My First Week (and a half) in Scotland

Edinburgh... my new city.  What?  That doesn't even sound real.

I've been here just over a week now and still walk around with a silly grin, taking it all in... Scotland is my new home for the coming year.  It has been very refreshing (and rather exhausting) stepping back into university life, and it is truly amazing to join such a global learning community.  In my flat of 6, my roommates and I represent China, Japan, India, Austria and the US.  In my Sustainable Energy Systems Program of 57 students, we have Scotland, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Germany, UAE, Spain, Jordan, Colombia, Bolivia, Senegal, Malaysia and so many others...  just walking across campus you can hear at least four different languages along the way.

Spending time with Aberdeenshire friends before taking the train to Edinburgh last week and visiting Scotland last year really has helped me to get my bearings.  There are certainly plenty of things that I haven't done yet - big differences between good ol' West Lafayette (BOILER UP!!) and Scotland's capital - but it has been great fun finding my favorite Tidelines music played on the Royal Mile, eating Stornoway black pudding and enjoying my sherry-cask whiskies.

Here are some highlights since my arrival in Scotland -

• Seeing the Queen and members of the Royal Family at the Braemar Highland Games
• Celebrating Harper's 1st birthday with the Doig family (very special after meeting her this time last year)
• Enjoying Aberdeenshire's clean air, blue skies and beautiful hills
• Navigating the administrative processes to claim my UK student residence
• Meeting fantastic, supportive new roommates, classmates and faculty
• Watching Trainspotting (intense and eye-opening, SO serious)
• Finding Vin Diesel filming Fast & Furious 9 near the Edinburgh Meadows
• Immersing myself into the University of Edinburgh 
• Joining the Hillwalking and Country Dance Societies
• Exploring nearby Pentland Hills Regional Park (disregard my public transport struggles)
• Participating in the Edinburgh's largest ceilidh dance (video below) as part of the 2019 Riding of the Marches

... and the adventure is only just beginning.  We will see how things change once classes really pick up.  More soon!

Stay left! A Road Trip Through Ireland's West Coast

Next stop on my Irish adventure was to explore Ireland's west coast.  After picking up my rental car, I earned some honks in a couple roundabouts before getting my bearings.  Thankfully, adjusting to driving on the other side of the road didn't take too much time and soon I was truly appreciating the efficiency of the roundabouts and infrequent traffic lights / stop signs.

Multiple reminders to stay on the left side of the road

My first stop on the way to Killarney brought me to the Rock of Cashel also known as St. Patrick's Rock.  An early royal site, the Cashel of Kings saw St. Patrick "apparently" baptize King Aengus who was Ireland's first Christian ruler then Brian Boru who was crowned High King in 1002.  Brian Boru's grandson, Muircheartach Ua Brian King of Munster, gave the Rock to the Catholic Church.  The intertwined royal and religious history gave context to this beautiful location with its 13th-century Gothic cathedral.

Nearby Hore Abbey, a ruined Cistercian monastery

View of the Rock with one of its neighbors

After Cashel, I journeyed on to Killarney for a two-nights stay at Neptunes Hostel.  I then discovered the Carragh Restaurant (incredible fish and caring wait staff) which led to a fantastic night out with some wonderful Canadian and Californian fellow travelers!

The next day I explored the amazing Ring of Kerry, taking in many of the sights along the way.  Meanwhile I switched between two Irish music CDs and the All-Ireland Kerry / Dublin Gaelic Football game... spoiler, they ended in a draw and have a re-match on 14th September.  Ciarraí abú!!

Next stop on my road trip brought me to the Dingle Peninsula for a two-night stay at the Hideout Hostel (highly recommend!!).  Stunning landscapes, historical sites (Dunbeg, the Beehives and Famine Cottages), fantastic entertainment (found a Britain's Got Talent Star in The Dingle Pub) and unique bars (Foxy John's was a highlight) and some Star Wars fun (Last Jedi set).  A big highlight was finding a kindred spirit in a German fellow hosteler.  It is motivating when you find someone with a similar perspective on adventure!

Continuing on from Dingle, I walked from the town of Doolin down to the Cliffs of Moher.  Part of a UNESCO Geopark, this area is amazing.  I lucked out with the weather and had mostly clear skies on my hike.  I did not expect the sheer power of the Atlantic waves as they forced waterfalls to flow backward, creating ocean spray "rain" as I walked along the coast.  Photos simply don't do this area justice...

