Due to internet proxy issues, I have been unable to post for a while, and the following post is from 2 weeks ago.
The last week before half term break has been busy as ever. On Monday, we did something in English that I haven’t done in a long time in a literature or English class: read. We went to the library in the Round Square building, and Mr Richardson told us to grab our novels and read for the period. It was very refreshing to read for pleasure, and incredibly surprising that it was an activity in class, instead of students having to use their own time to read for fun.
On Tuesday I played in my first netball match ever. Our match was in Glasgow, a good 5-hour bus ride. We left at 7 in the morning and got there around noon. We had half an hour before the Year 9’s had their match, so we went to Costa’s Coffee to eat lunch and grab a hot drink. We watched the Year 9’s play—they ended up losing–and then got back on the bus to drive to the school where we, the Year 10’s, would play. Unfortunately we got the wrong address, and it ended up taking us an hour and a half to get to the correct school. After beginning the match an hour later than planned, we soon discovered that the team we were facing was very good. The Year 10’s made it to the gold league this year, and would need to win this match in order to stay in it (unfortunately we lost 36-6). However, I had fun playing both Goal Shoot and Goal Attack, and even though we lost by a lot, played well considering the circumstances.
On the drive home we stopped at McDonalds for dinner and, let me tell you, the quality is just the same as in the US. We also hit another unexpected obstacle when a tree fell in the road, causing us to have to turn around and take another route. This added another hour and a half to our journey. We spent a total amount of 13 hours on the bus that day. Even though it was, well, long, I got to know Gracia (Spain), Flora (Scotland), Marnie (Australia), Julia (Australia), Angela, and Rhiannon quite well.
I also experienced a Scottish rainstorm. It started Wednesday afternoon and continued to rain harder as the day went on. The wind was picking up, whipping the rain in our faces as we walked to the theatre after prep. The chamber orchestra and chamber choir at Gordonstoun was invited to go on a music tour to South Africa, and they were performing at home before they left. A few Hopeman girls and I walked the kilometer from our house to the theatre in the pouring, blustery rain, and then from the theatre to dinner. We ended up looking like we just took a shower with our clothes on, but the music was totally worth it. The performance was amazing, and now I understand why Gordonstoun’s arts programs are so famous.
On Thursday Mr Ince and Miss Gibson took all of the exchanges to Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and Inverness, which was a very fun trip. Though I didn’t spot Nessie in the black waters of up to 700 feet deep, Urquhart was pretty cool, along with visiting the city.
Friday was the last day of term, and starting today is half term break.
The Athenian School Exchange Blog 