Scotland Part III: “Here Right Now…”

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Though I really wanted to sleep in on Saturday, it was a very exciting day!!! Chase was arriving from Leeds, England and we were going to see Ghost” the Musical that night!!   It was foggy and rainy, but as the Ghost lyrics say, I was “here right now” so I might as well enjoy it!  I headed to our meeting point, Starbucks, and settled in to wait.  I listened in on a couple (clearly Uruguayan or Argentinian) as they discussed their plans for the day, and before I knew it Chase had arrived!   I was ecstatic so see him! The last time I had seen him was on our trip with Courtney and Adam to New York!!! We had a blast then and I knew we would have a blast in Edinburgh!!  I anticipated a lot of laughing, but I got a lot more than expected!

After a good hour of exchanging study abroad stories and travel advise, we headed to the Elephant Cafe for lunch.  This cafe is where the author of Harry Potter wrote her books!!! It was a super cute place and we enjoyed the shelter from the rain.

After lunch, we headed to the Meadows to find a place for tea and desert! Don't judge!!!!! When it is pouring down rain, one can only find shelter where food is involved.  This time we picked Deacon Brodies, named after William Brodie, one of the inspirations for Robert Louis Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde.







We had a blast laughing over cake and scones! This time the conversation surrounded our adventures in New York....

Oh yeah!!! That time I woke up thinking it was raining... Then assumed someone was in the shower.  Then after seeing everyone in bed, assumed someone left the shower on...  and finally getting up discovered that our pipes had burst in the hotel... Yeah that time we risked staying at a hotel with previously reported murders in order to extend our stay a couple of nights... We laughed at the memory of me running down the stairs in my pajamas to find the nonchalant staff who was not surprised to hear that our room was flooding with boiling water... That time Chase had to wear rain boots to salvage my stuff from  our flooding room in this crazy hotel! I can't really tell y'all if people were staring at us laughing, because we were soooo into our stories that I didn't ever bother looking around!   Here is two clips from that day: 

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After tea, I took Chase to the National Museum of Scotland, since I hadn’t really spend enough time there on Friday.  We really enjoyed goofing off with the interactive games and had more fun than most of the kids there.   

 Then… we headed to the 7^th floor balcony to witness the terrace in the rain/fog! As expected it was foggy and rainy!!!

On the way own, the elevator was packed and the line for it was super long.... so we decided to take the stairs... but it was on the outside of the building... So halfway down, we started to doubt if the exit was a regular exit or just a fire escape!!! Yikes!  No worries! Captain Hook or some Johnny Depp looking character came to the rescue with his long hair, limp, and crazy accent! One second later he had led us and his girlfriend back in the building.  With the rain and the fog, one could have thought we were in a movie... Pirates of the Caribbean gone wrong. Since it was still pouring down rain, we walked to Starbucks to dry off before heading back to the apartment to change for Ghost!! Once we were done with our tea, it had stopped raining!  We decided to walk home and enjoyed many laughs, while Chase imagined me retracing this walk in the dark the night before... Oh man! 

After quickly changing, we headed out for dinner and Ghost!  Well... EVERY restaurant near Ghost was booked/packed/or had a 1 hour wait... Soooo.... we went out into the pouring (this time brutal rain with strong winds) down rain that quickly soaked my dress and proved that my raincoat was NOT water proof.  After many failed attempts, we settled in at another Starbucks!  Side note: there was a girl we crossed earlier in Edinburgh, who had dreadlocks and was not wearing any shoes and was walking around the city barefoot.... She was at starbucks and had her feet up on a chair!!! Poor Chase caught sight of them and could barely keep eating!!! 

 A panini and shortbread later, we were ready for Ghost!!!!! A little background for those that don't know.... Ghost: the Musical was on Broadway last summer when I was interning in the city.  To say I fell in love with the show wouldn't cover it!  I fell in love with the music, the message, the emotions, and the main guy.  I met one of the other guys in the show one day and he took Adam and I backstage and then went to dinner with us at Joe Allens, the spot where all the actors hang out after their shows.  He was super sweet and we all met up with him again last Christmas when we were in NYC!   Anyway, long story short... I love the show, I hate that it closed because of dumb reviews, and I wish everyone I knew could see it. 

Not so happy with the main guy....

I had very very high expectations for the show....    Coming out of it, I had to remind myself that it was just a touring production!  The story and the music are still unreal! However, the pitch, the acting and the emotion were nothing to rave about… I’m glad I saw it, even though some of the vocals were painful to listen to.   Man, did I miss Caysie Levy and Richard Fleeshman! And not to mention the Tony nominated Da'Vine Joy Randolph!!!  I would love to watch them again!!!

However, I will say that the message of living in the moment and spending every moment like its your last is still very much understood with the touring show!  The only two regrets from the show were 1. a couple of dumb girls that started laughing during a scene change and couldn't stop.  They laughed the whole way through my favorite, saddest, most touching song in the show.  The whole theater couldn't believe it... They were escorted out. (I think).   2. The main girl was too old. 

After the show Chase and I headed to an Italian restaurant across the street.  He was hungry and I don't turn down olives.  So we ordered some appetizers and a glass of wine... However, they brought us a bottle! Y'all I mean.... I think I'm better understood in Germany than in Scotland!!! 

Anyway, we drank it and ate and then headed out!  Of course.... that is easier said than done!! On the way out the door I joke about our bus being the one that was passing... but I was right.  We chased it, but there was no point!!! After consulting the board, we realized that it was also the last bus.... Soooo we had to walk.  Half way home we hopped on a bus that took us a bit closer and then walked the rest of the way home.   We arrived at 12:30 and since we didn't want to wake up Keith and his wife, who I legitimately never saw, we snuck around quietly.

