Cheerio, Y'all!

Had my second culture shock moment.  I'm starting to recognize when they happen, because they're the only times I feel down and ready to cry.  I decided to stay in tonight and process for a bit, since I think part of the problem has been too much stimulation and not enough sleep.  Cue a mug of my new strawberry-banana tea and Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
I went to my first Ceilidh (pronounced "kay-lee") tonight, which is sort of a traditional Scottish dance.  We did figures, but no real steps (just skipping and spinning).  A lot of the kids had learned the dances in elementary school, which is still a lot cooler than the "Japanese Coal Miner's Dance" we learned with Mr. Banks.  On the other hand, since Scottish kids learn them, the calling was very brief and only really hit the front of the room. (Mind, the room was so full there was a line to get in, and every time a group left someone else could enter!)  Which still could have worked, but the proportion of Scottish students to international students, given that this is "international day" and this was a free Scottish culture event, meant that there weren't enough Scots to drag the rest of us through it.
It was still a lot of fun, but towards the end we did "The Virginia Reel."  Which was not like any Virginia Reel I've ever done.  But it was introduced as an American dance, and the caller had the room slap their knees and shout "yeee'haw!" several times during it.  I know there are tons of Virginia Reel variations, but I think what got to me was just how out of place the whole thing seemed.  Here was the one thing at this whole event I should be comfortable with, and it still threw me for a loop.  After sitting here processing this for a bit, I'm really just excited to chat with the New Scottish Country Dance Society and the "society fair" onWednesday, and to really learn some dances.

Not that I'm complaining mind you-there were very cute boys.  I danced with one during a mixer, and magically my dancing improved tremendously.  One of the girls watching nearby even told me I look very gracefully when I got flung! Amazing how that works ;)

Off to make more tea.  Be back with pictures soon.