Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Hey guys, it's been a long while since my last post I know. Sorry! Anyway, let's jump straight in. Firstly, Freshers' Week was held from 15-21 September. You guys are probably curious about what it's all about and I've to say, all in all, it wasn't as interesting and fun as we expected, save for the few activities we went for. It was actually quite confusing at first, because different activities were held by the four student unions and they each had their own timetable. Fortunately, attendance wasn't mandatory, so we could pretty much choose which to go for. Most were parties in clubs and bars, which we didn't bother going, except to a few just to satisfy our curiousity. One of them was the Headphone Disco, where there are two DJs playing but the music is only audible through headphones. Each of them were given their own channel, so different people would be dancing to different songs and when you removed the headphones, the scene of dancing bodies in the relative silence is quite amusing!
The events we enjoyed the most were the Traditional Ceilidhs. It was SO FUN!!! For those of you not in the know, here's an excerpt from Wikipedia:
"A ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social dance originating in Ireland and Scotland, but now common throughout the Celtic diaspora. Originally, a ceilidh was a social event of any sort and did not necessarily involve dancing. The music is cheerful and lively and basic steps can be learned easily. About half of the dances in the modern Scots céilidh are couple dances performed in a ring. These can be performed by fixed couples or in the more sociable "progressive" manner, with the lady moving to the next gentleman in the ring at or near the end of each repetition of the steps."At first, even though there was a short introduction and a dry-run before each dance, the instructor's accent was so strong that most of us didn't catch a thing! So we ended up bumping into other people, turning in the wrong direction, staring at each other cluelessly etc etc etc. We usually got it halfway through though, so all in all, it was a really fun night! Here's a photo:
The subsequent Ceilidhs on the other nights were much better, probably because we already kind of knew the steps. Great fun!
School started on 22 September, although we had introductory talks during Freshers' Week. It's been two weeks since then but I've still to get more used to the new teaching style here. That only applies to the medical school, as they're using a Problem-Based Learning approach, in which small groups of eight students are given scenarios from which they're to pick out their own learning objectives and research their own answers. There is barely any input from the facilitators (not teachers, you realise) except to guide the group in the right direction when they start veering off-path. There isn't a fixed syllabus as well, telling you what exactly you need to know and how in-depth you should direct your own learning. So basically, we have two of such 2-hour long sessions every week, after which we'll all go to the medical library to peruse the textbooks for answers. We don't have our own textbooks because there isn't any book that we will use completely, just bits of different books, depending on what we're looking for. Furthermore, different books have got slightly differing information, so it's good to look at a range of them.
Other than PBL, we've got lectures, labs, clinical skills sessions and vocational studies sessions. So far, in clinical skills, we've learnt how to measure blood pressure and do super basic suturing. Oh, measuring BP isn't easy, particularly for females, whose brachial arteries are so hard to find! Some of them also have really faint pulses and it's hard to hear on the stethescope. During vocational studies, we mainly discuss about the appropriate professional attitude and behaviour of doctors and ethical issues. Soon this will include GP and hospital visits too, when we'll get to interact with patients. Sounds interesting!
So how have I been spending my days? On weekdays, it's just school, then the library and I usually meet mummy for dinner but that was before she went back to Singapore. On weekends, we sometimes go to the chinese supermarkets, sometimes to our senior's house (when we're invited of course) and sadly enough, we've been going to the library too! We're not muggers okay, it's just a case of no choice. If you can't finish your work during the week, then you've to sacrifice your weekend! Luckily, the medical library is open 24/7.
Yup, mummy went home on Friday. It was good that my lecture finished just in time for me to rush down and send her off. Guess I got used to her being here, my connection to home, so I didn't really feel far from my family. It was really saddening to see her go on Friday but I know I'll be okay. There are my friends here, so I really will be fine!
Okie, that's all for now. I promise I'll upload some photos the next time! :)
Monday, 15 September 2008
Hi guys, so sorry for the lack of posts. There's been a lot going on these few days and we're rarely home most of the time, so when we are, we mostly try to do housekeeping and sleep! Of course, we come back to cook too! The other Singaporeans have been hanging in my place because:- Before today, I only had one flatmate who was present and she was mostly not around. Tanzeel will only return tomorrow, while a new girl just arrived today. The other missing flatmate is nowhere to be seen.
- Due to the above, my kitchen is cleaner and much neater than theirs.
- Also due to no. 1, we can make as much noise without disturbing others.
