Concept Based Practice was a residential course at Woodlands in the town of Kinguisse, that both the Outdoor Education and Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education students were required to take. The course was about taking all the theory and educational philosophy relevant to outdoor and environmental education and translating it into professional practice. Now I say professional in the sense of giving our future programming solid content and credibility. However, what you will see in the photos below may not suggest that! It looks like we are playing a lot, but I assure you that we are learning. I love that our courses are fun, relevant and effective. Where has this type of school been my whole life!
Evenings at woodlands were mostly spent making dinner in small groups for everyone. Cooking for 25 people is a massive undertaking that invites moments of mass chaos! Each night the group cooking also took on the task of creating a natural center piece for table. I'm sure you can image the ridiculousness that was created. If we didn't have a lecture after dinner, we would either go the the local pub The Tipsy Laird, or relax in the front room or what usually happens with an idle group of people in Scotland- have a ceilidh! Some people had been to a ceilidh a few weeks before and decided to teach everyone a dance in the front room. Sam, a PHD student who was there to assist Robbie, happened to have his flute and provided music that inspired almost everyone to join in! We were pretty crap at it overall, but it was great fun! (see video below)
After ridiculing Christy's friend who writes a blog in the perspective of his hairless diabetic cat Minivan, I thought I would take this opportunity to just share a few pictures of my cat Oreo (who is not diabetic and has fur!). Although I will not bust into a monologue for my cat, I just want to say that things here would be much more lonely if it were not for his company. He is such a cheerful little guy to have around and he has adapted to be in Scotland like a charm! I think he enjoys watching the swarms of people in the Grass market just as much as I do. That's all.
It has been well over 7 weeks since my last update and I cannot believe how fast the time is moving along! I blame the long gap in between emails on the development of a serious and common condition in students. This disease is referred to as library hermitism. The symptoms of this condition include buggy eyes from staring at a computer screen too long, shaky hands and a general jumpy demeanour due to excessive caffeine, and an overall sense of humility in the face of a vast amount of knowledge and the impossibility to absorb it all in such a short period of time. After two solid weeks of stress and uncertainty as I battled my way through my first assignment, I have emerged from the library briefly (narrowly escaping with my sanity still attached) to write this update.
In truth though, the library has become one of my favourite places. At 8 stories tall, each the size of a soccer pitch, it holds over 500 years worth of books. The small task of tracking down one book is tricky. Isles and isles of books, each isle with it’s own light switch! In my favourite seat by the window, I can see the Meadows that line Marchmont, the area where my Mum grew up. I heard many stories over the years about the endless hours she spent playing there as a child. Now it provides a great backdrop for a few moments of daydreaming and a much needed break from the words on a page.
Fall in Edinburgh has turned out to be beautiful! I have only ever been here in summer, but there is a mystical feeling in the air that I am very happy to experience. It gets pretty cool at night, but so far the weather has been gorgeous! I love the crisp air on my walk each morning to the library and I have noticed this distinct smell. I can’t decide if it’s the accumulation of everyone’s morning toast and marmalade or the local brewery. Either way, it defines Edinburgh and I like it.
I was pretty bummed to miss Thanksgiving this year, but my two Canadian friends, Amy and Marissa, helped to make it a good holiday. Amy prepared a feast! Finding turkey in this country was a challenge though, so roast chicken had to suffice! After a 3-course meal and a drunken rendition of our national anthem, we were all feeling pretty confident we had done the holiday justice!
There are many other entertaining elements in my life in Edinburgh that fill each day with laughter. For example, I have found great amusement recently in my friend Christy’s stories about her job as a cat sitter for a hairless, diabetic cat named Minivan! Yup, that’s right, Minivan. As if that combination wasn’t bad enough, Minivan’s owner writes a daily blog in the perspective of the cat!! Apparently, the cat misses his owner so much and thinks Christy could improve her skill in giving insulin shots! Yikes!!!!!
Guy Fawkes night was at the beginning of November. Trust the Scots to celebrate a guy who planned to blow up the Parliament building. I'm not entirely sure when this happened, but I do know he got caught before executing his plan. Instead, he was executed and now this day is celebrated with massive fire works shows. Thanks Guy!
Despite the hectic workload and good company, I spend a lot of time thinking about how everyone is doing at home in Calgary. I have moments of severe homesickness, but having my cat Oreo here makes it tolerable. (P.S- Oreo has hair, is not diabetic and I don’t talk for him. Well, at least not in a blog!) But I will be on a plane home in 8 weeks for Christmas and I am definitely looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible!
