Oh The Places We’ll Go

I can’t believe I leave for my backpacking trek on March 30th.  That’s only a couple of weeks left with everyone, go off to travel around Europe until May, and then a week or two left with everyone before back to the states.  It’s really hard to wrap my mind around… the fact that everyone will be gone soon and I’ll be back in California.  I don’t think I’m quite ready for it.  In fact, I’m not ready for it at all.  I’m just getting used to the crazy accent, the crazy people, all of my friends here and the great variety of fried foods.  Now I’m almost on that plane back home, and I don’t want to leave.  It’s still months away, theoretically, but I know my days are numbered, and that’s a scary thought.

School is winding down and I’m right in the middle of crunch time.  I’ve got 4 papers to write before the end of the month and then I’m done with school until September.  Scary, eh?  My first paper is due on Monday and I… haven’t quite started yet.  I know, procrastination.  It’s a terrible terrible thing.  But to be expected, coming from me at least.  I’m the world’s worst student, and have no qualms admitting it.

I went to Arran last weekend with the Scottish Lit department.  I was a little nervous going since I didn’t know anyone and had NO CLUE what we were doing, but Max from last year told me that I should go.  I pretty much jumped into it without any ideas of what was going to happen, what to expect, anything.  I hopped on a bus after a night of no sleep at 7am on Friday morning full of people talking to each other, none of whom I knew.  We got going on the coach towards the port where you take the ferry to the Isle of Arran, a little isle off the coast of Scotland.  Population: 5,000.  We got on the ferry, I got to know a few of the girls on the trip and before I knew it we were on Arran and headed towards our hotel on the seas of Arran.  It’s absolutely beautiful on Arran.  Everyone (well, practically everyone) lives on the water in these little villages scattered all over.  Anyways, so we all show up and I am promptly informed that I’m giving a talk.  Yes.  Me.  Talking.  In front of PROFESSORS.  Needless to say, a little scary.  Luckily someone wanted my talking spot, so I was given an extra day to get my stuff together.  I went to sleep almost all day on Friday since I hadn’t slept for a good couple of days, so I missed out on a long walk in the rain.  Oh, how disappointed was I?  (Not at all, but you know, whaaatever).  Anyways, once I actually got AROUND to giving my presentation I- gasp- didn’t suck!  The girls told me to just wing it.  It’s not like I was being graded or anything… just do something funny or interesting at least somewhat relating to Scotland.  Let’s just say I was a hit.  I did a talk about American impressions of Scotland, what it’s like to be here complete with stories about Americans thinking Scots deep fry everything, that the most recognizable Scottish person to Americans is Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons, things like that.  I got some pretty good feedback I have to say, which was exciting since I didn’t want to make a COMPLETE dick of myself in front of everyone.  One thing I’m trying to avoid, you know.  I’m sure most of them think I’m retarded anyways, so keep the level of retardedness they think I’m at to a minimum.

The rest of the weekend was a breeze after I gave my talk.  The girls on the trip were all really nice and welcoming, which was a relief.  There was even a girl, a postgrad, who did her undergrad at UCSB?  Chime in the theme to ‘It’s a Small World’ right about now.  Crazy, huh?  Saturday night was a drunken blur.  Sleep at 5am and waking up at 8am, taking a bus tour around the island, and then a ferry back to the mainland.  Let me tell you, btw, the I Am America and So Can You audiobook?  Great for falling asleep on ferries.  I passed right out as soon as Stephen Colbert’s soothing voice rocked me right to sleep.  The ridicule from my tutorial professor came a bit later.  I still insist that he was just jealous of my fabulous nap.

This weekend is RUGBY all the way.  Six Nations is going on right now and Scotland and Ireland play each other in about an hour.  GOOO Scotland!  They’re going to get murdered, let me tell you… but it can’t hurt putting good vibes out into the universe, right?  Ireland has a really good rugby team and they’re probably going to win the whole tournament.

Alright, time to go off and grab some food before drinking at the Beer Bar with the girls and watching beautiful, fit men in tight jerseys tackle each other!

-Catherine