#33 Lane Murdock (Walk With Me)

Gun violence is the number one killer of children and teens in the US. After the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Florida, where a gunman killed 14 children and 3 teachers, Lane Murdock decided to take a stand. At just 15 years old, she led a global movement of National School Walkouts that inspired a generation. Over 100,000 children from over 2,500 schools worldwide simultaneously walked out of class in protest of gun culture, amid a frenzy of international media coverage and criticism. 

Now studying abroad at university in Scotland, she joined the TFTDL crew to discuss her perspectives on US gun culture, broadening your horizons and a stolen childhood. 

Final boarding call: Edinburgh, Scotland

Not to be missed! This inspirational student story is brought to you in partnership with The Ambassador Platform, a leading peer-to-peer marketing and recruitment platform that connects your current students to prospective students for honest advice. Check out www.theambassadorplatform.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Transcript

Andy: 0:04

I've got to get Swole! become Lord Swoldemore!

Nick: 0:07

The gym can wait. Welcome to Tales from the Departure Lounge. This is a podcast about travel for business, for pleasure, or for study. My name's Nick and I'm joined by my co-pilot, Andy. And together we're gonna be talking to some amazing guests about how travel has transformed their. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey. Welcome to the podcast.

Andy: 0:41

Today on the show we're joined by a student, Lane Murdoch, she's at Edinburgh Napier University and she's an activist and the orchestrator of the 2018 high school walkouts in the USA in protest of gun violence and she was just 15 years old at that point and she managed to get 2, 500 schools, in that walkout and a load more internationally took part as well.

Nick: 1:04

Lane was a sophomore student at high school, when a gunman killed 14 students and three teachers. Luckily she wasn't at school at that time. but she talks about how. The whole area that she lived in was just completely desensitized to gun violence

Andy: 1:22

There's 600 mass shootings last year in the USA, gun violence is the number one killer of children in the USA now.

Nick: 1:30

This sounds depressing and it is, but also this is an episode that encapsulates perfectly being brave and standing up for what you believe in.

Andy: 1:39

This is very much an episode about identity. She talks about a rebirth, coming from the US and being able to be somebody else in Scotland

Nick: 1:47

the transformative experience of studying abroad. we covered everything from Haggis to Iron Brew,

Andy: 1:54

she's the activist who mobilized the nation to protest for what she believes in. An intrepid, brave, independent, and strong soul who's always dressed ready to party. Let's get some tales from the Departure Lounge from Lane Murdoch.

Lane: 2:05

I was 15 years old and the shooting at Stoneham Douglas in Florida happened. I was full of audacity like too brave for my own good. As time goes by, I only get angrier. when I think about my childhood growing up in America, doing those school shooter drills. gun identity is the American identity. One of the most enchanting things about moving abroad is the realization that you can make friends anywhere. one of the, most impactful things from the walkout is that Greta Thunberg was actually originally inspired by the walkouts. There's an article about it, and I remember reading that and thinking, holy shit.

Nick: 2:45

So before we get into the episode, a quick word about our latest sponsor. Most of our listeners spend a lot of time traveling the world, staying in hotels or apartments, often where they haven't stayed before. I don't know about you, but whenever I'm choosing a hotel, I like to check out online reviews, or even better, ask friends or colleagues for recommendations. International students face the same uncertainty with their study choices, but the investment that they're making is much greater than the price of a hotel room. They'll be investing in that study destination for years. This is where the Ambassador Platform helps your prospective students. It links them up with your current students to receive honest, personalized advice and to answer any questions that they have. This is a direct and trusted source of information. It provides instant reassurance for students and improved conversion for your university. And it's not just messaging. Your ambassadors can generate their own content and videos to share, showing prospective students from anywhere on the planet what life is really like at your institution. And it gives them confidence and reassurance about their decisions. we're really excited to have teamed up with the Ambassador Platform to bring you some tales from the Departure Lounge with real students and graduates, to show you how powerful the student voice can be. So to find out more about this highly impactful peer to peer platform, or to book a demo with one of the friendly TAP team, please visit the link in the episode notes or go to the ambassadorplatform. com.

