Going, going, going!

My blog updates have become less reliable, I know. It's basically a whirlwind of activity jammed into these last few days. It's getting weird to say I'll be gone in ...... NINE DAYS.

I became even more aware of the ticking clock when my first flatmate, Yoda, left back from Greece. Here's a picture of us all, minus two flatmates.


This past week, I had a heartbreaking three exams in a row. I cannot describe the kind of pain and suffering it takes to prepare for a back to back assault of : Strategic Management, Market Strategy, and Financial Statement Analysis. It was a lot of stay up late, waking up early, and turning down invitations to go out. Plus, lots of coffee. Life is busy also because I refuse to say no to having it all! I'm still managing a balance of friends and Rotary.

I gave my last Ambassadorial speech at the West Fife club on the 13th. I don't have any pictures, which is a shame, but I did walk away with a great Rotary paperweight. It's really nifty, but hard to photograph. This image is something close to it. I had a heavy feeling of sadness when I concluded talking and taking questions. It was indescribable, but talking to Rotary clubs has been an extremely enjoyable experience and I'll miss sharing stories of Mississippi with others.

Another Rotary event coming up I'm super excited about is what the Bridge of Allan/Dunblane Rubber Ducky Race. The event takes place this Saturday and the club has spent this month selling ducks for a pound apiece. Then the number ducks are all dumped from a bridge into the river, and the first ducks to the finish line downstream win prizes! In the past, the even has raised as much as 4,000 pounds! This is myself and Iain selling ducks outside of a grocery store a few days ago. Dig the hat?
My best friend from home, Anna, is flying over this week so I'm excited to show her around in my last days. Jonathan, the scholar from London will be here too. So much to pack in during these last few days! There's also one last exam in there...eek. It'll to be nice to leave right after a fast turn around Edinburgh, Stirling, Dunblane, St. Andrews, and Glasgow. I'll be sure to update on all that.

Of all the "last" times to go certain places, see certain friends, here's one I'll really miss: my last quiz night at Baker St. No. 2. We won two rounds that night!

Happy Mother's Day!

Dear Mom,

There are many things I'd like to thank you for (being so thoughtful,surviving my adolescent years, teaching me to be lady), but one thing that especially comes to mind:

Mom, thanks for still pretending to like the things I get you for Christmas.

You're the greatest mom, in so many ways. I love you! Happy Mother's Day!

It's been awhile, but I'm still alive!

Alive, but very busy. I leave Scotland in 20 days, which is such a strange idea I can barely grasp it. This month is packed with worrying over final exams, Rotary events, and enjoying friends. The days are moving so fast it seems unfair! I have a lot to catch up on, so here goes...

This week I made another long trip up towards Inverness (3 hours by train) to speak at the Dingwall Rotary club. The distance made it an all day affair, but refusing to surrender that much time to not studying, I took my books along with me. That made it a long AND dull train journey! I was lucky to be on the Highland pass again though...the last time I was on this rail, the mountains were covered in snow. Just three weeks later, Summer has come roaring in.



My host took me in and we had two hours of tea and getting acquainted before going to the meeting. I'm grateful for Brian's generous hospitality! I had a gleeful surprise when I saw the hotel the Dingwall Rotary club meets at.

Tell me this doesn't make you think of an old Scooby Doo episode or "Colonel Mustard, in the observatory, with the rope!" I was even more amused when I found out the Tulloch Castle hotel is in fact, haunted by a ghost called the Green Lady.















Lately the weather here has been gorgeous. It's so funny, but when the sun comes out and the warm weather rolls in, it seems like a national holiday! Good weather can be transformational - everyone seems to be in a better mood when it's nice out, maybe because it's rare. To celebrate, we spent all our time sunbathing and cooking out. Jon bought a grill and then it really felt like summer.













Even the infamous STEPHEN CHORLEY dropped by to pick up Lauren for a meeting. He's the district coordinator for Rotary Scholars over here, so I've exchanged emails with him all year, but this was the first time I actually saw him.


It's been great to spend so much time outside and as a group, especially when we're all parting ways so soon. Another "wrap-up" was a dinner for the Management grad. students. It's nice that they could put together a social night for us since we've been working to the bone! So that's been my busy week; it's really gratifying, but also kind of a whirlwind!
Things show no signs of slowing down - West Fife Rotary club next week, my first three exams, a Rotary fundraiser in Dunblane, then a break (which Anna and Jonathan will be visiting), my last exam on the same day as my last Carse Rotary meeting (28th), a day to pack....and my flight (30th) Wow. Somewhere in all that I'll be meeting about my dissertation, packing, and saying goodbyes....Crazy.

Time needs to slow down for me!

