to me. I suppose that’s what artists – and not only fine artists – aim to do: capture the attention of the senses first. There was a giant room (and you’ll have to bear with my inadequate explanation) with a sheet stapled all the way across it so that when you took your shoes off and walked onto the sheet, it effectually turned into a less than satisfying trampoline. In the centre of the room there was a model house that the artist had built using calculations from an inaccurate calculator that had been rigged so as to provide false profit for some illegitimate company in Asia. Although I have a hard time even speculating as to what this exhibit meant, it was neat to me.

Me at Arbroath Abbey

A very beautiful lawn at Glamis Castle

The Dundee Uni International team took a bunch of international students on a tour of Angus on the first Saturday of the month. We went to Arbroath Abbey and Glamis Castle. It was great. One of the towers in Glamis is the setting for the death of Duncan in Shakespeare’s MacBeth and Glamis is also supposed to be the most haunted building in Scotland. They put on what is a popular Halloween party every year but (un)fortunately, it is sold out this year.

A group of us at Glamis Castle

I went to visit my family in Montrose. On the same day, the Rangers were playing the Celtic and the Rangers won. My family, being die-hard Rangers fans had a make shift party with lots of alcohol and baked jacket potatoes, a Scottish favourite. It was lots of fun. I think I have already mentioned Montrose and it’s being particularly petit as far as towns go here. When I got on the bus in Dundee and asked for a fare to Montrose, the bus driver looked at me and in all seriousness said, “Why do you want to go there?” Now, there are about a million things I could have said because like I said, Montrose has a special place in my heart, but I figured that simply shrugging my shoulders would suffice.

They had a kids dress-up area, monk five!

I have joined two societies here at school: the LGBT and the International Students Society. LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender and they are a really fun group of people. Surprisingly, they are a brand new society and everyone is really keen and excited about all that they can do. I went to a movie night they were hosting last week and we watched “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The free wine didn’t hurt. We went to the AGM for the International Students Society earlier this week and partly out of interest – but mostly out of obligation fueled by lack of volunteering on every one else’s part – I am now the Events Manager. Our first even will be a dinner and dance with mutlicultral foods – it should be fun!

The closed gate at Perth

Some friends and I visited Perth this past weekend. We took the train and then walked around town for a while. We tried to get into the castle that is right in the town centre but, because it was a Saturday, the gates were locked. I suppose the people that live there deserve their weekends too. We jumped on a bus to the next closest castle – Old Scone – but by the time we arrived, it was closed to. I did get up close and personal with a couple of peacocks though so I wasn’t overly disappointed.

On Sunday, I am off to London and then from there I will be heading to Stockholm. I will update upon my return!

Also, I realize that I haven’t uploaded any pictures of Dundee itself. I will get on that as soon as I can.

The view from my froom on a nice Dundee afternoon

The New Universal?

I am sitting in a room full of people, of which I am the only one for whom English is the native language.

Everyone is speaking English.

“Dundee Saved My Life”

Although I know it is hardly difficult to come on here once a week to update this blog, it has grown tremendously harder the longer I wait. But, I have set out to spend some time now letting you know how the past month and a half has progressed.

Iain and Sydney are King James and Mary of Guise

I left off I believe when I first experienced Dundee. After that, we visited Stirling Castle. We did the audio tour and I relearnt much of the British history I was so quick to forget after taking a course on it two semesters ago. We visited Rothesay, a very beautiful small town on an island which reminded me of Sidney. There were many second hand shops and the annual Highland Games they host is the biggest event the town sees. I think all the shops take the whole year to prepare themselves. We were greeted with the most delicious scones and tea.

We also visited Edinburgh and my dad and brothers went to a football game between the Hearts and the Rangers. My mum and I went shopping – an activity more down our alley. Upon hearing about the game, I was astounded to learn about the security measures they take. It is even worse than Canucks games. They have a load of police and they don’t even serve alcohol. You have to sit on the side of your team so that huge supporters of opposite teams are not interspersed with one another. It’s crazy to think what kind of violence and conflict provoked these measures – I don’t think I want to know.

We visited Pitlochery, another beautiful town, supported mostly by the whiskey economy. Every Monday during the summer they have a Highland night full of highland and country dancing and singing and pipe bands. RMM was the guest on this particular Monday. They host the event on this large grass field and cars surround the entertainment and turn their headlights on to provide the lighting. It was very neat.

RMM at Rothesay

We went to Montrose, which has high significance for both my mum and me. My mum spent some of her childhood there and that is where most of her Scottish family is from. I visit there the summer after ninth grade and I fell in love with it. The town is just gorgeous. We went for tea with my mum’s aunt Peggy, who is the greatest lady of her age I know. She is funny and blunt and very entertaining. We then trekked out to the light house on a peninsula and the sky opened up, the sun came out and I was so moved by the experience. I love Montrose.

