Somehow, it's always a connection to Iowa that drives me to sit down and post to my blog. I send my apologies to those of you who continue to check back regularly - only to find I still haven't updated you with a new post. Much has happened since I last sat down to write. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where to start.

First, my connection to Iowa. I was at one of the local pubs after finishing at Deacons last night. As I was waiting to order at the bar, I heard a group of people with American accents order - "Captain and Cokes." Their accents were enough to at least let me know they were form the US, but so was the way in which they ordered their drinks. Most Scottish folk would order a 'Morgans and Coke." A small difference, but considering many of my waking hours are spent working in a pub, this was enough to clue me in to their nationality. Curious as to where they were from, I asked them.

One of the guys in the group said, "We're from Iowa. Do you even know where that is?" I chuckled and pulled up the leg of my jeans to show my Tigerhawk tattoo. "I'm actually from Iowa myself," I told them. They were quite shocked and said, "What? But you have an accent!" I don't think I've quite picked up a Scottish accent - but, I think it depends who you ask.

Since sitting down last, I've said hello and goodbye to my folks. They were here just about one month ago for two weeks. We had a terrific time and spent some of our time here in Edinburgh and some of our time traveling the Highlands of Scotland. It was fascinating to get out of the city and see other parts of this country which has been my home for the past five or so months. The Highlands provide breathtaking scenery at every turn - lochs (lakes), glens (valleys), and bens (mountains) are everywhere. We hired a car and were out of Edinburgh for just over one week. It was great to again see and spend time with my parents - it was hard to believe it was six months since I had last seen them last in Ireland.

I was glad they were able to spend some time in the city with me and see where I'd spent my time for the last five months. My home, if you will. They were able to stay in the flat with Brian and I - we branded it the M & B B & B (Matt and Brian Bed and Breakfast!). They spent some time with me in Deacons and were able to see me work one evening. I took them to many of my favorite pubs. And, they got to meet Nicole - a girl who I've been seeing for the past two months or so.

If you follow the below link, you will be able to see some photos from the week.



I'm still not certain what I'm doing with my life. I'm taking it day by day. I'll have to leave Deacons at the end of this month as my visa expires. I'll most likely head to mainland Europe for a week or so before coming back into Scotland on a temporary visa. Ideally, I'll find some sort of employment and work through the end of August so I can stay in the city for the Edinburgh International Festival. But then again, who knows?

quick post

I'm not entirely certain how it has already been two weeks since my last post. Where has the month of April gone? Thanks to those of you who keep checking back ... my apologies for the lack of reading material lately.

Spring is beginning to take hold here in Edinburgh. There have been more nice days than rainy days in the past week. Something I'm not entirely used to.

So. Whats the latest? Well. You'll maybe be excited to know that I've decided what to do with my life come the end of June. Actually, thats me being sarcastic. I haven't the faintest idea. What I do know is this. As of Saturday morning, I no longer live in my wee Thistle Street flat. Brian and I moved across town to a flat where we knew some guys who were moving out. Other working holiday lads ... two Americans and a Canadian. Still a one bedroom, but significantly bigger than my old flat - plus, we have bunk beds. And a microwave.

Speaking of bunk beds. This is where my parents will be staying when they come to visit. I cannot wait to see them. We don't really have much for plans, but I'm sure it'll be a terrific two weeks. I imagine we'll do some things in and around Edinburgh for the first week or so (this way, I can still work evenings), and then either head to the Highlands of Scotland ... or catch a cheap flight to mainland Europe. Who knows.

Also, I have a quick story that again shows how amazingly small this world is. I was working at the pub the other night when this group of Americans came in. Ten or so of them ... I think they were in Edinburgh on some sort of business. One of the gents came to the bar and said to me sarcastically, "That's quite the Scottish accent you have. Where are you from?"

After finding out where I was from, he informed me there was a lady at his table who he believed was from Iowa as well. Indeed she was. She came up to talk with me and I told her I grew up in Southwest Iowa. It ends up she lived in Adair (twenty miles away). "What is your last name," she inquired.

"Kyhnn," I told her.

