All Good Things Must Come to an End...

As I near the end of my scholarship, I can't help but feel nostalgic about the past year. Time has certainly flown by, as many told me it would. Looking back, I feel I have grown so much in the last year and had some amazing adventures that I will never forget. I think the highlights of the year was meeting Past RI President, John Kenny, my Rotary trip up to Stornoway, and also participating in the scholar fundraiser/matching grant which rose over $15,000 (collectively) for such a wonderful charity. I look forward to becoming a Rotarian in the hopes that I too, may someday make a positive difference in someone's life as Rotary has done with mine.

As far as my progress with school, I am nearly complete with my dissertation and I remain on par to graduate with distinction. Also, I have recently been accepted into the PhD program at Edinburgh University. I am blessed to have the opportunity to continue to study in Scotland for at least 3 more years.

These final pictures are of my recent excursions around Edinburgh. The Queen recently had her exclusive Garden Party next door at Holyrood Palace. We were able to catch a glimpse of her. (She's the tiny blurry figure in the lemonade blue dress coming down the stairwell near the old abbey.) Bryan and I also took a short trip to North Queensferry and we took this amazing picture of the Firth of Forth Bridge. It is a tribute to the brilliant Scottish ingenuity.

Rotary has changed my life and I will forever remember the generosity, integrity, and goodwill I experienced as an Ambassadorial Scholar. Many thanks for your interest in my blog and thanks to Sally for her proof reading. As I indicate in the title, all good things must come to an end, but for me this may be the end of my scholarship, but it is hopefully the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship with Rotary as a Rotarian. Again, many thanks or as the Scottish Gaels would say: moran taing!!

Rotary Project a Great Success

Wow, can't believe it's been a month since my last post. How time flies!! I've been busy with my dissertation which is coming along nicely. I have the grades to graduate with distinction (essentially there's distinction and regular MSc) but now my paper must be as good in order to graduate with that elusive yet distinguished degree. I'm working hard on it!!

The rest of my time was spent planning the Ambassadorial Scholar dinner event to raise money for Maggie's Cancer Care Centre. All nine of us combined our talents and efforts to put on this dinner which was attended by over 80 guests including the District Governor (he's the one in the middle of the picture). All in all, we raised about 2,000 GBP, which will also go towards our part of the matching grant. (I'm so proud of this grant because I helped to write it, and it got approved!!) This wonderful charity will receive over $15,000!! I am so glad to be a part of this project. It was a lot of hard work, but was well worth the effort. I hope I have made a difference with my efforts.

I have seen firsthand how Rotary can make such a positive difference. I will hopefully have the pleasure of becoming a Rotarian someday, so that I can continue to make a difference. This scholarship year has changed my life in so many ways and cemented a permanent relationship with Rotary. I hope to make a difference in someone's life as Rotary has in mine. Until next time...

Adventures in Stornoway

In the spirit of the Ambassadorial Scholarship programme of sharing cultures, myself and three other scholars travelled up to Stornoway, a lovely seaside community on the Isle of Lewis, where we were welcomed by Rotarians. We were then whisked away to the lovely home of Kenneth and his partner Sandra, a generous Rotarian who opened his home to us. We then spent the next couple of days exploring the wonderful island. With clear crystal blue waters, the sandy white beaches and waters took my breath away. Although it was really cold, the waters looked exactly like that of the Caribbean. The island embraces its Gaelic traditions, as many locals still speak the poetic language. We were able to pick up a few words. We also toured the mystical Callanish Stones (like a Scottish Stone Henge), as well as traditional blackhouses, and the Lews (not Lewis) Castle. We were also treated to exploring the Harris Isles which is home to the world famous Harris tweed. Wow!! Each day, two Rotarians offered to take us out and we were truly impressed by their generosity and eagerness to show us the magic of the island. (If I had the money I would buy a vacation home there. It was so relaxing!!) By the way, my friend Sally has pointed out that the first picture is of me in my 'Scottish bathing suit' of a long coat, sweater and wellies, which I find to be hilarious and I thought I would mention it. I'm still waiting for warm weather!!