So we either quickly whip up something together, or eat out or order in a one-pound large pizza! Haha. That's because we had a voucher :)
Anyway, this weekend has been SO fun. More than I expected! This week is the start of Freshers' Week, during which numerous activities occur simultaneously throughout the campus, from 9am in the morning to 3am the next day, from meeting with our Faculties to outrageous parties. None are compulsory except for Faculty meetings, so we're not really sure of what we're attending yet. Mainly, it's the company that makes it so fun! I'm glad to say that I have a rocking group of Singaporeans here with me, who make Glasgow seem so much more welcoming and alive with possibilities! Even mummy is enjoying their company!
Oh... Long days and long walks are making me really tired and I'm eating so much in the cold! Well, I promise, I will update soon with what we've been up to! :) But first, gotta catch some sleep!
Thursday, 11 September 2008
I have a new flatmate! Finally! It's about time someone got here, though I actually quite like it here on my own. That's because I know how noisy it's going to become once everybody else moves in tomorrow afternoon. The floors creak when you walk or so much as move, the doors slam loudly and there are four doors you've to get through to leave the house, and the rooms aren't sound proof. All these was how I found out about the new girl.
While I was showering, I heard doors slaming close by and the floorboards creaking. At first, I thought they were just the repairmen who were doing renovations on the building. However, when I returned to my room later, there was audible murmuring next door. I'm no longer alone! When the next door open, I took the chance to meet my new flatmate. She's Tanzeel, an Indian girl from London doing dentistry. I'm glad to say she's really nice and friendly. We're gonna get along just fine! :) She left for home just now to attend a wedding though and will only be back on Tuesday, so I'm all alone again but it's okay by me.
Oh, here are a few photos of the university, for those of you who haven't seen it yet.
It's recognised by that tall tower, which is part of the main building. And below's the Wolfson Medical School Building, which is right next to it. Probably the only modern building in the entire campus!
Here's how a typical shopping street in the city centre looks like on a weekday morning. It's not as crowded as Orchard Road, though on certain roads, it can get pretty similar.
So, today was a relaxed day! I didn't sign up for the international orientation, which Rachel did, so while she was attending talks for the day, I was free! Thus, my mum and I decided to get all the groceries we need and try cooking in the hall. That reminded me that I haven't given you guys a look of the kitchen. Well, here it is.
I know it looks quite small here but there's still space behind the camera where a small round table is. That white thing on the left is the fridge, which is quite small considering that five of us will be sharing it. But we'll manage. Did you know that the drumstick and thigh of a chicken is not very popular here in the UK? Because I didn't. Singaporeans love that part! Apparently, people here prefer the breast meat. Hmm... Funny. Anyway, that was to our advantage because it meant that they're cheaper! :) Here's what my mum and I had for dinner. Not bad, if I say so myself!
Before I end this post, here are a few more pictures of flowers but these are really really pretty! Aunty Susan, you're gonna love this!
Bright fuchsia gerberas! My favourite flower! They're so pretty they look fake! Don't worry, I checked. They're real :)
Hope they brightened up your day like they did mine!
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
So, I know you guys are yearning for some photos, right? That was why I whipped out my camera while walking from Murano to the subway station yesterday, hoping to get some nice photos. Unfortunately, there really wasn't anything nice to photograph! No particularly interesting buildings, so I ended up snapping flowers instead. Lol. Hmm.. maybe you just want a vague idea of how Glasgow looks like? Okay, I'll try to get a decent photograph. Meanwhile, you just have to make do with what I've got!
That's the house I'm staying in: Ochil House. And below are just some flowers I thought were rather pretty. One never sees anything other than bougainvilleas in Singapore.
This one below shows a view of the buildings in the West End. That's where the university's campus is.
And here's one of the few quaint grocery stores found near the university. Aren't they cute? Personally, the quality of vegetables, fruits and flowers in these kind of stores are superior to those in supermarkets; unblemished and fresh and of course, more expensive.
Rachel and I had bank appointments yesterday to open accounts. Sadly, we're not eligible for their student accounts, which are really attractive, because we're not local. Maybe after three years? Haha. Anyway, they required a specific letter of accommodation from the university, which we didn't have. Therefore, we've to apply for the letter, wait for two days before it's ready and return to the bank before we can finally open an account. Seriously, they're quite irritatingly fussy here. The silly thing is, the banks require you to have a local telephone number, while the mobile phone companies require you to have a bank account before you can sign a contract. ???? Like what Rachel's mum said, it's like the case of the chicken and the egg.
While on the way to the bank, we passed by a fishmonger and Rachel's parents stood gaping in awe at the range of seafood on display. Can't blame them, it did look very fresh. They had to get the huge scallops and fish and we had that for dinner! (They invited me over for dinner yet again, as they do almost everyday! I feel bad for imposing on them! )
Anyway, that was yesterday.
