Look Up

Look up has been my theme of the week. It has its very literal interpretation, to look up at what is above you, but it also has its metaphorical and epistemological meaning. *Insert chorus of oohs here.* But I am jumping ahead of myself.

It is 5:41 am local time, and clearly I should not be allowed to think at this time or more importantly to share those thoughts with you. It’s not too late to back out now!

The final week of teaching passed in a blur. Several kids brought chocolates for our last day, completely undoing any good the walking to and from school did. Kim spent Thursday night with us and most of Friday evening. We had so much fun just spending time together before we all go our separate ways. Saturday morning, I saw Kelly off out of the house, bound for Dublin. I immediately collapsed back into bed, which is where I would love to be right now. Allison roused me a few hours later and we set about packing our belongings and cleaning the house. I met up with Kim at McDonald’s around 12:30 and we had a lovely wee chat. Allison joined us later, and naturally, more chatting ensued. Finally, we had to part. It was sad to say good-bye to Kim, but she has promised, pinky promised at that!, to come and visit in the States. (You see that Kim? It’s on the internet. For everyone to see. So now you have to.)

Lillias, a local friend, was at the house already when Allison and I arrived. She waited patiently while I packed my remaining things, and then after I loaded them up in the car, she drove me to Edinburgh, which is literally across the country, albeit only a 40 minute drive, to the airport. I was able to catch my flight for Madrid, and had the privilege of sitting next to a very kind man named Jorge. His first question, coated with a thick Spanish accent, was, “You… speak Spanish?” I sheepishly replied, “A little.” He said, “I speak even less English.” My reply? “Oh, good.” He lied though. We had a lovely chat, even if it was a little frustrating at times with the language barrier, about his job as a policeman, the places I had to see in Madrid, his wife and kids, politics (did you know Spain has a King?!), and religion. I think my favorite part was when I mentioned Google and he said with utter confusion, “Google?” After much frustrating attempts to explain what Google is, he finally exclaimed, “Aah! Goo-gehl!” He then proceeded to have me say “my version,” although I still hold that they sounded the exact same, to his friends. They then proceeded to laugh and talk in rapid Spanish. It felt awesome. Oh, wait…

ADD moment: Have I mentioned that I’m tired? I’ll explain why shortly, but I am. And I have to wait until 7 am to check in at the desk and I am trying desperately not to look at the little clock in the bottom corner of my screen, but it’s like a siren, calling my eyes back every few minutes and making time pass agonizingly slow. Okay. Continue.

Upon arrival in Madrid, Scott, a local missionary, picked me up and took me back to his and Kathy’s apartment. I crashed pretty much immediately. On Sunday we went to a little church, where 11 people, myself included, were in attendance. It was quite lovely, even though I didn’t understand everything that was being said. We went back for lunch at the apartment and then drove to Segovia. It was exquisite! The first thing we saw was a Roman aqueduct built around 200 AD. No big. It was built without any mortar, and it remained in use until the 1970s. Then we went up to the cathedral, and that is where the theme “look up” really began. The ceilings were all vaulted, molded, or painted. Gorgeous. Then it was on to the castle. This was one of the homes of Ferdinand and Isabella, and it is thought that the throne room of this particular castle is where Christopher Columbus asked permission to go explore the world. The rest of the evening consisted of dinner and TV. Yay for Castle!

Monday, I got up and travelled into Madrid. I went to the Royal Palace and the Reina Sofia Museum. I loved the palace! It is one of the biggest and most extravagant in Western Europe. The museum… eh. It was pretty much all contemporary art, so I didn’t enjoy that as much. Tuesday I toured the Prado Museum, an art museum and much more my type. I saw works by Poussin, van Dyck, Goya, and Rembrandt. I really appreciated the variety they had and the layout was superb. Wednesday I went to the Museum of Decorative Arts, much more thrilling than it sounds, trust me. They had historical pieces dating as far back as 120 BC! I then went to the Archaeological Museum but it was closed. Sadness! So I decided to get completely turned around, but never lost, and wind up at a little café type thing where I had a delicious brownie with ice cream and chocolate sauce covering it... ‘Nuff said! I then found my way to the Romantic Museum. Before you judge, it was not a museum about romance; it was more about the romanticism period. It was an old house that has been set up to look like a house would have looked between the 18^th and 19^th century. I loved it! After that I walked to the bus station for a final time and bid farewell to Madrid.

