"Luck never gives; it only lends"

Don't be deferred by the seemingly depressive title. Just keep reading.
My other class on Tuesday wasn't too bad; I think it's going to be pretty interesting! I'm just not looking forward to the work for the classes. I've been trying to get ahead in the reading so I can go on and research for my papers, but I have a conflict of interest. I need to go exploring, considering I'm in a different country, and all! But I also want to do well, and that takes me more time. Blahh. Anyway, I know it will work out, and I've had a great time so far! I just don't want to miss anything.

On a different note, here is a checklist of firsts while on my travels:

1. Experiencing a layover. (And flying for the first time since 3rd grade!)

2. Flying across an ocean/going out of the country.

3. Using an ATM. :)

4. Trying Irn-Bru.
(It's more popular than Coke here...like a sweeter Orange Cream Soda, but I wouldn't necessarily choose it.)

5. Maneuvering a city bus system!

6. Using multiple clocks that run on Military Time.
(They use them all over - buses, timetables, my cheap alarm clock...)

This is Sophie.
We were outside of St. Salvator's Tower.

Yesterday we had an ISS trip to St. Andrews. And here is where the title of post comes into play...it was miserably cold and wet yesterday. I think it was just a down in the weather, and since we were right on the coast, we got the winds from the North Sea. But we still managed to have a great time in town! Sophie, my exploring buddy, and I went into a lot of stores and found some great little souvenir shops. But the best/worst thing about the city center of St. Andrews is that on every street, there are at least two or three consignment-type stores! This is good in that they go to helpful foundations like Cancer Research or The Red Cross...but this is also bad because these are the types of stores that I love looking through. So, we went in at least six. But I showed a lot of restraint. My roommates back home would be proud.

And yes, St. Andrews, too, had one of these. This makes the third one so far!
(see picture below)

H & M on Market Street. St. Andrews, Fife.

We had to go in. Though, the interesting thing is that the original group of students which which I flew from Newark to Edinburgh somehow managed to reassemble in the H & M. The same store at the same time!  Funny how we keep finding one another.

Oh! And the smallest thing that absolutely made my day was that Starbucks' partner discounts are international! I wasn't sure if they would work over here, but they do! The discount wasn't the part that made me happy, however. I think it was more that I felt like I made a connection with the baristas because I worked for the same company.

I know it's silly, but it made me happy.

Today, it is still pretty damp and drizzly. We were spoiled on Tuesday and Wednesday with the sunny, sixty-degree weather. But I have another excursion for today! We are headed to Doune Castle this afternoon. (If you remember, this is the required field trip for my Scotland on the Screen class.)