The weeks in Scotland have passed by so rapidly. We have spent about two weeks in Glasgow, and that includes hours upon sweet sweet hours in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.. Never would I have imagined to be spending my afternoons in such a special place. As I started applying for colleges my senior year of high school, one of my main deciding factors for Pepperdine University was their Edinburgh program, especially because we would partake in attending the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. I had been dreaming of a summer like this since 2021. And now I am here.
Since arriving in Glasgow, besides classes, we spend a considerable amount of time in the halls and rehearsal room of this wonderful conservatoire. After my religion class, I usually spend the following two hours eating lunch, shopping, walking the streets, grabbing coffee or studying my lines. Then, most days I head to rehearsal around 2pm for the next few hours.
Rehearsals have been such a fruitful and blossoming experience. Our wonderful director, Hollace Starr, creates a space that allows us to find our characters with a natural progression. We get to play around, move all over the room with no boundaries, and improvise in a safe environment.
One of the most special memories I hold was improvising with Chloe Higgins, my Lily in ‘No One is Coming to Save Us,’ during one of our first rehearsals. We immersed ourselves in the youthful sisterhood of our characters to find the origins of our special childhood memories. Being on stage with such a talented friend has brought incomparable experiences during our rehearsals.
During rehearsals, we have focused on movement to paint the image of friendship, love, reality, tragedy and grief. The past few weeks, we were focusing on how we can open the show and immerse the audience into the connections between all of the friends and the storytellers, interweaving everyones stories. I have really admired watching all of us in the room putting together ideas to create the magical words of Lewis Hetherington. I feel so much joy knowing that all of our brilliant minds are piecing the puzzle pieces together to paint the message of ‘No One is Coming to Save Us.’
On certain days, I go to the cafe of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and buy a sandwich. And let me tell you, WOW, like seriously!!! Their sandwiches are truly made with magic. I’m sure the chipotle mayo sauce helps, but I always look forward to those days.
Every once in a while (as in one time), several of us headed over to a wee concert after rehearsal by the one and only Hozier at the Glasgow Green. Not only was I getting to see one of my favorite artists, but I was seeing him live in Scotland with so many of friends. Witnessing “Francesca,” live almost had me on the floor in tears, and it will truly leave an echo in my memories from this summer.
Along with rehearsal, we have summer classes, and mine happens to be my last course of religion. We have learned various topics of religion that were crucial to the making of Scotland’s culture, including the witch trials and medieval times. One of the most special parts of this class is the field trips, such as a morning train ride and tour of Paisley Abbey. Personally, I always look forward to the stained glass windows most buildings are constructed with as it fills me with a certain sense of awe. I find something so beautifully heart tugging about stained glass windows, and I don’t really know why. It just is.
As I am halfway through my Glasgow experience, I can say I have felt an array of emotions from euphoria to homesickness, especially on days of exhaustion. However, rehearsals, classes and exploring have created an unforgettable Scotland experience that I am blessed enough to share on this blog. As I finish up this post, I am typing while sitting in a cafe across from the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and I feel quite content knowing that I am where I am meant to be at this moment.
By: Fatima Reyes
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