"No kidding. Is your dad by chance Mark Kyhnn? He did my taxes for twenty years."

What are the chances?!

I have some pictures for you all below.

me, posting to my blog in the Newcastle Airport, drinking a Newcastle Brown Ale

view of the irish countryside as I was arriving to cork ... in three months i managed to forget how unbelievably green the irish landscape is

kinsale, ireland

irish pub of the year, 2004

note to self

when I was leaving ireland, i had a 12 hour layover at the dublin airport. i didn't really want to spend the day in the busy city of dublin, so a caught a bus to this small, seaside, suburb north of the city. terrific place to spend the day.

Now. Onto pictures of my new town. Edinburgh.

a rather unimpressive view of the edinburgh castle

view of the city from atop calton hill

arthur's seat

bottom of the royal mile ... the high street in edinburgh. it stretches approximately one (go figure) mile. at the top, you have the edinburgh castle. at the bottom, you have hollyrood palace - which is where the queen stays when in scotland.

a loch in the area surrounding arthurs seat

view of the firth of forth from the top of arthurs seat

Thistle Street. You can see the entrance to the pub on the right. I lived about five doors down.

Below are pictures of my old flat. There are only three. The flat wasn't very big!

stay well, mk.

check this out.

So, sooner or later, I'll come back home to the US. When I'll do this, where I'll live, and what I'll do for employment are all pressing questions to answer on another day. For now, I decided I'd give you all an idea of what you can surprise me with ... you know, a welcome home present.

I can't think of anything better than this - check it out here.

cheers.

out of edinburgh.

On Monday, for the first time since I arrived in Edinburgh (barring my trip back to Ireland), I made it out of the city. Without a car, its difficult to go on daytrips - considering this, my day to day life consists mostly of well ... working.

During the rare day off, I often explore this town of Edinburgh which has been my home for the last four months. A beautiful town at that - on one side of town - Old Town - you have winding streets based on a medieval plan, Reformation era buildings, and of course the ominous Edinburgh Castle situated on Castle Rock. This Castle, with its commanding location overlooking Edinburgh, sits on a site which has been inhabited since the 850BC. The other side of town - New Town (where I currently stay) - is renowned as a masterpiece in city planning. Originally built to provide overflow from the populated Old Town, New Town was built in stages between 1765 and 1850. Since 1995, both sides of town have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Essentially, the entire city of Edinburgh is deemed a site of, "outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity."

Not a bad place to live.

Nonetheless, it was great to leave the hustle and bustle of city life on Monday. My friend Nicole and I made our way south out of town the the Rosslyn Chapel. This beautifully decorated chapel built in the mid 15th Century is home to many myths, legends, and fine decorative stone carving. The chapel was made internationally popular after the publishing of The Da Vinci Code. Prior to the publication of the book - and later the movie - The Rosslyn Chapel would see around 20,000 visitors each year. Since then, they have averaged 120,000 visitors each year. Thanks Dan Brown. The Chapel sits atop a sealed crypt which is rumored to hold the mummified head of Jesus Christ, the Holy Grail, and/or the original crown Jewels of Scotland. Also interesting, among the many fine carvings in the stones of the Chapel, you can find carvings of maize - or American Corn. This is interesting considering the crop was thought to be unknown to Europe at the time of the construction of the Chapel. Some authors use this evidence to argue the fact that a team of Scotsmen actually discovered the Americas before Columbus.

We continued south to the area of Scotland known as the Scottish borders. It was shocking to see how the landscape could change in 50 - 75 miles. Shortly after leaving Edinburgh city centre, we were driving through snow covered hills and mountains. I unfortunately managed to forget my camera ... I'll do my best to get some pictures to share with you all.

In other news, my flat sold. So, come the end of the month, I need to find a new place to stay. A plethora of other decisions are lying at my feet - namely, what the hell am I going to do come the end of my UK Work Visa. Time will tell. And I'll keep you posted.

best, mk

weather.

I know you're dying to know what the weather has been like in Edinburgh. So, I'll tell you. Prior to today, Edinburgh was blessed with a couple unseasonably warm days. They were fantastic. Fifteen, maybe eighteen degrees (60sF ish). At Deacons, we had the doors open and tables outside - it was a welcome change to the typical Edinburgh day.

