The SAD Light

So for those that do not know what a SAD light is it stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Many people have these lights due to the lack of sun. We heard about these from some friends who had them and so when my mother asked what we wanted for Christmas we said a SAD light. They have tons to choose from on the UK Amazon website. Who knew??? The human body uses light cues, such as those provided by the sun, to time certain internal functions. Properly timed rhythms regulate mood, sleep, energy, appetite and digestion. These daily internal cycles, called circadian rhythms, sometimes fall out of sync, resulting in an unregulated body clock. Very scientific huh? So you are supposed to do a 15 to 30 minute cycle in front of the SAD light every day which Clifton and I have been doing everyday since it got here. Honestly the lack of sun does mess with you. For example, you want to go to bed at like 6 or 7 because by that point it has already been dark for a few hours. Clifton and I also get very hungry around 430 or 5 so we have started having a small snack to hold us over till a better dinner time so we aren't starving around 9. The picture above shows my two favorite things right now. The SAD light and my personal heater that I put right in front of me because it is so ridiculously cold in our flat all the time. Clifton hates my heater because it is loud and gets him hot but I love it and we will never part!

Scotland Week 4

Spending December in Scotland is extremely cold but also beautiful. My only complaint is the fact that the sun doesn't come up till around 9:30 and it goes down at 330-4 everyday. Honestly, there are very few days where you can actually see the sun through the clouds. The pictures above show some of the sights around the area.

Their Santa set up in the malls out do ours by a ton considering they have real reindeer. You don't find that in Texas! The picture at the table is at Clifton's Christmas party for the sales team. We had a very good time that night. The picture of the can of IRN BRU is Scotland's big soda here. It seriously tastes like you are drinking sweet tarts! Amazing!

I also got involved with the American Women's Association this last week. I went to Inverurie which is a small town outside of Aberdeen that is where you can find some of the most beautiful scenery! I met 10 women who also have husbands that all work in the oil and gas industry. We had a great time eating lunch and looking at different Scottish made crafts. I am going to the Christmas luncheon with 50 of the AWA members on Wednesday. Here in Aberdeen there are a lot of Americans due to the Oil and Gas industry so it is really nice to get together with these women to talk about their experiences in living here and moving overseas. You would never know this until you have experienced it but once you are in a place where you do not here the American accent everyday and you are the odd ball it is wonderful to hear an American talking again! So I am looking forward to being in a room with 50 American accents tomorrow!

I Quit Before I Started!

If you have read the previous posts you would have read all about The Hamilton School interview that I had on Thanksgiving Day. All of the excitement and newness of this school led to a very impulsive decision to take a full time teaching position of 3 and 4 year olds. What was I thinking?? Last Monday I was offered the job and I came in on Tuesday to follow another teacher for a couple of hours and fill out some paperwork. You can see my hot uniform in the picture above. Oh yes we had to wear a navy blue suit everyday. Let me tell you even though that suit is ugly that is the best one out of three that I found in Aberdeen. I look like I should be working for American Airlines!!

As I walked in to the classroom I was greeted by a little Nigerian boy who gave me a big hug and then handed me a kleenex to wipe the drooling snot from his nose and in only a couple of hours I did that for him three more times. Come to find out these children are taught to get a kleenex and bring it to the teacher to wipe their noses. Here's an idea why hasn't someone thought of teaching them independence to wipe their own dang noses! UGH! After my greeting of hugs and snot I was instructed to go sit at a table and help these children with a math activity. I must say they were cute but after I heard myself say in a strange high pitched voice good job, way to go, that is great, and you are so smart over and over for an hour I figured out this might not be the job for me. Then I sat down with another teacher during the kids french lesson to go over lesson plans and the schedule. This is when it hit me that I had made the most impulsive and stupid decision ever to take this job. I was informed that the 3 and 4 year old teachers get no break, eat lunch with the kids and work from 8 to 5. Yes that is a normal work schedule but not when you have to be with 15 three and four year olds every minute of your working day. After seeing the lesson plans I then also realized these would take a couple of hours to make for every week and I was told that they do there lesson plans at home. Lastly I was informed there is no summer break for the 3 and 4 year olds which means I don't get a break. So I came in on Thursday at 8 to quit and hand in my curriculum binder. I was then offered another job by the principal to teach the older kids which I did not accept. I have a feeling they are pretty desperate for teachers.

So on Wednesday I had another interview at the International School of Aberdeen and I was put on the substitute list which may lead to a full time position next year. I also may be able to coach at the international school which would be great. So my quiting before I started all worked out for the best!!

Our Flat!

