“When I looked out in the morning it is as if I had waked in Utopia" -George Elliot

Ex-Church now turned Cafe.  Random, but it's right pretty and right outside my flat.

Waverly Bridge and North Bridge

Statue of David Hume

This is the view from my kitchen/dining room window.

Scott Monument and The Balmoral in the background.

The buildings on the left are part of the University.

St. Giles Cathedral

The Royal Mile

Scott (as in the poet) Monument at sunset

Calton Hill (can you see the chunk of rainbow on the right?

A view of the Castle on a gloomy day.

Beautiful Fall colors in the Princes St. Gardens

Finally Settling In

So, a lot has happened since my last update.  I'm finally starting to settle into life here (minus the cold weather).  First of all, a few thank yous.  First, my mom and dad, thanks for running around back in the states trying to help me get ever thing set up and sending me packages of warm clothes.  Dad-thanks for the candy corn, I'm eating some right now!  Mom-thanks for the House updates.  I look forward to them on Tuesday mornings.  Josh-thank you so much for being there when I need to talk, even if it's 3am for you.  And finally Anne and Shruti, you both called me when I was needing a little love and words of encouragement.  You have no idea how much you helped me keep going, you both mean the world to me.

So what have I been up too?  Basically, just loads of work.  I won't bore you with the details, though, interestingly, I went to a seminar on 'how to write an academic paper' thinking, oh duh...I got this in the bag.  To my surprise, however, writing at Scripps is nothing like writing here.  I feel so boxed in by the parameters they set.  Oh well, other then that, my first set of classes is over next week, which means goodbye 'public policy analysis' and 'economics of health' and hello 'epidemiology' and 'global politics of healthcare'.  That is, after I finish my two essays...snore.  I'm continuing on with my anthro class, which means...wait for it...MORE FOUCAULT!  God, he follows me everywhere.  I also discussed Marx, another one of those pesky stalkers, today in seminar.

I did go to an interesting lecture given by a Professor from Kings College on the Tea Party (baggers).  He looks at the Scot-Irish, their work ethic and morality, as one of the reasons our country has so many problems, which I have definitely seen first hand.  He pointed to education as the best way to rectify this situation, though easier said then done...right?  Especially with all our budget cuts.  Though, I did want to tell him that my mom pointed this all out to me a few years ago, so he's kinda late in his theory.

On to the fun (social/drunky) things.  So I've finally made friends!!!  Yesterday I went out with a group of British women, one who really loves California, another who works at Harvey Nichols and gets a discount, and one more (I would write girls, because that's habit, but they are all over 25, so definitely have to write women) a German guy, and to rather boring British guys.  They are so nice, and invited me to a birthday celebration this weekend, meaning, I really have to be on top of my work.  I've also been talking a lot with a few North American women in on my course.  They are also really nice, though in pretty serious relationships (one is married) with guys here, so it's been hard to hang out with them.  I've also become semi friends with two of the guys I did my Econ presentation on, turns out I misjudged them a bit and they aren't CMC douchebags, just British.  One of them, the male nurse, like to read a lot and one of his favorite authors is Gabriel Garcia Marquez (brownie points!) but also likes anime (bye bye points), though he's currently reading East of Eden...so I guess he can have a few points back.  The other is a lobbyist for the British Heart Foundation, kinda a big deal.

I've also started going to a dance studio down the hill and around the corner from my flat (which makes it a very unpleasant return trip).  I just got back from a class called 'dirtee pop' in which you learn routines from music videos.  I'm also doing yoga there and going to the gym, which is fucking amazing!!!  Just saying...it is like I am in heaven (Josh'll understand this reference).

The food situation has also gotten better.  I've found a great place for Iranian food (shawarma) and hookah.  Also, many places with good falafel (thanks Anne!).  Also a great steak place.  I'm also going to make beans tomorrow, thanks to a recipe from Jamie.  Yay for homemade Mexican food, sin torillas, cause I can't find any.  

Ok...so that's all for now.  I've got to go back to reading about competitive tendering in Bangladesh.

Food 911

The UK is notorious for bad food.  So far, I'd have to agree with that stereotype.  The first weekend that I was in the city, I had two very lovely (and delicious) meals with Pat and Larry.  On a fluke, we found this delicious, and authentic tasting Italian food place just a few blocks from Princes St (I had cabonara and lentil soup).  The next day, we ate at  a hearty pub meal (I had the fish and chips...duh).  Unfortunately since then, my food experience with food has been fairly depressing (much like the weather, I might add).  While I was staying at Pollock Halls, I was eating whatever I could find in a grocery store, which was usually yogurt, some kind of lunch meat, and crisps.  I had the unfortunate experience of trying orange flavored raisins, yuck!  Other failures: Italian restaurant on High St., which was comparable to the Olive Garden (which for most people aka people with good taste, is a bad thing), over priced and under whelming "Thai" food, and my favorite, an amalgam of mystery meat, claiming to be a kebab (see below)

 Even though I've been in my flat for 5 days now, I still haven't managed to cook anything besides pasta with butter and cheese.  The grocery stores are lacking in good looking fresh produce, and the meat is hella sketchy.  It's also quite an arduous task carrying groceries back to the flat, meaning I can only get a little of what I actually need at once (it took my over 40 min and all my strength to haul my slow cooker back).  Luckily yesterday I found an Indian market that has a butcher, and I was able to procure some fresh chicken and beef, though the guy behind the counter gave me a rude look when I asked for "half a pound"...opps.  So today, I finally get to cook my first balanced (and hopefully successful) meal at home, after I stop by the market and pick up a few more things.  Also, thanks to Anne, I have a list of places I want to try.  So on the food front, things are looking brighter.  Wish me luck on my stew!

