First Day

Today was the welcome to new students in the School of Divinity. Very interesting indeed. After and introductory session with faculty, we went to the cafeteria (Rainy Hall, see below) for what they call Speed Befriending. Actually it was quite nice. I sat with three other guys at a pic-nic bench style table sharing coffee and muffins. One just finished his Masters from Oxford, another was from Arkansas and had been a pastor in the States, and the fourth was formerly employed with the Bank of London and is now at New College getting a Masters in Theological Ethics. We had a chance to discuss our proposed topics and even shared some ideas for sources. It was good to finally be engaged in what I came here to do.

Rainy Hall, where I had coffee and muffins. There were more people in it then. I was not by myself in the corner imagining that I was talking to people. This is from the New College website.

I found that there is a bus that picks me up about 100 yards from Delaney's daycare and drops me off right in from of New College. Sweet! So, though it will cost me 2 pounds a day (money, not weight), it will ensure that I could get to and from school without much walking in the cold and rainy months. On nice days like today, I could have walked home (about a 30 minute walk). However, today I had to pick Delaney up early, so I took the bus.

The professors seem very approachable and straightforward. Not a lot of pomp. I have not been in the New College library yet. I am told it is a rennovated Church of Scotland and is a quite nice place to study. I am looking forward to getting all of the necessary credentials this week so I can get going, coming and going as I please from the library, etc...

Things are going well, except I have not found a job yet. I met a guy at church on Sunday who is here doing his PhD in Old Testament. He and his wife have four kids. He said that he does not intend on working at all while he is here. He will be devoting all of his week to study. That was interesting. Maybe he knows something I don't, like the thought of working is utterly preposterous. That seems to be the reaction I get when I tell folks I'm looking for a job. They say, "Working, and a PhD?" with raised eyebrows. Perhaps I am in for a rude awakening. But the job search goes on anyway. Thus far I have enquired at 1) a health food store 2) a music store 3) a Bargain Store 4) the maintenence department at the school 5) a library on campus 6) a Social Work firm (handling disputes between customers and busineses 6) Banner of Truth Trust (a Christian publisher here in Edinburgh). It seems they are always looking for more hours than I am allowed to work (15 hours a week), I am not qualified, or there is driving involved.

Once I go through matriculation, I will have access to carreer services here, which may help with placing me in a part time job, but until then I am pounding the pavement. More exciting posts to come, we have some pictures to share that are pretty good.

Tim