Today was a day to purge the library. Yes, purge. You see, there are two of us, each with an undergraduate degree in literature, and each of us with a Master’s – one in Information Systems (me), the other in English and Creative Writing. So, we have had quite a lot of books.
In order to move, we’ve decided that there are three categories of object: that which comes with us, that which is sold, and that which is given away. Nothing will be stored at this end. So, we went through the libraries (one in the office, the other downstairs, and the miniatures next to our bedsides) and pulled all of the books which will not be going with us, and we took them to the used book store. We ended up with 15 paper grocery bags full of books to sell, of which the bookstore took about 7. The other 8 went to the library, as donations.
Did we make a fortune? No – enough to cover gas, and probably some yarn. Nothing earth-shattering. Selling books is never a paying proposition, really. But they were books, and we parted with them. Can you tell that this is a serious venture, moving abroad? In the process, the book-buyer informed us that Scotland is wonderful (he’d been there a decade ago), as did the librarian. Has everyone associated with books been to Scotland? Strange.
I spoke with the financial office of the university this morning, and it was a truly surreal conversation. I’m gathering that I talk a little faster than the Glaswegians expect, and that their time-scale is a bit longer than what I’m used to. I was told that “there’s plenty of time,” something which is just … well, bizarre to me. I feel the need to “go go go,” but they’re just not that way, somehow. It was like speaking to someone from the American South, but with a different accent. Strange.
I mentioned this to the book-buyer (yes, we had that many books) and he confirmed my impression: he says that if we’re to visit London at all, we should do it while we’re still adjusted to the pace of life here in California, else it’s going to be quite a shock, once we’ve adjusted to Glasgow. We’ll see. It’d be nice to be that relaxed … but, well, I’m not sure I know how to be, really. I mean, I’ve been relaxed, but it means something different, to me, than I think it does to the Scots. I’ve been known to be perfectly happy waking up at 4 a.m. to bake a dozen loaves of bread, for example. I think that’s not relaxed enough for Glasgow.
Culture Shock, here we come.
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I absolutely LOVE that we (husband and myself) have lost some of our Type-A-drivenness. How cool to slow down enough to enjoy life! All the best to you in your culture shock! And indeed it can be an enjoyable experience!
tee hee! will you have to wear robes at school? while taking a tour of the univesity of st. andrews in st. andrews we got the whole low down on who wears the robe how. it will be interesting! have fun!
Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if you had to wear a robe? But alas. Phooey. I’m afraid you’ll look like a scrungy college student with all the rest.
And you never know – relaxed doesn’t mean sleeping. Maybe the Glaswegians get up and fish at 4 whilst you’re baking bread. And you will be stomping along the lane for your tea, and everyone will nod to you and continue on, in foggy silence.
…why does that sound so blissful? I think I’m ready to slow down a bit at least(says she who works at home.).
Wow, you must talk like an express train – I’m always nbeing told by my English ‘cousins’ that us Scots talk waaaay too fast.
India
Keep in mind, everybody, that when I did my first master’s I was wanting to double up on the classes, because it was going too slowly. AND I was working full-time.
Express-train? Well … let’s just say that my students tend to actually NEED breaks from my lectures. I specialize in delivering large volumes of information in as densely packed bundles as possible.
T tells me that maybe it was just that the finance lady was used to dealing with high-strung / stressed out people, so was a bit more … relaxed. Here’s hoping, because I just can’t see slowing down much further … although I could quit drinking tea, I suppose. Hmm. Headaches … but I’d be slowed down.
ohhhh, parting with book is never easy. I don’t understand why it’s hard for me to get rid of novels that I hated reading/writing about. Something about books.
But. There will be books there.