First Week - A Wet Welcome (Part 2)

Let me continue from where I left off; I had just parted ways with my flatmate and was heading back to my room (at least, I thought I was). Please note, that on this 'journey' I have a duvet tucked under one arm and a pack of two pillows in one hand. With this picture in mind, let me proceed to narrate my tale.
As I walked down the street, I took note of the buildings I remembered seeing from when we had first gone to do our registration. All seemed to be going well and I was becoming more and more confident with each step until, the weather changed. Yes, it had been slightly cloudy since morning, but then all of a sudden, the wind became stronger and it started to drizzle and the drizzle was slowly turning into full-on rain.
Strong wind + fast rain = wet slaps in the face. These wet slaps were quite painful, almost like a human hand was behind them (remember how I said the wind here seems to be a person hiding underneath a cloak of invisibility?here's the proof!). This rain was giving me two huge problems; 1) The rain in my face was blinding me, so I really couldn't see where I was going - a particularly dangerous problem for someone with a penchant for getting lost and 2) The wind was really strong and with every two steps I took, the wind pushed me back one step - which was very discomfiting especially since I was already weighed down by a duvet and two pillows.
A smart person would ask; 'Why didn't you take the bus??', my answer; 'Directionally-challenged girl from Ghana + new city x new country x different traffic rules = walking is safer'. I could hardly remember the way back to my flat on foot; how was I to know which buses even went that way? Anyway, back to the situation.
I was making as much progress as I could considering all the elements against me when one very (on retrospect, quite hilarious) embarrassing (since I was in public) thing happened: a particularly strong gust of wind grabbed hold of the pillows  in my hand just as I was struggling to open my umbrella (I was getting tired of the rain in my face) and whipped them straight out of my grip! I watched in dumbfounded amazement and incredulity as my brand new pillows tumbled down the pavement heading for the street where huge buses were rapidly approaching; in that split second my hopes of a good night's sleep flashed before my eyes and disappeared with my captive pillows. By some miracle, one lady at a bus stop close by who like the other pedestrians had noticed my misfortune, grabbed the pillows right before they tumbled into the path of an approaching bus! She smiled sympathetically as I approached her and took the rescued pillows from her, I couldn't thank her enough! God bless that woman! (The umbrella didn't survive though, it rests in pieces on my bedroom floor now).
With that hurdle crossed, I turned round with an embarrassed smile - some of the pedestrians who had witnessed the Runaway Pillows incident were looking at me with sympathy(or was it pity?) - and returned to my previous goal; finding my way to the flat.


It was still raining and the wind was still strong and I was COLD! Obviously, I got lost- this, after walking for approximately half hour (it might have been shorter,being beaten by wind AND rain can do things to one's sense of time) . I couldn't recognise any of the signs or places I was near so I decided to stop at  the closest bus stop to get my bearings-smart move right?
I was busily scrutinizing the map I had picked up from the visitor's centre earlier that day (oh yes, I was forearmed :)) and trying to figure out where on the map I was when I heard a bus approaching the stop I was standing in front of. It had stopped raining but it was wet everywhere. I looked up absent-mindedly as the bus got closer. Without warning, my face was met with a huge splash of rainwater from a puddle in the road which the bus' tire ran through as it drove past! I was in shock! My mind tried to process what had just happened; I felt as though I was in a film or was the object of a sick joke. I looked round quickly to make sure no one nearby had witnessed my humiliation; the coast was clear (whew!).Luckily, I had a hankie in my pocket -thanks to the have-a-hankie-at-all-times training I was given in boarding school- so, I wiped my face, feeling very sorry for myself and missing home (sobs) and resumed my quest to find my way to my flat.
I stood at that bus stop for another half hour or so before -through divine intervention I believe- I realized the street I was on, was right behind the street where I lived. If I wasn't feeling so sorry for myself I would have smacked myself.
When I finally got to my room, I sat down for a while pondering over what I had just experienced. Then I suddenly remembered my face had just been 'baptised' with dirty puddle water and went to wash my face :-| .
Note to self: Learn from Hansel and Gretel's example and leave pebbles along the way when leaving the flat next time. Then again, they were kidnapped by a witch in the end *pause* probably not such a good example then. The only other solution, is to stay in and never come out.      
So that, was my very wet welcome to Edinburgh, true story.