4:13

now let's get on with the episode

Andy: 4:16

Lane, welcome to the podcast. It's great to have you on.

Lane: 4:18

Thank you so much for having me.

Andy: 4:20

The first question we always ask our guests is If you could take them anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Lane: 4:26

I'll take you to Edinburgh, Scotland. it's the place that, uh, changed me, so I'll definitely take you there.

Andy: 4:32

tell us a bit about that. Why has it changed you?

Lane: 4:34

it's because I go to university here. I came here when I was 18. I'm 21 years old now. it's been a, a rebirth place, not the place that I grew up in, but where I became my own person. where I've developed my own identity. It's got tons of history and tons of culture. Edinburgh is known for that, but it's an iceberg. There's, a wonderful duality of it being a place that people love to visit but it's also got an intense local culture that's not, at the surface. And I've been privileged to be privy to both.

Andy: 5:03

And so when you came as a student, was that the first time you'd been to Edinburgh or the UK?

Lane: 5:08

I had gone once before with my family. I think I was 14. I don't remember much of it. I remember liking it. but I remember we were kind of in, Princess Street, Royal Mile, the sort of places everyone goes. I always describe them as the Times Square of Edinburgh. and I'm never over there now.

Andy: 5:24

This is like the typical open day scenario where a student goes to see their university in the summer and then it's a totally different place other parts of the year.

Lane: 5:34

Edinburgh is a completely different city depending on what month you're in it. December, it's like tons of tourists, Christmas markets, it's charming, it's like something out of a Dickens novel, it's lovely. January, February, that time, there's no one about, it's a bit barren, but that's actually some of my favourite time here, because it's just you, I'm a bartender, so I'm working those late shifts. You're living in this 24 hour darkness because the sun sets at four, and that's very different compared to the charm of April and May where it's completely warm, you go to the meadows, it's sunny, it's beautiful, and then the chaos of August when it's the fringe and we triple in population.

Nick: 6:13

Americans have a romantic obsession with Scotland I want to know what it was like when you first encountered the accent, the drinking

Lane: 6:22

I came over here to Scotland for university in the middle of 2020., the world was ending, and I decided to move to a different culture, which, people are like, wow, you were so brave, but it's easier to do something like that when everything's been thrown out the window in terms of normalcy. I was put into student accommodation with seven other people, and I swear, for the first month, I just nodded my head and said yes or no to things because I couldn't understand what was being said to me. The Scottish accent is complex, but drunk Scottish accent's even more difficult. everything was different. I come from the suburbs just outside New York and everything from, what topics. were, considered casual conversation back home versus here is different, uh, gender roles are slightly different. what's considered cool even is different. Americans are a very earnest, vulnerable group of people. And I learned very quickly that, Scottish humor. Is well equipped to make fun of that, so, I don't know. I've enjoyed my time here immensely, but those first couple months were something else,

Nick: 7:29

any particular moments That stand out?

Lane: 7:32

I happened upon. This group of people having, a party in the stairwell, it's got speakers and drinks and everything. And they all go towards an elevator and someone mentions a party at the top floor. So I thought, okay, brilliant. The problem is, it was about 30 people in a 10 capacity elevator and, it went up about five seconds and then stopped and then dropped. So here we all are, 30 people, shoulder to shoulder, it's now stopped. the thing I remember so clearly was the condensation that would start to drip from the ceiling because of all the body heat and the lack of oxygen. I thought I'm going to die in an elevator in Scotland because there was no signal to call anyone. And these people were, far drunker than I was they had been partying, I'm assuming, throughout the day. And there was a girl fighting with her boyfriend. She was in tears. There was a couple boys who were wanting to fight each other. And lucky me, I was right next to the intercom thing in the elevator to call for help. And we finally got a hold of the, help desk. And they told us it would be three hours till, anyone could come and help us. wE were in that elevator for three hours, Scottish accents and cursing flying around. I had no idea what was going on. I didn't know anyone. And eventually the fire brigade came and I kept it so cool. And then as soon as those doors opened and I got out, I was flooded in tears. I think it was the relief. I think it was the feeling of I've just left my mother and this is what's happened to me. and to this day, I will be on a night out. And I'll be leaving a bar or club and I will run into one of the elevator people. It's like the sort of bookmark to my time here. That night at the elevator and everything else since.