The UK rips the US a new arsehole

OK...so a few updates.  First and most importantly, I'm still homeless.  Tomorrow I'm viewing a place about a 20 min walk from the University by Highstreet.  I REALLY REALLY want to find a place more permanent.  I guess I must have sounded desperate on the phone, because the guy I spoke with chuckled at me when I offered to pay the first 6 months rent upfront and quickly added "or more if needed".  Keep your fingers crossed!  As an alternative, I'd be happy to move into the library.  I've found my "nook" where I can sit with great views of Meadows sipping on coffee (side note-the Starbucks here is WAY better than ones in the states.  Everything is less sweet, though I'd still choose the Coffee Bean over pretty much anything.)  I'm embarrassed to say I'd rather spend an hour in the library than at a pub.  I guess it's true what they say, as you get older, you become your mother.  Though, I consider myself lucky, since my mom is a great woman to aspire to become.

In other news, today was my first whole day of class.  I came to two very important realizations 1. I can never work on Wallstreet cause I suck at trading, and 2.  the UK thinks very highly of themselves and thinks we (from the US) are incredibly inept.  To elaborate on point number 1.  Not only do i possess an inchoate knowledge of economics, I'm awful at negotiating, and am too ready to settle (ironic, since in life I tend to do the opposite).  In the lecture, the professor kept referring to classical economics as a point of reference.  As I sat there, trying to rack my brain for any smidgen of classical econ, all I could think of was laissez-faire, that in turn got me thinking about the tea party(bag)ers.  Not very helpful.  For the group part of the class, we were separated into two groups, buyers and sellers.  Each of us had a individual reservation price, that we could not go above/below, the point, obviously being, to make the most profit by selling high or buying low.  I, not aided by my low reservation price, made a profit of .08 cents, where as other people were making way over 1 dollar (or rather quid).  On to point 2.  Also in the class discussion part of the class, we went over an article written last year talking about the US healthcare system and reform.  The Brits were very quick to point out that the US is both prodigal and selfish, savoring ideas of "choice" and "individuality" over what is more economically sound.  And although this is a rather apt description, I had to kindly remind them that not all of us are like that.  The media plays a huge role in Americans inability to think for themselves, on top of which, the insurance and pharmaceutical companies, afraid of loosing their monopoly, pour tons of money (our money) into convincing the public that a single-payer health system is a breach of American ideals.  Americans choose not to think for themselves and do research, but instead opt to be lazy and repeat whatever they hear on FOX news, or other news sources for that matter, which unfortunately use rhetoric to confuse their listeners, forcing them to focus on "patriotism" etc. instead of the true underlying issue.  Which, to be fair isn't all the media's fault, or the insurance companies funding the nonsensical and misleading adverts/campaigns.  I personally blame lack of education (why I'm in favor of changing the voting laws, requiring a BA/BS degree or a US politics and economic proficiency test to vote).  Anyway, I felt like a child being scolded for making poor decisions.  I just wanted to cry out apologetically, "It's not me!  I'm one of the smart ones!"  or in defiance, "Well just remember who kicked your ass in 1776 and had a democratic government when you were still paying tithings to the monarchy."  At least we can agree on one thing:  Thank god we're not French!

Official!!!

Rainy First Day

Ahh the glories of jet lag.  I was up at four this morning ready to head off to the University, though I settled for eating a "Cheese Toastie" with fries (side note, the menu read "fries" and not "chips"...odd).  The morning was clear, until about 7, when it started to pour rain.   I left for the University around 8:30, plenty of time to get to George Sq, only a 10 min walk.  Unfortunately I have a bad sense of direction, and first headed the wrong way down High Street.  Once I figured that out, I set out on South Bridge towards the University.  On the way, I asked someone if I was going the wrong direction, and they say yes and to turn around, which I did.  Alas they were wrong (as I noticed when South Bridge turned into North Bridge).  Finally I arrived, very late and very wet.  My advisor, Nathaniel, is actually from the San Francisco, and know of Ukiah!  He's an avid hiker and loves the outdoors (so much for bonding over a common interest) and therefore goes up north a lot.  I signed up for three classes "Health Policy Analysis", "Economics of Health Policy", and "Anthropology of Health and Healing".  Then I headed off to my first lecture.  I was planning on doing some errands around the campus (getting a student ID and registering) but instead opted to go back to the hotel since it was pouring and my jeans were soaked and my feet bleeding (my new flat boots turned out to be very uncomfortable, ironic...from now on I'm sticking with the low heels).  Now, after peeling off my pants and wringing out my raincoat (not as effective as one would expect), I'm giving my feet a rest, hoping to wait out the (in my opinion) anomalous weather (which is, according to locals, "mild at best").  Then of to the arduous tasks of trying to open a bank account, figuring out a cell phone plan, dealing with University bureaucracy, all while being rained upon.  Maybe I'll add buying an umbrella to that list.