KILTS R US

It's quite hard to believe that it has only been a week and a few days since I've arrived Edinburgh. I've seen the snow fall and melt, my room transform from a jail cell into somewhat of a cozy space, and I have learned a new list of commonly used words of the Scots.. as well as those not to use. Like bangs. Ya know, like the hair on your forehead? Well, here you say fringe. bang is only used in reference to the Ricky Martin lyrics.. she bangs, she bangs. Another month from now I will be in need of a fringe trim, so note to myself.. don't walk into a salon asking for a bang trim, nor should you add that you're anal about your bangs.

My flat overlooks the meadows, which also happens to be somewhat of a golf course. There are about 20 doors in my flat, all of which close as if you're slamming the door in the face of your mother when you're an angry teenager. Some lead to toilets, others bedrooms, others closets, others showers, others kitchen. I try to stay outside of my flat as much as possible.

The clouds and the weather have not bothered me yet. It's still exciting to wake up each day and throw on an outfit from my closet of coats, boots, gloves, scarfs, hats, sweaters, socks, tights, and earmuffs. All of which I wear daily and nightly. Unless I find myself inside a pub, class, Starbucks, or somewhere else I can find warmth. In fact, as I'm writing this blog now I am sitting under a beaming Starbucks sign hanging in the window, with coat, sweater, scarf, and gloves beside me. With English Breakfast Tea in a mug because Starbucks in the UK only serve their drinks in mugs.

Today I had my first class, in a church. Ya, so Napier has transformed a nearby church into a lecture building. The stained class lies behind the lecturer. Sustaining People, Planet, and Profit. I walked in late, and listened to an hour lecture about Homosapians and Australopithecus. In about an hr I'll be going to my Forensic Biology course. CSI watch out for me.

You may have read earlier from my Blood post that I found myself reaping benefit from the generous health care of the UK. Scotland also has no sales tax. They have a beverage called Iron Bru which is sold more than Coca Cola, imagine that. I hear it's the cure for a hangover, I'd believe it since it's completely sugar water with a dash of orange coloring.

I guess this would be the time I'd introduce to you some of the people I've met. I'll just list one for now. Amy Williams. I know right, Amy and Jaime Williams?! She's from Virginia, and has been by my side a majority of this week. Ironically enough she has a nose piercing, it's a hoop. Our first conversation was, "OMG!! My best friends have hoop nose rings, and seeing you with one makes brings me so much joy!!" (Nsh and Sarah, I hope you are reading this and feel loved because I am obviously incapable of making any friends that are different from you both)Amy has a friend named Mike who lives in Edinburgh and he's been showing us around a bit. His friend Fraz, made Amy and I a homemade good ol' Scottish breakfast the other day. This consisted of Haggis and black pudding. Haggis is traditionally served in a sheep's stomach, it's a strange oatmeal mixture. black pudding tastes like seasoning. I enjoyed both.

On Saturday a few of us caught a train to Sterling, Scotland. Home of William Wallace, and T-shirts of William.. well they look more like Mel Gibson. We hiked up to his memorial and overlooked the battlefield where he conquered the English troops in that first battle in Braveheart.. remember that one? While we were there Amy, Jordan and I decided to ditch out on the castle tour and ate at this local Thai food restaurant. It was completely random and awesome.

I went to a comedy club the other night called the Comedy Stand. The host was from Glasgow and spoke at an ungodly speed. Fortunately the other comedians were a bit easier on the ears, and their humor.. well it's sexual to say the least. I've watched a few beer pong games take place, and of course the Scots and all others outside of America think it's a brilliant game. I managed to play three rounds, and of the three I made one cup. I guess that happens when you've taken a hiatus from the sport.

