Hellooo Lovelies!
Well, it’s officially been 2.5 weeks since Matt and I left Atlanta. We are moved into our own flat – yippeee! We still are figuring out how to use the bus system, how to coax the lovely people at the Royal Bank of Scotland into giving us a bank account, and setting up internet in our new flat (thanks, unknowingly generous neighbor, for letting us “borrow” your wifi for the time being!).
Things have been a bit stressful during this settling-in period, and Matt and I keep thinking how hard this move would be if the native language here wasn’t English. That said, most of the time when someone says something to me with a heavy Scottish brogue or even a distinctive English accent I say, oh-so-eloquently, “Huh? Sorry, can you say that again?”
Thank goodness our English friends got us this book before we left the ATL:
And it isn’t just the language stuffs. Little things are different here. For instance.
1) Cars are teenier. Those two take up half an American parking space:
2) It’s not just a touristy ploy, the Scots do love Haggis everything (I do too, it turns out).
(Below) This was a food stall at the recent Edinburgh marathon:
3) Other things are smaller too. like our sink! Look how teeny. That normal sized bottle of soap tips off and falls into the sink constantly for lack of generous counter space:
Why such a teeny sink you wonder? Because it needs to fit in our teeny bathroom. If Matt and I are both in their at the same time, we have to queue to get out! Taking these photos I figured out a new way to wash my face (or stick my head in the sink out of despair because I can’t figure out how to maneuver out of the bathroom).
5) Another difference about this country? I tend to dress like this when I’m here. You never see me in hiking boots and a rain jacket in the ATL:
Next up! My new flat, and not just awkward bathroom pictures! Yippee! Miss you guys! I should have regularly running internet in the next few weeks. In the meantime, I’ll be slowly checking your comments and blogs with my stolen (and very slow — I’m not complaining!) wifi.
xoxoxo,
Lar
Lar, how do you still look so stylish in your rain/hiking gear?! Gives me hope that maybe my soon-to-be purchased puffer won’t look too unfashionable! And I knew you had told me your bathroom was small, but that is seriously small. Plus those curtains over the toilet look a bit shear for my comfort – hopefully that doesn’t look out into a courtyard with surrounding windows! I definitely want to try some haggis crisps when I get there. How do they taste?
Glad you are settling in- we miss you!
Miss you so much too, Cheryl!!!
yay! I can’t wait to hear more about the UK life-you’re making me so excited for my own big move coming soon (although seriously, I admire you guys dealing with the Scottish weather, even England’s rainy-ness is a bit too much for me over extended periods!)
HAHAHHA I love the pictures of you in your bathroom. Does that sound weird? hmmmm 🙂
Keep up the posting ladies!
My father was from Scotland, & I NEVER heard of haggis before I visited there. Our bathroom is about that big in the U.S.(but a little more thoughtfully arranged -our t.p. is on the back of the door though)! It’s palatial compared to some Japanese bathrooms I’ve seen. I think we have the same hiking boots (Can’t remember the name of mine, but I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in them!)
I hadn’t heard of haggis before Cath and I studied abroad here either, Eileen. What a weird concept, huh? Cath and I actually kinda like it, but I think that’s because anything from Scotland we love.
Aren’t these hiking boots amazing? I bought them last year when we thought we were going to do the West Highland Way.
Haggis and marmite are two things I can’t get into regardless of how much anyone can pay me or bribe me with naked photos of Cristiano Ronaldo. I picked up a tip from Korea regarding bathroom decor: you should buy one of those baskets that are held up by suction cups and use them to hold your toothbrush, toothpaste, soap. My bathroom was smaller than yours while I lived in Seoul (instead of a tub, I had a shower stall that literally fit me comfortably and anyone bigger than me tightly), and I discovered that saved a lot of counter space.
I haven’t traveled very much but I feel like I’m living vicariously through you and Cath – keep up the great pics and blog on!
so great to see what you have been up to Lar! looks like you’re having a great time over there. and that sink.omg. hilarious!!!
I still can’t believe you’re all the way in Scotland. It’s so crazy!!
We all miss you and have not had a Friday lunch since your departure. I need to address that; I don’t want our little tradition to fade away.
I think the tiny sink is brilliant! I’ve long wished for a second bathroom in our house, with miniature fixtures it might be doable.
Lar, I love these photos! And I love (if not envious of) your Scottish adventure! That book is sooo hilarious! I’d love to see other comparisons 🙂 What a tiny bathroom! I would probably go crazy claustrophobic in it! But hey, if you’re too lazy to stand up and wash your face, the tub looks like a pretty convenient seater! And haggis-everything? oh my.
“Mom, what is this– I don’t want to fill the sink with hot and cold water. I want the hot and cold water to flow from ONE faucet!!!” ~Me, crying, preteens, on first visit to Europe.
P.S. I want a picture of my couch 🙂
P.P.S. Miss you both!!!
haha i have to laugh at that bathroom photo. Coming from Hong Kong originally, I can relate. It’s so funny b/c i think north americans (us canadians included) are pretty much the only ones in the world we live with such large houses, cars, roads, stores, food servings etc etc.
Glad you’re settling in!
That suction cups thing is a good idea. But I’d also think of getting some low profile hanging shelves for that wall near the toilet (shower side) and a little bit next to the sink for small goods. I think you’ll need to stow your hair things and makeup and other implements in the bedroom.
Another thing, though the window is great and lets in lots of natural light, perhaps you can get a small floor cabinet/open shelf unit that goes over the toilet to utilize all that open air space. If you
Sink storage? http://www.marksandspencer.com/Marks-and-Spencer-Under-Storage/dp/B002BLHXMO?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_30&nodeId=43814030&sr=1-30&qid=1318440010 (Marks and Spencer should be in Scotland.)
Muji Soap tray: http://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?V=1&Sec=10&Sub=43&PID=3551
Muji suction ring hooks: http://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?V=1&Sec=6&Sub=31&PID=3591
🙂