Time Flies When You're Having Fun

It's been a while since I've updated, but here it goes! I can't believe I only have just over a month left here before I come home for Christmas. It's crazy how fast time flies!

Day #44 - Monday, November 1: First thought of today...how on Earth is it already November? And today was quite the ugly start to November. I was supposed to have class from 10-12, no big deal. But instead, I had class 10-4:30. Shocking that class ran 4 and half hours late? Not really. Frustrating that class ran 4 and half hours late? Yes. I didn't bring any money to school for lunch because I figured I'd be home for it, so I was starving and crabby and very very impatient. We had one half hour break at turned into an hour break, and another 10 minute tea break (yes, my tutors give us those) that turned into a 45 minute break. Just another lovely example of cultural differences.

After class I went on a little adventure to try and find a new phone provider so I could text my parents internationally. I had done a bunch of research on a specific company, but the employees ended up being idiots so I decided to go to a different company next door. Customer service is key to customers, whoda thunk?

After that fun adventure, I came home and iChatted with Mom and Dad for a while. Dad told me something interesting about the pound coin over here...that each year when they mint them, they update the picture of the Queen, so it shows her aging. I'm going to try to take pictures of all the pound coins I get to see it! Also, I told them about a funny story from the day before that I'll share on here.

When I was at the Camden Market on October 31st, I was getting very claustrophobic/impatient/frustrated with how slow EVERYONE was walking. For anyone who knows me, I'm usually a calm person. But I just got so stinkin' frustrasted with everyone that I basically hit two large men who were in my way and shoved my way through the crowd. My friend that was with me said everyone was staring at me like "did that 5 foot tall girl really just hit two people?" Needless to say, my little outburst of anger passed, and once I had some air of my own to breathe I was fine!

Day #45 - Tuesday, November 2:  I was supposed to work on a group project this morning at 11, but we didn't start till 12 because my group was late. We did some filming till about 5, I came home, napped, got some groceries, and worked on some homework. 

Day #46 - Wednesday, November 3: Again this morning my group was absurdly late to work on our group project. I have come up with a new theory: it is culturally acceptable to leave at the time you are supposed to be somewhere. I'm starting to get used to it, but having been raised in a culture where timeliness is key to everything, it is still a bit frustrating. Mom and Dad and I talked on Monday about how maybe they've got it right and we've got it wrong. I mean in the end, who really cares about the time of day? Most European countries give their workers 6 weeks of paid vacation a year, as compared to in the US only 2 weeks at most jobs. America is the hardest working country in the world, but at what cost? Lesson #18: "Sometimes the things that bother you the most in people are the things you wish you could change about yourself." I think this might be the case with the cultural differences...I'm learning that maybe time isn't as important as our culture makes it seem. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter if you're 15 minutes late to something, does it? I'm learning that maybe my crazy anal on time characteristic might not be the way to live. I guess I'll continue to explore this idea and maybe become a bit more relaxed and live a little more :). I went home for lunch and grabbed some food, then headed back to work on our project a bit more. 

Upon coming home, I found of some really sad news. A peer of mine from home, Cory, died on Monday. The whole idea of someone my age, in my program, doing what I'm doing, had died was a bit hard to digest. Lesson #19: As we all know, but sometimes forget, life is short. Tomorrow isn't promised and you never quite know what tomorrow bring. In light of living my life and doing things to the fullest, I decided to plan a spontaneous trip to Scotland. Why not? I'm over here, happy, healthy, and alive, so why not live it up. So on a whim, I booked a train and a hostel in Glasgow, Scotland for the weekend.

Day #47 - Thursday, November 4: Once again my group was late, but it seemed to bother me a little bit less this morning than usual. I took some time to sit outside and read and think, it was good for me. We did some filming and then I went on a hunt for a little suitcase for the weekend. Then I did the unthinkable...I was 40 minutes late for class (the bus was super duper late), but I didn't really care too much. I guess I am officially initiated into British culture...or something. After class I came home, ate, packed, Skyped, and headed to bed.

