Stirling: Gateway to the Highlands

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow are filled with orientative exercises, but we actually got to move into our flats (apartment/dorm style housing) yesterday!

All settled in my room: flat 45, room 2.

Our flat is comprised of about five or six bedrooms that come off of a single hallway, two W.C.s (bathrooms), two shower rooms, and a big common room at the end with a fully equipped kitchen. And yes, there is plaid on the duvet cover (comforter-esque) on my bed. The colors are almost like those in the Weir Tartan.

The Weir Tartan.

My Nana's maiden name is Weir, and I looked up some information about them today: Weir Clan Crest, Motto, and History. I really like the motto: Vero Nihil Verius ("Nothing truer than truth" or "Truth, nothing but the truth"). If you want some more information, this guy seems to have done a lot of research as well: Bill Weir.

But aside from that, today, our only scheduled event is a Welcome Reception for all of the International Summer School (ISS) Students at the University of Stirling from 5:00-6:00 this evening.

This is Airthrey Castle where we will have the reception later.
Yes, it's on campus.

The University of Stirling is really nice. There is a giant loch (lake) in the middle of campus that you must walk across a bridge to get over, and a lot of the community comes to the Macrobert Arts Centre to spend time together or to see the performances. Actually, there was one last night when we went to visit. A bunch of men in Highland dress (traditional Scottish attire) and some girls in pumps (dance shoes) came out from around the back of the theatre (yes, I suppose I must spell it that way, haha), so there must have been something exciting going on.

This is a map of campus. The X's in the top right are where I'm living.

We walked to the edge of town (it took about 30 minutes, leisurely walking) for supper last night and like I said previously, it doesn't get dark until nighttime here! Here is some proof:

A clock on the way back from supper.

As you can see, the clock says about 9:00, and it's still light out! Wouldn't that be nice at home?

And, to close, the weather looks to be nice today. We haven't gotten any rain yet this morning, but it has been very windy. I think it's supposed to be about like this all weekend, which is fine with me! However, I may have to invest in some more long-sleeved shirts or some of those wooly socks. Goodness knows we saw enough sheep yesterday on the bus ride over to make thousands of pairs!