Ambassador's Notes

Arctic bound

2011-07-21T13:00:00.003-07:00

I leave for the Arctic tomorrow morning. I will be serving as Chief Mountain Leader on a BSES youth development Expedition. If you would like to follow along during the 3-week expedition, you can read updates on the expedition blog at http://blog.bses.org.uk/arcticadventure2011/.

Three Peaks Challenge Success

2011-07-05T01:02:00.001-07:00

On June 25/26th I and seven other Ambassadorial Scholars along with two Rotarians (drivers) completed the Three Peaks Challenge (a mountain-endurance challenge in Great Britain, with a history of over 40 years, in which participants attempt to climb the highest peaks of each of the island's three countries). We started at Ben Nevis in Scotland, then drove down to Scafell Pike in England and finished on Snowden, in Wales. We took about 28 hours total time.

The purpose of the challenge was to raise funds and awareness for the international disaster relief charity ShelterBox. Our team of scholars raised over $6,000 USD (3,780 GBP), enough to fund over 6 complete Shelter Boxes.

It was a great time on the three mountains, experiencing virtually the full range of UK weather (below freezing wind on Ben Nevis, wet wet on Scafell, and glorious sunshine on Snowden). I enjoyed getting to know the other scholars and hearing about their time in the UK and their plans for the future.

I've uploaded several pictures here to show you what it was like, in case you're wondering, the large green box that we took turns carrying (the whole way) is an empty Shelter Box. We received lots of puzzled stares and comments like "You must be truly mad!" and we were able to tell many people about the great work that ShelterBox and Rotary do around the world. Thanks so much to the many family and friends that supported me and our team. Your support is much appreciated. In a small way I feel that I've been able to give something back to the many Rotarians in Scotland and in District 5050 (Washington and B.C.) that have played such a large role in my scholarship year.

ShelterBox Disaster Relief - Three Peaks Challenge Fundraising

2011-03-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

Event: The Three Peaks Challenge on the 25th of June

Charity: ShelterBox

Fundraisers: As many Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars as possible

The Plan: In order to raise funds and awareness for Shelter Box, we will be climbing the three highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales within 24 hours.

To make the challenge even tougher we will be carrying original Shelter Boxes. They will represent the ShelterBoxes that have been sent to disaster areas to provide refief for those who lost their homes.

It costs £590 to deliver one valuable box to people who are mostly in need. On our way up and down the three peaks we will try hard to overcome difficult terrain and to finally deliver the boxes across the finish line. We want to demonstrate the immense effort that is made to bring relief to victims of natural hazards.

What is ShelterBox?

ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families around the world who are affected by disasters at the time when they need it the most.The ShelterBox solution in disaster response is as simple as it is effective.

We deliver the essentials a family needs to survive in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

Each large, green ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster but typically contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit, a children’s activity pack and other vital items.

Please help us raise funds to allow ShelterBox to meet the needs of families countries around the world. My personal goal is to raise 1180 Pounds to provide funds for two ShelterBoxes. If you would like to donate click on this link (www.justgiving.com/JerryIsaak/) or on links throughout this page

Rotary on Facebook

2010-12-22T12:25:00.001-08:00

For those of you that are on Facebook, my home club, the Rotary Club of Abbotsford Sumas, has just launched a Facebook page so that people can connect with them and follow along with the clubs activities. There are some excellent photos of the Strawberry Sale Fundraiser 2010. Check it out!

2010-12-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

The end of the autumn semester has arrived along with unseasonably cold weather here in Edinburgh, Scotland. Our family is staying warm in our little flat near Holyrood Park and bundling up when we go outside to enjoy the snow and fresh air. It is quite a change from when I arrived in Edinburgh almost four months ago.

After arriving in Scotland, a few weeks before my course officially began, I traveled up to Fort William in the Highlands to climb Ben Nevis (the highest peak in the United Kingdom). I was blessed with excellent weather and had a great time exploring the iconic highland landscape.

When my course officially started we set out almost immediately on a five-day canoe descent of the River Spey, from near the headwaters all the way to Spey Bay on the North Sea. The canoe trip provided the opportunity to connect with classmates and to engage with the faculty on a very personal level. It was a powerful learning experience that set a very positive tone for the rest of the semester. The 14 full-time students on the course are from Scotland, USA, Canada, Hungary, England, and Northern Ireland.

