Wednesday the 21st

Day 3- Wednesday

I started off the day by going to a “studying at St. Andrews” information session. It was useless. But at least the hour was not painfully slow. It was more for first year university students. For example, they talked about scheduling work and determination.  However, I did meet Safa, an exchange student from France here for a year. She was sitting by herself, so I sat next to her (great way to meet people). After that, I went a volunteer table set up outside the career centre (across the street from the union). They had free ice cream, but it was raining and cold, so I stayed just long enough to get a brochure that described all their volunteer opportunities. They did not have many of them, and none of them were on a farm with sheep…so I do not think I will be volunteering while I am here.

I then had over 2 hours until the next event I wanted to go to. So, I walked around the town and sat in the union. I tried to get the internet in the union for over an hour, and it never worked. I have to download and set up “erudome” or something like that. I also checked out the bookstore, to see if they have any of my textbooks. They only had one book about castles, and I do not think it was for my class. (see day 4 blog for classes, excuse me, modules).  I am not sure about the textbook situation, if we all buy them, or read them from the library, or had no reading (I really hope form the latter one).

At 2 there was a 45 minuet Essential Information for All New International Undergraduate Students event. I was very early, but so sick of just sitting around. So I went in and talked to Safa for about 30 minutes while they set up. It was sort of useful information. But I knew most of the information already. We did get a free SIM card, too bad it was 2 days after I bought mine. I also signed up for the Scottish highlands day tour, which I got one of the few tickets left. I had already bought the day trip to see the loch Ness Monster (“monster sightings not guaranteed”, too bad!) ticket on day 1. I also exchanged numbers with Safa, so I can hang out with someone other than my flatmates (with is not too terrible of a bad thing, but it gives me options).

After that I went to find the Saints Sports Wednesday, where you can try out the different sporting options offered at St. Andrews. It was a cool walk, even though I was a little lost. I got to see a whole different area of the town/campus, including part of the very famous golf course, along with the chemistry building, which looks like a US dorm. I also found the cut thought from that side of campus to DRA, along a hedge and a field. On the other side of the hedge are all the sporting fields, it is really nice to be like 50 feet from all the sports stuff. However, I could not find the polo people, maybe I did, or maybe they were the cricket people (both sports I wanted to go try/ get information on), but by the time I found them, because I was walking around soccer and other sports fields, I got too nervous. Everyone that was there was on the team, dressed in all their gear, and talking in a circle. So, I went back to DRA, which involved more walking because I could not find a path from the fields to the sidewalk.

Between this time and dinner, at the Bistro, I walked to Naomi and Faye. I had a great time with them.  This was the first time that they really wanted to talk to me, not me just forcing the conversation. They also loved the idea of my blog and want to post on it. They wrote down all the insult words in British English for me, most of them I had never heard of before. I do like the Arse one though.

Dinner had a fish option for the third night in a row. I had to smile at that. For the rest of the night my flatmates and I watched you tube videos and an episode of An Idiot Abroad (which I did not find funny) for the rest of the night. It was awesome that everyone stayed in and did not drink! For once I did not feel left out by them and their partying. For the first time I think they might like me. The two girls were really nice tonight to hang out with, I felt like we were really friends for the first time, and they liked being around me.  One of the girls in particular, Naomi has always been very nice to me, every time I see her- which is not as frequent as Douglas and Faye. Anyway, it was great to see all 4 of them tonight take a liking in being around me and talking to me!