Liza is in her third year at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota majoring in Religion and minoring in English and Urban Studies. She is spending the spring sememester of her junior year studying at St. Andrews University in St. Andrews, Scotland. Keep up to date with her travels by checking out her journal!
This is my mailing address:
Liza Stoltz
3106 Albany Park
St. Mary Street
St. Andrews, Fife KY168BP
UK
Only letters of love and adoration please ( and peanut m&m's ) no bills or junk mail!
posted by Liza @ 11:48 AM
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I love this place!
Honestly, "Minnesota Nice" has lost all meaning. There is no one here who won't bend over backwards to help you out of a jam.
Long story short.... The Royal Bank of Scotland people are so nice and called all over the country on my behalf so that I could finally open an account and get my food money. Ha ha, and offered us some canned beans.
And is so warm here today. Warmer than Minnesota!!!
This is the cake I made for my housemates on V-Day! It was deeeeelicious
posted by Liza @ 4:39 PM
2 comments
Generally speaking, one shower for 6 girls is not enough. So here I sit, kinda stinky from a run with only 20 minutes before meeting friends for half price happy hour ice cream sundaes. Now you are all happy I am across an ocean from you.
Speaking of oceans... how in the world do tides work? One day the ocean is far away, the next it is practially at my doorstep and two hours later, far away again. Must do some research. Or, perhaps my science-loving boyfriend could explain??
Apparently, I am not an American. Or at least that's what it feels like when my housemates and other new accquaintences start talking about American TV shows. And I just have to say, "Huh??" I just don't have time for TV in my fast paced American lifestyle. But things are different here, and so my Irish, English, and Scottish housemates have caught me up to speed with the OC when we watched 4 episodes last night, and I watched an episode of Desperate Housewives the other night. Unfortunatly, the one show I can hold my own in, Friends, is not that big of a deal here. Yeah. Seems a bit ironic that I'm watching more American TV in Scotland. Not so proud of this. But in my defense, my goal tonight was to make friends with my housemates and since one has torn ligaments in both of her feet, I just walked into her room and since she couldn't walk away from me, I stayed and forced them to hang out with me. Good plan.
There are faeries here. For real. I was minding my own business a few days ago, just running along a cliff-like-hill, when I turned and saw a rainbow right in front of me. Aw. It was beautiful and I stood and watched it for a few minutes, just being happy for all the good things I have in my life. I kept running for like 5 more minutes and when I turned again, the rainbow was still right in front of me, but brighter. So I did the only logical thing I could thing of... climb down the hill towards the sea and find the end of the rainbow. It was clearly right in front of me. So I precarioulsy ventured down the steep bluff, and of course right when I was half way down, I looked up and the rainbow was gone. Oooh, tricked by a Scottish lepruachan and his pot of gold! But its okay, I will always be a rainbow chaser.
posted by Liza @ 1:53 PM
5 comments
The pieces are all starting to fall into place as to my life for the next few months here in St. Andrews. I made it through orientation which was basically a disappointment. I told Denton beforehand that I hoped ice breakers were an American thing... turns out I was right, but I think I might have to introduce them to this country. Anyway, there were not very many opportunities to meet other students, even other JSA (Junior Semester Abroad) students.
My living situation was unfriendly and awkward for the first few days. Very awkward. But as the other girls have returned from their holiday, things have been straightened out and it is beginning to feel like a home. Everyone is very nice, but it's just a bit odd because they are all first years and still very much trying to figure out college and balancing studytime and partytime. I have been there already, and don't exactly feel like going through it again... but time will only tell how everything will shake out. I successfully made tacos for Rachel and Mary last night, plus pineapple on the side, so it was just like my Mom makes it. Yum yum!
Classes started Monday and so far, the difference in classes has been the biggest between Scotland (and all of Britain) and the US. I wanted to take three courses, but was advised to only take 2. Two classes? Yes, totaling 60 credits. Somehow that equals a full credit load at Hamline. I hope. I only have class 3 days a week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Each class has a lecture and one has a seminar. But other than that, all the work is up to me. And the reading lists I have are miles and miles long. But already I can tell my professors are amazing people. In 'Culture and Society in Scottish Literature' the prof knew that we Minnesotans like to joke about our two seasons: Winter and Road Construction. He is hilarious and knows a lot about EVERYTHING... my favorite kind of prof. We are going on field trips to two art museums and having a traditional Scottish tea on one outing. Sounds good to me! I met my Christian Ethics prof at a wine reception during orientation and we talked about the honors courses while I sipped white wine. It is different here. Anyway she started talking about this Christian Ethics course and got so excited about it, I was talked into taking it. Its going to be haaaaaard... BUT we are focusing on John Wesley's theology of social justice one week, and I of course signed up to do a presentation on it alongside the lecture! Yay John Wesley!
The weather has been beautiful here for the past week. It was drizziling this morning but that's been the first time I have seen a drop of rain for a week. Cool. It can certainly stay like that. I went on a day trip up to the Highlands on Sunday and it was gorgeous. Scotland is a dead sexy country... or at least that's what the tour guide kept reminding us. And I have to agree.
posted by Liza @ 7:36 PM
1 comments
Ta-Da! An actual post from the land of the Scots! It has been a wild 2 weeks traveling from Germany to France to Belgium and back to Germany and it is exciting to be settled (for the most part) at St. Andrews.
There were several minor glitches in the travels from Germany to St. Andrews including: paying extra for heavy luggage despite several attempts to avoid that, a search through my bags for drugs possibly hidden in my disk drive, a delayed flight to Dublin, only half my luggage arriving in Glasgow, and a death march to a mysterious hostel on the outskirts of Glasgow. However, those are expected bumps along the road for adventurers like myself. And there were so many small miracles along the way that proved that Rachel and I were being watched over. Glasgow is full of angelic people who bent over backwards to help us, make us feel welcome, assure us that everything would be returned to us, point us in the right direction, give us a hand, and flag down a tour bus to get us to the bus station.
I'm in the midst of 'orientation' at St. Andrews. Classes start on Monday and until then, I'm not exactly sure of what the adgenda will be like. It feels good to have my suitcases unpacked and to start to make a home for myself here. I live in a house... with 5 other girls, although I have only met one so far. We each have our own bedroom and there are 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, and a lounge that we all share. I'll be cooking for myself for the most part. Wish me luck... er... it will be an adventure to say the least. I'm famous for burning most things I put in mircowaves.
Tuesday night I went with Rachel and a girl from her house out to a pub where there was a PubQuiz. I love trivia... but Scottish trivia... I had no idea. But it was a cross between Bingo and a quiz game and our team won 2 of the 4 rounds, which meant a round of drinks! Pretty good for my first night here I think.
So far my favorite thing is... the sea. I can hardly believe it is so close to where I live. It is literally my backyard. Before coming I would look at maps and say, "hey, St. Andrews is right on the coast..." but I didn't dare to dream that right on the coast meant... right on the coast. It is beautiful. I went running along it this morning, right to the beginning of the famous St. Andrews Golf Course. It's just so incredible.
The town is delightful... lots of cute shops and cafes. Already yesterday I found my knitting store and have a schedule of when "Knit Ins" are. Heck yes. Socks are going to be my project for the trip... wanna bet on how many pairs I'll make??
Well, I'm expecting a very important phone call soon... so I'll end this for now. Thanks so much for everyones comments and e-mails... they have meant a ton! And I have my mailing address now so if you want it let me know. I like mail!
posted by Liza @ 6:40 AM
3 comments