Alongside my academic commitments I have been engaged with my host Rotarian, fellow Ambassadorial Scholars and Rotarians from throughout Scotland. The first official event was an International Evening hosted by the Rotary Club of Portobello. All the visiting Ambassadorial Scholars were invited to an evening of Scottish culture, dance and food. Since that evening the Ambassadorial Scholars (from Canada (x2), USA (x4), Japan (x2), Germany (x1), Australia (x1)) have gathered informally at several occasions, including American Thanksgiving. We were all at the Rotary District 1020 Conference in Aviemore. At the District Conference I, along with the other scholars, gave a brief interview about where I’m from and what I am doing in Scotland. As a result of the interview, before about 800 Rotarians, I have received numerous invitations to speak at Rotary Clubs throughout the District. I’m looking forward to visiting these clubs in the New Year.

A highlight of my time in Edinburgh was attending the Scotland vs. New Zealand international rugby match with a Rotarian I met at the District conference. The Scotland side lost badly to the world number one New Zealand All-Blacks but I enjoyed the game and the opportunity to get to know Mike Duguid, from the Rotary Club of Kirkubright in southern Scotland.

My wife, Katie, and our two sons, Quinn (age 2) and Beckett (5 months), have also been adjusting to living in a new country. Our highlight as a family has been the trips to the farm of my host Rotarian, John Burnett, from the Rotary Club of Peebles. John, and his wife Nan, have been superb hosts and a real blessing to our family. Their farm is a 1,000-acre sheep farm in the Borders of Scotland. Quinn, our two year old loves going for walks to find sheep and cows, and down to “the wee burn” (translation: the small creek) where he throws rocks into the water. We will be spending a portion of the Christmas break with the Burnett’s, and we are very thankful for this home away from home.

Quinn at the wee burn.

When I left for Scotland in August I knew that I would likely have the opportunity to travel to other countries, but I did not anticipate the magnitude of the opportunities that would appear. In Spring of 2011 (May 21 – June 4) the students from the MSc Outdoor Education program will be traveling to Morocco to undertake a two-week trekking expedition in the High Atlas Mountains. This expedition is being planned and completed in fulfillment of requirements for the degree. I am looking forward to journeying in the unique landscape of North Africa and to meeting the Berber people who live and work in the Atlas Mountains.

The Atlas mountains in Morocco.

The next expedition will take me north, to the Arctic island archipelago of Svalbard. I will be volunteering, as Senior Mountain Leader, on a British Schools Exploring Society (BSES) Arctic Expedition.

BSES Expeditions is a youth development charity that organises challenging scientific expeditions to remote, wild environments to develop the confidence, teamwork, leadership and spirit of adventure and exploration of its Young Explorers.

Based at the Royal Geographical Society, BSES Expeditions (The British Schools Exploring Society) was founded in 1932 by a member of Captain Scott’s final Antarctic Expedition of 1910-13.

Each year young people aged 16-23, from different schools, universities and many other walks of life, join together to take part in valuable adventure and environmental research projects in challenging areas of the world from the heights of the Himalayas to the heat of the Arabian desert, and from the valleys and glaciers of the Arctic to the lakes and rivers of the Amazon (BSES webpage, www.bses.org.uk).

This expedition, though not required for my degree, will provide the basis for my research leading to the completion of my master’s thesis. In addition to the expedition in the arctic I will be helping to lead and participating in four training weekends that will take place, for BSES staff and students, in Scotland and England.

With a population of 3,000, the polar bears on Svalbard outnumber the local humans by about 300.

It has been a busy semester, full of academic, Rotary, family and extra-curricular responsibilities. I am looking forward to the coming year and all that it will bring. I have attempted to keep the blog updated, and will continue to add posts throughout the New Year.

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2011!

Hills and Mountains and mountains of reading...

2010-10-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

It has been a few weeks since my last post. As might be inferred, correctly, I have been extremely busy during that time. In addition to completing two academic courses and one field course I had the privilege of attending the Portobello Rotary Club's International Night. This weekend I will be attending the Rotary District 1020 (Southern Scotland) District Conference in Aviemore. I'll have the opportunity, along with the other Edinburgh based Ambassadorial Scholars, to give a short interview at the conference for the approximately 600 Rotarians from clubs throughout District 1020.

I've attached a few photos from the recent 'Hills and Mountains' course that was held in the Cairngorm mountain range. It is a beautiful area with dramatic cliffs, waterfalls and lochs. We had typically Scottish weather, which is to say we had a little bit of everything and a lot of what the Scots call 'dreich' (pronounced dree-chh).

The picture below is an example of dreich.

Lunch break above Loch Avon (pronounced Ann)

Me and three classmates taking a break on the summit of Ben Macdui, the second highest mountain in the United Kingdom.

