Uni

As much as we speak the same language and study the same subjects, school in England is drastically different. For one thing, there is no High School here. The order of school is Primary, Secondary, College, University.

Another difference is that each class only meets once a week. However, some classes have two parts: lecture and seminar. One of my classes has both together. So, instead of two different days my class runs from roughly 9AM until NOON with a short break in the middle. One of my other classes meets for lecture on Wednesday from 11AM until NOON and then has the seminar on Fridays from 9:30AM until 11AM.

Everyday I am done by NOON. Its nice to a certain extent, but there is a lot of down time. Most of this downtime is meant to be used to read the extensive reading list. The reading lists aren't assigned. Its for the student to do on their own, if they choose. Obviously, some students will read more than others and some may not read anything at all. Its all personal choice.

Another thing that is different is how assignments and essays are done. There really isn't that much homework aside from reading and essays. In my English class, there are two essays spread over the term. Each essay is worth 50% of the overall grade, which means no final. In another class I have a paper and an essay and then a final during the Summer Term.

There are three terms per year. The first term is from the end of September through the middle of December and then there is a break. Then from the second week of January through the end of March the second term runs, followed by another break until the middle of April. Summer term is basically finals. That's it. There is review for a week, then a week for studying some more, and then finals. There are not finals after every semester/term.

The way that essays are handled is interesting. They set the date it's due, and you have till NOON on that day to turn it in. You don't turn it in to the Professor, however. Instead, the paper has to be taken to the Faculty of Arts office. There, a form has to be filled out. All this form does is identify which student is turning in the paper and to which course the paper belongs. Then they scan it in and you get an email telling you that the paper has been turned in on time.

Aside from all the differences, its still college, or University, rather. They use different words. For example, in the States I would say, "Yeah, I'm going to college at Western." Here, I would say, "Yeah, I'm going to Uni in Plymouth." And they aren't Freshman or Freshies but "Freshers." And, there are only three years of University here. Its more concentrated and there aren't Gen. Eds.

There are both cultural differences in the education system as well as academic differences. I am learning both, and its making for a very interesting and fun experience.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a strange place. It is magnificent even when the rain is pouring down. There is a certain mystery to the rock formation, and the mystery is what draws people to it. The tour of the city sets up some history and then the bus takes the road to the formation. The bus takes you out of town and out towards the country. Suddenly in the distance you can see it. From the road, you can see Stonehenge. The road actually lies right next to the ancient site. Getting off the bus, there is a path that leads down to the National Trust entry way. From there, a gift shop, a little cafe, and a tunnel are present. The National Trust then gives out little personal walking tour handsets. They are basically used like phones, in the sense that you put them up to your ear and listen.

In the tunnel there are murals on both sides depicting how they think that the stones for Stonehenge were carried to their current resting spots. After walking up the ramp you see for the first time up close, Stonehenge.

Even though it was raining, there seems to be the need to take your time and enjoy the site. It seems to hit you when you see it that you are standing in amongst world heritage and history. For centuries, thousands of people have stood in the exact same place wondering and marveling at the great mystery. No one knows the exact reason or purpose that Stonehenge exists, but that is part of the fun.

Complex Alterations

I've been trying to work something out these past few days. I've been attempting to work out why I've been reacting differently. Emotionally I mean. My emotions have seemed heightened lately and it wasn't until today that I randomly understand why:

I'm in a new place.

Simple answer you might think. Simple answer with complex alterations. For me EVERYTHING is new. New accent, new slang, new location, new school, new people, even some new clothes. All of this has heightened my awareness of things (apparently including emotion).

In part, I think that being in an entirely new place (while brilliant, engaging, and incredible) is extremely frustrating. A person gets so incredibly used to normal everyday things that they forget to appreciate said things. For instance, I can't get into my car to go somwhere. I can't text or call my mum or sister. I can't say to my best friends, "I'm in a real need of a hug," and go over and get one and talk things over. Everything has been reduced to Facebook, email, and AIM.

You may call this, "homesickness." Fair point, perhaps you're right. I just call it a realization of what's different in my life at this current moment in time.