I used the warm days - or the day I had off - to get a little well needed exercise. One of my staff meal options at work is haggis - a traditional Scottish dish. I eat it often. Before I list the ingredients, let me assure you that the completed dish actually tastes amazing. Haggis consists of sheep's heart, liver, and lungs and is mixed with oatmeal, spices, maybe some onions. Traditional haggis is prepared in the sheep's stomach.

Aren't you dying to try a dish? If the description isn't enough to make your mouth water - here is a picture ...


So, although haggis probably isn't the healthiest dish to eat two or three times a week, I can't help but not order it at work. I mean, when will I be working and living in Scotland ever again? And it truly is delicious.

The run on my day off took me to the summit of Arthur's Seat. Arthur's Seat is an 823ft mountainesk hill that is just outside of Edinburgh. Not an easy run - or walk for that mater - but I enjoy the challenge and if nothing else the unbeatable views of Edinburgh, its suburbs, and the Firth of Forth.


The warm days last week were apparently only a taunting taste of what Edinburgh's summer will feel like. Today, as I was walking to work at 9am, I was fighting gusting winds, cold, and ... snow showers.

week in ireland

After a week long holiday in Ireland, I'm back home in Edinburgh. And, I must say, it was a terrific trip. As I mentioned in my last post, I was quite stressed in the days working up to my departure from the Burgh. I wanted a perfect week for Lauren and myself. Nearly everyone I voiced my concerns to in the days before the trip had the same response, "Matt, you're going to be in Ireland - it will be great no mater what happens."

They were probably right - plus, everything went as good as I could have planned. A special week in a special country. Numerous times we'd be driving through a small Irish village, or sitting in a small pub, or taking in the beautiful scenery that Ireland provides and I'd just smile. It was such a terrific feeling to be back in the country and taking it all in with someone who had yet to experience the Irish way - their laid back attitude, the ambiance of their pubs, the spontaneity of traditional Irish music, and of course the many beautiful landscapes on the island the size of Iowa.

Considering the time and money we had at our disposal, we saw a good deal of things in the South and West of Ireland. We kissed the Blarney Stone at the Blarney Castle. We spent two nights in the picturesque seaside village of Kinsale in the posh accommodation of Dempsey's Hostel (sarcasm). We toured one of the best surviving examples of a 17th century star shaped fort in Summercove. We somehow hired a car (when they gave me the keys I said to Lauren, "Run before they change their minds!"). We made the slow, meandering drive around the picture-perfect Ring of Kerry. We experienced Doolin and impromptu trad sessions in its three lovely pubs. We did the Cliffs of Moher. We made it back to my favorite County Galway town and had the craic with my mates. We drove the Sky Road of the Connemara which brings tears to one old Irish fisherman's eyes. The craic was mighty.

The week flew by and it was difficult to say goodbye to a face from home - but, goodbyes are never easy. It was indeed an unforgettable week. Thanks Lauren for coming to visit.

newcastle

It only feels right to be drinking a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale as I sit in the pub at the Newcastle Airport. It also only felt right to be running to catch my train out of Edinburgh this morning – running late when traveling seems to be how I travel best. The Newcastle is lovely … better, I venture to guess, than it tastes in Iowa. Maybe it’s my proximity to the Newcastle Brewery? Or, maybe it’s all in my head. I have – I must say – become a connoisseur of pints of the Black Stuff. Guinness. I’m excited to return to Ireland and see if my pallet notices the difference between Edinburgh pints and Ireland pints. I reckon it will. Aren’t you proud, Mom and Dad? Maybe even slightly better than the club I joined in Iowa City?!

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been stressing out over the upcoming week. I’m so excited to see Lauren but I’ve felt pressured to ensure the week goes as smoothly and as well as possible. In my head, I know it will. One of my concerns has been traveling Ireland without a car. The bus system in Ireland is class – it goes to nearly any village imaginable. This being said, however you often have to wait for buses and considering the nature of the Irish roadway infrastructure, the ride often takes longer than one would desire. I’m excited though as I think I figured out the ideal situation.