Negotiating dreich and wet boulders above Coire an t-Sneachda

We spent about half an hour trying to figure out what the large blue patches in the sky were...still not sure. Our guess was clear sky and sunshine but we couldn't be sure.

Just so you don't get the wrong impression of how most of my time is spent, I've included a picture of the mountains that I'm normally climbing. Stacks and stacks of reading interspersed with writing has been the order of the day for the past two weeks. This weekend is a brief break, only a little reading while at the conference, before another two week sprint to the assignment deadlines.

Descending the River Spey

2010-09-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

This past week I was on a field course with the Outdoor Education Masters Program at the University of Edinburgh. The course was titled "Lochs and Rivers" and included a five day descent of the River Spey. The Spey is famous for the many whisky distilleries that line it's 70 miles, and for the Atlantic Salmon fishing along it's banks. Our method of travel was in open canoes. We camped along the river at campsites that were often near small villages.

Our last night on the river found us at the village of Craigellachie, near the town of Aberlour, where I had a uniquely Scottish experience. With two of my classmates, who happened to be Scottish, I walked from our campsite across the River Fiddich, to the Fiddichside Inn. The Inn is a small one room pub that is been owned and operated by a man named Joe. Joe has been there for 51 years and also serves as the bartender. When my friends and I arrived at the pub there were four locals already there. We ordered our drinks, a local Speyside single malt called Aberlour, and were engaged in conversation about Canada and the unique connection that British Columbia in particular has with the village of Craigellachie. In B.C., Craigellachie is known for being the home of "the last spike" of the Canadian Pacific Railway that connected all of Canada on November 7, 1885. The connection with the little village in Scotland is Sir George Stephen, the first president of the CPR. The little village on the Spey was Sir Stephen's ancestral home. That tenuous connection between myself, a Canadian whose grandparents didn't even arrive in Canada until more than 35 years after the last spike, and the residents of the little village on the Spey, served as the spark for conversation. Soon Joe opened a drawer below the bar and pulled out an envelope with 20 year old pictures of the Craigellachie in B.C. Joe had never been to Canada, but received the photos from a friend who had traveled through B.C. in the early 1980's. As for my personal connection with the site of the last spike, I have been past it numerous times, most recently about two months ago on my return from climbing on Mount Sir Donald in Rogers Pass. I was exhausted from the climb and pulled into the parking lot at Craigellachie to sleep for an hour before continuing home. The ambiance in the bar and the conversation about far away places made for a memorable evening in a unique and special place.

My role as an Ambassadorial Scholar for Rotary International has been a natural extension of these encounters with people I meet throughout my time here in Edinburgh. It has been a joy to get to know people here in Scotland and to represent the people who sent me. My first official Rotary event will be next Saturday at a get-together of the eight Rotary Scholars who are studying in Edinburgh with their host Rotarians. I have met three of the other seven, and look forward to meeting the others.

This next week I begin my first Edinburgh based course, titled "Interpreting the Landscape". I am looking forward to the course but anticipating Thursday even more. My wife and our two sons arrive on Thursday morning and will be here to stay. I can guarantee that I will be the happiest man in Edinburgh next Thursday. It will mark the true start to my adventures here, for it has been incomplete until now. My Thursday, and Katie and the boys, arrive safely and quickly!

Climbing "The Ben"

2010-08-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

At 1,344 meters (4,409 ft) Ben Nevis is the highest point in Scotland, and in the whole of Great Britain. The Ben is famous for it's challenging winter mountaineering and ice climbing, and it has some excellent summer rock climbs too.

On Sunday morning I took the West Highland Line rail service from Edinburgh, through Glasgow and on up to Fort William, the nearest town to Ben Nevis. I enjoyed perfect weather for the 3 days that I was in the Highlands and had great views of the Grampian Mountain range and the highlands around Ben Nevis. On Monday morning I got up early and ascended the Ben via the Carn Mor Dearg Arete, which is a beautiful hike that takes in the views of the north face of Ben Nevis, including the famous buttresses and towers that have attracted climbers for over a century. I hope to have the opportunity to go climbing this winter on the Ben and experience the mountain in a different state.

The Masters program in Outdoor Education at the University of Edinburgh begins tomorrow morning, and I'm looking forward to getting started!

The Abbotsford

2010-08-22T01:16:00.000-07:00

In Edinburgh there is a pub named after my hometown, Abbotsford. Well, that's not entirely true. But there is a pub named, The Abbotsford.