Today, or rather yesterday at this point, I got up, packed, and then walked to the monastery that is located in the town Scott and Kathy live in. And it. Is. HUGE! It took 22 years to complete the building of it, and then another 11 years just to decorate it! I did a walk through and know I didn’t even come close to seeing every part of the building, but what I did see I was impressed with. Some interesting facts about the monastery:

·         It was commissioned by Phillip II, king of Spain.

·         From this monastery, he planned the Spanish Armada.

·         There is a hall which is dedicated to one long mural depicting battle scenes. How long? Well, I calculated. 92 steps at an 8 to 5 measurement (8 steps for 5 yards), so that’s 11.5 times 5 which is 57.5 yards, or 172.5 feet. Impressed? J

Anywho, after finishing there, I headed to the airport with Scott and Kathy, thanked them profusely, and hopped on a flight back to Edinburgh. Allison and Lillias met me there, and we made the trek back to Bill and Lillias’house. Here’s where it gets fun.

ADD moment #2: Can I just say how obnoxious it is when people walk past where you’re sitting and let out a fart that makes you gag while you are trying to write about the beauty of Madrid? That has happened twice. Okay. Moving on.

So we get to the house and Bill tells me my flight from Glasgow to Manchester has been canceled. I thought he was pulling my leg, but alas! So, he was the best person on Earth and took care of everything. He booked me a seat on an overnight bus to Manchester Airport, talked to the airline, and as compensation, I have free, UNLIMITED baggage! This is such a blessing because this is all I have been stressing over for the last week. 2 heavy bags at an airport are expensive! So all of this is where the metaphorical “look up” comes from. I have spent this week worrying about how much money I’m going to need to pay for baggage, but God is taking care of me. I talked to mom and told here that I would rather take the overnight bus ride for the free baggage. Plus, I should get a refund from the airline! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

So here I am, typing all this and thanking God for people like Bill and Lillias over and over in my mind. My flight will leave from here in Manchester and go to Chicago. Then from Chicago to Indy. I am quite excited. I’m up in the clouds somewhere, coming back home again in Indiana.

So as you are waking up today, remember to look up, because if you don’t, you just might miss something beautiful.

Love's Strength Standeth in Love's Sacrifice

Today was a sad day; it was Kim and Richard's last day at Hamilton College. I am still in denial, because I fully expect to see them on Monday at break time in the staff room. But the reality is, they have to leave. And in only two weeks, we will have to leave. At least this way, we can still see Kim and Richard, like we will tomorrow night when we go into Glasgow with them. But in two or three weeks, we will be on another continent.

I am someone who loves to love, but hates goodbyes. I probably drove Kim and Richard nuts on Thursday evening when they came over for dinner because I kept asking, "Will you really still be friends with us when we leave?" to which they both responded with astonished, and mildly offended, responses of "YES!"

While at Edinburgh Castle, Kelly and I went in a hall devoted to honoring men and women who served in the past and those who still serve. In one section, the stone carving read "Love's strength standeth in love's sacrifice." Have you ever had one of those moments where you just hear or read something so obvious, so profound, and so enthralling that you can think of nothing else? I don't know how long I stared at those words, but stare I did, committing those words to memory, for they sum up not only the purpose of my being here, but also how I wish to live my life.

Ever since we arrived, I have had a greater appreciation for words and for their meaning. Part of this stems from the confusion of some words here, such as the confusion of pants vs. trousers, biscuits vs. cookies, and chips vs. french fries. I also have learned new words and phrases like grassbag, muck around, and slagging off. So when I read these words at the castle, I couldn't help but be entranced.

At this point, and this mental capacity, I'm not sure I can eloquently express what the words mean to me, but as I dwell on this, I will bear in mind the power that they hold, for they capture not only my reason for being here personally, but also why I can be here, through my faith in Christ who lived out these words in ways I can never dream.

 Kelly and I in front of Edinburgh Castle.

On Sunday, Mark took Kelly and I to St. Andrew's. Thankfully the golf course was not busy, so we didn't have much to fear in the land of golfers.

A picture of me at the university. I would kill to have such beautiful architecture on IWU's campus!!!

Think America has some old buildings? These church remains are from the 14th century! St. Andrew's Cathedral

And what's life without a little scenery. :)

I may not be a golfer, but I can certainly appreciate the 18th hole at St. Andrew's!

Crazy Whirlwinds

Why is it, that when we want to speed through a week or a month it drags like a teenage boy's pants? But when we want a moment to last, it speeds by faster than a driver on the Autobahn? For example, I'm sitting here watching "River City," a Scottish soap opera, and thinking, "Dear God, is this over yet?" But this week is the last for Kim and Richard at Hamilton College, and we're nearly half-way through the week? So unfair.