Last Sunday I walked down to Rose Street and went to the 11:00 service at Charlotte Baptist Church. It was packed with all ages, sizes, and ethnicity. I found myself standing up and down numerous times throughout the service as we sang hymnals to the tune of the organ. I don't mind standing during worship, but when you're sitting in row that offers nearly no leg room, even for someone my height, it makes standing up and down a bit difficult. Aside from the awkwardness of worship, the pastor was incredible. In fact, for those of you who attend FLOOD in San Diego.. you know how Matt often opens his sermons with an update of football? The pastor at Charlotte Baptist begin his sermon with a reference to the upcoming Rugby season. I smiled to myself thinking of Matt and FLOOD at that moment. He spoke out of Philippians chapter 3, about our citizenship in Heaven as Christ followers. I plan on going back this Sunday.

Last night I decided to check out the Christian Union on campus and met some awesome Scottish kids. Three of whom are lovely girls that I plan on spending more time with in the future. After the meeting we went to a local pub, shared some cokes and talked for a bit about life and the O.C. I do believe I've met the Scottish Seth Cohen, and he happens to be equally obsessed with the O.C. I'm finding little pieces of home everywhere here.

You may have caught this from my recent facebook status, but I have been spending some time in the Elephant House cafe. Home of Harry Potter. Yes, the brilliant J.K. Rowling herself lives here in Edinburgh and wrote Harry Potter at this very cafe. I even sat down at the table which overlooks the castle and Hariot's school which Hogwarts is inspired by. Elephants are also my favorite animal, so the combination of elephants the birth site of Harry Potter is simply beautiful.

Vocabulary lessons of the day. cue is a line of people, uni is college, pants are underwear, and trousers are pants, toilet is bathroom, and Starbucks grande is Starbucks grande.

For those of you are in either a sorority or fraternity, this story may bring you a laugh. At the welcome gate in Edinburgh when I first arrived, I met a girl named Kerri from New York. We were sitting with other students from Napier who are from France. Kerri and I began to talk about our uni life back in the states and I asked her, "are you greek?" She laughed, looked confused, and the others in the group burst out into laughter as well. I soon realized they thought I meant greek, ya know like.. are you from Greece? I must have looked crazy considering Kerri and I had just been talking about our lives in the states, but I quickly redeemed myself and said, "Nooooo, like sorority and fraternity life!" Although, ever since my French mates now shout out greek when they see me.

Stay tuned for future reports of my life in Edinburgh.
Cheers.

Bloody Mess

Within 48 hrs of being in Edinburgh, I somehow managed to find my way into a Scottish ambulance. You see, most Scottish seem to ignore the ice on the pavement and continue to throw their beer bottles and broken glass along the pathway. This unfortunately leads to minor, if not major, injuries. My friend Adam, from Hungary, slipped on the ice along the alleyway from the club that played similar beats to GirlTalk, buta bit better, and fell onto broken glass. His hand was cut up and yet he managed to walk my friend Amy and I nearly a mile or so back to our place. Along the way, he stopped at an ambulance and asked for assistance, they let us onto the vehicle and Amy and I sat there as if we were on Grey's Anatomy. We even ended up getting a free lift from the Scottish ambulance to our own flat. Free health care in the UK is convenient at most times.

Mind the Gap Please

Finally I've reached the beginning.

I somehow made it through the entire flight to London without using the bathroom. well, except when we were about to land.. after I realized my toes were swollen and needed some circuluation. My friend Lauren and I arrived safely in Heathrow and were greeted by an adorable bittish family. Jeff (Dad) Harry (13, son) and Kittie (9, daughter). The kids were hanging over the gates with signs which read "Jaime and Lauren :)" it was the warmest welcome I've received.

Lauren and I have been staying at her grandparents home in Sawbridgeworth, Herfordshire, England. Iris (grandma) is a bit deaf and drunk so she forgets things often and always repeats herself. usually it's about food, and when she's asks me 5 times if I'd like more tea or meat and potatoes I just have to keep smiling and say "I'm fine thanks, really." Ronald (grandpa) collects shaving mugs and every other collectable you may find.

