Hazelbabes

Ok, this is another of melancholic posts, mid-desperately trying to capture the fading memory of one day, a year ago.

Let me start again than...

A year ago, us 141 international study abroad students were gathered and devided into different bus coaches that were taking us all around Stirling and surroundings.

Me and Rachel were in the same bus and we started chatting instantly. But Courtney was in a different bus. Our first stop was the Stirling Castle and there we finally met Courtney, but she was chatting to another girl 
...a girl that I did not much like, although I never spoke to her 
- 
Hazel Proust.

She smiled at me and started talking to me. 
Well, from the first moment we started talking I feel like I wanted to know that girl better. I wanted to know more. 
That day we never really stopped talking. 
Not even in the Dunblane cathedral, where people are not supposed to talk, or talk very silently.

Hazel and I clicked. 
Since the day a year ago, we started seeing each other almost every day.

WE:

- found a first man in a kilt.

- had lunches together (usually veggie soups in the Stir cafe).

- found the only golden post box in the UK.

- went on flat-warming parties together.

- went to various galleries together.

- have been to Glasgow to see Jekyll and Hyde musical.

- joined the same society.

- spend long hours talking about and showing each other art and specific paintings that we liked.

- went half-way up the Arthur´s seat.

- went to a bonfire together.

- went over to each other´s houses and cooked for each other countless times.

- shared veg bags.

- shared gossip and occasionally talked behind people´s back together.

- went up half-way Dumyat together.

- had countless pints of cider together.

-we have been to several vintage shops and loooved just going through the clothes. I can almost hear you saying Hazel "yeah, I love, go for it! :D"

- went on picnicks.

- went on a spring break to Oban and sank our feet in mud while walking through the fields.

- climbed over two gates and went to a castle at night.

- got tipsy and danced at Ceilidh and had the most fun ever.

- got tipsy and danced it out in 24 bellow club.

- went for a Mean girls pub quiz together.

- we went on a Highland trip and saw the Harry Potter bridge!

- we went to several cafes.

- we went for a walk to Dunblane.

- found a cave where the author of the book Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson chilled as a kid.

- we slept at the same hostel as Johny Depp. :)

- went for sightseeing in Prague,

- went on the paddle boats and listened to CocoRosie songs.

Hazel taught me to eat the best delicatessen ever – carrot and hummus and celery and peanut butter.
And let me play with her hair :)

 Miss you Hazelbabes, hope you are happy where ever you are! :)

Orientation a year ago

A year ago, 

I woke up after four hours of sleep, got ready and a bit heavy headed started walking towards the Stirling Uni.

A year ago, 

me and 140 other international students who arrived to study in Stirling had an orientation day in one of the lecture theaters.

The night before that I decided to pay my 1st of 4 visits to the Stirling clubs. My flatmates took me out to experience the Stirling night life, I remember that I quite enjoyed myself, encouraged with moderate amount of alcohol I decided to dance (quite a rare event of this sort) and I danced and danced and danced.

Until I realised it would be a good time to head home, since the morning after I had to wake up for the Orientation day.

>a link to the original post from this day that I wrote exactly a year ago<

A year ago, 

in the morning I started walking from my accommodation that was quite far from the Uni with a bit of a speed (I knew that it might take me a while to find the exact place, although I was by no means expecting such a labyrinth as Cottrell eventually proved to be). Finding the theater was bloody hard and everyone kept sending me at wrong places. 

When I managed to find it I was all sweaty and my boots were covered in mud that I managed to fell into. 

Needless to say that I did not feel even a tiny bit comfortable.

But here I was, observing the people around me and trying to absorb all the information about the courses, the library, the computers, the medical center and other services provided by the Uni, the clubs and societies was condensed in one day. 

Being there sleepy with a bit of a headache in the middle of a very confusing labyrinth like building, where I did not know anyone, was slightly distressing. 

Seeing people like Hazel who seemed like having the time of her life did not help either (Yes, Hazel I was jealous about how comfortable you seemed to be and decided not to like you :D ).

