This is a short blog, just to rant about something that has been bugging me quite a bit. Upon receiving my final paper prompt from one of my classes, the Professor decided to express his opinion on the use of citations in undergraduate work. He did not care if we did, or did not, use quotations from our reading and furthermore he did not care which citation method we used if we chose to quote. I am conditioned to use strict citation policies at UEA, and so this statement shocked me! The one statement that also bothered me was that the Professor openly spoke out that he didn't think it was necessary for undergraduates to use formal citations in essays as that was only required of post-graduates or PHD students who were writing to publishing standards. Well where do these post graduate students hail from? Where do they learn to formally cite references? I thought university was about preparing a student for a masters degree if they wished to pursue it? At UEA I feel that the staff mark our work to the standard of work published in journals as that should be our aspiration should it not? This is yet another illustration of how I believe the academic work in the U.S. is sometimes seen as an extension of high school rather than a whole other level of academics. I want to iterate that I am not trying to offend the students in this system; this is one class and one professor, not the shared belief of the university. I was just stunned by the opposition to a system that leads to professional standards of work that I believe every student should be given the opportunity to reach for.
On a lighter note, due to my intolerance to certain spirits on Friday I found myself to be undeniably unconscious whilst taco bell was gloriously shared around the house by a very generous person. I also missed out on epic times on the roof which only makes the situation even more upsetting. Why do you evade me Taco Bell? I have only had a taste of your horrifyingly calorific produce and yet it was as though my tastebuds had melted with pleasure. Please do not continue to hide from me and bless me with your delightful taco goodness once more!
Have a great day
Sarah
Monday 19 November 2012
Sunday 18 November 2012
The Ducks are swimming now
Ok, ok, everybody reading this has my biggest apologies...it has been hella long since my last post...too long....and I can only say that I am truly sorry. America is such a fast pace world, and time escaped from me. Well, I am back now and I have a lot to say so bare with me!
That small task of studying began to take up quite a bit of my time but now I have a gap before the onslaught of final papers is unleashed next week. I truly missed reading week, that week of no classes in the middle of the semester which is used to catch up on much needed sleep and maybe a little bit of reading on the side. Here, the work simply keeps coming and the hours of lost sleep are slowly adding up!
So, to back track a little bit, I spent a weekend in Seattle and it was just amazing. The city was beautiful and there was a relaxed atmosphere as opposed to the panicked crowds which usually inhabit such places. Our first tourist stop was the Pike Place Market, which was right across from our hostel. The market was buzzing with stalls selling all kinds of things; seafood, fruit, souvenirs, hand-made items and so many unique and intricate items. I loved the atmosphere inside, it was so welcoming and the abundance of hidden corridors and shops only added to the appeal of the place. Just across from the market was the infamous flagship Starbucks, which, of course, we all had our picture taken in-front of.
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| Yep, that is the original Starbucks right there |
On the Friday evening, we went on a spooky ghost tour around the deserted market which was very appropriate since it was nearly Halloween! It was great being in the cold, wet alleys of Seattle being told stories of haunted buildings and wandering poltergeists.
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| The Space Needle |
Saturday, we went to the Space Needle, which was celebrating it's 50th anniversary having been erected for the 1962 World's Fair. It was very 1960's but it had a great view of Seattle from the top! We then saw the space needle from a different angle as we took a harbour cruise in the afternoon. The city of Seattle is so beautiful to look at, its attractive skyline is not even fifty years old! I ate some wonderful Salmon chowder that afternoon, which was perfect on a cold and windy day. Yes I got the big portion and i ain't afraid to admit it!
Oh and that night we went to The Grab Pot, a restaurant where a bowl of seafood is literally poured onto your table. Table manners go out of the window and armed with a mallet and a fork you make your way through the glorious pile of shrimps, muscles and clams. This was certainly an experience I won't forget; I truly felt I had made the most of visiting a port city.
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| The Pile! Consisting of: Shrimp, muscles, clams, corn, red potatoes and little slices of sausage (I know what you are thinking about the sausage...but it works!) |
On the Sunday, we visited the EMP (Experience Music Project), which housed exhibitions different from the average museum. If you want to know about the history of Nirvana, the leather jacket, or the horror film, this is your place. The exhibitions were exciting, interactive, and just wonderful! There was an exhibit of science fiction props etc. and within that collection were outfits from Star Trek, a Darlek from the 1970's and a lot of memorabilia from the Matrix Trilogy (if you know me well, that is a big deal!). Unfortunately it was time to wave goodbye to Seattle on the Sunday afternoon, although I very much hope I can visit again before this year is over.
