Summer party and Pollok House
Door: Samantha de Bruijn
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Samantha
07 December 2010 | Verenigd Koninkrijk, Glasgow
On Wednesday November 10 there were individual meetings with Angela Watt and Brian Smith scheduled for everyone in 3rd-level Biochemistry. Besides that we have had lectures from them, they are both ‘Advisers of Studies’ for the Life Sciences department. It was just a general meeting about how we’re coping with everything in Glasgow. (Un)fortunately, we soon found out something more about the class exam on Monday 13 December. We already knew that we have to write three essays and answer some questions, however, we did not know that each essay should be written in about 45 minutes and should be approximately 4-5 written pages (A4 format)! I think it’s quite clear what I’m going to practise the next few weeks…
The next day we were supposed to hand in our lab report of the Proteins laboratory classes, but when I opened my mail at about 10 o’clock that morning, the teacher had send us an email that the deadline was moved to the following Monday, due to some problems with the IT Service on the campus. However, I was already almost finished with my report, so I decided to stay at university and finish it, before doing some shopping for: ‘the summer dinner party’!
A few weeks before, some friends from Firhill Court had organized a Mexican Evening in their flat, so we thought this time it was our turn to organize something. Due to the temperatures in Glasgow, we felt like throwing a summer dinner party, with fresh salads, cocktails, coloured drinking straws and summer music. The alcohol, but even more the fact that there were 16 people in our kitchen, raised the temperature enough to make it almost feel like summer. Nina had baked a really yummy chocolate cake, which served well as desert.
Since I had already finished my lab report, I had the weekend off and was finally able to do some non-school related things. Emily (friend and lab partner) had also finished her report and we had planned to do something together that Saturday. Although she has been living here for over two years now, she hadn't done a lot of tourist things in Glasgow. Well, I can't blame here, because I don't visit any tourist attractions in the Netherlands either, haha. (although I might start doing so when I'm back again. I don't see any reason why not to. We can travel for free or with a 40% discount using public transport.) We decided to go to the Pollok House, which is also in Glasgow, but outside the city centre. When we arrived there by bus I immediately recognized the park as the one Leoni, Mathilde and I had been to, to see the Burrell Collection in one of the first weeks we were here. And indeed, the Pollok House is about 300 meters further than the Burrell museum.
Although is it just called a house, I wouldn't mind living in! It is so big! The interior and furniture was beautiful. It felt like walking in a castle instead of just a home. It is a property owned by the National Trust for Scotland, of which I am a member, but we could both go in for free, because we visited after October 31. We had a good tour through the house and a nice look at the library (which was not as great as the one in Warwick Castle, but better than the ones I have seen so far in Scotland; at least this one has (more than 10) books in it!). Afterwards we wanted to have a cup of tea in the Pollok House, but the restaurant was so full that there was even a queue outside, so we decided to go and warm our hands on some nice hot chocolate (we had changed our minds) in the restaurant of the Burrell Collection.
The bus took us back to the city centre where I wanted to have a look in the shops anyway. Apparently, Mathilde and Leoni were also in town and we met each other at the BH's shop. Mathilde and I were looking for a nice dress to wear during the Christmas party that will be organized by the International Society. Without knowing, we ended up by trying on the same dress. Mathilde decided that she wanted to look further for another dress, but I had totally fallen in love with it. By the time I walked out of the store, very pleased with my new dress, it was already around tea time and we decided to go eat something in town.
After dinner Mathilde was quite happy to see a film in the cinema that is also in the city centre. We had heard that 'Despicable Me' was a nice film, so we bought some tickets. It is really fun! It is an animated film about a 'bad' guy who adopts three girls from an orphanage, so they can steal what he needs. You soon find out that he isn't as bad as he looks like and he really starts loving the children. His helpers are little yellow men with either one or two eyes and are very good at engineering. They are so funny! Especially when they 'break' one, shake him and use him as a 'break light' in the dark.
That night there would be an attempt to end up in the Guinness book of Records by having the largest Ceilidh ever. (reminder: a ceilidh is a typical Scottish dancing night with a live band and Scottish dance moves). By the time we got home, Mathilde and I didn't really feel like going any more and stayed home to watch an other film together (Invictus; about Nelson Mandela).
You will hear from me soon with some more cultural activities!