And then there was Sarah, sitting next to me, seemingly writing every word that was being said by the speakers, making me feel bad about not doing the same. Also Sarah, you were talking to Jess sitting behind me, how you feel like falling behind, because you haven't started doing the readings for the courses. 
Seriously, the lessons did not start and you started worrying me about the readings, thank you very much! :D

Similarly, like I immediately noticed Hazel in the lecture theater, I also noticed Rachel. With you Rachel, I instantly had a feeling that I want to be friends with you. 

I cannot describe it...sometimes I just see people and know that I want to get to know them better or that I want to become friends with them...and you were one of them. :)

Then later in the Atrium a tiny cute American lady approached me and ask whether I paid attention when they were talking about where to pick up a student card and whether I know where it might be. I had mine picked up by then, because I arrived a weak earlier so that I can deal with stuff like this...but unfortunately I was not able to help you with this Courtney because I had no idea how to describe the place or how to get there. You laughed (with the distinctive sound of laugh that I miss) and said that it did not matter and we both went different ways.

But then I luckily met both of you Rachel and Courtney again outside the Pathfoot building and started chatting again. How amazing surprise it was to find out that you shared the same residences as me. Before that I felt like living in the Union street, outside the campus I would not be able to socialize with people that well. 

But the feeling that I have those two amazing girls so close made me feel very fortunate and secure.

I asked for your names so that we could communicate via facebook as one of you (cannot remember, was it you Courtney?) did not have a UK sim card for quite a while.

Do you remember how I asked you Rachel to write down your name in my notebook so that I could find you on Facebook? You took it and all the receipts from my shopping that I have been keeping there, were blown away by the Strong Scottish wind and me, you and Courtney started running around like mad, to catch them all again? :)

I cannot believe that right at the beginning of my adventure I met the best people I could have wished for. 

Wherever you are now peeps, I hope you are doing great.

It' s a year!

Exactly today it is a year since I went to Scotland.

On Friday 31st of January 2014 (right after I finished with my last exam on Thursday) a slightly frightened, but mostly bloody excited me with two huge suitcases was driven by my mum and a crying sister (mind you, we have a history of a really edgy relationship, so if I say that she cried because of me leaving it really means something) to the airport.

How was it?

It felt damn gooood.
 I was leaving a country where for a long time I was not enjoying myself and I was all full of hopes about meeting new people and dealing with new challenges, I had all those dreams about hiking (one of the suitcases filled partially with hiking clothes).

I arrived at the cloudy Edinburgh airport (laughing secretly about the pilot mispronouncing the word "Edinburgh") and got picked up by a driver that took me to the university residence. As  I was the only person in the car, he drove me all around the town and the Uni pointing out where to go to get the best things. How sweet, a driver in the Czech Republic would never ever do that for you! He was a person who made me feel that everything was going to be fine and mainly he was the first 'sample' of how truly warm-hearted and helpful people in Scotland are.

When we eventually got to the student residences, I realised that I live almost under the Stirling castle and was super excited about that. I mean Union Street residences had their disadvantages (like only 3 washing machines for 240 people), but looking back I think about it with love. I was living with 5 other girls (although I applied for mixed accommodation), but when I arrived the flat was still empty.

There was a really nice porter who showed me around. Unfortunately his accent was so strong that I almost did not understand a word he was saying and had to ask again for every single thing.

As for room, it was more spacious than I expected. The only decoration that was there was a bible. I mean...what if I was a Muslim or a Buddhist. And besides if I was a Christian, I would probably own a copy of this book.

I know that I did not do much that day...I was getting myself sorted - unpacking, buying some food and a cup and bowl in nearby Tesco. I was not able to sort out my internet connection and somehow that made me feel a bit lost, I wanted to let my family know how everything was, but instead of that I ended up listening to Shakespeare Cymbeline.

I was knackered that day and slept 15 hours (pretty sure my record) and got woken up by the sun shining through my window.

And I felt like there was a load of adventures waiting for me. In that I was for once right. 

This was the best year in my life so far and I cannot believe that it went by so quickly.
I am glad that when writing those lines I am back here in Scotland, otherwise I would have been pretty melancholic being back home trying to remember things