...and beyond!

So it's becoming more and more real that the semester is almost over. In order to remedy the unpleasant thoughts that come with the fact that Fatti and me will not be residents of Darroch 3/3 next semester, my two favorite Scottish girls, Jill & Yvonne have begun to plan their trip to America. Along with this comes them screaming and shouting about all things they think are American and being able to DO IT ALL. This was perhaps the funniest thing I have seen and heard. It's mostly funny because they weren't completely far off, and yet they were still so completely excited.

They want to go to diners at 3am, drink Mountain Dew until they turn green, go to the 'mooovies' (as opposed to the cinema) and eat popcorn, see the Statue of Liberty, have American money (I gave Yvonne a dollar, she was ecstatic), go to a MALL (a number 1 priority--specifically Abercrombie and Auntie Anne's Pretzels), go to a baseball game, go to Tiffany's in New York, and mostly, just be in America.

They're obsessed with their idealized American pop culture, more so than any one else I know in the states. They want to meet all the girls from the Hills and have watched the entirety of the OC an embarassing number of times. I can't wait to share my American with my wannabe Americans as they have shared Scotland with me.

The lack of hot water in my flat.

I went to the gym earlier this afternoon and returned about an hour before my class planning on showering and changing before heading off to the last lecture of Science & Society, a class which I will sincerely MISS) but alas, there is no hot water. So I go press our "boost button" This button which is supposed to heat the water either within or after a half hour. It very rarely works. I am sick of cold showers. Not just a little cold. FREEZING cold. UNPLEASANT.

But, let's be honest. A pretty minor complaint. I leave Edinburgh on the 19th. I'll be heading to a town named Pontefract in Yorkshire where my lovely flatmate Frankie lives. With her I'll visit to Liverpool and York and then head on my own to Bath and Stonehenge. I'll finish my mini-UK tour in London once again and take the train to Paris to meet the family.

Hah. Classes are finishing up this week, it's crazy. Had the my last Databases lecture today also. I'm going to Berlin this weekend with Monica and then meeting up with Fatti & her sister. I can't WAIT!

I realized today could spend all day on top of Arthur's Seat. I went up for the 4th time with Dougie, a friend from Brandeis who was in Edinburgh for the weekend, and was reminded how absolutely amazing it is. I don't think there are very many places where you can climb a few hundred meters in what feels like the great outdoors and when you get to the top you realize you're actually surrounded by a beautiful city. It's spectacular. You look down and see a massive golf course and the Firth of Forth and a castle, a palace, a university, and so many stores and homes. I'm going to miss that.

Picture sfrom Calton Hill on Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night)

THE EVENT:



THE AFTERMATH:

How cool it was to sit with my flatmates watching returns come in and explain to them how it all works. Definitely an experience to remember! Good Work, Team America.

//edit:
1. Add Obama to your RSS: http://change.gov
2. Cute:

I'm in a funny sort of place--because I'm here for less than two months more, which is the same amount of time I've been here for so far, a good amount of time, but still very little. I leave soon. Countable weekends soon. Next weekend is staying in to do work weekend. The following one is London. The one after that is another homework weekend. The one after that is Berlin. And then it's finals. And then it's Paris. And then I'm home and it's Sarah's wedding and wisdom teeth and Brandeis. AH!

I have a lot I want to do and a lot that I've done. Having people visiting was not only fun as it was productive in my Edinburgh/Scotland-seeing necessities. I went up Arthur's Seat a few more times, went to the Castle, went to the parliament more times than necessary, the palace and its gallery, a few museums and up the Walter Scott Monument.

Election Day is Tuesday also, which is so crazy. I think I'll be up all night for no reason other than to witness history and be a part of something that I have finally started to get some understanding of. Started to have conversations and thoughts and knowing that there's never really an ending point but just a lot more turning and cycling.

I'll leave with some pictures.