1 Week back home
+1 day.
It's taking me a long time to readjust to the time difference back in the States. I thought it would be harder going over there - But I don’t have a day full of learning, traveling and experiencing ahead of me, here. Scotland was exhausting but exhilarating. I learned a LOT on this trip about the place and it’s people and it’s long …. Looooong history. And, it’s shockingly important role at the center of WORLD history. For such a little place, it has had a large and lasting impression on the rest of the world.
I was jokingly invited to attend Glasgow University by John Hayes, our resident Scotsman who was so generous with his time (and his patience) and by the Literature Prof. for this trip Michael Amey, who attended Glasgow University for his Doctorate. The prospect is indecently tempting, but I’ve still got my Associates degree to finish up.
Dundee has an exchange program they are working on that will invite students to study in Scotland for a year – 2 semesters – before sending them back , but I think I might be just a little late for that. I’ve only got about two semesters left before I can apply for graduation and all I’ve got left is the dreaded MATHS.
I made connections I desperately needed on this trip, and made some friends, I think. Dr. Amey and I got along really well. It’s rare to find someone with as many of the same interests as we share and willing to simply delve off into the realm of ‘chit chat’ about the most random and sometimes cerebral things. He was easy to talk to, and that’s an even rarer thing for me.
Dr. Braden, the history Prof. was a wealth of knowledge and her years of experience have given me inspiration to work toward my teaching career. I’d really like, someday, to be able to inspire people to want to learn more about history, or at least enjoy it for the short time I’d have them as students. I’d like to take people to other places and open their eyes to the culture and history, like this trip did for me. I –really- enjoyed myself, despite the blisters and occasional flaring tempers and lost luggage escapade.
In all honesty, I would be thrilled to go on this trip again, but as a student aide or gopher, instead. The last day we had as a free day, I put together a little ‘itinerary’ and took Dr. Braden and a handful of others through parts of Edinburgh. It went really well (except for me getting turned around in the museum and being a couple minutes late back to the meeting sot), and everyone had a good time. It whet my appetite for trying my hand at more of that kind of thing and I’ve got some pretty strong ideas for a possible repeat of the trip next year.
I’m really looking forward to the consultation with Dr. Braden. Hopefully next year, if it goes, we can attract actual students! It’ll take some P.R. and a lot of advertising and some serious planning in advance – maybe some fund-raisers to not only drum up money but awareness and advertising across more than one campus. We'll see how it goes!
