SO.. not too much news for you this week, though a few little tidbits which I am eager to share. This last week I spent four days in Cardiff, Wales on the annual Marshall scholars class trip. Overall, despite the fact the Welsh Assembly treated it a bit like a diplomatic visit, with lots of talks about devolution and Welsh politics filling up most of the days, we enjoyed a fairly good time. The Assembly put us up in a very nice hotel, and we did get a chance to learn quite a bit about Welsh culture, history, language and politics.
Cardiff Castle:
The new Wales Assembly Building:
Two particular highlights were: A midieval banquet at the Cardiff Castle, including many courses of Welsh food and some very enthusiastic entertainers; and a chance to explore St. Fagans National History Museum, which is an open air folk museum complete with real life houses and buildings relocated from all over Wales. The museum was extremely cool, with buildings almost a thousand years old, ranging from churches to houses, shops, barns, functioning gardens and farmlands, a mill and even a tannery, all furnished (or being used) in a historically correct manner with period furniture, fixtures, etc. Also included was a historically accurate reproduction of a Celtic village (as people in the region lived 2,000 years ago. All the different buildings were open to go inside and see what it was like. Always interested in how it would have been to live in another age, I especially liked seeing all the old dwellings, most of which included dovecots or pigeon lofts! (for those of you who don't know, my family races pigeons, which has also apparently been a favorite sport for generations of Welsh for many hundredsof years).
Some Miner's cottages from 1805 at the National History Museum (pigeon lofts in the rear behind them):
One down point in the trip, was when a sinus infection I have been fighting (unsucesssfully) all winter came raging back, requiring me to make a visit to the out-of-hours doctor and causing me to miss a day's lectures. Thankfully I was able to get some antibiotics and other medicines and finally seem to be on the mend.
In other news, I am nearing the end of spring semester, just a few weeks before I turn in my term papers and get to work in earnest on my dissertation. So close I can taste it! Although, I have enjoyed my projects for this past few months, which have included: an analysis of the pros and cons of using NGOs as a conduit for democratisation in Africa, a study on the different models of development utilized in post-war Afghanistan reconstruction with a particular regard to gender, and a theoretical discussion of how transnational movements can and do influence the foreign policies of governments with an analysis of the historical example of the International Zionist Movement during WW I.
Other exciting news: Ms. Graisbery (for those who don't know, a former teacher of mine at FG high) is currently living just outside of Edinburgh. She has related to me that Mr and Mrs. Fitzgibbons (thats right, THE now retired FITZ from FG High) will be visiting next week and so we are going to arrange a dinner-reunion. Coincidentially, Amy Sample and Max Ward will be visiting that same week and so it is going to be a real FGHS reunion, in Scotland of all places! How random! I am really thrilled and can't wait!
Finally, due to being sick pretty much all winter, it looks like I am not going to be adequately prepared for the marathon come May. However I will be running shorter distances, as part of a relay team and also a half-marathon. Oh well, the way I see it, I have done a respectable job becoming 'a runner' and I will give it my best to be healthier next year so that I can go the whole distance next time around. For someone who just took up the sport last fall, I don't feel at all like a failure. 13 miles is a very respectable distance for a beginner!
ok then, I hope everyone is happy and healthy back in Oregon (or wherever else you are). We miss you all terribly and look forward to many visitors this summer!
Alletta
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