This is the place where J.K. Rowling wrote some of her Harry Potter Books!
As you can imagine, I freaked out when I saw it!
HARRY POTTER!!!
Stella, me, Hedda, Bea and Femme
(left to right)
Edinburgh Castle
In other news, I got carded when I tried to buy a kitchen knife! LOL WHAT!? I have yet to be carded for alcohol or nightclubs....but I did go my pink kitchen knife.
I know, I know, it has been a looooonnnnnggggg time since I have put up a blog. I had a family emergency and had to leave school and Scotland early in November to return to the States. But I have some blogs that I wrote about the previous semester that I will post soon.
BUT....I do want to say, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had an a amazing holiday season.
So like most people, every year you make new years resolutions. So below are mine! They are not super life-changing but it is nice to have a list to refer to!
Michelle's New Years Resolutions!
1. Be More Honest - about my feelings in regards to school, friends, family everything!
2. Go Out More/Be More Social - Super vague, I know but the only way to meet people in general is to NOT be in my house. I need to use my organisation skills and schedule in time to be out and have fun and then actually do it : /
3. Go Exploring - I created a Pintest board with all the places I want to go! Got any suggestions? LET ME KNOW!
But I did by a ticket to London, Bath and the castle where Downtown Abbey is filmed, so that is
a start!
4. Get back in to Theatre - I feel like it has been too long (2 years..WHAT) since I have had any involvement in Theatre. The hard thing with my school is that there is a theatre society (group) but I think it is geared towards undergraduates, but I should still check.
5. Go to the Gym Regularly!
6. Create and stick to a Budget! - I have an app for it and now I am going to use it!
7. To Wear More Colour - I have notice my closet has gotten darker and darker over the past year. Gone are the days of fun festive prints, replaced with dark greys and blacks. I am not even sure when or how it happened! So I want to try to wear more colour, at least once a week or when I go out, something.
I am going to make a motivation board for these to make sure I remember to stick to this!
Or the lack there of! Today a friend of mine asked me what was happening on the men front here in Scotland. I was a bit ashamed to say there is nothing happening. It is the probably one of the questions people as me the most about - "Ohhhh how are the men!? HOTT!?" But I just don't really know. We all know I am a bit of an awkward turtle but I go out, have fun, dance like most people but nope, nothing!
See! FUN FUN FUN! On one hand I am not surprised, I am a real rarity in this country (0.2% of population is considered Black, Black Scottish, Black British including African, Caribbean). But on the other hand I am sort of shocked.
But I think this speaks to a bigger problem that I am having, which I sort of anticipated - I don't have any Scottish friends (BUT I do have friends!). But I am not exaggerating, on the exception of my one classmate, I don't know a single Scottish person. How do most college students meet people? During orientation or school functions. But my program just had events within my specific school and so I don't know anyone else who goes here (other than my flatmates). When I go out, I am with my classmates but we never meet anyone from Scotland. How is that possible!? What does that mean?
Anyone have any suggestions?! I sort of don't know how to remedy the situation.
Well there is always hoping that one of these show up soon ; )
(PS. do you know how long it took me to find a black man in a kilt!? AGES!)
No, but I am serious, I love everything published by this women!
Here some backstory: My mother didn't really let us watch regular cartoons as children - so no disney channel, nickelodeon ext (until we were older). But we were allowed to watch all the PBS and WETA we wanted. So that was a lot of Barney, Dragon Tails and blah blah. But it also included a lot of Masterpiece Theatre. Oh Masterpiece Theatre, I cannot say enough about you! From live theatre to classical concerts to classics (or period dramas) like Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice (more recently Downton Abbey) to comedies (Vicar of Dibley anyone!?) and mysteries, like Agatha Christie, they have exposed me to what I perceive as British culture my whole life. They are probably why I have wanted to come to England my whole life!
