The Highlands (a.k.a. the best trip ever)

I don't really know how to organize this post, seeing as there is so much stuff to put in here. I guess I'll start with a bit about the travel company. I went with a group called Heartland Travel, which is a little business started just about a year ago by a man and his wife, Nory and Louise Hope. It was probably the greatest guided tour I have ever been on, and I cannot recommend it enough. So if you ever find yourself in Scotland, use Heartland Travel for any highland adventures you want.

We all got on this little 16-seater bus and drove up the winding roads into the highlands. If I thought there were scary roads in America, it was nothing compared to these roads. Everyone drives so fast on them, around these tiny, blind curves. But that was part of the fun? Anyway, the first stop was to the most photographed mountain in the higlands, known as Buachaille Etive Mòr. It means the Great Shepherd of Mor, which is why of course, I had to take a picture with it. The next stop was also kind of related to my family, as we ate lunch in front of a range called the three sisters. So that was pretty cool.

The next three places we stopped at were all related to Harry Potter, for those Harry Potter fans out there. At the first stop, we were all confused why the driver stopped. It was just a plain old mountain, with a thick line of pine trees. He (Nory is his name) told us that one of Hagrid's Huts was built behind the line of pine trees, and the scenes in the 3rd movie were shot there, I believe. The second stop was to this beautiful meadow called Steall Meadow. It might possibly be my favorite place. Just so picturesque. But this beautiful meadow was where the dragon fighting arena was CGI-ed, along with some of the flying scenes in that part. The third stop was the most obvious Harry Potter related stop, to the Harry Potter bridge in Glenn Finnich. At the same time, we saw Loch Schill, which is the lake Harry flies over on the hippogriff, Buckbeak. So ha, to all you Harry Potter lovers, I got to see lots of Harry Potter stuff. Ironically, at the last stop we ran into the groundskeeper, who was there during all the filming. He told us about the film crews coming in, how the first film crew to come through was bigger than the population of the town (4 times bigger, to be exact). The groundkeeper's shed was in the scenes with the bridge as well - just cleverly disguised as a large rhododendron bush. 

That pretty much sums up the first day. Lots of sight-seeing basically. But every place we visited was more beautiful than the last. I really cannot put into words how absolutely breathtaking the highlands are. No picture I take can ever show the real beauty of it either. Which is sad, but I'll always have the memories. If you ever find yourself in Scotland, GO TO THE HIGHLANDS. With Nory and Heartland Travel, of course. 

The second day was all spent on the Isle of Skye, which is considered one of the most beautiful places in the world. I like to think of this day as the fairy day, as three of the places we visited were fairy related. We ate lunch at the fairy pools, which is really a series of waterfalls running into these pools. And man, was it a hike to get there. But worth it. They say this is where the fairies bathe, so anyone else who bathes in them will have eternal beauty. I bathed my feet in it, so my feet will always be beautiful I guess. The water was absolutely freezing though, and people really were swimming in it! I can't even imagine. Next up we saw a mountain that looked like a man's face, which is associated with fairies through a story, that will have to be a different blog post. The last fairy stop on this day was to the Fairy Glenn, which houses the entrance to the fairy realm. This place was exactly like I pictured a fairy place to be. There were these stone spirals in the ground, one of which has been there for hundreds of years. The hills were really green, and the hills themselves seemed to have little stairs or pathways all up and down them. It was one of my favorite places in Skye. 

Besides the fairy places, we visited a cliff called Kilt Rock, which supposedly looks like the folds of a kilt. I kind of saw it, but it was questionable. We visited the Quarang as well, which is a spectacular outlook, but as Nory put it, just really weird. And it was weird - like nothing I have ever seen before. But like all things in the highlands, very, very beautiful. And that was the second day. Already my trip was half way over! But there was always lots to see, lots to do....

The last day, bright and early in the morning, we were taken out on a local fisherman's boat, to fish for scallops. It was such an awesome and unique experience, and I am so thankful that I got to try it. We caught the scallops in a net that was dragged along the bottom of the ocean. Along with scallops, the net brought up all sorts of sea life, including sea stars, hermit crabs, and even jelly fish. I got to hold a jelly fish, which feels exactly like you might imagine it to feel. I tried the scallops raw, and I actually kind of liked it. Enough to have two! The fisherman also fried up a few for us in garlic butter, and those were even more delicious. Which is funny, since the last time I tried scallops I didn't really like them. But maybe these were so fresh, my taste buds changed their mind. 

After that, it was time to head home. But not before seeing the most infamous location in the highlands, Loch Ness. Sadly, there was no sighting of the monster, of the dear, beloved Nessie. However, the loch is the second longest loch in Scotland, boasting 24 miles. It is the deepest loch in Scotland, at a whopping 800 feet deep in some spots. It houses more freshwater than all the lakes and lochs in England, Wales, and Scotland combined. It is so deep and long that you could fit the entire world's population in the loch 10 times over. So I personally like to believe that there could be some huge creature hidden in the depths of the loch....I believe that Nessie really could exist. 