As of tonight, I have less than 35 days left in glorious Scotland. This seems unbelievable to me, and I'm in denial. Unfortunately, my final exams coming up and the wrapping up of classes remind me that it is, in fact, almost the home stretch. I'll be spending most of the future days at my laptop, wrapping up papers just in time to start studying for exams.



There's still time to have fun, though. I can always look forward to dinner with friends and weekly pub quiz nights. Usually Clare and I make dinner together, but tonight Lauren and Elyse prepared a casual, late Passover meal for our group. It's always nice to get together, family style!

I only have two more Rotary clubs left to speak to, and that makes me a little sad. Last night I spoke at the Bridge of Allan/Dunblane club. I had a fun time with these guys, it was a great night and I really enjoyed taking their questions. I am especially excited to help out with their upcoming Rubber Ducky Race fundraiser in May. Can't wait!

My host Iain, myself, and Vice President Allan:
This Sunday I'm coming out of hiding to go on another hill walk - I'm hoping this weeks rain will let up!

The start of a confusing spring + Perth Kinoull

A great part of being around for Spring in Scotland is seeing the daffodils come up everywhere like weeds. There's also other signs: baby lambs, more rabbits, and (best of all) longer days with more sunshine. All this makes me feel elated, because I took with winter sadness pretty hard. It's definitely noticeably more Springlike, but occasionally there's a strange day. It's been a bit cooler than it should be (I still can't leave without a jacket or sweater), but Sunday really took me by surprise. I was sitting at the computer when it started raining. A few minutes ago there were no clouds in the sky, so it seemed to be just a passing storm. However, it wasn't rain at all, but pellets and pellets of hail. I took a video because I could barely believe it and you can here the incredulity in my voice. I mean, it's April....why is ice falling from the sky?





April Hail Showers:



This week I had a nice break from essays and group projects to go speak at the Perth Kinoull Rotary club. My host was so gracious, even though I missed my first train and showed up twenty minutes late! I was happy to see so many young members at a Rotary meeting - it was a lively bunch! Here's the banner exchange:

The Trossachs

My Spring Break has gone too quickly! The first half of the week was writing papers and catching up on studies. The second half was simply enjoying life without classes or work. On Saturday, Hector took me on a tour of the Trossach region to show me his "fishing holes" (my words, not his!)



It took about 30 minutes from Stirling, but on they way we passed Doune Castle. It was first a fortification, then a royal retreat.
However, it's no doubt best known in popular culture for being the setting of this:


Pretty neat, huh?

It was then on to the Trossachs, which is a region of several "lochs" and Scotland's only "lake". The term "loch" is actually the old Gaelic for "lake", so it isn't a difference of size - though the bodies of water are much more vast than any I've seen in Mississippi!

Hector couldn't have been a more knowledgeable guide since he's a regular fisherman there. The lochs are home mainly to brown and rainbow trout as well as salmon.

On the way back we had lunch, which was memorable for the fantastic Cullen Skink - a type of rich fish chowder.

Now that Spring Break is over, I'm back to school today. It's actually not too bad - just one more paper and three group projects to do before the downhill slide to final exams. I'm also spending a good bit of time worrying about getting a job and finding an apartment. Auuughh! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Also, I'm out of my last foodstuff of peanut butter. Now taking bets to see how long I last! Can you see the desperate scrape marks of my spoon?

First week back in the swing of things!

Thank goodness for Spring Break! School is out this coming week, and I'll need it to catch up! I'm still far behind on work and this will be a good "breather" week to knock things off the list.


24hrs after I landed back in Scotland, I was already traveling again. Tuesday morning I caught an early train up to Inverness to speak at the Loch Ness Rotary Club. With delays and train changes, it was about 4 hours up, and 3 hours back down. Since my train was delayed, I got to the meeting late and had jjjjjuuust enough time to present before they adjourned. 7hours on the train, 50 minutes in Loch Ness - not enough time to see the monster (or even take a picture!).

I did get a few pictures on the train - the line moved through the Highlands - gorgeous!

The next day I was off to Auchterarder Rotary for an evening meeting. As it sometimes happens, there was a miscommunication and I forgot to ask for a projector. That meant I presented off a speech off-cuff, which was really enjoyable. I didn't feel nervous, thanks to the wonderful group that was there. There were some really interesting questions afterwards about American sports vs Scottish and the current election. It was a very fun evening! Even better, one of the Rotarians took me up to the Gleneagles hotel for a look around before dropping me off. How neat!
















So other than catching up on work this weeks, I'm enjoying the free time! I'm trying to get out to town when it's sunny and spending a bit more time with friends. Of course, there's also plenty of sleep and naps to catch up on. While I was in Mississippi, my sister Virginia jokingly gave me two fantastically soft "lambies" and a lamb sleep mask since I love the animal so much. Nice, huh?