A Scot Named Scot

  A little belated but happy Father's Day to my dad, a Scot named Scot! (Yes, he was named after Scotland and yes his name is Scot with one t not two!) Glad I was able to make it home just in time to celebrate with him. (Love you Dad and sorry that I spent most of the day sleeping. I blame the jet lag.)

He is wearing the tartan tie I bought him in Scotland

Adventures to Come

  At the beginning of this trip I was greeted by eleven unfamiliar faces. Some of the girls I kind of knew from classes or sorority recruitment but others I had never even heard their names before. I honestly didn't really know any of them all that well, and I was afraid to come on the trip where everyone already had their friends. I felt like the new kid who had to prove herself worthy of being good enough to sit at the "popular" table at lunch. Fortunately for me, these girls aren't like the ones you see in movies, and they don't disregard you because you aren't in their sorority, or you don't wear pink on Wednesdays. Instead I was welcomed with open arms and I leave London with eleven new friends. (Love all of you)
  In addition to these wonderful girls, I am leaving with new memories, experiences, and knowledge. I learned so much throughout the past month and I am so thankful for the opportunity. But if I am being truly honest I am ready to get out of London. I would love to continue traveling but the big city life is not for me; I much prefer the relaxation of Sevilla or the friendliness of Edinburgh. There is also so much that awaits me back in the States that my trip to London just seems like a check mark off my list of adventures for the year. I find that I am eager to leave the city not because I am homesick or miserable here, but because there is so much more to do, so many great things to come. And I look forward to seeing what God is going to do with the next six months. I have been already blessed with so much that I can't possibly imagine what He has in store for me.

Some of my favorite moments on the trip:

We broke down and bought some "American" food

Photo-bombing pictures of celebrities (Robert Sean Leonard)

OMG! It's One Direction!!!

High Tea at the Ritz

Attempting to understand modern art at the Tate

Do the DV (inside jokes anyone?!)

I don't always understand British humor...

Just some of the tea the group bought

My beautiful friends, classmates, and teachers

The Other Side of Fear

   Fear, it has the power to destroy. It keeps people from living by convincing us that we should stay right where we are; that if we venture out of our safety zone we are only asking for trouble. Fear is paralyzing. It not our friend but is the enemy.

  When I was first learning to drive I remember being so overcome with fear during one particular lesson. Both of my parents were in the car (which is the first mistake) and I was turning left at a busy intersection. I must have done something wrong because the next thing I know is that my parents are yelling at me (Sorry! but it’s the truth. Love you both) and I slam on the brakes. My car comes to a screeching halt right if the middle of the road and again my parents raised their voices. I knew what I should do and I understood why they were yelling. I knew I needed to put my foot on the gas pedal and go. I knew that I was in more danger just sitting in the middle of the intersection than I would be if I just started driving. But I couldn't move; I was so overcome by fear that instead of getting out of the way of the oncoming traffic I sat there staring at headlights...

  Thankfully something finally shook me out of my paralysis and I pulled off to the side of the road and switched seats with my dad. I was completely shaken up and blurry eyed from tears. In the moment I wished to never drive again, but I knew that was unreasonable and of course I did drive again. (Although I have NEVER EVER turned at the intersection again, and this incident was probably six years ago now. But I still manage to find ways around it.)

  I have found that when I am struck by fear I am usually in situations like this. Not necessarily driving situations, but when i'm already in the middle of whatever it is i'm doing. Typically, I jump head first into any adventure that comes my way. I get all excited, but then fear creeps in and it's too late to back out. I have come too far; to a point where it's more dangerous to turn around than it is to keep moving forward. Today as I hiked up the 530 steps to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral it wasn't until around the 400th step that I remembered I DON'T LIKE HEIGHTS! It's not so much the altitude that bothers me; it is more the looking down and seeing nothing but ground there to catch me if I fall.
As I continued to climb I got more and more uneasy. I questioned to myself whether or not the steps were really that secure and prayed that they wouldn't break. "Just don't look down" I reminded myself (but that never really works does it?) Finally I made it to the top, and like many times when one overcomes fear I found that it was worth it.

  At the top was a beautiful view of London which could have only been seen from a high vantage point like this, and if I had given into my fear I never would have seen it. It makes me wonder how many moments in life do we miss out on because we are scared. I think people are ingrained with a sense of adventure, but we let the fear drown it out. We can no longer here the call because of all the voices of doubt filling our heads. We dive in with excitement but are then flooded with thoughts of all that could go wrong, keeping us from living life to the fullest. It is almost as if fear is a wall or line that prevents us from seeing the good that awaits us, and it's the people that are brave enough to cross to the other side that experience the best in life.