I was sitting on the train this morning yet again checking various car rental websites for their rates. Considering I’m living in the UK, the rates aren’t ungodly expensive – in fact, they’re quite reasonable. The problem arises when one takes into consideration my age of 23 years. Most rental agencies either won’t rent to me or if they do, they tack on a 10 or 15 quid a day surcharge because I’m not the magic age of 24 or 25 or 26 or whatever bloody age they’ve decided to pull out of a hat.

After continuing my research today on the train, I’m fairly certain I’ve figured out the best option which includes busing for a couple days and then picking up a car in cork for the second half of the week. I looked over to the girl next to me (not the lady across the isle who was the unlucky target of my pack as it fell from the overhead storage area – she at first seemed to be okay with the unfortunate introduction to my pack, but ten or so minutes after it happened, she looked back at me and said – ‘Sure is going to leave quite the bruise on my leg’ – I continued my apologies. No one told me about the luggage storage area …) and said, “Nothing like considering a last minute car rental for my trip to Ireland, huh?”

I explained to her the scenario, my thoughts, and the potential itinerary I had just developed. “Go on, book it,” she said. “You’ll regret it if you don’t.”

So I booked it. Assuming all goes as planned, Lauren and I will be picking up our car on the 27th. And then, who knows?

I think the key to the week will be finding the proper balance between relaxing and taking in the pub culture of Ireland while stilling ensuring we are able to see the many sights which Ireland offers. When Brian and I traveled Ireland, time was essentially our oyster (thanks Shakespear). If we stood on the side of the road for four hours to wait for a lift - no worries. If we drank too much Guinness the night before, slept through our checkout time at the hostel, and had to stay in said Irish village one more night - no bother. But we had not timeframe. We were, I guess travelers and not tourists - check out this link for an eloquent explanation of the difference between the two . This week, Lauren and I will be both - and I'll be the traveler/tour guideperson. It promises to be an unforgettable week. best,

mk

things (which are hopefully more interesting than the title)

I was talking with my dad last night, and he reminded me of something I've been constantly aware of lately. "You've kind of been neglecting your blog recently, haven't you?" he asked.

I have been. It's been some time since my last post. I guess my rationalization for this is my life hasn't been all to, shall we say, exciting. At least as unexciting as it can be living miles away from Iowa in Edinburgh, Scotland. I've been working a lot - most of my hours are put in at the pub I work for, but I occasionally pick up shifts with the temp agency. My feelings of the two are starkly different. These feelings strongly reinforce my thoughts on ultimately making a decision with what I want to do with my life - you have to enjoy what you do.

I happily work just about forty hours a week for the pub. I find myself hoping I'm scheduled for more hours. I - as the British say - really fancy pub work. Fast paced. Constant interaction with customers. Always something to do. And really, it's good craic. I have fun at work - something which surely is important. As my friend Lauren told me the other day, you can't control a lot of things in life, but you can control things such as the job or employment that you pursue. Don't stress about those things you can't control.

So, though I've been neglecting my blog, I haven't forgotten about it. Nor have I forgotten about those of you who continue to check in with my travels.

I continue to be amazed at how small the world is. Now, to be fair, by the nature of the location of the pub I work for, I'm going to meet a lot of tourists. This being said, I served this American tourist the other night. After talking for awhile, we both confirmed the fact that we were from the states. "Where are you from?" he asked me.

"Iowa." I let him know.

"Oh really, where at in Iowa?" he asked.

"I grew up in Southwest Iowa, in Atlantic, and went to school in Iowa city," I told him.

Turns out, your man ordering a pint of Caledonian 80 was currently living in Arizona - but he was born at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. What are the chances?


Prior to my arrival to the UK, most of my conversations with people I met ended with the same thing - so, what are you doing after Ireland? I always had the answer. 'I have a six month visa in the UK - so, I'll head to the UK and figure it out.' I continue to meet people and often have the same discussion with them - literally daily. And, as in Ireland, it ends with - so, what are you doing after you're done in Scotland? Every time I'm asked this question I'm forced to consider what the next step in my journey will be.

