Goodbye Scotland...

HELLO ITALY!! What a perfect ending to my semester in Scotland! It's been a dream of mine to ski the Alps and although this wasn't the Alps... the Dolomites were pretty darn close. My friend Steven Nyman was racing in Selva Val Gardena with the US ski team the last week I was in Europe and invited me over to watch them race. Thanks to Easy Jet, I was able to afford one more flight into Verona Italy where I took a bus up the most beautiful glacial canyon to a small ski town called Selva Gardena where I stayed in a quaint, family run hotel and ate more pasta than I've had in a month! It was everything I imagined this part of the world to be and more! I got ski two days on mostly man made snow, but it was so beautiful I hardly noticed the lack of it. It was absolutely breathtaking stepping out of the gondola and seeing the mountains before me--Do you see the big mountain behind me!? The races were fun to watch, I was hooked up with a media pass and got to see Steven win his first world cup in the mens down hill race... Congrats again Steven! We went dancing Saturday night after the big win and had a blast. I'm quite impressed with the dancing skills on the team, I was so dizzy by the time I went home...and no I didn' have any alcohol. It was a good fix to be in the mountains again and got me excited to get back to fluffy snow in Utah.
This little kid kept me entertained waiting for the races to start, sliding down the little hill in front of me, too cute not to snap a photo.

Bolzano, Italy

After the big races, we explored the town of Bolzano tucked between the mountains, you'd never know it was there. Here we found the simple joys of christmas...good food, music, christmas markets and good company. You couldn't paint a more perfect setting for this town, it was beautiful! If only Christmas could be like this everywhere. I love Italy, even though I didn't see any of the major cities, which I still hope to see someday, I got to see an authentic side that I don't think most people who visit this country get to see. I think everyone who comes to Italy needs to steal away to a small town, eat real brushetta and interact with the people. Everyone I met was so kind and so full of life. I couldn't have asked for a better finale to my semester in Europe.

Leaving...

John, Me, John Fellows, Liz, and Rich














last day at Parliament...














These are some of the many things we do here at parliament...some of you here will appreciate that. But
this is a slim idea of the kind of working conditions we face each day. Rich has gained quite a lot of weight since he got here and I never have enough room! ...lay off the haggis Rich!










The best YSA group we could have asked for!! Bishop Laird, wife-Sharon, Lindsey, Rich, Robby, Me, John, Liz, Gordon, Kyle, and Jenny. Going to miss you all :(
Last night we went Salsa dancing at club Medina, with Lindsey, Paula (cuban with moves I'll never amount to since I'm not cuban...) me and Jenny. Oh it was a good time. I actually danced with a guy who made me feel like a pro, he was really good and I came to realize that if you have a good partner that's all it takes to be good at salsa...atleast I thought so...
This can only end in tears!
Liz, Emma, Sarah, Tiff, Jenny, Jackie and me in our living room for the last FHE...we are such nerds, but beautiful nerds none the less. I love SCOTALAND and the people I've met here... maybe I should just stay?? It was sad to say goodbye to everyone, but for some reason, I feel like I will be back sometime soon. (or vica versa-ROAD TRIP!) So no, it won't only end in tears...

St. Andrews Day

Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland, and St. Andrew's Day is celebrated by Scots around the world on the 30th November. They just passed a bill that made it an official business holiday so we got the day off... but seeing as it fell on a thursday (the busiest day at parliament) we took friday off instead. During the day, we went down to Princess St. with Alex Salmond - SNP leader and candidate for the elections next May, who interviewed passing individuals of their plans for the holiday (a good campaign push.) It was crazy, but actually pretty fun. I got to interview a few MSP's (Members of Scottish Parliament) such as Bruce Crawford in the picture above. We handed out saltire flags and did our best to round people up. But I must admit, it was quite a stressful job especially since about 90% of the people walking by were in a hury and in no mood to talk. But hey, it got me out of the office.
The four interns with Alex Salmond.














Later that night we all went to a Ceilidh (pronounced- caely) a traditional Scottish Dance which ended up being a blast. Seriously, one of the funnest nights I've had here in Edinburgh. It was in a church up the Royal Mile and you know, it was pretty exciting walking past all those people, we got in free following the SNP posse...nice. You can't help but smile and want to start doing a jig the second you walk in the door. I love Scottish folk music! -bagpipes, fiddles etc... what a great time. I hate to make the comparisson to square dancing...cheeseball and lame... but that is kind of the idea where you have a partner (Rich and I were partners...and yes, we did plan the grey behind the blazers, we wanted to win the hottest couple award...rrright.) Basically guys are on one side and girls on the other and you take turns spining down each side...talk about dizzyness! Its was so much fun, my cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling the whole time.









We met some really cool people that night and it was fun because for three different dances almost the whole crowd was joined in dancing and those who knew the dances helped teach us all. It was a blast! I'm glad I got this cultural experience! Now I need to marry a Scotsman so I can have one at my wedding?? Oh, the wind that night was incredible, it blew so hard that I almost blew right over walking.

Switzerland!!!

If only you could've seen my face...
Switzerland??! Boy did I luck out! Not only did we get to see Germany this trip... we were fortunate to find cheap tickets down to Basel Switzerland (a 3 hour train trip from Frankfurt) where my good friend Andy Psota -above, was kind enough to pick us up and drive us around. Andy you ROCK and I miss you already! I couldn't seem to shut my mouth the second those Alps came into view...literally jaw dropping. What a beautiful country, I could have died and gone to heaven! I tried snapping pictures out the car window, but none really turned out except the first one...humor me.









