A Northern World

Life in the northern parts of the world certainly brings many advantages and disadvantages. First, the bad. Step outside and only by 8:30am will you begin to see the sun rise. This is also if you are lucky. The Scottish weather has a tendency to go from a very gray day into the night, hiding the sunlight for hours on end if not entirely. Then night fall comes at about 3:30, capping such a short day. It feels as if there is no time to get anything done and the day should be over with the falling sun. So it certainly is a readjustment to the whole lifestyle.

But it is one that comes with the most definite of advantages as well. To begin, being so far north, the sun barely caps the horizon, which makes for some of the greatest sunrises and sunsets you will ever see. And in such a picturesque country already, this just makes the incredible that much more amazing. Settled among the green rolling hills the sun shines a bright orange and red bursting arrays of color which are reflected off of the water that is the lifeblood of Scotland. It is as if this was where heaven touched earth. It also shows how the sunlight is such a vital and integral part of life. It makes a deeper and greater appreciation of how the sun is such a powerful force giving energy and life to the world.

This is life in the Northern world, a challenge that makes you earn the uniqueness and amazing days that dawn, but worth every minute of it.

Spirit of the Season

As the holidays are just around the corner, this is the time where every emotion is abundant for university students, regardless of what level. First are the late nights cramming for exams and papers, the rush to the finish. It's the finality of the semester that suddenly sinks in, there's not a next week anymore. It's also the time where students have the sudden realization of the progression of their academic careers. It is a monumental half way point of the year... and how quickly time passes. Then there is the "what am I doing with my life question" that you have to answer, or at least start thinking about... tis the season.

But it also the time of the year where everyone gets an extra little bounce in their step, there is a sense of excitement and optimism in the air. It is the feeling of Christmas. It's the holiday spirit that is a little contagious. Even through the midst of cramming and rushing from class to class, there is a little time to catch that spirit.

Being in Aberdeen has certainly been a new perspective, or at least one I've long forgotten. There are distinct seasons here, as it just snowed. This is a way to watch the progression of time, seeing sun turn to snow, and the snow uncover the months of hidden ground. This helps to capture the spirit of Christmas somehow. The gentle snow against the lit Christmas tree in the town square, standing as it has for hundreds of years, is a reminder that no matter how quickly time seems to pass, it stands still at the same time. That is what we too must do. Move through life looking to our tomorrows, but keeping a still picture of where we have been and done. That is the spirit of the season.

Sound and Silence

Any ordinary day begins with the familiar sounds of daily life. To continue fulfilling the Scottish experience, it becomes necessary to delve into the depths of the culture and experience the world that this Scottish land offers. What better way than to try a ceilidh. If you love Celtic music and Scottish dancing this is the event to try. What can be better than a live band and dance lessons taking you back centuries, becoming a part not only of Scottish culture but of its long and rich history. There were about five or six different dances we tried from the slow to racing around the room, it was hard to find any energy at the end of the night!

But this was an experience unlike any other. It truly is one of the great cultural gifts that Scotland has given. As one of my Scottish friends said, "We may not dominate much, but this is one place that Scotland thrives." It truly is! And where to have such a rich cultural experience than settled in the halls of a University founded in 1495. Being in Scotland and Great Britain truly demonstrates the importance of history, the preservation of society, and the interconnectedness of the past, present, and future. This, I must say, is a culture I have enjoyed becoming immersed into.

This history is not all about the glamor of architecture and the grandeur of culture. It carries a burden, a history of struggle and challenge. Today, Sunday 9 November, marked a pivotal day in Britain, the National Day of Remembrance. The interconnectedness of the country and its links to the past truly struck when there was a national two minutes of silence as the bells of Big Ben tolled to mark the 11 o'clock beginning of a nation's reflection on its history and the costs of freedom.

So the link between the past and the future becomes a vital link to the progression of society. And without it, we are bound to repeat the mistakes of history, lengthening that struggle and history. It doesn't have to be glamorous or glorious it just has to be remembered and celebrated. Then a new day can dawn, and that is what a day of remembrance is truly about.

A President and a Precedent

No matter what side of the political spectrum you sit, it is undeniable that the 2008 Presidential election was an historical and pivotal step in America's history. Barack Obama has achieved a milestone that will mark a significant moment not only in my lifetime but in the course of American history. And regardless of who you may support, it is a great feeling to live through such a milestone bridging America's past and future in one single day. At last, this is the fullness of democracy at work.

But I don't write this as a political statement but as an observation. Living in Scotland during the course of the election, it gives a greater perspective on America's relation to the world. Following the election, I couldn't help but notice the number of people who wrote or said "This is the day for America-the day we can at last be proud of our neighbor." This election was a reaffirmation of the hope and beacon that America can be seen as in the world.

