Tuesday, 14 July 2009

July 14-Message from Dr. Long

Hello Loyal Readers!

As I write this from the student union at Glasgow Caledonian University, I can see several of the students studying for their final exam tomorrow morning. We have a group with mixed feelings; sadness about the end of the program, but excitement about returning home. We talked this morning about what to expect in the few weeks following their return.

We had a group dinner last night at a pizza house, and formal tea this afternoon at The Willow Tea Room, designed by Glasgow-born architect and artist Charles Rennie MacIntosh. It was the first formal tea for nearly everyone and, despite the small portions, they seemed to have a good time.

This morning we had oral history presentations on the students' and their families' experiences with acculturation (this second course is on the transnational identity) and our final exam is tomorrow morning. We'll spend tomorrow evening on our final group dinner, at a local restaurant doing "Scottish" food, and are on our way back to Edinburgh for the return flight tomorrow morning.

For the parents reading this: It has been a joy to teach these students. It has been such a pleasure to learn with them and to watch them experience Scotland, acculturation, and new friendships. They are a fun and engaged group of people. Please be patient with them when they come home; they will need to adjust, and that will include sharing a lot of photos and stories, and, probably, the occasional comment that ends with "....was better in Scotland."

Robyn Long

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