This morning, I thought my mum and I could have a late and lazy start but Rachel phoned at ten in the morning to say that she was going to apply for the Freshers' Pass and if I wanted to. Well, since she's getting it, I'll get it too! Basically, you pay 30 pounds for it and it gives you free access to ALL activities held during Freshers' Week, which is next week. Actually most of the activities that cost money to attend are gigs and parties. Don't know if we'll be attending enough to make it worth 30 pounds but oh wells... We'll see.
After that, they decided on the spur of the moment to drive up to Edinburgh! Hah! Mum and I were thinking of taking a train there on Saturday but since they're driving, why not? So the five of us bundled into the car for an hour's drive to the capital, during which we mostly guessed our way through. There was no looking at the map, just gut feeling and the unreliable signs on the road. I must say, Rachel's family is quite spontaneous. :) When there weren't signs, they just drove in whichever direction they thought was right till a sign appeared. Lol. Getting there was easy but the lack of signs pointing to Glasgow on the way back meant we took two hours plus to get back. What a sore butt I was having. Anyway, here are the photos!
Along the way:
Edinburgh's popular among tourists so you do find souvenir shops, especially along The Royal Mile, which is a long stretch of road separaring the old and new town, and along which many royal buildings stood in the past. The castle is located at its very end. An adult entry ticket costs 12 pounds! What extortion. Can you see the castle behind?
Did you know that J.K. Rowling studied at the University of Edinburgh, which was her main source of inspiration for Harry Potter? The unversity building did look pretty grand and imposing. I'd love to get inside and explore :)
We found this guy in the street, covered in the traditional Scottish garb, kilt and all, blowing the bagpipe in the cold wind. I always thought bagpipes sounded mournful and melancholic.
Wow, this is a really long post and those were a lot of pictures! Phew! I'm starting to think I'm quite long-winded. Anyway, hope they satisfied your voracious appetite, haha. Well, that's all I have for now. If you'd like photos of any particular thing, just leave a comment in that lovely box on the left and I'll see what I can do!
Monday, 8 September 2008
I don't like choices. Okay, maybe just not too many of them, because being a notoriously indecisive person, that means that I'll just end up confused in the end and waste lots of time trying to make a trivial decision. Today it's about bank accounts and mobile lines. Rachel's dad drove us around and we arranged appointments with two banks, both tomorrow. However, I know nothing about bank accounts. Well, I guess you don't really need a great amount of prior knowledge to set up a basic account but how do you choose which bank to go with? As I said, I don't like choices sometimes. Anyway, after we've asked around about mobile phone contracts, Rachel's parents wanted to view an apartment on sale. Apparently, they're thinking of buying a place nearer the university for her, which she'll probably rent out to a few other flatmates. Property prices here have been on the downtrend recently, so they're relatively low now. I guess it is quite worth it to get an apartment, especially if she's going to stay on after her studies. We had nothing else urgent to do anyway, so my mum and I decided to tag along and take a look at a typical Scottish home. Except it's not very typical.It was beautiful! I knew every single one of us fell in love with it at first sight. The flight of stairs leading to the apartments wasn't really impressionable; it was all dull and gloomy but we kept our hopes up and when the lovely old man let us through the door, wow. What a difference. It isn't big; in fact, it's rather small. However, the furnishings were stunning and the condition of the house was unbelievable. Everything was spick and span and somehow I was certain that it wasn't only because the owner was preparing it for viewings. It has 3 cosy bedrooms, a galley kitchen, a bathroom and a sitting room. It has all the makings of a perfect apartment for students: 15 minutes away from the university, 3 supermarkets within a 10-minute-walk radius, soundproof rooms, quiet surroundings despite being on the main road and pleasant neighbours. I'll be really excited for Rachel if they buy it. :)Later in the evening, while my mum and I were leaving Murano for the subway station, we met a girl from Hong Kong. She's an exchange student and was alone, for her friend was staying in another accommodation. Since today was Eunice's first day and she was unfamiliar with the place, we invited her to walk with us, just so we could show her the way to the university and supermarkets. Eunice told us about how her Internet didn't seem to be working even after she tried all day, so she couldn't leave a message on her friend's wall. Yup, I'm referring to Facebook. It definitely reaches far and wide. Anyway, since she didn't have a local number yet, that kinda means her only form of communication with the outside world has been cut off. How could I let that happen when I have a perfectly-functioning Internet connection in my room? After using my laptop, I went over to her room to see if I could help. Of course not. Don't you know I'm quite the IT idiot? Haha. So that's basically how my day was. Throughout the course of today, I've noticed the presence of more international students in Glasgow, who're probably exchange students, since their orientation begins tomorrow. With them, Rachel and her family and the other Singaporeans I know are coming soon, I feel less alone. Independent life in Glasgow is beginning to look more possible. PS: Thanks dearies, for making your presence known in that lovely board to the left! It's much appreciated! :)
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Yup that's right, a blog of a faraway girl, who, despite the distance, will still keep in touch with you! Welcome to a peek of my life. I first thought of creating a blog the week before I left, with the sole intention of keeping in touch with all of you (the many, many, many yous) and letting you know I'm not dead! Haha. *touch wood* As some of you already know through horrible experiences, I'm not terribly good at maintaining contact with friends. In fact, I'm quite hopeless at it, so hopefully this blog will be the solution!