I'm not sure what the answer will be. When I originally left home, the plan was to travel for a couple months and head back stateside. Now, as it's basically the first of April, I have just three months left of my UK visa. These three months will fly by. There is still so much of the world - of Europe for that matter - to see. I love the lifestyle I'm living, and while it will ultimately have to come to an end, I'm not sure when that time will be. Anyway, enough on that (which is coincidentally what I tell Brian any time he tries to talk about what our next step will be!). I can worry about that tomorrow ... or come the first of April.

Monday morning, I'm catching a train from Edinburgh to Newcastle, England, and a plane from Newcastle to Cork to meet my friend Lauren from home. We're going to spend seven days in the homeland (well, my home of four months). I hope it treats her and I as grandly as it did me for four months. I'm excited to head back. And, equally excited to see a face from home.

Happy Easter to you all. While you're all enjoying an Easter brunch, I'll be pouring pints at Deacon Brodies - but enjoying it. Oh, this lifestyle I've chosen. cheers, mk.

thistle street bar

Hi, all. I'm sitting down to write from my Edinburgh watering hole. When Brian and I first went to view our flat, we walked past a comfortable looking pub not four or five doors down from our flat entrance. One of us surely said, "That looks like a pub that we'll be spending a fair amount of time at." As it turns out, this has been the case. The Thistle Street Bar ...


... is perfect with its size, ambiance, wi-fi access, selection of ales on tap, and staff. The pub attracts locals who live in the New Town area of Einburgh. An ideal place to have a pint and relax. From the door of my flat to the door of the Thistle Street Bar, I walk less than thirty seconds. So, you can't complain about its location.

I don't sit down to write tonight with any profound thoughts. Really, I don't have much (I don't think). But, I'll share with you some realizations or thoughts I've had in the past couple days.

I worked 9 - 5 today at the pub. I mean, with hours like that, I'm essentially your typical businessman. I arrive to the pub at nine to get things ready for the day and open the doors at ten. While Deacon's attracts, for the most part, tourists, we do have a selection of regulars and random Scottish folk that come in for a pint. Deacon Brodies is situated directly across from the High Court of Justiciary of Scotland. Considering this, in addition to having lawyers who stop in for a pint or two over their lunch hours, we have Kiran who is - from what I can gather - a freelance photographer. He spends some of his day hanging around outside of the courthouse taking pictures and the rest of his day at the pub drinking pints of Tennents Lager (I decided today it'd be a fun experiment to try and hang around Deacon's all day and drink pint for pint with him ... I'm not certain I could do it). I digress. I think the point of this paragraph was this realization about individuals who come to the pub in the late morning:

Any time you're greeted by the barman at your local pub with, "Good Morning," you might have a problem.

Now, on to a word of advice. If you ever find yourself tending bar in Edinburgh the Sunday after the Scotland - England match of the Six Nations Rugby Tournament, never grant a drunk, burly man wearing a kilt permission to do the splits on the bar. Kilts are amazingly commonplace in Scotland. I guess I didn't think much about them before arriving, but I guessed them to be a traditional piece of dress from the past. Not so. Scotsmen wear kilts for most formal events. Or, in the case below, whenever they're out hiking with a sword.


Sunday night, the rugby fans who filled Edinburgh were still continuing to party. Much like the Hawkeye fans who continue to party Saturday night after a Hawkeye football win (even though they have been up since 5am drinking), the Scottish - and English for that mater - continued to drink. One of these lifers dressed in a kilt was in Deacon Brodies Sunday night and asked me, "You think I can get on the bar and do the splits?" Not expecting him to be serious, I mistakenly answered, "Sure." Five seconds later, the man was making his way up on the bar to do the splits. Somehow, myself and the other girl behind the bar were able to convince him to get off before he completed the act (and nearly set his kilt on fire).

