Sunday

This morning, looking half collegiate in my nerd glasses, a tweed jacket, and scarf, and half Colorado bum with cuffed jeans, converse and North Face backpack, I hopped on my bike and set out townward. After a morning of coffee, philosophy, and LSATs, I decided to walk around. The best thing about weekends here is that the town is teeming with people who all seem to use the weekend as it was intended. Everywhere people were drinking coffee and reading the paper, children and adults alike were eating ice creams, people were buying cupcakes, going clothes shopping, books shopping, woolens shopping, blah blah blah. Anyway, it was just great. I walked down by the sea for a while and there were children in tiny rain boots playing in the sand all over the place. Things are definitely more laid back here, and everyone seems to know how to just relax.

And here's what I had for lunch - bread, prosciutto, olives, a bit of brie, and a cup of black rose tea. It was divine.

And a short video compilation of what I saw about town on a fall afternoon on a Sunday.

Cultured

I have to admit that one thing I was worried about when it came to studying in Scotland was culture shock. Ok, so that sounds stupid. But any time you go to a different country things are, well, different. But in reality, I have experienced virtually no culture shock at all. In fact, far less so that I experienced when I was first in Philly.

There are a couple things that I'm getting used to. First, you don't tip bartenders. This seems so weird to me, but I'm not complaining about it. I'm still not so sure what "top-up" means, but that damn two word hyphenate is everywhere, man. Nobody clears there own place at cafes - not even at Starbucks. The brie is really, really stinky. And multigrain cheerios taste like honey nut, which I find exceptionally irritating.

But my favorite cultural difference is that little old ladies talk to you in the grocery store all the time. And if you know anything about me, you know that I love little old ladies.

As far as students are concerned, no one is afraid to criticize people of your same nationality to your face. A few days ago I was talking to a kid who's from outside of St Andrews and was in town during the open, who in regard to Americans spending money on things like souvenirs, said to me "Your people are really stupid sometimes".

St Andrews Friday

I decided to do some splorin' today, so I hopped on my bike and rode all over. Well first, I hopped on my bike and rode to an "essential information" session for taught postgrads. One thing I've learned this week is that when they say "essential information", what they really mean is stuff you should have learned when you were ten. But that's chill. A rather hilarious kid from London sat next to me and said things like "When I hear that someone's studying philosophy, my reaction is 'Cool?'", and in response to where I went for undergrad, "Penn State! I love American College Football."

After I learned essential information all about sports and why you shouldn't go near cliffs, I went for an americano and some wifi at Beanscene. Beanscene is crazy, man. Loads of people are there every day (probably for the wifi), and the employees possess that kind of gruff meanness that's actually rather appealing.

I've decided to Maria von Trapp this bitch and teach myself to play guitar. So I went in search of one, and found several for around £25-£35. Score.

So then I went up to take a bike ride along the North Sea. It was freezing, but the tide was way up.

When you look to the northwest, it looks like this:

And when you look to the east, it looks like this:

Some First Photos

A couple photos of the first few days in St Andrews.

If I had an umbrella and pointy shoes and I were a nanny who gave children sugar with each dose of medicine, you would see me sailing high atop that lamppost.

From what I know (which isn't much), this is essentially the quad. Ch-ch-check it out. I might be wrong.

Looking out towards the sea from The Scores.

This is the building in which I'll be taking basically all my classes. 'Whaaaaa?' you say. 'Suck on that' says I.

Airport Install

This dance installation that was recently put in the LAX airport is sooo cool. And even cooler is that one of the my dance friends is in it! Now if only I had a reason to go to LA.

autumn

Did you ever see "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks? No? Well, you're missing out on one of the most adorable romantic comedies ever -- just fyi. Never before had a movie ending made my heart so melt, and to date it remains one of my favorites.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "Um... Kendra- helllllooo? Romantic comedies are for n00bs! Nobody should ever watch such wretched shit!"

And, I must say, you're only half correct. Romantic comedies are indeed for n00bs, but they are not always terrible! But this whole thing has been a digression- the real reason I'm talking about "You've Got Mail" is because I love the opening sequence when Tom Hanks writes to Meg Ryan about fall in New York. One of the things he mentions is sending her a bouquet of sharpened pencils. Isn't that freakin' adorable?

So, as wee children go back to school, tree leaves begin to blush, and the afternoon light slips away more and more each day, I am reminded of the loveliness of fall and how ready I am for the changing of the seasons. Here's to a beautiful fall, positive changes, and bouquet upon bouquet of exciting school supplies :)