In Scotland and doing fine

Hello everyone. Sorry I have been unable to post anything. This is partly because we've been so busy and partly because the internet is not set up in my house yet. But we should have it sometime this week.


So, my first experience flying was rather uneventful. Casey (not Casey Saline) and I boarded our flight from Pittsburgh to Newark without any problems. Apparently I looked a little more shady than I thought though because security thought I was hiding something in my pockets and they had to search them. Oh well. I got to sit next to 18 month old Bo and his mom during the flight which relieve much of my stress. I had no idea the safety instructions were so interesting, but Bo explained them all to me. Soon after landing, Casey and I found Graci (by 'found' I mean we creeped up behind her because we weren't sure if it was her or not). The three of us got to spend some extra time waiting in Newark however because our flight was delayed about an hour. I had no idea planes were so hard to find. Luckily on this flight I got a window seat and I got to see the lights of New York City as we took off. The next morning while I was listening to Phil Wickham sing "It is Well" I watched the sun come up. (This was probably the highlight of the whole experience).


We were welcomed properly into Scotland by the rain. The three of us found it rather hard to function the rest of the day. I know I only had 2 hours of sleep on the plane and the others didn't have much more than that. Heather (Rev Andrew's wife) and Kathryn (her daughter) were kind enough to take Graci and I to get some groceries. We found the store very intimidating and only grabbed the essentials. Luckily though, Tim, a student from Kansas here to work on his Doctorate, offered to make dinner for all of us. Friday we did not do very much again because we were fighting jet lag. We explored Airdrie and did not get lost. I count that as a win.


Saturday we set out with a group from the RP church here and some people from the RP church in Glasgow to Edinburgh. On the way there in the "coach" we all joined in singing Psalms to pass the time. Edinburgh is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities. Check out the pictures in the web album if you don't believe me. We went on the Covenantor Tour led by Jimmy (a member of the Airdrie church) and started in the Cathedral of Saint Giles. You might wonder why a Covenantor tour would start in a Catholic church but it is the sight of John Knox's grave (under the parking lot) and his statue. Within the Cathedral were several tombs of men who persecuted the Covenantors. It baffles the mind that the church used to be persecuted by everyone else and somehow it got twisted around so that the church began to persecute itself. From the Cathedral we went to the National Museum of Scotland. Here we saw two of the five remaining Covenants that were drawn up by the Scottish Reformers and signed by a mass of believers. Also on display was a grim reminder of the fate that awaited a discovered Covenantor: the guillotine.  From the museum we made our way to an obscure little church in Edinburgh that most don't know about. The Scottish Reformation Society allowed us into the Magdalen Chapel which has housed numerous congregations and denominations. This sight was particularly significant to the Covenantors because it was where, after execution in the Grass Market, their bodies would go to be dressed for burial. Even though they were executed as heretics and traitors to the crown, they still maintained the right to a Christian burial. Here again we sang a few Psalms and the words rang through the Chapel with an intensity that gave me goose bumps. After our time of praise in the Chapel, we broke for lunch in the Grass Market. Graci and I are not sure why it is called the "Grass Market" because there was no grass. It is a completely paved over town square now home to all manner of shops, restaurants, hotels and street performers. We were entertained by a brass band and later a beat boxer while we ate the lunches we packed. After regrouping, we headed to the Greyfriars Kirk (which is the most haunted sight in all of Briton). This was another peculiar sight where Coveantors and their executors are buried. A Kirk is a grave yard and this Kirk is home to the mass grave the convicted were thrown into after execution or were imprisoned in until their exile. So as not to end our tour on such a grim note, we were then led by Tim to the University of Edinburgh where he studies. Tim, along with several other students, put together a collective history of how music was reshaped and preserved through the Reformation in Scotland. The display contained the oldest bound musical books of Psalters along with several musical instruments used during that time. Thus ended our Covenantor Tour of Edinburgh, but the four of us have already been discussing plans to go back and explore the city and the castle.


