My story

My first diary

Min Bae 2014. 10. 4. 04:41


There are not so many things to mention, although this week was my historical first week of being at Scotland and its small city, St Andrews, in my life. 

I think I'll use this blog as kind of my open diary although I keep writing my private diary separately.

I don't want any additional space for making some records particularly with some photos, which is one of the reasons that I've decided to post my story here in addition to my private one, where I can't put any photos. My English is definitely poor, I know, but I don't think anybody might see this blog so I dare to do this. 


Actually there were lots of things that happened to me this week. 

Above all, on Monday, I met my 'supervisor,' which British universities call, and that American students might call advisors, and briefly chatted about my circumstances up to the day, just after I arrived here, St Andrews.









Monday was the first day I came to this city, or to be more precisely, town, and last Saturday was the first day of my arriving in Scotland, so I spent two days for getting to arrive here. 

On Saturday I stayed at Edinburgh for the night and next morning I just took a walk to a hill near the house that I slept in, following the host's recommendation instead of sight seeing of the city centre. 

There were lots of horses and a huge golf course, where even during the time of my walking around helicopters landed a few times to bring in its guests, but it was a quite peaceful and quiet place to walk through and have some rest sitting on a bench, admiring scenery. 




That afternoon I crossed to Dundee, where I ended up staying in an accommodation this semester and presumably would be commuting to the university at least until May next year. The accommodation was, yet, the only left place I was able to secure after an awful lot of time looking for a proper place to stay and which had been purpose-built one for university students, now being actually occupied mostly by undergraduates of the nearby school, University of Dundee. 


That evening I took a walk again out of the building, down along the street, its landscape being much different from the scenes I enjoyed that morning though, and not in a long time I reached the coast which was fairly close to my flat. There was a small memorial museum with its big old ship anchoring beside it and a small park along the shore. 











Yesterday I got allocated my desk to study in the PhD students room at St Katharine's lodge, the modern history building in the school of history.

My school building is fortunately so close to the main library of the university that I could walk to the library just in a couple of minutes through the lovely grass and trees that are unfolded around the buildings. 

Just walking out of my building there is the beautiful sea that is spread out right across the front door, and, along the path between the sea and these old buildings, tourists from all over the world won't stop coming to see all the time.


It was an induction day today for those postgraduate research students who didn't attend the same previous event that had been held by the university a few weeks ago. I also came here quite late compared to other entrants of this year, so joined the event today that took place in a small theatre called "Byre theatre" in town. 

There were lots of introductions by different speakers from a wide range of institutions of the university and all those were finished much the same way with saying "we're here to support your research so don't hesitate to ask for our help if you need."

Whenever they said that way, I felt as if I was back to the first year of my undergraduate days. 

However at the same time they kindly and maybe safely for themselves didn't forget adding "it is up to you whether you are going to decide this or that.. " Yes, of course, I know that everything is my choice and therefore I should have responsibility for all my decisions every time. 


Today was the first day that I used my umbrella as well, which I'd thought would be a necessary item and thus I shouldn't forget carrying around with me everyday once I begin to live the UK. 

In fact it's not the case at least in the eastern part of Scotland, I realising it today from one of the speakers though. 

Besides, they said that especially St Andrews is the city that you can see the sunshine more than any other regions and it's also one of the driest cities in the UK, but for me unlike the other Scottish people actually all such things didn't appeal at all, given myself having enjoyed those sunshine enough already back in my home country. 

I miss its sunshine of autumn and its sky, on this day like today, drizzling outside. 

And all those bittersweet memories as well.


                - on Friday night at my desk in the school.  














  a photo taken at Dundee on my first day .. 




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