Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Settling Back In

So... This is a weird feeling.  I'm back in the States and have been home for just a couple of days.  The jet lag isn't bad at all; I already feel over it.  However, I feel like my entire month in Scotland was a dream or like it was only a day long.  It kind of feels like I never left.  Yet I have so many experiences, new friends, and much more knowledge about the world and even myself from this trip.  I do miss Scotland, and in particular Stirling.  And I do want to go back.  Nay, I will go back.
I keep catching myself talking non-stop about Scotland.  I'm trying to limit that, it must be annoying to others.  I went to see Brave Sunday night; that was a nice way to re-enter the States.  It's been a slightly difficult transition, however.  I want to make meals that aren't available, talk to people who are now in different states than I, and go out to places that are now about 3,600 miles away.
But to help fix this, I plan on spending time reflecting on my trip.  Part of the way I will do this will be through filling picture frames and creating scrapbooks of my adventures.  I also have been keeping in touch with my closest friends from the trip on an almost daily basis.
Any time I start to feel sad that I'm back home, I just remember how much my journey has given to me.
 
Now, I'm stronger than I could have ever imagined myself being.

Flat 39

(Even though I'm back in the States, I plan on adding photos still to this blog.  I might be a little obsessed with my camera; I have so many photos to share!)

Friday, July 13, 2012

Saying Goodbye...


We're heading home today.  Already.

I don't know how I feel about this.  I'm excited to get home, eat my favorite meals, see family, share stories, etc.  But I fell in love with Scotland, especially Stirling.  I really love this town.  It's so small but still has a big city feel.  Even in the rain everything is beautiful.

The first one of my flatmates left just not too long ago at 5:30AM.  All of us in our flat got up together to take down our Scottish flag in our living room.

Now we just have to finish getting ready and one of my flatmates and I will be leaving next.

I'm definitely going to miss it here, but I'm sure I'll find a way back.




At the top of the National Wallace Monument


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Becoming British

"Dani... Was that a British accent?"

YESSSS! The student from the University of Mississippi (or Ole Miss Mike as we affectionately distinguish him from the other Michaels on campus) called me out on my slight speech change.

Okay, so I haven't picked up a British accent. Unfortunately.

However, my speech has changed in a strange way.  It is noticeable in the way I ask questions.  The inflection is different.  Instead of raising my tone at the end of a question like we do in America, I've started raising it just near the end (unintentionally).

So like in the States we would say:
"Can I get the door for YOU?" (With YOU being the part where we raise the pitch.)

But I find myself saying it like how it would be in the United Kingdom:
"Can I get the DOOR for you?" (With DOOR receiving the raised pitch.)

It's a small difference.  But still is kind of fun.  I've found other students who have experienced the same change that I have.  We'll see who notices when I come home.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

A Little Bit Of Theory

      So as I promised in the last post, this post will be applying Lewis's Culture Model to my experiences from Scotland, Ireland, and of course the United States.  It seemed somewhat fitting to examine cultures compared to the United States on the Fourth of July... For those of you who are familiar with this leadership theory, bear with me while I try to do a brief introduction to this model I will be using.  Hopefully Google Images will be able to help me out a little.


Above is the Lewis Model to describe different countries' cultures.  He separates them by putting each country on three spectrums between linear-active, multi-active, and reactive.  We can find Scotland in the UK bubble, located on the bottom left, linear-active corner, one space towards reactive.  The United States is also near the linear-active corner, but rather one space up towards multi-active.  Ireland is farthest away from the linear-active corner compared to the United Kingdom or the United States.  Almost halfway between multi-active and linear-active on the spectrum is where you'll find Ireland.


This small chart (also from Google Images) briefly describes each of the cultural categories Lewis has created.  I could explain more of the differences if I had my textbook with me, but this will have to do for the time being.  

     Now on to my experiences.  As a student from the United States, studying in the UK is not very far from the US on the Lewis Model.  I have to look closely for differences in concepts of time, speech, listening, and etc.  There are obvious cultural differences (prawn cocktail flavored potato crisps, anyone?)  but Lewis address subtler things in his work.  
     From my experiences so far, I kind of disagree with the way Lewis grouped the entire United Kingdom together.  When I got the chance to visit London last October, I was amazed at how quiet the city could be.  Even at rush hour, you would only hear footsteps as everyone kept to themselves.  In Scotland, however, it's rare for you to hail a taxi or enter a pub without a local striking up a conversation with you.  I would say that England is more reactive and Scotland is more multi-active within the United Kingdom itself.  
     Ireland was much different, though.  Most of the local citizens I encountered could be quite rude.  They would quickly mock people I was traveling for their clothes or even for trying to shake their hand.   They meant it in good fun I came to realize, but it was easy to tire of the attitude quickly.  
    Within Scotland, however, local citizens are much more welcome.  As I stated earlier, it's hard to go anywhere without someone talking to you.  Even when you say or ask something dumb, they laugh but are kind to correct you.  They seem so excited to get to know anyone and everyone.  Especially during football games.  Scottish people seem to carry the traits of linear-active planning and being results oriented, but definitely express some of the people-oriented aspects of multi-active cultures.


     Outside of the Lewis Culture Model, there are many other obvious cultural differences.  I mentioned the prawn flavored potato chips earlier, but they also frequently eat meat flavored chips as well in Scotland.  I have tried haggis now, and I can say that it's not too bad.  The one my flatmates and I shared was somewhat spicy.  And there's a national soda of Scotland that's called Irn-Bru.  The rumor is that it's illegal in the United States due to it causing ADD and ADHD... Luckily, it's not one of my favorites.  You never hear anyone say "little" here; it's always a wee bag, or wee sip, or wee drive for example.  There's only one lake in Scotland- all the rest are lochs.  Instead of carry out there is take away, and instead of one-way and round-trip tickets there are singles and returns.  

I really have enjoyed studying here in Scotland.  It's been a truly incredible experience.  But, with it being the Fourth of July, I can say that I'm a little homesick for some homemade southern sweet tea and fireworks.

Hope you all have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July!