Graci and I, tired from the day though we were, endeavored to make a fancy dinner after returning home. We had salad and garlic bread with our tortellini and chicken. For some reason we could not find Alfredo sauce at the supermarket so we used carbonara. Also, we did not notice until we were cooking them that the tortellini had spinach in it. Deciding to try it all together anyways, we sat down to dinner. It was quite good if I do say so. After dishes and showers, we had our first biscuits and hot chocolate for desert. These were also very good.


Today we went to church for the first time. Rev Andrew is in Ireland though so we had a guest speaker. Afterwards, Grant and Yvonne (a family from church) made us Indian curry chicken and rice. For dessert, we had a meringue based strawberry "pudding" which we all enjoyed (except for Josh because he is a communist and does not eat strawberries). At 6:30 tonight there is another church service that we are going to go to and so this is all for now. Graci and I are going to head back over to our house and make mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and chicken for dinner before church starts. Till next time ya'll.


Picasa web album link for Edinburgh pictures:


https://picasaweb.google.com/108532852514122909750/August2428?authkey=Gv1sRgCOjVve7Fg5vlQg#

Packing your life in 50 pounds.

So this is my first excursion overseas, out of country and anywhere further than Florida. As a Missions major that is a little sad but there is no time like the present and so off to Airdrie I go. Airdrie is a town in Scotland that lies between Edinburgh and Glasgow. In comparison to the cities, Airdrie is rather small but with respects to my home town of Emporium, Pennsylvania, it's a city. Regardless of it's size, one would ask what would draw me to this obscure town in a country far away? The study abroad program offered through Geneva College in partnership with the Covenanter Theological Institute of Airdrie provides students to complete 9 Bible credits and 6 Ministry credits. The classes I will be taking are Scottish Reformation and Covenanting History, Systematic Theology, Life & Work of Paul, and Reformed Evangelism. In addition to classes, I will also be interning with the local Reformed Presbyterian Church. I am not sure yet what this internship will look like but it will definitely offer me the chance to experience first hand the cross cultural aspect of this major. Living in a different country, not staying in a dorm or on a campus, and integrating myself into the community through the Internship that I will have with the host church will more than give me a taste of what my future career will entail.


A week from tomorrow I will have my first trip on an airplane. Oddly enough I was not worried about this aspect of the trip when I was accepted into the program. As it draws closer to take off, I have packed and repacked my suitcase a few times (and plan to do so again). The airline dictates that one's suitcase can only be 50 pounds. If you need more than 50 pounds of paraphernalia than you have two options: pack two suitcases or pay the over weight fee. Neither of these options much appealed to me, hence the need for repacking. Some advice for some who might be in my position of trying to pack their entire lives in 50 pounds:


1) Instead of packing shower gel, pack bar soap. Soap lasts longer, is smaller and far cheaper to replace.


2) Skimp on the number of jeans you take. Jeans can be worn more than once before needing washed. Also, nobody notices if you wear the same jeans more than once a week.


3) Space bags. This is one infomercial that delivers and now they're in stores too. Space bags make it easy to pack more without taking up all the space in your suitcase.


4) Pack heavier items in your carry on bag. If you're a book hoarder like me and can't go anywhere without at least two books, make sure to put them in the carry on. This way you can utilize the books during layovers and while on the plane without weighing down the suitcase with your personal library.


5) Bring versatile shoes. There is really no need to take more than 4 pairs of shoes. Make sure to bring shoes for all occasions but bring shoes that are suitable for various occasions. PS flip flops are not included in these 4 pairs, they are needed, bring them.


So back to what I was saying before, once I get settled in Scotland and classes start, I hope to be posting twice a week. In addition to classes, we will be traveling to the various locations that will be discussed in the church history class. With any luck I can post every Wednesday after each of these trips. I will most definitely be posting on Sundays though. If you would like to follow my semester abroad and any trips that might come in the future stay tuned.