English folk refer to the sidewalk as the pathway, and speed bumps as silent policemen. being drunk is called on the lash, and they really do say brilliant and rubbish. I guess some english gents don't care for the american accent. the other night Lauren and I stopped in the King William IV pub in Sawbridgeworth to have some tea to warm up and sat next to a table of about 8 young men. pretty soon after Lauren and I began talking about English currency we heard.. "stupid americans" and then "they're really trying to ruin our ears aren't they" we left amused, and realized jerks exist in most places.

English football is quite the religion. Lauren and I watched an Aresenal vs. West Ham united football match the other night at the King William and were surrounded by opinionated fans of all shapes and sizes. mostly middle aged men, who i unfortunately kept making awkward unintentional eye contact with. we left and danced to some live folk music at another pub in town.

London, the city of public transportation. I've spent the past 2 days there exploring the city by foot, train, tube, and bus. When I got off the train at Liverpool St. I stould there for about 5 minutes just looking around the train station in complete awe. I was mostly taken aback by the mass amounts of people, and sheer chaos of London. everyone wears trench coats, is or either looks important, and is off to a business meeting or power hour at a pub. wherever anyone maybe going, they do so with great haste.

I was approached in Cambden Market in London by a man who said, "why are americans so loud?" i'm sure he thought to say this after i let out my typical outburst of laughter, i wasn't embarressed though. i'm quite proud of being a loud american, despite that i'm only feeding the stereotype.

I called my friend Christine to find our way to recommended pub. We traveled for the following hours by tube, bus, and foot to an unknown location along the river Thames. Oldy enough it was worth the adventure because we saw the river at night, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and snowfall.

And then, I was hit by an embarressing moment. We hopped the bus across the bridge and of course i couldn't find my boarding pass. the driver shut the doors and i was left standing there rummaging through my purse for my stupid pass. i went to sit down to find it, and he yelled out some noise to direct me to go back and show him my pass when i found it. i was on his bad side at this point.
"Next stop Wesminster" although in my tired mind's state i heard "This stop Westminster" and so i pulled on Lauren's coat to exit the bus. I walked to the front (which was the wrong door to exit anyways) and saw the words "Pull on handle to open door" so.. being the literate the person i am i pulled on the door handle. but it didn't open, so i pulled on it harder. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!" the driver yelled behind me, and i turned around in dimsay thinking that i was getting off the bus of course. "DO YOU SEE A BUS STOP THERE?!!" I said.. "no" which was then followed by "DO YOU NOT HAVE BUSES WHERE YOU COME FROM!? WHERE ARE YOU FROM?!" i refused to answer and reaffirm the stereotpye of american women. although i was completely guilty of a blonde moment. i was so sure we had stopped at a bus stop, which really was just a stop light.

Next embarressing event. Fortunately this was not one I caused but was able to witness. At the next wrong tube exit we got off at, we were passed by a man dressed in his finest business attire. I'm not sure how this man even got on the tube in the first place because he was stumbling over himself at each step. Lauren and I just stopped and watched him with worry and anticipation for what was to come - a belly flop onto the moving escalator without any attempt of picking himself up. we didn't know whether to laugh or press the emergency stop button. at the last moment he was in our sight he managed to pick his limp body off the steps, but i'm sure he was left with escalator track marks on his face.

Last night it snowed cotton balls. the biggest snowflakes i've ever seen fell from the sky and covered nearly all of the UK. I guess England doesn't get that much snow, so this was a near blizzard that struck them. All of the roads, trains, and flights were either closed or postponed due to the traffic delays and ice conditions. I'm here during a record breaking winter, perfect preparation for the cold I'm about to endure in Scotland where it's -20 degrees celsius.

I leave for Scotland on Friday the 8th. I'm excited but also sad about leaving the warmnth of this cozy home where there's an endless tea and cookie supply.

The end of my time in England is near, and the start of my life in Scotland is just to begin. I bought some wool socks and a russian fur hat soo... Scotland, I'm ready for yee!! :)