"Never forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours." ---Ludwig Van Beethoven (German Composer, the predominany musical figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic era. 1770-1827).
This week has been the first week since I've been in Glasgow that I was not heartsick for St.FX. I thought of my friends there often (as I always do), but I wasn't wishing that I was there with them. The reason for this is that I have made a wonderful group of new friends. For weeks I walked around this place meeting people, but not really making friends as such. This has never happened to me before - I've always made friends really easily, and up until last week I felt as if my social sense had stayed on the plane in Nova Scotia.
And yet this week it all seemed to click. I must admit that I went out quite a bit, and alcohol was consumed, but I had an incredible time.
Tuesday: a girl from history was celebrating her birthday so they texted me to come over to the pub across from our building for a drink. So I went over and there were a few from our class there. We went up to Strathclyde Uni's student union where there were super cheap drinks. We stayed out for ages, and then people had to catch the last train. However, now that I live in halls and not so far out, I didn't have to get a train. So Irish Brendan (there were two Brendans and since he was from Ireland...) and I decided that we would stay out (note: I'd only met him that day). We went back to Strathclyde and had such a laugh! I didn't have lectures the next day but poor Brendan did and he went to his 9:00am class - well done! The next day my mobile inbox was full of texts asking how I was feeling and about what a great night it was.
Wednesday: Celtic were playing in the Champions' League so I went to the pub to watch the game. I didn't drink though because although I wasn't hung over from the night before, I just couldn't face it. I went with some of the other Canadians and was gutted when Celtic failed to produce anything more than a draw.
Thursday: I had an English seminar where I'd been put in a group with a girl called Mairead. You know when you just click with someone? That's what happened with us. We decided to go for a coffee after class, but actually ended up going for a drink near my flat. 3 Strongbows later on my part, and 3 glasses of wine for Mairead left us feeling giddy and we decided to call it a night!
Friday: we usually go out for drinks after history finishes at 5, and this week was no exception. Especially since we found out our school placements this week and won't be in uni for two weeks. Although Mairead isn't in history, her good friend Colm is, and so she came with us, because I invited her. Again we had a fabulous night. The girls and I were sharing pitchers of a cocktail called French Kiss and it was devine! I would definitely recommend it, and would have it again. Irish Brendan was there too and he thought I'd be staying out all night again, but I showed self-restraint and only stayed out until around 1, when Mairead, Colm and I found a place open late to get food. This is my mistake, I don't eat anything before I go out, and am left starving at around midnight. However, this place we went to (I'm ashamed to say I can't remember where it was!) was just what the doctor ordered (if of course there was such a doctor who prescribes greasy food after mass consumption of alcohol). Colm and I both had pizzas which we shared and all was right in the world, or atleast our bellys.
I decided to take it easy today/night because I start my school placement on Monday (EEEEKKK!) I'm going to St. Thomas Aquinas for two weeks just to observe various history classes. I will then return to this school in November where I'll actually be teaching (if you can believe it after all my boozing last week!) I am incredibly nervous about Monday, and am going on a trial run tomorrow to make sure that I can find it properly. I was asking other people if they were nervous and one of my friends (yay I can say that now lol) was able to put what I was feeling into words. She said that it's so nerve-wracking because we've wanted to do this all our lives. Now, we're being given the chance, and what if we fail? What will we do if we can't hack it as a teacher? When she said this I thought EXACTLY!! That's what I've been feeling. Hopefully, I'll be ok!
In other news, I have a new nephew!! He's called Aydan and (from pictures) is lovely! My heart breaks that both Frances and Aydan will be nearly a year when I see them for the first time, but I'm living the dream in Scotland and I'm learning that if I keep focussing on these things, then I'm only going to hinder my chances of success here.
Aydan Jonathon Flynn Gorman
Proud Papa giving Grover a puff of the cigar (children avert your eyes).
The loves of my life, Shayla, Tayler and Aydan (Frances is sadly not in this pic).
Papa with his first grandson - and after 4 daughters, and 3 grandaughters, this must be very exciting for him!
I fully intend to write an entry about my flat and my flatmates, but I would like to have pictures to accompany this, and with the state of my room at the moment, it ain't gonna happen! I'll also write about my walk to uni and that will be picture heavy because it's really a beautiful spot. I have to walk through a park and there's a war memorial that I get to go past every day.
Now, I hope that after reading about my joy at making friends that you, my old friends don't feel you are not important to me. It was just this past Monday that I received a call from James, and then another call from James and the girls and it made my night! I will always need you, will always need to talk to you, and to find out how things are going with you. All I'm saying is that I don't wake up every day now wishing I was back in the Nish. I guess I had to go through a patch of growing pains, but I'm very thankful that it's over! I'm back to the Laura I know, the one who'll talk to people on buses, smile at strangers, make friends in two seconds - and I'm the favourite Canadian!