On Sunday morning we woke up at 8 and hurried to get ready.  In the midst of the process I heard Keith chanting in his study with some lit candles (maybe in Japanese, I couldn't tell)... no he's not Japanese, but his wife is.... After leaving the key, we took the bus and headed out to Princess Street.  There we headed to the train station where we bought breakfast.  Once again I realized my inability to understand some Scottish accents.  After ordering a bagel with cream cheese, the woman said something to me.   Now... I am beyond used to this happening in German, but when I say yes or no... they usually respond and assume I understood.  In this case... I said yes and she said.. "miss, I asked what kind of bagel you want." GREAT!!! Love looking like an idiot! Hahahahah!!! After a quick breakfast standing outside in the wet and foggy Edinburgh, I took the Express bus to the airport.  Chase headed to Starbucks to study... his train didn't leave until later that night.  At the airport I only got 1 of my boarding passes, which made me a bit nervous considering the 25 minute wait I had in Cologne...I didn't think I would have enough time, but my flight in Cologne was delayed!!! So I made it in time and resolved all of my issues in German!!! I felt pretty proud!!!

The weekend in Scotland was the perfect way to recharge!   It is easy to forget what you're doing when you are submerged with life everyday, but a quick trip, a night at the theater, and a lot of laughs with a great friend quickly reminded me!  I'm so glad Chase got to join in and I am now more in love with Edinburgh than I was to begin with!!  Also.... I came back feeling better about how much my German has improved (from the first time I was at an airport).

Scotland Part II: A Sunny Disposition

On Friday morning, I went downstairs to get breakfast and I found Keith and Rebecca, a lady from California that was staying in Edinburgh for a day.  She had arrived on a sleeper train from London.  After a lovely breakfast, I headed out to catch the bus to Portobello, a beach in Edinburgh.   I had heard about this beach on a Rick Steves Podcast and Keith had also informed me that he was born there.  With his recommendation, I was ready to go!   I arrived at the beach at around 9:30.  It turned out to be the perfect spot full only of locals and their dogs.  It was like an amazing oasis from the tourists!  The weather was perfect, with just a few scattered clouds on a blue sky... something incredibly rare around that part of the world!

After a lovely walk around the coast, I took a bus to town.  I will say this.... buses here are VErY slow and stop at EVERY corner!  It is almost faster to walk!  As far as efficiency rating on its transportation system... Berlin has Edinburgh beat!  There was a lady on my bus sitting quietly... after 30 minutes I thought I heard her hit herself... I thought I must have imagined it, but then it happened again! She kept slapping herself and hitting the bag next to her.  Then the cursing began and soon... the hole second story of the bus was terrified.   While the situation was escalating, we reached my final destination, Princess Street, and I got off.  The views were incredible! Blue skies make the grass greener and the flowers even more beautiful!  On Princess Street, there is a huge garden/park (whatever you choose to call it).


In the middle one finds the Scottish National Gallery, where one can find Rodin's Kiss, many works by Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, and many Scottish artists.  It was beautifully laid out and the lobby even had WIFI!!!!!! Oh Berlin, you have a ways to go!! Downstairs one finds the Scottish section of the museum. I also found a group of 3rd graders (or 4th or so) that were thrilled to be visiting the museum on a field trip.  Side note: the uniforms here are adorable!!! While browsing through the Scottish art, the Scottish pride that is seen throughout Edinburgh became even more obvious.

After my visit, I headed across the street to H&M, where I bought some shoes to wear to Ghost the Musical on Saturday night.  After a quick purchase, I headed to a deli and bought a chorirzo and pear panini! Instead of sitting down at the restaurant, I opted for having a quiet picnic and a nap on the lawn (Princes Garden).   It was gorgeous and soo warm!! I laid on the grass listening to the Diary of Anne Frank for over and hour! 

 Refreshed, I headed to Starbucks for some iced coffee and a regrouping/planning session.  There, I concluded that I would head to the National Museum of Scotland.  I dreaded being inside (due to the amazing weather), so I planned to make the trip short and sweet!  Again, the Scottish pride was clear.  The building is HUGE and is designed to maximize the space throughout its 6 stories so that thousands of Scottish artifacts can be displayed.  It is incredibly impressive! I took a quick look around and then headed to the 7th floor terrace to look around.  The view was amazing, but I knew that I could do better once Chase joined me!  Once Chase arrived, we were planning on climbing Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh's highest volcanic mountain!

View from the terrace!

 From the museum, I headed to the Meadows Park, which was full of people laying around, playing soccer, grilling out, and enjoying the sun.

The Meadows

Walking past the crowds, a guy caught my attention.  He was walking in front of me with a huge head of curls... kicking a soccer ball... next thing I know, he passes the ball to a 5 or 6 year old kid who was walking by.  The kids eyes lit up! He got so excited and kicked the ball back to the 20(ish) year old guy, who continued on his walk as if nothing had happened.  But man... that little boy was so excited!!! After walking pass the lawns, the playgrounds, the tennis courts, and the cricket fields I realized that i was very close to Pollack Halls.  What are these halls?  Well they are the University dorms for the University of Edinburgh that hosted our theater group in 2009. I was so excited and I knew I had to stop by!! After 30 minutes of walking, I faced some amazing memories.... Snapping as many pictures as possible, I walked by our old practice rooms, our grassy knoll, our dorms, the cafeteria, and the steps that heard many of our secrets throughout our days in Edinburgh... My first stop was our little shop that provided us with sandwiches and snacks in 2009. I was determined to find a sandwich like the amazing goat cheese sandwich that Norma shared with me on top on Arthur's seat in 2009, but instead... I had to settle for a Brie and grape sandwich.  Sitting on the steps of campus, I got a bright idea!

The Grassy Knoll

The View of Arthur's Seat from Pollack Halls

Thanks to eduroam, an internet agreement between European Universities that provides all students enrolled in a European University with access to internet on campuses, I was able to Skype Maia!!! I was so happy to get to tour her around the campus a bit and reminisce on the wonderful experience that we had... After a few minutes Maia asked excitedly, "have you gone up yet?  To Arthur's Seat?"  Um... No... I was tempted to go that morning, but with my fear of heights I had decided it was smart to wait on chase!  She laughed and insisted that I couldn't NOT do it!  After talking to Maia, I checked my facebook and saw a message from Chase.... "Hope you brought your rain gear, 90% chance of rain tomorrow!" Bad news.... the weather for Saturday... (the day we had to climb Arthur's seat) was RAIN.  He wasn't surprised, because he has been living in the UK this whole semester... but the sun had spoiled me!!!! What now??? Maia would kill me if I didn't climb!!! But how could I do it alone!?!?! And it was already 6 pm!!!!  I had just eaten a sandwich... what???? Could I make it up before it got dark?