We also spoke at the Rotary Club, where we were also welcomed and hosted by the Stornoway Club. Their hospitality and extreme generosity was heart-warming and we were so glad to have the opportunity to exchange cultures. We definitely embraced some of their culture as they did us. We even were given the opportunity to try to play the bagpipes and I have a new appreciation for the pipers. It is no easy feat!! Although I have experience in music, I could only get one note; however, it was fun trying to play. Words cannot express the gratitude I have for these kind Rotarians who shared their home, time, and wonderful experiences with us. I had an incredible time and I will never forget my time spent in Stornoway. Although Rotary has already fostered a lifelong relationship with me, this trip with their generosity and willingness to show us students a marvelous time has permanently cemented a relationship with Rotary. Someday, I hope to return the favour by not only supporting the incredible programmes that give students this opportunity, but also extending this experience to visiting students once I am a Rotarian. What an amazing trip!! Thanks so much!

I must now start to work on my dissertation. I am proud to say that I am on track to graduate with distinction, a large feat that only a small minority can achieve. I now descend into my world of research and writing. Hopefully I will come up soon for air. Wish me luck!! Until next time...

Rotary, Rotary, Rotary

Well sorry it's been so long since I posted an entry. Final essays are all completed and I just finished my PhD application (fingers crossed). However, I've also been really busy with Rotary stuff.

The best news I have to report is that the matching grant that I helped write was approved! Thanks to partnership between this Scotland district/local club and LA district/ club in LA along with the support of the Rotary Foundation, Maggie's Cancer Care Centre will receive a generous grant. What a great donation to this phenomenal organization which provides comfort, care and support to cancer sufferers and their families! The Ambassadorial Scholars dinner that we are having in June will donate more money to this deserving cause. What a great way to make a difference!

Speaking of making a difference, I also had the pleasure of attending a senior citizen concert held by the Polmont Rotary Club (my host club). Each year, they arrange for a free concert held for over 600 local senior citizens. It's a great night out for them and the musical acts were amazing. They featured a wonderful piper band with toe-tapping Scottish songs, a brass brand which played nostalgic hits, and a singer who had a booming voice and played oldies to sing along to. The night was incredible and what a humbling experience to witness how much good this club does for the local community. The picture above is of me with the brass band. They were my favourite!!

At another Rotary event in the nearby town of Roslin, (the small village with the Rosslyn Chapel from the movie The Da Vinci Code) I was able to hear the small bagpipes, an instrument I've never heard before. Instead of blowing into the bag, like the traditional booming pipes, these required a small accordion-type device that pumped air by pressing on it with the arm. It created a smaller, yet haunting melody. Here's a sample:

The night also included some energetic Scottish dancing, which I can say with some confidence, I finally know how to do some of the dances. The haggis that was served was delicious to boot!

Finally, you may be wondering what the bottom picture is. Well, I think it is finally safe to say that Spring has finally come to Edinburgh. The temperature is often in the low 50's and the flowers have cautiously started to bloom. Here is a picture of a beautiful tree growing in an off-the-beaten-path close (aka an alley). It is hardly noticed by the walkers on the nearby sidewalk, yet stunning. Beautiful! Here people often take advantage of the rare sunny days, by laying in the soft grass or going to the park. Even businessmen can be seen with their shiny shoes off, with bare feet in the grass. It makes me think of all the sunny days in Spring (when it's not yet boiling hot in Texas) that I took for granted in Corpus Christi. Here, it's funny how I appreciate them more. So take advantage of these Spring days and have a picnic or drive with the windows downs!!! Until next time...

No Joke! I got to meet the RI President

Well I am delighted to say that I just met the Rotary International President, John Kenny. Ken graciously brought me along to a meeting of his home club, which is just a town over from Polmont (Ken's town). John gave an interesting speech about places he's been and the impact Rotary has had on places like Haiti. He's very soft spoken and humble. In my mind, he is the epitome of Rotary's service above self. I am so blessed (and grateful to Ken) to have had the chance to meet him. It's truly an honor.

On a school note, I'm deep into writing my final essays for the second semester. I have 3, 12 page essays due on April 20th. I've just completed one, so I have a lot of work to do!! Back to work. Happy April Fool's Day! Until next time...

Fun at the zoo

Yesterday, I ventured out from under the mound of books I have littered around me for a fun day at the Edinburgh Zoo. This zoo is by far the largest one I've been to, but strangely it didn't have any elephants, bears, or giraffes...oh my! However, this zoo makes up for it because it has the largest penguin enclosure in the world! Better yet, everyday they have a penguin parade, where they open the gates and the penguins are voluntarily allowed to waddle around a paved sidewalk lined with visitors. There were only 4 penguins that wanted to come out when we were there, but it made the experience more personal to see them walk by. Below is video footage of the parade. They also have a penguin web cam set up so you can go on their website and check them out.

