Ive had the best day, with you, today

one hundred fifty two thousand six hundred forty eight minutes.
How you measure time so dear?
In daylight?
In sunsets?
In midnights?
In cups of coffee (or tea)?
In inches? In miles?
In laughter? In Strife?
How about love?

My last week in Glasgow was amazing. On Tuesday, after meeting Kersley for coffee, he joined me for christmas shopping in the city centre. As much as I dont like dragging people into tourist shops, I was glad for the company. And at one point, as we were walking down Argyll street, he saw a Mt Dew in a shop window (so of course that was going to happen!) When we left the store, he had a Mt Dew and I had an Irn Bru- we were quite the sight. Later tuesday night, I met up with my friend Katie and we went to a carolling service at University Chapel. It was a little different than what I was used too- very somber-esque. But I felt like it could officially begin to feel like Christmas :)

Wednesday I ventured back into the city centre and out to the Glasgow Cathedral. Though my only purpose was for the gift shop, I am really glad that I took the time to go inside and look around. It was really cool for my inner architect to see how the Cathedral came to look like it does today and how each designer took into consideration the work of the previous designer in order to make it look cohesive and continuous instead of multiple tastes and styles. On the way home I also stopped in the modern art museum. Wednesday night Kate, Ginny, and Tyson returned home from their Italian adventures. Kate called me and asked if I wanted pie- did she really even need to ask? So I went over to hers and we had chat over pecan pie and chocolate pie. Lovely.

Thursday, Ginny and I went to see the Nutcracker (who says you cant have christmas traditions in scotland?) at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. Unbeknownst to us, it was a very different interpretation of the Christmas classic. I didnt know that you could have creative license with with the Nutcracker, but trust me- you can. During intermission, Ginny got a text saying that it was SNOWING!!! We took off outside just to get a glimpse of the pieces of falling happiness that we see so little of. (We didnt realize at the time how wrong we were). After the show I went over to Becca's for tea. I helped decorate their christmas tree (I use that term loosely) and we even made an angel for the top. It was a very productive afternoon. Now I was supposed to go over to Kersley and Iain's flat for dinner, but while Becca and I were on our way over there we happen to see the boys walking toward us! They just said they had forgotten something. I was confused but it honestly didnt surprise me. So I ran a quick errand and Becca told me she needed to make a dinner reservation for her parents. But when we walk into the restaurant, everyone is there: Kersley, Iain, Ross, Jiff, Kirsten, and Paul, and right after I walked in- Claire, iona, Ginny, Tyson, Kate, Andy and Matt walk in. I love being naive about surprises!! it was so great to have a last dinner as a big group like that. Like I have said many times before, I am so lucky to have the friends that care so much about me. Later, Ginny, Kate, Iona, Kersley and I joined Iain and Ross to celebrate the completion of their dissertations. :)

Friday was the longest day ever.
I woke up earlier than I should have after a night out to finish packing. Then Robbie came over from Edinburgh for the afternoon so that we could spend just a little more quality time together and then say a proper "see ya later" ( i dont do good-byes). After lunch we went to one of the Charles Renee Macintosh tea rooms that are pretty well known around Glasgow. The tea was extra fancy- Robbie ordered one that said something about being a tea connoisseur. When did that happen? hah. Then he came back to the west end so that he could see the guys, and yes- we had more tea :) I said good-bye to Robbie and headed home in order to get ready for Daft Friday. Daft Friday is a formal end of term party at the Glasgow University Union, and it lasts for 12 hours (8pm-8am). If you made it to the end then you got a free breakfast, but since Kate and I had to be at the airport at 7 am then that really wasnt an option for us. That did not stop us from having a good time. The GU was decorated in a Looney Toons theme. There was a swing band and a Ceilidh band and a radio one dj and lots of kilts!! There were entire too many people in the debate chambers for a ceilidh, but we tried it anyways. I have never fallen during a strip the willow until daft friday, and I have the bruises to prove it (ahem!). I will miss ceilidh dancing with boys in kilts. We spent our last hour in the hive, breaking it down one last time. And then we said goodbye. it seemed kind of strange to tell everyone goodbye in the bottom of the GU- but I wouldnt have spent my last hours any other way. Kersley, Iona, Claire, Kate and I got our last chips and cheese/chips and curry sauce and went back to QM for our last pizza chat. We blasted Runrig in the kitchen while eating pizza and pretending that this was just like any other night. But it wasnt. The cab came at 615 to take kate and I to the airport.

When we were checking in, the man told me that all flights from Newark to RDU had been canceled. Kate and I decided just to get to Jersey and we would figure out what to do from there. That was the longest seven hours ever. I hadnt slept in 24 hours. And my heart was hurting. And I wanted to be home (and I knew that probably wasnt going to happen). I am going to miss Scotland alot. It's crazy to think that I was only there for four months. And how can four months of an entire lifetime really change a person or make that much of an impact? I dont know how, but I know that I will never be the same. I have met some amazing people and reconnected with old ones. I look forward to seeing how we all grow up and I know I will keep in touch. I have actually already started planning my trip back :) I think it was a tim mcgraw song that said "No matter where we go in life, we take a little of each other everywhere."I dont think that I could have said it better myself. Anywhoo- it was a long flight.

When we arrived in Newark, there still were not any flights going to Raleigh. But fortunately, Kate has family that lives twenty minutes from the airport- so we called them and they very graciously allowed us to come and stay with them! We walked into their home and James Taylor Christmas was playing and Carolina basketball was on TV. I was close to tears. I was sitting on their couch, watching UNC play ball and watching the snow fall. if youre going to be stranded, might as well be stranded in style. I went to sleep on Saturday night at 730 pm and slept until 730 sunday morning. And when I went downstairs, there was coffee and talk of grits and eggs for breakfast. I almost cried again. We spent the day curled up on the couch watching fa la la la lifetime. After a fabulous dinner at the Cowherd's country club, we went to sleep anticipating the trip home.

Newark liberty was a mess Monday morning, after all of the cancellations from the weekend and christmas coming soon. Kate and I made it. I kept singing "nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the mornniinngggg" (cheesy I know). I spent the entire flight writing this blog entry. I am really glad to be home, but I miss Scotland and my home there already. If there is any way to measure my time their- it could be in daylight (though that significantly decreased as i left) or sunsets or midnights or cups of coffee (or tea since i now drink many cups a day) or smiles or hugs or laughter. I could count it months or days or in one hundred fifty two thousand six hundred forty eight minutes. But if I could choose any way to measure my time in Scotland- I would choose love.

until my next adventure.
Love. always,
Rach :)

ps- this is my last blog entry. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as I have enjoyed sharing my adventures with whoever is reading this. Please keep in touch by email or skype or snailmail!!