TABLEtalk: Career Moves

None of us wants to end up like ‘a square peg in a round hole’! TABLEtalk this evening began with a fun mingling exercise where everyone trying to guess the profession that had been pinned to their back. The only questions they could ask of others were closed questions - some got there quicker than others, but some of the professions were a little out of the ordinary.

Then in groups we looked at what sort of personality we have, what are our strengths, and how do we go about finding the right career path to follow?

International Sunday Lunch

Many thanks to Neil & Anne Pitcher and their sons for providing a fabulous meal and a great Sunday afternoon for XiuLi, Munish and myself.

Fireworks & Hot Chocolate 2006

Twenty eight students signed up for our annual evening to watch the local council fireworks display.

Following the display we all met back at CGC (Christian Growth Centre) for hot chocolate, cake and a few challenging rounds of pool, air hockey and fuzz-ball. Many thanks CGC for their wonderful hospitality!

Student Comments

Marielle from Holland: "I was at TABLEtalk just once when I was here on holiday. That's a shame because I thought it was a nice evening and Paisley is a nice town."

Day Trip to Glasgow

Grace, Jing, Tracy, Sam, Dawn, Csaba, Sandra, their friend and I took a day trip over to Glasgow to visit the Transport Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. It was a glorious day and on route home we took a slow walk through the park.

Student Comments

Jana from China: “Thank you for holding TABLEtalk for international students. We lack the feeling of belonging, but you give us belonging. Thank you again.”

TABLEtalk: Alien Encounter

After a fairly quiet start to the semester our numbers suddenly doubled this evening with 10 newcomers. The increased numbers always add a certain dynamic to the evenings that makes them more fun.

Our themes for both this week (Alien Encounter) and next (Culture Shock) are designed to help international students address some of the culture shock issues that arise in coming to live and study in a new nation.

TABLEtalk

It was great to begin a new academic year knowing that we already have a core of international students who are still around in Paisley. It was great to welcome back the Jan & Bram (the Dutch boys), Csaba & Sandra (from Germany), Vivian, June, Amanda and Shelly (from China), Sam (from India) - and a newcomer, Munish, also from India.

Day Trip: Loch Lomond Highland Games

Fabulous weather and a great day out at the Loch Lomond Highland Games. Many thanks go to those who drove and a very special thank you to David & Aileen Clark for hosting our Bar-B-Que afterwards.

Oops – no photos from the Bar-B-Que!!

I think I remember falling asleep on the sofa!!

Day Trip: Luss & Lomond Shores

Jan, Bram, Holly, Maney, Eva and Vivian joined us for this great day out at Loch Lomond. Beautiful sunshine and a great day! Thanks Kathleen for bringing along some munchies. Jan & Bram rounded the day off by inviting us all back to their place for a feast of haggis, tatties & neeps!



Jan, Bram & Maney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bram & Vivian

Not the softest of sandy beaches . . . . . Eva from Germany

Rosie's Ceilidh

Thanks Rosie for the invitation. Great ceilidh!!!

Student Comments

Maney Chan from Holland: “To me Scotland is a really beautiful country. I like the Highlands, mountains and rivers very much. I found Scottish people very friendly, especially middle aged and elder people, they are very helpful. The hardest thing for me to adjust to was being alone. What I valued most about TABLEtalk was that internationals students of all ages, over the whole world, with different backgrounds and all kinds of cultures can share thoughts with each other.”

Eva from Germany: “I think Scottish people are very friendly and helpful to strangers and make you feel welcome. Scotland itself is a beautiful country – besides the rain. TABLEtalk helped me to share my opinions and experiences with others in a similar situation – and to have fun!”

June from China: “I have made many friends, had great fun, practised my English and got to know more about the local culture.”

Sebastian from Germany: "TABLEtalk is essential because with the help of different themes every Tuesday evening I was learning a lot from other students, from other countries and about their way of thinking. I’m deeply grateful for all these new experiences.”

TABLEtalk: International Night

An evening of food and culture from around the world - what a feast!!! Thanks also go to Gordon, Susan & Grant for providing us with some great Scottish music.

Progressive Meal 2006

A great evening with a bit of fund-raising in the process. What is a ‘progressive meal’ you might be asking … Well, you join one group of people in one home for your starter, then go off on an adventure to your next host for your main course which you’ll share with a slightly different group of people. Then finally, everyone met back at Hopehall Church for fabulous desserts, a quiz and some music.

Bowling Night

Ten students joined us for another fun evening of bowling. I’d just like everyone to know that I actually won a game – this is indeed a rare event!







Lynne's celebration dance !!!

Day Trip: Easter Passion Play in Edinburgh

Csaba, Sandra, Holly, Jan, Vivian, Hermosa, Sophie, Heather and I took a trip over to Edinburgh by train to see the Easter Passion play performed in West Princes Street Gardens.

TABLEtalk: Pancake Party

Pancake Day is more formally known as Shrove Tuesday, which is the last day before the start of Lent. Lent is the period of 40 days which leads up to Easter in the Christian calendar - 40 is a very significant number in the Bible. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of ‘shriving’ - a ritual in which Christians would confess their sins and receive forgiveness. Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up, and Christians would not eat such foods as meat, fish, fats, eggs and milky foods during this time. Pancakes became associates with Shrove Tuesday as they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fat and milk in the house. Nowadays, many believers give up certain foods or other things as a form of self-discipline during this period.

Bowling Night

There were a few competitive, semi-professionals within the group; whereas, some of us, bowled quite badly but had fun in the process.

Chinese New Year 2006

Thanks girls for the invitation to celebrate Chinese New Year with you up at Thornly campus!

Student Comments

Eva from Germany: “I love to meet with other international students and have enjoyed the discussions about different lifestyles and different nationalities. I’ve made so many friends.”