So, the things they tell you about adjusting are true, weird.
I arrived in Aberdeen on Friday to stay with my cousin Will in his flat and spent my first night with the family. The next morning I walked to campus and was greeted with some spectacular buildings. Our orientation was held in a 15th century chapel, which is right across from a brand new library which has not even had its grand opening yet. There are deer in the park between residences and campus, and a study room with taxidermied specimens and a whale skeleton. Things are looking good. In fact, things are good, alas, not perfect.
Saturday goes by without too much hassle, Dave (another Guelph student) and I go to find phones in the heart of the city. Marischal College looms in the distance. We leave with ideas of what to get tomorrow and head back for course selection. Course selection is medieval compared to universities Canada. Everything is handwritten, we don't have online schedules, the whole thing is pretty confusing, but things work out in the end. Of course my choices start 9am on Monday and finish at 7pm on Friday (this will change tomorrow). Now for the walk back home, where is home again? Oh ya, Rosemount, where is that again?
Ah, a bus, oh, it doesn't stop at bus stops? I'll get the next one. Ah, they don't give change, there goes 20p. How do I get to there on here? You can't. Of course. I take it to the closest stop, and by chance recognize a bar we had passed on the way to dinner last night. Finally, home, there's chilli cooking and ale in the fridge, what a beautiful sight it is.
Sunday! Move in day. We figure out the phone situations (or so I think) and head back to campus to see my room and meet for a Burns' night ceilidh! I have very low expectations of my room as I had seen Dave's the day before and it is dismal, mine is not different. Mould on the ceiling in the kitchen, 1 shower between six people and two tiny toilets! But no worry, we applied for a change of residence Monday at opening. Later on that night along with some other exchange students I joined in on the traditional Scottish dancing and some haggis and had a great time. One plus about my room is that two great American girls live right above me so we hung out, debated the trials and tribulations of being on exchange and showed each other pictures of home.
Since Sunday, my luck has not improved one bit, but I am surprising myself at each unfortunate even, keeping a positive attitude, and knowing that it is all part of the experience. My visa and debit decided it was time for a holiday, so I called the bank, and as I did, my phone ran out of credit, and with no visa to add credit, I was in a downward spiral of #exchangestudentproblems. I also lacked food, and without money, it can be quite hard to procure any. Luckily, another awesome American student gave me dinner! Americans are awesome. We were also both studying science at home so decided to work on our schedules, and the result was Mon, Wed, and Fri off! I don't know how we did it. Going from taking human physiology, biochem, nutrition and english last semester I feel like I am barely even going to school but that's just another #exchangestudentbonus I guess. Yesterday evening I was able to figure out the bank situation, and today will hopefully be able to get my phone back online. With a working visa I was able to attend the kick off to the winter rowing season for the Aberdeen Uni Boat Club! It was another night filled with Scottish dancing and great people and I'm really looking forward to getting to know the crew more! I also love Scottish dancing. I think I will write an entire post on it. It is so much better than getting uncomfortably close to a stranger in a dark bar with deafening music in your ear in Canada. Scottish parties are right up my alley.
This post is very fragmented and I find that the quality of posts has suffered in the last two updates but don't worry, once I am settled in and my life is not a whirlwind of unlucky breaks I will sit down and right and wonderfully insightful, humorous post on life in Scotland one that is full of #exchangestudentproblems.
Time to go for a row on the river Dee! I hear there are occasionally seals at the top, we'll have to see. Also, happy birthday Kendra!
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