Hey there. I have no excuse for going so long without making a good post, since I've been on vacation for the last couple weeks. The best I can say is that I have been enthralled in several good novels since the semester ended, and that, between a series of nasty colds has drawn my attention elsewhere for a time. Hoping everyone has had a very nice Christmas. We spent Christmas eve gorging ourselves on Indian food, egg nog and all sorts of sweets with our friend Sean. Christmas day, we went over to our friend Hope's house and had a very nice dinner with some other American and British friends. Ryan and I purchased new cell phones for Christmas gifts to each other. They are Motorola Razrs with all kinds of bells and whistles. I like the slim design and have been enjoying being able to send Ryan text messages all the time. They are tri-band phones so that we can use them in the US when we get back. For those of you who might want to call me or send a text, my new cell phone number is 01144 795 058 3158 (dialing from the US). Ryan's number is 01144 795 058 4699.
Overall, the holiday was very quiet and restful for the both of us. For Hogmany (New Years) we will be attending a street festival and likely several other parties. We have heard that the fireworks will be a sight to see. We will take pictures (don't worry, we will also be posting pictures from our Christmas dinner when we get them) of everything to share. Ryan will be continuing to work for Betfred, as the Recycling job he was hoping to get fell though. Still, there seem to be very good prospects for promotion and he will be able to transfer to London (we hope) this next fall, which will make things easier then at least. For my part, I have decided to start doing some tutoring on the side to earn a little extra dough. Come summer we are hoping to do some camping in the Scottish highlands, a rock climbing trip is already in the works (with some Scottish friends) once the weather dries out and warms up a bit.
Winter in Edinburgh is a lot like Oregon, about the same temperature and moist. Christmas eve was almost magical, as this thick fog descended onto the city and wrapped itself around all the buildings. The castle and all the church steeples were entirely concealed by the mist and everything had a glow to it. I was very glad to spend the evening indoors munching goodies by candlelight! (We sadly didn't have a fire in the wood stove after all, because the door leaks and needs repair. So after hauling home a 23 pound sack of wood and kindling by myself over a mile!! it has ended up unused in a nice stack. At least I got a good workout!) The heavy winds we were having for a while seem to have died down a bit, and except for fog, it has been pretty dry the last week. Good weather for running, too bad I have been sick, which has caused my asthma to flare up and put a real dent in my training schedule. Oh well, at least I haven't had a migraine in ages thanks to my strict (however miserable) adherence to my no cheese, no chocolate, no tomato and no meat diet... I have to stay staying away from the cheese is the hardest for me, especially with all the fine vintages available over here. I have to confess I do take a good sniff now and then but not being to have even a bite feels like torture. Life could be a whole lot worse though so I try not to think to much about my austere diet these days.
Well then, after such a long rant I suppose I should be ending this post. Hopefully I will have more exciting news to share next time!
love Alletta
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Change, change, change...
SO, just as I am getting all settled in and comfortable in Scotland I have had a major realization. After some very deep talks with my supervisor and professors here in Edinburgh I have come to realize that it simply does not make sense to stay in Edinburgh next year. I have really enjoyed my coursework here but by the end of the year I will have exhausted most of what Edinburgh has to offer which interests me and will not necessarily get that much out of another degree at this university... So after a brief crisis I have accepted this and come to realize that really the place for me next year is going to be the London School of Economics and Politics, which offers a really fantastic multi-disciplinary degree in human rights. LSE is a world class institution and many of the folks I would be working with there are at the top of their field. Just reading all the course descriptions for this degree has got me really excited about this opportunity. Moreover, living in central London will afford me the chance to do an internship with a major human rights NGO, possibly even Anti-slavery International, whose work directly relates to my research interests. Ok then, so those of you that wait until next year to come visit us will be seeing us in London instead of Scotland. Oh well, we are going to make the most of our year in Edinburgh and after all, London will be a fantastic and dynamic place to live, if it is a bit more expensive!!
to learn more about LSE and the degree I will be doing next year, click on these links:
About LSE
About Human Rights masters degree
to learn more about LSE and the degree I will be doing next year, click on these links:
About LSE
About Human Rights masters degree
The future and other things...
So I've got an interview today for a job in recycling. Its with the University of Edinburgh, and basically identical to my job back at U of O. I am in a good position for this interview because I've got nothing to loose. I already have a job (I'm a cashier at a bookie, Betfred) which I really like. Its easy and I get along well with my co-workers. Plus I am very qualified for this job. After all I've got nearly four years experience in doing almost the same job, plus a really nice letter of recommendation from the U of O's Recycling Program Manager, Karyn Kaplyn. (Thanks Karyn).
The more I think about it, the more I can see myself making a career out of this. I think that this could be my little niche in the world. That one thing that I actually care deeply about and would be willing to devote 40 hours per a week to. The last two years I have been looking for my species being, if you will. I have gone through many different possibilities, and most of then didn't pan out, or at least the more i thought about it the less it appealed to me.
Early, in my time at University I was so in love with that lifestyle that I thought I would stay forever and become a academic. Well, after about three years of university education I realized that I had enough of education and wanted to get out into the real world.
So now, after graduation and marriage, here I am in the real world. Living in Scotland, I feel that I am actually very excited about having a career in waste management.
Okay well, got to go,
Wish me luck.
Ryan
The more I think about it, the more I can see myself making a career out of this. I think that this could be my little niche in the world. That one thing that I actually care deeply about and would be willing to devote 40 hours per a week to. The last two years I have been looking for my species being, if you will. I have gone through many different possibilities, and most of then didn't pan out, or at least the more i thought about it the less it appealed to me.
Early, in my time at University I was so in love with that lifestyle that I thought I would stay forever and become a academic. Well, after about three years of university education I realized that I had enough of education and wanted to get out into the real world.
So now, after graduation and marriage, here I am in the real world. Living in Scotland, I feel that I am actually very excited about having a career in waste management.
Okay well, got to go,
Wish me luck.
Ryan
Sunday, December 10, 2006
some more pictures
I must admit that I am way too much of an invalid right now to get out and take pictures of all the lovely stuff going on in town for Christmas, and so I am posting these fantastic pictures online. They must have been taken in the last few days, because some of this stuff just got put up. And I must say, they are very accurate. The top picture is of the German Christmas Market on Princes Street. The second one is of the holiday festival thingy going on down in the Princes Street Gardens. Haven't been down there yet but I understand there are reindeer and an ice rink. THe last one is a few from Calton HIll over the skyline at night (of course). It looks kind og like there is a halo around the Sr. Walter Scott Monument with the Farris Wheel all lit up, doesn't it? Too bad it isn't a religious monument!
love
alletta
Finally I'm on vacation
After several miserable weeks of hunching over my computer (ok it wasn't that bad) I am finally done (almost!) with my first semester of graduate school. Just one more paper to officially turn in and I am off for almost a month! Now that Ryan is working just about full time, I am now looking for something to occupy my time. For starters, I made a dash down to London to attend a party hosted by the CEO of Gucci for U of O alums. Most of the attendees were Brits who had done study abroads in Eugene, though there were quite a few Americans present, including the familiar faces of several U of O boosters as well President Frohnmayer and a few administrators I got to knew fairly well during my time at Oregon. Though the event was clearly aimed at getting financial support for the university, it was overall rather cordial, with lots of drinks and hors d'oeuvres to go around. The evening ended with a special shopping trip to Gucci's London boutique, which was opened specially for us and included a ten percent off discount. Unfortunately, even with the discount it was all WAY past my budget! Still, we had a fun time sitting aroung and gawking for all it was worth.
Upon returning from London I have been woefully struck down by a miserable case of the flu, probably worst I've had in years, since I was living in France, actually. I've already had two colds in the three months I've been here too! Oh well, this sort of thing is normal when you move to a new country. All the germs are new, and it can't really be avoided no matter how hard you try. I have noticed however, that likely due to my running, my asthma has not flared up at all with either of these last two infections, which is a REAL improvement. There is nothing worse than having a secondary problem like that interfering with your recovery. Just to think, all I needed all these years was some proper, regular exercise!!
Through Ryan's job we have finally had the opportunity to meet some real Scottish People lately. ( I know it sounds weird, but up till now we had not managed to make any Scottish friends, because most everybody at the University is from somewhere else!). The benefit of this is that we now know people living in Glasgow, and so if we can, we hope to make a trip this next weekend to visit and see the city. Now that I have some real quality interactions to judge from, I must say that Scots are truly very very nice and genuine people. Sure they can get surly when they're drunk, but their hearts are always warm. I must say that having gone back and forth a bit from the south to up here in the north, I am pretty much partial to Scotland, and I definitely felt like I was on my way home when on the train from London I heard a lovely chorus of soft Scottish accents after several days straight of clipped London style. As much as I love Oregon, I can already tell Scotland is working its way into my heart.
Alright then, I hope everyone is having a wonderful December.