After exploring the Doolin area (and passing the Pence motorcade on the highway), I got to Galway.  Honestly by this time, I was exhausted and done with planning - I was thankful that my hostel (City Hostel, fantastic!) offered dinner and then a bar crawl.  Galway is an incredible city.  I walked The Salthill Prom (pretending to be a "Galway Girl"), briefly explored NUI's campus (definitely see some Hogwarts vibes), drove past Galways's beautiful cathedral (which unfortunately was closed) then joined in the hostel-planned activities, introducing me to Galway's nightlife and a great group of international travelers.  You definitely need more than a night to take in everything that this city offers... gotta save something for the next visit!

In a week, I have developed an appreciation for Ireland and its people - an amazing place with troubled history filled with great people.  With the Brexit mess looming, Ireland's delicate balance is threatened.  Here's hoping that things get sorted out in a way that can preserve the peace brought by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Next, onto SCOTLAND.

Dublin by Foot

Dublin - the very name conjures images of drunken Irish people wearing green as they insult each other and yell at the Gaelic football game. 

As you might guess, there is more to the story.  Originally home to ecclesiastical monks with a penchant for brewing beer on the River Liffey, the modern city of Dublin was founded by Vikings at the Black Pool.  The city is filled with churches that date back to 1030 (building of the orignal Christchurch cathedral), took the brunt of the 1840s Potato Famine which saw Ireland's population drop from 8.5 million down to 3.5 in a span of 50 years (Ireland is the only developed country to have a smaller population in the 21st century than it did in the 20th), hosted the bloody, but short-lived 1916 Irish revolution and subsequent 1922 independence struggle, Ireland's WWII neutrality followed by the Troubles (with the the 1966 destruction of the Nelson Tower) which all eventually led to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and the delicate peace that followed.

 

After spending a couple days here, I have a whole new respect for the Irish who have suffered so much... poor for so long, lost many people through famine and emigration, the British stomped on them and then civil war didn't make things easy.  In general, a very friendly people but definitely quieter than expected.  The crazy St Patty's day participants are the tourists... not the locals.  It was great fun to see Dublin through a local's eyes (by way of Belfast and Aberdeen) - thank you, Peter, for the connection!

I found an amazing free walking tour (Generation Tours, HIGHLY recommend!) which took me all over the city.  Extremely walkable and filled with interesting streets, Dublin has elements of many cities I've visited.  Grafton felt a bit like Edinburgh's Princes Street, Trinity College and Houston's Rice University are cousins, New Orleans and Dublin share windy streets and alleys while London has a similar buried history.  Unfortunately I didn't have time to visit the Kilmainham Gaol (book early for your visit) which inspired the song, "Grace", my new favorite.

Look out for my next post about my Irish road trip which followed my Dublin visit.

3+ Years in CA... now to Europe!

Time flies.  They always say that it flies faster and faster as you go through life.  I find myself reflecting as the summer interns seem to be younger and younger.  Already hit 5 years full-time with Chevron (6 if you include the funky intern service math).  Turned 27 - where do the 20s go?! - and now I'm off to EUROPE.

I moved to CA back in 2016 as part of a re-org.  Since then, I've moved from tactical to strategic projects, mentored a summer intern (who just rocked it in Louisiana!!), become an "almost mid-career" engineer, snowboarded so much that I broke my ankle earlier this spring, hiked/camped in almost all the CA national parks (will be planning future trips to Lassen and the Redwoods), brushed up on my line dancing skills, enjoyed quality time with CA family and made some incredible friendships along the way.  While GOM will always be the place where I started my career and began "adulting", there is no doubt that my time in California has shaped me into the engineer and person I am today.

Right before I moved to California, I discovered the University of Edinburgh's MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems after my mom sent me an eye-opening article about the Isle of Eigg.  The world of Outlander and subsequent Scottish Instagram photographers fostered a passion for the Scottish culture, history and stunning landscapes.  The personal and professional opportunities in Scotland are waiting, but it did take me 3 years to finally decide to pursue this dream as I navigated the waters of yet another re-org and gained fantastic work and life experiences along the way.  Very thankful for everyone who helped me to make this Scottish adventure a reality.

Now here I am... awaiting my European flight in the Toronto airport.  Had wonderful CA and US send-offs from cherished friends and family.  While the future is unwritten and somewhat uncertain, I know that I am making the right decision and am excited to see what this next year brings.

I have been blessed with wonderful people to share this journey.  Family, friends, co-workers and even fellow travelers you meet in the airports and hostels.  THANK YOU to everyone's support, encouragement, mentorship, friendship and all your best wishes as this next chapter begins.

