we come from the land of ice and snow

...which is really a title that could apply to either Scotland or Germany. Maybe Europe in its entirety. When I got back from my winter vacation, all of the news coverage was talking about "Frozen Britain." Coldest winter in like a hundred years. On the day I left Glasgow for Frankfurt, it was -9 degrees! At two in the afternoon! (...Albeit in Celsius. That's about 15 or 16 in Fahrenheit.)

BUT. In the end I made it to Germany and back, pretty much in one piece! My flight out was from Glasgow to London-Stansted, and then from London to Frankfurt-Hahn. I was due to arrive around 9:30 pm. Weather in Frankfurt was super snowy, though, so they kept pushing back the departure a little at a time. The delay was long, but the experience itself wasn't too bad, because I got to talking to this crazy English girl and this young German police officer who was teaching us bad language. (Which I fortunately forgot by the time I arrived.) Plus, the guys at Pret-a-Manger gave us free tea, even though they had closed already.

Finally, after 1 in the morning (nearly 5 hours late), we took off. I got to Germany around 3 am, and then we had to drive two hours through the ice and snow back to Reid and Scarlett's house near Mannheim. We didn't get to sleep until 6 am. Death!

Once we had all recovered from the late night, though, it was a lovely week and a half. I spent a lot of time tooling around with Scarlett -- running errands, watching movies, and some sightseeing. It was really nice having girl bonding, because we haven't had a lot of time on our own before. Generally there's a bevy of family around, or that guy...her husband...what's his name?

In the evenings and on weekends, Reid was off of work, so we'd also do some quality sightseeing and hanging out during those times. In the way of sightseeing...

Assorted Weihnachtsmarkts: Weihnachten is German for Christmas, so a Weihnachtsmarkt is simply a Christmas market, which nobody does like Deutschland. We went to about four different markets during my time there, in the towns of Ladenberg, Schwetzigen, Mannheim, and Heidelberg. Mannheim and Heidelberg's were the most impressive, as they're larger cities. Your average Christmas market is a collection of stalls and vendors, selling everything from candles to sweaters to pony rides. Most impressive to look at were shops selling paper lanterns in the shape of stars, which were lit brightly in the dark, and the sweets shops. In particular, they had huge heart-shaped cookies on strings, which were meant to be bought as love declarations by sweethearts, and then worn around the neck a la Flava Flav. (Because who is a better example of romance and devotion?)

More delicious than a clock. The Germans one-up Flava Flav yet again.

The market vendors offer sausages and the like, plus my new favorite drink -- a delightful concoction called glühwein. Literally "wine that makes you glow," glüwein is a hot mulled wine that is spicy, sweet, and definitely warms you from the inside. When you get it at a Christmas market, you pay an extra two or three euro for the commemorative mug it's served in. When you're finished drinking, you can either return the mug for your deposit, or keep it as a souvenir. I, of course, kept all three of mine.

Schwetzigen Palace: We couldn't actually go inside the palace, because English tours don't operate in the winter. (And neither I nor Reid was going to get anything out of the German one, believe me.) But even in the cold and gray, the huge garden of Schwetzigen Palace was nothing to sniff at. Besides several huge trellises, a lovely stone rotunda, and plenty of avian life (in an hour we saw ducks, swans, a heron, and a whole family of peacocks), the grounds also boast a beautiful faux mosque in the "Turkish Garden."

If this is what Turkey looks like, count me in.

You could even go inside the structure, which was beautifully and intricately painted. I have certainly added a faux mosque to the list of things I will have installed at my house when I am super rich.

After all, the Germans got away with it.

Heidelberg Castle: The whole town of Heidelberg is pretty nice, and the castle was just awesome. We took a 1-hour English tour through the interior, with a very funny guide from Berlin. She knew a lot about the people who had lived there, and made a lot of jokes at their expense. One former resident had apparently sired around 200 illegitimate children, so that most current residents of Heidelberg still claim to be his descendants. I guess that's not something to brag about! Also, Heidelberg Castle is home to the biggest barrel of wine in the world. It was too big to fit in one picture, so you'll have to take my word for it -- the sucker is HUGE.

