my first photo-shoot

I know I promised an update about the music classes first, but this was too strange... I had to post it!

I had to get some passport photos today so that I could get my visa to stay in Germany past the normal 90 tourism limit. Normally there are just photobooths all over that you can pay €5 and get your 4 passport photos. Well, does Forchheim have such advanced technology? Of course not. So I had to an actual photo shop and get a pack of passport photos made for €12! The price, however, is not what was so weird about the experience. So the first big difference that I noticed was there are several different types of "passport photos" because the ones for actual passports and IDs and driver's licenses all have a different format. The one I wanted was "biometrisch"... Not really sure what that means/translates too.

To give you a basis of comparison for this next part, let me tell you about all my passport photo obtaining experiences in the states:

I go to Sam's (where it's usually cheapest), they stand me against the closest white wall, take a picture, format it to the right size on the computer, and print it out. The end.

My experience this morning, however was much different:

I told them I wanted my biometrisch passport photos and they take me over to the shooting area. it was a little niche, but with very professional lighting, back-drop, tripod camera, etc. As soon as I sit on the stool, a woman came up to me with powder make up - "I'm just going to give you a little powder" - and proceeded to powder my face. Around the nose, forehead, chin, on the nose.... I felt like I was getting ready for news broadcast. Then another woman comes over to take the picture. "keep your shoulders back, now bring your head forward. No shoulders stay back. Look a little to the left, too much! now tilt your head to the right... ok, no smiling, look relaxed. relaxed. stay relaxed" She snapped three quick pictures then went over to the machine to format them down to size. Oh right, and completely edit my face. She's starts editing the picture, changing the lighting in places, smoothing out my skin... AND REMOVING MY FRECKLES! Legit. She pressed a button and BAM no more freckles. Now, no kid ever wants freckles when they're little; they're to the kindergartener what braces are to the 7th grader. But by the time you're 23 and you've lived through the childhood of torment, and relived the torment when South Park told the world about "gingers" and "day-walkers", they sort of become a defining part of you. Yes. I have a lot of freckles. They may look like specks of dirt, they might be evidence of my lack of soul, but they are part of me! But for the year, to the German foreign department, I will be Emily Gauld, freckleless.

Finally, after all the beautifying, posing and editing I got to take my pictures go get my visa.

Innocent Gun

Just a few observations/happenings in Edinburgh so far:

• The weather has been gorgeous! Mostly sunny and reaching into the mid 70's everyday.
• The Fringe Festival, an annual comedy festival in the city, is currently taking place, meaning there are very entertaining street performers all over the city and all kinds of comedy shows to attend during the day and night. Last night we went to a comedy act at 12:15 (am!) by a group called the Axis of Awesome. They did not disappoint
• I have been really impressed by the food so far. I've tried to keep it very native, partaking in such delicacies as fish and chips (yum!), haggis complete with mashed potatoes and turnips (another yum... if you just don't think about what it really is. google it), and baked potatoes where you can order all sorts or pre-made toppings - I chose cheese, onion and pineapple (a very big YUM!). Last night we had a more traditional Swedish meal with crawfish (where I discovered a deep-seated affinity for playing with food that has a face), crab quiche (my contribution which actually fit nicely since the traditional side dish is cheese quiche!), Swedish schnaps, and a delicious Swedish desert of strawberries in a whipped cream-ish mixture
• Scottish beers are weak!! They're really lacking in the flavor department. I know I got conditioned to like really bitter and hoppy beers with Terrapin, and I was prepared for a lack of bitterness. But man! I was really expecting more out of the beers. I even tried a Scottish IPA (a type of beer that is characterized by it's extra hoppy flavor) and that was a let down! The one beer I've liked is actually a local Edinburgh beer called Innis & Gunn. Even though I was sure every one was saying "Innocent Gun" for the longest time, I finally tried it last night and it does have plenty of flavor, it's just a little too sweet to drink a lot of. I guess I'll just have to hold out for the whiskeys.
• The busses are a little crazy here. It's not enough to be standing at the bus stop, you have to actually flag down your bus when you see it coming, otherwise it will just speed past you. I found this out the hard way! Then on the bus, you have to press the stop button like normal, only they don't announce or show the next stop in any way, so you basically have to know exactly where you're going to know where to get off! But it is pretty fun to ride on the top of a double decker bus!
• There are so many GINGERS! Normally I'm very territorial about being "the redhead" but here there is a sense of camaraderie among us gingers. I am at home among my people.

Simon's parents came in town last night, because tonight there is a big fancy party at one of their friends' places. We are all invited! I'm excited to get all dressed up! We didn't get back in till about 3:45 last night (and we walked a good mile or so home from the city center) so today is a pretty lazy day - just doing some quick shopping in the city then coming back to get all fancied up.