And that is an extremely shortened version of my trip to the highlands. There are so many stories I could tell, so many small, less popular places that we stopped I could write about. I could post so many pictures of all the places I went, but I won't. And I shouldn't. Because this trip is something I can never really describe perfectly enough. If I haven't said it enough already...if you ever find yourself in Scotland...GO. TO. THE. HIGHLANDS. Not for me, but for you. I want everyone to see the stunning beauty of this place. It is better than any mountains in the U.S. that I have seen, just because it is so green and lush and the hills are perfectly rolling and ah. It just really takes your breath away. I might get around to posting some more stories from the highlands, but I think this is probably long enough for now. So, I shall close as I always do, because there is always lots to see and lots to do. Until next time...

St. Andrews!

This is probably not the first post most people (mainly my family) were expecting after this weekend. For those of you who didn't already know, I went on a tour of the highlands this weekend. But I have to make sure things go chronologically here, so I have to talk about St. Andrews first. Stay tuned for the highlands post, because it should be awesome. Sneak preview: Harry Potter, fairies, liquor, and tons and tons of walking. So yeah. Be prepared.

Anyway, first things first. St. Andrews! It was absolutely beautiful. It is not a huge place, but it is a rich place. Meaning lots of rich people go there, so it looks like a lovely, rich, coastal town. Which it is. What attracts all the rich people, you might ask? Well if you didn't know, St. Andrews is the birthplace of golf. And yes, I say the "old course," which is the first golf course in existence I believe. So obviously I was very, very excited about this because I am a huge fan of golf...not. But it was still very cool, because I stood on the first golf course in existence. Which I'm not sure if I was really allowed to do that, but here in Scotland there are very, very few signs that tell you not to do things. So I went for it.

Obviously the whole golf thing was not the main attraction here. I was super excited about going to St. Andrews for the land yachting excursion. Sadly, it wasn't windy enough to go land yachting, which is essentially golf carts with sails. But instead we got to go paddle boarding! And I am super thankful that I actually have tried paddle boarding before this trip. I should not have told that to the guys running the excursion, because when we were on the water they tipped me in twice.

The fun things about paddle boarding? I got to experience a wet suit for the first time. Let me tell you, they are not easy things to put on. Second fun thing was the actual paddle boarding. The ocean was super flat, so that was nice. We went right up along the coast of St. Andrews, and the view was spectacular. It was the best view of the city anyone could ask for. We even got to see the castle and cathedral ruins, both of which were very, very cool. I just thing ruins are pretty awesome.

That was pretty much St. Andrews. I wish I could have spent more time there, but I could always go back if I wanted. Which I probably will, because there's a highland games being held there next weekend. And who doesn't want to see a bunch of Scottish men throwing logs around? Sounds like a great time to me. But stay tuned for the highlands post, which promises to be pretty awesome. Until next time...

Trying New Things

It's been a few days since I've been here now, so I finally sort of feel adjusted to the time change. Which is good, because getting a good night's rest is very important to me. In the few days that I have been here, I have already tried many new things, including haggis, Guinness, and the popular soft drink, Irn Bru (Iron Brew). I definitely not a fan of the Guinness, but the haggis was not as bad as I was expecting. Would I choose to eat it frequently? Probably not. The Irn Bru wasn't bad either, but I don't think it will become my soft drink of choice.

Beyond trying new things, I went on my first real Scottish adventure yesterday with a few people from my trip. We decided to brave the walk up the enormous hill in Stirling to visit the castle that rests at the top. But honestly, even though the walk was difficult and it cost 14 pounds (roughly 25 dollars, but it's a lot if you're trying not to spend too much), it was completely worth it. I have not visited too many castles in my time, but this was absolutely beautiful. I would go back there many times, just because I'm pretty sure I did not see everything there was to see.

The best part about visiting the castle was the views of the surrounding area. It was amazing. The castle rests at the highest point in Stirling, so I could literally see everything, even the windmills on the wind farm way off in the distance. It was a great strategic spot for a castle, because not only is it the highest point in Stirling, but it is known as the gateway between the north and the south. It resides close to a river that divides the river, so whoever was in control of the castle was pretty much in control of who or what could travel through this location. Which is why many battles were fought in the area, because everybody wanted to control it. It would be too much to go into detail now about the history of the castle, but if you're ever bored I would encourage you to read up on it. It's truly fascinating stuff.