Clearly hiking the wrong path!

I had to try... so I hurriedly walked to the mountain and started climbing/hiking up.   Quickly I started getting out of breath.  Gosh.... I knew that would happen.  The last time I had climbed it... I legitimately had to be bribed into no quitting after the first 20 minutes. I HATE HEIGHTS!!! Out of breath and frustrated, I quickly realized I had chosen the wrong path... but hey! the view was awesome!! OK... so maybe it only circled the mountain and then went back down... I was tired... it was still really high... I HATE HEIGHTS!!!!!

View from the hike up the wrong path...

When the path got back to the bottom it was already 7:00.  But where this path ended... another one began.... and I knew that even though it wasn't the one we took in 2009, it was one that would take me to the very top!!! But I was soo tired... but Maia would kill me... so up I went! People were still climbing.... there was still light!!!! One fourth of the way up things got ugly.  Everyone climbing sounded like sick, overweight cows, gasping for air while drowning in a pool.  My legs hurt, my panic (remember my fear of heights) set in, but I couldn't stop!!! No!!! Last time I had Jordan to keep me going, but this time I had Maia's words ("you have to!!!!").  I kept going and when I was trying to climb (no longer hike) the last, steepest, and highest part, I hear a lovely Scottish lady yelling after me,  "miss, didn't you have a scarf?"  Crap!!! Why yes, I did have a scarf... but I guess somewhere between fearing for my life, trying not to fall, pulling myself up, and struggling to get enough air... I must have lost it.   "It's fine!" I yelled trying to hide the fact that I was out of breath, "I will get it on the walk down!"  "If it's still there," I thought to myself... I was sooo aware that it probably wouldn't be there, but if I went down.... I would never make it to the top.

About the location where the lady called after me

So I kept going and sacrifices my scarf!!! A few minutes later I made it to the top!!! The view was amazing and my plan was to wait up there for the sun set.  I started quickly to snap as many "selfies" (pictures of me taken by me!) as possible, because I knew no one would believe me that I made it up! These are just some of the last ones!

Clearly just had a bit to go...the color of my face says it all!

Made it!!!!!!

The amazing view from the top!

More amazing views from the top!

But once up there.... I couldn't get down fast enough.. you see.... when you are at the top... there's nothing to block the wind... and for one afraid of heights... it feels like you are about to be blown off.  No matter how ridiculous that sounds when you compare me to the tiny little teenage couple that was in front of me... No one was flying away!  I also needed to make sure I could climb the steepest, hardest part with some light, because I was down on 4 legs trying to make it down!! Once I got past this little stretch, I knew I could make it all the way down even without much light!  So I found a nice cliff  and settled in to wait for the sun to set! Oh! I almost forgot! On the way down, I found my scarf nicely placed between some rocks!! I love Scotts! At around this point I made this video to record the monumental moment and the view... it's incredibly embarrassing but I wanted to share it all with you!

The excitement was too much!!!

Me and my cliff!

From my cliff, I enjoyed the amazingness and pondered.  The last time I climbed this... I was with an incredible group of people that changed my life forever.  Our group headed up the mountain with Jack jumping from rock to rock without a care in the world... I was panicked enough for both of us I think... Now... just 4 years later I sat on this cliff thinking about Jack... about how we lost him too soon... and appreciating all of the memories we all have of him... Arthur's seat is a magical place.... a peaceful place.




As the sun went down, I continued to take a million pictures that would later serve as proof of my incredible day. 

Sun set!

I wanted to capture how wonderful it felt sitting on that rock... but at around 8:45, my phone suddenly died. WHAT??? The sun was still setting!! It still had 18%!!!! I had my map, my bus plan, my compass, my everything on that phone!!! I didn't even know what time it was without it!!!! Ugh!!! I couldn't wait for the sun to set now!!! I had to find my way home before it got dark!!!I hurried down the mountain and headed in the direction I felt was right.... At 9:30 I arrived back to Pollack Halls! I couldn't believe I made it!!! Oh wait... where would I go from there!?!?!   I got on a random bus, prayed a lot, and hoped it would take me to the Royal mile, where I had gotten off tha bus that morning.  And it did!!! But then.... I remembered that I had taken the bus from the beach that morning!!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!! Disconcerted again I was ready to sit down on the street and pout.  I had left home 12 hours ago!!! And taking out my time in the park and the bus rides, I had been walking/hiking/climbing for 10 hours!!!!  I finally found the way home and after a 40 minute walk (and some runs through terrifying dark parts) I made it home at 10:20 pm.  My legs wanted to kill me, but I was thrilled and exhausted!!!!

Fun fact---- when I came down the mountain I was only a 15 minute walk away from home... not 2 hours plus!!! Not forgetting my map again!!!

Scotland Part I: The escape to freedom

I have to apologize for the delay of these posts... They were written on Sunday, but I haven't had time to type them until today!


So the planned in me thought it was a good idea to sleep 2 hours from Tuesday to Wednesday last week.. My thought.... I'll get done with class at 4 pm on Wednesday, shower, eat, and go straight to bed!  At 6:00 pm I was in bed asleep! Woke up ready to leave... only to see that it was midnight!!!  I went back to sleep around 1:00 am and at 3:45 I woke up with my alarm.  I sluggishly got my things together and walked to the train station.   The walk was a mixtures between peace, strangeness, and creepiness.... The train was a few minutes late and with 3 minutes to change from the train to a bus (located at a mystery stop, whose location I was not very sure of) I was concerned.  As expected I missed my bus! The next on would get me to the airport at 5:50... my plane left at 6:50 and the check in closed 30 minutes before!!!! Well.... I would have taken a taxi... but I had no cash.  My goal was to wait to get cash in Edinburgh, since I needed pounds... NOT Euros.  Sooo... bus finally pulls up with a sweet looking woman driving.... Too sweet... It was the longest bus ride of my life!!! Traffic jams, stopping for people who were running to catch the bus (2 blocks away), etc... At one point, she even turned the bus off!!!! I thought it was a joke! I made it to Tegel with 20 minutes left to check in, so I hurried to my gate... or the gate that I thought was mine.  Boy was I wrong! My gate was on the complete opposite side!! So I ran!!!! Made it with 10 minutes to spare and out of breath... The first flight was short and sweet.  I felt like I was back in Boston flying to NYC to interview for my internship.  Why?  Because it was clear by the suits that most of the people were traveling to Cologne on business.  I, on the other hand, was sporting the no make up look that I have perfected over the years.  Cologne was a nice 3 hours of resting.  If it hadn't been such an early morning, I would have gone out to see the city, but I didn't want another close call! I went to go through passport check and was told that I was too early ... sooo I got breakfast and waited.  The flight was long, but I slept a good bit of it!

