A love letter to Glasgow

Escocia, mi amor

How do you say goodbye...? I came here on September 3^rd 2010, which truly seems like only yesterday, but then, when I look again, it seems like a lifetime ago. It has been my dream since I was about seven years old to go somewhere different and learn, and I finally achieved that goal, but unfortunately at some small personal cost. I came thinking the world was sending me signs, small signs that said “Jessica should go to Scotland!” and I took those signs at face value and came, and look what happened to me, I fell in love when I should have just been in Scotland. I guess this then will be my first ever love letter, and I am writing to Glasgow, Scotland, and all my friends that I have met, and brought with me to this wonderful place.

Before I came people were preparing me for disappointment, or maybe it was a short-lived love, and I thought I would most likely be here for two months enamoured with everything, and then fall into my general Jessica slump after that and continue on as normal. The city would lose its glamour, and the people would become boring, and everything would be the same, just relocated. The study abroad house at the University of Denver warned that most people go with elation to another country, and then fall into despair after a few weeks, and then their lives level out back to normal. Maybe my experience is too short (it likely is, a year would have been better, 4 years of study would have been best) but I have been happier than I have been in a long time gallivanting around the country and the city. So no disappointment, I have loved the whole experience, every single step.

My first day here, you scared me. I was afraid that nobody would be nice (very funny) and that I would be dying to go home after a few weeks. My first week, I was surprised. It is literally the longest I have been outside the United States, and I was still alive, I was breathing, my heart rate was normal, and everything was functioning as usual (just with less milk). My first month, I was absolutely amazed, and truly in love. The city of Glasgow is gorgeous it’s everything I ever hoped for in a city. The people are nice fantastically so, the shops are cute maybe even adorable, and everything was so new, and fresh, and exciting again. I had learned before this experience to settle in the world, and forgot about the life that can happen all around you. I was finally meeting people who are literally from all over the world, and are just as excited as I was to see new things, and study (yes, I am a studying person, and I loved studying abroad at a “real” school). I started classes, and I was learning on my own time, without having my whole life scheduled for me. I was (finally...almost) able to drink like normal people do, and just sit and enjoy other people around me at well everywhere, it seems like a stupid thing to care about, but it affects your lifestyle in so many ways. I fell head-over-heels in love, and now, I just don’t know what to do.

a fantastic view to the city centre, and it even includes a mini cooper

As this is all quite new for me, I must wonder what steps to take next. I know for sure that one day, as soon as possible I will again be visiting my new home, which is my first step. It’s funny now walking around I just smile at my good fortune at finding this place (Not that it was off the map or anything, but it isn’t on a lot of people’s maps so to say). I love that this place always makes me smile, it always makes me laugh, and I am so happy and blessed to be here. I wish everyone could experience something like this simply over a geographical location. So United Kingdom, Scotland, Glasgow, friends I have met in this country, I love you with all my heart, and I promise to come back to you soon, don’t ask me for any specific dates ( I need to get money first). When I can I will, and you will never be able to release me to the outside world for more than two weeks again.

Endlessly yours,

Jessica

Paris... And the Great Beyond

Erin and I outside the Louvre

Bonjour Paris! The second trip out of my country, and it was a wild one let me tell you. Erin and I flew out from Glasgow International on Friday December 3^rd the weather wasn’t too bad so we felt it would be a great easy vacation. Landed in Paris and got to our hotel it was plenty of fun, we bought some bread, cheese, and apples for dinner, and then fell asleep a little late. Our hotel was Jardin de Paris in Montmartre it was very nice, but a little small. I think everything in the hotel was miniaturized and then there were people (we aren’t miniaturized so it was a wee bit difficult). On Saturday we got up nice and early to start travelling around the city. We started by getting the Metro down to the Notre Dame, and looked around there. It was fantastic because it’s Christmas time so there was a Christmas tree, and lights everywhere (very cool). After that we walked down the Seine for a little bit. We promptly entered the Louvre because Paris is freezing, and I had no gloves so we got inside as fast as we could. Gorgeous as always (the building), we got in for free since we are students in Europe right now, which was very nice of them! We first got some food at the cafe then started wandering through the buildings. We did get lost a few times but it wasn’t too bad, we saw all sorts of things, and some I hadn’t seen before when there which was exciting. I did get to be really close (well as close as they let you) to the Mona Lisa because turns out, when it’s cold, nobody leaves their rooms in Paris, so the museum was practically empty (well not really, but it felt like it was).  

