A little of this, A little of that

Today I realised how much I really do miss home. I haven't really thought about it much since I have been so busy. But I realised that I miss home, and my dog, and my family, and friends, and burritos, and the smell of San Francisco after it rains. It's not to say that I don't LOVE Scotland. I do. Except for that whole freezing and rainy all the time bit. 

I'm starting to pick up on the words here. By the time I come home I will be speaking what most of my English friends refer to as REAL ENGLISH. I've started say cheers (= thanks, not good bye as most Americans think), trousers (= pants), trainers (= athletic shoes) , trackies (= sweatpants),  jumper (= sweater), veg (= vegetables).... etc.

I have also been trying English food out, which in my opinion is a little bland (at least the stuff we get in the dinning hall is). So far I've tried: haggis, Marmite (this good spread that is veg extract), black pudding, Mars Bars (soooo gooood), fish and chips (obviously) and my personal favourite.... KEBABS (not like the kind what we have in the US. They are like donner lamb on top of a pita and onion/cabbage salad with chili or garlic sauce. mmmmmm sooo good).

Played in my first lacrosse game in 3 years yesterday. Fun Fun. 

Hope all is well with you at home! 

xoxo

Glatty

A trip to London...

Heya,

So I recently got back from my trip to London which was crazy and fun. I went and visited Mr. Strehl and he and a friend (Ollie) took me around to all the touristy sights one day and shopping the next. It was loads of fun and it reminded me of San Francisco a bit but with about a 4 times more people. I really liked it but I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't so rainy the whole time. We went to Camden Square which is kind of like Haight only a tad more intense. It was a bit of a culture shock to be honest, because I have gotten use to St. Andrews but I enjoyed it. It reminded me of all you crazy nutters at home. We also saw Big Ben, Parliament, The London Eye (though Strehl refused to go on it because it was so expensive), etc. It was fun but a TON of walking. And I'm not going to lie, I kind of thought Big Ben was going to be... well BIGGER. I mean they call it Big Ben and all but it was more like Medium Ben. I should talk to some people about adjusting the name. Next time I go I plan on going to the Royal Ballet and Strehl says he'll go with me if I buy tickets so we'll see how that pans out.

Later that day we went to a club which was fun though the music got kind of repetitive, and I have never paid so much for a drink in my entire life. 10 dollars for a freaking drink, OH MY GOSH I would rather chew my own hand. But whatever. Dancing was fun though all the girls dress up so much there. As I was walking out of the club I was just like "How can you be dressed in that, its like 50 degrees below zero". Needless to say I don't think I will ever be able to keep up with London girls on the dressing front because I refuse to walk on cobblestone streets in heels (an accident waiting to happen) and put on clothes that may ultimately lead to me contracting frostbite.

The next day Strehl and Ollie took me to Oxford Street which was amazing. But I was acutely aware that I was dragging two boys around with me all day shopping so I tried not to make them stay in any shop for too long. It was a good day but I was soo tired from going around everywhere from the day before, it was also my Moms birthday so I just want to take a little time right now and tell my Mom (again) HAPPPY BIRRRTHHHDAAAYYY. 

I went home on Monday. I almost, ALMOST missed my train but it in the end I made it. Right now I'm having problems posting pictures of the trip on here so I will try again later.

For now its back to work because I am now up to my eyeballs in school work and I have two 5,000 word papers due on the same day. ARGGGG.  If you want to know anything else about the trip shoot me a line on my email or leave a comment. 

xoxo

Glatty

Reppin' Obama Internationally...

Thanks for the Lacrosse gear and the shirt Mom!  Love you bunches!

Everything is going ok here. I am starting to really love it though the work load is way more then I anticipated. Celebrated my friends birthday yesterday. Bought my first bottle of wine at dinner (legally).... I felt so adult! Everyone who is reading this needs to vote by the way. I don't care if you don't agree with me but at least get your voice heard! The election is important here to so don't be lazy or apathetic, what you do effects the rest of the world! Ok I am getting off my soap box now.

I'm going to London this weekend to see Mr. Strehl. I want him to take me to a football match (soccer for all you Yanks) but he tells me they get kind of rowdy..... hmmmmm. But I can handle it. I can take the knocks. So I'll just have to talk him into taking me. HAHA.

Hope all is well with everyone back in the states. Write more laters.

xoxo

Glatty

Food for thought: What would happen if other countries were allowed to vote in the American election since what happens there effects the rest of the world so greatly? Sit on that kids.....

Picture from the concert that I went to in Dundee...

Here are some pictures from the concert that I went to in Dundee. We got tickets from the people I met at the airport. I went with a couple with friends and had a great time! 

xoxo

Glatty

The Crazy Competitive Atmosphere

I'm not going to lie. I really didn't realise what I was getting myself into by coming to St. Andrews. I knew St. Andrews was a really good school and I knew it was competitive but I didn't realise that the level of competitiveness was so high. Here is the story, today I was sitting in the library reading my book on democracy when this girl walks by me and sits in front of the desk that I was sitting at. She then proceeds to walk around to where my desk is which is right next to the wall and take out two library books that she has hidden behind my desk. This girl had consciously hidden library books in the library for her own use so that others could not check them out! I literally was at a loss for words (which doesn't happen often). I can't even begin to express how annoyed I am with the extreme level of competitiveness here. I believe myself to be a somewhat competitive person but not to the point of sabotaging others. 

