Saturday 18 February 2012

Air ais a-rithist ~ Back again!

Halo a h-uile duine!

First off, I'm sorry that I've waited so long to add another post. I've no clue who 'you' are, but I've been thinking about you over the past while, meaning to write, but for one reason or another it hasn't happened. In a similar vein, I have a number of apologies to make. Since being over here I've received emails and messages from lots of different people. As you well know, I'm not the quickest of responders to e-mails and for that I'm sorry. I haven't forgotten about you and I am in the process of writing a number of postcards and letters, so expect something from Scotland within the next month! :)
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I suppose as this is my first post of 2012, I should say Happy (Belated) New Year, or Bliadhna Mhath Ùr Dhuibh!
I've been back on Skye now for about a month and the workload is already starting to pile up. To be honest, I'm actually quite enjoying it. I found it rather weird last semester not having essays or papers to write, but now there is no shortage, what with three essays, two journals and a presentation all starting to become due at the end of March. On top of that, I'll have six exams, again spread throughout March, April and May.
It's amazing to think that I only have about 2 and a half months left in Scotland. Time sure seems to fly.

This coming week will be my last on Skye for a while as I'm heading to the Isle of Harris for a three-week work placement on the 25th, next Saturday. I'll be working at a historical and genealogical centre in Northton, just outside the town of Leverburgh. Leverburgh is where I caught the ferry between Harris and North Uist on my travels back in October. I'm really looking forward to it, but am nervous at the same time. They say that the work placement, or greis-gnìomhachais, is the time when you really start to become confident and more natural in your Gaelic speech, so here's to hoping that's true.
Not too much has happened outside of schoolwork since I've come back. I've been doing a lot of planning for my next adventures, because the Easter holidays happen shortly after I come back from Harris and I'll have two weeks off.
At this point, it looks like Ireland and Iona will be where I'll spend my Easter. I have a few friends from CBU studying in Limerick, so it would be nice to give them a visit and see what the Emerald Isle has to offer. As for Iona, I've been wanting to make a trip there since coming to Scotland and I figure Easter could be one of the best times. The Abbey will be open for Holy Week celebrations, providing accommodation, food and a great time for discussion and meditation. After that, I'll catch a cheap flight across to Ireland, have a pint of Guiness and fly back to Scotland in time for exams! :) 

That's all for now,

Gus an ath thuras!