Hey everyone!
I have not written here for a long time, 3 or 4 months I think, but I have made a new years resolution to start writing again. So here we go!
As a quick recap, last semester was one of the best experiences of my life. My classes blew my mind, changing many of my ideas about my subject, Philosophy. Surprisingly, I got to know my lecturers very well not in the classroom or during office hours, but in the pub or during chance encounters on the street. The Pub culture in Edinburgh is fantastic, and I tend to go to pubs many times a week. Also, I have met people from all over europe, traveled up to the highlands and taken weekend trips to england. However, because last semester I focused on my classes so much, I have yet to do very obvious things, such as visit the Edinburgh castle, so I will do those things this semester. I put a youtube video up http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Z-F_a1YIk. The audio is bad, but you can get a birds eye view of Edinburgh, so it is worth watching.
Anyway, this semester is already looking promising! My classes look good and I am planning a few trips around the UK and Ireland. Also, I am excited to explore edinburgh a bit more. There are a few scenic walks I've heard rumors of recently that go through the city all the way out to the coast. I also want to explore the surrounding area. Apparently there is a very nice castle just outside edinburgh that most people don't know about. And other than Edinburgh and the UK, I have a few friends who want to take advantage of low airfares (and I mean low), so I might take some weekend trips to places like Italy and Spain. There are some things to look forward to when the Scottish weather gets too much.
I went home for winter break, but couldn't wait to return this semester. The plane ride back wasn't too bad. I spent most of the trip missing my family and watching movies. The flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh was a little scary though. The Scottish wind blew the plane around like a leaf and there were some people crying. However, we landed softly enough and I caught the bus into the city center. The city was completely barren compared to how was just before I left in late december. The German Christmas market and ferris wheel were gone, and so were all of the people. Somehow the silence was comforting though, after the holiday bustle.
The last few days I have spent cleaning my room and getting ready for the new semester. My first class was cancelled, so I went out with my friends and met some of the new international students. I went to the first Philosophy Society meeting at the Meadow Bar, which was fantastic as usual. The topic was Forgiveness. What is forgiveness and when is it appropriate to forgive? Is it ever wrong to Forgive? Interesting questions, and a perfect warm up for the many pub experiences that are bound to happen.
Till next time.
~sean