Cheers
Alletta
Upon returning from London I have been woefully struck down by a miserable case of the flu, probably worst I've had in years, since I was living in France, actually. I've already had two colds in the three months I've been here too! Oh well, this sort of thing is normal when you move to a new country. All the germs are new, and it can't really be avoided no matter how hard you try. I have noticed however, that likely due to my running, my asthma has not flared up at all with either of these last two infections, which is a REAL improvement. There is nothing worse than having a secondary problem like that interfering with your recovery. Just to think, all I needed all these years was some proper, regular exercise!!
Through Ryan's job we have finally had the opportunity to meet some real Scottish People lately. ( I know it sounds weird, but up till now we had not managed to make any Scottish friends, because most everybody at the University is from somewhere else!). The benefit of this is that we now know people living in Glasgow, and so if we can, we hope to make a trip this next weekend to visit and see the city. Now that I have some real quality interactions to judge from, I must say that Scots are truly very very nice and genuine people. Sure they can get surly when they're drunk, but their hearts are always warm. I must say that having gone back and forth a bit from the south to up here in the north, I am pretty much partial to Scotland, and I definitely felt like I was on my way home when on the train from London I heard a lovely chorus of soft Scottish accents after several days straight of clipped London style. As much as I love Oregon, I can already tell Scotland is working its way into my heart.
Alright then, I hope everyone is having a wonderful December.
Cheers
Alletta
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Ok these are so dang cute....
I just couldn't help myself but to post these adorable pictures my mom sent me of our beloved budgie, Jeudi. As you can see, he is quite the little yellow piggy. My dad reports being bit for refusing to share his bread with the little tyrant!!
For those of you who don't know (which would be very few of you indeed) Ryan and I have a little bird who is pretty much our child. At least he thinks so. While we are in Scotland he is living with my parents, and apparently he is adjusting well to life with them. Though I must say he hasn't entirely forgotten us yet. On thanksgiving I talked over the phone to him and he went just about nuts trying to figure out where I was hiding. We most certainly miss him, bites and all.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Alletta's down and out!
Well not really. But I have had a lousy cold for the last three days and last night it reached its miserable zenith with a rather painful sinus headache. So far Ryan seems to be fine, but we'll see yet if it catches up with him. Due to sickness I have been off my running schedule which is no good at all! I am hoping to get better very soon so that I can get back into my schedule. I know that being off the training schedule for even a couple weeks can really set one back. Oh well.
Ryan and I had a very good thanksgiving. Friday night we attended a dinner with a bunch of Americans (+1 Scot and 1 Irish) at a friends house here in town. It was a very nice dinner and turned out to be pretty funny when we realized that almost everyone had lived in Eugene at one time, though they hadn't necessarily known each other then!! As usual, its a small world. A number of the attendees play on a softball team together in the summer and Ryan and I are considering joining up this next year. As is often the case with city league's the softball teams are not horribly competitive. The point is far more social than athletic. Anyhow, it sounds like a whole lot of fun. Then, last night we attended a second thanksgiving dinner, with a couple canadians, an irish, 2 brits, and 3 poles (persons from Poland, that is). For most of them it was their first thanksgiving experience, and so we had a lot of fun trying to explain the American myth of thanksgiving to them all. The potluck wasn't terribly well organized and so the funny thing was that we ended up with like 6 different desserts, following a dinner that was already incredibly rich. It was a bit masochistic to say the least, and in true American thanksgiving style we all dutifully ate ourselves into borderline illness. All in all a very good time, with plans already in the works for Christmas/Channakuh with our friends here in town. The holidays are actually a really fun time to be in Scotland, as there are many different kinds of parties and events going on all the time, with New Years as the biggest of all, fireworks included. It will be really fun to spend at least our first Christmas here and see everything that Scottish culture has to offer. Maybe we will even go to a Cedleigh (thats pronounced Kay-lee).
Ok then, we will be following up with pictures as soon as possible.
Hope you all had a very good turkey day!
Love, Alletta (and Ryan)
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Praise the Gods of Gainful Employment!!!
Yes, it true I am now gainfully employed!!! After over two months of seeking employment I finally have gotten somewhere. My new employer is Betfred. A bookie and casino. I will be a cashier, which basically means that I will take bets and enter that information into a computer. I am starting out with part time, 16 hours a week but I will have the opportunity to get more hours as time goes by. Another plus is that the place where I will work is about two blocks from my flat.I will take bets on horse races, football games, and various other events.
I will go a head and say that I am more than a little excited about this. More because I know that I can hold on to a job. So I won't have go and look for one anymore. Okay, I am way to excited to talk more right now. More later. I start this Saturday!!
Happy thanksgiving!!!
I truly have much to be thankful for.
Peace, Ryan
I will go a head and say that I am more than a little excited about this. More because I know that I can hold on to a job. So I won't have go and look for one anymore. Okay, I am way to excited to talk more right now. More later. I start this Saturday!!
Happy thanksgiving!!!
I truly have much to be thankful for.
Peace, Ryan
Sunday, November 19, 2006
It is cold out!!!
Hello from Scotland. We are long overdue for a post and so I am stepping up to the plate finally to give you folks an update. All is well up here in Edinburgh. As you all know, I have been running regularly to train for the Belfast Marathon in May. Currently I am taking a week off because I hurt one of my ankles and seem to have been aggrivating it by running so much. Hopefully I will be better next week and I can start up again. My max milage is presently six miles and I am scheduled to do eight next but I might have to back off a little after taking some time off. Though it is surprising how responsive the body is to these kinds of stresses, how quickly it is able to get stronger, faster, etc.
For the most part the last couple of weeks have consisted of working on my reading for school but mostly on various sewing projects in order to avoid schoolwork. I just finished a rather stylish wool purse (a picture is coming soon). I bought too much fabric and so I will also be making a matching skirt. Hokey I know but oh well. I won't wear both at once!
We are going to be having thanksgiving here in Edinburgh. There is a large group of Marshalls who are organizing a group dinner in Oxford, but we decided to is just to far to go and not a good time to travel anyway. I will be going to London at the beginning of December for an event put on by the U of O and so I'd rather stay up north for now. We will be having a couple dinners here in town--one with an American couple who moved here from Eugene last year, and another with a group of Canadian (although their thanksgiving was a month ago), British (they're curious) and American friends. It will be interesting for sure because most of the participants are vegan. For our part I believe we will be contributing vegan sweet potato pudding and vegan stuffing (without the bird of course) with gravy. For the other dinner, with the American couple I am going to be trying my hand at a proper English bread pudding. This will be a practice run for the much more complicated plum pudding I am going to try and make for Christmas (it is a process that takes weeks in fact). If I get it all figured out properly I'll be coming back to the states with an expertise in bread puddings!
All around town all sorts of Christmas stuff is going up rather quickly. Every neighborhood has a large Christmas tree in the square with lights and decorations. Off Princes Street the Christmas fair and market is going up, with a farris wheel and everything. There are lights strung across the streets and all the stores are getting geared up. Once they get all the lights turned on (it will be a special ceremony in a couple weeks) we will take pictures of everything. Yesterday we went Christmas shopping and got several regional specialities to send home for the family to share. They'll be coming in the mail soon. For everyone else, we are sorry that we can't send you all special Scottish treats. We will have to throw a Scottish themed party next time we are home. (Next fall maybe??)
Saturday night was the first time it had gotten really cold here. It was down to 3 degrees (celsius) and so we had to really crank on the heat to stay warm. We sat around all day wrapped up in blankets and drinking a lot of tea to stay comfortable. As sad as it sounds, I am hoping those clouds will roll back in soon and get us warmed up again.
For the most part the last couple of weeks have consisted of working on my reading for school but mostly on various sewing projects in order to avoid schoolwork. I just finished a rather stylish wool purse (a picture is coming soon). I bought too much fabric and so I will also be making a matching skirt. Hokey I know but oh well. I won't wear both at once!
We are going to be having thanksgiving here in Edinburgh. There is a large group of Marshalls who are organizing a group dinner in Oxford, but we decided to is just to far to go and not a good time to travel anyway. I will be going to London at the beginning of December for an event put on by the U of O and so I'd rather stay up north for now. We will be having a couple dinners here in town--one with an American couple who moved here from Eugene last year, and another with a group of Canadian (although their thanksgiving was a month ago), British (they're curious) and American friends. It will be interesting for sure because most of the participants are vegan. For our part I believe we will be contributing vegan sweet potato pudding and vegan stuffing (without the bird of course) with gravy. For the other dinner, with the American couple I am going to be trying my hand at a proper English bread pudding. This will be a practice run for the much more complicated plum pudding I am going to try and make for Christmas (it is a process that takes weeks in fact). If I get it all figured out properly I'll be coming back to the states with an expertise in bread puddings!
All around town all sorts of Christmas stuff is going up rather quickly. Every neighborhood has a large Christmas tree in the square with lights and decorations. Off Princes Street the Christmas fair and market is going up, with a farris wheel and everything. There are lights strung across the streets and all the stores are getting geared up. Once they get all the lights turned on (it will be a special ceremony in a couple weeks) we will take pictures of everything. Yesterday we went Christmas shopping and got several regional specialities to send home for the family to share. They'll be coming in the mail soon. For everyone else, we are sorry that we can't send you all special Scottish treats. We will have to throw a Scottish themed party next time we are home. (Next fall maybe??)