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but the weather in Edinburgh is, well as they say rubbish. The wind is nearly always blowing. Most shocking is its propensity to change at the drop of a hat. I was in my flat yesterday afternoon when I thought I heard the door being unlocked. I deemed this as impossible as Brian is in Ireland visiting his parents, but seconds later, a man in a suit walked into my flat. As it turns out, he was a surveyor coming to survey? my flat as it is for sale. Really great guy. The conversation we had made my day. Older guy who after finding out my short-term life story (graduated in May, decided to delay getting a real job, traveling and working, etc), proceeded to tell me about his days traveling the US, Indonesia, and Australia. Anyway, we were talking about Edinburgh, and in addition to many other old-man wise things he told me, he said if you don't like the weather in Edinburgh, wait five minutes, and it will change.

How true that is. This, I tell you, is not a lie. In the course of my eight hour shift at the pub today, Edinburgh had blue skies, rain, overcast skies, freezing rain, and about everything in between. Every time I looked out the window, the weather changed.

cheers.mk.

'heya'

Heya as the Scottish say. Not, 'Hello' or 'Hi,' but 'Heya.'

I'm writing today from my desk at my latest assignment with the temp agency I'm working for. Yes folks, I have a desk. I'm kind of a big deal. I'm not working in a cafe, I'm not working behind a bar, and I'm not working a function as a caterer. I'm working on a switchboard at Edinburgh's Aegon office - one of the world's largest life insurance and pension companies.

Let me tell you, it's a blast (all sarcasm intended)!

It may prove to be difficult to get anything significant included in this blog as every so often my computer beeps at me and I have to answer the phone. It goes a little something like this ...

'Good afternoon Aegon Scottish Equitable.' -me

'Yes, hello, my name is David Brandshed with Trifelt Investments. I'm calling about a pension my client has with you, reference number ...' -david (fictional name)

'Sorry to interrupt sir, is that a personal pension?'

'Yes, it is.'

'All right, I can go ahead and transfer you on to our Customer Services desk, and they should be able to help you with option one on the menu. Cheers.'

And then they get the computer recording. Often, when I answer the phone, the customers exclaim, 'Wow, a person!' I chuckle to myself and think just wait, the computer automated voice awaits.

It's definitely been an interesting experience. While the work with the temp agency hasn't always been the most glamorous, it has allowed me to see situations from different perspectives. I was thinking about this as I walked to get a cup of coffee this morning. Just two mornings ago, I was working in the cafe of a different office complex here in Edinburgh - making coffees and sandwiches. I've worked numerous functions and seen the planning (or lack thereof) which goes on behind the scenes. Hell, I've even served as a kitchen porter washing dishes. All of this in the name of earning enough money to live. All of this while holding a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. All of this with the main goal of experiencing life outside of Iowa, away from friends and family, and outside of my comfort zone.

I read a quote yesterday evening that I loved, and wanted to share with you all - 'The greatest tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.' - W.M. Lewis

iowa ... potatoes?

"So, where are you from? Canada?" the man with the North American accent asked me.

"No, I'm from the states actually. From Iowa," I told him.

"Ohhh, Iowa. Potatoes, right," he declared.

"No, you're thinking Idaho. Only corn, soybeans, pigs, and cows in Iowa" I corrected him.

"No, I'm pretty sure Iowa has potatoes," he again declared rather affirmatively.

"Nope," I said again. "No potatoes in Iowa."

One of the other men at the table apparently didn't believe me either. "Yah, you always see 'Made in Iowa' on bags of potatoes in Canada."

Maybe I didn't live in Iowa for 22 years of my life?!

This conversation - or should I say subtle argument - took place at work tonight. I'm one of Edinburgh's newest bartenders. I started one week ago today at a pub called Deacon Brodie's Tavern.

deacon brodies tavern

Deacon Brodies is situated directly on the Royal Mile - only five or ten minutes away from Edinburgh's emblematic Edinburgh Castle which towers over most of the city. While we do have our Scottish regulars, many of Deacon Brodies' patrons are tourists (Eg. The stubborn Canadians). I'm again lucky to have the opportunity to tend bar. While I have plenty of bar experience, the vast majority of this is on the other side of the bar. The tavern is a typical Scottish pub with a selection of Scottish beers, cask ales, and an assortment of malt whiskeys. Considering this, most of my time is spent pouring pints, mixing cocktails, and acting as though I know the ins and outs of malt whiskeys (our Whiskey Bible describes the malts as having characteristics such as 'fruity,' ''floral,' 'smoky,' 'soapy,' etc. I mean, come on!).

