Survey

For my online class through the U of M, I had this assignment reflecting on my time here in the UK, and also thinking into the future about re-entering into the US.  I thought it was really helpful, and maybe interesting for others to read.

1.     In what ways have I changed?

Studying abroad has me in a lot of different ways.  Before coming here, I had always felt like I was still just a child, despite being of adult age.  Even though I could be independent, I think I was still relying a lot on other people, particularly my parents.  I have become more autonomous and self-reliant.  Being away from friends and family, I have a lot more self-confidence in doing things by myself.  I have gotten better at being able to make decisions and execute them.

2.     In what ways might my friends and family have changed?

I don’t think they will have changed as people, but things that have happened will have changed the dynamics of the relationship.  My parents have always been rather close-minded, but I think with me studying abroad and growing as a person, that gap will have gotten wider.  Even when I was home, I had always felt like I had a better understanding of the world than my parents because living in a small town doesn’t offer a lot of chances to think critically about the world.  After my experience here in the UK, I feel like I’m actually a part of something bigger than just my life back at home.  I feel more like a “global citizen.”

3.     How would I like my family and friends to treat me when I return home?

I would really like it if they were excited to hear about all my stories and what I learned.  I want them to be excited to hear about the things I did and saw while I was in the UK.  I also would like for them to be patient with me, because I think they will find that I’ve become even more critical than I was before about the United States.

4.     What am I looking forward to the most? The least?

I am most looking forward to being around my friends and family.  I am excited to go back to eating my mother’s cooking, being at home, and seeing my friends in Minneapolis.  Being away has given me a newfound appreciation for Minneapolis.  There are a lot of things I miss about being in the city, particularly the convenience of everything.

I’m least looking forward to not hearing British accents every day and discussing English culture with my UK friends.  It’s fun to talk about the differences in culture and being with others that have a very different cultural perspective.  I am also least looking forward to the bitter Minnesota winter and not being able to see the English landscape every day.

5.     What are the lessons I have learned that I never want to forget?

I have learned to be more accepting of people.  People in the UK are more homogeneous than what I am used to.  They have a strong sense of what is “English,” and it took a little while for me to get used to, although I love it now!  I think the US stresses being unique and having your own sense of self.  In the UK, people are unique, but at the same time, there’s a sense of solidarity there in being English.  And even though I considered myself a very good listener before my study abroad experience, I think I’ve gotten even better at taking the time to hear people’s different point of views.

6.     What are some skills I have learned?

I have learned to manage my time better between being social, focusing on school work, and travelling.  I have also learned to adapt to a new environment and understand the cultural differences.  I have also learned how to communicate despite these cultural differences through listening and observing in new environments.

7.     Some say that re-entry shock is more challenging than initial culture shock. What are some things I might do to make the transition easier?

I think it would help if I tried to seek out others who have had study abroad experiences.  And it might also be helpful for me to stay in touch with the friends I made while in the UK.  But I think talking it out with someone would probably be the most helpful to me.

8.     What have been the important things about this study abroad experience that I want to share with family and friends?

I’d really like to show them pictures of my travels around the UK, and tell them about how differently education works in the UK.  Going to school here has had a big impact on me, because it works so differently here.  I think I would also share my frustrations, but also talk about the fun times I had with the friends I made.

9.     What do I want to do with the experiences I’ve had?

I would really like to speak to others about the positive effects the experience had on me.  One of my neighbors from home who is a substitute teacher asked me before I left if would be interested in talking to some younger students about my trip after I come back.  I am really looking forward to do more things like that, and giving insight to others about life outside the United States.  I want to share the perspectives that people in the UK have about people in the US.

Cheers! :)

London

I am blogging from a coffee shop in London. :)

Carolyn and I arrived here at about 11am.  She ran to catch a taxi to the Excel to see Top Gear Live.

Now I'm just waiting for my phone to charge before I leave to catch a taxi to get to the Natural History Museum.  It's taking soooo looonnnggg.  Grr...

