What Not Writing on Your Abroad Blog Means

So it is quite evident that I have not written on here in a while, three weeks and counting. I know that I have in the past I have become frustrated when someone who has gone abroad temporarily abandons their blog. I wonder about why they have failed to write about what I assume is an amazing experience, one that would drive them to capture it in words. As with some many other things associated with going abroad, I know understand.

Quite simply, I have been living. Doing all the things that a normal college student does. I go to class on two days a week, study in the library most afternoons, attend meetings for clubs (societies) in the evenings, and hangout with friends on the weekends. I suppose that I overlook the significane to these ordinary college student activities because doing them at St. Andrews no longer feels peculiar and different. They have become intricent parts of my daily existence.That is not say that they are not enjoyable. I refuse to life that is anything except enjoyable. It is just they are not the headline activities people clamor for when inquiring about studying abroad. 

 St. Andrews feels like home. Similar to my experience in the summer, it is hard for me to imagine any other life for me at the present moment. I cannot speak for the experience of studying abroad in the spring, but I feel that if I came from half an academic year at Stonehill, I would feel differently. I would be left to wonder about how things were progressing as the school year continued. I would feel connected to projects started, friend groups formed, and habits begun. Coming in with a fresh start allowed me to fully become interwoven into life at St. Andrews during the school year of 2012-2013.

Part of these weaving is a type of focus which is the reason why this blog has been barren. I have been fully invested in and thus fully enjoying what I am doing. Consequently there is little time for pause and reflection. Admittedly, any spare time has been used for writing in a personal journal. It is no offense to my readers, but my priority is personal rememberance, then public story-telling. So, I do apologize for not holding up my end of the baragin as a blogger; I have been too busy holding up my end of the baragain as a human who is blessed with a beautiful abroad experience.

I vow to write more in the future. For now please enjoy some photos taken around and near my favorite spot at St. Andrews (blog post to follow).

Two Weeks In Country

It is hard to believe that I have been in Scotland for officially two weeks now. Truly it feels like two months. I struggle to harken back to the flight I took under the cover of darkness out of Boston on Sept. 2nd. I do vividly recall how brightly the lights in London were once I landed. Following some running around I got onto a plane destined for Edinburgh. From there, my adventure began.

It is still hitting me that I am actually here in Scotland. For I am certainly learning a lot about adjusting to a new place, especially when you are going to live there for an expanded period of time. For example, I did travel last year to California for a service trip through Stonehill, aka HOPE, but we were there for just a week. I never had to grapple with the fact that Coachella Valley was now my home. Effectively, I never had to unpack. Here it is not only unpacking, but adding. I have picked up a few things in my travels. Resting on the bookcase in my room is a vinyl copy of Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen. I bought it in one of the several charity shops around town. Truly they are an awesome facet of St. Andrews. Also, on my corkboard are little flyers and items I have acquired. It should also be noted that a poster of Bob Dylan sitting at a piano hovers above my desk. He is turned away from the piano and lost in thought. I gaze upon Dylan when I need a word or a thought. If in realy dire straits for inspiration I will assume the same position he is in. Alas, my closet does not hold within it a highly coveted brown tweed jacket I have yet to find in a charity shop.

But adjusting is more than adding a personal flavour to a room or buying clothing; it is embracing. It is being as porous as a sponge. It is hard to put into words how much comfort in a new place can simply be acquired by walking around it. By exploring it. By getting lost in it. Now, St. Andrews boils down to three streets, but there is still plently to explore. Every day I hear of a new shop, cafe, or pub. It is as if a map is filling out in my head. Areas unknown go from being fuzzy to coloured in once I learn of a place and visit it.

And I have been doing this for two weeks now, one in St. Andrews. It used to be quite daunting that I was going to be here for four months, but now it is nothing but exciting. Just imagine how my mental map shall look then.

Little Bits of Home in My New Home

I ventured to St. Andrews to discover sights, sounds, and experiences which were all inherently new and different than those that my home, both Stonehill and my parents' houses, could offer. And I most certainly have succeed in that pursuit in the short time that I have been here. As chronicled by my last post, I have come to love the streets of St. Andrews. Interestingly enough, yesterday at the opening ceremony, those same streets were mentioned both by staff and student speakers. It is evident that I have correctly identified an unique aspect of the St. Andrews experience.