That's the latest news in the life of me. If I'm not working at Deacon's, I'm working various assignments for the temp agency. If I'm not doing this, I'm being quite lame as I'm still ... shall we say, broke. My goal as of now is to save money as I have a trip planned for the end of March.

On the 24th of March, I'll be flying from Newcastle, England, to ... Cork, Ireland. Yes, I'm heading back to the Emerald Isle. My good friend Lauren Lewis has always wanted to visit Ireland and decided now, with my close proximity to the island, would be the ideal time. Less than a month away ... it will be here before I know it. I'm excited to go back and am trying to plan the perfect trip.

Thanks to everyone for the supportive words I received after my last post - I appreciate your encouragement and thoughts.

best, mk

lifestyle i've chosen

I sit down to write not with any exciting news of travels, pictures of places seen, or people met. I'd be foolish if I expected my journey of traveling and working abroad to be nothing but partying, pleasure, and completely enjoying myself. There are - without a doubt - going to be setbacks to conquer and hills to climb. I'd also be naive to not admit that thus far I've had a pretty good hand dealt to me.

Ireland treated me amazingly. Immediately upon my arrival to the country, I fell in love with the place, the people, and this was surely made possible by my (relatively) carefree three weeks of traveling. When the three weeks or so came to an end, I made the decision to work for face2face. While the work was difficult and I often questioned my employment with the company, it provided many advantages. Free accommodation - I was able to earn Euros while paying nothing for a place to sleep each night. Though I worked long and difficult hours, the pay was good. I believe hindsight has shown me that the greatest benefit from working for face2face wasn't the free accommodation, it wasn't the wages, it maybe wasn't even the feeling of knowing that I was making a difference in the lives of others, but that it provided a perfect venue to make irreplaceable friendships. These friendships absolutely added to my experience in Ireland - an experience that I consider invaluable - one that I will surely remember the rest of my life.

In Galway, I had stupid luck. With zero experience serving, I quite frankly probably didn't deserve the opportunity to work for Ard Bia. But thanks to the goodwill of the staff - namely my manager, within three days of my arrival to Galway, I was working for a brilliant restaurant. Again, I was able to meet wonderful people and immediately had a steady flow of income.

Things in Edinburgh are taking longer to fall completely into place. My attempts at finding gainful, full-time employment have so far been fruitless. I've spent more than a couple afternoons canvassing the town, introducing myself to potential employers, and dropping off my CV with hopes of finding the perfect job. As of yet, it hasn't come my way. And, I have to realize, the perfect job may not immediately (or ever) fall into place. Luckily, the temp agency I'm working for has provided me with the opportunity to work - albeit, none of this work has been overly glamorous or exciting. But, it's work nonetheless.

I guess the purpose behind this post is to show that this path I've chosen isn't as easy as it's maybe seen. I'm hundreds of miles away from close friends, familiarity, and most importantly family. I'm watching my two year old nephew grow up through occasional webcam hellos. Anyone who knew me well in university would know that telephone conversations with my parents were a two or three time a day occurrence. Lately, a weekly hello and email is the extent of my relationship with my folks and my sister. All this being said, I consider myself unbelievably lucky to know that I have the support of such a loving family - regardless of how many miles or time zones separate us. Lucky, as well, to be on this journey - challenges or not.

So with the lifestyle I've chosen comes ups and downs. It's all part of the experience. I'll remember the ups and the downs will surely make me a stronger person.

stay well, everyone. thanks for reading. - mdk

sevilla & madrid, pictures

Below, you'll find some pictures from my time in Spain - a wonderful two weeks of relaxation, sun, brilliant food, and beautiful cities. When needed, I've included some commentary and/or explanation of the shots. So, enjoy ...

