Adventures Abroad {Scotland}

Monday, February 20, 2012

November 2011

November 2011
My two interviews went well, but in the end both needed flexible schedules and I chose the job with more promised hours. I began training at the department store with the promise of 8 weeks of at least 20 hours a week. After two months I was desperate for a way to meet people, and the new job was the perfect opportunity! Praise the Lord for a chance to socialize. It should be a good way to get immersed into the community and to understand the Scottish people.

We had a great night out with the Edgars to "Magnificent Mendelssohn" at Caird Hall. The violinist Vadim Gluzman was quite theatrical and amazing! He and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra performed the Hebrides Overture and Violin Concerto (incredible!) by Mendelssohn and Dvorak's Symphony No.6. Caird hall itself has a beautiful interior and gave me lots to look at when I was not watching the orchestra. There are plans to bring down an office building nearby allowing a rear view of the hall from the Tay Road Bridge. Yay!

New places visited:

Caird Hall, Dundee

Huntingtower Castle, Perth

Mary Queen of Scots stopped and stayed here during her honeymoon!

The original painted ceiling, circa 1540, was discovered in 1914.
It includes colorful designs, animals, flowers, and biblical figures.

Some of the interior floors/ceilings are gone, which makes
for a fun perspective of the living quarters.

It's a good view from the top.

Places returned:

Magdalen Green & Riverside Drive

Bandstand at Magdalen Green

The Tay Bridge

Morning Train

Runner

Morning Moon

Autumn Tracks

October 2011

October 2011

I applied for about 30 jobs, which was a lot of work--researching online, calling, e-mailing, searching newspapers, and turning my resume into CV's that were specific to the particular openings. While we were praying for my employment, we know many more were interceding for us at home as well. Thank you for those of you who prayed as I was called at the end of the month for two interviews. Kirk took the bus to the Glasgow and Edinburgh for research, and on one of those trips Ben and Katie and their kids brought him back with all the kids for a sleepover. We spent the next day in St. Andrews for a visit to the Castle and Cathedral ruins. Lots of fun!

New places visited:

The Law, Dundee

The Law Monument to the Scottish who served in the World Wars.

Views from the Law-- From left to right, looking south over the Tay

Broughty Castle (far left), Oil Rig (left), Lighthouse (far right)

Tay Road Bridge (far left), Dundee (bottom), Tayport (top/across river)

Dundee University (around tall white/blue buildings), Tay Rail Bridge

The Silvery Tay

Broughty Castle, Dundee

View from the castle toward Dundee bridges

Kirk on the drawbridge

Sunbeams from the beach

Downtown Broughty Ferry, Dundee

At the board walk...before a seagull sabotaged my purse!

St. Andrews Cathedral and Castle

St Andrews Castle

Benson and KayLee

Funny face

Silly Parker

Awww...us. :)

Smile, Logan

The kids are tiny from this cathedral tower...158 steps?

St Andrews Castle (center left)

Cathedral remains

View toward the North Sea

Dudhope Park, Dundee

Magdalen Green, Riverfront, and Tay Rail Bridge, Dundee

Riverside Drive

An old mill on Shepherd's Loan, facing Magdalen Green.

Magdalen Green Bandstand

Captain Scott's RRS Discovery

The Riverfront

Arbroath Abbey, Arbroath

Inside the Abbey

Entrance to the Abbey

Burial site of William the Lion, King of Scots, 1165-1214

Declaration of Arbroath, 1320, facsimile

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Our first month in Scotland! September 2011

September 2011We packed five suitcases and two carry-ons with everything we would take to Scotland for the duration of Kirk's PhD studies. We arrived and stayed with Kirk's sister and brother-in-law, Ben and Katie Shore, who are church planters in Loanhead, near Edinburgh (http://missionaryshore.com). During the one and a half weeks with them, Ben helped us find housing in Dundee--a nice two-bedroom flat that allows us room for entertaining and hosting friends or family who may visit. I began looking for employment, and Kirk was excited to meet his supervisor at Dundee University and officially begin his research. We knew my Grandma Anderson was to be in the UK on a tourist trip and were able to meet up with her for a day in Edinburgh. While we had only been here for a couple of weeks it was nice to see family...but we probably were not the best travel guides, being new to the area ourselves. We also met the Edgars, a family of four who moved to Dundee to plant a church. The first church service was held in their home with hopes and prayers for a church building in the community. On the 30th Ben and our nephew Benson came up from Edinburgh, and the four of us went out to Carnoustie for Round 2 of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, seeing golfers and celebrities such as Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Ernie Els, Dustin Johnson, and Michael Douglas. Padraig Harrington (my favorite) actually gave Benson his golfball at the end of the 1st hole, and I got his autograph later along with McDowell's and Robert Karlsson's! Fun!

Places visited:

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Skyline of Edinburgh as viewed from the roof of the Museum.

Ben's parents and Aunt Bonnie were staying
with the Shores when we arrived...lots of fun!

Cool displays for the kids

Me and KayLee

McManus Gallery, Dundee

1st day in Dundee, outside the McManus

St.Peter's Church, Dundee (church of Robert Murray McSheyne)

"Erected by his sorrowing flock. In memory of The Reverend Robert Murray M’cheyne...
who died…in the thirtieth year of his age and seventh of his ministry.
Walking closely with God an example of the believers, in work, in conversation, in charity,in spirit, in faith, in purity, he ceased not day and night to labour and watch for souls, and was honoured by his Lord to draw many wanderers out of darkness into the path of life."