This Whole "Adulting" Thing

Eighteen months as a full-time engineer... it is hard to completely believe, yet it also feels like I've been here quite a long time.  The last year and a half has been such a wild roller coaster ride to say the least.

I have...

• Begun my professional career
• Become a pro at the "careful allocation" of vacation time
• Developed a habit of checking crude oil prices which, by the way, have dropped from $104 to $28 since I started working (Bloomberg Business)
• Built a life in a new city
• Made some incredible friendships along the way

Life in the New Orleans area is full -interesting people, rich culture (especially the food!!!) with plenty of festivals, events and music to enjoy.  It has been a wonderful environment to explore and experience a new part of the world.


Just this past weekend, I went to the 80s-themed 610 Stompers Ball in Mardi Gras World, volunteered with some humbling local high-school students, attended Bowie Gras in the French Quarter, ate an INCREDIBLE meal at Jacques-Imo's (probably my new favorite restaurant...sorry, Cafe Pontalba) and then kayaked on the Bogue Falaya.  Does that sound like a full-enough weekend?  And Mardi Gras 2016 is already underway!  The first of the more-famous parades is this weekend... LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!!

At work, I have found some amazing mentors.  No one has ever pushed me away for asking too many questions and I do my best to approach every challenge and opportunity with a curious, approachable and engaging personality.  My supervisor has an "open cubicle" policy and is always ready to listen. Whenever I approach my cube neighbor or "official" mentor with a question, he always responds with "Shoot" or "Answer", respectively.  I have been so lucky to be part of the Bay Marchand and FE Shelf family... so much knowledge and encouragement to share, perfect to support a brand-not-so-new Boilermaker Alumna.

It took me 3 - 4 months to really feel like I had something to contribute to team discussions.  Since then, I just continue to grow in my abilities and learn as much as I can every day.  Transitioning to a working environment is really just a series of slightly awkward moments that you experience and overcome... just to do it over and over again.

Our contribution to Chevron's 2016 Super Bowl STEM Video Competition

My trips offshore are full of warm memories.  I sometime describe that I am like a pirate, riding helicopters and boats in search of that black gold.  The men out there are so personal and genuine with many great stories and tips like how to make duck calls and cook raccoons  (Hint: just like a steak with onions, but don't forget to remove the glands). 


I'll never forget the first time I went offshore with my fingernails painted.  I had been working almost a year with the Operations Team and didn't think anything of my Chevron-blue nails when I took the helicopter out first thing in the morning.  I walked right into the FC office at Romeo to shake DJ's hand and say hello.  He greeted me with his normal "Well, how we doin'?" and as our hands broke apart, he exclaimed "Wow, I've never seen those offshore before!"  It definitely took me by surprise and I wanted to respond, "Newsflash - times are changing."  Instead, I laughed it off and told him that his red bandana and my nails were just representing Chevron.

Hard hat decal that I am designing

In addition to my Chevron engineering experiences, my Purdue Senior Design Team and I have continued to pursue our patented project.  Check out our latest promo below which the Big Ten Network just began to air this past weekend...

LiveBig Campaign

This full-time "adult" life has taught me many things, but the most important lesson is to believe in myself and just go for it (with Tim Bayard's advice always in the back of my mind).  The future is definitely uncertain and all we can do is control what's in our sphere of influence.  Now that is not to say that I am not frustrated at times (recently more often than not) with the oil industry.  No matter what I'm feeling, the thing that ALWAYS brings me back is the strong network of friends, family and co-workers that support me throughout my adventures.

At the moment, I just finished another episode of "Bones" and am headed off to bed with my new memory-foam pillow.  This "adulting" thing really is pretty great once you get used to paying the bills and car loans...

In closing, I wanted to share one of my favorite mantras and prayers -

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."

More soon!
K

What a Summer

Somehow three months have already passed since I graduated college.  In these last few months, I've been all over the place....

View Full Size Travel Map at Travellerspoint

Right after graduation, I was reunited with one of my closest friends.  He had just come back from a semester in China and it was fantastic to see him!  Hearing his stories made me miss my semester abroad, but it was awesome to finally catch up in person.  Turns out that he and his friends had stayed at a couple hostels that my group had visited, cool legacy!

Signatures from 2013 and 2014 ETA groups at the Ming Palace Hostel in Guilin, China

The next day I flew home to Houston and was planning to go on a hiking trip through southern Utah.  It was going to be fantastic, but I ended up cancelling the trip because I got really sick with a horrible bug.  Instead I ended up spending 2.5 weeks at home to get better and to catch up with my family.  I'm so glad that I was home to see my sister graduate high school and we had a joint graduation party at home.  So much to celebrate!  She's getting ready to begin pre-health studies at Trinity University in San Antonio.  I'm excited to visit her!