They also had this amazing exhibit where you could go into an aviary filled with rainbow-colored and extremely friendly birds (I didn't catch the name of the birds). It was temperature controlled for them, so it was tropical and very humid, reminding me of Texas. For a small fee, you could also feed them nectar, which is what I was doing in one of the pictures. They would sit right on my hand and two began to fight over the nectar. One bird in particular liked to climb my arm and sit on my shoulders, going through my hair. An employee said they like long hair because they are nesting. It was quite an amazing experience.

My favorite animal is the tiger and they had two gorgeous Sumatran tigers. I am amazed how they have the same mannerisms as my cat, Pharaoh. I also enjoyed gazing at the lions, whose discarded lunch carcasses all over were reminiscent of a horror movie. They are so majestic and I can see why they are dubbed, 'king of the jungle'.

As an anthropology major, I had to take a couple of courses in physical anthropology, so I have a soft spot for apes and monkeys. My favorites are the chimps because they are so human like; in fact I think they are smarter than some people. The gibbon monkeys were probably the most entertaining, because they are very fast and active, employing their longer arms to their advantage.

The sun came out for the day too, so it was a perfect break away from the books, but alas, these essays won't write themselves, so I'm off to work on them. Until next time...

I conquered Arthurs Seat!!

A funny thing happened in Edinburgh last week...for two straight days it was completely sunny, not a cloud in the sky! Like a vampire, the sun burned my eyes at first and I realized how much I miss the sun and (also like a vampire) how incredibly white and tanless I am. That being said, Bryan and I decided to get some much needed sun and climb Arthur's Seat, which is literally a stone's throw away from our flat.

The view is spectacular!! My pictures above don't really do it justice. Not only were we higher up than Edinburgh Castle, but we could see a 360 degree view of the city from the Firth of Forth to the south mountains near Penicuik. This large nature park is an oasis in the middle of the city. It was breath taking! I noticed several young artists sitting on various rocks painting all they saw before them. What a great place to find that artistic expression that's in all of us.

Final essay papers are looming on my horizon, so I'm sure it will be hard to write a new entry with all the stress and craziness that will be my life. I will try though...For now enjoy the beautiful pictures of our rare sunny day!

Gave 2 more speeches

Well, there's not much to report for the past couple of weeks. The first picture is of Bryan and I in Glencoe. I've given two speeches, one at Penicuik Club (pronounced Penn-y-cook) and another at Larkhall Club. Both went well and in total I've given 12 speeches. I have one more in the books, up in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. I'm excited about that one too. I wanted to visit the beautiful island and I happened to meet a Rotarian who had a Rotarian contact up in Stornoway. As it turns out, some of the other scholars were interested in going, so we are going to go up and give a presentation about our lives. I don't think they get very many scholars so I thought it would be interesting to share cultures.

On a school note, it's business as usual. I am super busy. There is some slightly exciting news there however. Since Edinburgh University is one of the top universities, I've been contemplating coming back for my PhD. I've decided I want to study Catholicism and Scottish Identity because there are several small islands that still speak the old Gaelic (which I intend to learn) and I want to explore how their Scottish culture affects their Catholic practice. My professor loves the idea and one of the top experts on Scottish identity is a professor here of sociology. (We jokingly and lovingly refer to sociology as the dark side of anthropology.) My professor has even volunteered to be my doctoral supervisor. Seems like things are falling into place! My Master's dissertation will be on the anthropology of Christianity, in preparation for my PhD. Consequently, this is a hot topic among the anthropological world. We'll see how things play out.

That's all I've been up to recently. Tonight, I'm taking a break and going to watch the Olympics. USA men's hockey team plays the formidable Canadians. There is a girl in my programme from Canada, so a few of us are meeting at a pub to watch the game. There's something about the Olympics that brings the latent patriot in me!! Well, that's all for now, hopefully next time I'll have something more interesting to talk about...

P.S. I've also included a funny picture of my cat, who is staying with my mom, which will hopefully brighten your day!

Parents visit to Scotland

Well my parents just left after a fun-packed week in Scotland. It was their first time to Europe and they had a blast! My dad, who is usually very reserved and stoic, had a constant smile painted on his face. He made new friends where ever he went. We went to all the great places, the castle, Mary King's Close, and even took a bus up to Loch Ness. (4 hour bus ride was completely worth it!) My dad came to Loch Ness not believing in Nessie, but left a believer. We took a boat ride on the loch (which is Gaelic for lake). On the boat, there was a nice man, who was a MIT grad in marine biology, who had taken various photos of the animals (they are not monsters) on his cell phone. They even had DNA samples that showed these animals (there are several) are descendants of the plesiosaurus, a large water dwelling dinosaur. He's trying to get these animals protected before they can come forward and publish these incredible photos. He also mentioned that these animals exist all over the world such as in Lake Tahoe, Lake Champlain, and other southern lochs in Scotland. Wow, I'm a believer!