Anyway, they used to have Jane Austen weeks in the winter. Each week they brought us a different Jane Austen masterpiece, from Pride and Prejudice to Mansfield Park. I would watch them year after year with my mom or grandmother. Eventually it just became my thing. I've read all the books, bought and seen ALL of the BBC versions (most of the movies are rubbish - you can't do that kind of genius justice in 2 and a 1/2 hours), ordered the cool all in one collectors editions, everything I could think of, I watched and read. I LOVE IT ALL! I am probably the single black girl in the world who dreams of going to Bath in September, dressing up in amazing period gowns to experience the Jane Austen Festival!!! Ps. Its going to happen while I am over here.
But what does this have to do with Scotland? Yesterday night, I went and saw Two Bit Classic and Theatre Royal Bury St. Edmunds production of Pride and Prejudice for 2 Actors at Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh!
The production included a 2 person cast and minimal props and set, but it was amazing. The male actor played a variety of roles from Darcy to Kitty to Lady Katherine De Bourgh. The female lead played Lizzy Bennett, Bingley and Lydia, to name a few. With a minimal set and props, they were able to switch effectively between characters with little hesitation or pause. It was genius! Their costumes were also designed to allow them to switch seamlessly between characters. For example the female lead who play Lizzy wore a dress but when she was to portray Bingley, the front of her dress came apart and she was wearing riding trousers and boots. Little things like glasses (to signify Charlotte Lucas) or a pipe (to signify Mr. Bennett) along with voice changes allowed the audience to know whom each person was portraying.
The chemistry between the actors was clear and they were able to bring forth the characters that I feel in love with so many years ago. It was an amazing time and I am really really happy I convinced myself to go. I have never been to theatre alone and I didn't know how I would feel about that. But it was a great decision. The show is on tour here in the UK and I would encourage anyone to see it! For more information click here.
Ohhh side-note: There are rare times when minorities are included in period dramas, par the time period represented (Exception: Little Dorrit - Freema Agyeman played a minor role), let alone are a lead. BUT has anyone ever heard of Dido Elizabeth Belle!? She was an bi-racial aristocrat living in the 18th century. Well they are doing a movie about her!? OMG! WHAT! The trailer is below - you know I am going to go as soon as it opens.
So the 1st or 2nd day I was here, one of my instructors took us out to look at some great study spots in Edinburgh. We went to to the National Library of Scotland, the Royal Mile and ended at The Elephant House. For those who don't know, The Elephant House is where JK Rowling wrote some of her Harry Potter Books! OMG, for a Potterhead this is just amazing! I think I was the only one who was excited by this. But while we were out I took some photos. I entered one of the photos and it got chosen for the short list of potential winners! OMG OMG OMG! How exciting! The prize is a new camera, which I really need. The one I have is literally 5 years old.......The winner is choosen through a combination of number of likes/comments and a panel from The Great British Magazine. If you have the time, please like the photo, and share and ask your friends and family to do so too!
It has been a rough week. I am still trying to grapple with whether I want to share what happened this week or not. It is hard with a blog because my original intention was to be very candid about how I feel, what I experience, the good and the bad. But I am wondering if that is a good idea or not. You never know who will find your blog 10 years from now or maybe a potential employer. Also, it still makes me want to cry a little bit so maybe I will share it at a later date.
BUUUUTTTTTT you know what has gotten me through? A. Talking to my amazing family back home! They have been really great - answering my calls at awkward times (sorry about that), making me laugh - just amazing! And B. My happy board. Before I left I printed like 50+ of my favorite shots from home! They are now attached firmly to my message board above my desk. When I am feeling a bit sad or missing home, I love to look at it!
My Happy Board!
In better news, the girls and I went out for a night on the town! On Thursday, we went for drinks at The Black Cat on Roses Street. Unlike the black cat back home, this one is like a quaint country themed bar, with all wood paneling, live folk/country music and friendly staff. Oh and they are pet friendly! I loved it! One thing about this country is that they love to sit and chat - it is so sociable. Hopefully I will come home with some great convo skills.
We then proceeded to an American Cowboy Party hosted by one the of the international student associations here on Thursday. Now from we saw online usually these parties are hopping! But we must have missed the memo about this one, because it was not good! The DJ was a hotttttt mess and so wasn't fun. Plus the place smelled weird!
Partners in Crime!
In other news....I am still waiting for one of these to show up! ; )
