September 5-6: Arrival in St Andrews

     The morning of move in day, I rushed about my room to pack and get ready before the bus would leave. I scarfed down breakfast, checked out of my hotel, and hobbled down the street, dragging my luggage (with a broken wheel!) behind me. Relieved, I arrived at the bus stop 2 minutes before the bus was due to arrive. To my dismay, when the bus arrived, it did not stop at the bus stop, but continued to drive on! Thankfully, I was able to catch a later bus.
     When I did catch a later bus, I knew the next challenge would be to find my dorm once I arrived in the town. I knew the bus would take me to the town, but where in the town was a mystery. It dropped me off at a station, and I had absolutely no point of reference for where I was or how I should get where I was going.
     With no wifi, and no maps to be seen, I befriended a girl in a local coffee shop. She was very sweet, and she gave me directions. I hobbled down the hill, entranced by the town and also a bit wearied by the luggage. However, excitement overtook any weariness I felt. I approached my beautiful building, found my room, and moved in within a matter of minutes.
     When I finished unpacking my things, my wonderful roommate arrived, and together, we went to the John Burnet Hall barbecue. I met some really lovely girls there, and, as one of them was familiar with the town, we went on a tour about town to familiarize ourselves with the area. It's very quaint, and the buildings are so old and proud looking. It's really wonderful. The beaches are beautiful, the ruins are striking, and the town is filled with character. The picture of the "PH" stones mark where Patrick Hamilton was burned at the stake in the town. The grassy areas I have photographed are the golf course where golf was actually invented!

     The BRP card disaster began this day, and is still ongoing. I don't know what a BRP card is, but I need it for my visa or something...and as I went to the office to collect it, they informed me that they're missing it! It will all be okay, but I am still waiting
to receive my card.
     A hallwide meeting soon brought us all together, and I got to meet a few more of my fellow "Jeebians." John Burnet is the smallest dorm in the university, also making it the most close-knit, and perhaps the most rowdy. Gathered in the picture you see are every single one of the people with whom I am living.
     After the meeting, we all went to dinner. Here, dinner is served one hour per meal, and everyone in the hall sits down together to eat. It's very nice, as you get to know everyone that way.
     There were two parties this evening. The first was called "Jump into Jeebs," and it gathered my dorm for a night of perhaps excessive merrymaking. I made some friends who were as moderate as I, as well as some who certainly were not!
     After a very fun evening, we progressed to the next party, a school-wide party, which was actually not much fun in my opinion, so I soon bailed with another girl, and we returned home. I felt like I had experienced a wonderful day and went to sleep feeling excessively happy.





     The next day, I woke for breakfast before joining the Christian Union's "Church Search." At this event, a representative from each church in town gave a spiel about their church, and each lead the students interested in them back to their church. Through this event, I attended Cornerstone church, which was absolutely fantastic. The preaching was some of the best I have ever heard, and I really felt that I got a lot out of this fresh, biblical perspective. I'm really looking forward to attending again next week.
     After lunch, I did the most exciting thing - I really wish I had pictures. Next time I'll be sure to snap some. I attended a Ceildh (pronounced Kay-lee), which is a traditional Celtic dance. I learned how to do all the old Scottish dances, and I had incredible fun. We danced in partners and in lines, with a live accordion, fast-paced upbeat pace, and in a very athletic fashion. I was quite exhausted when it finished.
     Following the Ceildh, I returned to the hall for dinner, and then my roommate, a friend, and I went down to a local pub for the Christian Union's "Pub Quiz," which is a pretty popular event like a trivia night, in a pub. It was lots of fun and I met a lot of nice people from the Christian Union. Many of my hallmates attended "Clan Warfare," which is sort of a competitive party for the rowdiest dorm. It sounded far too loud for me, and I felt it was the last place I would ever want to be, but I was quite happy for them when they won. It's nice to see how everyone here has such loyalty and pride for this dorm.
     I went to sleep that night, once again feeling very blessed.