We drove to Interlaken which was a cute little town snuggled between mountains and a gorgeous lake....Okay, I'll take a summer home in Maui and a winter home here in Interlaken...when I'm rich some day?? Anyway, we sat and ate vanilla pastries in the park and listened to a man squeek out some terrible notes on a trombone nearby. Either he was trying to get rid of the tourists, or attempting to kill the pidgeons in the park. A moment in time I won't forget, priceless.
The Virgin Mountain....oooo

After Interlaken we drove to Bern, okay the most beautiful city, Interlaken is the most beautiful town...Bern was very unique and quite stunning. Below, I am standing in front of "the most beautiful street in Europe" -so said a tour guide I overheard. The people were beautiful as well, I've never seen so many good looking men out and about. Andy treated us to some roasted chestnuts...I can't believe we have a christmas song about these nuts and nobody ever roasts them... atleast I've never had them before. Oh man are we missing out...they are so good and fun to eat.! We ran around the city until it fell dark and everybody closed up. We headed to his home town called Langnaul where his family let us stay the night. His family is the salt of the earth! We were treated with such hospitality and kindness that I hope some day to repay. Everyone in his family speaks atleast two or three languages...man are we far behind! We had some killer cheese fondu with some of Andy's friends and later watched some down hill racing with his mom. In the morning, we awoke to a sunday brunch of delicious breads, cold cuts, cheese and hardboiled eggs, and were sent off with sandwiches for our long trip back, what a nice family! We spent the next 11 hours traveling back to Edinburgh (word to the wise...don't travel by Ryanair.. I hate that airline!!) We traveled by car-train-bus-airplane and train once more...talk about insanity!! I guess that's what I get for being such a cheap skate... But we did get to ride in our own room on the train and that cool, I love trains! So there ya go, my trip in a nutshell. I leave for home in 2 weeks from tomorrow... I can't believe this semester is coming to an end. It's sad but exciting because I get to see everyone soon!

Thanksgiving in Germany

Who would have thought crab at a cafeteria?? This is Freidberg Germany, 30 mins north of Frankfurt where Liz, my roomy here in Scotland, invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her sister-in-law, Brooklyn and her two kids. Liz's brother is serving in Iraq and so we spent the holiday on an army base and had thanksgiving dinner at the Howze D-fac..(army lingo for the dining facility as shown below...) Yes, that is a crab leg on my plate...pretty good food if you ask me...infact, it was the best I'd ever had in a cafeteria. A few men in uniform served the meal and were awarded medals for doing so. Then with children screaming, thier mothers chasing them around the room and E.T. playing in the background, I felt right at home...classic American spirit! I missed my family a wee bit, but I've spent the past 4 thanksgivings away from home and it wasn't anything new. This was deffinitely a unique experience and left no room for homesickness. We got home just in time for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (a hatch family must) and of course what would t-day be without a nap? Later we drank apple cinnamon tea and had more pumpkin pie, that was enough to put me in the holiday spirit and I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my family. I talked with Brooklyn about her husband and the experience they had since he joined the service and it made me really greatful for my freedom and those who are serving our country. This thanksgiving, I am thankful for my freedom. Brooklyn and her mom were so hospitable and so nice to let us stay with them. We ate so well, I think between the donnar kebaps, the pastries and the chocolate I gained like 20 pounds!

This was the Ronenburg Castle, dated back to the 1300's I believe. We ran around this castle the first day we got there and it was fun to see the difference in architecture and style coming from the UK...what a difference. The coolest part was a 300 ft. well inside with a bucket and hose that we filled up 4 times and dumped down the well in awe of the length of time it took to fall. It was very entertaining for the three of us... Oh and the nomes, we couldn't resist! Germany is beautiful, atleast the part we got to see. It was flat, but so colorful and the people were actually really friendly.

Glasgow Photo shoot

First the interview with BBC radio, now the newspaper wants me to model as some college student whose never seen an ipod.... What next, Vogue? Just kidding. Above is the picture from the photo shoot with SNP Deputy Leader-Nicola Sturgeon promoting the new video podcast of Alex Salmond. (to see the video scroll down a few posts.) Jennifer Dempsie, one of our Press Officers, took us up to Glasgow on Friday for the photo shoot and then gave us the rest of the day off to shop and explore the city. Primark or die! -thanks Jen! Below, Liz, John, Rich and I tried to recreate the image since Rich wasn't even in the shot... or we are just being dumb.

Bonfire Night

Remember, remember the 5th of November. I recently watched "V for Vendetta" in lieu of the 5th of November aka "Bonfire night." As some of you might know, bonfire night celebrates the capture of Guy Fawkes back in 1605 for conspiracy to blow up Parliament. Here in Scotland, fireworks have gone off every night for the past month. Sunday night sounded like a war outside, I've never seen so many fireworks! We sat with hundreds of people on a hill just behind our flat to watch as the huge bonfire was lit and then more fireworks. I have to speculate whether this was all in celebration for the capture or Guy Fawkes...or was it celebrating the 'would have been' succession of Guy Fawkes in overthrowing Parliament...fireworks-explosions-fire?? Check out the website at http://www.bonefire.org/guy/