I preferred the outside of the castle, though. It's half in ruins after a couple of wars (not the ones you think), but that just makes it more epic. Half-crumbling towers, exposed fortifications, that sort of thing. Plus, as the castle is built upon a little mountain, it occupies a commanding view of the city. The day Scarlett and I went, it had snowed, so all of the rooftops and church steeples were glittering white. It was super picturesque! (And for lunch that day we had soup and pretzels. Delicious German pretzels!)

----------

Other than sightseeing, we went to a couple of potlucks and such. The funniest one was for Reid and Scarlett's church, and entailed a white elephant gift exchange. One poor soldier was there alone, and didn't really know anybody because he was new on post. He got to pick first, and received...a delectable and very manly strawberry-scented candle! Luckily, someone took pity later and stole the candle, so he got to choose again. And the second time, he managed...sensual amber body spray! Yesss! Finally, Scarlett took that off him, and he ended up with a big bag of M&Ms. That's more like it. (I managed to get away with a pocket European language guide, with basic phrases in a whopping 14 languages. Methinks this will come in handy!)

And of course, in the middle of my stay was a super exciting holiday, celebrated the world round. No, not Christmas. Reid's birthday! In honor, we had a little surprise party at the house. I think Reid was relieved...all weekend, whenever we went anywhere, he'd be all like, "Oh. I thought maybe we were going to a surprise party." And then make a disappointed puppy face. But there WAS a party, and several of their army friends came over, along with two little boys named Rider and Aiden who were very well behaved. In fact, Rider may be the politest tiny child I've met. I think he was only about three!

We watched Toy Story with the kids while we ate, and then when they went home for bedtime, the adults played lots of silly board games and tried tiny bottles of liqueur that Reid had gotten on a sweet booze bandoleer.

Later that week, Scarlett had a baby appointment with her doctor in Mannheim, and I got to go along! Her doctor was German, bald, and stocky. He reminded me of my old chemistry teacher. He did an ultrasound, and the baby was totally visible! At the time, he was seven inches long already, even though Scarlett barely even looked pregnant! It was really cool getting to see him on screen. I'm probably the only family member who's going to get the opportunity. Oh, Thomas James! Your auntie here is looking forward to meeting you!!

Also during my stay, Scarlett lent me a copy of "The Devil in the White City," which was a very interesting read. Sometimes I thought the author took some liberties with subjective narration, but all in all it was extremely thorough. He must have done some outrageous amount of research.

And, of course, before I left we had a little mini-Christmas on the 18th. I got a pretty Polish pottery candy bowl, some seriously strong cherry cordials, and one of the beautiful star lanterns! I was a very happy Anna, indeed. Now I just need some wall hooks to put the lanterns up...!

We managed to get back to Frankfurt in plenty of time on the 19th, but of course, my flight was delayed again, and I missed my connection in London. I had to pay fifty pounds to get moved onto a later flight that evening, which was subsequently canceled, leaving me stranded at Stansted overnight. Joy! So in the end, after my two separate delays, I probably spent a solid 24 hours in that airport. That is TOO MUCH STANSTED. XD

But all things considered, it was a great and relaxing trip! Thumbs up to Germany!!

just to drive the point home once more

-- featuring a design update, in honor of the snow! --

I've found this stuff interesting. Here's a few little bits and bobs from around the internet, about the effect of this winter weather on Glasgow and its surrounds.

(re: public transport)
"Around 40 passengers spent the night in Buchanan Bus Station on Monday evening as the suspension to many bus services left them stranded. SPT staff stayed on hand to serve food and hot drinks to those stuck. Police were also called to deliver baby food and milk to one young child who was among the group."

(re: entertainment)
"The King's had 1100 people cancel today, over 2 performances -- does not bode well for theatre-goers tomorrow either..."

(re: road conditions)
"We are advising motorists again not to travel unless the journey is absolutely essential. We are extremely keen to prevent the experiences over the last 24 hours where we have had many people stranded in their vehicles for lengthy periods."

(re: Glasgow Uni)
"IF YOU ARE STUCK ON CAMPUS THIS EVENING, please report to the Library main help desk at 5.30 or shortly after. We will be making emergency accommodation arrangements from there. If you are a member of staff, please do NOT stay in your office overnight."