It was fun and interesting to show my parents Edinburgh and all its beauty. I like seeing their expressions at the wonderful and old architecture that takes your breath away. It is how I must have looked during my first time to Edinburgh. They even enjoyed the food here, especially the fish and chips.

While my parents spent the night in an 800 year old castle, Bryan and I went to our first rugby match with my host. It was Scotland vs. France and the city swelled with people wearing red, white, and blue. It was almost like Halloween. Many on both sides had their faces painted, donned the French flag themed wigs, kilts, and other costumes. They had tailgate-like parties before the game at the surrounding hotels and pubs. I even saw a barbecue serving people hamburgers, which is the first one I've seen here. Before the game, a great piper band marched onto the field and played both national anthems to which the crowd sang along, it was not solemn like ours, but more jovial. The pipes were amazing to hear in the stadium. Rugby is a lot like football, only with no pads and if someone gets hurt, the game doesn't stop. Everyone just plays around them (unless they are knocked out, I assume). Throughout the game, the crowd would sing songs urging their team on, and flags waved in the chilly air. In the end Scotland lost (as predicted) 18-9, but it was so much fun!! Both sides were cordial to each other, and no fights broke out. In fact, Bryan lost his wallet at one point and received a call from a Frenchman who had found it (his phone number was in the wallet too). So to my relief, Bryan got it back and I thought it was quite nice for that man to return it. Despite the losing of the wallet and Scotland losing, it was a fantastic afternoon!

It was sad to see my parents go, but I'm glad they enjoyed it. Next my sister plans to visit in May and I hope she will enjoy it as much as my parents did! Now it's back to business...

Click here for a clip of the piper band playing the Scottish anathem and notice everyone is singing along.

Burns' Night

Sorry about the lapse in entries. My internet connection isn't the best right now. It takes literally 6 weeks to get internet in my new flat, so I have to rely on a horrible pay-as-you-go public kind that is completely unreliable. Well Jan 25th, last Monday, was an unofficial holiday in Scotland. It was Robert Burns' birthday, which the Scottish mark with Burns' Night. The one I went to was on Friday (thrown by the Corstorphine Rotary Club), but they called it Scottish Night. One Rotarian explained to me that the traditional Burns' Nights are terribly boring because it consists of hours of Burns' poetry being read aloud. (That sounds okay to me, except the hours long parts.) Their version takes all the fun stuff about Burns' Night and adds a Scottish band with dancing, also called a ceilidh.

The night began with a young piper playing wonderful Scottish tunes in the entryway of the golf club (where it was held). After a short greeting period where everyone gets a drink, we headed to our tables. Haggis is the traditional food served, but it is brought into the room with great style. The young piper escorted it in the Scottish style...with the bagpipes of course! The silver platter full with a large haggis is placed at a head table in front of the master of ceremony. This man recites a Burns poem (which I can't understand most of it because it is in Scot's) and then he dramatically takes a sword and slashes through it. It is a blessing of sorts. Then the master toasts a wee dram of whiskey with the young piper. (He's 18 by the way, okay to drink here.) Then the piper withdraws and the guests are served the haggis with a serving of neeps and tatties (turnips and mashed potatoes). To my utter surprise the haggis was delicious! It was piping hot and a little spicy. It was yummy, but just like turkey, I can only eat it on special occasions. After dinner, there was a comical toast to the lassies, which was a small play of sorts with sarcastic and playful jests about ladies and their nature. Then another Rotarian sings a couple songs written by Burns. The man had a beautiful voice and the melodies were haunting. Once such song is called, 'Green Grows the Rashes O' which has a Texas connection.

According to the legend, Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie were second generation Scottish. As most Scottish children, they grew up with the songs of Burns, one of which is the 'Green Grows' song. In fact, while facing the soon to be historic Battle of the Alamo, they sang this song. The Mexicans heard this singing but couldn't understand the song, but they gave the Alamo fighters a nickname that would stick forever...Gringos. What a great Texas story!