I just did a little video to show you our flat for those that are interested! It is perfect for us!

The Hamilton School Interview

So I have only been here three weeks but I went ahead and sent my resume to four different schools in the area interested in a substitute position. I got an interview with The Hamilton School on Thanksgiving day. I wasn't told what I was interviewing for but I went in anyway. When I got there I seriously felt like I was in a movie. I walked in to this old house five minutes from my flat with the original hardwood floors and was led to the waiting area which had tartan covered wooden chairs in front of an old fireplace with a train going round and round on a table in front of the fireplace. As I sat there and filled out an application little children walked out of the assembly hall and up the wooden staircase to the classrooms. The girls were dressed in red plaid kilts, red tights and red sweaters. The boys were wearing grey shorts, with knee high red socks and red sweaters. As I watched them go up the stairs two of the girls said "Good Morning" to me in their cute Scottish accents. Honestly it was one of the most precious things I have ever seen.

After sitting in the waiting area for about 10 minutes I was led to the principals office where I met Kathlyn the founder and principal of this school. We talked for an hour about how things are done in this school which by the way are completely different from the US. If I get this job it will literally be like I am a first year teacher again. The thing I found most fascinating about the interview was when there was a knock on the door and a girl walked in with a tray that had tea, coffee and crumpets with floral decorated tea cups and saucers. Kathlyn then offered me coffee and crumpets so of course I obliged. I just hope she did not notice my jaw drop open as this was taking place. I was informed in the interview how much she liked me and wanted me to come back for open day at the school which was the next day.

So today I went to Open Day and I got to visit the classrooms and speak to some of the teachers. All of the bedrooms in this house were transformed into classrooms so they are not very big but the maximum class size is 16 pupils so you aren't too crammed. I did not see a lot of technology. A lot of writing on chalk boards so very old school. They do not believe in textbooks, punishment or reward. So like I said it will be a whole new experience for me if I get this job. What the heck do you do if a kid is acting up, if they don't believe in punishment. Oh and I was told no calling parents about misbehavior because some of the cultures at this school believe in beating your child so you do not want to let the parent know. WOW!

The other funny thing about my interview was that I was interviewing for the "Teacher in the cupboard" position. Which means a spare teacher. I have no clue what grade/class I will be teaching if I get this. I will keep the blog updated if I hear anything.

Thanksgiving

Clifton and I's first Thanksgiving in Aberdeen was definitely uneventful and we missed our families but we tried our best to have the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I would say for my first time to cook Thanksgiving dinner I did so so. I fought with that dang turkey for about thirty minutes in trying to prepare it and never want to cook one again. I am surprised I did not get salmonella poisoning for how long it took me to prepare that slippery sucker! My stuffing was horrible and Clifton loved my green bean casserole but I don't know why. The best thing about the meal were the deviled eggs that Clifton made. :) As most of you know they do not celebrate Thanksgiving in Scotland obviously, so Clifton had to work all day and I had a job interview so it didn't feel like Thanksgiving at all. On Thanksgiving we realized how much our families mean to us and how thankful people should be that you can be with your families on that special day! Oh yes and watch American football because they don't have that either!

Aberdeen's Winter Festival Street Market

Last Sunday Clifton and I decided to stop by the street market going on in Aberdeen. It wasn't very big and it didn't have any good items to purchase but like the state fair of Texas the food was awesome. There was no fried twinkies, butter or corn dogs but there were huge bratwurst that you can see Clifton chowing down on above. They had creperies where I got a cinnamon and sugar crepe and yes it was amazing. They also had Spanish Paella, dutch pancakes, cheese stands with all kinds of different cheese. The market also had a baklava stand with all different types of baklava. It was so neat to see the different types of food they have to offer at a street market in comparison to what Texas would have. Plus it was the best food we have had yet because the food in Scotland is horrible.

Crathes Castle

Today Clifton and I traveled twenty minutes from our flat to Crathes Castle. It is one of the most beautiful and best preserved sixteenth century castles in Scotland and was lived in by a single family for over 350 years, the Burnetts. They of course did not allow us to take pictures inside the castle but we took many outside. The most prized possession in Crathes Castle is the Horn of Leys which was presented to Alexander Burnard by King Robert the Bruce in 1323.

My favorite part of the castle of course was the ghost story about the Green Lady. The Green Lady is a legendary ghost of Crathes that has been sighted many times in what they now call the Green Lady's room. The story goes that she was the mistress of the Lord of the castle and ended up having an illegitimate child with him that was either killed or died at birth. Later during alterations to the house they found the skeleton of a baby in the fireplace walls in the Green Lady's room. So they say she is looking for her baby.