Last night I met up with a fellow Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and we went to the Abbotsford to try a pint of real Scottish Ale. Maximillian Mueller is an Ambassadorial Scholar from the town of Bielefeld, in northwestern Germany. It was good to connect with a friend after a few solitary days of knocking items off of my "to do" list. Max is currently taking a university level English language prep course before he begins a Masters Program in European and International Political Relations in the middle of September. We hope to find some time during the next few weeks, before my program begins on September 1st, to go for a climb on Ben Nevis, Scotland's most famous hill and Britain's highest peak. I'm looking forward to being up in the Highlands. Edinburgh is a truly beautiful and vibrant city, but I have to agree with Scotland's most famous poet when he wrote "My heart is in the highlands, my heart is not here...".

Hopefully in the next few days I'll be off to the hills and return with memories and a few stories and pictures to share.

Dawn Patrol in Edinburgh

2010-08-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland

This morning I woke after my first full nights sleep in 2 days, and, since we have an infant and toddler at home it was probably my first full nights sleep in 20 months! I got out of bed, dressed and went to the window and didn't see the glaciated north side of Mount Baker as I usually do. What I saw was the sun rising above the ocean to the east of Edinburgh, Scotland.

I'm finally here.

After almost 2 years of dreaming and planning I've made it to Edinburgh and am two weeks away from beginning the MSc Outdoor Education program at the University of Edinburgh. It is my first time in Scotland and my impressions of Edinburgh are overwhelmingly positive. Though I felt I knew the city in part, thanks to the technology of Google Street View and Google Earth, there is no software that can capture the feeling of running through Holyrood Park as I did this morning. The Park, and the peaks and crags of Arthur's Seat (the 251 m/823 ft. summit is the local highpoint) is easily the best "urban" running and walking venue I have ever seen. The combination of well kept walking paths and rugged running and hiking trails provides a wide range of exploration and ascent options. The panoramic view from the top is something that needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

The next few days will be spent on the details of establishing residence in a new country and city. It is perhaps only in this context that walking through town to get groceries or purchase a mobile phone is an adventure.

So, I'm off on the glamorous adventure that is...getting groceries.

Off to Scotland!

2010-08-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

In 2 days I leave on the first step of the physical journey to Edinburgh, Scotland. The journey of researching programs, applications, acceptance letters, scholarship applications, scholarship interviews, and student visas began almost 2 years ago. The process has been long and, at times, surreal, but the end of the beginnings is finally here.

I've connected through email and Facebook with other Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars who will be studying in Edinburgh and I look forward to meeting them in person. The first few weeks in Scotland will be spent on arranging the necessities of life in a new flat, city and country. After settling in I hope to have a few days to go climbing in the famous Scottish Highlands. My program at the University of Edinburgh begins on September 1st, and soon after that we will be, on the first course, descending the river Spey, from near the headwaters to the ocean. It will be a great way to start the academic year.

Cheers to new beginnings and the end of old beginnings!

Climbing Weekend

2010-06-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

After spending last weekend inside at the Rotary Outbound Scholar Orientation, this weekend I was able to take two days to stretch my legs outside. I went climbing in Washington State with a friend of mine from Abbotsford. I savored every moment outside in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in advance of our upcoming move to Scotland. I am very much looking forward to exploring the great natural beauty of Scotland, but there is something special and unique my "backyard."

Brad coming up one of the upper pitches on the climb. Our cars are visible in the upper left portion of the photo.

The upper portion of the Goat Wall in Mazama, Washington.

Brad, topping out on his first ever outdoor climb!

Outbound Scholar Orientation

2010-05-31T19:16:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Outbound Orientation at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. It was 2 days full of information about the privileges and responsibilities of Ambassadorial Scholars, as well as great fellowship with new friends, fellow scholars that will be headed out all over the world. Ron and Jeanette Adkins from the Rotary Club of Lakewood (District 5020) were the directors of the weekend. They did an excellent job and were much appreciated. Above is a group photo of us on the last day of the orientation.

Million Smiles Playground - Rotary Park in District 5050

2010-01-16T14:15:00.000-08:00

Today we went to the Million Smiles Playground in Lynden. This amazing park was made possible through the partnership of Rotary and the local community. It is a beautiful place and a huge hit with families.

Quinn, cruising around the playground.

Climbing with Quinn on the "North Cascades" climbing wall.

Quinn and Katie going down the slide.

Ski Season in the North Cascades

2009-11-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

Ski season in the North Cascades at the ski hills runs from sometime in November until April. In the backcountry and in the higher mountains of the North Cascades (which comprise the eastern boundary of Rotary District 5050), the ski season is literally year round. I went for my first turns of the season yesterday, November 2, on the Coleman Glacier which is on the west side of Mt.Baker. We walked for 3 hours before putting the skis on, but it was well worth the effort just to be in the mountains.

