Across the Pond

Where we love is home, 

Home that our feet may leave but not our hearts.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

A couple weeks ago, 14 of my cohort members, my three professors and I traveled over to the UK to examine Universities and what they do for student support services. Going back over the pond was like going home. Something about that place allows me to breathe deeply and something that was lost within my soul was revived. We started out in Edinburgh, Scotland. Got to tour the city a lot and spend a lot of time outdoors. Some of my favorite memories from that city was discovering that we could climb to the top of the Scot Monument and got a great view of the city.

We also went on our first hike with Daisy and of course, in true American form, had a dance party when we reached the top. But it was a great view, and it was great to get some fresh air!

The first University we visited was University of Glasgow. Amazing school with beautiful architecture. I think I found what really draws me in to schools: architecture. Hook. Line. And sinker!

We then went to Aberdeen. Some of the ladies and I took a walk out to the North Sea. It's at times like that when you have to pinch yourself and verbally remind yourself that you are in Scotland. The University of Aberdeen was a great school. Didn't have the medieval architecture that was seen at Glasgow, but something about the community was so welcoming. Note that our time in Aberdeen was the only time it rained while we were abroad. 

From Aberdeen we traveled to the place I most hope to return: St. Andrews. I fell in love with the town, the school, the tradition and all the history. What I felt when I was at St. Andrew's was similar to what I felt when I came to ASU. Even though I had only been there for a short time, it immediately felt like home. The University had the closest thing to what resembles a Residence Life system here in the states. My hope is to go back to St. Andrew's for a couple months after graduating. Fingers crossed!

From there we traveled through the beautiful countryside of Scotland to Chester, England. That city has some AMAZING history and of course the day we got to tour the city, I wasn't feeling well. We had a "Hen Party" for cohort member Emily the night prior and had a pretty great time. While visiting the school, our host exclaimed they had a very extensive history as they were established in 1849. I laughed. The schools we had visited previously started back in the 1400's. By just visiting three ancient schools, we became such snobs. "Extensive history? Yeah right! Talk to us when your school's history is nearly 600 years old."

After Chester we went to Brecon, Wales. When people ask me about my favorite part of the trip, the first thing I think of is Brecon. We got to go on an incredible hike with Daisy one day and I saw views that words can't even begin to describe. The beauty was something that put me in awe. The peaks we climbed were Pen Y Fan and Corn Du. We hiked while sheep grazed among us. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. After the hike, we all went to a local pub to watch a football game of Manchester United vs Manchester City. YAY MANCHESTER CITY!

From Brecon to Cardiff. I really liked Cardiff. For some reason it reminded me of Minneapolis, except Minneapolis doesn't have a castle in the middle of it. 

Story time. So we arrived in Cardiff on a Sunday morning. Our professors wanted to give us some time to see the city so we got there early. Did some shopping in the early afternoon, then walked back to our hotel to get checked in. We then decided to walk to the Castle which was just through the city center. The castle cost 11 pounds so we decided not to check it out. From there we walked to the National Museum after getting lost for a short bit. Didn't last in the museum very long because it was just the day before that we did the long hike in Brecon, so my feet were killing me and I was in flats. Well my professors Daisy and Cathy met up with us at the museum and since it was such a beautiful day out we decided to go to the Cathedral for evening song. So we started walking. At first it was so peaceful strolling through the parks and seeing people enjoy the weather. And we kept walking and passed a cricket stadium and through some random neighborhoods. Well 15 minutes into the walk, my feet are giving me the middle finger and I'm shuffling around like an old lady. I see the group, that is now way a head of me, stop by a building which looked like a cathedral. I finally make it there and see a sign. Homeless shelter. I laugh. Why? To keep from crying! We figure out that the cathedral is about another 15 minutes in the same direction. We push on. Walked through another park and got to see a cricket game. And then finally we see the cathedral in the distance. This one looked legit. Great architecture, grave yard, good history, the whole nine yards. Get to the front. It was closed. Go figure. To top it off, we got a bus ride back to the city center and we got there in 3 minutes. Hilarious!