Once in Edinburgh I started the never ending immigration line... I always feel like I'm being herded through these lines! While standing in line I made a self diagnosis... I am suffering from a disease called language confusion.  There was Spanish, there was English, there was German!!! AAAHHH! What am I supposed to respond in?? Ugh.  After immigration I found an ATM and got some pounds.  I headed over to the first store and bought some overpriced water, so that I could get change for the bus.  Why? Because one must pay with exact change (good thing I had done my research). The people that I rented a room from (airbnb) suggested a few different buses that would take me from the airport to the house... I picked the one that didn't require me to change buses.  Too easy right?  I'm still not sure if it was the right choice, since it took over 1.5 hours, BUT I did get to listen to some Spanish, look at lots of landscapes, and save some money (apparently, since Keith, the landowner said it was the "economical option").

Once I arrived at the house, I got the royal tour.  The house was located in a very non-touristy precious neighborhood full of older couples and families.  The house was a small two story "old house" (just 130 years old) that had one tiny, narrow, very steep set of stairs that led to my room and the tiniest master bedroom I have ever seen... The host was supper welcoming ( in his pajamas and robe) and informed me that they would always have breakfast, coffee, and tea ready for me in the morning.  I never met his Japanese wife, but apparently she exists and they own a deli.  Soooooo... I thought I was missing stuff when I spoke to people in German... I'm not sure I missed any less when certain people spoke to me with a Scottish accent!!! Keith introduced me to the cat  but I still don't know what her name was, because his accent was soooo thick! She apparently lives in "my room." Side note: I'm allergic... So NO THANK YOU!  






After getting advise from Keith on the best routes to take to walk to the center of the city, I headed out! I quickly realized I was not in Germany anymore when a man saw me taking a picture of Arthur's Seat (please keep in mind that I was in a very NON-touristy part) and said in a precious Scottish accent, "miss, are you taking a picture of me, because if you are, I'm going to have to charge you, miss!"  I can't remember the last time someone spoke to me on the street... probably before I got to Germany!  After a fifty minute walk, I made it to Old Town and my beloved Royal Mile. 








Memories started flooding in... Performing on the mile in 2009 with the OHS Fringe Festival group, walking the streets with my friends, and the countless trips down those roads during our 10 days there... Man it was amazing... I walked all the way up the royal mile to the castle, and since it was already 3 pm, I headed for lunch! Fish and chips!!! Yum!!! Again, the 3 ladies working at the restaurant were incredibly hospitable and chatty!  So much so that I didn't know how to respond sometimes!!! It was sooo refreshing!  Their accents were priceless... One of them told the other "me and me granddad are going...." I'll never forget it! Soooo funny! At one point, when leaving I almost spoke to them in German, but I caught myself!! I'm telling you... this language things is hard! 


Walking back to the house I made two observations.  First, people walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk and refuse to move.  I couldn't figure out why people weren't following the stay on the right side of the sidewalk rule!!! Then.... I realized.... they drive on the other side!!!! So the one walking on the wrong side was yours truly!!!! As if walking on the sidewalks wasn't hard enough, crossing the street is terrifying.  I never knew which way to look... so after a point... I just decided to go for it... I believe DSG called it playing chicken when we did that crossing the streets in Greece in 2005! Haha! My second observation is the amount of WIFI that this gorgeous city offers.  Not only do almost all restaurants have wifi, but the phone booths on the streets and the museum lobbies do too!!! Berlin... you have a lot to learn!!!!  On my way home I stopped at a phone store to purchase a charger for my phone... Yes, I brought the wrong one.  I wasn't going to bother with my phone, but then I remembered it was my only way to take pictures! 

After a VERY long day,  I returned "home" and was asleep by 6:00pm... only to wake up at 11 pm.  But I was back asleep by 2:00 am and slept until 8:30!!!

Planning, reading, working, planning, walking, reading, reading,reading

As y'all can tell, it's been a while since I wrote... More than a week... And I really don't feel like I have much to tell... The big event this past week happened hundreds of miles away, at home, where my dad graduated with his PhD in History! So my attention strayed to another continent.

TUESDAY: As planned, I continued my schedule of reading.  I woke up early and finished my homework for class.  Headed to class... After class I walked home, where I got online and figured out how to reorder my debit card pin... I want to point out here that I got my bank account over 2 months ago.  I have received 3 debit cards, but never a pin.  I have gone in 3 times to reorder a pin, but since they can't do that... they always send a new card... and the pin NEVER comes.   So I reordered the card and changed my address to include my room number (something that is not common here).  After that, I headed walking to Starbucks.  It is one and a half hours from my dorm, but I am loving getting to listen to "Anne Frank's Diary," while I walk.  At the beginning, it really bothered me listening to it, since it is a teenager's view of things... and one can be incredibly vane and ruthless while judging others at that age.... As Anne grows, I become more and more interested in her story.  Tuesday afternoon I skyped with my amazing thesis adviser, who gave me more guidance on the next steps of my research. As a result, I sent many emails and wrote many notes!  Saturday night was a big night here!! Well not really here, but kinda.  At home in Oxford, my aunt Elena was arriving from Uruguay to surprise my dad for his graduation.  Since my sister had an exam, one of my best friends (ended up being two of them) drove up to Memphis to pick her up.  The idea was to surprise my dad at the office, where he was grading papers, but instead, they were confronted with an empty office.  My mom was giving an exam and Maia was taking one... so it was up to me to locate my dad.   So... I called his cellphone, but he didn't answer... by that point Sarah, Claire, and Elena had gone to Newks to get a bite to eat.  By the time dad noticed he had a missed call and called me, the girls were already at Walmart buying a balloon to surprise him with.  Well... I didn't want to miss the surprise... So I stayed on the phone with him (Skype) and transmitted to Claire (via iMessage) where he was located in the house so they could be aware when they surprised him.  After what felt like the longest time, dad says, "oh there come your friends Sarah and Claire." I acted surprised... Dad was expecting Katie, Maia's friend, who was supposedly coming to spend the night because she had to move out of her dorm early.... That's what Maia had told mom so she would have the house ready (up to mom's standards) for company! Sarah and Claire brought him the balloon, which he showed me and said, "can you believe they brought me a balloon."  They told him they had something for him in the car that they needed help getting, so at that point... while mom is pulling in... they all head to the car.  Mom said she expected a dog... and I don't know what dad expected, but they got tia Elena! What a surprise! And I got to live vicariously through the internet.  Isn't it a wonderful thing!!!!!! After some time talking, I headed to bed!