Andy: 9:16

That's what I was going to ask if you were still in touch with the elevator people.

Lane: 9:19

Know who a few of them are, but we've all gone our separate ways since then. But at one point in time, we were very much together.

Andy: 9:26

Ha ha ha ha.

Nick: 9:27

It's like, Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in Speed. You're probably gonna meet on a cruise ship in the sequel

Lane: 9:34

one can hope.

Nick: 9:36

Have you tried haggis?

Lane: 9:38

Yes.

Nick: 9:39

Mars bars?

Lane: 9:40

Yes, all fabulous. Listen, I know Scotland has a stereotype for not having the best cuisine. I think it's been great. Um, I wouldn't eat haggis all the time, but like there's a certain charm to it. Deep fried Mars bar. my family's from Texas. I was born in Texas. I got no qualms with something sugary and fried.

Andy: 9:59

is surprisingly good.

Nick: 10:00

Iron brew?

Lane: 10:03

Good mixer.

Andy: 10:04

I'm not up to speed with, Nick's drinks north of the border. What's Buckfast? That's something else, isn't it?

Nick: 10:11

Mmm.

Lane: 10:12

it's a fortified wine made by monks. but there was a statistic that came up where if you looked at how much, the sales for Buckfast in a particular area, In petty crime. They ran quite parallel to one another. It's just infamous over here. I don't know anyone who actually legitimately drinks it. Americans try to drink it like it's an aperitif, which is hilarious.

Nick: 10:36

I think underage drinkers drink it, and alcoholics drink it, and no one in between

Andy: 11:02

You said that you were a different person and it was this rebirth for you. What's different about Lane in the USA and Lane in Scotland?

Lane: 11:11

I was full of audacity as a 15 year old, 16 year old, like too brave for my own good. Sometimes when you're a teenager and you're going through high school, um, some humility could probably be good. I was a bit of a goth, I was very edgy, or at least I wanted to be. And, then the walkout happened. And, when you're 15, that's a really formative time in your life. and, it shaped me for who I was and I think for the better, but it meant that the majority of my teenagehood was spent in really professional atmospheres, I had to find a way to do the work I wanted to do that I really believed in, take that personality, make it fit. buT it wasn't until I came to Scotland that I really got to figure out who I was without the world watching. I came here and I was able to shed. Some of the adult things and to make mistakes and to just be young and foolish

Nick: 12:01

You mentioned the walkout there. This is the national school walkout, which you coordinated, a global movement. It wasn't just in the US. It was here in England as well. Students walked out of class in protest to high school shootings and gun culture in the US. And the threat it poses to children and teenagers. Can you give some context to where that came from,

Lane: 12:29

I was 15 years old and the shooting at Stoneham Douglas in Florida happened. and I was in school and I remember I was walking to class with a friend and I'd gotten the notification that it happened, like a news notification. And We both looked at it and completely shrugged it off and we're like, we're going to be late to class. I got home and I was just reflecting on my day and I was just absolutely taken aback by how numb I had become. In any other country or circumstance, we either would have, gone home early or, instantly talking to our parents about this horrible massacre that happened. But, instead, it was an afterthought. And that really disturbed me, I was really into history as a kid, and I had heard about the walkouts that happened, in, the Paris universities back in the 60s, When you don't have any voting power or economic power as someone who's, under, 18, your attendance in school is something that really matters to people. and I thought that was a very simple way to Drum up a lot of attention by having everyone walk out of school, on the same day, protesting, the lack of legislative effort around, gun violence. and from there it snowballed, it went viral overnight.

Andy: 13:46

So you posted this petition online. You woke up the next morning or whenever and you saw this happening. What did you go through then?