OMGwhat? Are my professors going to freeze to death?!

i spoke too soon

So, remember how I got to talking about the weather yesterday? All the nice snow we've been having? To quote myself directly, I said, "it’s finally starting to look a little clearer."

Hah. Hahahahaha.

It has been snowing like a million all morning. How much is that, you say? Enough that Glasgow Airport, ScotRail trains, and every bus service in the city have all shut down.The letting agents called this morning to cancel the viewing Ryan and I had, because their employees couldn't get in to work. My professor emailed everybody to cancel our last class this evening. And according to her, the university in general is canceling things "left, right, and center."

I am beginning to have concerns about that flight on Wednesday. XD

let's just call this my end of term essay

So, Glasgow Uni uses an online network for academic assignments, announcements, et cetera. It’s the same one Wittenberg used, actually – moodle. Now, if you were to find my student profile on moodle, there’d be a little tagline under my name. This is customizable by the student. Mine says: “24. American. Female. Homeless. Unemployed. Sleepy.” Because it’s all true.

I’ve been applying for jobs online, for everything from waitress to distillery tour guide to author of educational materials. I even managed to swing an interview for street fundraiser. Unfortunately, those businesses that even bothered to answer me – which only number two or three – are somehow not interested in hiring a perky young American. Shocking, I know.

Ryan, at least, has gotten some shifts helping out at the Tron Theatre, where he worked pre-JET. I’m not sure whether it’s just a temporary December post or what, but it’s certainly better than nothing! Plus, he’s gotten to reconnect with a lot of old buddies there. We had some drinks with the Tron crew, and frankly, I think they’re great. Super friendly bunch!

For my part, I have managed to wrangle out some student loans, but I’d reeeally like a part-time job to round out my finances. Especially when it comes to dealing with the previous adjective on my painfully honest moodle profile – namely, homeless.

Ryan and I viewed a couple of flats at the end of October, but those didn’t really go anywhere. One was in a nice neighborhood, but ultimately unpleasant. The other was awesome, but in a questionable neighborhood. We might have moved on it anyway, once we had the money to, but it got snapped up in the meantime.

We do, however, have another flat viewing tomorrow, and I am crossing my fingers! Nice location definitely, and looks decent from the photos. What’s really got me anxious now is whether the letting agents accept student loans as a source of income?! I can pay the rent, I promise…!

In the meantime, I’ve been punching, kicking, and karate chopping my way through the term, one class at a time. Now there’s only one left standing between me and winter break, for two hours tomorrow evening. I’m going to miss this particular class, actually. It’s taught by my favorite professor, and we’ve read some really interesting novels. Let me just round out the aforementioned reading list with my impressions of the last few books:

“In the Driver’s Seat” by Muriel Spark – Bizarre, but somehow captivating. She packs a lot of tension into a seemingly innocuous plot, by hinting at what’s going to happen at the end…and it is a very gripping conclusion, let me tell you. Quick read, and interesting.

“Fugitive Pieces” by Anne Michaels – Beautifully written book, about WWII in Greece, and the personal aftermath. Very lyrical. Sometimes it was slightly overwritten, or packed too much with science babble, but overall I found it a satisfying read.

"The Intuitionist" by Colson Whitehead – Really cool novel. It's set in a universe just slightly alternate to our own, and cleverly challenges the readers' assumptions. Whitehead's writing is fantastic, and the metaphors all operate on a number of levels; racism, politics, capitalism, religion...

“Out Stealing Horses” by Per Petterson – Also beautifully written, and I suppose, beautifully translated from the original Norwegian. Hard to say what it’s about, exactly…growing older, perhaps, and the recurrence of the past. The pacing is slow, but intentionally so, and it works perfectly in the context of the story. Simultaneously very moving and very relaxing. This may be one to reread.

Next term I've got Kei Miller's craft class, which has an intriguing reading list, and has received (mostly) good reviews from this term's students. I'm looking forward to it! As for other classes, next year our workshop groups remain the same, but we’ll be getting new moderators. Word on the street is that our group is getting Zoe, who I can’t remember meeting, but everyone says is a very nice lady. Unfortunately, two members of our workshop have gone part-time, and are thus leaving the group; Amy and (standard) Paul, who are both lovely individuals. Their comments and presence shall be missed!

