#NathGeo - The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship - Day 3

Today, Deb Holcomb-Freitag and I left no bus, train, subway, or taxi unridden. 

First stop...the University of Glasgow!! I knew next to nothing about the University so I was pleasantly surprised to see this 1451-founded campus with its green grass and sandstone-colored buildings. Deb and I walked around just taking pictures in awe. 

We also budgeted time to peruse the gift shop. Since my own school is named Glasgow Middle, I couldn't resist the urge to get some merch to show my students and colleagues. It was super hard to make a decision too. Deb, in her infinite wisdom, encouraged me to get this one particular sweatshirt. The "Changing the World" was perfect, but the fact that it had the Latin motto on it too ("the way, the truth, the life")!!! I think I did the right thing. I can't wait to show my students.  

But back to my original plan - we traveled to Glasgow to visit the Hunterian Museum's Roman collection, purportedly, the best in Scotland. The museum itself has that old antiquarium feel to it, and the Roman gallery was indeed awesome. The collection contains the distance slabs that celebrate the soldier builders of the Antonine Wall. These stone plaques are unique in the Roman world!

Next up was the Falkirk Wheel, a massive boat switcher near the Roman Antonine Wall. I had DREAMED of getting here so that I could sneak off the Roman fort located nearby. The modern Wheel was an added bonus, and I have to say, one of the best things I've seen on this trip. Used to lift and lower boats between canals at different levels, it replaced a complicated and slow system of locks. What a joyful thing to see in action! You can watch my video of it here.

I had tried to come up with a way for us to get to Rough Castle Roman Fort via public transportation, but it was tricky. A train, a bus, a long walk, but we made it! This fort is one of very few in existence (another along Hadrian's Wall) that shows the usage of LILIA pits to sabotage enemy attacks. I was surprised to see the depth of the ditch in front of the wall. Somehow, pictures just don't do size justice.

We finished the day with the Kelpies, giant metal sculptures of horse heads that celebrate the historical contribution of horses in Scotland as well as nod toward their mythological significance. I did not expect to like them so much. The metal work, by artist Andy Scott, is superb, and the effect is one of creepy awe. They light up at night for different occasions and events. I'm so glad I got to see these icons of Scotland!

#NathGeo: The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship - Day 2

Day 2 of #NathGeo - due to a plane malfunction and four-hour repair in Atlanta, I got to Edinburgh much later than I had intended. But hey, I’m always in favor of fixing the plane!

This post is all about the fantastic public transportation in the UK. I took the bus into the city from the airport - easy to find, easy to pay (and cheap), and so fun to ride. And even better - the bus driver used my favorite UK greeting, “hiya.” This bus was a double-decker so I could have climbed the stairs too. Plenty of spots for luggage, and from there, I just enjoyed the views. Then I walked for 30 minutes to our AirBnB to meet Deb Holcomb-Freitag, my shipmate and travel partner.

It's interesting to me to hear my UK friends complain about the cost of public transport, strikes, breakdowns, etc. To me, public transport is AMAZING because we don't have it in Baton Rouge. Well, we do, but it's so underfunded and thus, underused, and thus unreliable. I always feel bad for those sitting at bus stops in the Louisiana heat. It must be very hard for working people to us. This comparison has reminded me that comparisons across cultures don't always work. Sometimes, there's just too much difference.

To wrap up the day, we spent the late afternoon walking around the touristy area called the Royal Mile, near the famous Edinburgh Castle. Lots of Americans and many other nationalities present. (Taylor Swift starts a three-night run tomorrow).

Our AirBnB near Warrender Park

Harry Potter street

#NathGeo: The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship - Day 1

Today is a travel day. I was not expecting it to be fun, and so far, it’s worrisome. After watching a storm system rolling in all morning, I thought we’d beat it. So after already boarding my flight in Baton Rouge around 2, I was surprised to hear an announcement that they were deboarding us. The storm is coming through now - lots of wind, lightning, and rain. Typical summer storm here in Louisiana. 

The thunder reminds me of my mjölnir, or Thor’s hammer. I got interested in the symbol after watching the popular Netflix series THE LAST KINGDOM, about the 9th-century Danish invasion of what would one day become the unified kingdoms of England. The main character, born a Christian Saxon, gets captured and held as a slave by a Dane (or Viking). Loved by his captors, the Saxon boy, named Osbert, lives his teen and adult years as the Dane Uhtred. Throughout the series, Uhtred wears a mjölnir as a symbol of his belief in the Norse gods. He is known as a man who gets things done no matter what. Now, those things are not always good and righteous things - he serves as a mercenary for King Alfred the Great, but when something needs doing, they call Uhtred, his mjölnir hanging from his neck to protect him. The Norse mythological figure of Thor, god of thunder, uses his mjolnir to strike others down but also to offer blessings. Thus, the symbol seems particularly appropriate for such a conflicted character as Uhtred.