I hardly had the time to contemplate Halloween and when it arrived I was very unprepared for it! However, I feel that I still maintained the Halloween spirit by carving a pumpkin and drinking pumpkin flavoured beverages. I am just sorry that wasn't as exciting as some of the other Halloween experiences of students studying abroad!! I do have to say though, that Halloween is a much bigger celebration in the U.S. and there were plenty of costumes to look at around campus on the day including a very friendly spiderman who persisted to trick or treat around classes in session!
So now it is mid Novemeber, Obama is still the President, and the temperature is slowly dropping. We have flood warnings in Eugene for this week, so the ducks will definitely be swimming for sure!
I have had the pleasure of watching the Oregon Ice hockey team this past weekend who played valiantly despite losing in extra time. The atmosphere at the hockey games is great, especially when you know one of the players with a simple one syllable name that can be screamed whilst slightly intoxicated :-) Hockey is also definitely more exciting that American football!
So, that is all for now. I have the pleasure of a two day week next week as it is Thanksgiving on Thursday! I have thankfully been adopted by a wonderful pair of siblings for the occasion and I am thoroughly looking forward to eating my first thanksgiving dinner with them and their family. Although I have repeatedly asked the meaning of this holiday from many people, I can only say that I expect there to be a lot of food, drink, and merry times.
Have a great day
Sarah x
Tuesday 9 October 2012
Assimilation Complete?
I cannot believe I have only been on these foreign shores for a month. It literally feels like an age has past, I have changed and my outlook on life has been altered dramatically. I know this sounds completely over dramatic but seriously if you ever need an eye-opening experience on just how big the world actually is, go and live in a different country for a while...it changes everything.
I am two and a half weeks into classes now and I am currently typing this blog instead of doing much needed reading! Mid-terms are just around the corner, a concept I was not exactly prepared for. I mean the tasks set aren't impossible but they just crept up suddenly! After being used to having a couple of essays due in week 7 with that amount of time to prepare, these assignments seem to hit you in the face out of nowhere! The structure of these assignments also came as a surprise to me. From day one at UEA I was expected to gather sources from the library independently, use correct citations and compile a decent bibliography. Here, all of my assignments only want the use of reading set in class and one off them doesn't even require formal citations or a bibliography. I am not complaining, my reason for being here is definitely not purely academic!
I also feel that I have been very lucky with my professors. Each one has an obvious passion and dedication to their subject which is inspiring and I can happily say that I have enjoyed all of my lectures so far. Even the American way of delivering lectures has an interactive element which makes the experience less formal than UEA whilst retaining a high standard of knowledge. Some of them even throw in humour occasionally! To keep this blog on the subject that it what intended to report on, I have noticed a few slight differences between classes here and in the UK. Firstly, people here still go to 'school' and have 'homework'. I think if I said that at home I would get some very funny looks....haven't we moved on from the restrictions of school?? Are we not now academic scholars? Perhaps, but in the US restrictions that applied in high school I suspect have remained somewhat unchanged at college level. Class attendance is sometimes far more strict than at home and the professors put more emphasis on turning up to every lecture. Also, I don't think I will ever get used to the concept of mixed classes. In most cases, a class can be filled with students from every year group which impacts the level at which the Professor can teach as they need to consider students who have maybe never taken a class like theirs before. To add to that, because students do not have to stick to one subject, the professors may find a biology major in their history class who has never written a college level history paper before. I quite like the freedom this system offers, although I am not sure if there are long term benefits.
OK, enough of the boring stuff, the weekends are most certainly the light at the end of a very long week and it feels so good to be able to enjoy them again. Last academic year I gave up every weekend for a job. I enjoyed it, and the money was great, but wow it feels good to just be able to lie in a bed without a care or an agenda. So far my weekends have been wonderful; parties on Friday with possibly some drinking involved (I swear now it is illegal I have a dire need to consume as much as possible), pass out until sometime into Saturday and then start it all over again Saturday night. I cannot say how glad I am that I picked the West Coast....so chilled out. Watching American football on a Saturday night with a group is also very entertaining. I am still trying to pick up the rules and I am always startled by shouts and sudden jumps of celebration when I don't even have a clue where the ball is on the field. But it is great fun. I guess my adopted house, as I called them in my last entry, still like me because I seem to find myself over there for practically the whole weekend and I am sure it has nothing to do with my awesome knowledge of Skyrim, insane PS3 skills or mutual love for Dr. Who! I have learnt so many new words and phrases too although they sound just awful when I try to use them! This will sound so naive but I also get too overexcited about visiting classic American chain restaurants...Taco Bell was so goooooood.
