So…my computer died while I was in
Scotland and needless to say all of my drafts of my journal were lost along
with my pictures and a five page report that was due for class. After I cried a bit (and rewrote the report),
I decided to do what I know best and not rely on fickle technology but instead
on the good ole pen and paper.
This third week is proving to be
H-E-Double hockey sticks!!! My leg is
swollen beyond belief and I’m in so much pain that I cannot even make it to the
kitchen to eat. My academic aide personnel,
Julie, and I formed a friendship so when she saw me hobbling my way to class
saying everything was fine she didn’t buy it.
She insisted that she drive me to and from class and I accepted. It is hard for me to show exactly how much
pain I am in and how emotional I get when I am.
This one act of kindness sent me over my edge and I cried when I got
back to the solitude of my room. I am
starting to shut back down and not wanting to be around anyone. I am confined to a little area with no porch
that I can sit on and look out over the land to calm me down. I cannot cook for myself, take a shower by
myself or even get dressed by myself and while Josh has always helped me with
this, somehow it feels different here. I
feel like I am holding everyone back to take care of poor little me. Pain proves to take the logical sense and
make it an illogical emotion. I am so
sick and tired of not being able to participate in all of the activities
planned. This is proving to be the most
stressful and angering thing I am encountering being somewhere so new. Enough about my anger and self-issues…let me
move on to something I am learning about the culture here.
Making myself part of this community in Scotland and
adjusting to their culture has come as easily to me as writing my own
name. Josh and I have become known by
the community and it feels so warm and welcoming. When we are out for a stroll in Bridge of
Allan looking for food, we hear shouts from across the road “Hi ya’ Josh and
Jess” and we reply enthusiastically “hello ___ and ____!” It is wonderful being in a place where people
take the time to know you. It is true
that there are a lot of preconceived ideas that all Americans are fake, loud
and obnoxious and to some extent it is true.
Some, especially in cities, will say “hello” and “how are you” but
expect a one word answer versus the truth.
If the truth does come then it is perceived more often than not as drama. Traveling to several different cities here, I
have found the same thing though so I asked a couple we know if they ever
really travel to the cities and they said no that they don’t enjoy it. When I asked why, it was ironic that they
said because they are loud, obnoxious and only after your money.
Americans live extremely busy lives and our working hours are
nearly TWICE as long as that in Scotland so time is precious and while it is a
nice gesture to say these things, I can see how others take it as fake. If I was asked how I was doing in Bridge of
Allan and I replied with one worded answers, most of the time it was taken as
rude. When asked in Glasgow, if I
answered with more than one word it seemed to be a bother to listen; exactly as
it was perceived to be in America…one worded answers preferred! I have learned to embrace it and instead of
getting into an arguing match, which I saw one teenager from California attempting
to do and losing badly, I decided to get to know the person/people and ask them
about their customs. By the end of this
week we had changed a few minds. The
problem is that the areas Josh and I go to are out of Stirling and in smaller,
quieter towns that are well established with strong traditions and older
generations. Walk into a pub in the
Bridge of Allen and it is aged 50 and above; walk into a pub in Stirling and
its age is 18-45 (unless you go to the locals place). When people come to visit America, very
rarely is it to visit somewhere that isn’t a city. Go out to a small town (or even a certain
part of a city) in the U.S. and odds are you will see the same attitude of
warmth and welcome as that of Bridge of Allan.
Make note that these are generalizations and one person’s observations
but this is how I see it.
I hated living in San Diego for the same reason as stated above. Every area of every country has their own
cultures and customs that can be over generalized for the entire country. If I tell someone that they should never live
in San Diego because they are loud, obnoxious and fake people and they tell
others, I have just started a prejudice when someone else’s experience may have
been the best of their life! (If that
makes sense) When I think of San Diego I
think of how out of place I felt but it was only because I was use to a small
town where everyone knows your name and business. This is why I believe I felt so comfortable
in the smaller towns of Scotland and could mesh so well.
Side note: There was
only one place we walked into that I ever felt nervous. It was a locals only place (which we had no
idea) and the crowd was very rowdy and really into the “YA” for Scotland’s “freedom”…a
HUGE vote that is coming up. I thought
this only happened in the movies but when we walked in the loud laughter and
talk came to an abrupt halt. Too bad we
had already ordered a drink!!! I would
have booked it out of there!!!
I am still learning a lot about here and have made it a
priority to take note of customs. It is fascinating
and while the accents and landscapes are different from the U.S., the attitudes
aren’t really all that different.