  There are so many things I would love to do, but I chicken out because i'm afraid. I can't help but compare this to my own relationship with God. I am so afraid that God won't use me, but then I become terrified when he calls me forward. Like Jonah I run and hide. I see all that could possibly go wrong. I question and doubt. I worry and visualize failure instead of promise. But like so many other things in life there is something amazing waiting for me if I can just break through to the other side of fear.

(read more about overcoming fears in my blog post: "Fears and Flying" )

St. Paul's Cathedral:

Shakespere and Feminism

  I love a happy ending; a happy ever after is a perfect end to any good story. So why did an all women acting troop ruin the finale of Shakespeare's "the Taming of the Shrew"? I was already disappointed when I was told that it would be all girls performing (how very un-Shakespeare like), but what was even more disappointing was the actresses portrayal of the beloved comedy. By the end of the show I was not left filled with feelings of giddiness and love, but instead felt pity for poor Kate.

  I had fallen into their trap. This is exactly how they wanted me to feel. See the actresses were trying to make a point about how men are regarded as superior to women and that women must do something about it. Well haven't we? It is called the feminist movement... but what happens when feminism is taken too far?

  According to Merriam-Webster feminism is defined as "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes". Equality here is the key word. I believe that it is important that women are treated equally to men and given the respect they deserve. After reading and watching the documentary Half the Sky my eyes were opened to just how badly women are treated around the world, and I realize that I am incredibly blessed to live somewhere such as the United States. But what about when women take equality too far? Have we reached a point in the feminist movement that we want more than equality, and do we as women now view ourselves as elevated about men? 

   I wrote before about how we are all different parts of the body, and without one part the body won't function. The same applies to men and women. We have different roles in the world, but we are equal. No role is greater than the other in God's eyes; it is the world that emphasizes one or the other as being better. And I challenge everyone (no matter boy or girl) to fix this. 

  I by no means think that women should stop striving to be the best that they can be. In fact girls are stepping up in this world and the numbers of women in business has significantly increased (which is awesome.) But I don't think we should see ourselves as better than men. And boys, it isn't entirely the girls' fault that women are beginning to rise above. We have worked hard to be where we are, and it is your job to step up to the plate as well. Just imagine if both men and women were really equals in this world; if everyone worked towards reaching their full potential. It is probably too much to ask for, but oh just think of the ways the world would be changed for the better.

"My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or  else my heart concealing it will break" -The Taming of the Shrew
  
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." -Galatians 3:28

"The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him... Then the Lord God made a women from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." -Genesis 2:18, 22

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre:

 

Defying Gravity

  I am a senior in college. (WOAH! WHAT?) I'm pretty sure I am still in denial about this, but the truth is that I am. What is even more mind blowing than this is that I graduate in December. (That is not that far away, People! CRAZY!!) The thought of graduation both scares me and excites me. I will be starting a new and (hopefully) exciting chapter in my life, but I am going to miss everything that I will be leaving behind. I have made some of the best friends I have ever had, joined a wonderful sorority, and have been blessed with opportunity after opportunity throughout the past three years. I realize college doesn't last forever, but thankfully the friendships will and I can continue my involvement in ZTA even after I graduate. I am also 100 percent certain that I will discover more opportunities once I enter the "real world".

Inspritational Beauty

  Could you ever have imagined that beauty could be found at the Tube Station. I certainly couldn't. The stations are smelly and dirty, and on occasion you will see a little rat scurrying by (ICK!). However, the other day my friends and I were witnesses to the most inspirational act of beauty we had seen since arriving in London. We were sitting on the tube when an elderly lady made her way on. Almost as soon as she stepped up off the platform the gentleman across from me stood up and offered his seat.

Battle Round: The British Versus Americans

  I really wanted to share with you some funny stereotypes about the British and Americans, but everything I could find just sounded mean. So instead I have decided to share with you some good humored YouTube videos about British people's takes on America!

A Cultural Issue

   One of my favorite pastimes is people watching. (who doesn't love to do this honestly?) People are fascinating, and as I sit here studying various persons I can't help but wonder what they are thinking and what their lives are like. Especially here in London (such a touristy area) there are people from all over the world and I want to know their story; I want to ask what brought them here.

You, Me, and the Queen

This past week I realized that I have been lucky enough to be in London for both the beginning and the end of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee (a yearlong celebration of her 60th anniversary as queen). On Tuesday a few of us gathered around in the Regents Lobby to watch the ceremony on television. (I must admit it was pretty cool knowing that the ceremony was taking place at Westminster Abbey and I had just been there two days earlier.) After the ceremony was over, we began discussing how the English believe the queen is appointed for her position by God and that her royal title is divine right. We debated whether or not we as Americans agree with this and attempted to look at it from a British perspective.

