Photoblog from the Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye

 Glencoe, hard to tell because of the fog, but it's an amazing view.

 Group shot in front of Glencoe.

 Castle, absolutely gorgeous. 

On the Isle near our hostel. 

 Another view of the ocean. 

 Forest on the walk up to see the Old Man of Storr.

Me outside on the Isle, approx. five minutes before we got soaked through by an unexpected storm.

Ocean view, over the cliffs.

Don't fall. 

 

Kilt Cliffs.

Portree, where we stopped for a fish and chips lunch.

Primary School Adventures

Hi there! 

So today I turned in my first real assignment of the semester.  I had been working constantly on the essay for the last few days (hence the lack of posts to this page) and it was such a good feeling to finally turn it in.  The workload here isn't too bad, but there is so much I want to do and see outside of academics that it does feel overwhelming at times.  Thankfully, my next major assignment is not for about two weeks so I have a little bit of time to relax and then plenty of time to study! 

Anyways, I thought I'd write a little bit about my first two experiences at Merrylee Primary School, where I'm doing my student teaching for the semester.  The school is a little bit of hike from where I live in the West End, but is relatively easy to get to.  I have to get up really early and take a bus to Glasgow Central Station in the city center.  From there, I hop on a train, which sort of feels like a cross between taking the subway and the commuter rail, heading south of the city. Once I get off it's only a short walk from the train stop to the school. 

The school itself is absolutely gorgeous!  The building is only a few years old and the football pitch that you can see in the photo above is incredible.  The experience of working in a Scottish school is definitely a learning process, the way the school and classrooms are run is a lot different than what I've seen in the U.S.  So far I've worked in a Primary 1 classroom, this is equivalent to American preschool where the students are 4 and 5 years old.  Seeing students of such a young age in a relatively structured classroom is so interesting.  I really liked working with the P1 class, but it was a long and tiring first day. On my second visit I worked primarily in a Primary 6 and 7 classroom, the students in this class were 9 and 10 years old.  They were a really awesome group of kids and the teacher was very open and receptive to my help.  The classroom felt a lot more like an American elementary school than the other one I worked in.

Overall, I'm really glad I'm getting the opportunity to do some work experience while I'm over here.  The school and teachers are really welcoming, they always offer to make me tea during their mid-morning breaks and everyone is excited to talk to me about my courses and life in Boston.  I'm looking forward to continuing my placement and I'll be sure to post the links on this blog to the series of blogs I'll be writing about my experience for BC.  Thanks for reading!

- Sarah

Quick Update

Hi Everyone!  I'm currently having some laptop issues (my charger broke so no battery power) and won't be able to publish a full length post for a few more days.  Just thought I'd let you know how things have been going since I last updated.  This past weekend I went to the Isle of Skye with a group from the Glasgow University International Society.  The trip was fun, but it's quite a hike to get up to the Island and the weather was just a little chilly.  Luckily the company was great and we all made the most of the trip! Besides my weekend trip I'm in the midst of planning my stay in Paris.  Plus, the workload here is really starting to pick up and I've been spending more time reading and studying.  My first essay in Glasgow is due one week from today so wish me luck!

I also had my first experience in a Scottish school, when I spent the day at Merrylee Primary (I'll be sure to give you all a full recap of the day later on this weekend).  After having some issue with planning and almost not being able to arrange a placement, I have to say I'm so glad everything worked out and I can't wait to keep working with the students and teachers.

Promise to write again soon!

- Sarah

Coming Attractions

So I left for Glasgow one month ago today! I can't believe that's it has been that long already. The city does seem like home to me, but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I have been here for a whole month or that I have less than eleven weeks left here!  Here are a few highlights of what I still have to look forward to on my trip:

 Paris!

 Isle of Skye

Scottish Highlands

Ramsgate, Kent

 Another ride on the London Eye!

Maybe even Malaga?!?!?! The official verdict on this trip is TBA. 

And of course, as always......

 More Cheese!

Life in Glasgow: Food

Hi there everybody! Last night I went out to dinner with a few friends and it made me realize how little I've told you all about the good things I've eaten here in Scotland. I went out to eat a lot the first couple weeks I was here, mostly because I didn't have any pots or pans, but since then I've cut it down to once or twice a week. Not including Baguette Express of course which I would be ashamed to tell you how many times I've eaten at.

It's just so good.

One of my favorite places I've been to is Ketchup. Click here for a virtual tour.

Scottish-style Diner.

Ketchup is great because it takes some classic American style food and gives it a British twist. There burgers are great and the fries (they actually do call them fries on the menu) are amazing! I especially love the spicy mayo they're served with. Also, both times I've been I got the sweet potato appetizer which was delicious and the perfect size for sharing without ruining the main meal. Some highlights of the menu are a burger topped with Haggis and a great selection of milkshakes and deserts. The absolute best thing about Ketchup though: Two for One burgers for students!

A renovated cinema turned restaurant/bar.

Another place my friends and I go to quite a bit is Hillhead Bookclub. I had only ever been for drinks and snacks before last night, but it turns out the dinner menu there is excellent too! I got fish and chips with mushy peas. The haddock was super fresh and I actually really liked the mushy peas, they were great for dipping chips into. My friend Bridgid got a classic steak and ale pie that looked (and smelled) awesome too. Plus, they have a small menu of side dishes including baked parsnips with parmesan topping that were to die for.

Now for some cheaper, more college student friendly food!

727 on Great Western Road is right in between campus and my dorms making it a popular stop for late night eats. I'll be honest though, I had to google the place to figure out what it's actually called, we know it affectionately as the pakora place. As you might of guessed the pakora is pretty good (I've only tried the chicken though and haven't heard the best things about the veggies). I'm linking the Wikipedia article for pakora because to be honest I have know idea what it is or how to describe it. But what will bring me back to this shop are the chips! Absolutely delicious and only £1.80 for a small.

Hope you all enjoyed hearing a little bit about the food here, I'll be sure to update again soon!

- Sarah