Lane: 13:53

I was like, oh god, it was this feeling of this is amazing, but I have no way to talk to these people. It was baby steps at first. It was like, okay, I'll make a Twitter. We need to start getting an email list. Okay, who's gonna be in charge of each walkout in their school? we'll have a walkout leader and then we'll have a wider kind of committee under them So we'll get one email from each school and we'll do newsletters if you ever asked me what was the one lesson I needed to learn that I took away from that, is I didn't know how to delegate. I was just trying to do it all on my own. Every day, I would go to school and try to do, the normal school thing, but during lunch, in between classes, under the desk, I was answering people's questions on Twitter, I was talking with journalists, I was always trying to solve and answer every question possible because I just wanted to keep that zeitgeist.

Nick: 14:41

I just want to reiterate, you were 15 years old.

Lane: 14:44

Yes.

Nick: 14:45

So, now you're outside of America, I think people around the world just cannot believe the gun culture that exists there. I did some research here, so this is 2, 000 children and teenagers killed a year, that's more than are killed in car accidents. There are literally hundreds of mass shootings a year. You talked about feeling desensitized. I have a colleague who used to live in Texas and spoke of having literally weekly active shooter alerts.

Lane: 15:21

Yeah.

Nick: 15:21

And living with that, for us, something you would associate with a war zone,

Lane: 15:27

As time goes by, I only get angrier. Um, when I think about my childhood growing up in America, doing those school shooter drills. I mean, what I think a lot of people around the world need to understand about Americans is. We are told this is normal. It might not be directly, but in how we raise our children, how we react as a community, it is normal. and so if you're not politically active or politically inclined, it does not, offend you. It does not Conjure intense emotion for you because humans are adaptable. And as a culture, we've adapted to this horrific thing. And that means that it doesn't, evoke the passion it once would to change it. it's not just that we don't have comprehensive gun laws, gun identity is the American identity. It's the issue here is not just a political issue, but it's actually at its core, what it means to be an American and to change a national identity, takes years of work. And the only way to do that is to wake up and realize, why do we find ourselves associating freedom, masculinity, and power with these machines.

Andy: 16:37

I'm trying desperately to draw a tangent here between another cultural phenomenon and I can't really. I guess the only, that's pretty weak, but say alcohol within Scotland, it's part of national identity and people go out and they get drunk and it fills the hospitals with people on the weekend through fights and injury and there's liver disease and all sorts of other horrible things. It's culturally embedded. If you were to look back in a rational way and say, Are we going to make a decision to, as a people, to drink? Then you would say no.

Lane: 17:06

like, I've used that analogy before actually, um, one of the most, um, interesting things that happens to me now that I live here is regardless of my political work and not everyone in my life knows about it, but Scottish people love to talk about Americans about America. And that's something I always explain to them is, um, you know. In Scotland, there's a culture of going to the pub and being with your mates and sometimes drinking too much. And it's associated in their media, their parents did it, it is part of who they are, it is part of a national identity. There's nothing wrong with that. However, if you were, for conversation's sake, trying to stop Scotland from having that culture of drinking, you could do things like you can't buy drinks past, liquor past, I think it's 10 p. m. in Scotland. Those rules and laws can help, but unless a group of people come together and say we no longer want this to be our identity, That's not going to change anything. And I think you have to understand for a lot of Americans, especially in the South, they grew up around guns. There's nostalgia around going and hunting and shooting. And what I always explain to people is when we talk about common sense gun law, we don't want to take away your granddad's rifle. We just are trying to get these these militarized weapons off the street.

Andy: 18:28

Like Nick, I did a bit of a, uh, um, investigation into stats and things like that, but I read that in 2021, a Texan governor, Governor Greg Abbott, he passed a law that allows anybody Without a license or training to carry a handgun any civilian just seems absolutely insane these are weapons that are made to kill people not animals and you are legalizing it for anybody Regardless of who they are

Lane: 18:55

We are a country of extremes. and I think there's a history to that, you think about the first people that came over and colonized America, people who are bold and wild It's not a surprise.