Funny story -- There was a huuuuuge line at the Euston station for maps and whatever, and I decided to be cool and just wing it.  That was a bad idea.  Basically, I wandered around for about an hour into some sketchy part of the city before I decided to get back to where all the people were and sit at a coffee shop to charge my phone.  (Stupid phone.  The battery dies so quickly...)

I've already been to so many museums while studying in the UK, but they never get old.  They are always so much fun for me!  I guess I'll just always be a geek.

On a different note, I'm really excited to be in a city big enough for me to get lost in!  Every other place I've visited here so far has been fairly easy to figure out.  It's nice being somewhere HUGE.  I guess I'll always be a city girl, too.

Week 7.

Already?!

Time has been slipping away from me far too quickly.  It's depressing thinking about the day I'll have to leave this gorgeous country.  I hate my experience here felt so temporary -- I wish I could have stayed for a year.  But alas, I must graduate and enter the 'real world.'  Scary.

It's Carolyn's birthday today and I decorated her door with tissue paper so that she would have to break through it when she woke up in the morning.  It was a great success!  She loved it.  Many hugs followed.

She and Meghan decided to go to Manchester to a book signing...and I am just too exhausted to go.  I think I need some alone time.  So I decided to opt out.  Plus, I need to watch my spending...my funds have been dwindling, and I need to save some of it for London this coming weekend!

Tonight, I think I'll stay in with a book and perhaps go to the Learning Zone by myself.  I like it there because I'm used to coffee shops where there are other people doing work, and it's kind of the same thing.  But not really.  They don't have coffee.  They do, however, have printing.  Which coffee shops don't have.  Now I'm going off on a tangent...

Tomorrow I will be going into town to grab some groceries and Carolyn will be making Thanksgiving dinner!  I am going to make an attempt to assist her because it's a big job.  Hopefully, we will also find everything we need to have a successful Thanksgiving in England.

Cheers! :)

Semantics

Carolyn just wrote up this post about the linguistic and cultural difference between us and the Brits. I thought it was genius! These are absolutely vital to know. :)

"1. The peace sign we make at home with two fingers like a “V.” I’m pretty sure at one point or another someone said that’s the international sign of peace.  Well, I guess it shows how “peaceful” English people are because here it’s the same as flipping some one off! I still sometimes do it when I’m leaving out of habit and Greg yells at me.  Oi veh.  The first time he told me that I thought he was yanking my chain, but no.  It really is the same as telling someone to F$$$ off.

2. “You alright?” Now, as a typical American girl, I was rather perplexed when a few shopkeepers and people would say this to me.  Do I look upset or something??? No no no, it’s there version of saying “Hey. How are you?”  If you say to an English person “What’s up?” or something like that, then it’s the same as if you asked me “You alright?”  I’m still getting used to it.  You’re supposed to respond to “You alright?” with “Alright?” …yeah I don’t get it either.  I still have 4 weeks to get it down though!

3.  When you’re ordering a burger, the lettuce, tomato and onion (and whatever else) is called “salad.”  So when I go to Wibbly Wobbly for a yummy lamb burger they’ll ask me if I want any sauce (ketchup, mayo, etc.) and then any salad (tomato, onion, pickles, etc.)

4. Chips = french fries and Crisps = potato chips  BUT they do call curly fries “curly fries.”  I asked someone once why they don’t call them curly chips and they said “That just sounds stupid.”

5. Cheese toastie = grilled cheese.  Jen and I have gotten a lot of crap for calling it a grilled cheese since we usually make it in a frying pan rather on a grill.  We also get yelled at for not using the toastie maker.

6.  They don’t eat a lot of Peanut Butter over here and it’s no wonder why! The PB here is awful! It’s not as creamy and peanut-y tasting.  They also don’t have extra crunchy :-P  My flatmate Jude said that he has never actually had  a PB&J sandwich! :-O That is my mission before I leave.

