An Informational Post

So I have a 2500 word essay due on Friday at noon. In my head, that is diddily squat compared to the 5000 word essay I turned in 2 weeks ago. But in my heart, I know it is actually an 8 page paper and something I should start writing. It is Wednesday afternoon and all I have is a weak thesis and a shaky outline. However, I have been very busy getting ready to write this paper. How busy you might ask? Let me tell you.

First I thought that wearing my Hamline sweatshirt might stimulate my brain by reminding me of past papers successfully written at the last second. So I put that on.

Then I thought waking up bright and early and walking into town and spending the morning at the library would be a quiet and distract-less place for me to write.

But after about an hour of that, I got hungry. So I went to the BeanScene for some coffee and lo and behold... they have BAGELS! With cream cheese! Which, let me tell you, I have not seen since my feet left the grand soil of the US of A! So then I felt compelled to write a lengthy entry in my journal about the wonder that is a toasted bagel with cream cheese.

Then I realized I wasn't getting much work done... a hem... So I walked back to my house to get down to buisness behind my computer. But I got distracted by my bed. So I took just a leetle tiny nap and woke up refreshed and rarring to go!

But being in my bed had reminded me of a dream I had about celery. I'm sorry. I dream about celery, yes. I can't help the insanity of my dreams. But anyway, I decided that making ants-on-a-log would help me write my paper. So far, its helping me write this...

I have also given myself a manicure in the hopes that pretty finger-tips would make typing more fun.

Right. Okay. Time to write.

Oh and I also got extremely excited to read in the online version of the Star Trib that an H&M is opening at the Mall of America! Ahh! H&M is a clothing store that sells really cute clothes. Not gonna lie, I've spent hours and hours in H&M during this trip... but no money, oh no... no money. Riiiiiight.

Oh, by the way... Scotland is great. I saw Flogging Molly last week. That was amazing. Shauna, Rachel and I thought of you! I'll give you back your CD in June... hee hee. And I saw my Aunt and Uncle, Max and Pat, in Glasgow one last time before they left Scotland after their two week adventure here. And we called a bunch of our fam, including my Grandma and aunts Margaret and Barbara. And Rachel and I went shopping for the May Ball on May 6th. Oooh, so excited. I'm gonna be pretty.

Hey, is my paper written yet?

studying abroad

I woke-up this morning to the news that a fellow Hamline-ite studying in Trier, Germany took his own life Sunday morning.

I'm quite shaken and although I wasn't extraordinarily close to him, I consider him a friend... especially since I've known him as a fellow Manor resident, a fellow English major, another survivor of Alice Moorhead's Literary Theory class, a good friend of Scott and Graham, and as another student studying abroad.

I'm hearing and responding to this from my perspective as a student abroad. I don't know the details of Manney's life or his experiences in Trier. But I do know first hand the emotions of studying abroad. And that is what terrifies me right now. I remember telling Denton not so long ago that although studying abroad has the misleading reputation of being glamorous, exciting, and constant fun fun fun... it ain't! It can be lonely, scary, and frustrating. I love my life in Scotland but still find tears in my eyes on random days when I think of the Minneapolis skyline or know I'm missing my free ice cream cone at Ben and Jerry's or can't get over how empty my hand feels without Denton's in it.

It has been a hard day... I've never felt so far away. I am trying so hard to understand. I thought Crossing Boarders was supposed to prepare us for studying abroad. I thought our weekly e-mails to each other were supposed to remind us we aren't alone. My heart goes out to Manney's family and his friends at Hamline... But also to all of us who are studying scattered across the globe.

Best Spring Break Ever....

Well. WOOF! It was hands down the best spring break I have ever had. I'm definetly moving up in the world since last year's spring break found me in Indianapolis and the year before that I was in Omaha. It feels like I have circumnavigated the globe since I left St. Andrews on March 23rd. And although I am sure you would love to hear every detail of the past three weeks, it would probably take 5,000 words... and I'm so not up for that. Instead, how about a recap?

Since March 23rd, I have.....

been in the following types of transporation:
4 airplanes
1 automobile
7 million buses
4 taxis
6 trains
a dozen ferries
4 subways
1 gondola

been in the following countries:
scotland
england
france (airport only)
italy

successfully navigated public transportation in the following cities:
london
venice
inverness
edinburgh
glasgow

visited the following castles:
st. andrews castle
urqurht castle on the banks of inverness
edinburgh castle
stirling castle
(and i saw buckingham palace... does that count as a castle???)

visited the following cathedrals:
st. andrews cathredral (ruins)
san marco bascillica (st. marks) in venice
glasgow cathedral

climbed up:
st. rules tower, st. andrews
the campanile (bell tower) of san marco

climbed down:
into the mines (and counter-mines!) under st. andrews castle

eaten the following notable foods:
gelato (and lots of it)
a nutella snack
fish and chips
several traditional scottish breakfasts (sausage, bacon, egg, mushrooms, tomato)
several untraditional rachel-n-liza breakfasts (cadbury creme egss and orange fanta)

drunk the following notable drinks :
irn bru and whiskey (not recommended)

seen the following relations:
1 mother
1 aunt
1 uncle

fascinating miscellanious experiences:
tormented drunk boys who had hiccups
went running in italy
cried when i saw my mom at the airport
contemplated stealing baby sheeps
cooked dinner with my mom
threw up fish and chips
saw a snail
was away from home for easter for the first time in my entire life
looked for the loch ness monster
decided to get married in a field of daffodils ... someday!
visited one royal botanical garden
learned what monkey puzzle trees are
lost rachel ... and found her again
spent 5 hours in a train station in london

accomplished the following vital task:
a 6 month visa stamp in my passport!!

Guest Writer

Hi everyone,

This isn't Liza--it's her Mom! I arrived in Scotland and Liza was waiting for me exactly as planned. Scotland is beautiful and Liza has been a fantastic tour guide. So far we've walked all along the beach right by her house. I can't believe I'm looking out at the North Sea! She said there were no steps leading down to the beach so we had to jump off a wall (about 6 ft.) down to the sand. Well I did it but I made an imprint in the sand sort of like the Olympic long jumpers! St. Andrews is the most charming little town ever. We've toured the ruins of the cathedral and the castle--both fascinating. We climbed down into some ancient tunnels under the castle where we were almost crawling to get through--wet walls, dripping ceiling, and a warning to enter at your own risk! Sat. we took the train to Inverness and hiked along Loch Ness--yes, the subject of my youthful research paper! Although we didn't see Nessie, we are sure there's something out there!! The lake is unbelievably beautiful and then we toured Urquhart Castle, which stands on a point of land sticking out into the water.

Images of Scotland so far: green grassy hillsides dotted with sheep and their baby lambs--bright yellow daffodils everywhere--old stone walls winding through fields--shaggy, sharp-horned highland cattle, compact cars speeding along on the "wrong" side of the road--I love it!

I have to go get ready for our trip to Edinburgh tomorrow.

-Mum of Liza

On the Go

Got back from Venice on Thursday and on the way back to St. Andrews, picked MOM up from the airport!

I took her exploring St. Andrews yesterday. We slid around in mud, I made her jump off a wall down to the beach, we climbed all over castle and cathedral ruins, crawled around mines (and counter-mines) underneath the castle, and walked up a million steps to the top of St. Rules tower. Don't worry, I'm keeping up with her!

We're having a BLAST and are leaving in 5 minutes to head up to Inverness. So that she can see the Loch Ness Monster and prove the thesis of her high school paper, that "there IS something out there!"

Lots more stories and pictures soon!