August 9th - My first visit to Glasgow Uni + Bus Ticket

The police sirens in Glasgow keep going. I hear them pretty much every day, at least once a day. Glasgow seems to be more dangerous than I thought. Luckily the police is rather quick to reply, as I have found out two days ago, when I sent them an e-mail, thinking there was a sprayer outside (and I might get a reward - i. e. a financial boost - for telling on him), and they came minutes later. Turned out it was only some china that had been sprayed and that it was a very legal activity going on outside (I'd only heard the rattling noises of a spray can and had difficulties breathing due to the strong aerosol rushing in through my window). I hadn't dared going outside showing my face in case it had indeed been a sprayer, because I wouldn't have wanted the sprayer to get mad at me and later seeking revenge for me telling on him... it was all very adventurous in my mind. Besides it was my first encounter with the police. Very exciting...and finally some more English I could speak, so it was worth it. They weren't mad at me for contacting them without there being an emergency either.


Looks like I've made the best deal possible. I've talked to Eunice again and managed to negotiate a lower rent. So now it's only 200 pounds and the heating works, I get to keep the wardrobe. The mattress is not too cozy, but sleeping on the couch will do as well, ... there's two couches, and very comfortable ones too. I told her she would've probably found no other tennant who'd be willing to sleep in the living room. So a lower price would only be fair. Especially since the odds of me finding another apartment at this time and for such a short term are ... well, really, I've replied to several adds on Gumtree after Eunice told me about moving out of the room. So far, there's been only one response, telling me that the lease would be for 12 months only. So it seems very unlikely that I'll find a better place to stay, ESPECIALLY because the rent is so low now, and both my flatmates seem okay with me staying, ... so there's nothing for me to complain about anymore, really. :-) I'm quite happy I get to keep so much of my money... That might come in handy, once I want to go out with friends here. :-)

UPDATE:

It'd been a real mess again finding the acutal Buchanan "Bus Station", but I made it! And I even got my Student FirstCard (i. e. bus ticket) for Zone 1 for an entire 10 weeks, though on the website it says you actually need a valid student ID to prove you study at one of the universities in Glasgow. And I tell you why that worked out so easily, because Glaswegians prove to be somewhat easy-going and tend not to complicate adminitrative matters. So the man on the counter was perfectly happy seeing a letter from Glasgow Uni confirming that I studied there. I didn't even want to see my passport. There wasn't even a date on the letter. It could've been from four years ago. Jessica, by the way, told me she hasn't been a student for 4 years but still shows her student ID around everywhere and gets discounts. ... xDDDD

And thanks to Rebecca, who's been a real help again (gotta make up for that somehow), I easily found Glasgow Uni today. And I've fallen in love with it right away. It's situated in such a beautiful area. Listened to Travis' 'Why does it always rain on me' on the way and the sun was shining, but it was drizzling a little, which contributed even more to the British atmosphere...it was great. And the architecture of the buildings, the academic atmosphere and the people there...really helpful and, again, easygoing. I had my paper for the German BAföG-Amt signed in no time and without any additional problems I was handed it back with a friendly smile. Whenever do you get that at MY university in Germany?? I LOVE THIS PLACE!








I've also received a reply from a woman named Damisha who told me her flat was still available and I could come check it out. So that's what I'm going to do, as soon as she tells me when and how to get there. It seems to be a bit closer to the City Centre. That's all I know so far. In case it's not much more expensive and the room is actually nice, I might in fact reconsider staying here... but we'll see. I actually don't feel like telling the BAföG-Amt that I've moved to another place. Not to think of all the other people I might need to inform. But that'll sure be no big problem, it's just that I'm usually a bit phlegmatic about administrative and organisational work. Guess it's nothing compared to some of my friends though. ^^ Right, Tom? :-P