7.  Speaking of PB&J, don’t call it jelly, call it jam.   Jelly over here is the same as Jell-o at home, and they don’t have “jell-o” over here.  

8.  Don’t make any reference to pants unless you’re among friends…it means underwear.  I’ve heard several stories about American students saying they are cold and should have put pants on while out and about.  This statement was quickly followed by strange stares from everyone that heard them say that.

Hmmm that’s all I can think of now.  

~Carolyn"

From Carolyn's blog

Liverpool

BLOG, IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG. *hugs*

Starting the day off right with tea and croissant!

I apologize. Last time I tried to update, though, blogger was acting up and wasn't saving my stuff. Here is my stuff on Liverpool and York.

Liverpool was gorgeous. I really loved it. I think I am definitely going to try to plan a visit back, especially to see the International Slavery Museum.

It was sunny and lovely.

First thing I went into was this comic book store.  Yeah, I know. What can I say? I'm a bit of a geek. I was drooling over this special edition collection of Death Note.

Then, Carolyn and I made our way to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. It looked like a spaceship. Not hard to find at all.

There was also a park near this abandoned church.  They had all these tombstone markers everywhere. Kinda creepy, but really cool. And there was a great path to take a stroll and enjoy. I don't think Carolyn and I even spoke a word to each other as we walked through. It was very serene.

And this was the church. They were playing classical music as well. Made my heart smile.

Here's the info

We went and walked along the Albert Dock and had lunch.

Albert Dock

I've noticed that service in the UK is really slow...we waited a while for our food, but it was worth it. Everything was delicious! I had some kind of leek soup with mushroom risotto.

After lunch, we went down to the Maritime Museum and saw lots of cool, old things. But I won't bore you with the pictures. I feel like museums are more fun to actually go to, not see pictures of. Anyhow, we went through the shopping district and I bought One Day because it's British and I wanted to read it before watching the movie.

We still had time to kill, so we took some pictures by George's Hall.

George's Hall

That pretty much concludes our day in Liverpool. Sorry for all the lack of updates. Procrastination has gotten the best of me. And I also apologize for the brevity of this update. But I'm sure everyone will be glad after reading my long ones. I'll to update again with the trip to York later this evening!

The train station -- taken as we were leaving

Cheers! :)

Post-Liverpool

It is late and I have been wasting time doing nothing...again.  Actually, that isn't true.  I've been working on my short stories. :)

But I have been behind in my updates, which I know I'm just going to regret, so I will try my best to sit down every night and write.  I've even got a post-it note on my desk to remind me.  No excuses.

I hope all is well where everyone else is.  Hold tight, there will be a better update (with pictures!) coming soon.

Cheers! :)

Occupied

It's been a long while since my last real post.  I've been busy.

School is going well. I really enjoy all my classes. Except my seminar for Gender and Women's Studies is still a waste of time. The tutor just makes everything more confusing...and she doesn't really answer our questions. Oh, well. It's okay because the lectures are good.

The highlight of this week was going into town on Wednesday with Carolyn, and buying some presents for my sister. I also got my hair done, which I desperately needed. Why is going to a salon always so therapeutic?! I've been homesick, and it was just heaven. Some conversation and a good head massage.

Funny story. Last night, I went to throw my trash out, and I ended up throwing both my trash and my keys in the dumpster. A lot of cursing ensued.

I also went to a party in a flat next door last night, but it turned out to be a bit awkward since none of us really knew each other. I stayed for a little while, but ended up coming back to the flat and hanging out there. Later, Jude came back to show me and Carolyn his special spot on campus. :)

Tonight is Bonfire Night in the UK, and I'm excited! I'm going into town tonight to participate in all the festivities. They have guided walks, storytelling, arts and crafts and lantern making workshop, and music. Plus, fireworks. Yeaaaaah.

On Sunday, I will be taking a daytrip to Liverpool with Carolyn. Huzzah! I will finally spend some time outside of Lancaster.

This means, I must do work now. But there will be many pictures following this weekend.

Cheers! :)