We also visited the University of Cardiff which was a nice university. This school also was founded in the 1800's. From Cardiff we were off to LONDON! Hooray! There is something about that city that makes me feel so alive. And to me it's interesting that a small town like St. Andrew's and a huge city like London can feel so much like home. We got to do a lot of touring of the city. The weather was fantastic so our day in the city was a 16 hour day. I got to see Abbey Road, go on the London Eye, we went to the Tower of London and hung out by Peter Pan in Kensington Park. It was awesome!

The last school we went to was Cambridge University. That school was so intimidating! To think of how many brilliant people have attended the colleges there and the things they have accomplished and the rich history of the school just blows me away. We also got to punt the cam which was a great way to end the trip! Before you know it, I was getting packed up and headed back to the states.

My time abroad was so refreshing and it really confirmed that I need to be working in International Programs. Someday! I am so thankful that I was given this opportunity and that I have this experience a part of my graduate career. If you would like to hear more, don't hesitate to ask!

Cheers!

Alive and Well in the UK!

Just wanted to give a quick update from the UK! The trip is going so well!! We have been so blessed by great weather and the group is getting along very well. We have visited 3 universities. First stop was the University of Glasgow. Beautiful campus! Then it was on to the University of Aberdeen. Really enjoyed that school as they were so welcoming!! Next visit and favorite so far was going to the University of St. Andrew. Fell in love with the school and city! They have such great tradition there and it's something I would love to be a part of!! Maybe one day :). Tomorrow we are going to the University of Chester. Did you know Chester dates back to 79 A.D.?? Crazy!!

So in all really loving this trip! So glad this is a part of my graduate school experience. More updates to come upon return to the states. Cheers!!

JORGEN

Since I will be out of the country when the BFF turns 26 (april.13), I wanted to give a little shout out to my best friend, Miss Jorgen Knutson! When I first met this girl she was wearing "Farm Girl" t-shirts and cargo pants. Now miss thang is fashionista extraordinaire! And she is quite possibly the sassiest girl I have ever met.

Diva.

Jorgen, know that I am so thankful for you and your friendship. You mean the world to me and have blessed me in so many ways. I am a better person because of you. Thank you for keeping my life so entertaining. Plus, it isn't bad having a best friend who owns nearly 50 pairs of shoes - that comes in handy a lot! :) I will be thinking of you when I'm gallivanting around England. Don't worry, I will try to bring you home something fabulous! 

So, here it is, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORGEN!! Love you lots!!

Love.Love.Love

UK BOUND

Just two more days until it is time to get on a plane and head across the pond! Don't really have much else to say about it. Writing this really just to rub it in that I am leaving the country...finally!! (It's been 5 years) Readers, you may or may not find it interesting that I will be in London just days before the Royal Wedding. You're jealous, I know. I'll do my best to document the occasion for your viewing pleasure upon my return to the states. With that, I best be on my way to getting my to-do list taken care of. I will touch base with you all in a couple weeks. Until then,

Cheers!

Much Needed Space

These past few days I have been in Baltimore for the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) conference. While I now find myself at home and exhausted, there are many things that I walk away with greatly appreciating from my time spent in Baltimore. I think what I most appreciate was the space that was created for many influential things to take place. Things that may have never taken place, had I not been in Baltimore for this period of time.

I am most thankful for the space and opportunity to enter into what I hope to be a great friendship with my cohort member Courtney. Up until this time, I had only really gotten to know Courtney through the context of our classroom. But now after 5 days spent in Baltimore, venting to each other about the outrageous amount of money we spent on a very disappointing hotel, studying for finals, processing the sessions we attending, creating documentaries on the ACPA experience, tequila shots, and an abundance of laughs, I consider her to not only be an absolutely incredible human being, but someone I intend to have a life long friendship with.

Sticking with the friendship theme, I am very thankful for the space provided for me to get to know some other cohort members in a better way and to really appreciate their personalities and who they are as people. Additionally, I am so thankful for some much needed space to work on redeeming friendships that had gone way off track and nearly derailed. While still a work in progress, the difference in our friendship from Friday to Wednesday is very recognizable.

Going to ACPA also provided me the space to:  think, to discuss, to vent, to dream, to plan, to improve, to believe.  All in a way that I hadn't yet before. I feel as though the conversations I had, the sessions I sat in on, the ideas that were created have given me enough things to reflect on to last me to the end of the semester. This conference only solidified my recently determined passion within the field of Student Affairs. I also feel that this conference instilled in me a confidence in my ability to hold my ground in this profession that I apparently had been lacking before. It is because of the space so adequately provided that I am thankful for everything that took place these past few days. However...

