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.