"Striking out on your own is an essential part of growing up." I can't decide whether this is sage wisdom or just good rhetoric. I have realized that I had to journey afar in pursuit of my dreams if I wanted to actualize them--I've worked hard to perfect my language, immerse myself in German and Austrian culture, and use my skills as an editor, scholar, and teacher in the US and abroad.
But during any extended stay away, Christmas has always been a time for me to return home and enjoy the company of my loving parents. It's a time to tell all the little stories that don't get shared through e-mails, to hug and not let go, and to catch up on future plans/goals, etc. Additionally, in an environment that is secure, stable, and familiar, I can ground myself emotionally.
This Christmas, I decided to stay in Austria. Although I still don't regret this decision, as George and I still had a nice time and it afforded me time for an adventure in Scotland (see below), it hurt to be away from family at the one time I always return home.
It seems most folks agree. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, family togetherness came up again and again as the main theme of modern Christmas. While Christians should not forget the spiritual reason to celebrate this holiday, being with family seems a requisite for most everyone, regardless of creed.
I'm not sure how future holidays will turn out, but I like it that way. I'm sure there will be others I won't get to spend with my parents, so this experience will hopefully help me deal with it. This year, at least, the blues were cured by a trip to Scotland right after Christmas. We stayed for 11 days and accomplished our two goals: to check out George's ancestral lands (near the area of Kilmarnock) and to collect any more information about his ancestors we could find and coordinate with human resources in the area.
Of course, we also celebrated Hogmanay (Scottish New Year's celebration), which allowed us to experience bagpipers playing classic rock hits and drinking in public:
Some highlights from the trip include:
*driving on the left side of the road with only one near-death experience to spice up our lives
*visiting the National Museum in Edinburgh and viewing artifacts from Britain's ancient past, including incredibly ornate brooches that aren't too different from the highland garb I see today and some stones with the ancient Ogham script carved into them
*waking up to wildly whipping wind at the window, which ended up being a huge storm that ripped up asphalt, tore down trees, and caused travel havoc in Strathclyde
*eating Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties more times than I'd like to mention :)
*doing a free walking tour in Edinburgh with a man in character, who startled some passersby who commented that they thought he was drunk
*snacking on shortbread and ginger wine with some very kind people from the East Ayrshire Historical Society in Kilmarnock
*examining old tombstones in many different old churchyards for any sign of any of George's ancestors
*visiting "Hemphill" and other ancient sites (Dumbarton Rock, Stirling Castle, site of Norwegian attack in Largs, Battleground of Bannockburn), except the Antonine Wall, which eluded us (despite an hour of driving around with guidance from two maps and the GPS)
*watching Neil Oliver's special "History of Ancient Britain" (all episodes available on YouTube!) and seeing things in it we had seen the day before
*watching crazy British TV shows, like "The Cube," "Perfection," and "Come Dine with Me." Favorite was probably "A Place in the Sun: Home or Away" where two real estate agents showed prospective buyers different homes either in Britain or abroad, and the buyer had to decide at the end which they wanted to buy.
*listening to George master his impression of Alan Rickman
Pictures to come
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