Ruffles, bright colors, and a potluck (by the way, DO NOT pull the red cord!!)

Today was shopping day in Stirling! After our morning classes, my flat mates, several other friends of ours and I ventured off via bus to the city and did some serious shopping. The venue was The Thistles, which is the local shopping centre (mall). Boy, I got some great bargains today!!!! That's what I love about shopping; even locals in Scotland know a good bargain when they see it. While we were all shopping around, it gave me the opportunity to see how the clothing differences were here compared to the US. I noticed that there were lots of bright colors, particularly in this one store called Top Shop...or something like that, I can't remember the name exactly at the top of my head. Also, there were lots of floral patterns, mostly on dresses. I guess that's a common theme here.

But there is one teeny tiny blonde moment that I must share, because I'm sure for most of you you will get a laugh out of it. So I was in this bathroom, and I couldn't find the flusher handle. I looked and looked, until I saw a red cord dangling from the ceiling. I had read somewhere that for some toilets you have to pull a string hanging from the ceiling to flush the toilet. So I pulled it, thinking it was the flusher. It wasn't. It was the fire alarm. So there I am, in this strange bathroom, I still can't find the flusher, and on top of that a loud high-pitched siren was blaring in my ear. This lady then came in and shut it off, and I kept apologizing over and over because I was so embarrassed. Ironically, right before the lady got there to turn off the dang alarm, I found the flusher....on the right side of the toilet. *long, extended sigh* Ok, enough about my Scottish bathroom traumas.

After we got back from Stirling, one student sent out an International Summer School (ISS) invite to her flat for a potluck dinner. It was really fun, and I made a new friend tonight. :) Now I'm back here in my room and just finished some reading for class. I still have a bit more to do, but the book I'm reading isn't very long. Blarg, I have class in the morning, so I'll be up early when the Stir Cafe opens and I'll be first in line for COFFEE!!!!!!!!!! But in all seriousness, I could get used to only having class three days a week. It is such a treat, and I don't have very many assignments. Ok, I'll stop bragging now and finish some more of my homework. More to report tomorrow. Cheers!