It’s hard to believe that it’s really December, and nearly a week in, at that! I’ve done a fair amount of Christmas shopping, and thanks to my good friend the internet, have at least managed to get my immediate family out of the way. The younger members of the sprawling Bewick clan are also doing a Secret Santa. It’s amongst me, Ryan, Kieran, Fiona, Emma, and Caitlin, plus the late addition of cousin CJ and his wife Amanda. They live in Australia, but that’s what the post is for!

The first time we tried to draw for the Secret Santa, Kieran tried something sneaky (as usual). He replaced every name in the draw with his own, so that he’d get every present! Luckily, Emma and Fiona compared notes – even though that’s strictly against the rules! – and discovered his plan. Hence, the redraw.

I’m not sure I mentioned it before, but Kieran and Fiona have recently gotten a cocker spaniel puppy named Barney. He’s mostly gray and black, with dark ears and a dark face that makes him look like Darth Vader. (Darth Barney?!) Barney started out very squeaky and shy, but as the weeks progress, he is getting just plain crazy. If it moves, he’ll bite it. If it doesn’t move, he’ll bite it. If it’ll fit all the way in his mouth, he will do his best to actually eat it.

Delicious hand?

They’re trying to train him, but all he’s picked up so far is “sit.” He doesn’t understand that gnawing someone’s arm is ouchy. And we aren’t even sure if he knows his name, yet – we have a terrible tendency to call him by nicknames, and he’s probably got an identity disorder. (Barnstable, Barndog, Barney Rubble, Barnacle, “little horror”…)

Scotland has been covered in snow for the past week and a half, and Barney has taken to it immediately. He’s especially taken to running out into the backyard and burrowing into the snow, unearthing and then devouring the stale rum cake Ana had put out for the birds. At least no one can doubt his keen sense of smell.

The snow started last Friday, taking us all by surprise. I was caught outside in downtown Glasgow, with Ryan, Chris, and Andrew, who work at the Tron. (Chris I already knew – he was one of Ryan’s two friends who came to visit in Japan.) We were walking over to a little bar and dance club called Firewater, to celebrate Jai Jai’s thirtieth birthday. (Jai Jai was the other guy who came to Japan. Quick cultural note – he’s actually called JJ, after his initials, but it’s apparently a Glaswegian quirk that the letter is pronounced “jai.” Every other letter is normal. Don’t ask me!)

The snow was quite wet, and by the time we actually got to Firewater, we were pretty soaked. We stayed for a couple hours, though, and had a really nice time. When we left to go home, there was a significant pileup of snow outside, and it’s essentially been there ever since, because every time some begins to melt, a whole load of fresh snow comes down to top it off.

Kieran built a snowdude.

Today, it’s finally starting to look a little clearer, though. I usually love the snow, but in this case, I’m rooting for the sun, because I need good weather conditions on Wednesday…when I take off for GERMANY!!

That’s right! I’m going to spend a week and a half in good old Deutschland. I’ll be staying with my brother Reid and his wife Scarlett in Mannheim. (Like the Steamroller! ...But not really.) It’ll be my first glimpse of Europe beyond Glasgow. Seriously…I haven’t even made it to Edinburgh yet! Scandalous! Plus, I’ll be in Germany over Reid’s birthday, which is nice. It’ll be the first one in person for what, three years? Wait. Longer? Have I even seen him on his birthday since he graduated college?!

SHOCK. :O

sightseeing, the scottish way

So, on weekends or off-days or during reading week, Ryan and I have been making the rounds to the best Glasgow (and area) has to offer. In roughly chronological order, I give you...the highlights!

The Kelvingrove Museum -- I've mentioned this one before, but I've been there several times, and anyway, it's worth revisiting here. The Kelvingrove is at one end of Kelvingrove Park, a pleasant and sprawling green that winds into a posh neighborhood to the west, or up to Glasgow Uni. to the north. Most of the museum's collection is static, and comprised of various odds and bobs ranging from suits of armor to taxidermied animals. The museum also has revolving displays, and art galleries. One hall is dedicated to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Glasgow's most prominent architect. My personal favorite bit of the Kelvingrove (other than the building itself, which is a stunning collection of parapets and cupolas, intricately carved from red sandstone), is definitely the "art installation" of floating heads.