Now the list could continue of unique aspects of St. Andrews, but I write this time to name some things that have reminded me home and made me feel more at home at St. Andrews. For example, one of the funniest for me is that the building in which I have my two classes is called Kennedy Hall. Coming from Massachusetts and being Catholic, Kennedy is a name I have heard hundreds of times in my life. I am a big fan of the Kennedy's. I have been to the JFK Presidential library five years in a row I think. At Stonehill I have a copy of his inauguration speech on my wall. I take it as a sign from the universe that I will have a positive experience in my classes because they are held in Kennedy Hall.

When not in class or eating a meal in my hall's dinning hall, I will most likely be found in the library. It is how I operate at Stonehill and it is how I choose to remain operating here at St. Andrews. Within the first few days I already found both my reading spot and a computer I like to use. One observation I made in the midst of this finding is that the library here has been under construction. Quite a coincidence considering that so has Stonehill's library. It just made me smile that no matter what college library I go to, it has been remodeled in some way.

Lastly, the street which just behind my hall is The Scores. On it resides the famous "Chariots of Fire" beach. It is truly a remarkable spot. It almost requires a double take to believe that it is found just behind this windy and chilly Scottish town. The reason I call attention to the beach is because for me, the beach has always been a special place. I basically spent my boyhood summers on Scarborough Beach in Narraganset, Rhode Island. Now that I am older, I make a point to go back at least once every summer. It is my Mecca. It is my Walden Pond. It is the place that puts order back into my life So the fact that I can walk to a beach in under five minutes from where I am staying is very comforting. If I am ever feeling overwhelmed or stressed, I can take time out and head there. I will have what I need to carry on.

Overall, I view these familiar elements as tools for guiding me into feeling at home at St. Andrews. In the words of Passion Pit "I'll Be Alright". For this was the song I was listening to while starting this post and once again the music I am listening to fits the sentiment of my words. In the words of my new home, "Brilliant!"  

Streets of St. Andrews

 This post is a obvious reference to  "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen. I shall get to why I make such an allusion. Tomorrow will mark one week of being at St. Andrews. It certainly has been an interesting week. I have found my way and settled in. I have come to recognize all the elements of a college that I have to come to love here at this new college I am coming to love. For example, I go to the library at least once a day, if not more. I have identified a couple of spots in it that I now call my own. Also, I participate in the St. Andrews tradition of going to Tesco's on an almost daily basis. A little background, Tesco's is a supermarket here in town that is very much so part of the culture of St. Andrews. For every back at Stonehill, think what CVS and Target means to us. It is right on par with that. However unlike those skyhawk destinations, I walk to Tesco's on the streets of St. Andrews. And for me, that is when my day begins, when I know that I am home at St. Andrews, and when I feel most a live every day here.

It started almost the second day I was here. I remember walking around, trying to get to certain places, and a smile slowly began to grow on my face. It was beyond my control. With this smile, a small pocket of joy developed within my soul. It has remained there and grows with each step down either North, Market, or South street. Those are the three main streets here in the center of Town. My hall leads right onto North. I will usually take the first left which brings me down onto Market. It is on there that I am transported to a new world. It not like anything I have ever been a part of. Sure, I have been to cities before, most definitely ones that are busier, but the fact that I can walk to this center of commerce in under two minutes, it is really unique. The second I step onto Market Street, I feel that my day has begun; a day at St. Andrews has begun. People shuffle all around me, commerce carries on, and I get to be a lucky witness

I was thinking about it earlier today, Market Street is almost like the sun, sitting at the center of a solar system, with the other streets being planets in orbit. I travel to this planets via carefully placed strings of asteriod aka side streets. They are most definitely fun to explore, each one offering distinctive and original shops and restaurants to explore. For example, on Bell street, which connects Market to South over near the student union, there is both an used bookstore and a charity shop. Here in Scotland, charity shops are everywhere. They offer anything from clothing to books to cds. Also on Bell street there are two great small coffee shops. You could spend a whole afternoon just getting from the sun to a planet.

One last reflection on walking around St. Andrews: it is great for listening to music. At first I was cautious about walking around with my headphones in, but I now see that during the day/ early evening it is fine. I would never at night but when there is daylight it is fine. In fact, it contributes to the solar system. It adds the stars which hang above. Thus far I have had two great musical walking experiences. The first was listening to Abbey Road by The Beatles. The second involved The Queen is Dead by The Smiths. For me, being able to experience these albums this side of the pond is what makes it special. Being a place with a shared history with Liverpool and Manchester only brings the notes to life more.