First Week - A Wet Welcome(Part 1)

I was fortunate enough to have my big brother around to pick me up from the airport and help me find my feet in Scotland that first weekend. He dropped me off at my flat on a Sunday and then I was on my own. (For those of you who don't know me, I'm currently in Edinburgh to do my MSc at the University of Edinburgh, so this blog is sort of a record of the events and experiences I'm having , will have and hope to have while I'm here)
The start of Induction week at the school; registration, matriculation (call it what you will), selection of courses, all the necessary processes for becoming a fully registered student at the school take place during this week. Being both a postgraduate and an international student, there were other events which were catered to a person in my category (I think ?). 
My main focus for the day though was to get my student ID card. There were two reasons for this: 1) the student card is my passport/visa in the country that is the University;it grants you entry into most of the places on campus and, 2)there are several discounts for students (food, clothes, transport, the list is endless!) provided you can SHOW a valid student ID. You decide what my most important reason was...;). 
There were several obstacles which threatened to impede my acquisition of this treasured, tiny but powerful card; A)The weather( I strongly believe the wind in Edinburgh is actually a person who is using a cloak of invisibility and gains great satisfaction from messing with people's hair, clothes etc. Seriously), B)My completely hopeless sense of direction compounded by the fact that I have never been in Scotland before (and also the fact that I come from Ghana where we drive on the right side of the road-not the left- and if you need directions you can ask just about anyone and they are bound to have some idea of where you're heading-even if that idea is wrong) and C)My exhaustion (I hadn't had a chance to rest properly since I'd stayed up late chatting the night away at my brother's apartment + I had neglected to order a duvet and pillow prior to my arrival so had slept terribly on Sunday night). However, I was determined!
Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it) I was not the only international student feeling like a headless chicken that had been spun round several times; most of my flatmates also needed to figure out where we were to pick up our ID cards. Thus, our little adventure began.
I forgot to mention, we had lunch with other students in our building before setting out so this gave us the chance to come up with a common plan on how to get the card and also to fuel ourselves with much needed energy for the 'excursion'. 
Through some miracle (thank you, God!) one guy in our little group knew the way to the registration centre,so we followed him dutifully like obedient sheep follow their shepherd. And we made it there in one piece (YES!). 
I think after finding this previously elusive venue, I was feeling stupidly overconfident and so I decided to go and do a little shopping for my essentials (i.e. a duvet and a set of pillows). This is not where my overconfidence steps in though,watch this space. Thankfully, 2 of my flatmates also needed to buy similar things so we went together to buy our stuff. (Now this is where my stupid overconfidence kicks in, just watch.And this is after we've all paid for our items)
My flatmate: I think I'm going to explore Princes street a bit, wanna come?
Me(feeling very confident):Oh, you go ahead. I think I'll head back to the flat.
Flatmate: Oh ok. Guess I'll see you later then!
Me: Sure! (we both smile,wave and head off in opposite directions) I think to myself, 'I've got this! I remember the way back!' Not!
So,guess what happened next? your guess is as good as mine...:) (To be continued)
 

Welcome!

My journey to the land of Scots began on my 24th birthday;by the time I was 24 and a day old, my feet (and obviously-or not- the rest of my body as well) were in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Today is my (counting my fingers) 12th day in Scotland and several words describe my time here so far:cold, windy, interesting, enlightening, cold(yes, I know I already said that), beautiful, new and et cetera (yes, et cetera also describes the experience i.e. it is an ongoing adventure :)). And today, I begin this blog which will detail my life in Scotland and specifically in Edinburgh. That is, unless I digress or procrastinate. Hopefully, I will stick to the main goal.

Anyway, welcome to the life of a Ghanaian girl in Edinburgh, Scotland! I hope we will all enjoy this journey :)