Museum, Art Gallery, & Beaches

Sculptures. Lots of them. Scattered about the museum dedicated to the works of Barbara Hepworth. The house plays host to the gallery. But, outside is the garden. Around the garden more sculptures are worked in. It is an interesting place. A tropical garden in the midst of England.


Tea in a cafe above the Tate Museum. Pot of hot water with loose tea leaves. Large windows. Some views of just the ocean. White waves breaking across the surface. A whole wall of windows overlooking houses. The roofs are all covered in orange moss which contrasts against the blue of the ocean and the blue and white of the sky. Seagulls swing on the breeze. The beaches are visible on the horizon.


The roar of the wave is constant on the beach. The closer to the water, the more shells in the sand. Blue, white, and zebra. The waves crash and pour white sand flecked with black on the shore. The breeze blows across the water. Dogs run about chasing waves and seagulls. The water is cold, but not frigid. It feels strange to the toes to feel the sand being pulled away. Seashells rub against the ankles as they are reclaimed by the water.


Farther out, the water is many shades of blue. The horizon isn't defined. it is blurred by a haze of cloud and spray. The sun is shining, it's a nice day.


The train ride home is different than the train ride to St. Ives. The first was riddled with sleep. The sun is behind now and bathes the countryside of Cornwall in brilliant light and shadow. It is vividly green. Pastures, fields, and small towns fly by out the train window. Occassional ruins and old churches pass as well. Even the trees have character. A lot of them possess an acquired look of age. Some of them are knarled and twisting. Others stretch up towards the sky, tall and thin. There are even lone trees in the midst of fields.

The buildings in England seem so old. There is a lot of history embedded in the landscape. There are stone walls, hedgerow fences, and cobbled side streets. Looking out the window a wish arises to live here. Such a rich landscape, rich characters, rich history. It's like being surrounded by a story.

Saltram Manor and St. Michael's Mount

Where to begin??

I've finally started classes. Getting the books has been a bit interesting. Getting the classes in working order was interesting as well. As it stands, I have one class on Monday, one on Wednesday, one Thursday, and two on Friday. The interesting part about the ones on Friday is that they overlap by an hour. So, I've worked it out that I leave one class a half hour early and arrive at the other class half an hour late. I'm glad that worked out, because it was stressing me out.

But, other than that, I have started traveling!! Not extensively mind you, but I have travelled a bit around where I'm at. My friend Lauren and I went to the Saltram Manor on Saturday and St. Michael's Mount today. We also joined the National Trust, so we get into a lot of places like that for free. Well, sort of free. The membership fee was 21.50. But, if we go 3-4 places and use our card, we've paid for the fee already. So its actually a really good deal and very easy to get.

Saturday: Saltram Manor
This is an 18th century house that has 98 rooms!! It was incredible. You walk in to the entrance hall and you are struck by the brilliance of a house that grand. Not to mention it smells a bit stale. But, before you even go in the house, you notice the door handle. It is ridiculously low to the ground. I have my theories. The first is possibly the more correct of the two. My first theory is that people were shorter back then (a theory proven by St. Michael's Mount as well). Then, my second theory is that by having the handle that far down, when the servant answered the door they automatically had to bow to the person walking in. Just a thought ;)
There is a fireplace in the main entrance hall. And, it is a pretty large room. You walk through into various rooms. The rooms that catch in my memory were fantastic. The first was the ballroom. There were four great mirrors framed on opposing walls. There were two beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling which in and of itself was ornate. A lovely rug was laid out over the floor and simple little chairs lined the walls as well as a few tables with vases and such. On the walls among the mirrors and windows were paintings of various places such as the ruins of Rome and Greece and also of differnt people from earlier times. Its a very lovely room with mint green wallpaper and gold trimmings around the top and in the ceiling.

The next room that stands out is actually the Staircase Hall. The free-standing staircase follows three sides of the room. There are paintings all along the walls in this room as well. There is a small bookshelf with old books on it. Under the staircase, there is a baby grand piano. As we were walking up the stairs, a young man sat down and played a piece. It carried so well through the house. It was also surreal. I felt like I should have been in a dress getting ready to go to a party or something. There was also a circular table in the center of the hall. It had a green tabletop and it had drawers in the side of the top to hold important documents in. Each drawer had a golden letter on it, except there were two missing letters.