Saturday night was the first time it had gotten really cold here. It was down to 3 degrees (celsius) and so we had to really crank on the heat to stay warm. We sat around all day wrapped up in blankets and drinking a lot of tea to stay comfortable. As sad as it sounds, I am hoping those clouds will roll back in soon and get us warmed up again.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Alletta's running update
I am now up to six miles. Legs are a little tired but my asthma has never been better. Still no running shoes for Ryan; when they finally get here he will have a lot of catching up to do!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Victory!!
Hello all,
November 2006 seems to be the month of gifts. On the 7th we were given some change in Washington (See right). Further, I was given some good news as well.
For starters I had my first progress in dealing with a temp agency. I had made several other attempts to get registered with them but then it would go no further. Finally, a agency called by back and I went in and had a talk with her. I went in to her office and we had a nice little chat. She told me that, while she could likely get me a few jobs here and there that it would be unlikely that she could find me permanent work. Her agency deals with office support and various other fields. She also made it clear to me that I should not expect to make anything over £6.00 a hour. Which, even at part time would be more than enough. After our chat she had me take some skill tests. One was on using Microsoft word. The test was very frustrating because it had no room for error. It would ask you to one task and if you did not do exately as it wanted it counted as wrong. The other test was for data entry. I typed slow but had good accuracy. She said that she might have something for me in the next few weeks.
Later that same day Alletta found something very exciting on the University of Edinburgh's website. She was looking at the job vacancies for a possible research assistant job for winter break. What she found was a job titled "Waste & Recycling Assistant". This job was basically exactly the same as my old job in Eugene, which I held for over 3 years, except that it pays better and includes a little more responsibility. So needless to say I was a little excited about the whole thing.
So I spent the remainder of the evening writing up the application, which I then turned in the next day. The downside is that the job posting does not close until November 30th. So potentially I have to wait until then before I here back abut it. I don't wanna count my chickens before they hatch, but I really feel, like I've never before in applying for so many jobs here, that I am uber-qualified for this one.
So now I wait.
Yeah, November.
Be sure to send me many goods thoughts of employment.
Many thanks,
Ryan
Monday, November 06, 2006
Saturday, November 04, 2006
and some pictures...
And here, my dears are some pictures from our latest trip to London:
This first one is a row of rather mexican looking houses in central london. So cute I would even like to live there. Because its on a mews, which is like a little alleyway, it was a pretty quiet street too.
Here are some rather nice but kind of dutch looking houses.
And a tube station, being propped up since its neighboring building no longer there. You see a lot of these in London.
Here, if you look closely is a 'wild' parrot in Hyde park, helping himself to some free lunch.
A momument to Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband)
And Royal Albert Hall...
The Natural history Musem, which to me looks like a big church. Notice in the second picture where they are cleaning soot off the side. Lovely, huh?
This first one is a row of rather mexican looking houses in central london. So cute I would even like to live there. Because its on a mews, which is like a little alleyway, it was a pretty quiet street too.
Here are some rather nice but kind of dutch looking houses.
And a tube station, being propped up since its neighboring building no longer there. You see a lot of these in London.
Here, if you look closely is a 'wild' parrot in Hyde park, helping himself to some free lunch.
A momument to Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband)
And Royal Albert Hall...
The Natural history Musem, which to me looks like a big church. Notice in the second picture where they are cleaning soot off the side. Lovely, huh?
remember, remember the 5th of november... and other news
Hello there everyone, as you may have noticed the blog has been pretty dang quiet the last couple of weeks. Ryan and I have been rather busy and so that is all the excuse I have. First of all, I have been writing two rather laborous papers lately that have taken up all my time and energy except for a few things.
First, last weekend Ryan and I made a little jaunt down to London for a big party hosted by Google. Apparently one of Google's big strategies right now is to buy up all the 'brains' it can before its competitors can hire them. In line with with this logic, Google hosted a mega party in London for all the Rhodes and Marshall scholars in the UK. I thought it was kind of funny that I would be invited to such a thing, having no experience or training in either business or computer-anything. But apparently they trust so much in our innate intellegence and ability to learn that they are willing to hire any of us and then find a place in the company where we can fit in and thrive. Nice idea, huh?
For the party, they rented out this swanky club near Leicester Square, where the interior has been modeled to look like the ballroom did on the Titanic. The evening started out with a dinner, and some talks by various reps from the company and all the free drinks one could want. Then, they turned down the lights and brought in a DJ for us. Throughout the evening they gave away free ipod nanos (no, we did not win one, boo...), and the end of the night they gave us all goodie bags with Google tee-shirts, notebooks, these really nice computer speakers and passes to a real exclusive nightclub. The whole thing was very nice and if I had any inclination to go into the business sector I probably would give their recruiter a call.
Other than that, it is definately always a good time to hang out with the other Marshalls. We stayed in London at the flat of a fellow Oregonian and her husband and had a very good time chatting about politics, academics, etc. All in all a very successful trip except that I ate some pasta with a bit of cheese and proschisto which ended up giving me a raging migraine for like two days, spoiling our attempt to go see the Victoria and Albert Museum. Oh well. Another time. We will have plenty of other opportunities to spend time in London while we are here.
As for events in Edinburgh, I have been continuing to run, doing about 3 miles and trying to increase my milage. Hopefully Ryan's shoes will arrive in the mail soon so that I can have some company! We went for a very nice hike and did some climbing at the Salisbury craigs on Friday. Next item on the agenda, to get back into the swing and start doing some cycling again. Been slowly discovering all the good off-the-road routes for cycling in town so hopefully we can take advantage of those this Sunday and do some exploring. Amazingly, the weather is actually pretty good here. We have been doing comparisons every day of the weather in good old Forest Grove and the weather here, and believe it or not, it rains a whole lot less in Scotland. In fact, it has even been warmer here too than in Oregon. No figure, huh?
Sadly, we did not do much for Halloween this year, except make a little Jack-o-lantern which we later made a great pumpkin bisque out of. I was too busy working on my papers for school to go to any of the parties going on. Halloween originates here in Britian and so it is a pretty big deal here. Maybe next year we will get to join in.
The next few weeks are going to be busy, with lots of guests coming through our door. Right now we have a Marshall named Dan staying with us. On monday, we will have another Marshall, Natalie, and her husband Eddie (the couple we stayed with in London), and then on thusday Elizabeth Turner will be swinging through. Ryan and I love to have guests so keep um coming!
And finally, tomorrow is the fifth of November, the day of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the English Parliment at Westminster. Here in Britian this day gets celebrated every year, which is kind of funny because you can't really tell whether they are
celebrating the attempted revolt against the government, or (more likely I think,) the fact the plot was foiled and the government preserved. Anyhow, there are lots of big fireworks going on, and in London I understand they are burning Fawkes in effigy. lovely. One more holiday us Americans have never heard off, but a nice idea isn't it? Almost like an inverse of the 4th of july, when we Americans celebrate the success of a much bigger revolt.
Anyhow, thats all for now. Soon we hope to make a little weekend bike trip to St. Andrews and to see some castles. We let you know how it goes.
cheers,
Alletta
First, last weekend Ryan and I made a little jaunt down to London for a big party hosted by Google. Apparently one of Google's big strategies right now is to buy up all the 'brains' it can before its competitors can hire them. In line with with this logic, Google hosted a mega party in London for all the Rhodes and Marshall scholars in the UK. I thought it was kind of funny that I would be invited to such a thing, having no experience or training in either business or computer-anything. But apparently they trust so much in our innate intellegence and ability to learn that they are willing to hire any of us and then find a place in the company where we can fit in and thrive. Nice idea, huh?
For the party, they rented out this swanky club near Leicester Square, where the interior has been modeled to look like the ballroom did on the Titanic. The evening started out with a dinner, and some talks by various reps from the company and all the free drinks one could want. Then, they turned down the lights and brought in a DJ for us. Throughout the evening they gave away free ipod nanos (no, we did not win one, boo...), and the end of the night they gave us all goodie bags with Google tee-shirts, notebooks, these really nice computer speakers and passes to a real exclusive nightclub. The whole thing was very nice and if I had any inclination to go into the business sector I probably would give their recruiter a call.
Other than that, it is definately always a good time to hang out with the other Marshalls. We stayed in London at the flat of a fellow Oregonian and her husband and had a very good time chatting about politics, academics, etc. All in all a very successful trip except that I ate some pasta with a bit of cheese and proschisto which ended up giving me a raging migraine for like two days, spoiling our attempt to go see the Victoria and Albert Museum. Oh well. Another time. We will have plenty of other opportunities to spend time in London while we are here.
