Hello from Edinburgh!

 

I am writing this just as I wrap up my last final for my masters classes! It's incredible to me how quickly these two semesters have gone-- I can hardly believe I’m entering the final phase of my degree here at the University of Edinburgh. It has been such an incredible journey so far, and I am so looking forward to the next chapter; writing my dissertation this summer! My course load this semester has been more intense than the last, but I have loved all the class content. I took classes on the anthropology of education, social inequalities in education, and conflict and education, as well as a research methods class in preparation for our dissertation project this summer. The work is challenging, but it is also fascinating and so rewarding.

One of the highlights of the semester was a trip to London with my degree cohort, where we visited some organizations working in the comparative education and international development field. We visited the British Council offices, chatted with students and faculty from at University College London, and heard from education advocacy organizers at the Inter parliamentary Network on Education and Results UK. It was eye opening to hear from people working in the field and get a broader sense of what careers are available after graduation. I also got to go a few days early to sightsee with a small group of friends from the cohort, which was ideal as there wasn’t much time for tourist-ing once we joined the full group for the organization visits. We wandered the city, visited museums, and enjoyed some incredible food in Chinatown.

This semester was a busy one, and I definitely had my nose to the grindstone for a good part of it, but I’ve also had chances to get out and enjoy life in Edinburgh. I visited other parts of Scotland such as Stirling and Glasgow, toured museums, spent time outdoors, got to connect with friends from all over the world, and now as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, enjoy plenty of picnics and pub gardens with my friends. Another highlight of the last few months was getting connect with Rotarians here in Edinburgh, particularly for their Burns Night suppers in January. Burns Night, which is officially on the 25th of January but takes place throughout the week, is a dinner in celebration of the great Scottish Poet Robert Burns. The evening consists of poetry recitations, bagpiping, a hearty meal of haggis, neeps, (mashed turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes), whisky toasts, and traditional Scottish Ceilidh dancing. I went to every Burns supper I was invited to, and as a result, ended up eating haggis four times over in the span of a week! My favorite was hosted by my wonderful host club, the Rotary Club of Portobello.

 

Wishing you a happy spring in Decorah!

Hallie