After the castle tour, we decided to join the locals at a pub, as everyone seems to do in the evening. We only spent a brief time there before we decided to embark on a local ghost tour with a fellow calling himself the "Happy Hangman." It was kind of a cheesy tour - it was meant for tourists after all - but I had a lot of fun. It was a twist on some of the local history, twisted by including the supernatural element of ghosts. If I have time, I'll try to share a couple of the stories here. They are, of course, fictional stories, but they are all based on true events that happened around Stirling. So it was neat, with a lot of cheese. But hey, I have to do touristy things here at some point.

So yeah. It's been a good couple of days. I have my other class today, so hopefully that will prove to be as interesting as the one on witchcraft. If it doesn't, I'll survive. We only have four class periods anyway. I guess that's all for now then. Until next time...

In the Heart of Scotland

I'm on a roll posting two days in a row! How exciting...really it's just because I finally have a lot to talk about.

But anyway. The post is titled In the Heart of Scotland, because Stirling is considered to be the heart of Scotland. By that, they mean it rests roughly in the middle. When I say roughly, I mean pretty roughly. Mainly it's because it rests right between Edinburgh and Glasgow, which are the two biggest, most populated cities in Scotland. So Stirling rests between that. Fun fact: Stirling used to be known as Starling, but that was changed many, many years ago. I'm not exactly sure why, but Starling was a pretty cool name.

So I'm studying at the University of Stirling, which is actually about 20 minutes outside of the city of Stirling. Today, as part of our lovely orientation day, I got to actually go see the city of Stirling. I also finally was able to exchange some of my currency, which was nice. Now I sort of kinda feel like I'm in a foreign country. We didn't stay in Stirling long, but I will have plenty of opportunities to explore it. Part of our trip included going to the Stirling Castle, but we didn't stay there long either. Which is unfortunate, because it was super awesome. At least the little I got to see without having a ticket. So I'm definitely going back there. It's considered to be the most important castle in Scotland, both architecturally and historically. I would tell you about why that is, but I have no idea. So maybe another time.

After the brief pit stop in Stirling, we were able to venture to the local supermarket to get some groceries. That was an adventure. Mostly because I had no idea what to get or how much to budget or anything. But I think I got enough food to last me a while, which is all that I really care about/need. Luckily there's a lot of similar stuff in the US, except in smaller portions and different brands. But I'll figure it out. As long as I have some sort of food to eat, I'm good.

There was not much else to do tonight, so a few of us ventured to a pub in a local town called Allanwater, which is a super cute town, to watch the final match of the World Cup. I didn't pay attention to it really, so I can't say who won or even if the game is over at this current moment in time (people nearby were getting excited about Germany, so I'm guessing something good happened) but it was fun to just hang out with the people in the program.

And that was my second day. It's been pretty awesome so far. Very relaxed really, which is a good way to start. I'm excited to actually get into the area a bit more and go exploring though. That should be awesome. But for now, it's bedtime! Until next time...

Scotland, Day 1!

Well it's official. I am now on a different island. In a different country. On a different continent. And it's pretty awesome so far. The whole getting here part almost proved to be a disaster - thank you flight delays - but I made it. Cut it super close, but I made it. The first flight I was on - the delayed one, that almost cost me a day of travelling - offered a lovely aerial view of New York's skyline on the way in, which was kind of sweet. The view coming into Edinburgh was not quite as awesome, as it was basically farm farm farm OH LOOK A LANDING STRIP farm farm farm. But it was still cool knowing I was in another country.

So far Scotland is pretty much exactly as I imagined it. Lo and behold, we were greeted by the rain as we walked out of the airport. Even as the rain stopped, the misty atmosphere stayed, which kinda gives the whole place an air of mystery. Which is what makes me think I chose the right place to study abroad. So many things to explore, so many unusual places to unearth. There are so many hills and so much green and as you drive along the highway - the condition of which are so much better than in America - you look around and just see so many castles. Almost every major hilltop seemed to have a castle on it, of which I cannot wait to see if I can get a closer look to take some pictures!

Today was just a super long day, with the travel and all. Made even longer by the fact that I only managed to get about 2 restless hours of dozing in on the plane. But that was to be expected I guess. Then we get to Stirling, and we have to sit around for hours until the welcome reception. I was told not to fall asleep when I got here, as it would only make getting around the time difference that much more difficult (thank you, Manda!) but those boring, long hours made it really difficult to stay awake. But I did it. I filled the time through some minor exploring, getting some cash out (which is in pounds, like England's currency) and getting to know my flat mates. Speaking of which, there are five of us that share a little flat, complete with one and a half baths, a very small kitchen, and a room to ourselves. I'm from Michigan, another girl is from upstate New York (she likes to specify), the other girl is from Madrid, Spain, one guy is from Alabama and the last guy is a complete mystery to me as I have not met him yet. But I think we should get along fairly well in our little apartment.

But yeah. There is so much I want to comment on but I am super tired at the moment, even though it is only 8 o'clock, 3 o'clock if I was still back at home. But it's been a long day so I think I deserve a little early relaxation time. Especially since tomorrow promises to be just as long! Until next time...