It is so amazing to be able to walk into such history and artifacts that are from the sixteenth century and beyond. This was the first castle we have toured and I can't wait to tour more!

Second Week in Scotland

Well Clifton and I have made it through our second week of living in Scotland. We didn't get to experience as many new things as last week because Clifton was working a lot with sales meetings and writing up a new bid contract for one of his customers. We did get gym memberships on Saturday which I took advantage of all week. In the gyms in the UK they have different equipment that I love. Though I must say my body is having a hard time getting adjusted to walking approximately 5 miles a day and working out so I haven't been walking normally all week.

We celebrated Clifton's birthday on Tuesday at The Simpson's Hotel for a nice dinner. That is one thing that I would warn anyone that decides to come to the UK. The service is horrible because the wait staff works on an hourly wage. You do not give tips and they don't necessarily care if you haven't gotten your food for thirty minutes or even seen them because they are not making any more money off of you. It is something that teaches you patience for sure. You could ask someone for the bill and not see the waiter again and then have to ask another person after 20 minutes to get it for you. This is very common in any restaraunt or bar.

I went to go see both 2012 and New Moon this week. 2012 with girls from Clifton's work and New Moon by myself! Surprisingly a lot of people go see movies by themselves during the week day at 1130. Who knew!! ha! Oh and in the Aberdeen movie theaters they all have Ben and Jerry's ice cream shops! Love that! Good thing I am walking so much!

Some of the words that I have noticed this week that are different from what we say:
1. Television=Tele
2. Hug=Cuddle
3. Chips=Crisps
4. Advertisements=Adverts
5. Umbrella=brelly
6. Lines=que=as in if you are waiting in a line they say there is a que
7. GPS-SatNav
8. Cashier-tell


My other story on differences in things here are the way words are spelled. I have sent my resume out to four different private schools on the street we live in. I received an email from one of the schools and the principal said "I will organise a meet". So I thought, wow the principal spelled the word wrong, what an idiot. So later I asked Clifton and he said no that is the way they spell it here. Another example is they spell favorite (favourite) and color (colour). I told Clifton I was so worried if I get involved with a school the kids are going to think I am stupid or I will be teaching them incorrect spelling.

They also turned on all the of the cities Christmas lights on Sunday and the city center is so beautiful now full of Christmas Spirit. This holiday season is definitely going to be amazing for Clifton and I. Especially since we are going to London and Paris for both Christmas and New Years.

Beach Day!

The Way We Communicate!

Skype is the way Clifton and I communicate. It is amazing. That is my beautiful mother in the computer! :)

Local Conveniences!

These are some of the local conveniences for Clifton and I. The beautiful park right behind our flat. The local B&Q which is the home depot(see the resemblance). There is also a ski park but no snow just rollers and plastic that get the skiers down the hill. It is very weird but we will be trying it out!

The building with the massive amounts of stairs is the flat community we live in. The pictures of the houses are just the neighborhoods that surround the flats.

Clifton and Jen's First Week in Scotland

So our first week together in Scotland has been amazing and full of new experiences. One of the new experiences I love is the fact that you can walk to everything. We can walk to the grocery store, gym, shopping malls, bars and restaurants. It is extremely safe here so no worries for those of you that had that pop into your mind. We are only 2.7 miles away from the beach too. So the first Sunday I was here we walked to it and explored the area. Surprisingly it is amazingly green and there is beautiful plant life here considering the sun is hardly ever out. Of course it is extremely cold and rainy but if you dress accordingly then there isn't a problem.

So there are a couple of experiences that have been a little frustrating for us so far and made us miss the many conveniences the States have to offer. First being our first grocery shopping experience at ASDA which is owned by Wal-Mart. We were there for approximately two hours and still didn't get everything we needed. They do have many of the same brands but different packaging and then they do have many different brands. The Mexican section is pretty weak and only consists of OLD EL PASO products pretty much. Ha! So Clifton and I opted to make our own salsa which we were pretty impressed with.

The other very inconvenient issue that has faced Clifton and I here in Aberdeen is the laundry situation. It takes four hours to do one load and it is a washer/dryer in one. You can only put in very small loads and your clothes come out completely wrinkled and a little damp. It is awesome! So please never complain about doing laundry ever again because I know I won't.

In our first week we have made some new friends, experienced a little of what the city has to offer and are looking forward to many more great experiences.

The First Blog

Clifton and I got married on August 1st 2009. In October, we will be moving to Aberdeen, Scotland for three years. This blog is the way we will share our experiences, travels and life with everyone back in the states. We will miss everyone but we are looking forward to starting our lives together overseas!