As for events in Edinburgh, I have been continuing to run, doing about 3 miles and trying to increase my milage. Hopefully Ryan's shoes will arrive in the mail soon so that I can have some company! We went for a very nice hike and did some climbing at the Salisbury craigs on Friday. Next item on the agenda, to get back into the swing and start doing some cycling again. Been slowly discovering all the good off-the-road routes for cycling in town so hopefully we can take advantage of those this Sunday and do some exploring. Amazingly, the weather is actually pretty good here. We have been doing comparisons every day of the weather in good old Forest Grove and the weather here, and believe it or not, it rains a whole lot less in Scotland. In fact, it has even been warmer here too than in Oregon. No figure, huh?
Sadly, we did not do much for Halloween this year, except make a little Jack-o-lantern which we later made a great pumpkin bisque out of. I was too busy working on my papers for school to go to any of the parties going on. Halloween originates here in Britian and so it is a pretty big deal here. Maybe next year we will get to join in.
The next few weeks are going to be busy, with lots of guests coming through our door. Right now we have a Marshall named Dan staying with us. On monday, we will have another Marshall, Natalie, and her husband Eddie (the couple we stayed with in London), and then on thusday Elizabeth Turner will be swinging through. Ryan and I love to have guests so keep um coming!And finally, tomorrow is the fifth of November, the day of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the English Parliment at Westminster. Here in Britian this day gets celebrated every year, which is kind of funny because you can't really tell whether they are
celebrating the attempted revolt against the government, or (more likely I think,) the fact the plot was foiled and the government preserved. Anyhow, there are lots of big fireworks going on, and in London I understand they are burning Fawkes in effigy. lovely. One more holiday us Americans have never heard off, but a nice idea isn't it? Almost like an inverse of the 4th of july, when we Americans celebrate the success of a much bigger revolt.Anyhow, thats all for now. Soon we hope to make a little weekend bike trip to St. Andrews and to see some castles. We let you know how it goes.
cheers,
Alletta
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Dancing and Running in the Fair land of Scotland
So Ryan and I finally ran out of episodes of Lost to watch (we have now gone through all of the first, second, and now what is available of the third seasons), and so we were propelled last night for the first time to get off our lazy bums and go to a club. Edinburgh is purported to have a pretty good nightlife and so we figured it was only a matter of time before we would start going out more. Our destination was a club in old town called The Liquid Room, where a local weekly paper called The Skinny was hosting a party to celebrate its first birthday. So along with a group of friends, several of few are local writers/music critics, we all dressed in black (hey its slimming and never goes out of style) and made for the 'scene.' The first act was a punk group called project:venhell. This group is one of those bands that is pure aesthetic. By this I mean, there music is pretty much terrible; there is no discernible structure to their songs and their lyrics are always completely unintelligible. The whole point of groups like this is to present a certain 'look' or 'feel.' There are many punk groups like this out there, and many of them are still pretty good because they are really fun to watch. This group, however, was entertaining for only about the first ten minutes. Let me paint you a picture: five guys looking like they are still in high school, dressed in the first thing they pulled off the floor, except for the lead singer (or I should say screamer) who was wearing a pair of ripped up cut offs that were way too small and whose fly was down, a pink dress shirt half untucked (by the way he is a bit overweight and so his belly hangs quite a bit over his tight tight shorts), a blue stripped tie loosely hanging around his neck, overgrown, messy hair, no shoes, and a leather jacket at least two sizes too small. This guy is stumbling around stage drinking a beer, yelling in the mike and flinging himself onto the band's equipment. Like I said, funny about the first ten minutes, until you realize that is all there is.
Following this group however was a rather good Edinburgh group called O.B.E., which sounded like a kind of funky version of a love child between The Pixies and Franz Ferdinand (check them out at http://www.myspace.com/obeonline I recommend listening to the song called "Sex Offender").
Like I said, they were very good and fun to watch live. Personally, I can't believe these guys aren't signed yet. Anyhow, O.B.E got the night going off right and we all danced heartily. After O.B.E. we had a series of very good DJs spinning creating mixes of indie and pop favorites. We stayed at The Liquid Room until about 1:30 am before stumbling out into the Edinburgh night deaf and happy and in search of a 'Chippy' (late night restaurant specializing in french fries).
Beyond the world of Scottish entertainment, I have decided to run in this year's London Marathon. As some of you probably know, I have been trying to start running for several months but basically I am not a runner, at all. Having never really got going so far, I have decided that the only way is to sign up for an event so that I HAVE to run. So far I have worked my way up to 2 miles. Woo hoo. Let me tell you. Anyhow I have six months to train and have got myself a nifty training schedule for novices and so it looks like I will actually be running 26 miles in April, believe it or not. Ryan has decided to train with me for moral support and since I am already making progress I do believe it is quite possible. I'll let you know how it goes.
Signing off for now,
Alletta
Following this group however was a rather good Edinburgh group called O.B.E., which sounded like a kind of funky version of a love child between The Pixies and Franz Ferdinand (check them out at http://www.myspace.com/obeonline I recommend listening to the song called "Sex Offender").
Like I said, they were very good and fun to watch live. Personally, I can't believe these guys aren't signed yet. Anyhow, O.B.E got the night going off right and we all danced heartily. After O.B.E. we had a series of very good DJs spinning creating mixes of indie and pop favorites. We stayed at The Liquid Room until about 1:30 am before stumbling out into the Edinburgh night deaf and happy and in search of a 'Chippy' (late night restaurant specializing in french fries).
Beyond the world of Scottish entertainment, I have decided to run in this year's London Marathon. As some of you probably know, I have been trying to start running for several months but basically I am not a runner, at all. Having never really got going so far, I have decided that the only way is to sign up for an event so that I HAVE to run. So far I have worked my way up to 2 miles. Woo hoo. Let me tell you. Anyhow I have six months to train and have got myself a nifty training schedule for novices and so it looks like I will actually be running 26 miles in April, believe it or not. Ryan has decided to train with me for moral support and since I am already making progress I do believe it is quite possible. I'll let you know how it goes.
Signing off for now,
Alletta
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Alletta's Back in the Saddle again
Hey there:
So it is almost midnight Edinburgh time and even though I need to get up at 8am I am staying up and poking around on the internet because I don't want to go to bed. To put it nicely, I have had a really lousy week. Ok, well its been lousy in parts. As many of you know, I have these chronic migraines which tend to be really terrible and very frequent. Recently I finally figured out that it was certain foods that were making me so sick, and after a very very difficult period of going on this insanely restrictive diet for several weeks this summer, I began my own little *shit* list of bad things that my body cannot tolerate. So far the list is as follows: tomatoes (in any form and any amount), most kinds of cheese, any kind of cured meat (including sausage, which for me is particularly painful), too much caffeine, alcohol (sometimes), and chocolate, yes, chocolate. At first I thought it was just the tomatoes, but this last two weeks, I have had two minor migraines and three massive migraines, each lasting TWO days.
Basically, I've had more migraine days than 'normal', that is not writhing with pain, days this last two weeks. Not fun. At. All. This weekend was particularly bad because after a series of unexpectedly bad headaches, I ran out of medication and was stuck this weekend with nothing. Finally, after suffering all day saturday, a particularly bad saturday night and then part of the day today (sunday), I finally ended up calling the National Health Service out of hours emergency nightline. Ok so here is when I go on a big pitch about why the UK is amazing. (yes, I know you all were waiting for when I would finally start bragging about the UK, and it has finally arrived.) After talking promptly with a NHS nurse, I was arranged an appointment, (yes an appointment!) at the local ER with a physician in just an hour. When I got there, I was seen exactly when scheduled (no wait) by a very nice doctor who spent a good while discussing my medical history and what was going on with the migraine. He looked up all my American medications and found suitable replacements and then after writing up perscriptions sat and answered all my questions about the medication I was taking. Then, the nice ladies in the hospital reception area (by the way, because I was already in the centralized NHS database, having registered with a local physician on arrival, I didn't need to fill out any paperwork or even sign anything) looked up the closest pharmacy that was open and then called me a taxi. I got to the pharmacy, and my perscriptions were filled right away. I paid a flat rate of about six pounds each and then went on my way. At the end of the day, all it cost me was the price of a cab two ways, plus the pills, which were 13 pounds (In the U.S. they would have been like 75 dollars). Moreover, unlike in the US where my insurance company limits the amount of pills I can get to what they consider a months supply, I was able to get several months worth of what I actually need, so that I will never again have to sweat it through the end of the month hoping my medicine will last.
After hearing all so many horror stories in the US media about how 'awful' nationalized health care is, I have to say that I was treated more kindly in a much more efficient and timely manner here than ever before in the US. If I had known, I would have not suffered for days before going to the hospital. I know for a fact that the average British person does not pay more tax than the average American. The typical middle class rate is about 22 percent. We Americans need to stand up and begin demanding better. We are all sick of getting poor medical care and the fact is, we can do better.
