eumc take-over

so it's been about a week now since i've blogged, i promise to make this as quick as possible so this post doesn't get too ridiculous...

last week's highlights:
*Climbing at Aberdour(weds.) - took the train with to aberdour, half hour away, little village right on the firth with great sea cliff climbing. First outdoor climb! Went pretty well, a lot harder than indoors though! I did manage to make it up, yay, with only a couple bumps and bruises. Fun time, great views, didn't have the camera with but this is one my friend Yan took of me.

*EUMC theme party - "My Hero" I went as Jack Sparrow... quite a fun time going to all the charity shops (secondhand stores where all the money goes to specified charity, all over the place here) trying to find costume bits with my friend Heather. I eventually found some great boots (which later turned out to be not so great as they KILLED my feet) and a leather vest, rest of my costume i just put together out of stuff i had. The party was great fun, hilarious to see what everyone came was - there WAS another jack sparrow, but i think i pulled it off better, despite being a girl! The flatmates throwing the party all dressed as ninja turtles, reminded me of katie and the girls last halloween!

<-- campsite was in the field of a farm... had some sheep and chickens for company = )

Then this last weekend i ventured out to the Lake District of northern England. I had signed up for an intro climbing course which turned out to be AWESOME. (EUMC organized for a course to be available for beginners who wanted some professional instruction, so I made sure to get a spot!) Our instructor was great, i learned so much! Saturday we learned a lot of basics - how to set up ropes, tie basic climbing knots like the clove hitch, and got to do a bit of tricky climbing on Sticklebarn crag. Then Sunday we went to an easier crag to try out leading (bit of explanation: top roping is basically like what you'd see at a climbing wall, where the rope threaded through a secure at the top and you have a partner belaying at the bottom as you climb, leading is more advanced but more typical climbing where the climber sets up secures while they climb using nuts - little wire devices - threading the rope through as they go, then the person belaying at bottom follows while the person who lead belays them from the top... ok that probably made no sense you really have to have a visual to understand lol) ANYWAYS, leading was really great, we did a multi-pitch route with 5 climbs (5 times leading/belaying process) stopping at ledges between each new pitch. Our instructor solo climbed beside us so we could ask questions and he could point out good crevasses to put nuts in, so we weren't totally on our own! It was an easier crag too, so it was good for first time leading. I liked the multi-pitch a lot cause you really get some great views and such an amazing feeling of freedom when your up there. After the climbs we'd absail back down, which is what I'm doing in this last pic - i'm the little white spec at the top. Quite a rush! (the photos of me climbing were taken by my instructor Neil who took my camera while i was leading to take pics of me "looking like a pro," guy in red jacket is my friend Yan - the one of just him i took when we were chillin on a ledge awaiting our turn on the next pitch)

Overall, great weekend - weather was so-so, rained a bit but got really sunny and beautiful a lot of the time time too. Such funny weather over here! Waterproofs were definitely a good investment...

Now another monday roles around again, back to class and library fun. Starting to get the hang of the whole "choose whatever background reading you want/think you should do on your own" deal... key phrase "starting to"

OOOh and birthday coming up, excitement! That should keep me going through this week, looking forward to quite the celebration since it's also my friend Courtney's b-day. Haven't had time to actually make any plans, haha, i think we'll go out to dinner somewhere nice? And hit the pubs after of course ; )

Well, definitely keeping busy, perhaps a little too busy - but that's probably a good thing. Miss you all, warm wishes as fall rolls around! (p.s. dad/anyone who has them - can you please send some pics from the wedding?!)

~R