After a week in Scotland, I'm feeling much less disoriented than when I first arrived. This does not mean, however, that I am used to anything yet. I still can't remember which way to look first when crossing the street, I'm still not used to having two faucets on the sink (one to scald your left hand and the other to freeze off the fingers on your right), nor have I adjusted to the cost of living here. But neither have I lost the feeling of awe that comes with walking through Seaton Park and past St. Machar's Cathedral to the University every day. There's an almost magical aura in the very stones here, from the cobbled roads to the granite bricks the the great Crown atop the Court at the heart of the University itself. It's so amazing to see a place where both new and old have found harmony with one another: it seems so natural to see fifteenth century buildings among those of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
The transition into daily life in Scotland has been challenging, although not impossible. My flatmates are truly a blessing-- they are very tolerant of my American-ness, and seem to be constantly delighted by the many Americanisms I have brought with me. I've learned that “bangs” are called “fringe” here, and that a “sweater” is called a “jumper,” but I don't think I'll ever adjust to saying “path” instead of “sidewalk”. They're two different things!
Be that as it may, I'm still learning so much here. I have five flatmates: two from Germany (and they are kind enough to attempt to teach me German), a girl from Norway (who is trying desperately to get me to pronounce SOMETHING correctly in Norwegian), a local girl from the other side of Aberdeen, and one from Newcastle from whom I am learning “proper” English....
I have experienced my first haggis with neeps and tatties. (If you don't know what that is, try it before you ask). And the verdict is...? I enjoyed it. Perhaps this is merely because I am an adventurous eater, but I will most certainly be ordering it again. There was something distinctly comforting about it, somewhat like the warm feeling that comes with eating beef pot-pie. Must be the Scottish in me.
After many days of hard labor, I have finally created a worthy display of pictures to show where I have been and what I have seen. I took all of these pictures while merely wandering around. The pictures presented themselves for the taking and posting, and that is what I have done.
(You will be redirected to my Yahoo! GeoCities account)
You can also go to "Linkworthy Stuff" on the right-hand side and click on "Mandy's Pictures" or go to: http://www.geocities.com/notoriousthey/index.html
Let me know what you think!
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