Right now, days consist of class, laying on the lawn, reading in the sun, meeting with friends, drinking at the weekend and watching American football and some awesome American programs (yes they do exist, thanks for showing them to me).....sounds pretty perfect to me.
Have an awesome day
Sarah
I am two and a half weeks into classes now and I am currently typing this blog instead of doing much needed reading! Mid-terms are just around the corner, a concept I was not exactly prepared for. I mean the tasks set aren't impossible but they just crept up suddenly! After being used to having a couple of essays due in week 7 with that amount of time to prepare, these assignments seem to hit you in the face out of nowhere! The structure of these assignments also came as a surprise to me. From day one at UEA I was expected to gather sources from the library independently, use correct citations and compile a decent bibliography. Here, all of my assignments only want the use of reading set in class and one off them doesn't even require formal citations or a bibliography. I am not complaining, my reason for being here is definitely not purely academic!
I also feel that I have been very lucky with my professors. Each one has an obvious passion and dedication to their subject which is inspiring and I can happily say that I have enjoyed all of my lectures so far. Even the American way of delivering lectures has an interactive element which makes the experience less formal than UEA whilst retaining a high standard of knowledge. Some of them even throw in humour occasionally! To keep this blog on the subject that it what intended to report on, I have noticed a few slight differences between classes here and in the UK. Firstly, people here still go to 'school' and have 'homework'. I think if I said that at home I would get some very funny looks....haven't we moved on from the restrictions of school?? Are we not now academic scholars? Perhaps, but in the US restrictions that applied in high school I suspect have remained somewhat unchanged at college level. Class attendance is sometimes far more strict than at home and the professors put more emphasis on turning up to every lecture. Also, I don't think I will ever get used to the concept of mixed classes. In most cases, a class can be filled with students from every year group which impacts the level at which the Professor can teach as they need to consider students who have maybe never taken a class like theirs before. To add to that, because students do not have to stick to one subject, the professors may find a biology major in their history class who has never written a college level history paper before. I quite like the freedom this system offers, although I am not sure if there are long term benefits.
OK, enough of the boring stuff, the weekends are most certainly the light at the end of a very long week and it feels so good to be able to enjoy them again. Last academic year I gave up every weekend for a job. I enjoyed it, and the money was great, but wow it feels good to just be able to lie in a bed without a care or an agenda. So far my weekends have been wonderful; parties on Friday with possibly some drinking involved (I swear now it is illegal I have a dire need to consume as much as possible), pass out until sometime into Saturday and then start it all over again Saturday night. I cannot say how glad I am that I picked the West Coast....so chilled out. Watching American football on a Saturday night with a group is also very entertaining. I am still trying to pick up the rules and I am always startled by shouts and sudden jumps of celebration when I don't even have a clue where the ball is on the field. But it is great fun. I guess my adopted house, as I called them in my last entry, still like me because I seem to find myself over there for practically the whole weekend and I am sure it has nothing to do with my awesome knowledge of Skyrim, insane PS3 skills or mutual love for Dr. Who! I have learnt so many new words and phrases too although they sound just awful when I try to use them! This will sound so naive but I also get too overexcited about visiting classic American chain restaurants...Taco Bell was so goooooood.
Right now, days consist of class, laying on the lawn, reading in the sun, meeting with friends, drinking at the weekend and watching American football and some awesome American programs (yes they do exist, thanks for showing them to me).....sounds pretty perfect to me.
Have an awesome day
Sarah
Sunday 23 September 2012
Best Weekend......ever
A lot has happened in the past week and my perceptions of American life have changed so many times. I suppose I should have known... American college life in some respects is not that different from University life in the UK. Not matter what country it is, freshmen will be excited, loud, immature in some respects and naive. I am the first to admit that this was me only two short years ago but a hell of a lot happens at university and by the time you are out of your freshman year you have grown into an adult and your personal values change.