London Bucket List

  By now I am sure you have realized I have sort of a love hate relationship with London. I love all the sites and history but hate the crowds and the urgency. And with that being said I would like to share with you some of my favorite things to do and see around London. (And then a couple of the touristy things I find overrated.)

All Nations

  As I sit outside of Westminster Abbey soaking up the sun I begin to recall last summer's visit to this astounding priory. Like so many other sites and monuments I have revisited nothing has changed. The church still stands as strong and influential as before. This time though the Abbey holds a special meaning for me, serving as a reminder of the sermon I heard here on Sunday. The speaker, Reverend Dr. John Hall, happened to cite one of my favorite Bible verses, Psalm 67:1-2 (which can actually be seen at the bottom of my blog page). This verse declares that the name of Jesus be known among all the nation, and I don't believe that the Reverend reading this verse was any coincidence. Instead I choose to think that God wanted me to hear this verse again; He wanted to remind me of why I am so passionate about traveling. Which there are several reasons why I love to travel, but the most important of them all being so I can spread His name across the nations.

I Am No C.S. Lewsis, But...

    Table six, the table where two of the world's greatest writers met every Tuesday. The same table I ate lunch at during my time in Oxford. It is here that C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the other members of the Inklings debated their perspectives on Christianity, revealed rough drafts of soon to be famous novels, and laughed about their crazy teachers over at the University.

Down the Rabbit Hole

   Do you ever find yourself wishing that you could escape down the rabbit hole to discover your own little wonderland? Or that while playing a game of hide and seek you will suddenly find yourself stumbling out the other side of a wardrobe into a place where time magically stops? Here in London I get easily overwhelmed by the vast amounts of people. They rush by in blurs racing as fast as they can to get to wherever it is they are going. It is as if they are all competing in a secret race that we tourists don't know about. The goal is to get there before everyone else (extra points rewarded for every tourist you knock down along the way) and their grand prize is that they arrived at the tube station only to find that there has been a five minute delay. Congratulations...

Talking with a Princess

    I can't believe that I am standing in front of Princess Diana herself. She sits in a chair staring back at me almost expressionless; she isn’t smiling or waving proud like a royal woman should. Instead Diana hides secrets which are forever untold and locked up within the frames of her portrait.

  As I walk through the National Portrait Gallery studying Diana’s face I find myself wishing that I could magically jump into the picture with her. I imagine that she and I would gossip about her boys as well as Prince Charles. She would tell me what it is really like to be married into the royal family and how it is to have a mother-in-law who is Queen over all of Britain.

   Surely Diana would let a few royal secrets slip and then admit to me that the high life is not all that it seems to be. She reveals  some of the trials and struggles she faces on a daily basis but she does so with no hint of complaint in her voice. And although the princess never says it, I can sense that she felt relief once she traded in her tiara and pearls for a new title. No longer does she need to fulfill the duties of a Royal Highness, but is free to just be a princess. 

A Gentle Whisper

  It’s been less than a year since I last visited Stonehenge and to no surprise it hasn’t changed.  The oversized monument stands just as strong as it did last July and as it has since 2600 BC. The stones cling tight to the legend surrounding them and refuse to let their mystery ever be solved. However, from time to time it allows for lucky tourists to have their own epiphanies. Epiphanies which are not about the rocks themselves but answers to questions in their own lives. 

Across Those Party Lines

   After writing yesterday's post A Taste of the South, I started thinking about the Miranda Lambert song "Only Prettier". The lyrics reminded me a lot of the relationship between Scotland and England. Neither are to fond of the other, and Scotland is actually in want of independence. I believe it had to do with not wanting to pay taxes... (Hmm.. sounds familiar)

A Taste of the South

  My fellow travelers and I are back in England, and though I am excited for our upcoming adventures in London, I miss Scotland! Edinburgh was much more relaxed and slower placed than this big New York like city. In fact it reminded me of my southern suburban town back in the States.

  Unlike here in London, we didn't have to worry about being trampled over if we weren't standing on the right side of the escalator or sprinting fast enough to catch the train that hasn't even arrived yet. The Scottish were also much more open compared to the reserved English. It was no problem to strike up some small talk with them while waiting in line to tour the Edinburgh castle or when sharing a seat on the bus. They were just as much interested in us Americans as we were in them, and were always willing to share their home with us.

Out of Place

  My teacher gave us an assignment to find an object that inspires us and then to write about the object. I found a few items that I thought to be interesting, but every "inspiring" idea sounded cliché. I didn't want to write something that has already been written a thousand times before; instead I wanted to share something more original. 