So it is almost midnight Edinburgh time and even though I need to get up at 8am I am staying up and poking around on the internet because I don't want to go to bed. To put it nicely, I have had a really lousy week. Ok, well its been lousy in parts. As many of you know, I have these chronic migraines which tend to be really terrible and very frequent. Recently I finally figured out that it was certain foods that were making me so sick, and after a very very difficult period of going on this insanely restrictive diet for several weeks this summer, I began my own little *shit* list of bad things that my body cannot tolerate. So far the list is as follows: tomatoes (in any form and any amount), most kinds of cheese, any kind of cured meat (including sausage, which for me is particularly painful), too much caffeine, alcohol (sometimes), and chocolate, yes, chocolate. At first I thought it was just the tomatoes, but this last two weeks, I have had two minor migraines and three massive migraines, each lasting TWO days.
Basically, I've had more migraine days than 'normal', that is not writhing with pain, days this last two weeks. Not fun. At. All. This weekend was particularly bad because after a series of unexpectedly bad headaches, I ran out of medication and was stuck this weekend with nothing. Finally, after suffering all day saturday, a particularly bad saturday night and then part of the day today (sunday), I finally ended up calling the National Health Service out of hours emergency nightline. Ok so here is when I go on a big pitch about why the UK is amazing. (yes, I know you all were waiting for when I would finally start bragging about the UK, and it has finally arrived.) After talking promptly with a NHS nurse, I was arranged an appointment, (yes an appointment!) at the local ER with a physician in just an hour. When I got there, I was seen exactly when scheduled (no wait) by a very nice doctor who spent a good while discussing my medical history and what was going on with the migraine. He looked up all my American medications and found suitable replacements and then after writing up perscriptions sat and answered all my questions about the medication I was taking. Then, the nice ladies in the hospital reception area (by the way, because I was already in the centralized NHS database, having registered with a local physician on arrival, I didn't need to fill out any paperwork or even sign anything) looked up the closest pharmacy that was open and then called me a taxi. I got to the pharmacy, and my perscriptions were filled right away. I paid a flat rate of about six pounds each and then went on my way. At the end of the day, all it cost me was the price of a cab two ways, plus the pills, which were 13 pounds (In the U.S. they would have been like 75 dollars). Moreover, unlike in the US where my insurance company limits the amount of pills I can get to what they consider a months supply, I was able to get several months worth of what I actually need, so that I will never again have to sweat it through the end of the month hoping my medicine will last.After hearing all so many horror stories in the US media about how 'awful' nationalized health care is, I have to say that I was treated more kindly in a much more efficient and timely manner here than ever before in the US. If I had known, I would have not suffered for days before going to the hospital. I know for a fact that the average British person does not pay more tax than the average American. The typical middle class rate is about 22 percent. We Americans need to stand up and begin demanding better. We are all sick of getting poor medical care and the fact is, we can do better.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
and more pictures
And, building on the last post, here are some more little nuggets of Edinburgh Scenery... and yes, that is our very own front door...
pictures at last
Hey there folks, as promised we finally have got together some pictures for ya'll. You punters (my new British word) on Facebook have already seen these, but for the rest of you folk they've been a long time coming!
Meanwhile, things are going well for me. I am finally getting into the groove of things with my classes at the university. One thing to know about British universities, is that they tend to assign you an ungodly amount of homework every week, but the little secret is, (hush*), they don't actually expect you to do more then half of it. Basically, at the grad school level, it is
up to you to get what you will out of the whole deal and the professors don't really care what you do. Still, it is worth making sure you have a decent grasp of the material, or at least admitting up front when you don't get something, because otherwise you will be brutally exposed in your weekly discussion seminar and trust me, with only 8 people in a small room and the actual professor presiding (no GTFs here) you can't run and you can't hide.
Monday night we went out to dinner at the invitation of a University of Oregon Alum, Doug Ragen. I got to know him through my work as Internship and Mentorship Coordinator at the U of O honors college, and now he has taken an interest in Ryan and I because A) he is a golf nut and is crazyabout Scotland, and b) he loves helping out ducks. Anyhow, he is currently on one of his semi-annual golf trips to Scotland and monday night he treated us to a very nice dinner at one of Edinburgh's fanciest restuarants to introduce us to several of his Scottish friends. They were
all very nice and very eager to share wisdom about Edinburgh, and make very generous offers for help with whatever we need. Overall, though the environment was a bit more 'high falutun' than we're used to, it was a very pleasurable evening. Many thanks to Doug for his generousity.
Ok, now for the good stuff. For starters here are some pictures of lovely Edinburgh.
This is a picture of the Scottish Parliament Building which took 6 years to build and 200 MILLION pounds.
This view is from Victoria Street, in old town (where we live).
Meanwhile, things are going well for me. I am finally getting into the groove of things with my classes at the university. One thing to know about British universities, is that they tend to assign you an ungodly amount of homework every week, but the little secret is, (hush*), they don't actually expect you to do more then half of it. Basically, at the grad school level, it is
up to you to get what you will out of the whole deal and the professors don't really care what you do. Still, it is worth making sure you have a decent grasp of the material, or at least admitting up front when you don't get something, because otherwise you will be brutally exposed in your weekly discussion seminar and trust me, with only 8 people in a small room and the actual professor presiding (no GTFs here) you can't run and you can't hide.
Monday night we went out to dinner at the invitation of a University of Oregon Alum, Doug Ragen. I got to know him through my work as Internship and Mentorship Coordinator at the U of O honors college, and now he has taken an interest in Ryan and I because A) he is a golf nut and is crazyabout Scotland, and b) he loves helping out ducks. Anyhow, he is currently on one of his semi-annual golf trips to Scotland and monday night he treated us to a very nice dinner at one of Edinburgh's fanciest restuarants to introduce us to several of his Scottish friends. They were
all very nice and very eager to share wisdom about Edinburgh, and make very generous offers for help with whatever we need. Overall, though the environment was a bit more 'high falutun' than we're used to, it was a very pleasurable evening. Many thanks to Doug for his generousity.
Ok, now for the good stuff. For starters here are some pictures of lovely Edinburgh.
This is a picture of the Scottish Parliament Building which took 6 years to build and 200 MILLION pounds.
This view is from Victoria Street, in old town (where we live).
Update on your two favorite people
Hey, folks. How are you all? Alletta and I are well. Things are going along at the usual alarming rate of reality. I am still in the job market. Oh boy does looking for work suck. Its the kind of thing that you have to fail at many times before you get it right. In the past I always had dumb luck at getting a job. Of course this was at college so it was kinda fake anyways. Now I am feeling the cold bit of the real world. Where you get one response for every 10 applications. Arg!
Our friend Mike Sarnoff-Wood came to visit us last week.
That was very nice. He had been living in Italy since mid-June. So I had not seen him since his grad party long long ago. So I took a break from the job hunt and led Mike around the city. We went up to the Castle but found that it costs £10 to get in. Which is about $20, so we went elsewhere. Alletta and I had a good time with Mike. We went to a couple pubs, tried the veggie haggis, drank some beer and Whisky. Good times.
Alletta and I know have wireless broadband in our own flat. So our posts should more frequent.
Peace
Our friend Mike Sarnoff-Wood came to visit us last week.
That was very nice. He had been living in Italy since mid-June. So I had not seen him since his grad party long long ago. So I took a break from the job hunt and led Mike around the city. We went up to the Castle but found that it costs £10 to get in. Which is about $20, so we went elsewhere. Alletta and I had a good time with Mike. We went to a couple pubs, tried the veggie haggis, drank some beer and Whisky. Good times.Alletta and I know have wireless broadband in our own flat. So our posts should more frequent.
Peace
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Living in Edinburgh
Ok folks, first some business. We now have a phone!! We have two numbers, our land line which is 0144 131 221 0316 from the US, and our mobile (thats a cell phone for all you yanks), which is 0144 787 585 2427.
That settled, the theme for the rest of this entry will be the fair city of Edinburgh. The first thing to know about Edinburgh is that is is not at all as dreary and miserable as we Americans have been led to believe. It actually doesn't get any more rain than London and in fact unlike Western Oregon, it rarely rains for a long period. Rather, it often will rain at night or in the morning, only to become lovely and sunny by midday. This is great because if you wait until the right time to go out, the weather will be very pleasant. Otherwise, if it is sour you can always duck into one of the thousands of cafes and pubs the city offers for a hot drink.