The last room of the tour was the Library. It had so many books in it!! The first books I saw after walking in were of Shakespeare! There was soo much Shakespeare! There were just soo many books. And of all shapes and sizes! For instance, there were some books you could practically stick in your pocket and then there were others that you absolutely had to put on the table. There was an illustrated two volume copy of the Holy Bible. I wanted to look at that one, but of course you can't touch anything. There was very little wall space, due to the fact that the walls were lined with bookshelves which were packed with books. There was also a piano in this room. A great deal smaller but still very neat. There were two desks as well, and a checkers table and a lot of chairs. Above the fireplace was a mirror as well and above the bookcases were more paintings. Out the windows you just gazed out into the vast green pasture. What a library!

The grounds were pretty spectacular too. There were some statues actually built into little encoves in the walls. It was a very nice walk and it was a beautiful sunny day.

Sunday: St. Michael's Mount
The weather was not sunny, warm, or inviting. But, somehow it added to the place. It would not have been the same if it had been sunny.

We got there at high tide, but we walked along the beach to get to the boat to take us across. This was one of the places we get in to free with our National Trust Cards! So, we went and watched an introductory video and then we hiked, yes hiked, up the cobbled path to the castle. The family still lives in a private part of the castle, and I asked how the family gets to the top. I was told they walk as well, which is amazing. There is a lift that they use for goods and cargo, but that's it. So, after we got to the top we looked out over the ocean. It was very windy and I was a bit cold so we went in shortly after making it to the top.

The castle is beautiful, as castles should be. Like the manor house, there is so much artwork on the walls and around the place that it is hard to know where to look. There was one room that stood out. And no, it wasn't the library. ;) It was, in fact, what they call the Blue Drawing Room. The room, as the name says, is robin egg blue. The draping curtains are a darker blue with gold embroidery. There upholstery of the chairs matches the color of the walls very well. There are a few endtables along the walls holding vases and flowers. One of the eye catching features is the fireplace and the painting above which all is framed with a white border (which stands out nicely against the blue wall).

Another important feature of the castle is the gardens. The gardens are very unique in the fact that they are really supposed to be seen from above. It is an interesting experience. And since the ground drops right away the gardens are far below. One of the guides told me a story about one of the broken bits of the terrace railing. One of the daughters was walking up on the railing and she whirled around and broke it off as she fell down to the ground over 10 feet below. She didn't die but was crippled. Keep in mind that this took place probably over a hundred years ago. The family left the piece that broke off on the ground and you can still see it there. I was amazed that it's still there. They leave it there as a cautionary tale. Sad, but still amazing.

There is a church as a part of the castle and they still use it from about May through November. Also, there is a room that holds armor and weapons. In this room is a beautiful suit of Samuri armor. There are also katanas and other swords and knives. There are also old guns and things like that.

The whole place is captivating and makes me want to live in a castle!! When we were done touring the castle we hiked back down into the little village. We had cream tea and scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream before we were able to cross back to the mainland via a causeway that only appears when its lowtide. It was amazing to walk across the bay.

We found a resturant had dinner and then caught the train back to Plymouth. A two hour ride later we were back.

A good weekend, I think!

Settling In

I unpacked all my things pretty quickly, but that first night I arrived (after lugging my 2 forty pound suitcases up the 4 flights of stairs) I went to bed around ten pm and woke up the next day at one in the afternoon.

I really like my room actually. Maybe not as nice as it could be, but it's kind of cozy. I'm in an attic room basically, so I have a slanted ceiling and sky light windows.


I had to buy a few things like my duvet and cover and pillows, as well as an internet cord and cell phone. Other than that, I brought pretty much everything else with me.



So far I have been on a ferry ride that only cost £1. It was a very nice ride and the scenery is incredible. I also went on a free bus tour of the city. In addition to that, I've been going to some of my orientation stuff. The other day was a Student Reception for International Students up on the Hoe (anglo-saxon for the high place). It was really nice. They had a live harpist playing as we walked in and they had hors d'oeuvres for dinner. They also had two seperate dancing groups perform. It was a beautiful evening and the reception tent overlooked the ocean.

