Matt has hit the ground running with his program (see previous post 'acade-mania' for details) and still has yet to stop. I thought I had a heavy workload at the University of Edinburgh, but in comparison, I have a renewed appreciation for my program. Matt has already written the same amount of papers that I wrote my first semester and he still has another 2 papers to go- all of which are about 12-15 pages long. The hardest part is that the deadlines aren't spaced that far apart, so any elation at a finished paper only lasts for a day as it's right back to the grindstone for the next one. They're all really good papers though.
*Update- since initially writing, Matt has officially finished his first semester of grad school! Woohoo academic freedom!
In the last few weeks, I (Bailey) have received the results of my dissertation, registered for the graduation ceremonies, and started a new job! Lots of happiness all around! I am still working at the cafe, but one day a week I am working at one of the local art galleries in town. It's a small gallery, so I am doing a bit of everything- hanging work, selling work, updating the website, photographing pieces, etc. It's a lot of the same types of things that I did at the previous gallery, only this time it's right around the corner instead of a 2 hour commute each way. I'm definitely thankful for the extra time!
We got a nice surprise visit from Alison at the beginning of November! En route to France she decided to stop and see us, because obviously Scotland is on the way to France. :) Even though it was a bit out of her way, we've definitely enjoyed the company and of course the sightseeing and shopping that always goes along with having a visitor! The best part of our adventures for the week was when Alison and I wandered down to the Old Course (the famous St Andrews golf course, for those of you not in to golf) to see the famous Swilcan bridge, which spans the 1st and 18th holes. The bridge, quite the attraction, and photo spot for all who golf, even the pros, was built between 700-800 years ago and has since become a cultural icon in the world of golf. Even better than just seeing the bridge, we asked a nice tourist to take our picture on it. This is probably the most I'll actually be allowed on the course. If any of you have seen my try to golf, you'd know why. :)
Alison and I also made Harry Potter cookies out of sheer geeky excitement for the new movie. We were quite proud of ourselves.
Alison and I on the Swilcan Bridge
The Swilcan Bridge
Our cookies! :)
The next big event was my highly anticipated graduation! My mom came to visit for a week and loved her time in Scotland, aside from some of the food. Graduation, the highlight of the week, was wonderful. I got to see more of my classmates than I was expecting and had a bit of time to catch up with them. We graduated in McEwan Hall (pictures below) which is a gorgeous building. The only downside was that the huge pipe organ was covered in scaffolding, but I'd say that's a minor downside. At the University of Edinburgh the tradition for graduation is different than what American universities have. Rather than turning tassels and being pronounced as alumni of the university, instead the Vice-Chancellor (the University Principal) touched each graduand on the head with the graduation cap, or as he called it, the 'composite medieval space bonnet'. Legend has it that the cap is made of John Knox's breeches. The space part comes from the patch inside the hat that an astronaut took to space as the university denied his request to take the cap with him. On his return, they stitched the patch into the cap.
Mom and I pre-ceremony
The interior of McEwan Hall
Look, it's me!
Me being hit with the medieval space bonnet
Jacobiene and I
A bagpiper outside McEwan Hall
Now I am the Master!
Other events of Mom's visit included celebrating St Andrews Day, which is on 30th November. It's a big deal all over the country, but particularly in the town of St Andrews, where the entire weekend was a festival, complete with ceilidhs, ice skating, fireworks, wiskey tasting, art shows, good food, etc. That is, until the snow came. However, pre snow, we were able to see the photography show that Matt and I entered, tour the town, watch the ceilidh, participate in the torchlight processional down to the pier where the fireworks display was. That was by far the coldest that I have ever been in my life, but the fireworks over the water made up for it.
Matt and I with our photographs
Torchlight processional to the pier