It is so difficult to take it all in. I've been into Glasgow several times, Edinburgh, St. Andrew's, and I have plans to go to Stirling (think Braveheart), Glasgow again, and London. Oh, and don't forget the trip to Spain! :) But in spite of all I've done and all I've seen, there is so much left to see and do. It's sad to think that I might miss something, but such is life. We cannot do everything. Sad, but true.

Last weekend was the busiest yet. Friday, we left from the school to go to the dry ski slopes with a school trip. They go every Friday. The trip mainly consisted of sitting in the lodge while students skied, but it was lovely. :) After, Natalie and Emma took us into Glasgow's west end for dinner and an evening out with the girls. We ate at a place called The Loft. I walked in, and automatically realized that I was out of place. So chique! We all shared some food, laughs and conversation. We met up with another teacher at a place called Dram! for the true Scottish pub atmosphere.

The next day, Kelly and I got up and went to the train station, where we hopped on a train bound for Cambuslang, then switched to a train for Bellshil, then finally for Edinburgh. The best part? We did it all without missing a train or getting lost! YAY! We met up with Judith, one of our teachers, and she took us to a little cafe where I drank my first ever full cup of tea. :) We then took an open bus tour of Edinburgh. I love all of the old architecture and history in the city. Later we went up to Edinburgh castle, which was where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI, who became king at 1 year old. We were even able to see the room where he was born! Also saw the crown Mary was adorned with at her coronation. After the castle, it was, of course, time for... SHOPPING! :D It was a late night, not getting home until 11, but totally worth it!

Sunday morning began with me cramped in the front seat of a two-door sports car and Kelly in the back seat. Mark picked us and took us to St. Andrew's, the oldest university in Scotland. I knew that, but not how old... Next year is the university's 600th birthday! And let me just say, I hope I look even a fraction that good when I'm 600 years old! We looked around the grounds and at the old church, which was built in the 13th century. So much history! It was a gloriously beautiful day, perfect for walking around and having a good time. However, I think one of the best parts of the day was getting to know our teacher better and laugh at his music choices. :)


And now, it's a new week, albeit a sad one since after Friday, we'll have two less joyful people at school. But in the mean time, I will live each day joyfully and gratefully, accepting the fact that time is going to fly by these last two and a half weeks.

Two Deep Red Roses

Life. A crazy, funny thing. This week positively flew by, which does not bode well for the remaining four weeks.

On Friday night, Kim came over for dinner. Allison made some delicious apple pancakes and bacon, and it totally hit the spot. After, we watched The King's Speech, an excellent choice. Saturday consisted of waking up and going to the Hamilton West train station where we met up with Mr. H. He took us into Partick for a football game of the Hamilton Accies (Academics) vs. the Partick Thistles. First, we walked to a little avenue with some antique stores and shopped around a bit. After our shopping was finished, we ate at a little cafe and then continued shopping. I found a little craft shop and may have indulged in some yarn that will be appearing in a MotherDaughter Creations hat. :)

Kim met up with us for the rest of the day, and we stopped in at a bar called Oran Mor. Where is it? Inside of an old church. I was torn between feelings of awe at the age and beauty of the building and the feeling of utter blasphemy. (The awe won out in the end. :) ) Then we went to the game, and may I just say, sports here are WAY different from sports at home. For one, the five of us girls increased the female population by about 1000%. That's one thousand. Not one hundred. Yeah. Also, the fans are far more... liberal, shall we say, with their words. I cannot repeat most of them, but rest assured, we laughed a lot at them. Our team, the Accies, lost 0 - 2. Quite embarrassing. But still, a fun day out. We met with a friend of Mr. H at a different pub, where I think we were the only women there who weren't bar-tending or clearing tables. At home that night, we just relaxed, watched a movie and went to bed.

I knew Sunday was going to be a glorious day when I woke up to sunlight streaming in the room, the sound of birds singing outside my window. Lindsay, a maths teacher, was kind enough to pick us up and take us to church. After, we took the twisting and turning back roads up to Loch Lomond. This place ranks by far in the Top 3 most beautiful places I have ever seen. Lindsay treated us to lunch at the Kilted Skirlie. I indulged in some decadent lasagne, and I never ever need to eat again! I also experienced the single most decadent strawberry dessert I have ever laid taste buds upon. Kelly and I parted ways with Lindsay and enjoyed a stroll through the nearby park, complete with castle ruins. There were so many beautiful aspects to the walk, but my favorite was the row of six benches in the sunlight. I wish my camera hadn't died at this point, because it was quite beautiful. Each bench had a plaque with an engraving of to whom it was dedicated. One bench had single deep red roses just laying on the bench, and for some reason, the beauty just struck me. Life is simple, yet complicated; gruesome, yet beautiful; and all anyone wants is to make a difference and be remembered. I would be content with a bench in the sun-covered hills of Scotland, but for now, I will strive daily to make a difference in my students' lives.