The only space that was not created from this trip involves my waistline and the now clear lack of space. I guess 5 days of eating out for every meal catches up with one quickly. Must find a way to immediately recreate that space!

White Leather, Red Laces

It's nearly baseball season and there is no where I would rather be than here....

Twins Territory

But of course, I am in Boone, North Carolina. I didn't really become obsessed with baseball until college. It must have been the 1/2 price general admission and the dollar dogs that got me. But it is seriously one of my favorite sports. Maybe because it shouts loud and clear "SUMMER". It could also be the sound of a packed stadium on a afternoon game, it's flat beer that only tastes good when sitting in a ball stadium, it's being able to people watch the entire game and never miss a thing. It is also becoming friends with the people sitting next to you...even if only for 9 innings! And if you're lucky - a few extra! It definitely is the 7th inning stretch and the kiss cam. Or possibly that one time you and your friends got the last few tickets for the home opener sitting in obstructed view seating and you started the slow clap!

Gosh...I LOVE THIS SPORT! Thankfully, just through the mountains about 40 miles is Elizabethtown where the Twins have their farm team. PTL! You better believe I am going to catch a game or two. But for now, I daydream about being with friends on a warm evening enjoying America's past-time. Thank goodness it is Baseball season!

Service: Redefined

If I were to reflect on the things that are important to me and the things I want to be about, I would typically believe that the term service would show up on multiple different occasions. My go-to leadership model is through servant leadership. I worked for a non-profit organization that developed service trips all across the United States that nearly 40,000 people attended each year. I participate in several different service opportunities each year. Service this. Service that. Service. Service. Service. This is something I think people should get involved in and make a priority in their lives.

However, this term service has been causing some sort of internal dilemma within me lately. I just got back from an Alternative Spring Break trip that gave students here at ASU an opportunity to get outside of their comfort zone of Boone and be a part of the ongoing work taking place in gulf cities such as Pascagoula, Mississippi. While the students worked hard all week with the various tasks given them, I felt that there was this lingering question about the level of service work they were doing. I think sometimes we think that we have to be working with children and having a lot of human interaction to gratify our needs for doing service and to quantify what has been done as such. On top of the recent ASB trip, I also attended a workshop on Globalizing Service Learning that discussed what service learning should and shouldn't be.

It is from that workshop and my previous trip that I am developing this skewed view of the word service. I feel that service has become this sort of self proclaiming- pat myself on the back- add it to the resume- look at how good I am - sort of thing people seek just to make them feel better about themselves. I think a lot of people have lost the real meaning and purpose of service as they enter into service opportunities with this appalling god complex. It's like I can hear them walk into those situations proclaiming "HERE I AM TO SAVE THE DAYYYYY!!!!" And that....DISGUSTS ME! If that is what people believe service is and how it should be approached, I want nothing to do with their kind of service.

Another contributing factor to this sudden dissonance in my comprehension of service came from an upcoming program to be held in my building. With the recent disaster taking place in Japan, my staff and I decided to host a fundraiser to help out a local organization Samaritan's Purse. However, it isn't just a "come bring down your pennies to help out a global cause", it is "we will feed you if you can please just spare a penny or two!" Now, I understand that I am catering to an audience of college students and if food is available at any function, they will magically appear. It's like in Field of Dreams when they say "If you build it, he will come" except it's more like "If you feed them, they will come." I digress. My sudden objection to this is that I feel like through these types of programming I am only enabling people to continue with this type of service where there has to be some sort of reward for people to participate. I feel like too many people ask "What's in it for me?" before even considering getting involved in a service opportunity. I'm sorry but if you are only getting involved and helping out because you get a free meal or to boost your ego then you are not doing service. Service in its purest form there is no evidence of selfishness or motivation for personal gain.

(deep breath)

So with all this I come to this conclusion that we need to redefine service. We have to reclaim it for what it is really suppose to be about. It is imperative that we check our motivations for becoming involved in service ensuring that our motives are pure and just. And with that, I step off my soap box.