WEDNESDAY:
Another early morning! I still had to finish reading the final pages of the book for class, but I got to my 8 o'clock class with all 200 and something pages (in German) read!!! Whooooohooooo!!! Then on to my 10 o'clock! Had all my readings for that class done too!!! Whoooo!! Then grammar! I hadn't been to this class in two weeks (due to the class excursion and a national holiday).  I thought I had prepared everything, but I missed the email in assignment, because I hadn't been in class. Oh well!  After class I went with two of the Dutch girls to get some ice cream in the cafeteria.  After about 30 minutes of talking, we were joined by the Italian guy from our intro class.  I realize how ridiculous it is for me to constantly write about these awesome people and simply identify them by their nationality, but if I used names, this would become sooo confusing, so fast!  Anyway, we had a lovely time sitting outside, it was sunny at that point, and we discussed/planned their trip to Hamburg.  If I hadn't felt so overwhelmed with homework/thesis, I think I might have joined them.  But I have to prioritize, because I will get to have my fun in July and August. Now... I need to buckle down! After our conversation I walked home with my friend Anne Frank and settled down for a night of reading/thinking.  I made some delicious home made (healthyish) french fries, salmon, and salad and talked to my aunt Marianne.   Incredibly, our conversation led to some factual holes I have in my Uruguay facts, so she put me in contact with a friend of my grandmother's in Uruguay.  I had a great conversation with them (him and his wife) over skype and I was able to fill in many holes!  They were very very sweet and I was SUPER happy to hear their stories!

THURSDAY:
Thursday started lazy and late, but what is expected of (yet another) national holiday?  This one came unexpected, if I had known, I would have planned a trip for my 4 day weekend... but oh well!!! I was actually awakened that morning by a call from Hannele, who wanted to check on me, because she hadn't heard from me in a while.  Sweet lady!! I feel horrible about not having called her, but I really have had my mind on a million things. I headed out at some point to Starbucks.  When I left my apartment, it was sunny and clear, but by the time I got there... it was sooooo dark (and clearly about to start raining).  I was wearing a white tank top.... Did I mention I don't have a car here?  Soooo... after an hour of reading "Weimar Germany: promises and tragedies."  I headed out to catch a bus to get me home! The plan was to buy food on the way, but thanks to the rain and my choice of wardrobe, I was left at home... with ZERO food.  Hey... one night of no food won't kill me! On Thursday night I got to talk to another of my grandmother's family.  This time, Omi! I had spoken with her about Oma's story when I was in Uruguay two summers ago, but she was once again incredibly helpful! I love to hear her stories, because I feel like my Oma is telling them.  Omi is such an amazing spirit, I LOVE talking to her! I wish I could do it more often!

FRIDAY:
Friday started late, again... But oh well!  I worked all week with mom and Elena and my sweet friend/boss Penny to get everything together for a wine and cheese party for my dad's graduation.  (Side note: I really hope everyone who reads my blog knows that my use of run-on sentences, poor spelling, and horrible grammar is not done purposely and will continue to increase proportionally with the time I spend here) Anyway.... the planning was a blast, and I was looking forward to how they decorates, prepared, etc... Friday was THE night!  As soon as I realized they were too busy to share the day via Skype, I hurried to Berlin to meet Alexandra and Colby.  I didn't want to wait and think about how I was missing out on the big day and all the event planning (my favorite thing to do on this planet). So... instead... I ate! (Side note: on the way out I checked my mail (like I do 2 to 3 times a day) and found my 4th debit card! now... to hoping the pin follows) We got together and went to a Mexicanish Restaurant, where we ordered chips and salsa roja to start out with... Little did we know that it means chips with Ragu Spaghetti canned sauce.  NOT RECOMMENDED! After that, we walked through the streets of Prenzlauer Berg! I love this place soo much! After much walking, we settled in for some coffee and cake at Anna Blume, a lovely cafe! We felt so full/guilty afterwards that we walked all the way to Alexanderplatz!  Once there, I took the train back home (already 11:45) and I settled in to watch my dad graduate.   It is pretty incredible what technology does!  I watched it with my aunt Marianne... she watched in Uruguay and I watched here, and we chatted via skype as we watched!  My pictures of my computer screen as dad walked across the stage turned out to be the best! hahah!  At around 8:40, the graduation was still dragging on... I knew my mom must have been a nervous wreck, because all of the guests were scheduled to arrive at 9:00, and most of them weren't at the graduation!! So I text Maia, who said the three of them (her, Elena, and mom) were saying the same thing.... So mom sneaked out and headed home... in the pouring rain! I called her and tried to appease her nerves by telling her that Courtney, my best friend and her adopted third daughter, was on her way to help her.  After that, I expected to hear from them... I was online and my cousin Lucia appeared with her husband Nacho! They had watched the end of the graduation and were waiting to Skype with them to congratulate dad.  By then it was around 9:30, so I figured guests were already at home... In case you aren't doing the math.... it was... 4:30 am here!!!! But, I didn't want to fall asleep right when they were skyping me.  Instead, I decided to skype with Lucia and Nacho for a while! We got to talk for about an hour and it was soooo great to catch up, but at around 5:45, I gave into my sleepiness... The birds were out and so was the sun.  I figures no one was going to Skype, which clearly meant the party was a hit!  I quickly fell asleep and did not wake up until like... 2 pm!!!!!