The Island Part II

Well I have survived the first few days of my super exciting chemistry class on this island. Needless to say, it was not fun at all. We had six labs to complete in the span of about four days. It was slightly stressful. But now we get to do this research type project, one that we design ourselves, and I'm kind of excited for it. Because that's what I want to do with my life. It's the last thing we have to do this week (besides a lab quiz, which will be simple, and the final, which will definitely not be simple, but whatever), and then I can go home! Well, to Mount Pleasant.

So yeah. Being up here, even for a summer class, feels almost like summer camp again. I'm staying in the "dorms," which are essentially barrack/cabin style bunk beds in a room. The only difference between those and the actual cabins is we don't have to go outside to get to the bathrooms and dining room. Which is nice, because I have never seen so many mosquitoes in one place before. I believe there are so many (they say more than any other year) because of the long winter we had. There was lots of standing water around for them to lay their eggs in. And they don't spray the island for mosquitoes, because they don't want to mess with the ecology of the land.

But anyway, back to the summer camp thing. Sure, we're inside for about nine hours a day, doing chemistry in a lab. But we're all here together, suffering together, learning together, spending everyday together. And that's basically summer camp. I mentioned to the professor that this is like science camp on steroids, and he agreed wholeheartedly. The summer camp feel creates something I like to call the "summer camp mentality" between those of us who are in the class. I have always thought that this is one of the greatest and worst friend interactions a person will ever had. For one thing, you make great friends for the few weeks you are with them. You promise to talk when we leave, get together once in a while, and remain friends. But this never happens. We leave, go our separate ways, and if we ever see each other and recognize each other we do the awkward eye contact and look away quickly act, pretending we haven't seen each other. That's why it is the worst.

It is also the best, because sometimes these are the people you can have the deepest conversations with. They are the ones that you can talk to easily, because you kind of know, in the back of your mind, that you probably won't see each other again. So you open up to them, and it's wonderful. And that's why the "summer camp mentality" can be the best thing in the world.

So yeah. I haven't decided if this has been a good experience for me. This weekend has been awesome, because we all subconsciously agreed that it was No Chemistry Saturday. Unfortunately, we have to do work today, but yesterday was a much needed day off. But the rest of the time, it has been a lot of work in a short amount of time. Which is probably a good experience that will help me later in life, but right now it's not so fun. But oh well. The island itself is at least nice. But that's it for now. Until next time...

The Island

So I'm stuck on an island for the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, it is is northern Michigan, not Europe, but that's alright. I get to be up here for a class, which is super exciting. But not really, since it's a chemistry class and I'll be stuck inside for like nine hours out of the day. But anyway.

I thought I'd do a bit on myself again, since there's not much to report about Scotland at the moment. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I'm studying biochemistry, and want to continue on after my undergrad to get into professional research of some sort. In order to kick-start my research career (so soon?!) I joined a research lab at school. I'm involved in Alzheimer's research, which is really cool. And bear with me as I explain what I'm working on, as it can be confusing for some. But here it goes.

A little background as Alzheimer's disease. It's a neurological disease, so it attacks the brain. Alzheimer's disease and diseases like it occur due to neuron tangles, which are literally neurons that get balled up with other neurons and mix pathways and such. This is why people with Alzheimer's disease have such trouble with memory. The lab I am in deals with a protein called tau, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease in many different studies. It's been shown that something goes wrong somewhere in the life cycle of this protein and causes these neurons to tangle. However, where this thing goes wrong is not known. Which is why making a drug to cure or prevent Alzheimer's is so tricky. My lab is working on figuring this out, and we each have different projects dedicated to it.

My project this summer is trying to figure out how these bad versions of tau are degraded, so that we can enhance that degradation pathway. You might be thinking, don't cells just kill themselves if they aren't working right? Sometimes, yes. But with tau, it is almost being overlooked by the protein that labels things for degradation. But explaining that would take a whole different post. So we have this bad version of tau that is causing neurons to become tangled with each other. There are two different degradation pathways that malfunction proteins can take, either the ubiquitin-proteosome system (this is the basic degradation pathway of most proteins and cells and such) or the autophagy system (this usually kicks in with the presence of certain chemicals or proteins). My job is to try to figure out which system will degrade bad tau more efficiently.

To do this, I get to dissect fly larvae, take out their brains, essentially mash them up, and try to get the neurons to grow in cell culture. When these neurons grow in culture (which took me a semester plus to get to happen), we can treat them with different drugs to enhance certain pathways. For this project, we wanted to focus on autophagy, so we chose two drugs - one that enhances autophagy, and one that stops it from occurring. We will then see which treatment causes the most bad tau to go away.

That is a really broad way of putting it, but I hope it's at least somewhat interesting. I'm excited about it anyway! Until next time...