Soon after spending time at home, I was ready to finally go to Greece.  Greece had been my number-one travel destination since I was little.  I had grown up learning about my Greek background (I'm half-Greek) and I was in desperate need of some time out there.  I had originally planned on taking a European backpacking trip, but 15 days in Greece was exactly what I needed.  

I went on my own (first time to Europe and first big solo trip) and took a language and culture class in Santorini.  My class was through the Hellenic Cultural Center and it was a fantastic introduction into Greece.  Within 2 days, I could (slowly) read Greek and I was well on my way to holding a basic conversation.  Language lessons were in the morning, afternoons were free and then in the evening we had a couple hours of cultural activities (meeting with a local farmer, going to a winery, exploring an archaeological site, etc) followed by long dinners at local tavernas with lots of white wine.  During my free time, I did a lot of hiking around the island (over the weekend, I did over 18 km!) and of course, soaking in the warm Santorini sun.  Fun fact, the first Americans I met (took me 4 days) were some engineers from University of Illinois!

My classmates were a couple Italians from Rome (mother-daughter pair, mother was a retired chemistry professor and the daughter is a physicist at CERN) and an elderly lady from London.  The teachers in the school were from all different parts of Greece and I learned so much from them.  Stella, Nikos, Vassia and Ifigenia were all pretty amazing and I really enjoyed getting to know them.  I'm excited to continue my Greek studies once I get settled in my new life in Louisiana.  The HCC offers online and Skype lessons, so tell all your friends!

As my stint in Santorini was coming to a close, I met up with a couple Purdue graduates who were finishing up a whirlwind trip to Europe.  I took them to my favorite club for a drink to celebrate the end of my time on the island.  We actually took the same ferry back to Athens the next day.  Meeting me at the port of Piraeus were a couple distant cousins of mine who I had never met.  I had told them I would be wearing blue and they had a sign for me.  It was incredible to meet them because I had heard about them before, but never even talked to them on the phone.  However, within 5 minutes of meeting them, it felt like we had known each other forever.  The power of genes and family connections... Greek hospitality and extroverted personalities helped quite a bit too.

I stayed a couple nights at Myrto's apartment (my dad had met her back in 1987 when she was a little girl) and explored Athens.  That Saturday night I went out with Myrto and met some of her closest friends (most of whom had known each other since elementary school) at a great nightclub on the marina near Vouliagmeni (beautiful, starry night).  The next day we explored around the Akropolis, saw the Parthenon and other historical sites, shopped and ate in Plaka.  If you are going to Athens, be sure to not miss the Akropolis museum... it was incredible.

The time with Myrto and Bibi was short, but it was a fantastic weekend.  Really, my entire trip to Greece went by so quickly.  I returned to the U.S. completely refreshed.  Finding my roots, connecting with my culture, exploring a new part of the world and becoming a better world traveler was simply amazing.  This trip also taught me something else about traveling, I do not want to simply just see a new place as a tourist.  It's way more fun and interesting to learn what it means to be a local and really plug in.  On future travels, I will do my best to make sure this happens.  I'm already planning my next trip back to Greece (Ikaria and Crete!) but I've decided that Argentina will be my next new international destination.  I am also going to try very hard to use my passport at least once a year.  China, now Greece, more adventures to be had!

After I came back from Greece, July seemed to fly.  Independence day was a fantastic reunion with Purdue friends (cookout, fireworks, boat ride on the lake and wonderful people).  I had some time to relax too, slowly beginning to organize my move to Louisiana.  I also made an apartment-hunting trip down south where I had the chance to reconnect with people I had interned with last summer who are now working full-time.  

I got back to Purdue just in time to celebrate my 22nd birthday with friends (an evening at Purdue and an adventure to the dunes!).  I woke up early that Saturday morning to fly out to CA to meet my family for a 10-day vacation to SoCal and Washington state.  We spent time with our relatives, celebrated my birthday a bit more, enjoyed some CA beach time and then headed up to the Pacific Northwest to explore the San Juan Islands.  Absolutely beautiful part of the country!  Then I came back to Indiana to spend one more week in the Midwest before driving down south.  We even made some delicious Greek food, inspired by my time in Santorini...

Andy and I are great chefs.... what can I say?