SATURDAY:
As expected, Saturday was a reading/studying day.  I actually got some writing done! Clearly it is nothing that I would turn in as part of my thesis, but it is thoughts and stories, which is waaaay more than I have done in a while! I also transcribed an interview!!! That makes Saturday a success!!! In preparations for a visit from Alexandra and Colby on Sunday, I swept, mopped, and dusted! Then... I headed out to the grocery store, where I purchased all of the necessary ingredients for crepes (I know... I'm getting repetitive.. but what can I do, I just have a stove top!!! )

SUNDAY:
I spent the beginning of Sunday planning.  As I mentioned, I LOVE planning and organizing! This time it was a trip! It is the "sister trip" that Maia and I will take in July! We are hoping to get to know some of Italy and the British Isles in just 15 days! That is one HUGE task! But we can do it!!!! After many hours on Ryanair and Easyjet, we Skyped and discussed our possibilities.  Nothing has been concluded, but one thing we are doing for sure is "the Ring of Kerry" in Scotland!!! I somehow came across it online, and I have fallen in love with it!!! I can't wait to go.   In the evening, Alexandra and Colby came over and we had crepes! They were a huge hit and we had a blast hanging out in my super empty/clean room! After they left, I continued talking the trip over with Maia until 3 am here... Didn't actually fall asleep until 4 am! That's what happens when you mess your sleeping schedule up!!!

MONDAY:
Oh well, I really hated myself Monday morning during my 8 o'clock, but it's ok.  After class I walked home with Anne and started my reading for my 2:00 o'clock! I was sooo prepared for that one that for the first time ever.... I got to answer questions!!! Being used to my lovely Croft classes with over 100 pages of reading per class (clearly I never have enough time to do them all) and accounting classes, where I never know if I should attempt to answer a question....  it was REALLY great answering questions knowing that the answer I was giving was correct!! It didn't hurt that the class is in English and the rest of the students are German, but HEY!!!! A girl needs to feel like she knows something sometimes!!! After class I returned home, watched a quick movie and fell asleep at 7:30 pm.  And... I didn't wake up until 8:30 am! Whew!!! Maybe I'm back on schedule!!!

Tuesday:
The early morning today meant that I was extra productive! Before my 12 o'clock, I prepared my homework for tomorrow and organized everything for this week (aka organized the million printed material that I have had stuffed in my back pack).   At 11:30 I headed walking to school with Anne.  I'm getting to the continuously depressing part of Anne's story and I know that I still have many more depressing months to go.... But it is very interesting.... Class was ok, but after class... the most amazing thing occurred!!!! I found my debit card pin in my mailbox!!!! Believe it y'all!!! I officially can access my scholarship!!! Whoooo!!! I guess it's time to pay my parents back! hahah! So... after that... I was ready to continue the exciting things! So I packed up my two humongous bags of dirty clothes and headed to the Waschbar, where Olga and Susi washed my clothes (the names of the washers) and Elvis and Bill dried them (the driers)... Elvis was a disappointment and shrunk a lot of my sweaters, but I guess I'll forgive him since they were a bit large to begin with.  Once back at home, I have dedicated my evening to planning my trip this weekend! Did y'all forget??? I'm going to Scotland!!! WHOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!! I cannot wait!!! Only downside is that my flight leaves from Berlin at 6:50, which means I have to leave Potsdam at 3:40!!! Gross, scary, and sooo not what I would prefer to do, but hey!! I'm going to Scotland!!! And guess what!?!?!? They speak English there!!!! I can't wait!!! And you want to know something else??????   I'm getting to see Ghost:the Musical!!! I think this weekend will be the perfect breath of fresh air that I've been needing!!!!


Anyway guys! I wanted y'all to be updated, since I know my next entry will be all about Scotland.  The past few weeks have not been the most exciting or happiest of my life, but I'm making it over here in Germanland! I do wish I could share some of the walks or quiet study moments with some of you at home, but it is helping me realize how lucky I am to have people back at home that are as busy and studious as I am! It makes the whole process a whole lot less lonely! I have also made another big realization... not new though... I am BEYOND done with school! I know some people love it, but I am sooo not one of those people.  I think I would like school much better here.  There is less emphasis on tests and only emphasis on these papers that they have 1.5 months FREE to write them in... Like, really??? But even if I were living here with their lack of cares about grades, I think I would still be done.  Planning this "sister trip" and my dad's wine and cheese stuff has reminded me of how much fun I had last summer at my internship, how much fun I had working with the Honors Retreat planning last summer, how much fun I have at work, and finally how much fun I have "working" as a whole... I love having a project, devising a plan, and executing... I don't like papers, I don't enjoy having mountains to read, and I REALLY don't enjoy feeling like there is SOOOO much to learn that I could never catch up. I think this is my major issue at the moment.  My classes and my thesis deal with detailed topics that are based on all this general knowledge that I either lacking or not mastering... On the other hand, when I work... I can catch myself up easily on the projects and make sure I can complete the task.  I guess it's good to have projects to remind myself that I do have LOTS of things that I enjoy doing.  This is one of the main reasons that I am thankful to have RebelTHON next year!!!! I digress... so let me wrap this up altogether!!! Bis (till) soon!

A Blooming Potsdam

Soooo... this blogging thing is clearly going to become more and more unusual. I'm going to try my best to update at least once a week, but the way I'm feeling.... it might not happen.  I am officially 100% on school/thesis schedule.  I have to write: 20 pages (in German) for one class, 10 pages (in German) for another class, 10 pages (in English) for another class, and 20 pages (in English) for another... Still haven't received topics... BUT I do know that I have to have it all done before July 12th... Oh.... and then there's the thesis thing... I don't know who said these 5 months would all be about traveling, but we are clearly not on the same page... Any who, as you all know, I like being busy... so I'll try to make the best of it! (and try to get things done too)

Let me start by saying that the weather this week has been incredible (when I say this week, I mean last, but y'all get the picture)!