The freshmen arrived on Thursday and they were fresh-faced, energetic and young....so young! After attempting to make small talk with one of my neighbours the conversation quickly changed to how many hot guys there were in the dorm and if they should go to rush week (i.e. compete to be in a sorority). I instantly felt isolated. I had left these types of conversation back with my 18 year old self (for the most part!) and I couldn't join in with the girly banter. So I turned to the British way of dealing with this type of rejection.....I panicked. For the whole of the first night I was convinced that I wouldn't make any friends and my entire free time would be taken up with facebook or other such procrastination fallbacks.
However, there was hope. Call it fate or whatever you will but last year I met an exchange student from the UO when he was at my university. Thankfully, after several times of bumping into each other I got his mobile number before the chance slipped away forever. To put it in over-dramatic terms this number could have possibly enhanced my time here in more ways than I can say. On the Friday, the day after the freshmen moved in I was invited to a senior house party.
The party was held in a classic American house with most rooms on the ground floor and a couple on the first. There was food, drink, music, beer pong, games, and people flittered around to whichever activity took their fancy. The people...well this is what made my night....the people were so down to earth, happy, chatty, and excited but not in the freshmen way. They were experienced students like me and at last I felt that I was in a group that I could relate to. I may have become slightly drunk myself after sipping on cider local to the state which carried 10 point something percent as well as the shots I also took during the night (that alcohol program I had to complete online completely failed me that night!). I couldn't contain my happiness. After being in a place where I thought I would just have to grin and bear it, this turn around smacked me right in the face and I don't know how many times I said thank you last night to the random party-goers for giving me such a refreshing experience. They must think I am bizarre because I get paranoid so easily to the extent of when they say that I am 'welcome here anytime' I assume that to mean 'I am only saying this politely and you are, in fact, annoying.' Well I have given the inhabitance of the house numerous chances to voice their true opinion of me but they insist they enjoy my company so I will just have to accept it and hope that I maybe become an adopted housemate.
So the party was amazing and in terms of cultural differences there were many positives going for the Americans. For a start the house party thing is not big in England where it is more likely that a house will just be used for pre-drinks (pre-gaming) before descending into town. Although my memories are a bit hazy, I don't remember anyone getting too drunk, the people seemed to know their limits and stopped before any embarrassing antics took place. Don't get me wrong, these people knew how to have fun but they managed to reach the stage of happiness and stay there. I didn't see one unhappy face or any arguments. The best thing was they had even planned a designated driver to take people home who needed a ride. I couldn't believe the organisation and how people were there to just have a good time rather than cause any drama. Not the sort of thing I have experienced on nights out in Norwich!
So after getting home in the early hours, I set my alarm and closed my eyes. When I opened them again to the sound of my alarm it felt like second had passed but I knew I had to get up for my booked trip that day: white water rafting.
I know this experience will stay with me for a very long time. The weather was perfect, and the scenery was stunningly beautiful. In the distance, the trees looked like they had been painted on a giant canvas and my eyes refused to believe that this was reality which I was looking at. Our boat quickly developed a close bond which I think was unique compared to the other boats and this just enhanced the whole day even further. The rapids were so fun and it was great to be in the big outdoors and appreciate the nature that Oregon had to offer. I am so glad I signed up and I hope to pursue other outdoor activities in the near future.
To finish the day on Saturday I attended the Oregon vs Arizona football game. Wow, this was such an experience! Having never seen an American football game live or even on TV I am glad that I didn't look up any footage pre-game and just experienced everything first hand. The atmosphere and entertainment was amazing in the 59,000 seat stadium and the committed fans stood throughout the 3 hour long game. I have never clapped so much in my life. After every pass the crowd would clap regardless of whether or not the pass was a success, and the marching band would play a small passage of uplifting music to keep everyone's spirits high through what is essentially a long-winded, frustrating game. The players would assemble in their positions, and suddenly a referee would run on to the pitch indicating that play would have to be paused for a commercial break. Sport that is dictated my commercial advertising....only in America! The Oregon Ducks completely crushed Arizona in the end with a score of 49-0 and I am sure this made the game more enjoyable but the crowd were what gave the game its energy. Again, this was an experience I will truly treasure for a long long time.
So now I am preparing for classes. To prepare mentally I watched the first season finale of Dr. Who at my adopted house which was essential of course! Seriously though, I am ready to embrace my first week of class and experience the American system of higher education. Let's hope I like all of my classes!