Mt.Baker is a 10,781 foot (3286 meter) heavily glaciated volcano that is visible from most of District 5050. From the house I grew up in I could see the whole northern side of the mountain. It takes little over an hours drive, not including the variable border line-up, to reach the Mt. Baker Wilderness. The mountain is one of the natural features of this area that makes District 5050 so unique.

Below is a picture of me taken yesterday on our walk in to Coleman Glacier.

Assignment to University of Edinburgh

2009-10-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

Today I received my assignment letter from the Rotary Foundation. I have been assigned to my first choice, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland. I will be studying in the MSc Outdoor Education program within the Moray House School of Education. The MSc in Outdoor Education comprises the successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Outdoor Education plus a Dissertation. It is internationally regarded as the leading Masters program in the field of Outdoor Education.

We are looking forward to our time in Edinburgh and thankful for the Ambassadorial Scholarship which will be of significant help in offsetting the cost of this program.

Now we just have to try to learn the local language!

A view from the top...almost.

2009-10-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

I often look up at the mountains surrounding the Fraser Valley, my home, and wonder what it's like on the summits. It is a unique feeling, to stand on a summit after extended effort. The wind buffets tired bodies and many times summits are not hospitable places, but they are special even if only because of the exertion required to reach them.

Here are two videos from summits...almost. The first video is taken from Mt.Kenya, the second highest summit on the continent of Africa. I completed two climbs on Mt.Kenya in March of 2009.

The second video is taken from Renjo La, a high pass in the Everest Region of Nepal. Though the pass is over 17,500', the mountains surrounding it dominate the surroundings. Not surprisingly though, as Mt.Everest (seen at 7 seconds) and many of the tallest mountains of the world are within a two day walk. I went on a 2 week trek in Nepal, including to Everest Base Camp, in May 2008.

Outdoor Learning in B.C.

2009-09-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I worked for my friend Walden Darwin and his company Wilderness Adventure Outreach. We took a group of 11 clients up Lady Peak, a mountain overlooking the Fraser Valley in British Columbia. We had perfect weather and shared a great day in the mountains with some new friends.

Lady Peak. We ascended the ridge on the left side of the picture and enjoyed views of the entire Fraser Valley, west to Vancouver and the Georgia Strait and south into Washington State and the rugged North Cascades.

Walden and I fixed rope along the exposed ridge and the group were able to safely ascend to the summit while enjoying the exposure down the sheer North Face of Lady Peak and the views of the pocket glaciers above Jones Lake.

It was a day well spent.

First Presentation

2009-08-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

This morning I gave my first presentation as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. I spoke at my home club, The Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas, about the Ambassadorial Scholar program, about who I am and about what I plan to study. It was a perfect venue for the first presentation as everyone is very warm and welcoming.

I feel privileged to represent District 5050 and Abbotsford-Sumas and I look forward to our continued collaboration.

Rotary Parks

2009-08-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here in Abbotsford the Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas has been instrumental in raising funds for several parks in the city. Yesterday my wife, son and I had a picnic with my brother and his wife near one of the parks.

This particular park is in the same location as a place we called "Zipline Park", where I would play as a child. The facilities that I remembered were over 35 years old and in need of replacement when the Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas helped provide funds for the present facilities. Today the park, and many others around Abbotsford, is busy, providing exercise and entertainment for a new generation.

The park has a nautical theme. Quinn is the a pirate for a moment.

Outdoor Kindergarten in Norway

2009-07-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

I came across an excellent 21 minute documentary today about a Norwegian Outdoor Kindergarten. The video, hosted here on YouTube, gives an example of how to integrate national or state curriculum with outdoor education. The video demonstrates several compelling reasons for including more outdoor education in our schools.

The Beginning of a Journey

2009-07-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was interviewed, by a committee of Rotarians from District 5050, as a candidate for the Rotary Foundation's Ambassadorial Scholarship. This interview marked the culmination of the application process, which I began last November with the Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas. The interview was held to determine, from a short-listed group of applicants, who would receive the District 5050 nomination for an Ambassadorial Scholarship. Today I received a phone call from Cathy Scherer, the committee chairperson, who told me that my application and interview was successful, I have been chosen as an Ambassadorial Scholar from District 5050 and will begin my Masters level studies in Outdoor Education beginning in September 2010.

With the application process complete, a new journey begins as I embark on the adventure of serving as a Rotary Ambassador of goodwill. This blog will chronicle my thoughts and experiences during the journey and will feature pictures and stories of notable events.

For those of you reading that are not familiar with the Ambassadorial Scholarship, click here to read more from the Rotary International website.