As far as I can see, Jennie uses this Blog to update you on the latest happenings in her life. You may or may not have gathered that part of her day-to-day life includes harassing me about what pet(s) we need. The latest required additions to our family are a dog, kitty, penguin, chicken, goat, and elephant. I'm definitely in favour of the latter since it would no doubt kill all of the rest of the animals, before embarking on a stampeding rampage through the leafy suburbs of the west end of Glasgow.
For one week only, then, you get my take on things. So what has happened in Scotland over the last couple of months? First of all, work has been pretty hectic. Arriving back from California, I quickly went to work rewriting the course I teach. Semester starts formally next week, and I am wondering if all the changes will be appreciated (or even noticed) by the students. Over the last two weeks I also took on some extra duties with the induction and enrollment of new students. Though a bit tedious, this work has paid for the flights we have booked to California in June 2010. We'll be back next summer, hopefully dividing our time between the action-packed, fun-filled town of Rescue and Orange County.
On top of work, our home is a real blessing. Our apartment is really nice, and the area is very beautiful. Despite receiving some fruity insults from the local taxi drivers, it's nevertheless a real pleasure to cycle to work past some really nice old buildings. My daily cycle to work takes me past the eye-catching University of Glasgow (built in the fifteenth century); the Kelvin Hall and Kelvingrove Museum (both traditional red-brick early 20th Century buildings).
Of course, Jennie is a real blessing too. It's been tough for her to adapt to the strange ways, customs, and cultures of a new country. The visits to the grocery store are a particular treat, often culminating in tears because British stores name things differently or have different weights and measures. Yet people have helped her adjust. My friends at church have done me proud, going out of their way to invite her to things and help her to settle in. And watching Jennie adjust to Scotland has been mutually rewarding for both of us. Seeing how Scots live and work and think, I think she understands a little more about me. And when I hear how America compares, I learn more about her. And I learn more about you too.
you forgot to write about how you're going to visit us next summer! OH and how you're going to come see us in London ;)
ReplyDeleteMy vote is for the Penguin. Goats are really loud, annoying and smell. My grandma had 50 at one time. I even had a baby goat that lived in our shower. As for the Elephant they eat a lot and whatever they eat comes out the other end. I would not want to clean up after them. Also, from a microbiologist perspective. Elephants are carriers of Anthrax. I don't think you would want to be considered terrorists in Scottland.
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