Have a great day
Sarah x
The freshmen arrived on Thursday and they were fresh-faced, energetic and young....so young! After attempting to make small talk with one of my neighbours the conversation quickly changed to how many hot guys there were in the dorm and if they should go to rush week (i.e. compete to be in a sorority). I instantly felt isolated. I had left these types of conversation back with my 18 year old self (for the most part!) and I couldn't join in with the girly banter. So I turned to the British way of dealing with this type of rejection.....I panicked. For the whole of the first night I was convinced that I wouldn't make any friends and my entire free time would be taken up with facebook or other such procrastination fallbacks.
However, there was hope. Call it fate or whatever you will but last year I met an exchange student from the UO when he was at my university. Thankfully, after several times of bumping into each other I got his mobile number before the chance slipped away forever. To put it in over-dramatic terms this number could have possibly enhanced my time here in more ways than I can say. On the Friday, the day after the freshmen moved in I was invited to a senior house party.
The party was held in a classic American house with most rooms on the ground floor and a couple on the first. There was food, drink, music, beer pong, games, and people flittered around to whichever activity took their fancy. The people...well this is what made my night....the people were so down to earth, happy, chatty, and excited but not in the freshmen way. They were experienced students like me and at last I felt that I was in a group that I could relate to. I may have become slightly drunk myself after sipping on cider local to the state which carried 10 point something percent as well as the shots I also took during the night (that alcohol program I had to complete online completely failed me that night!). I couldn't contain my happiness. After being in a place where I thought I would just have to grin and bear it, this turn around smacked me right in the face and I don't know how many times I said thank you last night to the random party-goers for giving me such a refreshing experience. They must think I am bizarre because I get paranoid so easily to the extent of when they say that I am 'welcome here anytime' I assume that to mean 'I am only saying this politely and you are, in fact, annoying.' Well I have given the inhabitance of the house numerous chances to voice their true opinion of me but they insist they enjoy my company so I will just have to accept it and hope that I maybe become an adopted housemate.
So the party was amazing and in terms of cultural differences there were many positives going for the Americans. For a start the house party thing is not big in England where it is more likely that a house will just be used for pre-drinks (pre-gaming) before descending into town. Although my memories are a bit hazy, I don't remember anyone getting too drunk, the people seemed to know their limits and stopped before any embarrassing antics took place. Don't get me wrong, these people knew how to have fun but they managed to reach the stage of happiness and stay there. I didn't see one unhappy face or any arguments. The best thing was they had even planned a designated driver to take people home who needed a ride. I couldn't believe the organisation and how people were there to just have a good time rather than cause any drama. Not the sort of thing I have experienced on nights out in Norwich!
So after getting home in the early hours, I set my alarm and closed my eyes. When I opened them again to the sound of my alarm it felt like second had passed but I knew I had to get up for my booked trip that day: white water rafting.
I know this experience will stay with me for a very long time. The weather was perfect, and the scenery was stunningly beautiful. In the distance, the trees looked like they had been painted on a giant canvas and my eyes refused to believe that this was reality which I was looking at. Our boat quickly developed a close bond which I think was unique compared to the other boats and this just enhanced the whole day even further. The rapids were so fun and it was great to be in the big outdoors and appreciate the nature that Oregon had to offer. I am so glad I signed up and I hope to pursue other outdoor activities in the near future.
To finish the day on Saturday I attended the Oregon vs Arizona football game. Wow, this was such an experience! Having never seen an American football game live or even on TV I am glad that I didn't look up any footage pre-game and just experienced everything first hand. The atmosphere and entertainment was amazing in the 59,000 seat stadium and the committed fans stood throughout the 3 hour long game. I have never clapped so much in my life. After every pass the crowd would clap regardless of whether or not the pass was a success, and the marching band would play a small passage of uplifting music to keep everyone's spirits high through what is essentially a long-winded, frustrating game. The players would assemble in their positions, and suddenly a referee would run on to the pitch indicating that play would have to be paused for a commercial break. Sport that is dictated my commercial advertising....only in America! The Oregon Ducks completely crushed Arizona in the end with a score of 49-0 and I am sure this made the game more enjoyable but the crowd were what gave the game its energy. Again, this was an experience I will truly treasure for a long long time.
So now I am preparing for classes. To prepare mentally I watched the first season finale of Dr. Who at my adopted house which was essential of course! Seriously though, I am ready to embrace my first week of class and experience the American system of higher education. Let's hope I like all of my classes!