After the songs, the Burns' Night ended and the ceiligh began. It was a blast! I am quickly learning the steps and I hope I can show the Corpus Club how to do Strip the Willow. Again I felt very welcomed and was so delighted to be invited to such a fun evening. Thanks to the Corstorphine Rotary Club for putting on such a fantastic evening!

Here is an excerpt of the "Green Grows the Rashes O'

When in Rome...

...do as the Romans!! Just got back from a 4 day holiday in Rome and it was as spectacular as I imagined!! Rome is a feast for the senses. We stayed in a wonderful B&B in the shadow of the Colosseum. Besides marveling at the intricately-carved Trevi Fountain, exploring the massive ruins of the old Roman Forum, and wandering the hallowed halls of St. Peter's, we sampled the most delicious food in Europe. The wood-fired pizzas were delicious, but the wonderful sauces took my breath away. If I lived in Rome, I would gain so much weight just because the food is irresistible!

The sights were wonderful and hard to see in such a short period. My husband loved the Colosseum the best, imagining himself to be a long lost gladiator returning to his old stomping grounds. For me as an avid Renaissance art lover, I loved the astounding paintings of Michelangelo and Raphael. Their elaborate works are the essence of the Renaissance and I am blessed and humbled to have witnessed such masterpieces. I also loved St. Peter's. As the spiritual capitol for all Catholics, I imagined it must resonate this reverence that so many place upon it. In truth, it was the most sacred place I've ever been to. This beautiful basilica emanates holiness and a kind of unseen magic. Although I am not a Catholic, I still found myself sitting in the surprisingly comfortable pews, gazing at the intricate crucifix in front of me. The energy in that place was unlike any I have ever witnessed.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about Rome is all the commercialism that holds the city hostage. I understand that aspiring entrepreneurs want to take advantage of the average 100,000 visitors to Rome each day, but the way that they approach you is annoying and tiring. First there are cheesy (although handsome) men dressed in Vegas-like gladiator costumes that essentially beg to take a picture with you in front of the Colosseum for a fee. (They are not part of the Colosseum staff.) They don't take no for an answer either. I think 'no grazie!' was the most used phrase on my trip! When it rained there were literally men on every corner selling a variety of umbrellas. Bryan and I shared an umbrella and consequently were asked at each point if we wanted one. In fact, when we were in the subway and shaking off our wet umbrella, a man approached me and asked if I wanted a 'grande' umbrella. I was astounded by his tenacity and forcefully said no. On top of that, every restaurant along the Colosseum (and others too I suspect) had an employee stand outside and hassle the passers-by, trying (and begging) them to sit down and eat/drink at their establishment.

Over all, it was a wonderful trip and the 50 degree temperatures were a nice break from the freezing 20 degree temperatures and snow in Edinburgh. Our next destination will be Spain where I can hopefully practice my Spanish. Thank goodness for cheap European flights...Ole!

Happy New Year!

Can you believe it is already 2010?! I graduated high school in 2000 and I find myself reflecting on the past decade. It's been a fun ride and I hardly feel as though 10 years has passed. Although nostalgic thoughts cross my mind, I'm looking forward to the future. Just a couple of years ago, I wouldn't even dream of having this opportunity to study abroad in Edinburgh. It's been both a crazy and exciting 2009 and I cannot wait to see what 2010 has in store for me.

Here in Edinburgh, there's just not one evening to celebrate the New Year (or Hogmanay as they call it here), but about a weeks worth of events. The celebrations began on the 29th with a torchlight procession from the Royal Mile, in the shadow of the castle, up to Carlton Hill where there's a huge bondfire. Imagine 13,000 people, with wax torches in hand, walking with an escort of an iconic Scottish pipe band dressed in full kilt attire and a Viking group with huge torches to light the awaiting bond fire. It is like a sea of fire, and quite dangerous on second thought. I still have wax on my jacket from the wind that blew the wax sparks onto the crowd. It was extremely cold, but great fun.

On New Years Eve, I went to an early party at a friends, then we headed towards the city center. There were 4 stages, a carnival, and thousands of people braving the cold weather to toast the new year. At midnight, fireworks went off from the castle, although I must admit they were not as good as the fireworks at the end of the Fringe Festival in September. After the hugs and kisses, the masses sang Robbie Burns' Auld Lang Syne, which I had no idea was from the Scottish poet. It was freezing but fun nonetheless. Now I am looking forward to my upcoming trip to Rome. Rome is my dream destination and I am ecstatic about having the chance to go. I will be sure to take lots of pictures, but I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!! 2010 is sure to be a better year!! Until next time...