Though Edinburgh is a very old city, it is today a young one, in that in most parts it seems to be crawling with twenty something hipsters. (Right now leggings, sweater dresses and big boots seem to be the thing.) There are several reasons for this I think, one being that there are several large universities in the city, another being that Edinburgh is considered a hip city to live in if you are young and thus tends to attract these types. The benefit of all this, is Edinburgh has a great night life. Any given night of the week, you will find large groups of people clogging the streets and pouring out of nightclubs. Unlike London, where by law, all pubs close by midnight (which surprised me, by the way) Edinburgh pubs and bars stay open very late. In addition to these, there are many many clubs and music venues with shows going on all the time, and which tend to be open very late (I walked by one yesterday that didn't OPEN until 3 am). Many of these venues are located in interesting and historic buildings. For example, there are many pubs and concert halls in old churches here (why I have do idea, something to do with the iconclasm of the Scottish Protestation reformation taken a different turn in modern times?) There are also cool arthouse movie theaters that have late night showings of films, and my personal favorite, the many 'take away' joints that offer late night revelers Edinburgh specialities such as deep friend Mars bars as well as British classics like chips (thats fries) and pie. One of my favorite features of the Edinburgh nightlife are the many rickshaws that scurry around town hauling drunks. They are brilliantly fun and riding in them necessitates much hooting and hollering as the poor driver hauls his or her passengers up the city's many hills, and then goes flying down the other side, careening around the narrow corners and streets. The drivers seem to enjoy themselves, and they are actually a bit cheaper than a taxi.
Now about the city itself. Edinburgh is interesting because it is very old, but has gone through many re-developments and expansions. As a result, different parts of town have a particular character to them. Old town, in the city center is very characteristic of what we picture an old city looking like. Tall, narrow stone buildings and little winding streets. Small windows with uneven glass, cobblestone streets with strange names and insane intersections with five different directions converging at one point. Newer parts of town are more orderly, with neat rows of pale stone houses and shops, each surrounded by a thin iron railing and with its own steps to the front door. Surprisingly the city has many parks and these are scattered thoughout it. Some of them are actually very big, some even have golf courses and lawn bowling fields in (golf is much more of a people's sport in Scotland than in the US). One park that is a five minute walk from our house is a half mile long and full of open spaces. Another, Holyrood park is the biggest in town and includes a series of large hills where you can go hiking. The largest of these, known as Arthur's Seat, is the highest point in the city at its top and carries with it all kinds of historical lore. Holyrood park is so massive that when you enter the park it is like you have left the city (like forest park but without the trees). One of its best features is a series of massive crags that are actually bolted and set up for rock climbers (yea!).
Apart from the parks and buildings, the geography of Edinburgh is very interesting. It developed around the castle, which is on a massive cliff surrounded by valleys and hills and so the city covers many different elevations. In certain sections there are actually two levels, as streets are extended on bridges above the city below. Likewise there are high points in town where you can actually get a view of the sea. Aside from the winding and crazily intersecting streets, there are a number of small pedestrian passages throughout the city known as 'closes.' These sometimes lead to little squares, and at others through buildings to other streets, and often different levels of the city (many closes are made up of stairs). Often walking through the city you can glimpse these amazing views through these little passages, and they are a very fun way to explore the city.
For the size of the city, Edinburgh has a thriving business community. On every street there are countless stores, pubs and restuarants of all kinds. In our neighborhood, we are within a five minute walk of at least fifty restuarants, at least twenty bars, five grocery stores, six hairdressers, three department stores, two movie theaters, a locksmith, a pawnshop, a stereo store, and countless news agents (which are like mini marts). We end up going shopping at least four times a week because it is so easy and that way our food is fresh, and we don't have to plan ahead much. Though everyone says the UK is expensive, Edinburgh is relatively cheap. Food is definately much cheaper here than in the US (if one ignores the exchange rate), and so are many other consumer goods. Even rent is cheaper in Edinburgh than in Eugene!!
Finally the people of Edinburgh. Though it is a very cosmopolitan city with many immigrants from all over the world, it is definately part of Scotland. It is not rare to hear bag pipes and to see big burly guys in kilts (I am not kidding here). Scottish people have a very unique accent, and especially when a little pissed (drunk) they can become utterly incomprensible. One of the big pastimes for Scottish men seems to be getting drunk and then walking down the street in big groups singing loudly (and badly). On a one-to-one level, Scots are very friendly and nice, though don't expect to much in the line of customer service. They love sport but are also big on art. Besides the countless theater and dance companies in the cities, there are traveling troupes that go all over the country. They have a great deal of national pride, though they are generally friendly with English folk. Scots are also friendly with Americans (they are plenty of us here), though if you hang around certain parts of town expect to be taken for a tourist.
Well, I have expended my free time for now, I must get on with my homework. I hope this little bit has been interesting and enlightening for those of who haven't been to our new home as well as those that have. We hope life is well for all of our friends where-ever in the world you may be. We are thinking of you all every day.
love, Alletta (and Ryan)
That settled, the theme for the rest of this entry will be the fair city of Edinburgh. The first thing to know about Edinburgh is that is is not at all as dreary and miserable as we Americans have been led to believe. It actually doesn't get any more rain than London and in fact unlike Western Oregon, it rarely rains for a long period. Rather, it often will rain at night or in the morning, only to become lovely and sunny by midday. This is great because if you wait until the right time to go out, the weather will be very pleasant. Otherwise, if it is sour you can always duck into one of the thousands of cafes and pubs the city offers for a hot drink.
Though Edinburgh is a very old city, it is today a young one, in that in most parts it seems to be crawling with twenty something hipsters. (Right now leggings, sweater dresses and big boots seem to be the thing.) There are several reasons for this I think, one being that there are several large universities in the city, another being that Edinburgh is considered a hip city to live in if you are young and thus tends to attract these types. The benefit of all this, is Edinburgh has a great night life. Any given night of the week, you will find large groups of people clogging the streets and pouring out of nightclubs. Unlike London, where by law, all pubs close by midnight (which surprised me, by the way) Edinburgh pubs and bars stay open very late. In addition to these, there are many many clubs and music venues with shows going on all the time, and which tend to be open very late (I walked by one yesterday that didn't OPEN until 3 am). Many of these venues are located in interesting and historic buildings. For example, there are many pubs and concert halls in old churches here (why I have do idea, something to do with the iconclasm of the Scottish Protestation reformation taken a different turn in modern times?) There are also cool arthouse movie theaters that have late night showings of films, and my personal favorite, the many 'take away' joints that offer late night revelers Edinburgh specialities such as deep friend Mars bars as well as British classics like chips (thats fries) and pie. One of my favorite features of the Edinburgh nightlife are the many rickshaws that scurry around town hauling drunks. They are brilliantly fun and riding in them necessitates much hooting and hollering as the poor driver hauls his or her passengers up the city's many hills, and then goes flying down the other side, careening around the narrow corners and streets. The drivers seem to enjoy themselves, and they are actually a bit cheaper than a taxi.
Now about the city itself. Edinburgh is interesting because it is very old, but has gone through many re-developments and expansions. As a result, different parts of town have a particular character to them. Old town, in the city center is very characteristic of what we picture an old city looking like. Tall, narrow stone buildings and little winding streets. Small windows with uneven glass, cobblestone streets with strange names and insane intersections with five different directions converging at one point. Newer parts of town are more orderly, with neat rows of pale stone houses and shops, each surrounded by a thin iron railing and with its own steps to the front door. Surprisingly the city has many parks and these are scattered thoughout it. Some of them are actually very big, some even have golf courses and lawn bowling fields in (golf is much more of a people's sport in Scotland than in the US). One park that is a five minute walk from our house is a half mile long and full of open spaces. Another, Holyrood park is the biggest in town and includes a series of large hills where you can go hiking. The largest of these, known as Arthur's Seat, is the highest point in the city at its top and carries with it all kinds of historical lore. Holyrood park is so massive that when you enter the park it is like you have left the city (like forest park but without the trees). One of its best features is a series of massive crags that are actually bolted and set up for rock climbers (yea!).
Apart from the parks and buildings, the geography of Edinburgh is very interesting. It developed around the castle, which is on a massive cliff surrounded by valleys and hills and so the city covers many different elevations. In certain sections there are actually two levels, as streets are extended on bridges above the city below. Likewise there are high points in town where you can actually get a view of the sea. Aside from the winding and crazily intersecting streets, there are a number of small pedestrian passages throughout the city known as 'closes.' These sometimes lead to little squares, and at others through buildings to other streets, and often different levels of the city (many closes are made up of stairs). Often walking through the city you can glimpse these amazing views through these little passages, and they are a very fun way to explore the city.
For the size of the city, Edinburgh has a thriving business community. On every street there are countless stores, pubs and restuarants of all kinds. In our neighborhood, we are within a five minute walk of at least fifty restuarants, at least twenty bars, five grocery stores, six hairdressers, three department stores, two movie theaters, a locksmith, a pawnshop, a stereo store, and countless news agents (which are like mini marts). We end up going shopping at least four times a week because it is so easy and that way our food is fresh, and we don't have to plan ahead much. Though everyone says the UK is expensive, Edinburgh is relatively cheap. Food is definately much cheaper here than in the US (if one ignores the exchange rate), and so are many other consumer goods. Even rent is cheaper in Edinburgh than in Eugene!!