Have a great day
Sarah x
Wednesday 19 September 2012
Expectations and Realities (So Far)
This short entry just to raise some observations that I have witnessed over the past few days regarding what my expectations of America would be and how they are in reality.
1 - America may be the most obese country in the world but here in Oregon the locals seem very health conscious. So far the majority of people I have seen don't even look overweight, never mind obese. This could also explain the sports orientation of the university itself. Everybody takes part in a sport. If you don't then you go to the gym, or jog. For me, this was surprising since the stereotype of an American is often overweight, loud, and not entirely clued up on the junk food that they consume each day. I can say that thus far the reality has been the opposite coupled with the American 'can do' attitude. The one expectation on this front that I can safely say matches the reality is the food portion sizes. The sizes are a step up from British ones (so if you order a small drink the cup will be the equivalent of a medium at home) and the portions can easily be shared between two people. This is why it is also surprising that people here stay in shape so well despite still being surrounded by 'portion distortion' (Thank you to Amy Shortland for that phrase)
2 - Slightly linked to the above point but I have not seen a McDonalds yet whilst I have been here! Yes I don't have a car and yes I haven't explored the entirety of Eugene but my expectation was to find one more or less on every street corner. Recently I have even ventured to a local mall where yet again the golden arches were no where to be found. I suppose this is a good thing really.
3 - Various people have warned me about the huge amount of rain which descends onto Eugene and the rest of Oregon but so far the weather has brought nothing but glorious sunshine. This reality however is destined to change relatively soon so I will make the most of it while I am here. I even managed to badly sun burn one of my arms after only being in the sun for a few hours. Because of my expectations I didn't even pack suncream
4 - Americans don't get sarcasm? I am starting to wonder where this statement ever came from, they are so sarcastic, to the point that I'm not sure what to take seriously and what not to.
5 - People really don't like to walk here.....I could understand in the 100 degree heat of Arizona that you wouldn't want to walk in the blistering heat but in a mild 70 degree pleasant afternoon? I met a guy in my halls who does a really extreme workout every morning, he is getting fit, he has lost weight....great! But when he had to go to the pharmacist about a 40 minute walk away he insisted on getting the bus! The walk to the centre of campus from my halls is around 25 minutes and is aesthetically pleasing and yet students see it as too far. They wait for ten minutes for a bus to transport them literally two blocks down to the entrance of campus from which they will have to walk to their class anyway. This behaviour is very alien to me but I guess it just isn't in the American culture to walk if there is the option of motorised transport.
That is it so far for expectations and realities. If you think of anymore feel free to comment but I am still waiting for all of the Americans to get here so I am sure there will be more comparisons brought up once term has begun
Have a great day!
Sarah x
1 - America may be the most obese country in the world but here in Oregon the locals seem very health conscious. So far the majority of people I have seen don't even look overweight, never mind obese. This could also explain the sports orientation of the university itself. Everybody takes part in a sport. If you don't then you go to the gym, or jog. For me, this was surprising since the stereotype of an American is often overweight, loud, and not entirely clued up on the junk food that they consume each day. I can say that thus far the reality has been the opposite coupled with the American 'can do' attitude. The one expectation on this front that I can safely say matches the reality is the food portion sizes. The sizes are a step up from British ones (so if you order a small drink the cup will be the equivalent of a medium at home) and the portions can easily be shared between two people. This is why it is also surprising that people here stay in shape so well despite still being surrounded by 'portion distortion' (Thank you to Amy Shortland for that phrase)
2 - Slightly linked to the above point but I have not seen a McDonalds yet whilst I have been here! Yes I don't have a car and yes I haven't explored the entirety of Eugene but my expectation was to find one more or less on every street corner. Recently I have even ventured to a local mall where yet again the golden arches were no where to be found. I suppose this is a good thing really.
3 - Various people have warned me about the huge amount of rain which descends onto Eugene and the rest of Oregon but so far the weather has brought nothing but glorious sunshine. This reality however is destined to change relatively soon so I will make the most of it while I am here. I even managed to badly sun burn one of my arms after only being in the sun for a few hours. Because of my expectations I didn't even pack suncream
4 - Americans don't get sarcasm? I am starting to wonder where this statement ever came from, they are so sarcastic, to the point that I'm not sure what to take seriously and what not to.
