By Page Forrest
Managing Editor
Page Forrest (C’17) is a junior at Sewanee, studying abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland this semester. She serves as Managing Editor of the Purple and will be writing a regular column for the paper while she is away.
You’d think after a summer of wearing skirt-suits I’d be used to it. However, breaking in the blazer today was just as uncomfortable in the pouring rain as it was in 90degree heat. I’m not entirely sure why shoulder pads are still included in blazers made in 2015, but Winona Ryder would have been super jealous of my outfit today. The suit-worthy occasion in question was my first meeting with my Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Bob Doris. Doris is a representative from the Glasgow district, and a member of the Scottish National Party. As the deputy convener of the Health and Sport Committee, Doris has tackled a number of issues close to the community, most recently supporting the ban of smoking in cars with children inside the vehicle.
During my internship, I will be conducting an independent research project on how to better provide lower income women with preventative health care and information, with a focus on self-screening for breast cancer. His staff is extremely small compared to the average U.S. Congressional office – it consists of him, one fulltime staffer, another intern, and now, myself. A couple weeks ago, I took my first jaunt out of the country and went to Ireland with Claire Burgess (C’17). Our first afternoon there we took the train down to Howth, a small seaside town that looked like it could fit right into a romcom or a horror movie, depending on the weather. The next day we walked to Kilmainham Gaol (please don’t ask how I was pronouncing that for most of the trip). The gaol was built in the late 1700s, but was most notably where Irish revolutionaries, including leaders of the Easter Uprising, were held and later executed in the early 1900s. Today it is a museum and looks remarkably like a nice wedding venue, which is a thought that’s only okay until you realize how many men and women were starved and executed inside. After a weekend in Dublin, returning to Edinburgh was almost comforting. I didn’t realize how familiar I had become with the city until I left it. It’s strange to think that I’ve already finished a third of my program and will be heading home in 10 weeks’ time. Instead of days, these columns could be used as a unit of measurement. Only three more times that I get to take up space in the Purple with my personal drivel! Cheers until next time, YSR, and EQB!