Here's another update from our Global Scholar Hallie Johnson in Scotland. As you may recall, she is the 2024-2025 Rotary Global Scholarship Grant recipient sponsored by our club. She moved to Edinburgh, Scotland last fall to study for her master's degree in Comparative Education and International Development at the University of Edinburgh:
It's the holiday season in Edinburgh, and I’m convinced this is the best place to be to celebrate the holidays! I have loved exploring the Christmas markets and settling in to cozy cafés with my readings and seeing this beautiful town all lit up for the season. It is just enough to distract from the fact that the sun sets at 3:30 pm this time of year.
These first few months at the University of Edinburgh have been exhausting and exciting, and have pushed and fulfilled me in ways I could not have expected. This semester, I took the foundational classes in comparative education and education and international development, as well as a research methods class that will support me in writing my dissertation this summer. The classes were hard work, but work that I found to be deeply interesting and energizing. Though I appreciate having a little break for the festive season, I am so looking forward to the new semester, getting back to class, and the opportunities for learning and growing that the new year will bring.
Beyond the coursework, the best part of diving into this master's program has been connecting with my wonderful, community-minded faculty and cohort. I feel lucky to have formed deep friendships through this program, and to get to constantly learn from their experiences in so many different international contexts. A favorite memory from the semester was an international potluck that our cohort held for Thanksgiving, where we got to try delicious foods (I brought a pan of cheesy corn to represent the great state of Iowa) and hear about food traditions from all over the world. Another favorite memory is a trip with friends in the cohort for a “writing retreat” at a cabin in the Trossachs, a stunning national park about two hours northwest of Edinburgh. The papers got done, as did a few games, misadventures, attempts to teach me to drive stick shift, and the most frigid cold plunge of my life in Loch Tay. My toes are going numb just thinking about it.
As I wrap up this first semester of my program, I am so endlessly grateful for the ways Rotary has supported me in this journey. Connecting with the Rotary Club of Portobello and meeting the other Global Scholars has provided such an essential network of support as I navigate this new place and new challenges. Additionally, it has been so much fun to form new friendships with Edinburgh Rotarians and get to experience some of their events, like the annual International Night, where I tried haggis for the first time. (It wasn’t bad, actually!)
Wishing you happy holidays and a wonderful new year!
Hallie
To view more of Hallie's amazing photos visit the associated photo album at Hallie Johnson Update #2.
---