My new Scottish boyfriend

I spent the last weekend of August and the first week of September in England. It was gorgeous. I don’t know if it has had its consequences in the course of history or not, but as soon as we drove over the border between England and Scotland, the weather shifted and we were greeted by warm and sunny. We left the Cowal Highland games on the Isle of Dunoon in the evening and made the treacherous journey in the dark to Preston. Needless to say, I was asleep for most of it. We arrived to the most dismal looking building and a parking lot so crowded with posts and large cars that it was a miracle we even made it into a spot. Since we arrived so late, they had given one of our rooms away so the five of us crowded into a teeny tiny room. Lucky we get along…

Some Cambridge

The famous dualing bridge

Punting on the River Cam

The next morning we set out for Cambridge. The hostel we stayed in was great. The food we ate was great, and my brother just had the time of his life walking around his dream school in his dream town taking pictures for his dream job. I say dream, but I am certain he will make it a reality one day. We also went punting down the River Came. It was lots of fun. We got a tour guide and he told us about all the different colleges. The day after we went to Oxford. It is very clear that both of these schools (established about fifty years apart) were based on the same model, a distinctly English and a distinctly religious one. I had a wonderful time in Oxford, walking through the buildings, imagining I was Hermione Granger. I definitely felt inspired by all the academia and if I was ever uncertain about my life surrounded by it, all my doubts have officially been cleared away.

The streets of Oxford

Only in Oxford...

We arrived in London the next day. What a busy and expensive city. We wandered everywhere, my family and I. We saw Westminster Abbey and I spent a good deal of time tearing up in Poet’s Corner. Again, any doubts I had about my life in literature dissolved then and there. I was very affected. We visited St. Paul’s Cathedral, and climbed all the way to the highest viewpoint. London is a beautiful historical city,  such a collage of old and new.  We visited the London Eye, walked along the river. We went shopping at Fortnam and Mason’s, Whole Foods (yikes!), and Picadilly Circus. We saw Buckingham Palace and I went on a date with Prince Harry in my head. We went on the tube everywhere and we took a double decker bus. We went to King’s Cross Station and visited Platform 9 3/4. We went to a muscial show, Billy Elliot, and we stayed in a wonderful hotel at Gloucester Road. I had a great time in London and I would go back in a second.

Big Ben!

A monstrous cathedral

Buckingham Palace, before my date with Harry

The Globe Theatre!

On top of St. Paul's

Just classic...

My family stayed in London two days longer than I. I took a plane up to Edinburgh Airport and got picked up by Dundee University. There I met a bunch of people who I won’t soon forget. Most of them are Americans, from various places in the States. They are great people. We arrived in Dundee to, would you believe it, sun! I spent the next week getting settled in (and partying!). My family eventually joined me and brought the rest of my stuff. They took me grocery shopping and their departure left me tearful and distraught. I miss them with every second.

The Robbie Burns

The weather continued for all of September to be beautiful and relatively warm. I met alot of people in a short period of time and they are from all over the world. I think something like 40% of the students here are international. The town itself is made up of around 30% students. I met people from Italy, Germany Hong Kong, and many from America. I did also meet a couple of Canadians, from Edmonton and Toronto – a little piece of home from so far away.  We visited St. Andrews together, it was beautiful. I got that feeling that everything was right, like I had made all of the right decisions up until this point to bring me to where I was.

Some friends and I at St. Andrews

I started classes the week after I arrived. I am taking one class on American Literature and another on Scottish Literature. So far, they are great. There is alot of reading involved and alot of extra research required but I am enjoying the classes. My professors are wonderful. They are accommodating and upon meeting them in person, they are quite personable and helpful. I feel very comfortable in the classes. It will get some taking used to though because for each course, the assessment is based only on two assignments. I will definitely be required to put my best effort into each of them.

My new room

I went to Paris to visit Nick for a weekend. I traveled on Ryanair which is a budget airline on which you have are required to pay for anything extra you may need. Needless to say, I traveled very light with only my backpack and a jacket. Paris was absolutely breathtaking. It was warm and sunny and we walked around all day. We visited the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, The Louvre and everything in between. We had French coffee and baguettes and the most delicious pizza I have ever had the pleasure to eat. I would go back to Paris in a heartbeat.

Arc de Triumphe

Notre Dame

The Eiffel Tower

A month after arriving, I will say that I really love it here. I have settled in, I have a nice group of people to hang out with and fall back on. The social side of university (“uni” as they say here) is really emphasized on campus, what with our two pubs and two clubs just two minutes away from my room. There is something different going on every night, and Tuesday night they have something called SKINT during which entrance to everywhere is free and drinks are all £1. Saturdays they have Spice Up Your Life, a nineties themed dance party that will be fun for the first little while but I can foresee it becoming  old very fast. They also have themed evenings every Thursday. For example, last night was Geeks and Goths, and almost everybody out looks ridiculous to one extent or another. It’s a lot of fun. There are many cafes to eat at, there are grocery stores and malls close by. There is nice park just ten minutes away and the library is in close vicinity as well. My room is great. I have my own bathroom and I share a kitchen and common room with five other people, every one of which is nice and interesting and from a different place. Although food is expensive and somewhat different from what is available at home, I am slowly getting used to it and I have been eating surprisingly healthily.

Some wonderful new friends

I have much traveling still to do. I will be going on an Angus Adventure tomorrow, an initiative of Dundee International. On Sunday I will be going to visit my family again in Montrose. In three weeks, I have planned to go to Stockholm to visit some family friends, and in the meantime I will be doing local things in Scotland.

Katie and Sydney on the beach

I promise to be better at updating. Until next time!