Scottish dancing and eating before week #2 begins!

Last night's ceilidh (kay-lee) dancing was a blast! It was so much fun. Even though it was aimed primarily at international students, there were some Scottish guys and girls kind of "imported" (we joked) for the night. They were moving from partner/group to partner/group and helping the new people learn the dances. I danced several of them and didn't do too terribly.

One Scottish guy came over to me and my girlfriends at one point and asked, "Would it help if I said I know what I'm doing?" We readily accepted his invitation and danced an 8-person dance with him. He was my partner and it was quite a swinging/spinning type of dance. He swung me so hard! At one point, you have to spin around for 16 counts and you have to look straight at your partner to avoid getting dizzy! Then, a few dances later, he was my partner again and we did more spinning. It was so exhilarating! I was quite hot and sweaty by the end of it but it was well worth the effort.

In between dancing sessions, there was a buffet dinner. They served a very limited selection: haggis, vegetarian haggis, mashed potatoes, turnips, and gravy. Before I left for Scotland last weekend, I had been refusing to eat haggis in Scotland since my diet has almost become vegetarian in the last couple years and I don't really like the sound of sheep brains. (Yes, that is what haggis is: sheep brains and oats and vegetables.) But when the moment of truth came, I caved. Or, well, I gathered up my courage and my adventurous spirit and ate it. Not even the vegetarian haggis but the REAL haggis. That's right: I did it! :) And it wasn't too bad. The texture was weird, but the flavor was good so you just had to forget what exactly you were eating. ;)

All in all, it was a very cultural evening. Scottish dancing, Scottish accents, Scottish food, Scottish music (bagpipes and all), and Scottish attire (a few guys were wearing kilts!). My pictures aren't great so you'll just have to take my word for it that it was a pretty spectacular event. More of this kind of entertainment to come, I hope!

In other news, I visited Holy Trinity church in the center of town this morning and it was a great experience. I met up with some friends of friends - the Egan family - and had a lovely chat with them after the service. They have three adorable young girls, whom they homeschool, so we had a lot to talk about! They hooked me up with a Tuesday night Bible study as well as a girl who knows about the Christian Union on campus and even a volunteer babysitting job on Thursday mornings for kids of postgrad families studying at St. Andrews (like the Egans, though their girls don't attend the Thursday morning group). So, all in all, it was a very productive, informative, and enjoyable day. Now for a new week of classes, socializing, studying, and activities. Prayers would be appreciated as I work out my new schedule and routine!