Day 7: Elizabeth

After a few hours of sleep following an event-filled evening, we all attended highly anticipated sessions at the final day of the UFHRD conference. Half of the students attended a presentation by Dr. Herd, and half attended a presentation by Marty Schulte, a UofL alumnus and current expatriate. I attended Mr. Schulte's excellent session on factors which influence expatriate stress.

Following a lengthy lunch with some friends from the UFHRD conference, we prepared to leave Newcastle via a train to Edinburgh, arriving at the station around 40 minutes early. A train arrived a few minutes earlier than we had anticipated, and the more confident, intrepid travelers among the group forged a path through a sea of travelers to board the train and stow their luggage. After a minute or two, the doors closed, and four panicked faces appeared at the train windows as they realized that the train was about to leave without the rest of the group, as they had boarded the wrong train. The train began to move, Dr. Herd calmly waved goodbye, and the texts began pouring in via WhatsApp. According to the group on the train who spoke to other passengers, boarding the wrong train is something that happened all the time.

Interestingly, neither the group on the early train or the correct train were ever asked to show a ticket - this is the second time on the trip that I personally noticed that the citizens/operators in the UK were far more fluid and flexible than I would expect in the US. If an individual attempted to board the wrong train in the US, they would typically be found quickly and consequences would be doled out. However, on these occasions, either the individuals trusted that everyone had paid for their tickets, or they didn't care. While unexpected, the fact that the group did not have to stress about showing proof of ticket purchase made the ride and process much smoother. While I understand US companies needing to ensure that they make money, the UK's nonchalance was a welcome relief.



After arriving safely in Edinburgh with the whole group, we all checked into our final lodgings,
which, notably, was the only location we visited in the UK that was fully handicap accessible, with proper lifts and ramps in place. I noticed the lack of accessibility nearly every day of the trip, and reflected that it must be very difficult for a person with disabilities to visit other countries outside the US.

The group headed to one final group dinner after a couple of hours of souvenir shopping. After what felt like another Everest-like training session (aka a million flights of stairs), we arrived at Tower restaurant to find that the fanciest meal yet awaited our taste buds. We were all stuffed and satisfied by elegant dishes and drinks. Ryan and Dr. Herd handed out superlatives and personal, touching gifts to each of students, and the evening was ended with teary-eyed laughter. It was the perfect ending to a memory-filled trip.