Now I've already finished my first two days as a full-time Chevron Facilities Engineer.  I'm really enjoying my job and the people on my team.  More stories soon!

Graduation and New Beginnings

Wow, I still can't believe it.  We graduated from Purdue just two days ago.  Here I am, sitting in my apartment, watching one of my roommates slowly move out.  A lot has happened in the last week...

After our last finals, senior week began.  Full days of making quality memories with close friends, spending time outside in the spring (finally!! one heck of a winter) weather, fulfilling Purdue traditions, doing our last fountain run, going to the Cactus one last time and finally attending a toga party.  Here are some pictures from senior week:

Also during senior week, I was working on finishing the ME Senior Composite photos which took way too long, but seeing the finished product made it all worth it.

My family arrived on campus Saturday evening and we went out to dinner at IHOP.  They were staying at the very same hotel (Best Western) that my dad and I had stayed when we first visited Purdue back in the spring semester of my senior year of high school.  Our dinner choice may seem random, but it was part of a little tradition that we started from our first Purdue visit.  Every time my dad has visited me at Purdue, we've made a dinner trip to IHOP (and ordered blueberry pancakes and Nutella crepes, along with other entrees) and so it was only fitting that my family returned for one last time to the same restaurant.  Saturday night was very relaxing, after my family went to bed, a couple friends and I went to Harry's for one last drink as Purdue undergraduates.

Sunday started early.  I met the ME advisor in the ME building to drop off the composite photos for the morning senior reception.  A couple hours later I met my family and it was very fun to share the ME festivities with them, introduce them to my friends and the people in ME who have supported me throughout the last four years.  I also got to share my senior design project!  We are currently exploring the patent process with our project so I can't say too much.

After the reception and a bunch of cap and gown photos, all the seniors eventually made their way to the Armory to line up for the graduation ceremony.  All the candidates were abuzz with energy and excitement, but we still had a long time to wait until the ceremony would actually begin.  While in line, little black plastic ribbons were passed out to tie in our tassels, in remembrance of Andrew Boldt who would be receiving his bachelor's degree posthumously.  

When we finally got the signal to move, I was hit by a feeling of intense excitement.  I couldn't believe it... here we go!  We processed around the Engineering Mall, the fountain and up into Hovde, crossing the skywalk into Elliott.  I was looking around for my family as I found my seat.  Looking to my right, I saw my parents both waving their arms, my grandpa was waving his baseball cap.  Happy tears filled my eyes as the realization came over me, wow, this is it.

The ceremony was very well-done, lots of Purdue fanfare, Mitch Daniels gave the commencement speech.  The moment on stage passed so quickly.  I had heard the story of a graduate from a different ceremony who had paused on stage to take a selfie and then tripped in front of everyone.  When my name was called, I was focused on just walking across the stage without a hitch.  I was handed my degree and then shook hands with Dr. Bajaj and Dean Jamieson.  It was such a fun surprise to also receive a hug from Dr. Bajaj.  As I walked off stage, I looked in my family's direction with a big grin.  Even though I couldn't see them, I could feel them sending all their love and support my way.  

The first person I saw afterwards was Professor Jones who was ushering the graduates back to their seats.  We shook hands and I could barely put two words together.  I just gave him a huge hug.  It was fitting that he was the first person I saw after I received my degree because Professor Jones had been there since I began my Purdue ME journey.  During the spring of my freshman year, Jones came to visit my Engineering 132 lecture to talk about the Mechanical Engineering Program.  At the time, I was still trying to decide between mechanical and biomedical engineering.  Professor Jones helped me to make an informed decision and now, here I am, 4 years later graduating with my BSME and looking forward to a full-time job in the energy industry.  Here are some pictures from graduation day:

It's incredible thinking that so much time has already passed by.  Over the last 21 years I've grown from a little girl, racing my dad in our backyard, to a college graduate.  The word "graduate" doesn't even seem real.  It's hard to get into the mindset that next fall I will not be returning to Purdue as a student, but I'm very excited to visit as an alum.  There are so many changes coming up, just have to enjoy every moment.  I'm glad that I'm not starting work until early August because I have more time to slow down the upcoming transitions.  

Although lots of things are changing, one will not.  I have had so many amazing adventures that brought me to the graduation stage.  Purdue has given me incredible friends and mentors, taught me numerous different lessons about engineering and life, and helped to expand my perspective of the world.  I'm excited to join the ranks of Purdue alumni and continue on my journey.

Ever grateful, ever true.  Boiler up.  

Katherine Frangos, BSME
Purdue Graduate, Class of 2014