Nick: 19:09

I think Columbine was 1999. More than 20 years ago. I remember traveling in the Midwest in the U. S. And Michael Moore, who'd made the brilliant documentary Bowling for Columbine, was giving a speech at a university. And I was really excited. I thought, I'm going to go and see this speech. and there were protests in the streets to block him from speaking. And I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that there was a movement to actually ban somebody discussing whether gun culture was a good thing or a bad thing and high school shootings and why they happened. And that's 20 years ago. People are so passionate about the right to bear arms. Did you ever receive threats or, uncomfortable situations because of your stance?

Lane: 20:00

Yeah. Yeah. I got a lot of horrible messages, especially at that age. I don't know how graphic you want me to get, but pretty awful. I actually found out recently that people had been sending things to our house, but my parents had hid it from me, which was To hear that was crazy. I mean, because as any teenager, I was sort of like, mom and dad, I'm gonna do this on my own. I don't need you to help me. And there was a lot of fights about that in my family, but I, I wanted it to be for young people by young people. I was like a purist when it came to that. Um, but in their own way, they did help me. And that was one of the things they did was, uh, when I got threats in the, in the mail, um, they took care of them and I'm very thankful for that because I, the digital ones were horrible but I can't imagine the, what the physical feeling of holding a letter would have done to me, so.

Nick: 20:51

I'm sorry you had to go through that. When you're talking, you're reminding me a little bit of Greta Thunberg. And I only mean in the sense that as a child, she used her voice. And then. As she describes it, politicians in the world stole her childhood or her adolescence because she wasn't an adult. And yet she became this spokesperson in an adult's

Lane: 21:18

yeah. The interesting thing about young people who get involved in politics is We never get into politics on purpose. we've gotten kind of unadulterated point of view. When you see something in the world that just looks unjust, it doesn't seem insane to point it out, it was something that took a certain level of intelligence and boldness on my part, but at the same time, it is the naivety of youth. It, I didn't know to be scared. With, Greta Thunberg, when people ask me what was, the most impactful things from the walkout is that she was actually originally inspired by the walkouts. There's an article about it, and I remember reading that and thinking, holy shit. You see the domino effects of your actions, and she's gone on to do bigger and better things than I could ever imagine. But it's, been really interesting to see So many young people wake up and tune in to what's going on.

Andy: 22:08

What a legacy So I'm like, tell me about, the time that you orchestrated these world changing events, and, and what do you keep in your wash bag when you go traveling?

Lane: 22:59

Of course.

Nick: 23:01

you're like a daytime TV presenter, Andy. You're gonna jump from, death and murder to win a car. Let's go. Yeah.

Lane: 23:09

though. I love it though. Cause in a way that is how I've lived my life. Um, so first things first. got to bring a tough skin when you go abroad. You need to be resilient. I am a sensitive soul. And anything that I've learned, a tough skin's important. You need to just let roll off your back. Second, I journal every day. So I've got to have my journal with me. I was saying to a friend recently that journaling is great because Whether you like it or not, you start to write about the same things sometimes, and it's different characters and different locations. But, things that annoy you or perplex you over the years actually come up again, and you start to realize things about yourself.

Andy: 23:50

I'm really interested in journaling, because I only ever did it for a few years. When you do it, is it purely for you, do you read them back do you use it as a self reflection thing?

Lane: 23:59

I started journaling around the age of 15, so I've got it through the walkout, and then it fell off, up until now, it's a conversation with a future self, of explaining, okay, here's what happened today, and here's why I felt the way I felt, I look back on Interpersonal relationships during the walkout, the dynamics I had with friends, and things that really irked me. And then I have friends now that I'll be writing about and I'll realize, Oh God, it's the same thing.

Andy: 24:24

this has got the makings of a book for

Lane: 24:26

I don't know. There's a lot there.

Nick: 24:28

THat reflection is actually really important in whatever kind of medium. but Andy's right. I think our biggest regret is that we probably haven't journaled a career because, uh, it's easy book material.

