Yesterday I sat in an induction meeting for the Applied Linguistics programs. (i.e. welcome and introduction) The tutor (professor), Richard Kiely, in charge of the meeting said something very interesting and fairly profound. He was talking about how we are in a new country to learn. That 90% of the students in these programs are international. (and may I add 90% of them are Chinese) Some things are recognizable because there are similar. Most things are strange and foreign. During the time here the strange will become familiar. However right now all of the strange causes confusion, and frustration. This, he said, is a good thing because when you are confused and frustrated it leads to illumination which is learning. So we need to welcome it and see it as of value. So when we are confused and frustrated, we should be happy, it means we are in a position to learn! So based on that I have been very happy learning this week.....
Have you ever watched the movie "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"? It makes more sense everyday. The line Arthur says "I'm British, I know how to queue." is not a joke. Then he stands in long lines, fills out forms, gets sent back for a different form, stands in more lines with more forms and then is required to have an appointment or cannot be seen.... welcome to England.
It goes something like this.... In order to get a British phone number and plan I have to have a British bank account. I can only get an international student account because, well, I'm not British. But before they will set up an appointment, I need to have a letter proving that I am a student, and a letter or proof that I am living here. Normally that would mean like a power bill. Since I don't have my own flat and I am in the halls of residence I don't have a bill. So the University must create a letter to the bank stating that I am living in the halls and am a student. I asked at the reception desk at my halls and they sent me to the student services center on the main campus (Highfield). When you go into the student services center you take a number and wait. I was number 293 and they were currently serving number 240.... At one point a woman came over and asked what it was I was there for. I explained , she left and come back with a piece of paper. I was told to go on line and request the letter and it would be about 3 days and I would have it.... Or, I could go over to my faculty (college/ program) and ask over there because it is smaller and might be faster. When I left that building they were up to number 260. So I walked the 10 mins to the Avenues campus and found the student services there. I queued up. When I got to the desk I was told to go out in the hall and sign the paper on the wall and explain what the letter is for and to then come back in 3 days and they will have the letter for me. Now I had already had it explained to me that the letter must be addressed to the bank and not "to whom it may concern". At this point I went back to my flat. I decided to get online and request one that way as well. So I filled out the form and submitted it.
The next day I got an email with the letter attached from the student services. Now I needed to print it. So I sallied forth again. This time on my way up to Highfield I stopped by the bank branch to see if I could set up an appointment. Waited in the queue, then got to the window. The only day they do appointments in that branch is on Tuesdays and they were full for the day. So the next available appointment is next Monday at a different branch, but close enough for me to walk to. Again the letter must be addressed to the bank. I hopped on the bus and headed up to the Hartley library. I asked at the desk how to print. Found the room of computers, logged in, found the email and hit the print to any printer. Then I found a printer, tapped my id card and my print job miraculously appeared in the print queue. I printed it, and the letter was address "to whom it may concern". Now in the additional information I had stated it needed to be addressed to a particular bank. Swell. So I got back on the bus and back at my flat I responded to the email stating that I had specified I needed to that specific bank.
Wed when I heading up to Highfield, I stopped by the Avenues campus and went in to see if they had created a letter. Surprisingly it was ready and at the top had the name of the bank. then the dear sir or madame. It better be right..... Today I received an email back from the main student service center that said I needed to go to my faculty to get a letter with that kind of specification.... good thing I was ahead of the game.
So I have been here a week and have not been able to set up a bank account so that I can take care all the other things, like phone.
Registering with the Dr. wasn't much different. Uni (University) Meetings for information on the program, to meet the tutors, and tours of the building have had location or times changed or cancelled. Bureaucracy at its finest.
But like Richard said, it has been illuminating. In the frustration and confusion I have learned my way around the several campus, the bus route, major shopping areas and a good chunk of the city center. I have a better understanding of the health care system, the inner workings (or dysfunction) of the faculty of Humanities and the Uni itself. I have found some really peaceful gardens on campus and lovely walking/biking trails between campuses and the city. I can climb 9 flights of stairs before having to stop to rest a bit (there are two lifts in my complex, one has only worked one day since I've been here and the other has broken down twice, or the amount of humanity trying to use one elevator has prompted unexpected workouts on my part... I'm on the 12th floor) (and it's a new building...?), and I signed up for the gym to find positive ways to relieve the stress.