Love,
Samantha
-------------------------------
Photos: LAYOUT HAS CHANGED!!! MENU IS ON THE RIGHT HANDSIDE NOW. http://s1046.photobucket.com/albums/b465/MathildeCastelijns/
Pollok House: http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/48/
Despicable Me trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6J3bAmVMQk
Despicable Me scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82utG7Q3G_k
The next day we were supposed to hand in our lab report of the Proteins laboratory classes, but when I opened my mail at about 10 o’clock that morning, the teacher had send us an email that the deadline was moved to the following Monday, due to some problems with the IT Service on the campus. However, I was already almost finished with my report, so I decided to stay at university and finish it, before doing some shopping for: ‘the summer dinner party’!
A few weeks before, some friends from Firhill Court had organized a Mexican Evening in their flat, so we thought this time it was our turn to organize something. Due to the temperatures in Glasgow, we felt like throwing a summer dinner party, with fresh salads, cocktails, coloured drinking straws and summer music. The alcohol, but even more the fact that there were 16 people in our kitchen, raised the temperature enough to make it almost feel like summer. Nina had baked a really yummy chocolate cake, which served well as desert.
Since I had already finished my lab report, I had the weekend off and was finally able to do some non-school related things. Emily (friend and lab partner) had also finished her report and we had planned to do something together that Saturday. Although she has been living here for over two years now, she hadn't done a lot of tourist things in Glasgow. Well, I can't blame here, because I don't visit any tourist attractions in the Netherlands either, haha. (although I might start doing so when I'm back again. I don't see any reason why not to. We can travel for free or with a 40% discount using public transport.) We decided to go to the Pollok House, which is also in Glasgow, but outside the city centre. When we arrived there by bus I immediately recognized the park as the one Leoni, Mathilde and I had been to, to see the Burrell Collection in one of the first weeks we were here. And indeed, the Pollok House is about 300 meters further than the Burrell museum.
Although is it just called a house, I wouldn't mind living in! It is so big! The interior and furniture was beautiful. It felt like walking in a castle instead of just a home. It is a property owned by the National Trust for Scotland, of which I am a member, but we could both go in for free, because we visited after October 31. We had a good tour through the house and a nice look at the library (which was not as great as the one in Warwick Castle, but better than the ones I have seen so far in Scotland; at least this one has (more than 10) books in it!). Afterwards we wanted to have a cup of tea in the Pollok House, but the restaurant was so full that there was even a queue outside, so we decided to go and warm our hands on some nice hot chocolate (we had changed our minds) in the restaurant of the Burrell Collection.
The bus took us back to the city centre where I wanted to have a look in the shops anyway. Apparently, Mathilde and Leoni were also in town and we met each other at the BH's shop. Mathilde and I were looking for a nice dress to wear during the Christmas party that will be organized by the International Society. Without knowing, we ended up by trying on the same dress. Mathilde decided that she wanted to look further for another dress, but I had totally fallen in love with it. By the time I walked out of the store, very pleased with my new dress, it was already around tea time and we decided to go eat something in town.
After dinner Mathilde was quite happy to see a film in the cinema that is also in the city centre. We had heard that 'Despicable Me' was a nice film, so we bought some tickets. It is really fun! It is an animated film about a 'bad' guy who adopts three girls from an orphanage, so they can steal what he needs. You soon find out that he isn't as bad as he looks like and he really starts loving the children. His helpers are little yellow men with either one or two eyes and are very good at engineering. They are so funny! Especially when they 'break' one, shake him and use him as a 'break light' in the dark.
That night there would be an attempt to end up in the Guinness book of Records by having the largest Ceilidh ever. (reminder: a ceilidh is a typical Scottish dancing night with a live band and Scottish dance moves). By the time we got home, Mathilde and I didn't really feel like going any more and stayed home to watch an other film together (Invictus; about Nelson Mandela).
You will hear from me soon with some more cultural activities!
Love,
Samantha
-------------------------------
Photos: LAYOUT HAS CHANGED!!! MENU IS ON THE RIGHT HANDSIDE NOW. http://s1046.photobucket.com/albums/b465/MathildeCastelijns/
Pollok House: http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/48/
Despicable Me trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6J3bAmVMQk
Despicable Me scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82utG7Q3G_k
Reageer op dit reisverslag
Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
