Good bye, Glasgow

 

Almost four years ago, some time in mid September 2006, I set foot in Glasgow for the second time in my life, only then I wasn’t just visiting – I was starting a new life there. The city had impressed me back in January or February earlier that year and I was very excited knowing that that was the place where I was going to take my education at university level.

I arrived by plane at Prestwick International and took a train into the city. Central Station was beautiful and when I walked out, Glasgow greeted me with light rain, almost as if saying ‘you’d better start getting used to it, boy’. I knew where the university was but I had no idea how to get to the halls so I simply headed for the main building and asked one of the security officers for directions. And that’s when I experienced Glaswegian helpfulness, and not for the first time – he offered to take me in his car to the halls. On the way he asked questions and told me a few interesting facts about the school and the West End. I struggled to understand what he was saying as I was not familiar with the accent at all. The exterior of the halls as well as the Student Village looked very neat (a far cry from what I was used to back in Poland) but inside, the flats resembled a prison more than cosy student accommodation, (although I didn’t complain).

 

The beginnings were very difficult and there were times I thought I’d just pack up and go back home, but I persisted. Looking for a job was a nightmare and each passing day took away some hope leaving me with very little of it left indeed but after about a month of looking for work, I managed to find it. Before classes began, I thought I’d have difficulties following lectures or doing coursework because of my English but these worries proved wrong and it tuned out that the months I had spent living and working in England were extremely helpful.

Soon after I started settling in, I made some friends and met T. who lived in the same building as I did and who was to be my companion for almost the rest of my stay in Glasgow.

It is only now, in hindsight that I can see how much has changed: when I arrived, I knew no one there, the city was almost completely strange to me and, of course, I had no idea what the future would bring; I left knowing that I was leaving behind a place and people who will always be in my heart but I was also leaving with a baggage of experience and knowledge, with nice and not so nice memories and with the thought that I will always be able to call the Green Place ‘home’.

(16.09.2006 – 19.08.2010)