 One of my "inspiring" objects was a single white tulip in a flower bed amongst hundreds of purple violets in the Holyrood gardens. I figured I could write about how the tulip is out of place amongst the other flowers and compare it to how I feel out of place here in Scotland. But truth be told, I don't feel out of place; in fact I feel very in place. 

  That is not to mean that I never get out of my comfort zone here abroad. Indeed I do become overwhelmed at times and wish that I could simply curl up in my own bed and watch Disney movies all morning. Traveling is both within and without my comfort zone. For me it is nothing to hop on a plane and fly or to eat something as "gross" as haggis. However, travel forces me to build confidence and to believe in my own abilities, something I constantly struggle with back home. 

Just Try It

   While traveling you are presented with once in a lifetime opportunities. You may not and most likely will not ever get a chance to do it again; therefore, you need do it while you can. Typically these opportunities allow for travelers like me to better understand the culture and to gain more respect for their lifestyle. If I am not willing to try something that is unusual, different, or "wrong" in my views then I can't expect others to come to the United States and try what I see as normal, custom, or "right".

Scotland, No need for Words

  Although I know the wonder of Scotland speaks for its self, I want to share how amazed I am with its beauty. This place is incredible. When I was looking at all the different views along the train ride which range from rocky beaches, to high cliffs, and endless fields of green and yellow flowers, I could not help but be awestruck with God and His creativity. Every step it just got better and better. The beauty in this country is truly endless from the man-made architecture to the creation that could only be formed by the one true God.

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." -Romans 1:20

Reasons Why I Love my Last Name

   For the past twenty-one years I have struggled with people pronouncing my last name right, but that all ends today because I (Dani Fairbairn) am headed to Edinburgh, Scotland. My great-grandfather lived not too far from Edinburgh in the town Bathgate. He later adventured over to the good ol' USofA and brought with him a very non-American last name. But despite the monotonous struggle of explaining that it is FairbAIRn and not Fairburn, I still think I have a pretty cool name. And therefore I have decided to give you the top 7 reasons why I love my last name (and one reason why I hate it).

Fears and Flying

   I. do. not. like. birds. They are just terrifying creatures for one (like the tower from yesterday, birds just scream scary movie to me), and I am always paranoid that they are going to take care of their "business" on my shoulder. So if I don't like birds so much then why did I decide to run at them and make them scatter? No, it was not because I was suddenly filled with the courage to overcome my fear. Instead I was simply being foolish, and to my unfortunate surprise the birds decided to take revenge and fly back at me. I repeat I. DO NOT. like. birds.

   So why am I sharing this fowl story with you? Well mostly because there is picture evidence of my ridiculous adventure, and I would like to just go ahead and own up to it rather then have it held against me as blackmail. But I am also writing about the bird incident because it is crucial to overcome your fears. It is terribly cliché, but people need to dream BIG!!

   I want to travel; I have a passion for learning about all types of cultures and people. I wish to share with them the love of Jesus, and in order to do that I must know what they believe first. I need to and want to know how they live on a daily basis, and what better way to learn that then through travel?

The Makings of a Horror Movie

   Everything is gray and gloomy. The weather calls for overcast and though it looks like it's going to rain it never does.

   I imagine that the sky didn't look much different back in May of 1536 when Anne Boleyn was "sent to the tower" to be executed. Unfortunately for Anne she was unable to bear a son for her husband King Henry VIII, and as punishment she was killed in her very on castle The Tower of London. However, she wasn't the only one to lose her life at this chilling prison. Hundreds upon hundreds of "enemies to the throne" have been murdered here including another of King Henry VIII's six wives Catherine Howard.

Travel Playlist

In light of my trip (2 more days) I thought I would share with y'all some songs that I love and inspire me to travel! 

Southern Comfort Zone: Brad Paisley

Spice Up Your Life

   If you've been reading you should know that last summer I went to London and left only a couple days before the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. In one of my posts I briefly mentioned my mission to reunite the Spice Girls, but there is something I never told you...I was successful!

My Summer in London

"All in all London was great, and I would really love to come back when I have a little more time. Four days just wasn't enough to fit in all things I would like to do, you know the things like hunting down Prince William and reuniting the Spice Girls..."

   Last July when I wrote those words in my post Let The Games Begin, I truly believed that I would one day return to London; however, I never thought I would be going back so soon. In a couple weeks I will once again be leaving my little southern town and making my way to Europe. This time around I will be studying at Regent's University and learning all there is to know about British Literature. Although a small part of me (okay okay a large part of me) wishes that I was returning to Spain, I am so thankful and excited to revisit England and see Scotland for the first time.