It is on the domestic front that this has become the new tide of history, writing a new chapter in the everchanging American saga, but it is a new and more promising day holding a hope for the tides of a true and genuine change within the global community. So I must say, being an American abroad, democracy has fulfilled its potential and the world has come to see a new day.

Identity Crisis

OK, so I've known for a while that I've been living abroad. But sometimes it never really hits home until you have that one realization, or shall we call it epiphany? Anyway you cut it, today was that day for me.

So as I was in a hurry to class today, I threw on my Eckerd fleece and sandals as has been my daily routine. I made it to class on time with no thought to any changes to my basic days. But after class I proceeded to the library (don't worry I'm finding time for fun) I made it without any hitches and began my reading.

But as I looked out the window, I began to realize a great change, not only in myself but in my surroundings. As I glanced outside, I noticed a light snowfall begin to fall against the granite of the buildings in the background.

I then looked down and realized that I was still wearing my sandals, with holes in both soles. It was then that I had the sudden realization that I was not in Florida anymore. It finally hit me that this has been a significant alteration in my life and hopefully now in my attire. But it was a welcome thought to begin seeing the surroundings with a new appreciation and view of being authentically Scottish, not holding any American tinge towards my new home.

And I call it home, because that is what it is becoming. They say you have to walk a mile in a man's shoes before you begin to understand his life and story, and I feel this is the beginning of my transformation of becoming a global citizen. Walking that mile, it teaches you that home can be where the heart is and it's more important to make the most of where you are when you are there rather than to look back to the days past wishing for a return. Your past is always a part and hopefully a great and instrumental part of who you are; and it's important to carry that memory into a new day but it is also vital to live the new day for the day and the days to come. Only when you blend the past, present, and future can you discover the true meaning of what the day holds in its treasures. So I must say that I welcome my newfound 'identity crisis' because you have to leave a part of who you were to find out who you are.

In trying to figure out the course of life, there are many twists and turns in the process of self-discovery and direction. But one of the greatest questions I've been asked is "What's your passion?" What is it that makes you excited to get up in the mornings and tackle the day ahead? in answering that, you can find the most meaningful direction in your life.

So I've taken that question and advice with me everywhere I've gone. And I am still trying to answer the question: what is my passion? But what I've found over the past three weeks has taught me a lot about my 'passion' and about life.

I've come to realize that people are an integral part of your life, and as one door closes, it never truly slams shut. There is always the ability to look back and reminisce about the good old days. And I must say that memory is a vital and integral part of every life. It is the human capacity to reason and remember, and without that, we have very little. So the past is a part of the dictation of where we are going, but not the final call of life.

It is when you restart and begin anew that you begin to realize the important things in life like memory and friends. So I guess you could say that that's a part of my 'passion.' But life is far too complicated and complex to narrow it down to A passion. It is an evolving and ever-changing quest of discovery.

But in an attempt to find it you cannot be afraid to step outside the confines of comfort and give life a little challenge. It's not always an easy task but in the end makes you a far better person for it.

So this year has taught me to try new things and I have embraced that challenge this semester. I decided to take up curling... I figured when the days are dark and dreary what better way to spend an afternoon? It is truly a complicated yet thrilling sport that I have come to really enjoy! Off to read legal briefs on International Law and onto my quest of finding my 'passion' in life!

A Bridge to Nowhere Always Leads Somewhere

So a keen sense of direction is not always imperative in arriving at a particular destination. It is the chance and opportunity to see what could be considered unexpected, unknown. But life never has a compass, only intuition. And so wondering where we are to end up is a part of the battle of self discovery. Why we are where we are can be seen as a great mystery, but in any case-- even what may seem like going nowhere-- you are always going somewhere, so it's important to enjoy the journey.

As I have arrived in Aberdeen, it has slowly begun to sink in that this is truly a new beginning. It has been so long since I had to 'start over.' Eckerd was one of the greatest experiences of my life thus far, and I remember the anticipation and challenges of that first week. A continent and four years away, little has changed. New beginnings always have a great sense of excitement and anticipation.

This is the first true experience I feel that I have had abroad. London was a great experience for me, and certainly exactly what I needed, and I would not change that experience. But this one, Aberdeen, is more of an 'authentic' experience standing here by myself, brushing shoulders with locals and world citizens. The excitement of this opportunity is the ability to learn and try new things that I've never experienced. The Societies and Sports Fayres were held this week and I had the chance to join several different groups ranging from the Christian Union and The Gaudie--the campus newspaper, to the sailing and curling teams. So hopefully a busy schedule will fill the time with wonderful memories and friends to last a lifetime, as I am sure this whole experience will.

So I suppose that not having any idea of where you may be going can be as beneficial as having the roadmap to life. There's something about that path less taken that once it has been traveled seems to have made the true and greatest difference and impacts and shapes life far better that living life in the comfort zone. So here's to new beginnings and challenging to see who we are as individuals reinventing ourselves to a new world. And to the excitement and hope that newness instills.