2. LIFE AT COLLEGE

by Alasdair Turner - 14:04 on 27 January 2010

Benbecula in Gaelic is Beinn na Faoghla which means Mountain of the Ford. This is a very apt name for the island and it's solitary hill, Rueval, which is in fact a stepping stone between North and South Uist. The islands are connected by a series of causeways but once upon a time crossing to the Uists would mean fording the dangerous stretches of tidal sands.

The college is really excellent. The Music facilities are that there are two studios. Studio 1 is a  professional-standard project studio centred around the Pro Tools recording system. There are two rooms—a control room and a live room—which are acoustically separated from each other and the rest of the building. Studio 2 - is a smaller control room based around a multi-purpose live room and two medium-sized isolation booths. The main teaching classroom for the music courses features eight Pro Tools workstations with MIDI keyboard.

As well as the facilities at the college we are able to use the facilities at Sgoil Lioncleit which is right next door to the college.   Here we can use the library and the refectory and the leisure facilities such as the Gym for workouts or the Swimming Pool. The School also doubles as a community centre containing a cafeteria, a small museum and a library.

For a variation on our lunchtime menu at the school we frequently go to eat at the café connected to Hebridean Jewellry on the neighbouring island of South Uist at Iochadar. This island is linked to Benbecula by a causeway.

Balivanich is about 5 miles north of the College and School at Lioncleit. It is also known by it's Gaelic name, Baile a' Mhanaich which means 'town of the monks'. This refers back to the 6th century when there was a monastery here and the ruins of Columba's Church can be found just south of the village. Balivanich is the main administrative centre on the island and here we have a Post Office, the Bank. hospital, primary school and several shops and cafes as well as the airport.

In Balivanich I share a house with Siobhan and with the busy life that we have it means cooking in advance when we have the time. Here is my attempt at Carrot and Coriander Soup. If anyone wants the recipe just drop me a line.

Thursday has turned out to be my busiest day. Firstly it is a full day at college and then, after college, we go to the Dark Island Hotel, otherwise known as the DI. We usually have a session and some tea before the Pipe Band Practice.

Since coming to the island I have joined the Uist Pipe Band who, as you see are sponsored by the DI. Last year the Band played on the Uists and at the Tattoo on the Isle of Lewis and also visited Ireland.

After Pipe Band Practice we all pile into various vehicles to transport us to the Westford Inn at Claddich Kirkibost on North Uist for a late evening session, meeting up with other members of the course who weren’t at Band Practice.

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