Pink tartan tights

I felt really cold today for the first time in awhile. The weather's been pleasantly moderate for the past week or so, but today on my 15-minute walk home from work I couldn't stop shivering....brrr. It's supposed to get even colder, too.  I have extreme weather envy for the lucky ducks  in L.A. 

That said, the overall weather experience here hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I was expecting it to rain almost every day and for it to be really cold, but it hasn't rained very much at all and though I just complained for a while, the weather is very bearable. But on to more exciting things.

I've been working at the Parliament for almost two and a half weeks now, and while I'm getting progressively more tired as the experience goes on, it's been really good thus far. They're working me hard: I'm often one of the first people there in the morning and one of the last to leave at night on my floor; some of the other interns in the program were even told they don't have to work Mondays or Fridays. But in return for all the time put in I feel as though I'm getting important experience and alot of responsibility. I've found this internship so far to be the most intellectually stimulating I've had, and that really excites me.  Call me a nerd if you want, but analyzing health statistics has honestly been one of the high points of my work days so far.  And I've raved about the food already, but I could go on.

Embarrassing work story: Today I was guiding some people who had just met with my MSP back to reception, and I actually got lost doing so. The building is ridiculously confusing and as I was apologizing profusely it was the people I was leading who figured out where to go.  Major fail.

I turned in my final paper last Friday yesssss, and the weekend was full of celebratin'. Friday was a friend's birthday, so we went to her flat for a Mardi Gras-themed party followed by a romp through Edinburgh to a very classy bar called Tiger Lilly.  Saturday night was the official intern "we're done" shindig, hosted by my flatmate and me at our flat.  The theme was to dress as either Paddy or in tartan, and I chose the latter: I managed to find pink tartan tights!

[caption id="attachment_225" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Mandatory glamour shot. Don't I look so Scottish?"][/caption]

It was a really fun night, and it's great but strange in a way to be completely done with school for the semester. By completely done I mean I still have a lengthy research project at the Parliament to do, but no more official school or school work. 

Since I tend to be quite the sentimentalist, I want to report that tomorrow marks the halfway point of the parliamentary program. I'll still be in Europe for three weeks after that traveling, but even so I can't believe what a short amount of time I have left. I feel as though there's so much more of Scotland to experience, and I know this is probably my one shot to really have the chance to see it right. March already, what the heck?

This weekend I meet up with the Lillycat in London, and I couldn't be more excited to see her.  Our reunion will be epic, just you wait.