(editors note: you may notice my clothing changes infrequently throughout these photos - for three weeks, i lived out of a day pack sized backpack -luckily, many of the hostels we found had laundry facilities!)

brian, myself, and cat - drinking tinto de verano

Brian standing outside the Sevilla Cathedral. Sevilla's Cathedral is the third largest in the world and the construction of it began sometime around 1400. It was fascinating. This one blew me away. The organ has 6700 pipes.

views from the top

Looking up at the cathedral through the orange trees - the trees seemingly lined every street of the city. Unfortunately, a forbidden fruit for the oranges were apparently quite sour.

The cathedral at night.

The Plaza de Espana. A half circle of buildings surrounded by a moat. We didn't go in, but from what I understand, the buildings are used mainly for government functions. What I do know, is the Plaza was lined with very comfortable looking benches that would be ideal for an afternoon siesta.

Okay, maybe we kind of went inside ... a view looking out.

The inside of a Sevilla bar. Hanging from the ceiling, you see the legs of pigs - jamon. Nearly every bar in Sevilla had jamon hanging from the ceiling - hooves and all. Jamon is served very thinly sliced either by itself or on bread. Good, but extremely expensive - a small tapa (four slicesish) would be €2 or €3. In bulk, jamon sells for €60 - €70 per kilogram. After being slaughtered, the legs are let to dry for about two weeks - then, comes anywhere from nine months to two years of curing. In fairness, I should let you know I didn't learn this all from my conversations with the Spainish barmen - remember, I don't speak Spainish. Wikipedia.org provides more than you'd ever want to know about jamon - check out the article here.

Guadalquivir river running through Sevilla

The Torre del Oro (Gold Tower) in Sevilla. Situated on the banks of the river, it provided protection from enemy ships trying to head upstream ... constructed sometime in the 12th century.

Brian and I on our Sevici bikes - we were flying, I'm not sure how Cat was able to get a shot of us (sarcasm, notice the kickstands).

brian, myself, cat, and cat's friend nancy drinking mediocre beers

Our last evening with Cat - we were on our way to catch the 1am bus to Madrid.

We arrived in Madrid shortly after 7am. We were tired, frustrated, and delirious. After mindlessly studying a map of the city for some time, we decided to leave the bus station (note: we weren't entirely sure what bus station we were at). We really had no clue where we were going. After ten minutes of walking through the cold, dark, area surrounding the bus station, we promptly turned around. Plan B was getting on the Madrid Metro. After boarding a couple wrong trains, we eventually made our way to our destination, Sol.


Straight from Sevilla to the very center of Spain. This stone block is found in the city center Puerta del Sol in Madrid - it marks the radial center of all the Spainish roads - Kilometer Zero.

brian, lost at Kilometer Zero one Madrid morning

Billboard on the top of one of the buildings surrounding the Puerta del Sol - something like the first billboard ever constructed in Madrid ...

Yes! The Iowa Restaurant. In Madrid?!

The Royal Palace of Madrid - the largest palace in Europe with over 2800 rooms. It was nice, but probably not worth my five Euros - equally impressive from the outside where the view was free.

The Madrid Cathedral. Neoclassical design - construction didn't begin until the end of the nineteenth century, stopped completely during the Spanish Civil War, and wasn't completed until 1993.

Plaza Mayor in Madrid

Below I have some pictures of the rarer types of tapas I ate while in Madrid. I think I enjoyed Madrid more than Sevilla - the deciding factor was the tapas. In Madrid, you'd go to a bar, order a beer, and get a plate of tapas - free of charge. Brilliant.

braided lamb intestines

kidneys (from some animal)

Oreja a la Plancha - delicious. Okay, well interesting. If you were a 'food texture' person, you probably wouldn't be able to eat them - they chew exactly as you'd expect oreja a la plancha to chew. Oh, oreja a la plancha are diced pigs ears.

Brian, myself, and our two friends from La Sobebria (Lincoln and Julio). In the week that we spent in Madrid, La Soberia was our nightly watering hole. We became the locals ... from Iowa. Each night, we'd sit in from of Lincoln who was the tapas chef. We'd spend the night drinking Cruzcampo, eating plates of tapas, and having the craic. I told you most bars would serve you a small plate of tapas with a beer - by the weeks end, Lincoln was shoving plates of food to us throughout the entire evening.