MONDAY:

After I posted the amazing video of Courtney last week, I went to my afternoon class (in English) and enjoyed the benefits of being fully prepared for class (reading and all)! To this day, I have been prepared with readings for all of my classes... things might change soon if I can't figure out a way to get through my German book faster.... it's due Wednesday!!!! Any who! After class I had agreed to meet Colby in Berlin for dinner! I asked to meet in Prenzlauer Berg, because I'm missing it a LOT!!! This week was kind of rough for me... It can be kind of frustrating living in Potsdam... or more like living where I live in Potsdam.  Even though it is a breathtaking place... I can't just go downstairs to a cafe and read... I have to take a 20 minute bus to get to a nice coffee area... Everything was different in P.Berg!!! I digress... Once I met up with Colby at the Hauptbahnhof (the main train station in Berlin), we headed to P.Berg, more specifically the Mauerpark (the "wall" park).  The park is in Prenzlauer Berg and is famous for its flee market on Sundays, but on this lovely Monday it was a bit empty.  My observation: there was trash!!!! I could have taken sooo many pictures for all of those people that insist that everything in Germany is immaculate! Let me tell you... it's not! Haha!  We utilized the nice weather and crazy park as the setting for our ranting... I've come to accept that ranting is an unavoidable part of studying abroad.  As you all probably already know, I tend to complain (a lot) about school work anyway... but.... throw me into a new place,where I feel like I should constantly be exploring,  and I complain a lot more.   Why should I be inside or outside in one place all day reading, while others are taking off to France, Spain, Italy, etc??? Why do I have to be reading about concentration camps and crusades?? Why, because I signed up for it?   As one of my good friends Hunter once said to me, "sometimes I just need to complain to complain, I don't need answers or solutions!"  And that is what we did at the Mauerpark! After a long talk we made  our way to Kreuzburger to eat a good "healthy" (yeah right!) meal!  After that, we headed to Rossman's so I could buy a few things that are hard to find at my local places in Potsdam.  Then... we headed for ice cream! The initial plan was to walk off the food by walking to Alexanderplatz's train station (40 minute walk), but 10 minutes into the walk, I got a message from Omar saying that him and Zoraida had arrived in Berlin.  Zoraida and Omar are my mom's friends from Uruguay.  Zoraida grew up on my mom's street and they have stayed close friends!  The whole family (Omar, Zoraida, and their four awesome kids) came to visit us in Oxford for New Years this year! Now, they were visiting Berlin for a few days.  I quickly called them and decided to go visit them for a bit.  They were in Kreuzberg... nowhere near where I was... so at 8:30 I headed towards them!  After reaching their apartment, a bit later than I wished, I got to visit with them for a bit.  The location of their apartment was amazing! They stayed in the city for 3 or 4 days and were lucky enough to stay with family friends that own the largest apartment I have seen since here!!! After a bit, we all headed to the grocery store to search for their dinner, and then I headed back to the train station, since my goal was to get home before midnight.  I had to leave them midway to the station, because I had to take off running. My train was leaving in 3 minutes, and if I didn't catch it... I would have to wait 1 hour at a train station for the next train.  I got to the station right on time.... but the train was delayed and I was 3 minutes behind schedule, which would put me 2 minutes late for my first connection... Luckily that train was also late!!!! So I made it to train 2! However, I was going to make it with 1 minute to spare to change trains at the Zoologische garten station... For those of you that don't know berlin, this station is pretty big... and there are lots of stairs and passageways between the SBahn and the Regional bahn!!! But anywho, I made the run and made it right on time!!!!! After 3 trains and one bus, I finally made it home! (with some delicious alfajores that Zoraida and Omar brought me!!!)

TUESDAY:
Well... as usual, Tuesday started a bit later than expected... It is unreal how I sleep through alarms when I know it is a possibility!! After barely making it to class (at noon), I struggled to stay awake!!! Ridiculous, but my German class is a bore!!!! I am very thankful for this bore, if not I would really be drowning in work!!! After class I headed back to my dorm to rest up a bit! After some time resting, I decided to go to Potsdam's pedestrian street, where there was supposed to be a music festival (fighting racism).  I was excited to see something, but was not sure what that something would be.  While getting on the bus I encountered a couple of moms with their children, all dressed up as witches!! WHAT?!?!  The bus was packed, so I figured whatever was happening should be worth it! And boy was I wrong!!! The plaza was full of people wearing black and ear stretching jewelry... (I don't know the proper terminology, but you guys should know what I mean... those things that stretch out your ear lobes and make people smell like dying flesh...) The techno music, fog, and smoke drove me away pretty quickly... So I headed to my beloved Starbucks, where I researched the witch wardrobe... It was All Hollow's Eve... OOOOOOHHHHH! Got it!   After a quick wifi session, I headed to Kaufland to buy... cleaning supplies! Wow, my life is really exciting! I really was born 80! Oh well... my room/kitchen/bathroom really needed some deep cleaning! Leaving Kaufland I decided to get some Chinese food for the road and I headed back for a quiet evening.  I could have excused it with the fact that I had class Wednesday at 8, but I didn't... Wednesday was Labor Day (pretty much everywhere in the world except for in the States). I did however, get the pleasure of sitting in on the first RebelTHON board meeting!!! Through Skype!!! Everyone should be really excited, because it is going to be amazing next year!!!!