After we felt we had completed the museum we found a shop inside that carried gloves, as I had lost mine in Glasgow (I am very skilled). We left the museum, and walked through the Tuileries and down to a Ferris wheel, which we simply looked at, no reason to ride one in the freezing cold. After that we continued walking down the Champs Élysées, the Christmas market was open on both sides so we walked past all the fantastic places and even purchased some churos (which were fantastic). We finally got to the major stores and stopped at a few just to look inside, because unfortunately there was no Willy-nilly spending to be done. We finally went to the Arc du Triomphe, but it was closed due to inclement weather, so we just took a few pictures and walked back down the Champs Élysées where we stopped for a light dinner. We walked around a bit more through the chilly weather to see all the Christmas lights lit (it is the city of lights), so overall a very fun first day in Paris for this trip.

Erin and I at the top of the Tour Eiffel

Our next day also dawned very cold (I believe the high was 2 degrees Centigrade) but we got up and went for it anyway. We started our day out at the Musée d’Orsay which was fantastic, firstly everything was beautiful, and it was the free first Sunday of the month (for anyone who doesn’t know, museums in Paris are free admission for everyone on the first Sunday of every month, just keep that in mind). After we saw all the art we continued on to Jardin du Luxembourg, which were beautiful, parts of it were closed because it was winter time but it was still quite fantastic! We ended our night at the Tour Eiffel (luckily it was opened, but I found that it was closed for a little bit just today due to the weather). The views were fantastic and it really wasn’t too bad until we walked around the west side (where the champagne was) it was so cold and windy there, we couldn’t stop for the champagneL.

the steps to Montmartre

Our last day was Monday, and we had to stay in Montmartre so that we could get back to the hotel in time to get our shuttle to the airport. There are like a thousand steps to get to Montmartre if you have never been. I believe that Erin and I took every single step that you can take there. I wandered around the back of the Basilica for the first time to take some pictures, and there are a lot of really cool things back there. In the Basilica I lit a candle for safe travels for all my friends and I, as our time in Glasgow is ending, and winter weather can be wild, which I believe is why the next part of my trip happened the way it did...

a view from the train from London to Glasgow

Erin and I got to the airport two hours early (just like we are supposed to). We checked in fine, and got through security and got our passports stamped (as we were leaving Paris...or so we thought). We waited, and waited, and finally waited some more. The flight was delayed so we got dinner vouchers (very nice). Then and hour and a half later the flight was cancelled! We ended up having to spend our night in the airport (I didn’t sleep at all) and took a train at 5 in the morning to Gare du Nord in Paris. From there we again got our passports stamped (we were really leaving Paris this time) and got on the train to London. I slept, but not very well, and my ears kept popping. Finally we got into the London St. Pancras station (there was a fantastic brass band playing Christmas themed music, so that was nice) and walked ten minutes to the London Euston station to get a train from London to Glasgow, as trains seem to be the only thing that can get through 3-4 inches of snow (that is how much is currently on the ground here). It was a fairly uneventful train-ride, however I had to study because lucky me had a final exam at 1 in the afternoon. The train got into Glasgow Central at 3 in the afternoon (time discrepancy) and we had to get a taxi to University, where I ran to my test and took it (I took it alone in a room with my teacher, but he gave me chocolate so it was ok). I finally got back to my room 24 hours after I was supposed to. It was a very eventful trip back to Glasgow, but it was safe... which is what I lit a candle for.