As my friend Joanna asked: "Is this an episode of Doctor Who?"

Glasgow Museum of Modern Art -- An interesting diversion, but for me, this museum was mostly about the external architecture. The gray stone building has classic elements with its rowed columns, and an attractively weathered cupola. The art inside was worth a look if you have the time, but if you're on a tourist schedule, I frankly wouldn't go out of your way. Just stop by, admire the building, and get your picture taken with the statue out front - a rider on horseback who is perpetually crowned with an orange traffic cone.

And you thought I was kidding.

Muirshiel Country Park -- We had a nice "family" outing to Muirshiel, on a clear Sunday. A network of nature walks wind through grassy fields and pine forests, all nestled in a picturesque landscape of rolling hills. For a great panoramic view, we hiked up little Windy Hill (and Kieran and Ryan took turns leaping off the stone monument on top, imitating flight). There's also a nice river, with a pretty little waterfall, where we stopped for cheese sandwiches.

Pollok Park and the Burrell Collection -- Pollok Park is a big greenspace about three miles south of the city center. One of its main attractions is the Burrell Collection, a museum of cultural artifacts and fine art that was previously owned by the namesake, shipping magnate William Burrell. The Collection contains sections dedicated to ancient Egypt, China, and medieval Europe, including a nice selection of tapestries, furniture, and stained glass. Pollok Park also has Pollok House, a beautiful manor that looks like something from Jane Austen's novels. Complete with a hedge maze and extensive gardens, Pollok House stands well-preserved and stately, across a small river from wild moors. And if these two destinations weren't worth a look, Pollok Park is also home to a whole herd of highland cows, the cutest freaking cows in the world.

Love me?

Scotland Street School -- Designed by the aforementioned Charles Rennie Mackintosh, this old primary on Scotland Street has been converted into a museum. It's worth checking out for the cool architecture, and the exhibits are pretty interesting. Mostly they are about the history of the school, along with some refurbished classrooms meant to represent different eras. There are some cool quotes from former students that give the museum a personal air, and the bit about school life in WWII was really fascinating.

Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis -- Stunning. Seriously, stunning. Glasgow Cathedral is utterly beautiful, with high vaulted ceilings and gorgeous stained glass. Downstairs is the small but lovely tomb of St. Mungo, Glasgow's patron. Just behind the cathedral is Glasgow's own Necropolis, a high hill covered in truly impressive grave markers, bought by the rich back when Glasgow was a prosperous shipping hub. Besides giving nice views of the cathedral and out over that area of the city, the Necropolis has a very quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

There! Now you too can be a tourist in Scotland!

a "wee" update from Glas-Vegas

Classes (and the weeks, for that matter) have been whizzing by, and we are already in "reading week" -- the halfway point for first term. Can it be, I am already one sixth through my course?!

My classmates are all even cooler than I first realized, as even the ones I suspected of being pretentious have turned out to be nice. We're a pretty international crew. In the crowd that I hang out with, there are a handful of Americans besides myself -- four boys named Chase, Cameron, Miles, and Dan. Funnily enough, four out of five of us are Southerners! Represent! (Even odder, Miles is also from Atlanta, hailing from Buckhead. But I think he's lived in the UK before.)

Other than us Yanks, there's a sort of edgy Canadian girl named Caitlin; "Big" Paul from Liverpool (who is, I think, John Earle's British doppleganger); "Little" Paul who is also British and, counter-intuitively, older than Big Paul; crazy Patch from Cork, Ireland; Dave from somewhere in England (I forget); footballer Amy, who I think is originally from Glasgow; Scottish Lauren, who has pretty red hair; and this hilarious woman Joanne, who just so happens to be Lauren's stepmother. Of course, there are a bunch of other people, but these are the ones with whom I most often interact, and form the real backbone of my class experience.

The professors seem pretty diverse. My favorite so far, if I can risk going on record with this, is Elizabeth, who leads my Craft & Experimentation course. She talks at about 800 miles an hour, but she clearly knows her stuff, doesn't look down on the students, and is really easy to get along with. (Luckily for me, Elizabeth is my tutor, with whom I have occasional one-on-one meetings. Some people weren't so lucky.) Michael, who does Editing & Publication, is also nice, but his lectures can sometimes be a bit dry -- less due to his personality than the subject matter, perhaps.