There have been numerous things I have come to like about being at St. Andrews; high on the list is walking around the streets of it.
 

Settling in St. Andrews

As I write this post I happen to be listening to "Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World" by U2. I think that it is fitting because it the theme of this blog post and it captures my current emotions.

For so long I have been excited about coming to St. Andrews. Truly I loved my time in Edinburgh and Sterling, but coming to my actual university was the prize I sought. It was what I had worked so hard to achieve. What I wrote countless essays for, what I applied for numerous scholarships to pay for, what I daydreamed about all summer about. Now that I am here, I am beginning to realize a lot of things. Amongst them and most important: it is extremely overwhelming.

I have an idea in my head of what I want my time at St. Andrews to be like; I want to slip into the culture of it as a senior student who brings with him an unique personality and ability to reach others. Unfortunately, as I write this blog post it is not possible to achieve all that it in a night. That is me trying to throw my arms around the world.

Recognizing this is so liberating and freeing. I know that everything will work out. I know how to be a college student. I have done it for three years. Being a college student at St. Andrews is what excited me so much. But right now I find myself in the start of "freshers week", essentially Orientation. This is a big night for St. Andrews' new freshmen. And I should respect it. I had my "first night at college" three years ago. I did not come to St. Andrews to be a fresher, I came to be a studious senior who loves literature, poetry, and talking to people he does not know. My time will come. For now I should settle into my room, stay connected to my friends who I made through my program's orientation, and keep smiling about the semester ahead of me. Here's to that!

Leaving Edinburgh

Ironically enough, as I write this post I am listening to "There's No Leaving Now" by The Tallest Man on Earth. I am about to leave Edinburgh. As part of my study abroad program's orientation, I have spent the past three days in Edinburgh. I must say that it has been an amazing three days. I certainly plan to return to Edinburgh at some point during my semester at St. Andrews.

Day number one, which was Monday, was mainly about getting acclimated to the fact that all us students are now in another country. At first it was extremely overwhelming and a little scary. I was coming off the Broadway production that is flying international. Overall my first day in Edinburgh was fairly low key. Following an evening of introductory activities. A small group of us did venture to the pub, but we were in early; for we wanted some sleep.

Yesterday truly was about exploration. Our morning consisted of more program activities, but the afternoon was set aside for city roaming. A group of us ate lunch out in the city and then visited the Edinburgh castle. It was nothing short amazing. In my opinion it is the perfect place for grasping the beauty of Edinburgh. There is this open area up on the castle, almost like a deck, where you can stand and look out at the "new town" in Edinburgh. That area was developed during the 19th century. Inside the castle, you can learn the history of the Scottish royalty and its crown jewels. I found it to be extremely interesting. Best of all, it was presented in an obtainable fashion. I highly recommend a visit to the castle. It is part of the "Royal Mile", which is a great stretch of St. Andrews.

Today we concluded our Arcadia Orientation activities. Following lunch at a local cafe, one which boasts a 15% backpacker discount, we were treated to a tour of the Scottish National Gallery. As with most art museums, I will definitely have to go back. Our tour guide brought us to the Scottish collection. I want to explore all that the museum has to offer. On the walk back from the museum we passed the bus stop, Waverly Bridge, where I was dropped off two days ago. As I walked down the bridge and onto Market Street, I walked with so much comfort in my step. I walked as an individual who has come to love Edinburgh in three days and vows to return again.

Ready To Fly

I initially thought to name this inaugural post for my abroad blog "Learning to Fly" and make an an allusion to not only a Tom Petty song by the same name, but a closely named "Learn to Fly" by the Foo Fighters, which actually features a music video which takes place on an airplane. Instead, I wish to focus on my current emotions and disregard the lesson which was getting to the terminal. First I had to check some bags and then go the "great undressing" known as security. But now I am ready to fly.

I sit here in this terminal filled with excited. I dubbed it in my personal journal, an internal smile. It is as if all parts of my soul are turned on the prospect of venturing to the United Kingdom. This pleasant feeling is currently embedded in my being. I only pray that it stays with me through the next hours of traveling. I would give you exact number, but I care not to count them.

And why wouldn't I remained elated by my journey ahead? For so much does lay ahead. The best part is I cannot picture it. I acknowledge that such a statement may sound idealist or foolish, but those are two qualities I take pride in possessing. I trust in the universe and I believe that it will provide me with good times ahead. My current mantra is I venture out in pursuit of greatness and joy. So begins the first step toward both; I feel ready to fly.