So be happy to be frustrated and confused, it means you are on the road to learning.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
So familiar yet so foreign
And so the journey begins....
I'll spare the travel details... and I arrived at my halls of residence around 18:00 on Wed the 16 of Sept. I was greeted by students who were wear bright green t-shirts that say "May I help you?" The very first question was would you like some tea or coffee? To which I replied, no thank you, could I get some water? They grabbed a cup and went in search of cold water....
I had three students and some official looking man help me with my bags and my box that came by post up to my room. I'm on the 12th floor of 15. There are 7 people in my flat. I have met 3 of them so far. The rest will be in this weekend. So far there are 2 girls from China and 1 girl from Indonesia. None of them are much for conversation. The flat is a long corridor with the room doors down the right side, except for room 1 it is just to the left of the kitchen. The kitchen is at the end of the hall and also to the right. I'm in room 7 the closest to the flat door and the furthest from the kitchen.
Our building is located in the city center, so the grocery store is two blocks away. It's a 30 min walk to my campus (Avenues) and about a 10 to 15 min bus ride.
I have decided that English drivers are half crazy. Roads are narrow and windy and the intersections are well, just strange.
So Wednesday evening after I was shown to my room, two of the student helpers, Becky and Sam, answered a ton of questions for me. Like good Englishmen we discussed the weather, the size of the town and other various things. They offered to take me to the grocery store later if I wanted. So I unpacked my clothes, opened my box containing bedding, towels and kitchen essentials, and decided I really needed food since I had not eaten since about 11:00 and it was now 21:00. So I wandered back to the reception area and Becky and her boyfriend (never got his name) went with me to the store.
The best way to describe the store is like a mini Walmart. (including the roll back price signs...) They had clothing, electronics, household goods, and food, but much more limited selection and size of store. So the size of a normal grocery store in the US, but with all the other stuff in there as well.
I was pretty brain dead and they were good to ask me what I wanted, then showed me where to find it. I figured something fast for dinner, breakfast food for the morning, then I would get other food stuffs the next day. I wish I could remember the names of some of the things in the frozen dinner section. I had to ask what it was...cuz I had never heard of some of it. Those things sat next to brands and things I recognize (weight watchers, Quaker, Nature Valley). However it is all in kg. Now the milk is sold in pints and quarts, however UK gallons and US gallons are not equal. One US gallon is 1.2 UK gallons... Just because it can be I guess... They helped carry my stuff back, and helped me with the microwave, then left me to figure the rest on my own.
All of the outlets have a switch to turn the power on to them. The stove has a switch as well and when you turn on the stove it turns on the hood fan as well.
Now I don't know if it is a British thing or a residences halls thing, but when you cook we are told to open the windows as well so that the heat from cooking doesn't set off the fire alarm. In the case that the fire alarm goes off , you are to stop whatever you are doing and if you are cooking and there is a fire, you are not to do anything except leave.. so everyone evacuates the building and goes to the meeting point and waits to be told they can reenter the building (I'm reminded of fire drills at the high school) I was informed by Becky and Sam that during the first week or so that the alarm will go off several times since there are students who have never cooked for themselves... So I look forward to that with baited breath.
Now over the course of the last two days I have learned some interesting things about British Culture. A few I will share. I have come to realize that I am very British, I guess that heritage is stronger than I realize. To start a conversation with a stranger - talk about the weather. Especially if it is raining (which is a good part of the time) and I guess they are good about moaning about it.... When you get off of the bus, thank the driver. When you need to get through a crowed place always say excuse me and if you bump some one say sorry. If they are complaining you always respond with I'm sorry (which I do anyway) and then offer tea. Tea fixes everything....so I'm told. They are very sarcastic and the humor very dry. (again my heritage comes through). The interesting cultural thing is that Sunday is roast day. Right?! Like I've always done and my mother and her mother.... I guess we brought the tradition from England. They roast beef or lamb, or chicken. Slow cooked in a big pot with lots of vegetables and it is the noon meal. So now you know where we got that tradition.
