Does this mean I'm a co-ed?

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I finally met my department yesterday. Okay, it's history, so I imagined that everyone would be a little eccentric. We're not the most socially capable bunch in the world. Yesterday's History Postgraduate reception involved a lot of nervous speeches from faculty members who all seemed a bit scared of us, and a lot of professors pushing students to "finish the wine before they kick us out of here." Okay, so I guess I not in the States anymore. The first and only time I shared a drink with any of my professors was when I gave my senior presentation on my absolutely fascinating thesis entitled "Intellectual Origins of Nazi Doctrine." I was nervous, drank a bit too much before my presentation, thought I bombed it, and wound up getting an A. In general, when presenting papers to your department, it is best to avoid the alcohol at all costs.

There are some really interesting people in the History Postgraduate programme. As I could have probably expected, most of them are doing Scottish History. The Second World War Studies section consists of three people: Vince, Brian, and Myself. Lets remind everyone I went to a woman's college -- I am feeling a little out of place. Vince and Brian seem brilliant, though. I am VERY young too -- Vince must be 50 and Brian told me that he took 10 years off between grad school and he's already gotten a master's degree -- which must make him at least 35, right? So I am just a kid. I hope I can keep up with them.

I still can't believe I actually live here. The campus is beautiful. Its grand and gorgeous and just the Georges Square area is bigger than my whole College. The particular building I am studying in, William Robertson, is pretty ugly, but the History department has just installed a postgraduate resource center with its own computer room and "social lounge." There's also a kitchen, so when the time comes for me to spend the whole day in the building, I can at least store my lunch. I love running into other postgrads, but the undergraduates scare the living hell out of me. They all smoke, they all swear like crazy, some bunch of them are always making out in George's Square, and they dress funny.

There are so many great little areas to go and study. The library -- as almost every University library I have spent any time in, is also ugly, but inside of George's Square there is a beautiful little park where, during the sunny days, I think I will take my laptop and write. I have not discovered any cute little independent student coffee shops yet, but the year is still young.

We do live a quarter mile from a Starbucks, but I have reasoned that I am not going to be that American who goes to Paris and eats at McDonald's. ALL the American students have congregated around the Starbucks -- it is always packed. I wouldn't want to wait in line for a $5 latte anyways thanks so much! Good news, though -- when I get homesick, I can get the Pumpkin Latte -- they do have it. They also just got the Toffee Nut Latte, which is another personal favourite. For right now I have managed to avoid buying my traditional morning cup of Joe, but that is just because I have not found "my coffee shop." I don't know what it looks like, but I will know it when I see it. For right now, I am subsiting on *Blech! instant coffee. My search for a percolater was in vain -- they simply do not sell them here. And even if I could locate one, Tesco does not sell ground coffee. So, hmmm...Instant. I GUESS I can rough it for a while. I GUESS.

I have gotten to love a few things about living here, even in the first week.

The things I like about living here are as follows:
1. Location Location Location -- we are literally in the heart of the city. It is unbelievable. Again, I heard bagpipers from my apartment this afternoon.
2. My hair -- the water must be completely devoid of chemicals here, because I have not had three fabulous hair days in a row in two years.
3. Food -- okay, so Edinburgh is apparently an expensive city to live in. Hmmm...I guess whoever said that must have never gone to NYC, cause Graham and I just spent about $50 on a week of food for the both of us today and yesterday.
4. Boots Lunch Deal -- £2.99 gets you a drink, a completely addictive pre-made sandwich (I suggest the all day breakfast or the coronation chicken. I'll start eating healthy again once I get those things out of my system), and a bag of crisps. Can't beat it -- it fills you up and is super portable.
5. Scots -- I can't understand them, I'm STILL not convinced some of them are speaking English, but I could listen to them forever.
6. Cashmere -- there are 8 cashmere shops on the route between my apartment and Nicolson street.
7. Intellectual conversation -- I've never been around so many people who can debate whether Dunkirk was a great triumph for the British or a total disaster.
8. All the walking I have to do -- I think with the calories I am expending during my one mile hike to campus, plus the one mile I have to walk to the grocery store, I figure that it is physically impossible for me to gain weight. This week, I've actually lost 1 pound -- and I haven't worked out in 3 weeks.

Speaking of working out, I registered at my University's Sports Center. WOW -- $140 for the WHOLE YEAR and they have a pool, loads of classes, a racquetball court, tennis courts, and a killer cardio room. Its unbelievable. AND they had a DJ playing yesterday on the basketball court and a bagpiper at the front entrance. (Do they put pipers EVERYWHERE in this country? I am certainly starting to think so).

For all those who are interested, I had my first Matt Gershoff sighting yesterday. I was coming out of the Union shop and happened to be held up by a large crowd of mostly men. Coincidentally, I had just walked into the Informatics Department's tea break between lectures. So I saw Matt getting some coffee, but spoke to him briefly, as Graham was only a few steps behind in line.

Still no internet in the rooms -- no pictures on this sight. As soon as we get the pictures uploaded, I will write all about the apartment.

By the way, Graham was a little miffed at the picture that I posted in my profile. He says it was HIS idea for me to pose that way, so he demanded that I give him proper credit. (?)

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Comments

[Jill-O-E]

LOL...the undergraduates...dress funny? How so? My undergraduates remind me very much of high school. They are all pretty cut and dry preppies.