Struan Hall Aboyne

... for a week or two would be fun, but who would really benefit from it? So I decided to use the time I have to better the world community and do some volunteer work. That sounds exceptionally cheesy, but I would much rather be helping out the long-term development in a country I have significant interest in than just frolick on a beach drinking way too much alcohol.

I had researched some volunteer gigs previously, just for loose ideas for ...

... not really a good time of year up in the Highlands to go aimlessly romping around :P

In December I'll be heading home quickly, nothing special - but then I have 2 big breaks coming up.. So many choices!

So no, I haven't died.. I'm just at university!

[also - having some problems with java because my university internet doesn't like me. sooo pics will come. eventually.]

Well I have finally begun my journey!!! It seemed like it would never actually happen, but as I boarded that plane reality began to sink in....As we all know, i have no idea when Ill be home, where ill go next, what Ill see or who Ill be spending time with....which makes it so much more exciting for me. Now i have only been here for half a day and have yet to settle, but once that ...

... most things are labelled in arabic there. I'll let you know if it really helps or just extra deadweight when I get there. I shaved my hair off last night too(with the dodgy aid of the reflective side of a cd-rom) so I could do without hair gel or shampoo. 
 
To be honest I haven't really been excited about the trip till last night when I did a little more research on where I'm going. Now its all come in a rush and I wish I was leaving today instead!

... I wish I could find in my own city. It's nice that a city this size (roughly 200,000, I'm told) can be so pedestrian friendly. It's a wonderful thing to live somewhere where you don't have to own a car. Also, there're a lot of small businesses downtown, which is a nice change of atmosphere from our big-box store culture.

All in all, my vacation was exactly what I wanted it to be: quiet, simple, easy.

... Aberdeen, Hanna, Heather, and I went out for Loud Music Night. We went to a bar where they knew the person singing, and I just sat nursing a pint of McEwan's and watched as young Scottish folks trickled into the bar and, astonishingly, danced to such undanceable music as The Cranberries' "Zombie," Oasis' "Wonderwall," and so forth. A must-see for those traveling in Scotland for the first time.

... example of a vice business operating inside what used to be a cathedral. It's really unusual.

I returned to the house, and Heather and Hannah (Heather's friend) explained to me that a typical Scottish Saturday involves going to the pub and socializing, watching sports, etc. We went to a pub and spent the afternoon doing The Times crossword puzzle. Not ...

... li>I've noticed that many people, when walking side-by-side down the street, actually walk shoulder-touching-shoulder—someti mes almost as if leaning on one another.

... will be right.

Heather picked me up at the airport, and we lost no time grabbing a plate of haggis (much better than I was expecting) and a pint of Tennent's (a local beer, roughly equivalent Pabst Blue Ribbon). As we walked too and from the pub, I got to see a little bit of the city, mostly along Union Street, the main drag. Many of the buildings in Aberdeen are made of granite, giving the city a very gray feel--just as I expected ...

I assumed since I was suffering through the cold of England that I would get to enjoy plenty of snow. That was not the case. It never snowed in Tonbridge. We didn't even see snow in Edinburgh. So on New Year's Day we hopped on a train heading north, and we wouldn't get off until we ...