Lane: 24:42

It's brutal to read back, but I think the thing is, if you can't read your own thoughts, that you had the audacity to write down in the first place and love them and accept them, how the hell do you expect anyone else to put up with you in real time?

Andy: 24:58

Yeah, I think having an audience in mind is definitely the key to this, whether it's your future self, like you say, or, somebody else

Lane: 25:06

I've got a guilty conscience. So if anything ever goes wrong in my life, I can pinpoint the moment and learn from that. I don't know, I feel the need to be prepared.

Nick: 25:14

I'm feeling the need to read your journals actually. Have you ever had somebody reading your journal who you didn't want to read?

Lane: 25:22

I had a sneaking suspicion my mother was reading them. I have no idea if she was. And then the second time I'd left it at an ex boyfriend's one time. And that was particularly awful. And, again, I don't know if he did.

Andy: 25:38

He definitely read it.

Nick: 25:39

Yeah.

Andy: 25:45

Must eat like toast! We've gone off again. Was there anything else on your list that you take with you?

Lane: 25:57

Yes. A good party dress, There's nothing more unseemly than an American that doesn't know how to dress for an occasion. And you never know what invitation's gonna come your way when you're traveling. I refuse to add more credibility to the stereotype that Americans don't know how to dress.

Andy: 26:12

I always, whenever I'm traveling, I just assume there's gonna be a party.

Nick: 26:16

I'll be honest, I think every time I'm going to get in an elevator, I'm going to expect there's going to be a party from now on.

Lane: 26:24

gosh, yeah. Oh my I became friends with some people that were part of a debate society at Edinburgh Uni. And, um, they invited me. They said,, you should come. It's black tie. Just so you know, Now, I didn't have enough time to go and, buy myself a fancy ball gown, so I went to shelter a charity shop, found somebody's old bridesmaid's dress from the early 2000s and got it altered and I was like, this will do, they'll never know. So I went to it, a lot of it I'm sworn to secrecy on, took an oath so I can't tell you, but you can imagine the sort of shenanigans, candles lit. Wine flowing, that kind of thing. And I was way out of my depth. I was sat there and they called my name and I was a bit confused and, turns out they'd heard about the work I had done politically. and thought it'd be a really great idea to have me tell a speech, to the whole of the society. I'm very drunk, but I'm excited to be there. and I give a speech and I don't recall entirely other than there was a quite a thunderous, uh, clapping and, I, I sit down and, I look down at my dress that I had gotten from this charity shop and it's completely torn down the side. And I was mortified. It was horrible. my night in high society with a dress that did not fit.

Andy: 27:53

I've had dreams like that. It's

Nick: 27:57

exposed were you?

Lane: 27:59

Decently.

Nick: 28:01

I think they probably just thought it was, it was cool.

Lane: 28:03

A new look, Little bit grungy.

Nick: 28:05

split.

Lane: 28:07

Yeah.

Andy: 28:07

it's all character building.

Lane: 28:08

oh God. Yes.

Andy: 28:37

the next section of the podcast is called what's the purpose of your visit we've covered a little bit of that but Go ahead

Lane: 28:43

Like I said, I moved here because I wanted like a new life. I had never gotten the chance to grow through a routine, through a day to day. It was always this huge amount of growth through these big life experiences. And I'll be completely honest with you, being 18 years old and going to a country where the legal drinking age was 18 was very exciting to me, especially compared to America's 21. iT just felt like the perfect place to feel normal and to feel one in the crowd. I wanted more of that feeling of, getting to discover your environment. in such a kind of removed way, which you can only do as a foreigner.

Andy: 29:20

You've got your friends from high school and they're at college now in the States. When you're comparing notes? What's the differences?

Lane: 29:27

Being a very loud goth that led a political movement does not make you a very popular individual in high school. whenever I'm asked, especially at parties, What's it like to go to American University? I always say, I don't know. I haven't been.,, fraternity culture and things like that, was another reason why I moved away, because I didn't want to be a part of that.

