Back to school for me!

This morning I went back to school! I have started a Child Protection Course at Edinburgh's Telford College, or at least I hope to do so soon!

I applied for the course months ago and last week I got a letter saying I had been accepted and to turn up at 9am on Monday 28th August. So this morning, straight from my night shift I turned up! It was mayhem! I arrived at just after 8am only to find that the big new college they have just built doesn't have a car park big enough and we were being redirected elsewhere and only in certain areas coz we would be towed away if we parked in a wrong area! Oh well nothing else for it but to drive around and try and find somewhere legal to park. Don't get me wrong, but the college isn't exactly in one of the nicer parts of Edinburgh and I wasn't too happy at having to park off campus, but really I didn't have much option, did I? OK car parked and then I had to walk what seemed like miles back to the college, only to discover even more mayhem when I got in. Yes today was when everyone enrolled in classes and there must have been thousands of people milling around the "hub" (the foyer)looking like lost souls!There were a lot of staff trying to direct potential students to the right groups before they headed of for induction. Unfortunately no-one wanted me! No-one had a clue where I was to go, no-one had my course on a list! So I stood around for about an hour and a half waiting for someone to "claim me". Was I pissed, was I ever? I was tired and really didn't want to be hanging around, I just wanted to get on and get home so I could go to bed.

Finally this guy had news for me.........And guess what......I shouldn't have been there at all. The letter they had sent out shouldn't have told me to report to the college, because I'm doing an "Open learning" course I don't have to attend college at all. The course work is sent out to me, I do it and email it back. OK, so could I pay for the course since I was there....Well yes I could, but I had now to wait to see someone from finance, so I found a chair and begun to people watch for an other half hour or so till I could be seen.

I really enjoy people watching and just wish I'd had my camera coz boy did I see some sights! The ages reflected the diverse range of courses that the college offer, from practical "hands on" stuff, vocational, educational and everything else in between. There were kids that looked to be straight out of school, right up to the more mature student (that includes me!). The styles of dress were amazing. There was one really tall girl with long bright blue dreadlocks, the most amazing blue eye makeup I had ever seen (very reminiscent of KISS, but only blue....I know I'm showing my age!)black shiny boots with about 8" platform soles, tight black vinyl trousers and a bright blue skimpy top. An other girl who looked about 12 and waiflike, with grungy hair and clothes, that looked if she had been sleeping in them! A woman, who looked over 50 with bright orange hair, dirty boiler suit and huge tool bag.....I guess she was doing plumbing or some such course! But the one who amazed me the most was this woman who looked to be 30+, (but trying to look younger!) with 1940's style hair, brown skirt, blue sweat top, court shoes with about 4" pointy heels, who walked as if she was on the cat walk, with her boobies thrust out in front of her and her hand constantly fluttering at her hair and the most aloof look on her face....She was something else! Young girls with skimpy clothes on, showing their bellies off and golden tans straight from the bottle and perfect makeup all lining up to do dance or beauty therapy and hairdressing....Do I sound jealous....Well maybe a bit, coz here I was, 40+, fat and frumpy in my jeans and T-shirt and desperately seeking my bed! But at least my purple hair wasn't out of place!!!

Oh what a fun morning....I finally got home and to bed at mid-day!