5 - People really don't like to walk here.....I could understand in the 100 degree heat of Arizona that you wouldn't want to walk in the blistering heat but in a mild 70 degree pleasant afternoon? I met a guy in my halls who does a really extreme workout every morning, he is getting fit, he has lost weight....great! But when he had to go to the pharmacist about a 40 minute walk away he insisted on getting the bus! The walk to the centre of campus from my halls is around 25 minutes and is aesthetically pleasing and yet students see it as too far. They wait for ten minutes for a bus to transport them literally two blocks down to the entrance of campus from which they will have to walk to their class anyway. This behaviour is very alien to me but I guess it just isn't in the American culture to walk if there is the option of motorised transport.
That is it so far for expectations and realities. If you think of anymore feel free to comment but I am still waiting for all of the Americans to get here so I am sure there will be more comparisons brought up once term has begun
Have a great day!
Sarah x
Thursday 13 September 2012
Smiles All Round / One Frustrated Duck!
I don't think I have ever had to clap so much in my life! International orientation began yesterday and between various people being introduced (as well as the ISO (International Student Orientation) leaders performing a dance on the stage!) people were applauding with every two seconds and us Brits were just not used to that level of enthusiasm! It is all about the show in America. The spectacle and the 'razzle dazzle'.
'Smiles all round' refers to the helpers at the orientation who were extremely active and hyper although not all together that helpful. The orientation was geared mainly towards the 90% majority of Asian students who are attending the university and one presenter even went as far as demonstrating how to shake an American's hand before demonstrating more friendly greetings (ie. elaborate hand shakes and the brother hug).
So the presentations which we had to endure explained all the usual stuff: 'try and make friends', 'balance work and a social life', 'do not plagiarise', but the one thing the orientation failed to explain was how moving into halls early would be mission impossible! Thankfully my friends managed to move into their halls without a hitch but my experience was an entirely different story. After gathering keys from the building around the corner I headed to my halls. We have ID cards (campus cards) which allow me access into my halls, however mine would not work and so after a trip back around the corner I was told that I would have to go back on campus (I should at this point say that I live two blocks away from campus or in the equivalent of 'the village' for those with UEA knowledge although maybe the walk is a little further) because my card could not be activated for hall access. Great.... So after a 40 minute round trip I am back with a new card, which was activated but may take 'up to an hour' to begin working. I am still waiting for the thing to work 6 hours later! Thankfully someone was on hand to let me into the building so I am not typing this on the streets of Oregon! Everybody who had to use a card has the same problem but it is so frustrating having to ask to be let into the place where you live every time you want to get in!
Once I had collected my keys earlier in the day I also asked about the bedding pack which I had pre-ordered before leaving the UK from a link which the university provided. I was told that the bedding packs would be arriving from 2pm that day but of course when I went back my pack had not arrived and as the cheery woman behind the desk simply said 'we will e-mail you when your pack arrives' I genuinely believed she had no thoughts on what I would sleep on in the mean time. Thankfully they did provide me with emergency sheets but still the lack of sympathy from the welcome staff was quite surprising.
I know this is such a little thing and I think as a British person I do get stressed out very easily, but the thing that really ticked me off was that the American student volunteers spoke to me like I was an international. I asked reasonable questions and yet they looked at me as if they didn't understand what I was saying. It felt, for a moment, like my own language had been stolen from me and I was no longer capable of simple communication. I now have sympathy for the internationals who did not speak English as a first language (which included my roommate who I helped to check-in). There was an undeniable sense of patronisation from these girls who were speaking the language which came from my country!!
Rant Over!! I didn't mean to use this blog as an outlet for feelings but after today I had to include it as I just felt so misunderstood. Aside from that things are moving pretty smoothly. I have met a few lovely international students and it is nice to be settled into my room now with Marrissa, my roommate.
Hopefully, things will perk up once the American students arrive but that isn't for another week. It seems such a late start considering that most American Universities are in their second week of term now! I really am having a good time, honestly, but I guess the culture shock is beginning to sink in and I have even discovered a surprising communication barrier despite speaking the same language. The weather is so nice at the minute too to say we are in a state where it rains for 8 months of the year. Better make the most of it!
Have a great day! (One of the presenters today told use to keep laughing when the stress levels begin to rise....well it is working for the moment)
Sarah x
'Smiles all round' refers to the helpers at the orientation who were extremely active and hyper although not all together that helpful. The orientation was geared mainly towards the 90% majority of Asian students who are attending the university and one presenter even went as far as demonstrating how to shake an American's hand before demonstrating more friendly greetings (ie. elaborate hand shakes and the brother hug).