Nick: 29:46

We've talked quite a lot at length about, the culture in the U. S. is actually quite introverted, in terms of their view of the world. what would you say to other US students about getting out beyond the borders of America and seeing the world?

Lane: 30:01

it's the best decision you'll ever make, at least for me, is the case. And it wasn't easy in the beginning. I think anything worth doing isn't easy in the beginning. I would say to them that one of the most enchanting things about moving abroad is the realization that you can make friends anywhere. Instead of just being born into something, born into your community. You get to choose it. And I think going abroad. It shows you how small the world can be, but you have to be a participant

Nick: 30:26

you're going to have this ongoing relationship now, aren't you, with America? Because it's like the dysfunctional parent for you. You can't really divorce yourself. from the US, but obviously you're enjoying your time apart.

Lane: 30:42

I'm on a student visa, which will expire in June, and then I can extend it to become a graduate visa for two years. Which is, more just about paying the money for it, because it is the government's way of just saying, Congratulations, you got your degree. You can stick around a little longer. mUch to my mother's dismay, I am going to fight tooth and nail to never move back to the US. I I love my family, but there's no future for me there. especially as a young person, especially as a woman.

Andy: 31:10

Do you still consider yourself an activist? Are you still going to be involved in the movement that you created Or is that part of history now for you?

Lane: 31:18

On the one hand, I think, because how young it happened to me, there's literally a part of my brain that I think is hardwired to want to keep tabs on things and gets creative and keeps thinking, how could we do this and what, what grassroots sort of thing could we do with that? BuT on the other hand, I'm getting my degree in public relations, but I, I have no interest in entering American politics again. I've done my time. It nearly killed me emotionally and physically.

Nick: 31:46

there are literally hundreds, if not thousands of people who listen to this podcast, who will be very inspired, but also very impressed with how articulate you are and how passionate you are and have the power in their hands to employ you on a sponsored visa. And I would implore any of them who felt moved and impressed to get in touch because you deserve the opportunity, absolutely.

Lane: 32:13

Thank you very much. I mean, I'm a very hard worker and I make a decent tea for an American.

Andy: 32:17

Ha ha. We'll be the judge of that. Ha ha ha

Nick: 32:22

Hang on now,,

Andy: 32:55

The last section of the podcast is called Anything to Declare. It's a free space for you to talk about whatever you'd like.

Lane: 33:00

Thank you. Well, if anyone needs a graduate with a PR degree come summer or fall, I'm here in Edinburgh. but I'd say other than that, if it's okay, I was going to leave you guys with a lovely poem that's actually given me quite a lot of comfort

Andy: 33:14

Yes, please.

Lane: 33:15

if that's okay. it's called, Wild Geese, by Mary Oliver. You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile, the world goes on. Meanwhile, the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile, the wild geese high in the clean blue air are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination. Calls to you like the wild geese harsh and exciting over and over announcing your place and the family of things

Andy: 34:07

epic.

Nick: 34:08

section. I love that.

Andy: 34:09

Lane, thanks so much for coming on the podcast, our wild, migrating goose, it's been lovely to have you on.

Nick: 34:16

True change can't happen without Champions Lane. And It's always impressive when people stand up for what they believe in whether you take that forward or not I think it's on us to follow that example I Personally feel better about the world that you took that stance because I would take the same stance But maybe not have the courage to do it

Lane: 34:39

Thank you for having me. It's been an honor.

Nick: 34:47

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for listening. As always I want to say a massive thank you to the ambassador platform for making us focus on these incredible students and graduates and telling their stories. I hope you're enjoying this series.

35:01

We have a new social media campaign. People are sending us their travel pictures and we're putting them all up online. Or you can send them to as sick bag tales from the departure lounge.com.

Nick: 35:14

Uh, it's really good to be back. and Andy's made a jingle to celebrate. Safe travels.

Andy: 35:20

Welcome back, welcome back. Hi mum. Yeah, my wife, thanks, good to be home. Nah, jet lag's okay actually, just a bit tired. Oh, don't kiss me in public. What's for tea anyway?

Nick: 35:40

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a type nine production for the pie.