Jock, stock and barrel

After spending three weeks in a decidedly snow-ridden Scotland, I was far from pleased to find Memphis experiencing sub-zero temperatures upon my return. Thankfully things soon warmed up allowing me to venture outside and experience another great American tradition, the firing of a shotgun. The right to keep and bear arms is something a lot of Americans take very seriously with gun ownership in the U.S. higher than any other country in the world. The fervent debate surrounding the issue isn't going to end any time soon so instead of pondering the matter I headed to Hernando, Mississippi to go skeet shooting with my friend and future Pullitzer Prize winner John Graubman.

Doing my best Charlton Heston impression

John shooting for the stars

Euro so foreign to me.

It was not long after my escapades in Hernando that the next assortment of exchange students arrived. Being both curious and unable to turn down free food I went along to the pizza party celebrating their arrival. I had discovered last semester I was to be joined by three British students from the prestigious Buckinghamshire New University in south-east England. Envisioning some Jude Law lookalikes dazzling the locals with their quaint English mannerisms, I wasn't sure if they would be a welcome addition to the foreign legion. However such worries were quickly eased as the students in question turned out to be three females, none of whom even mildly resemble Mr Law.

(l-r) Amanda, Tiffany and Kimberly or, as I wittily refer to them, the English birds

Whereas last semester's exchange students were largely German (large being the operative word for most of their height), this semester finds their Gallic neighbours taking centre stage. Along with the French there's also two Danes, a German and an Italian .

This semester's international crew plus a couple of Americans

The French are generally more amiable than their sole representative last semester with the notable exception of Kahina - a business student from Lille who enjoys insulting me for being Scottish whilst hailing France as the cultural capital of the world. To borrow a phrase from her vastly superior language, I'm getting a sense of déjà vu. Silvia, the only Italian in the group, probably feels at home in Memphis due to its history of political corruption and gang warfare. I mistook her for a French student when we first met, but won't be doing so again if I'm to avoid waking up next to a horse's head in my bed. The (great) Danes, Andy and Trine, (often mistaken for being Dutch) are both from Aalborg University and like all Scandinavians speak near perfect English - better dare I say than some of their American counterparts. Much in the same way Americans are rather mis-informed about Scotland, their knowledge of Denmark isn't particularly impressive either. After meeting Andy one Memphian informed her friends, "this is Andy, he's from Denmark, Colorado."

Andy is part of what has affectionately become known as "the gay triangle" along with Mark from Germany and yours truly. The triangle turns into a square when we are joined by French student Guillaume or G as he's become known due to his name being unpronounceable to most Anglophones (myself included). Mark is the closest to me in age although you'd be forgiven for thinking he was closer to 12 given his puerile sense of humour (which is quite a statement coming from me!).

(l-r) Me, Tiphaine, Kahina, G and Mark.

As evidenced by this photo, I've already managed to attend a few Grizzlies games this semester; their 95 - 93 victory over the LA Lakers a particular highlight. Other notable excursions have been a near-death experience in one of the less salubrious areas of Memphis, a gospel concert, watching my beloved Saints clinch the Super Bowl and travelling to Dallas for the All-Star basketball game. A lot of this requires further elucidation so I'll get around to that in my next entry. Until then, goodbye or hej hej (pronounced hi hi confusingly enough) as they say in Denmark.