Annabelle's Highland Adventure

Date: November 30th, 2018 Location: University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen               Perhaps one of the most notable differences between the United Kingdom and American workforce is the attitude towards working. Even when attending university, students and professors alike have distinctly contrasting views on studying. Now that it is December and my time in the UK is nearly over, I have seen that the vacations (known in the UK as "holidays") and the reason for working is strikingly different in both countries due to the societal pressure. Taking time to visit University of Glasgow (My photo)           Taking a holiday could mean anything from taking the weekend off to using those precious vacation days to head down to mainland Europe for a luxurious, week-long getaway. Scottish professors will gladly take a few days to head down to a conference, even if it is in the middle of a week, or otherwise seek out relaxation desp...

Location: -- Date: October 29th-November 16th "Read a work of literature (book or collection of poems/stories) recommended to you by someone who grew up in that country.  Or, read 7-10 children’s books recommended to you by someone who grew up in that country, if possible in the native language.  Discuss the impact or cultural meaning of the works with the person who recommended them to you.  For your written proof, explain how this literature affects your understanding of the culture, politics, or history of the country.  " Beowulf defeating Grendel's mother ("Grendel's Mother")           One of the most renowned epics of the Anglo-Saxon world is Beowulf . Considered equivalent to an 'epic', the piece focuses on the tale of its titular character and his adventures in defeating the monsters Grendel, Grendel's mother, and finally, a dragon. Despite being written as late as the eleventh century, its contents provide a mirror ...

Location: Uig and Portree, Isle of Skye The Cowshed Hostel (My photo) Date: November 13th, 2018           One of the most interesting (and often inconvenient) occurrences that I've come across is the shutting down of businesses on Sundays. I didn't often go out into town on Sundays as this day was usually reserved for doing homework or hiking. Imagine the frustration of wanting to catch up with a friend and finding all the stores in the mall shut down for the day! This phenomena isn't just localized in Aberdeen; I went up to Inverness with a fellow Mines student also studying at the University of Aberdeen on a Sunday, thinking this would be a great outing before the new school week started, but as we arrived, the only shops throwing their doors wide open were the occasional pub and repetitive tourist stores. Overlooking the town of Uig (My photo)           If the weekend is seen as the few days people can take a break from w...

Location: Westminster Abby, London Date: November 6th, 2018            I cannot recall a time that I've ever passed a little hole in the wall shop in Denver, Colorado. With the exception of food trucks, restaurants are buildings where you can drive your car up to a window and order, walk in to order food, or you sit down. In the UK, they do things a little bit differently. On most major streets, there's at least one 'pocket dining' shop or food vendor. Most sell on-the-go foods such as a box of fish and chips or other ethnic treats. Why are sit-down restaurants so sparse?           One explanation for the lack of sitting food vendors is due to the busy schedule of large city residents. This means that meals are eaten while walking to and from various workplaces so as to conserve precious time. This weekend, I spent three and a half days in London exploring the different attractions, such as Westminster Abby, Tower of London, an...