Scotland!

The trip to Scotland has made a lot of things click for me. I realized how many scholars, friends and lovers of Scottish extraction have profoundly shaped my life. From economist Adam Smith to my wild red-headed friend Jill Guthrie, from Scottish moralist Francis Hutcheson to my first kiss Matt MacKenzie, from poet Robert Burns to my first love.

Which led me to musing about the Scottish character - deep thinkers. Prone to both asceticism and romanticism; brooding and exuberance. Moreover, they could sell ice to an Eskimo. They've spun a dark history of slaughter and gray weather into yarns of brave hearts and magnificent landscapes, all fueled by single malt whiskey, hearty ales even heartier food (love the steak pie!!).

More later. We're off to climb Arthur's Seat!

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Brick Lane

Next Wednesday we will visit the Brick Lane neighborhood with the inestimable Martin Upham as our guide! I selected the neighborhood (with Martin's guidance) for its pedigree as an ethnic ghetto but found so much more!



Bring your camera, wallets and/or your window shopping goggles as there are loads or vintage clothing shops, cool boutiques, original fashion shops, organic food eateries, music stores besides the expected array of Bengali and Indian restaurants.

The Thames Festival

Percusionists in the air! Leave it the French to rock the Thames Festival.
Saskia Butterfly gets her face painted by a real artist.
She models the results from the Eye, the world's tallest ferris wheel.

Chinatown

Morning Run on the Thames

Schoolgirl Sas

Here, by popular demand, are the uniform pictures - not as dramatic as I would have liked but I guess I'm to blame - I went for the version she'd actually wear without too much whining. We've funked it up a bit with some leggings and, dear God, no socks! As a Catholic school uniform survivor, I duly instructed Saskia to say that her mom told to go without socks because she had no clean ones (mostly true - she had clean black ones she insists are too big and won't wear). NO ONE SAID ANYTHING!! And, she still managed to bag the Head Teacher's Pupil of the Week Award, so I think things are going as well as can be expected. Now, if I can just get her into aftercare and get my internet connection going at home, I'll be golden (I"m actually able to poach and open wireless signal tonight, praise be...better post this before I lose it.)

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Diversity

I decided to orient this class around the subject of diversity because it has become the number one political concern in most European countries today. I was struck by the incredible diversity of people living and working in Europe today the moment I stepped off the plane in Heathrow. I found myself in a quilt of national costumes as a cacophony of languages fell upon my ears. And, this hasn't stopped ever since. Day after day, as I walk around the Holborn/Bloomsbury/Covent Garden areas where I work, live and Sas goes to school, respectively, at least half the people I pass are speaking a foreign language, many I cannot identify. Lots of Spanish, Polish, some Chinese, many African languages I do not recognize, only occasionally Arabic or Urdu. Lots of American students as well.

My daughter's class at St. Joseph's is similarly diverse. When I pick her up from school, I'm standing in a crowd consisting of a row of council flat English moms chain-smoking and sitting on the stoop gossiping, a beautifully and colorfully dress Grandmother with African print skirt, top and baby tied on her back - all in different prints, and a smattering of other working class and neatly dressed professional moms, grandmas, grandpas, aunties and dads of every skin tone. Perhaps, I'll get brave as we go along and take some pictures.

So, it's a heck of a lot more diverse than Spokane, which is about 10% minority, and Gonzaga, about the same. I grew up mainly in suburban, overwhelmingly white communities in the mid-West and East Coast, with a lot of contact with more diverse urban environs, including going to university in Washington, DC which feels almost as diverse as London today, at least at AU where I went to school with a lot of foreign kids, including a lot from the Middle East, and teh club scene which was full of Euro-trash types and diplomats kids.

Still don't have a sense of the integration/discrimination issue. Only a comment or two here and there about "Bengali kids" and I have seen groups African kids and Bengali boys roaming the streets, yelling, looking like their up to the things most teenage boys are up to...

In terms of the European Social Model, I have benefited most clearly thus far by getting my daughter into St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School - absolutely free.

More later.

dr laura

We're Not in Kansas Anymore (Class Blog 1)

Hey Students,

For our first blog experience together, I'd like you to reflect on your experiences with diversity thus far in London, the UK, other parts of Europe if you've traveled beyond as yet. What has struck you about the experience of a multicultural Europe so far? How does it compare to your community of origin, the community you go to school in, other places you've lived or visited? Please share anecdotes, photos, reflections.

Also, what, if anything, have you experienced of the European Social Model?

Dr Laura

Sas's New Mode of Transport

West End Girls

West End Girls. If you're a Gen Xer you know the reference. Pet Shop Boys and all that - yes I've been singing the song in my head for the past two weeks - finally got the chance to buy it off iTunes today (bleedin' British Telecom has STILL not sent the MAC start-up disc to me so I'm relegated to internet cafes - although the one I'm in today is quite nice - it's also a camera shop - go figure. Sas is happily playing Webkinz.

The top picture (sorry it's sideways - can't turn it) is the view from my kitchen window) then there's a pub in Covent Garden down the street from Sas's school, Sas playing at the playground on the same street - lovely little pocket park that was a grave yard until the 17th Century - then more flowers - and doors to theatre.

More soon. Hope to get this computer thing sorted out this week!!

laura

Transit strike!! Orientation cancelled for my students, but Sas did start school today! She looked a bit sheepish, but her teacher is so welcoming and friendly. Off to buy the uniform today.

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Saskia goes punk rock!

Inspired by the punkers of Camden Town, I relented and let Saskia dye her hair red (it's supposed to wash out with shampoo - let's hope so, school starts Tuesday and her school color is green!)

Also, picture, Fennek Fox, from our London zoo extravaganza yesterday.

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