A Scottish Summer

Over the fall and winter, I worked on writing a proposal for an award from Phi Theta Kappa.  The Mosal Award - designed to support personal and professional development for an advisor to pursue some study - is something that I've applied for a few times.  But, this time, I felt much more confident.  I felt as though my proposal was strong, my rational was reasonable, and my project was intriguing. 

Luckily for me, the selection committee thought so, too!

At the International Convention in April, I was announced as the winner of the 2019 Mosal Award.  Holy moly!!!

What does this mean, you ask?

It means that in just a few short weeks, I will hop a plane across the pond to Scotland.  For a three week study of the people, history, culture, and geography of that amazing part of the UK. 

Even better - I'm taking my Mom with me!!  I can't wait (or, to practice my Scots - I canna wae) to share this with her and to explore this amazingly beautiful country.  

So, since April, I've been spending my time reading up on my Scottish history.  Which, by the way, is absolutely intriguing and enchanting.  And sad and tragic.  And glorious.  All at once.

I've booked all of our stays - Glasgow, Stirling, Oban, Carbost on Skye, Inverness, Gauldry, Edinburgh, and Renfrewshire - started to plan some of our outings - the Highland games in Luss, climbing Ben Lomond, drinking whiskey at the Macallan Distillery - and just generally loved staring at maps and pictures and such.

To have this opportunity is absolutely stellar.  The next step - about which I should hear news this week - would be to be approved to do a student Study Abroad in Scotland in 2020. 

In the meantime, I'll keep watching videos in the hopes of acclimatizing my ears to the Scottish brogue, and will get my camera cleaned up and read to take photos for three weeks straight.  In my dreams, I'll get at least a handful of photos as beautiful as this one....