Author: rmcdaniel

The Journey is the Destination: En Route to Isle of Skye

rmcdaniel /

Packed and ready for a weekend Highlands tour, we arrived at the bus bright and early Friday morning.

Enter our tour guide: Mac. “Like the hamburger.”  Clad in traditional kilt and with dagger to protect us, Mac was the epitome of  a Scotsman.  Our guide was the best we could get; he gave us thorough history lessons with every sight we passed, and exposed us to his favorite Scottish tunes.  Want a taste of what we heard on the bus? Listen to this while you read our entry.

Dunkeld Cathedral

Rolling along in our cozy fifteen-passenger bus, Mac led us through the Scottish Highlands.  We first stopped in Perthshire at Dunkeld Cathedral, a ninth-century center for the Celtic Church.  St Columba, a seventh-century monk who was influential in bringing Christianity to the Highlands, visited Dunkeld during his travels through Scotland. Located on the beautiful River Tay, the cathedral is also home to the oldest tree in Scotland.

Rebecca, Morgan, Trent, Katie, Arynn, and Jordan strike a pose on Culloden Battlefield.

 

Travelling farther north, we received a Scottish history lesson before reaching the Culloden Battlefield.  Here the Highlanders made their last stand against the British government in the final Jacobite rebellion.  Prince Charles Stuart, better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, gathered the Highland chiefs in protest of the Hanoverian King, George II.  The Highlanders derived their title “Jacobite” from the King for whom they fought. The Latin word “Jacobus” translates to James, for King James VII of Scotland. The Highlanders were utterly destroyed on this battlefield, forcing Prince Charlie into exile in France.

 

Trent, Rebecca, and Arynn at Rogie Falls

 

 

 

 

 

Cue our first miniature hike: Rogie Falls.  Mac led us to the hanging bridge over the falls for a beautiful photo-op.

 

 

We reached our destination, Isle of Skye, just in time for the sunset. Check out our first of many group photos, and stay tuned for details on the remainder of the adventure.

Group photo on the Isle of Skye

 

 

 

First Two Weeks: Adjustments and Adventures

rmcdaniel /
Two weeks ago fourteen students of varied majors, accompanied by their fearless leader Dr. John Armstrong, arrived in Edinburgh tired but ready to take on the city. After a brief tour and sleep to satisfy our jet lag, we settled into our flats for the first night of our four month study abroad.  Collectively, we are dispersed throughout the city center. Some of us live in the historic Old Town, which is home to museums and traditional pubs. Across Princes Street, a main thoroughfare, the rest of the students live in New Town which is packed with youth residences, shops, and clubs. Even though we occasionally bemoan the cold, we are already enchanted with the beautiful architecture, the kind people, and the joys of city life. 
During our first weekend and our first snow flurries, we visited Edinburgh Castle. Greeted by the breathtaking snow-covered mountains and the sound of highland bagpipes, we bought our tickets and began our self-guided tour. The crown jewels, the most popular exhibit at the castle, fascinated all of us. The story of how they were lost for over a century and later recovered was quite surprising. Please use the link to learn more about the castle. The most moving and emotional exhibit at the castle was the Scottish National War Memorial. We were all humbled by the tribute to Scottish soldiers and nurses over the past centuries, particularly those that participated in the Great War. Many of us plan to return for a guided tour. 
Jordan and Allie enjoy the city view at Edinburgh Castle

In a quintessential European experience, our entire group braved the cold last Saturday to support the Hibernians, a local football team. The Easter Road stadium holds 20,000 people, and despite the snow and overcast weather, it was over three-fourths full of impassioned fans. Not a passive audience, many gentleman present showed their not-so-gentle side when the players missed opportunities. The traditional football rivalries loosely parallel the Catholic–Protestant identities that exist in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Hibs, as they are fondly known, were founded by Irish Catholic immigrants.


We are happily adjusting to the challenges of life in a new city! Thank you for reading!

~

Margaret, Rebecca, & Shannice 


Please check back weekly for future updates on our adventures!