I'll post a couple of pictures. I hope to take more here soon when I'm not so tired and lost. Next week we have inductions into the faculties and information on our program of study and the graduate school. I'll give you the vocab for school then as well, since it is all very different from US Universities.
view from my room
Lover's Lane path between Highfield Campus and the Avenue Campus
typical housing
typical residential street
I'll spare the travel details... and I arrived at my halls of residence around 18:00 on Wed the 16 of Sept. I was greeted by students who were wear bright green t-shirts that say "May I help you?" The very first question was would you like some tea or coffee? To which I replied, no thank you, could I get some water? They grabbed a cup and went in search of cold water....
I had three students and some official looking man help me with my bags and my box that came by post up to my room. I'm on the 12th floor of 15. There are 7 people in my flat. I have met 3 of them so far. The rest will be in this weekend. So far there are 2 girls from China and 1 girl from Indonesia. None of them are much for conversation. The flat is a long corridor with the room doors down the right side, except for room 1 it is just to the left of the kitchen. The kitchen is at the end of the hall and also to the right. I'm in room 7 the closest to the flat door and the furthest from the kitchen.
Our building is located in the city center, so the grocery store is two blocks away. It's a 30 min walk to my campus (Avenues) and about a 10 to 15 min bus ride.
I have decided that English drivers are half crazy. Roads are narrow and windy and the intersections are well, just strange.
So Wednesday evening after I was shown to my room, two of the student helpers, Becky and Sam, answered a ton of questions for me. Like good Englishmen we discussed the weather, the size of the town and other various things. They offered to take me to the grocery store later if I wanted. So I unpacked my clothes, opened my box containing bedding, towels and kitchen essentials, and decided I really needed food since I had not eaten since about 11:00 and it was now 21:00. So I wandered back to the reception area and Becky and her boyfriend (never got his name) went with me to the store.
The best way to describe the store is like a mini Walmart. (including the roll back price signs...) They had clothing, electronics, household goods, and food, but much more limited selection and size of store. So the size of a normal grocery store in the US, but with all the other stuff in there as well.
I was pretty brain dead and they were good to ask me what I wanted, then showed me where to find it. I figured something fast for dinner, breakfast food for the morning, then I would get other food stuffs the next day. I wish I could remember the names of some of the things in the frozen dinner section. I had to ask what it was...cuz I had never heard of some of it. Those things sat next to brands and things I recognize (weight watchers, Quaker, Nature Valley). However it is all in kg. Now the milk is sold in pints and quarts, however UK gallons and US gallons are not equal. One US gallon is 1.2 UK gallons... Just because it can be I guess... They helped carry my stuff back, and helped me with the microwave, then left me to figure the rest on my own.
All of the outlets have a switch to turn the power on to them. The stove has a switch as well and when you turn on the stove it turns on the hood fan as well.
Now I don't know if it is a British thing or a residences halls thing, but when you cook we are told to open the windows as well so that the heat from cooking doesn't set off the fire alarm. In the case that the fire alarm goes off , you are to stop whatever you are doing and if you are cooking and there is a fire, you are not to do anything except leave.. so everyone evacuates the building and goes to the meeting point and waits to be told they can reenter the building (I'm reminded of fire drills at the high school) I was informed by Becky and Sam that during the first week or so that the alarm will go off several times since there are students who have never cooked for themselves... So I look forward to that with baited breath.
Now over the course of the last two days I have learned some interesting things about British Culture. A few I will share. I have come to realize that I am very British, I guess that heritage is stronger than I realize. To start a conversation with a stranger - talk about the weather. Especially if it is raining (which is a good part of the time) and I guess they are good about moaning about it.... When you get off of the bus, thank the driver. When you need to get through a crowed place always say excuse me and if you bump some one say sorry. If they are complaining you always respond with I'm sorry (which I do anyway) and then offer tea. Tea fixes everything....so I'm told. They are very sarcastic and the humor very dry. (again my heritage comes through). The interesting cultural thing is that Sunday is roast day. Right?! Like I've always done and my mother and her mother.... I guess we brought the tradition from England. They roast beef or lamb, or chicken. Slow cooked in a big pot with lots of vegetables and it is the noon meal. So now you know where we got that tradition.
I'll post a couple of pictures. I hope to take more here soon when I'm not so tired and lost. Next week we have inductions into the faculties and information on our program of study and the graduate school. I'll give you the vocab for school then as well, since it is all very different from US Universities.
view from my room
Lover's Lane path between Highfield Campus and the Avenue Campus
typical housing
typical residential street
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