WEDNESDAY:
Thanks to a late night of skyping and netflixing (yes, I just made it a verb) I woke up late... Surprise! I knew that a big party/protesting day was happening in Kreuzberg, Berlin, and I thought I would check it out! However, on the way to Berlin I remembered that Claire was defending her thesis at home, and I wanted to listen in! So I rerouted my trip to Alexanderplatz.  I knew of a little cafe there that would provide me with the necessary wifi to watch Claire!! It was a blast!! By the time she finished, I had heard from many people that Kreuzberg was too crazy and crowded, so I decided to stick around the center of the city and meet up with Martin and Colby.  Once united we met up with Alexandra and two of her friends (one Italian and one Russian)! From there we headed to an American diner that they knew (reason: huge tvs to watch the Bayern vs. Barcelona game).  Biggest part of the game, if Bayern won, then it would be a Germany vs. Germany final! The diner filled up fast! And we were soon joined by a group of guys who had to sit at the table next to us, because we were too many!  (Czech, French, American, Italian, and Brazilian)  The game was fun, but I secretly was rooting for Barcelona, because I felt kind of bad that they got killed last week and it's my momma's team!!!!!!  It was fun getting to spend time with people outside of Potsdam, but after dinner Alexandra, Martin, Colby, and I rushed off so I could catch my train, if not I would have to wait another hour... See!!! It gets old sooooooooo fast!!!! They were sweet and made sure I was on the train and on my way before they headed to the S Bahn.  Even though Alexandra lives in Potsdam, she lives on an S Bahn stop and the regional train doesn't help her.  On the other hand, the SBahn leaves me 30 minutes away (by bus) AND the buses run once a blue moon at night. Wonderful, I know! Once I got off my train I ran into one of the girls (from the Netherlands) that was in my intro class here.  She was also coming back from Berlin and had an incredible story to tell.  She went to Kreuzberg... and there she met a guy... a British guy who lives in Berlin... and is a photographer... and they spent the whole day going around Berlin taking pictures... He is also an expert in military history (I believe) so he gave her tours, etc.  Then they relaxed at a pub... WHAT?!?!?!!? Not real!!! Why does this stuff not happen to me!!?!?!?!!? I almost wanted to look at her and say..."who are you, Mary Kate and Ashley??????" UNREAL. I walked home in awe.

THURSDAY:
I love Thursdays! Thursdays involve sleeping in late, 1 class, and then relaxing or doing whatever needs to be done (not school related!). This week it involved scrubbing (literally) the floors, but that was TOTALLY fine by me!!! Since I was sure that my old roommate had completely moved out, I knew everything left could be tossed.  Half way through the grossness, I met my new roommate and her boyfriend! They had just picked up her keys and were looking around.  He asked me to write a lady to let her know that I would be vacating the apartment next semester, so that he could get a contract now.  Guess who the lady is!?!?!?! The ogre! Priceless! After cleaning, I was planning on texting Colby and Martin to see if they wanted to come over for dinner, but they beat me to it!!! I headed to Kaufland to buy the necessary things for a nice dinner (crepes/caneloni, whatever you call it)!  Once I returned, I figured they would be arriving any minute.  Boy was I wrong!! Due to an arson attempt by a left extremist group, the train systems were mostly stopped between Potsdam and Berlin... So it took them 1:45 minutes to get here!!!! Poor things! I felt sooo bad!! Once here I started to cook, and we snacked on some chips, cold cuts, and olives! Dinner was delicious and you really can't go wrong when you end with strawberry nutella crepes!   Once we were done stuffing our faces we started planning the trip to London/Edinburgh for May 17.  I had planned on taking a weekend trip to get away and also to watch Ghost (one of my favorite musicals) that is touring there! Colby and Martin decided they would join and we would take a trip through London too, since Colby has never been.  However, after a quick planning session, we decided it was too expensive.  Therefore, they will go to London and I will go to Scotland! Works for me! Next thing we knew it was almost midnight and they still didn't know how they would get home... so after another insanely long trip and some walking, they made it to Berlin... Our plan was to meet in the morning to go to Leipzig, but when Colby called me at 11 am, it was clear that was not going to happen!!!

FRIDAY:
So, since I moved to Potsdam I have wanted to do a walking tour... but due to my foot... I haven't! Colby's call in the morning informed me that Martin wanted to tour Potsdam! Whooooohooooo!! Finally, a reason to do it!! So at 1:30 we met in the middle of Potsdam and started our day of walking.  First, a stop for food.  Second, a walk through the dutch neighborhood.  Third, a dutch hot chocolate (melted chocolate).   After that... we were ready for the real walking!!! Sooooo.... we headed to Park Sanssouci! The park end at my University and includes 3 palaces, a Chinese tea house, and more. Half way through the walk, we met up with Alexandra.  We continued until the end of the park and I was sooo grateful to see it in bloom and dressed in green! All the other times I had walked the whole thing, it was covered in a white blanket of snow!

  After the walk, we headed to the train and headed to Babelsberg, a town on the outskirts of Potsdam that has another famous park with a palace! Here we walked some more and enjoyed the sunset on the water! It was a great treat!!! Martin led us back out of the park right on time (aka, we didn't have to walk through the park in the darkness!)

We entertained ourselves trying to find a place to eat dinner at 9:30 (yes, that is when it gets dark here now!!!).  We failed, so we headed back to Potsdam's train station to grab a quick bite before we each headed our separate ways.   Nothing was open there either, so we each headed home!!
SATURDAY:
Reality set in again on Saturday... Soooo much to read.  So I had to decline some awesome offers... Instead I headed to my beloved Starbucks and I sat... and read... and then read some more! As a treat, on the way home I picked up a pizza and fell asleep (TOO LATE) watching a movie!

SUNDAY:
More reality.... Just so y'all know... I'm not on vacation over here!!!!! Hahaha, so another day of reading! Early to bed.....

Monday:
Up bright and early for more reading before my 8 o'clock!!!!  Then class, wonderfully interesting as usual (still frustrating because of all the things I miss due to language issues!!!!).  Then home to read and eat a healthy lunch... 15 minute power nap, back to class.... Relaxing walk home.... bus to my beloved Starbucks... more reading... Stop at a bakery to buy organic rye/wheat bread. Stop at Kaisers for some sandwich ingredients... Miss the train... Instead of standing in the sun for 20 minutes, I decide to walk home through the park!  So I walked Park Sanssouci again while listening to the Diary of Anne Frank on tape. As sad as it is, I've never read it, and I think I need to.   An hour later I arrived here, to my humble abode!  I was getting ready to pick up my book again, when I realized that I have the rest of the week planned out to the second... which meant if I didn't write now... I wouldn't for another week.  So here it is!!! I'm sorry about the length, but you are officially caught up with my life!!

Things I am thankful for here:
- Park Sanssouci
- weather
- bread
- Prenzlauer Berg

Things that have made me miss my homes this week:
- Zoraida and Omar --- Uruguay
- Tony nomination released, everything about this ghost pair:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FAJh2m22ww            ---                   New York City
- Thesis, graduation parties, dad's graduation party planning, etc.         --    Oxford