Even though we have so much time between our actual class sessions, I feel fairly busy trying to get through all the coursework in the interim. In the rare times when I have no pressing coursework, I haven't been doing as much writing as I probably should be -- it's a different forum and a different sort of writing than I usually do, so sometimes I really have to talk myself into doing it, unfortunately. But it'll probably make me more of a well-rounded writer, so I'll keep plugging away!

What takes up a lot of the time is the reading for C&Ex, which is usually a whole book between classes. So far we've read:

1) "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
(which I'd read before in junior high, and enjoyed decently)
2) "Three Lives" by Gertrude Stein
(which may be the single most boring piece of literature that I've ever read)
3) "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway
(which has been my absolute favorite so far -- his delicate and beautiful descriptions are not to be matched)
4) "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" by Carson McCullers
(my second favorite so far, with a very natural style that pulled me along quickly and built suspense well)
5) "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko
(which was beautifully written, but had the pacing of an old rock)

And next we're reading Muriel Spark's "In the Driver's Seat," but I've only finished the first chapter, so my notes from the peanut gallery are as of yet inconclusive.

Outside of class, we students occasionally go to a pub, or me and Ryan hang out with his family. Emma had us over to hers one night, where we played Balderdash, watched X Factor, and ate some awesome curry made from scratch by Caitlin. (X Factor is the original Brit version of American Idol, complete with Simon Cowell on the judges panel. Emma watches it religiously, and I mean religiously. We've been watching it every week since I got here, so now I've become sort of invested...I'm pulling for Matt Cardle! His voice is so beautiful! Hearts~!)

We had another little family party last night, actually; Kieran and Fiona have finally moved into their new house, and had the whole gang over for drinks and games. (The "games" being Wii Sports, which Kieran dominated with an unbroken 10-game winning streak. His two advantages? Practice, and being the only sober one at the party.) It was a nice time, though I, Caitlin, and Fiona drank a questionable amount of wine between the three of us.

Otherwise, everything is going fairly well. It's gotten pretty cold here recently, though; the time has come for layering! Ryan and I have been watching a lot of "The Mentalist" in the evenings, because I went and got him properly hooked on it. We've just finished season two, and are set to start watching season three online. We haven't made much progress finding a flat yet, unfortunately, because there is a certain amount of bureaucracy standing in our way. So feel free to send us some good karma on that front!

in which a new adventure begins

On September 12th, at 2:50 p.m., I left Atlanta -- this time not for Asia, but Europe! I changed planes in Chicago, then Dublin, and finally, on the morning of the 13th, I landed at my final destination: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND!

Ryan met me at the airport, and his father gave us a ride back to his house in the suburbs (where we've been staying for now). It's a lovely little row-house, always lively and full of people! His family are super friendly and outgoing. There's his parents, of course, and his three siblings -- sisters Emma and Caitlin, and brother Kieran, two of which still live at home.

(As I speak, Kieran and his father are mock-fighting -- armed with a fly-swatter and a sticker, respectively -- because Kieran put a "Kick Me" sign on his dad's back. Oh, and now Ryan's in trouble for hiding Kieran's "jelly babies." The situation is quickly devolving.)

Since I arrived, Ryan's been showing me around the city, and I've been getting ready for school. We spent a nice afternoon poking around the West End and visiting the Kelvingrove Museum, which is an odd collection of art and artifacts. It's housed in a huge, beautiful old building made of an orangey stone.

The whole city, in fact, is full of amazing European architecture. It's even more than I'd imagined! And the neighborhoods all look like something off of a BBC show. (As you might expect.)

I've also gone through registration and induction at U of G, and classes started this week. I've only got three classes altogether, for a total of six hours a week. They are:

1. Craft and Experimentation
2. Writing Workshop
3. Editing and Publication

Most of the other students seem pretty nice. They're from a variety of countries and backgrounds, and of a variety of ages. A few of them seem slightly pretentious -- what do you expect from a creative writing program -- but by and large, seems like a pretty cool crowd. I'm a little intimidated, actually, by the writing prowess of some of them. There are some budding poets who seem to take their work very seriously. I, on the other hand, don't write for therapy, or to improve myself...

Let's be honest, I just write for fun!