Finally the people of Edinburgh. Though it is a very cosmopolitan city with many immigrants from all over the world, it is definately part of Scotland. It is not rare to hear bag pipes and to see big burly guys in kilts (I am not kidding here). Scottish people have a very unique accent, and especially when a little pissed (drunk) they can become utterly incomprensible. One of the big pastimes for Scottish men seems to be getting drunk and then walking down the street in big groups singing loudly (and badly). On a one-to-one level, Scots are very friendly and nice, though don't expect to much in the line of customer service. They love sport but are also big on art. Besides the countless theater and dance companies in the cities, there are traveling troupes that go all over the country. They have a great deal of national pride, though they are generally friendly with English folk. Scots are also friendly with Americans (they are plenty of us here), though if you hang around certain parts of town expect to be taken for a tourist.
Well, I have expended my free time for now, I must get on with my homework. I hope this little bit has been interesting and enlightening for those of who haven't been to our new home as well as those that have. We hope life is well for all of our friends where-ever in the world you may be. We are thinking of you all every day.
love, Alletta (and Ryan)
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Settling in and exploring London
Hello everyone! We now have a permanent address in Edinburgh for those of you that might fancy sending us a letter or dropping in on our doorstep. It is: 40 East Fountainbrdge Edinburgh EH3 9BH United Kingdom. Mail gets here rather quick, and only takes about a week so don't hesitate to drop us a note!
We spent the last week in London for the Marshall Scholar orientation programme and had a lot of fun. We went on a very nice tour of the city and rode the "london eye" the largest farris wheel in Europe, which gives a very good view of the city (note: I personally would not have shelled out the 11 pounds per person but in any case the Marshall Commission was footing the bill). We also toured the parliment building and went to a very swanky reception in our honor held by the British Foreign Office. We got to meet lots of heavy hitters as well as many current and former Marshall scholars. Not to mention all the crabcakes and wine we could handle.
The big point of trip was to meet the other scholars in Alletta's program. So far, they turned out to be very very nice and loads of fun (not nearly as square as one would expect for a bunch of über-nerds!). A fair number of them brought spouses to the UK and we met one who has a baby too. Went out to dinner and a number of pubs, along with a very hip club in central London. Ryan got along very well with the guys and has made friends with several of them. Though the city is not as visually stunning as others in Europe, it is a neat place to be. There are tons of great restuarants and pubs, great shopping and as well as some lovely parks and buildings. We have get to take advantage of the museums but that will definately be on our agenda for future visits. There are luckily a number of current Marshall Scholars in the city who we can stay with for free, and it is actually pretty cheap to go from Edinburgh to London by train or bus.
We are now back in Edinburgh and beginning to really appreciate how beautiful and interesting a city it is. It very old feeling (though few buildings remain that are actually more than a couple of hundred years old), with lots of winding cobblestone streets and these little alleyways that lead to other streets and charming squares. There are lots of great resturants and pubs as well as great museums and parks. The people are nice, and since we are very centrally located we are in a great position to enjoy it all. In general, Britian is no longer like it was back in the Thatcher days. The economy is now booming and everything is really nice, all the modern conviences you could want and then some. In our flat we have a very nice front loading washer/dryer, special heaters that draw electricity during off peak hours, and a water heater that heats on demand. All the appliances are new, as well as the fixtures and floors. It is a beautiful place even though the building is probably 150 years old. We even have a nice wood stove built into the old fireplace, which will be really nice in the winter. We are only minutes from massive parks, movie theaters, pubs, shopping, and the university too.
Ryan is currently looking to find work in one of the many cafes or bars in our neighborhood, which is good because we are very centrally located with lots of hip places just minutes away on foot. If that doesn't work, he will go to a temp agency.
It has been a bit of a pain getting stuff set up here. The British tend towards red tape, (though it cannot be anything close to as bad as it is in Greece or Italy!) We hope to get internet set up soon at the house, but for now we are going to a very cool cafe that offers free wireless. It is a teahouse with a great selection of nice teas and a great atmosphere and so for now I don't mind spending time there. It is good to get out of the house. The main problem has been setting up a bank account, which is very hard to do if you are a foreigner. We have finally, after a couple of weeks managed to get all the necessary documentation together, and so we will hopefully have access to our Marshall funds within a week (if we are lucky!)
We have made a few friends here in Edinburgh, but so far we have been too busy to socialize much. Otherwise, we have several U.S. friends visiting in the next few weeks, which we are very excited about. We will certainly have many more in the future are other Marshall scholars come to visit as well. One girl, who Alletta made friends with when she was a Rhodes finalist, has family in Edinburgh and so we will definately see a bit of her, and hopefully her family too. As some of you might have heard, we are not going to be home for Christma. However there are a lot of great cultural events that we would miss otherwise and so it is probably a good thing. Here in Scotland, New Years (known as Hogmany) is a very big deal, involving several days of big parties and events. In addition, we hope to do a bit of traveling during the holiday break. Maybe to somewhere warm!! Hopefully though we can come home in the early spring for sure.
That's all for now. The month is going incredibly fast. And yes, we are going to get some pictures online very soon!
We spent the last week in London for the Marshall Scholar orientation programme and had a lot of fun. We went on a very nice tour of the city and rode the "london eye" the largest farris wheel in Europe, which gives a very good view of the city (note: I personally would not have shelled out the 11 pounds per person but in any case the Marshall Commission was footing the bill). We also toured the parliment building and went to a very swanky reception in our honor held by the British Foreign Office. We got to meet lots of heavy hitters as well as many current and former Marshall scholars. Not to mention all the crabcakes and wine we could handle.
The big point of trip was to meet the other scholars in Alletta's program. So far, they turned out to be very very nice and loads of fun (not nearly as square as one would expect for a bunch of über-nerds!). A fair number of them brought spouses to the UK and we met one who has a baby too. Went out to dinner and a number of pubs, along with a very hip club in central London. Ryan got along very well with the guys and has made friends with several of them. Though the city is not as visually stunning as others in Europe, it is a neat place to be. There are tons of great restuarants and pubs, great shopping and as well as some lovely parks and buildings. We have get to take advantage of the museums but that will definately be on our agenda for future visits. There are luckily a number of current Marshall Scholars in the city who we can stay with for free, and it is actually pretty cheap to go from Edinburgh to London by train or bus.
We are now back in Edinburgh and beginning to really appreciate how beautiful and interesting a city it is. It very old feeling (though few buildings remain that are actually more than a couple of hundred years old), with lots of winding cobblestone streets and these little alleyways that lead to other streets and charming squares. There are lots of great resturants and pubs as well as great museums and parks. The people are nice, and since we are very centrally located we are in a great position to enjoy it all. In general, Britian is no longer like it was back in the Thatcher days. The economy is now booming and everything is really nice, all the modern conviences you could want and then some. In our flat we have a very nice front loading washer/dryer, special heaters that draw electricity during off peak hours, and a water heater that heats on demand. All the appliances are new, as well as the fixtures and floors. It is a beautiful place even though the building is probably 150 years old. We even have a nice wood stove built into the old fireplace, which will be really nice in the winter. We are only minutes from massive parks, movie theaters, pubs, shopping, and the university too.
Ryan is currently looking to find work in one of the many cafes or bars in our neighborhood, which is good because we are very centrally located with lots of hip places just minutes away on foot. If that doesn't work, he will go to a temp agency.
It has been a bit of a pain getting stuff set up here. The British tend towards red tape, (though it cannot be anything close to as bad as it is in Greece or Italy!) We hope to get internet set up soon at the house, but for now we are going to a very cool cafe that offers free wireless. It is a teahouse with a great selection of nice teas and a great atmosphere and so for now I don't mind spending time there. It is good to get out of the house. The main problem has been setting up a bank account, which is very hard to do if you are a foreigner. We have finally, after a couple of weeks managed to get all the necessary documentation together, and so we will hopefully have access to our Marshall funds within a week (if we are lucky!)
We have made a few friends here in Edinburgh, but so far we have been too busy to socialize much. Otherwise, we have several U.S. friends visiting in the next few weeks, which we are very excited about. We will certainly have many more in the future are other Marshall scholars come to visit as well. One girl, who Alletta made friends with when she was a Rhodes finalist, has family in Edinburgh and so we will definately see a bit of her, and hopefully her family too. As some of you might have heard, we are not going to be home for Christma. However there are a lot of great cultural events that we would miss otherwise and so it is probably a good thing. Here in Scotland, New Years (known as Hogmany) is a very big deal, involving several days of big parties and events. In addition, we hope to do a bit of traveling during the holiday break. Maybe to somewhere warm!! Hopefully though we can come home in the early spring for sure.
That's all for now. The month is going incredibly fast. And yes, we are going to get some pictures online very soon!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Intercontinental Travel Sucks!........Well I guess its not so bad.
So we arrived in London safe and sound. British Airways was possibly one of the most comfortable flights we have ever been on! The food was very tasty. Pené pasta and vegetables, with a salad, cheese cake, and oh yes tea!.
Our in flight entertainment was not some B-movie that played once, but rather our choice of over 10 different channels of movies, comedy, TV drama, and more. All on our own personal screen in the seat in front of us.
Yes, it was an all together pleasant flight. We landed in London around 11:00 am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and then made our way through passport control, then on to "baggage reclaim", as its known in the U.K.