*Urghhhh I also realised today that I have two 5,000 word paper due on the same exact day*

....

On a slightly more silly note, today I stopped a Scottish family in the street so that I could pet their Bichon Frise (and if you don't know that's the kind of dog I have at home) for five minutes. I think they though I was completely looney but it was a little slice of home.

xoxo

Glatty

So that one time....

 So I forgot to tell you guys this because my first month of school was insanely crazy busy but....

So when I was in the Manchester Airport waiting for my flight to Edinburgh I randomly started chatting up this guy  and this lady who were sitting by me. The lady was  a little more talkitive and really cool. She does sound for bands and has done things like Cochella and traveled all over the world. This guy was pretty nice too. Well it turns out she does sound for this band called the Charlatans (which to be perfectly honest I had never heard of until that point). And he was in the band too. I, as I always do, stuck my foot in my mouth and asked him if he had a myspace page and he was like "Uhhhh. Yeah". Needless to say they invited me to their show in Dundee, I went and looked them up and apparently they have been around since 1990. I'm going with my friend to their show on Thursday and I am being put on the guest list which makes me sound way cooler then I really am.... They are pretty popular and I just didn't realise. Part of me is really embarassed to go and see them again because of how obvious it was that I had no clue who they were and part of me just knows that I am not cool enough to be put on the guest list to anything.... I guess this will be a story to tell my childeren one day. My mission here in Scotland to become worldly and cool has already been accomplished. Time to go home now.... (Just kidding)

I just thought I'd share another interesting thing that has happened to me over here in the UK. 

xoxo

Glatty

I love this country but I miss...

*Avocados

*Farmers Markets

*Trader Joes

*Whole Foods

*Crayfish from the Ferry Building

*FAVA BEANS

*Queso Fresco

*TWO BUCK CHUCK (drank only under parental supervision of course.....)

*Persimmons from the Farmers Market at the Ferry Building, Lexi if you reading this please go get one and eat it for me since it would cost you tooo much to overnight it.

*Burritos

*Heirloom Tomatoes

*Korean BBQ

*Rochers from Tartine

*Oysters at the Farmers Market on Saturdays and making Lexi/Gretchen eat them.

*Dads BBQ Ribs

*Moms Meatloaf

*Frozen Yogurt at YOCUP

*Cabernet Sauvignon Gelato 

*DIM SUM

*Pad Thai, Mee Krob, Tom Kha Gai

.... and of course all of you....

This is of course a short list, and will become an on going post. I love it here, its amazing.... but there are just a few things I miss.

xoxo

glatty

There are so many rabbits here, more then I have ever seen in my life...

Heya,

Scotland is going well, no more visits from the police and I still have my passport and such... hahah. Today is Yom Kippur so Happy Yom Kippur to those of you who are fasting today. I am currently under the weather...aka I have cold. School is going fine. Im studying Democracy and its Disjunctures and Globalisation. The classes aren't hard but its the amount of independent study that they expect you to do is really hard for me. Though St. Andrews is charming and quaint I am starting to really miss city life and all its trappings so I am  going to visit my long time friend Alex in London in two weeks. 

I'm making him take me to all the really touristy stuff within reason since we are both poor students. I'm going to sleep on his couch so that I don't have to pay for a hostel (and within that actually stay in one...).  Should be fun though, I missing home a bit so it will be nice to see him. 

I was academically adopted a couple of days ago. Here in St. Andrews they do this thing where upper division students (third and fourth years) adopt first year students (so freshman and junior year abroad people and stuff). My academic dad is SUPER nice and has already made me Indian food. 

By the way everyone I have my school address now and I would love to get some love (in terms of getting some post all the way from America... email me if you want my address). 

xoxo

Glatty

For All you Golf Lovers...

The next three are of Samuel L. Jackson when he came and Played this weekend at the Dunhill Tournament.

xoxo

Glatty

Some Pictures of St. Andrews

xoxo

glatty

So Yesterday I was Interrogated by the Scottish PoPo (Police)...

It is true. Yesterday at 9:30 in the morning the Scottish Popo/Police came to New Hall and called my room and came and asked me questions. They thought I was some American girl passed out on the Scores at 7 in the morning (which I didn't). They soon realised I was not.... But I was so freaking scared that someone had died or something. I was so flustered that I ended up going to class 2 hours early. I asked the front desk worker 3 times where my class was before he pointed out that I was two hours early. (SOOO EMBARASSING).

xoxo

Glatty

I am a hopeless horrible speller and some people have expressed that I need to spell check so I have. However I realised that the words in the above written paragraph (if spelled wrong to you) may be spelled right in British English....