In Edinburgh

My last night in Belfast was good Craic. Fran and I had a nice party in Kelly Cellars, and before the band started, I picked up a guitar and jammed with some old Irish locals. It was cool. I need to find a guitar soon. Before the night ended, I met Benyatt. I knew Benyatt from when I lived in Ireland two years ago. Although we haven't had any communication over the last two years, when we spoke it was like we picked up our conversation where we left it off. He was discussing the issue with the Basque land (his home) and I talked about Georgia. He was excited that Europe has sucked me in, and I am back in the UK for another year.

I also learned that Benyatt may face prison time. You see, the Spanish gov't and the people of Basque Country don't really get along. The struggle lies in Franco's rule and the massacre at Guernica. A group emerged to defend Basque nationalism, ETA; which is very similar to the Irish Republican Army. At the same time there was another group forming in Basque country who believed in opposition, but only through peaceful marches and rallies. As a young adult, Benyatt was an avid member of the peaceful group. And, one day at a rally, he was arrested for sedition. He never struck anyone, he never picked up a weapon, nor did he fight back, but he was forced to serve 10 months in prison. The crazy thing is that was 10 years ago, and now the Spanish gov't is trying to link him and some of his compatriots to bombings and murders, but that's not Benyatt's style. He would much prefer talking someone to death, in Euskera, Spanish, or English, than to take violent measures. Trust me, I know. The first of Oct. Benyatt must face a Spanish trial to plead his case. If convicted, he may serve a maximum of 10 years in prison, or they could ban him forever from his home. A lose-lose situation. I hope it works out in Benyatt's favor. I think the government, and the Basque people, need to forgive and forget the struggle. As Desmond Tutu passionately wrote: "There is no future, without forgiveness," so if evolution is to take place. Everyone, as a collective body, must move forward.

After months of planning, reading, waiting, emailing, more waiting, researching, and planning, I have arrived in Edinburgh. I must say that it is far more beautiful than I remember. My room is like a college dorm room, except I have my own bathroom. And, my view is pretty incredible. When I look out of my window, I can see a beautiful cliff. Soon, I plan to climb it.

I walked around the city yesterday, and I know I picked the right city. It is very humbling to know that Rotary selected me to be an ambassador representing both Georgia and the States. The responsibilities that I have are tremendous, but I know I can do them. I'm excited to meet people, wherever they are from, and learn their views, tastes, and cultures. Travel is a beautiful thing. The best aspect of traveling for me, is it challenges one to grow. There may be time when you are put in precarious situations, or talk with people who completely disagree with what you believe. But, therein lies the beauty. The challenges forces us to open our mind and thing differently, regardless if we agree or not.

Ok. Kind of a random blog, but I guess that's what makes blogging so great. You can type whatever you want to, and it's alright.