There Alletta and I waited for the next two hours. No bags. We asked the information desk, they sent us over to the oversized and damaged baggage desk. Apparently our bags did not make the connection in Chicago. Oh well. To be honest I was unsure how we were going to haul the two 70 lbs. bags plus a 65 lbs. bag with a collapsed bike in it and another bike box that was about a meter and half in length and just under a meter in hight, on our own. Not only would we of had to haul the bags around London- Heathrow International Airport, but would of had to attempt to get them on to a U.K. domestic flight, then into a taxi so we could get to our temporary flat in Edinburgh. I think this was a blessing in disguise.
So now because United Airlines left insufficient time for our connection, we got all of our over weight bags delivered to us in Edinburgh.
...............
Postlude- The bikes were found and delivered first on the 12th. Our clothing did not arrive until around 6 p.m. on the 14th
Our in flight entertainment was not some B-movie that played once, but rather our choice of over 10 different channels of movies, comedy, TV drama, and more. All on our own personal screen in the seat in front of us.
Yes, it was an all together pleasant flight. We landed in London around 11:00 am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and then made our way through passport control, then on to "baggage reclaim", as its known in the U.K.
There Alletta and I waited for the next two hours. No bags. We asked the information desk, they sent us over to the oversized and damaged baggage desk. Apparently our bags did not make the connection in Chicago. Oh well. To be honest I was unsure how we were going to haul the two 70 lbs. bags plus a 65 lbs. bag with a collapsed bike in it and another bike box that was about a meter and half in length and just under a meter in hight, on our own. Not only would we of had to haul the bags around London- Heathrow International Airport, but would of had to attempt to get them on to a U.K. domestic flight, then into a taxi so we could get to our temporary flat in Edinburgh. I think this was a blessing in disguise.
So now because United Airlines left insufficient time for our connection, we got all of our over weight bags delivered to us in Edinburgh.
...............
Postlude- The bikes were found and delivered first on the 12th. Our clothing did not arrive until around 6 p.m. on the 14th
First Impressions
Ryans impressions of our first day in the UK:
After we gave up on our bags Alletta went out to see if Mary, the women from the Marshall's Commission was still waiting for us, which she was. We explained what had happened and why we were so late coming out of the terminal.
Let me tell you it is damn nice to have someone meet you at the airport and tell you that it is going to be okay. I've travelled before and arrived in countries that I did not speak the native language on my own. So we could of easily found our way about a London airport, but still this was very nice. Thank you Mary!!
After some food and picking up a few toiletries to sustain our hygiene whilst we waited for our bags, we made our way to our next flight, to Edinburgh.
It was just over an hour to fly there, not that bad. We got to a cab and made our way to Edinburgh proper. There is something about that first cab ride,train ride, or bus ride into a new city in strange country. Your jet lagged, disoriented, hungry, a little nervous about being in a new place. It is one of the best feelings I have ever felt. It's exilerating!!
The first thing that hit me was how the traffic lanes were incomprehensible. Everything was white, with the exception of the Green-ways (bus/bike lanes I know kind of a strange combo). Next I noticed the similarity of Architecture to other Western European countries. (Row-houses and tenements with vinyl double pained windows and slate roofs.)
We went to our temporary flat. Whereupon we met Ms. Mason. She owned a small flat in a area of Edinburgh called Leith. Leith used to be a separate port town that was later annexed by the growing capital of Scotland. The flat was somewhere in between the center of Edinburgh and the port of Leith. All the tour guides that we read about Edinburgh said that Leith was such a cool place that it was a must. I suspect that we were about a 20 minute walk away from that "must see" area of the City. We were also 20 minutes from the city center. Which put us right smack dab in lame-ville.
Don't get me wrong! It wasn't a bad part of town. I'm sure it's a fine place to live if your 52, Scottish and have 3 kids. But that didn't matter much because we slept most of the first few days, as we recovered from our jet lag.
Next....Finding a job in the great city of Edinburgh
After we gave up on our bags Alletta went out to see if Mary, the women from the Marshall's Commission was still waiting for us, which she was. We explained what had happened and why we were so late coming out of the terminal.
Let me tell you it is damn nice to have someone meet you at the airport and tell you that it is going to be okay. I've travelled before and arrived in countries that I did not speak the native language on my own. So we could of easily found our way about a London airport, but still this was very nice. Thank you Mary!!
After some food and picking up a few toiletries to sustain our hygiene whilst we waited for our bags, we made our way to our next flight, to Edinburgh.
It was just over an hour to fly there, not that bad. We got to a cab and made our way to Edinburgh proper. There is something about that first cab ride,train ride, or bus ride into a new city in strange country. Your jet lagged, disoriented, hungry, a little nervous about being in a new place. It is one of the best feelings I have ever felt. It's exilerating!!
The first thing that hit me was how the traffic lanes were incomprehensible. Everything was white, with the exception of the Green-ways (bus/bike lanes I know kind of a strange combo). Next I noticed the similarity of Architecture to other Western European countries. (Row-houses and tenements with vinyl double pained windows and slate roofs.)
We went to our temporary flat. Whereupon we met Ms. Mason. She owned a small flat in a area of Edinburgh called Leith. Leith used to be a separate port town that was later annexed by the growing capital of Scotland. The flat was somewhere in between the center of Edinburgh and the port of Leith. All the tour guides that we read about Edinburgh said that Leith was such a cool place that it was a must. I suspect that we were about a 20 minute walk away from that "must see" area of the City. We were also 20 minutes from the city center. Which put us right smack dab in lame-ville.
Don't get me wrong! It wasn't a bad part of town. I'm sure it's a fine place to live if your 52, Scottish and have 3 kids. But that didn't matter much because we slept most of the first few days, as we recovered from our jet lag.
Next....Finding a job in the great city of Edinburgh
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Moving... to the next frontier (sort of)
And so it is finally happening! Ryan and I are finally moving to Edinburgh, Scotland on September 8th, 2006. Our Visas are approved, our tickets are purchased and our household goods have been shipped. We are going to be there for two years, while Alletta pursues degrees in International Politics and possibly Development Studies at the University of Edinburgh on a Marshall Scholarship. During our stay in Scotland, we will be readily accesible by email. Also, check this blog frequently for updates on our lives in the British Isle. And of course, for anyone interested in a Scottish vacation in the next two years, our door will always be open. We'll let you all know when we have our Scottish mailing address nailed down. Until then, Tally Ho!
The Engagement Party
On June 2, 2006 Ashley Sloan (Alletta's lovely maid of honor), and friends Zayne Turner, Beth and Hadley Otto put on a fabulous engagement/bachelor/bachelorette party for us in Eugene. The theme was a 1950's cocktail party, complete with little black dresses, Martinis and yes, chocolate fondue. It was a total blast, and yes, we all got a bit sloshed.
The Big Shebang
June 24, 2006... Alletta and Ryan "tied the knot" for real and forever. The event took place at Ryan's aunt and uncle's 
farm near Newberg, OR, and consisted of a short (but sweet) ceremony followed by a dinner and party that included lawn games (think croquet and badmitton), lots of food and booze, live music, and a whole lot of fun. The festivities lasted 
until about 4 am (the bride and groom made off to a luxury suite at McMinnamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove at about 2 am). The party may have gone all night, but the memories will last forever. About 150 friends and family attended. For more pictures of the festivities, see our album at www.snapfish.com by clicking on the following link: http://www2.snapfish.com/share/p=722291154212843153/l=114051517/g=57831402/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
. A big thank you to everyone who made this amazing moment in our lives so possible and so wonderful. We love you guys.
farm near Newberg, OR, and consisted of a short (but sweet) ceremony followed by a dinner and party that included lawn games (think croquet and badmitton), lots of food and booze, live music, and a whole lot of fun. The festivities lasted 
until about 4 am (the bride and groom made off to a luxury suite at McMinnamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove at about 2 am). The party may have gone all night, but the memories will last forever. About 150 friends and family attended. For more pictures of the festivities, see our album at www.snapfish.com by clicking on the following link: http://www2.snapfish.com/share. A big thank you to everyone who made this amazing moment in our lives so possible and so wonderful. We love you guys.
The saga begins...sort of.
Here's the story... For those of you who don't know (or at least don't remember), Ryan and I began dating in May 2000. (Before that, we both attended Gingerbread preschool and Central Elementary in Forest Grove, OR, but weren't dating then!). In May 2005, we finally publically admitted we were getting married and set a date. Then, in May 2006 our familes threw us a lovely wedding shower. Thank you everyone, especially the Koehnkes for hosting! For more pictures of this event, check out our online photo album at www.snapfish.com. To see our photos, click on the following link: http://www2.snapfish.com/shareGraduation!!!!
June 16, 2006 We did it! Ryan and I graduate together from the University of Oregon with degrees in Philosophy (Ryan) and History, Women's and Gender Studies, and Political Science (Alletta). Several very nice commencement ceremonies (each department hosts its own) were followed by three consecutive nights of good old-fashioned partying. Go Ducks!
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