Stay tuned, and for the record, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! :) Muacks!
Hi peeps! Thanks for coming on Friday! So sorry I couldn't spend much time with you all but I was really glad to see all of you! And thanks for all the gifts and cards. I LOVE YOU DEARIES! It's 12.37 am in Glasgow now, haha. Yeah I know I should sleep but I really wanted to get this first post up for you guys! Today, or rather yesterday, was my mum's and my second day here, so a little update from me is due! Anyway, here's my room.
Thankfully, it turned out better than the photos on the website. It's clean and most importantly, there's enough storage space and a huge table! That's a must. Can you see the winnie the pooh on the bed? Haha, yup I brought that along! :D
So basically, my room's located along a narrow corridor where there are going to be another four people, and we'll be sharing a kitchen, a toilet and two showers. I say 'going to be' because, guess what, I think I'm currently the only living person in the entire house! That's one whole building. It's because our accommdation contracts officially commence on 12 September but it doesn't hurt to arrive earlier. Anyway, that explains why I was a little freaked out earlier though I thought I wouldn't be. Haha. I kept looking through the peephole though obviously there's no one out there.
Oh yeah, below's a photo of the houses. I'm in Ochil House on level four (which made my mum curse when we had to drag my severely overburdened luggages upstairs due to the absence of a lift). Every level of each house is divided into two- the left corridor and the right one, and each one houses about five students. That's a lot of us.
My mum and I arrived on Saturday at around 10am. After checking into my accommodation, we went to my mum's hotel and then out to get daily necessities and cooking stuff, since we realised upon inspection earlier on that the kitchen's absolutely empty. Not even a cup in sight. Then finally at 5pm, we decided to return to the hall on foot, just so I would know how to walk to school and to the subway and not rely on taxis, whose meters jump like no one's business. Now, I only roughly knew where the Murano Street Student Village is and that it would take 30 minutes to walk there from the subway. Anyway, there weren't comprehensive maps available to help us, so there really wasn't any other choice but to wing it. As you must have guessed, things didn't turn out well.
Firstly, I knew we had to set off down Byres Road and we did that, just in the opposite direction. I was quite sure we were on the right track until the Queen Margaret Drive that was supposed to come next just didn't appear. Hmm... Still, I thought maybe it was another one of those cases in which the map oversimplified the network of roads and decided to continue straight. Oh look! Those yellow apartments in front look just like the flats! That must be it! By then, my mum's shoes were killing her and the heavy bags we were carrying were threatening to give us aching shoulders and backs tomorrow. I think the cold kinda numbed the pain. Thankfully. But after walking for another 5 minutes, the yellow apartments seemed to be getting further away. So we backtracked and took another turn, which did bring us to the apartments, except that we realised that they weren't the halls. Okay...
We were lost. Cannot be! We were supposed to walk straight all the way! STRAIGHT! Who gets lost walking straight??
Then I took a closer look on the map and OMG. We have been walking in the wrong direction from the start. Great. That was 20 minutes of unnecessary walking. It was nearing 6pm, the sun would be setting soon, it'd get much colder and while I was fine with backtracking and walking another 3o minutes, my mum was quite tired. Still, we had to find the way so we carried on. In the end, we more or less found our way there, though we were a little lost again towards the end and had to ask for directions. Well, all in all, the walk is quite long and it can be a scary one at odd timings. The insane wind also makes it seem longer than it actually is. It'll be easier if there are companions to walk with. Lucky me, there are another 3 Singaporean medical students in Murano! One of them, Rachel, arrived at the same time I did. In fact, she's just a minute's walk away, a walk I took when she and her parents invited me over to dinner earlier. Comforting to meet people from home here in this unfamiliar land.
So, for a summary:
Temperature outside is about 12 degrees Celsius.
I'm not sure what time the sun rises but it sets at 8 plus.
You are 7 hours ahead of us.
Though video streaming is apparently blocked in the halls, skype works here! Wheeee! :D
We're going with Rachel and her parents tomorrow to look at bank accounts and mobile line plans. At least they've got a car, so no more endless walking for me! Haha.