I've done a little extra shopping on the side, which doesn't go to mention grocery shopping. One thing I've found about grocery shopping is that it is so much easier to buy foods that are healthy for you here. At home the healthier foods tend to be more expensive. Here it isn't like that. I find it more helpful.


The University is set at the city center of Plymouth. It makes walking to everything so easy. It provides good excersize. They have pedestrian subways which are very helpful, and they also have pedestrian friendly streets. Also, one thing I noticed is that the light not only changes from green to yellow to red, but also from red to yellow to green. It's hard to remember to look at the other side of the road before crossing because its opposite here. Some other things I've discovered include that jaywalking is legal, U-Turns are legal and three point turns are legal. Its all very interesting!

The night life is so incredibly different. Here, it is completely acceptable to go out on the week nights. This past week has been a bit crazy, as it was what they call "Fresher's Week." There were theme nights at the different clubs in the city. My favorite was Army Night. We stood in the queue for an hour and 10 minutes to get in, but I think it was worth it. At this club there are two dance floors. One is a disco with square tiles on the floor that light up and the other was almost like a techno Icelandic dance floor. It was in this room a bit later in the week that I saw a Michael Jackson tribute band (which was really good).

Its hard to believe that I've been here for over a week. It feels much longer, not to mention I still have a whole year left here!!! Its hard to wrap your head around such an experience.

Well, 'till next time!

Cheers!

Sitting in Dublin

I got on a plane at 6:50 and took off for Dublin, Ireland. During the flight I was writing and here's what I wrote about:

As you continue to fly east, you meet the sun. At first you can't tell if the sky is changing or if you're just hoping. Then you gaze out the window and you see the pale blue hilight on the horizon.

All you can see is blue. Dark ocean and a slightly lighter sky. As more light appears, you begin to see the highlighted clouds. You keep watching and soon you begin to see the palest pink gracing the horizon and meanwhile, you can gaze behind you and half the sky is still night. A slight mist hangs in the sky between night and day.

It is hard to imagine that anything could be so large. The ocean is so vast that it even makes the sky look smaller. It's a beautiful sight, all that blue. Not a sight you get to see very often. This is the sight I've been waiting for all night. I've been waiting to watch the sun rise over the ocean.

The sunrise color is bleeding into the clouds now. There is purple, orange, and the palest yellow in addition to the pink and blue. It's almost impossible now to tell where the sky begins and where the ocean ends. This is in part due to the clouds below creating their own ocean.

As things come together and the day settles in around you, things become clearer. You can now make out the tops of the clouds, a kind of greyish purple with ridges of pink. They look different from above. A kind of cotton candy appearance, if you will. They are far below and its odd to think that they aren't even the ground, it lies much farther beneath. You almost feel like you could be flying over a snow covered artic desert because as the sun comes up the scene changes. The sky becomes a sharper, brighter blue, but below becomes white.

The sunrise color slowly dissappears and as you look down into the clouds you fantasize that you can see the ocean below through the gaps in the clouds. And then the cloud front ends and you see it. The ocean.

A blue-ish grey in the morning light. Without the layer of cloud it becomes harder to tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins. A hazy cloud barrier blurs the horizon between sky and sea.

There! I saw it! Land! Or an island rather. But now the coast! You can see the white wave outline in the water. Now you can start to see the beaches and farther inland mountains. As the mountains end, you begin to see green. You can see rivers and trees.

At some point it hits you that as you are observing the start to the day, you are flying over the people of Ireland who are starting their day as well, and soon you will be down among them!

Ireland is green! And, as you start to descend towards the cloud level, you can see the different lots of land seperated by hedges. You can see the houses too, but they are really small still. You can see the lakes and even the mist hanging over the rivers. Its hard to get over how green it is! Its a sight that is almost ridiculously beautiful.

Slowly but surely the clouds get closer and then suddenly you break through them and you can see the animals down in their pastures. Everything gets closer and your ears start popping. And suddenly, you're on the ground, a strange sensation after being airborne for seven hours. Odd how things go.