Stories from Scotland: Mud and wine

OK first things first. I have officially met the other Wyoming student, it only took us 4 days. Apparently I had been blazing a trail, she said she kept meeting people who would say "really I met another person from Wyoming" to which she would reply "Where is she and what does she look like?" Anyways she seems to be a very sweet person, and we went out last night after the international shindig.

I have a bank account, I am registered with a doctor and a dentist. The registering with the doctor and the following health check was REALLY interesting. Coming from a country with abstinence only sex education running rampant, this country is very startling. First off nearly every freebie bag you get from different campus organizations includes free condoms. Then you go in for this health check, where they first off tell you just fyi that every woman in this country at the age of 20 gets a card telling them to go in for an exam. Yeah our boys sign up for the draft their girls do that. Then they all but give you a prescription for birth control "just in case" and then they give you tons of condoms. Its kind of crazy.

In other random news. the cheese isle has me stunned I had no idea there were that many versions of cheddar cheese. I can still understand the non english nationality students better then the locals, and their fire alarm sound is very startling. Monday morning while I was making breakfast the cleaning crew came flying in out of no where, started telling me bout what was getting cleaned and then informed me we were responsible for taking the "rubbish" to the "bins" down stairs and did we need any more black bags.... and then they were gone as quick as they came. And when it was all over all I could think of was how they all kind of reminded me of the cheer bleach commercial.

I have been going out. Sorry, Brandon, I didn't make it to a club yet. I was supposed to on Monday but plans went awry, so after a very entertaining bus ride where some very inebriated Scotsmen got the entire bus to sing wheels on the bus (it was kind of comforting to know that this country had that song), Minnesota and I ended up at a pub, with like 14 other international students from like 4 or 5 countries, which although fun, was not quite what we were planning on. Last night started with an international shindig where I met people from US, Mexico, Canada, South Africa, Japan, China, India, Sweden, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Taiwan, um I am sure I am missing some countries. And then in addition to that we got to meet the Principle (president) of the University SHE is a very nice woman. As well as the Provost (Mayor) of Stirling. This man used to play in a band and has been to the United States. He is a very fun guy to talk to. But then a whole bunch of us girls, I think we had both of us Wyomingites and then 4 other countries went to one of the Campus bars for cider.

The other adventure I will share with you is the adventure Minnesota, Wisconsin, and I had up to the Wallace Monument (think William Wallace and Braveheart), on probably the rainiest day so far this year. There is a free shuttle that takes you up. So we took it. Then decided we would walk down, however rather than take the road and risk getting run over by the crazy bus driver, we took some paths down, some very muddy very sloppy paths. Then when we got to the bottom and ended up at an unknown highway, it was decided (i was out numbered) that we would walk back up rather than get lost following the road.... Needless to say we were nearly late to an international session, but showed up soaking wet and muddy as anything. It was great. Now for me to add the pictures.... hmmmm... I still need to work on the condensing thing as well...

A view of my dorm building, I am top floor clear on the right hand side.