I am sitting on the couch with the girls watching the movie, "Life in a Day," a movie with film from all over the world filmed on the same day, July 24, 2010. It is so fascinating to see the beauty, pain, honesty, comedy, and diversity in the world. It's a wonderful documentary that I think aligns with many of my experiences here.

I have seen the beauty in a peaceful loch bordered by mountains. I have seen the pain of a student who lacks self-confidence and turns to cutting herself to cope. I have seen the honesty in a student's eyes as he says, "No miss. I don't really get it." I have seen the comedy in my class realizing that I don't know what the phrase sack it or the word grassbag mean. And I have seen diversity every single day here, not in the color of a person's skin, but in their thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes.

Life. A beautiful, wonderful, spectacular mess. 

I will never take internet for granted again!

Ugh. Who knew internet was so precious? And so fickle? We bought the top-up card last night, but couldn't get it to work.

After leaving the cafe last night, we walked until we found a place to eat, a cute little place that served Indian food, American burgers, and pizza. We split a pizza and some chips (french fries). Then we walked to the Asda (Wal-Mart) and got a few basic things. When we got back to the house, all four of us watched "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," which we got from Blockbuster. Apparently, you can get 2 weeks free rentals if you sign up with them, so we jumped on that. The movie was weird... and difficult to follow. We just went to bed after.

The glories of waking up whenever you want, with no alarm! The sun streaming in, cozied up under a duvet... Ahh... It was heavenly. We all got up and got ready, and then took the bus to the train station and took the train into Glasgow. We walked the wrong way for a while (seems to be our plight) and finally found the Gallery of Modern Art where we thought we could get free Wi-Fi. Nope. Need a library card. Then we found a cafe with free Wi-Fi. Nope they have no space for us. Finally, a Starbucks! ::Insert Hallelujah chorus here::

It all feels so surreal. Sometimes I don't really feel like I'm in Scotland, but then someone opens their mouth and I remember. It is funny to listen to my students talk because I can't always understand them. I have to ask them to repeat themselves like 3 or 4 times! I also can't believe that one week is done. 6 weeks at Warren Central seemed an eternity; six weeks here seems like nothing.

But I am rejoicing in every little moment and thanking the Lord for the opportunity to be here. Still praying about the funds, but I trust He will provide.

Blessings.

Greetings from Hamilton, Scotland! At long last, an internet opportunity! We do not currently have internet in the house (we have to buy a top-up card... weird) but we are working on it. Three of us are at a little cafe called D'Nisi's. Very nice atmosphere... we might come back here.

Anywho, Kelly and I arrived right on time (praise God!) and met up with Kristina and Allison who arrived a couple hours earlier than us. We finally met up with our cab driver and he had to call a second car because we had 11 bags between us all. : / 25 minutes later, we were at the house and oohing and ahhing over it.

Monday was our first day and it was quite a surprise. We have a different schedule everyday, the students actually know the words please and thank you (most actually call me Miss!) and we get a tea break in the morning along with a 45 minute lunch! I taught my first lesson on Wednesday and taught a little each day. I'm teaching more next week.

Some fun stories in which you get to laugh at us:
1. We took the wrong bus Tuesday; a kind old couple had to tell us to get off the bus, cross the street, and go the other direction.
2. Kelly plugged in a hair dryer while I was still in bed. I heard POP! and the lamp went out. Thankfully we were able to fix the fuse and it wasn't a big deal.
3. My students think I talk funny.
4. I told a student he had Justin Beiber hair and he protested profusely.
5. We met Kim and Richard, two Scottish student teachers. Kelly got it in her head that Richard's name was actually Michael. We found out later it was his middle name. We had no idea.

That's all for now. Getting kicked out.

Love and hugs!

Andrea

15 months and 14 days ago, I applied for student teaching, turning in an application for cross-cultural student teaching as well. I really had no idea where I wanted to go and I placed the entire situation in the Lord's hands. Long story short, I ended up placed in Hamilton, Scotland. I feel so blessed in this placement because there are four of us young ladies traveling to Hamilton, because it significantly lowered the housing cost. Also, all four of us have been placed at the same school, which is within walking distance from our house! God is good!

I leave Saturday, so naturally I have not started packing yet. :) I would love it if you chose to follow this blog and keep up on the adventures had in Scotland.