My favorite Greco-Roman god is Hephaestus, the maker, the craftsman, the metal forger, and hammer user. His mallet looks different from the mjolnir, and its purpose is different too. He hammers out beautiful and useful things for the other gods: thrones for the Olympians, jewelry for his wife Aphrodite, armor for the famous warrior Achilles, and even his own robots to assist him. His hammer is a creative tool. Years ago, when I first started teaching Roman Technology, I had to pull a nail out of a wooden form that I had for setting ancient concrete. One of my students saw me turn a hammer around and use its claw to pull out the nail. She was amazed at what she saw, "You're such a badass, Mrs. Roy!" I laughed at her ignorance of how a hammer works and at my newly-bestowed label. Shortly after this incident, I went to visit a dear old friend of mine who had just taken on a new job as the maker space coordinator at her local library. When I jokingly told her this story, she promptly walked across the room and pulled out a tiny purple 3-D printed hammer. Shortly after I received my special little hammer, I lost a job that I had had for 24 years. I connected these things in my mind and decided that the hammer was my new way of thinking through life. Just be creative and get things done. I moved onto a new job that allowed me to be creative and get things done.

Years later, I still love my hammer and wear it all the time. Whenever I have a special task to do, I wear my hammer. Whenever I have a presentation to give that I'm nervous about, I wear my hammer. Whenever I have a paper, article, or grant to write, I wear my hammer. With my new interest in the Danish world, I figured it made sense to get a mjolnir. This one is based on a famous one found in Denmark from the 9th century. It makes me think of all the cool things I'll be studying on this trip. I think of Uhtred getting it done. Here's my last picture waiting to board a flight in Atlanta to Edinburgh getting things done.

#NathGeo: The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship, Part 3 - The Countdown Begins

You read that right. My circumnavigation of the British Isles with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions departs in 6 days. I'm almost ready, but let's back up a bit in the story.

When I returned from the DC training at the National Geographic Society's headquarters, my students were very curious about my upcoming journey. I'm rarely out of school so when I take three days off in the middle of a school week, they need to know where I was and what I was doing. Simply telling them about it was not enough. They needed pictures, videos, and lots of details. I decided that I needed to get organized with how I shared my journey so I made a presentation (click the link to learn more) explaining everything about the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

The students listened with rapt attention especially when I talked about my expedition ship, The National Geographic Explorer and the smaller zodiac boats that launch from it. This presentation came in very handy when I spoke to journalists about the fellowship. My local newspaper, The Baton Rouge Advocate, covered my story with a large article.
To maximize my students' interest, I decided to have them each do a small research project about a topic that would assist me on my expedition. I got this idea from one of the GTF alums, Karina New, whom I met at our DC training.

As I near the departure date for my expedition, I've been doing all kinds of preparation. I had to rent water-proof wellies (boots) for zodiac landings. I had to visit a doctor to talk about scopolamine patches and Dramamine for seasickness. I've never been seasick (even after an overnight ride on a commercial car ferry across the Mediterranean from Athens to Crete), but I've also never been on the North Sea. According to TikTok, the North Sea is trying to kill you. I've also bought some special gear like a phone lanyard so I don't accidentally drop my phone (camera) in the North Sea.

In addition, I've had to plan pre and post-expedition travel with my shipmate, Deb Frietag. We decided early that we would spend a few days traveling in Scotland before embarking on our expedition. We'll go to Glasgow to see the stunning Roman collection at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow. My principal, Erin Howard, has already tasked me with getting "merch" with Glasgow on it since our school is named after the famous Scottish city. We'll spend one day taking a tour of the Highlands. After the expedition, I plan to spend another day in London visiting the British Museum to see Legion: Life in the Roman Army. This exhibition will end a few days after I see it so I feel so incredibly fortunate - it contains some of the most interesting Roman artefacts out there, borrowed from all over Europe. Most thrilling is the Vettweiss-Froitzheim dice tower that I've written entire Roman Technology class lessons on. I don't want to jinx it, but I truly can't wait to see this object with my own eyes.

I'll be sharing as much of my journey as I can. I hope you'll follow along!