Day #48 - Friday, November 5: I left today around 2 to head to Glasgow. The train left at 3:30, and I got into Glasgow around 8:00. As the train was pulling in, there were fireworks going on outside, it was a nice way to be welcomed into the city!  We went and found our hostel, which went incredibly easy. The city of Glasgow has a really neat subway system, nicknamed the "Clockwork Orange". Instead of having 12349979 billions confusing different lines like London does, the subway runs in a circle, with an inner and outer track, going in opposite directions. So you really can't get lost, which is really nice. After dropping out stuff off at the hostel, we went and found a place to eat. I had the largest calzone I have ever seen, it was the size of a small child. After dinner we went to a little pub across the street from out hostel and had a bit of wine and listened to all the locals talk. 

Scottish accents are kind of ridiculous. It's like a strange combination of British English and the stereotypical Minnesotan accent with over pronounced vowels. And their accents got much thicker the drunker they got, and it was interesting to try and decipher what they were saying. It's incredible how many different dialects of English there are...from Minnesotan to Southern to New Jersey to British to Irish to Scottish and all the little ones in between. I could barely understand some of the people sitting next to me, but it's funny that we both speak the same language. 

Day #49 - Saturday, November 6: We got up and left around 11 today, and wandered around our neighborhood for a bit. It was right on the river and beautiful! Here are some pictures:

It was rainy and gloomy, but I love the architecture in Europe! Something you don't find in the States. 

After we wandered around for a bit, we got on the Subway to go to the Gallery of Modern Art. There was a interesting exhibition going on called Hertie Querty, Unsettled Objects. But actually one of my favorite things I photographed was in the children's craft area. There's something so interesting about the creativity of children, how they don't care if they are wrong or right. I did a poster my freshmen year reflecting on how education shuts off children's creativity because they begin to fear being wrong or having people judge them. There's something magical about art of children. 

Window Art with Crayons

After we spent a while in the Gallery, we went shopping for a bit. We ended up eating lunch at TGI Friday's and I got ranch dressing for the first time in almost 2 months!! It was something I've been craving, and we figured it was okay to eat some American food for the first time since we've been abroad. After lunch we wandered over to the Lighthouse, which is Scotland's Centre of Architecture, Design, and the City, and saw some really neat exhibits. From the top of the building, I had a lovely view looking over the city center of Scotland.

View of Glasgow from the Lighthouse Centre. I love all of their old architecture!

After that we went and got some supper. If you are ever in Glawgow, eat at the Junction Bar. I got incredible chili con carne with chips (fries) for 4 pounds and it was to die for. After dinner, we went to STOMP, which was playing at the Royal Theatre. This was the second time I've seen STOMP, and it was even more incredible than I remembered. For anyone who hasn't seen STOMP, look them up and book yourself a ticket for the next time they're in your area. So incredibly good! Also, as I was reading through the program, I found this. What a small world!

"Cameron was born and raised in the entertainment capital of the world, Iowa..." What a small world that the one weekend that this STOMP group is in Glasgow, I happen to go there? Crazy crazy...everyone sing "It's a small world after all."

Day #50 - Sunday, November 7: We woke up today at 7:30 and went to church at one of the gorgeous Cathedrals down the street from us at 8:30.

The gorgeous Cathedral we went to church in!

After church we decided to hop on and do a bus tour of Glasgow. We got off at the Glasgow Cathedral, a couple of little markets, and the harbor in Glasgow. Here are some pics of the bus tour below! A lot of the stuff I wanted to see was unfortunately closed on Sundays, so I guess I'll just have to go back sometime!

A park near the Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral

Harbor in Glasgow. This ship sailed the world 4 times! It unfortunately isn't open on Sundays, so I couldn't see it.

After the bus tour there was some time to kill, so I stopped at Starbucks and enjoyed my favorite drink while listening to some Christmas music playing. It was a nice way to wind down before the train ride home :)

Scooter in Starbucks in Glasgow, Scotland!

Day #51 - Monday, November 8: I had class for a bit this morning, went grocery shopping, and took a 6 hour "nap." Traveling is always so exhausting and it was good to catch up on my sleep. I got to Skype with Sarah for a bit, then Eric, then Mom and Dad, so it was a good night of video chatting :) Not too much else exciting on this Monday.

Day #52 - Tuesday, November 9: I slept in today and spent the afternoon doing some internship researching for the summer and also catching up with Eric, as we hadn't really gotten to talk much in the past few days. Then a took a little nap, did some more internship research, and found a few I'm really interested. I'm going to start fixing up some of my work and putting in applications as soon as possible, wish me luck! 

English Language Revised

holiday - vacation

jumper - sweatshirt