AMENDS

I have just had one of the best weeks of my life.
Two years ago, two undergraduate students at Stanford - one American, one Bahraini - decided they wanted to get to know more about what was happening on the ground in the Middle East. Given the 2011 uprisings and the West's increased interest in youth activism in the region, they found willing professors and funders for a dialogue platform meant to bring Middle Eastern and American change agents together. And so AMENDS, the American and Middle Eastern Network for Dialogue at Stanford, was born.
This year, the team of undergrad-led organisers received around 300 applications for about 35 delegate spots. Applications came from across the Middle East and North Africa as well as the States (and the UK...). Delegates are selected for their potential to affect real change in the region and on the basis of ongoing projects they are heading around a variety of social, economic, environmental, and political issues.
AMENDS Delegates engage in five days of dialogue with each other and participate in a series of workshops on communication, design, and funding. We meet with respected professors and entrepreneurs. The conference culminates in a series of TED-like talks in which delegates share their initiatives with each other and an audience invited from across Stanford and the Valley.
I have been incredibly blessed to get to know the organising team and my fellow delegates. They are incredible people doing absolutely amazing things. I have been inspired and am coming away from this week with another pile of projects I'm really excited to begin. I've made contacts for PhD research, been offered couches across the Middle East, and found friends for life.
If only every week could be spent in an atmosphere as joyous, hopeful, and respectful as this one...

Safely in San Fran!

This is Rebecca Farnum, reporting from the air. (Well, I’m typing this on the plane. I probably won’t actually “report” until in my hotel, when I’ll copy and paste this into the actual internet instead of a Word document. But whatever.)

We had a bit of a touch and go morning in regards to travel.

The Tube was severely delayed…and only the Picadilly line that travels to Heathrow. There was a broken signal at a station several stops away from Russell Square (where I boarded), and so it took us about twice as long as it should have to get to Heathrow. I rushed to the terminal around 9:25 (my flight was scheduled for 10:35), thinking they’d be scolding me and pushing me through lines. But there was a small queue, and none of the staff seemed remotely concerned at my supposed tardiness.

So I happily make my way through security and toward the gate…where they’re not boarding, even though I expect them to be and my boarding pass says they should be.

Mechanical problems! Hurrah!

We did eventually take off. We are apparently flying on a United plane with a part of the cockpit borrowed from British Airways. Since BA uses a different software system, we had to wait around for installation and everything. All very exciting. But we seem to be flying fine. And if this is posted, you can assume I’m safely arrived in San Francisco! ; )

As a rule, I love flying. Take off and landing always give me a happy little high, like riding a roller coaster. And I love watching the land get progressively smaller and bigger. I’m seated in the front row of economy, with the wall in front of me (=plenty of leg room and no one is yelling when I’m putting my feet up on said well). There’s no one in the middle seat, so my seatmate and I have spread out a bit. They are feeding and watering/sodaing us often. I used my extra time at Heathrow to buy a book from a favourite author and thoroughly enjoyed the first book for pleasure that I’ve managed to read in quite a while.

Less optimal: We don’t have individual screens for movies (I was hoping this flight was long enough that we’d have them; alas.) So no control over which movies to watch. This may be just as well, forcing me to get work done. (Or delay doing work by writing a lengthy blog post…heehee.) They are playing selected films on the big screen… “A Late Quartet”, “Playing for Keeps”, and now “Skyfall”. They’ve edited them a bit, but I still think it’s a bit strange to have “Skyfall”…I’m essentially being forced to watch violent beating up scenes out of the corner of my eye. Alas.

Also less optimal: The screen on my Kindle died at some point during Maddy’s and my travels about Ireland and the UK. Sadness. Again, perhaps a good thing, because more work. But a less good thing, since I bought books instead of borrowing them from the e-library, and now I have to figure out if I can repair Kindle somehow. But that is an issue for another day!

Anywho, all is relatively happy and stress-free in the life of Rebecca right now. The air stewardess came by a little while ago and asked for “trash”. I cringed. Hopefully I don’t sound too obnoxiously snobbish at this American conference with my Britishisms…

Back in London for a bit

The Marshalls have safely and successfully finished their trip to Wales. Some of us took the opportunity to tour the country a bit more - I think we had a contingent going to Snowdonia National Park. I headed back with the London-bound coach, as I am leaving tomorrow morning for the AMENDS Conference in Stanford.
This is my first trip back to the States since entering the US. I managed to pick a region of the country with no one close by who is able to come see me. Gregory (my brother) lives in LA, but my schedule is so completely packed with the conference it isn't worth his time to come up for what would essentially be a hug. And, because it is right after the Wales trip and right before my exams, I haven't managed to steal an extra day on either side just to tour San Francisco.
I will, however, find my way to an American shopping mall and procure the following:

• Taco Bell
• Panda Express (orange chicken is almost certainly happening in the airport. Multiple times.)
• Trolli Sour Neon Gummi Worms
• Flip-flops
• Creamy chicken ramen (for a Marshall friend)
• A1

Yes. Going to the States and buying primarily bad American processed food. Priorities!
: )

Before that, though, I've had a delightful visit with Basia, the girlfriend of a Marshall mate who stayed behind in Wales for a few days. We've had a couple of wonderful girls' nights in and she is spoiling me rotten. Watched "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" last night, which I recommend. Also find a fantastic Thai restaurant pretty close to King's Cross. Always a happy night!

Wales!

We've had a great first full day on the Marshall Trip to Wales. Each year, the Commission take all current scholars to visit a government centre in the UK. They rotate through Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Great way to introduce the scholars to a different part of the nation than we usually see.
Our programme has been put together by the Commission along with the Welsh Government. We are privileged to be hearing from a number of policy advisors and ministers on various issues in Wales. Today, we heard quite a good bit on the Welsh economy from various angles. Also got to hear from the First Minister of Wales, as close to a Prime Minister or President as they get. He and other speakers helped explain devolution - the process of moving power from the central UK government to regional authorities in the member countries. There's a bit of confusion about the exact status of Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland for most people, I think (even sometimes people living in those countries themselves). So it was really cool to hear from policy makers and advisors the differences in scope between regional power of the member countries of the UK and the UK government. Civics lesson day!
And, in the world of way cool, we got a backstage tour of the Wales Millennium Centre. Becca's theatre geek and "Doctor Who" fandom have had good moments today.
Tomorrow, we are visiting a coal mine!

And off she goes

After a fantastic last several of days, Maddy is off to Heathrow to return to America tomorrow morning. I'm off with the Marshall Scholars to our official trip to Wales, during which we'll be touring Welsh cultural centres and meeting with Welsh officials on various international relations and policies issues.

Highlights from the past few days with Maddy:

• Gorgeous weather in Edinburgh with a great walk up Calton Hill;
• Loving up the West End - "Spamalot", "Matilda", and "Singin' in the Rain"
• Punting in Cambridge

I will miss her dreadfully. It's so very easy to spoil yourself while spoiling someone else...

Glasgow

Maddy and I spent the majority of the day in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. We also walked around the uni and Merchants' Quarters.

Hello, Scotland!

I managed to book ferry and train tickets for Saturday 30 March when I meant them for today. Luckily, no one (including Stena Ferry Lines) noticed this until we tried to leave the Glasgow Station. Luckily, we talked our way out of it.
So, we are happily in Scotland. Maddy crashed the instant we got to the hostel - I'm clearly wearing somebody out!