So the presentations which we had to endure explained all the usual stuff: 'try and make friends', 'balance work and a social life', 'do not plagiarise', but the one thing the orientation failed to explain was how moving into halls early would be mission impossible! Thankfully my friends managed to move into their halls without a hitch but my experience was an entirely different story. After gathering keys from the building around the corner I headed to my halls. We have ID cards (campus cards) which allow me access into my halls, however mine would not work and so after a trip back around the corner I was told that I would have to go back on campus (I should at this point say that I live two blocks away from campus or in the equivalent of 'the village' for those with UEA knowledge although maybe the walk is a little further) because my card could not be activated for hall access. Great.... So after a 40 minute round trip I am back with a new card, which was activated but may take 'up to an hour' to begin working. I am still waiting for the thing to work 6 hours later! Thankfully someone was on hand to let me into the building so I am not typing this on the streets of Oregon! Everybody who had to use a card has the same problem but it is so frustrating having to ask to be let into the place where you live every time you want to get in!
Once I had collected my keys earlier in the day I also asked about the bedding pack which I had pre-ordered before leaving the UK from a link which the university provided. I was told that the bedding packs would be arriving from 2pm that day but of course when I went back my pack had not arrived and as the cheery woman behind the desk simply said 'we will e-mail you when your pack arrives' I genuinely believed she had no thoughts on what I would sleep on in the mean time. Thankfully they did provide me with emergency sheets but still the lack of sympathy from the welcome staff was quite surprising.
I know this is such a little thing and I think as a British person I do get stressed out very easily, but the thing that really ticked me off was that the American student volunteers spoke to me like I was an international. I asked reasonable questions and yet they looked at me as if they didn't understand what I was saying. It felt, for a moment, like my own language had been stolen from me and I was no longer capable of simple communication. I now have sympathy for the internationals who did not speak English as a first language (which included my roommate who I helped to check-in). There was an undeniable sense of patronisation from these girls who were speaking the language which came from my country!!
Rant Over!! I didn't mean to use this blog as an outlet for feelings but after today I had to include it as I just felt so misunderstood. Aside from that things are moving pretty smoothly. I have met a few lovely international students and it is nice to be settled into my room now with Marrissa, my roommate.
Hopefully, things will perk up once the American students arrive but that isn't for another week. It seems such a late start considering that most American Universities are in their second week of term now! I really am having a good time, honestly, but I guess the culture shock is beginning to sink in and I have even discovered a surprising communication barrier despite speaking the same language. The weather is so nice at the minute too to say we are in a state where it rains for 8 months of the year. Better make the most of it!
Have a great day! (One of the presenters today told use to keep laughing when the stress levels begin to rise....well it is working for the moment)
Sarah x
Tuesday 11 September 2012
So You're a Duck now?
Greetings from the West Pacific! After an epic journey and three flights later we finally arrived at our hotel opposite the campus where we proceeded to order Dominoes and fall asleep at 8pm. I know what you are thinking, and yes I thought the pizza was pretty awesome, maybe a little better than the UK!
Flying was not as stressful as I anticipated. The first glimpse of America I had was the security at Amsterdam airport with the full body scanners and pat downs! Scary stuff but I did feel reassured by the staff who were nice and friendly. So on the flight to Portland I met my first fellow Oregonian. He plays tennis for the Uni and the first thing he asked me was 'What sport do you play?' ... ... ... 'erm...I don't play any sports?' This quickly limited the conversation and was the first indication that this university is definitely sport orientated but he was lovely company on the flight. Amongst other conversation points, the guy told me that campus attire is very casual, up to the point where jeans raise eyebrows and are considered to be seen as 'making an effort'! I must have made a good impression because the guy stuck with us in Portland airport until the Eugene flight, I felt pretty cool. Oregon itself from the sky looked quite a lot like England, a lot of fields and farms. And then it was time for the visa check. The dreaded moment when your hands begin to sweat and your voice quivers making you look suspicious even though you know you have everything with you. The queue for customs only built up the anxiousness and I watched the guy I was going to be dealing with absolutely grill the couple in front of me. My turn. After the guy knew I was studying he seemed to change from scary security guy to friendly American. 'So you're gonna be a duck?' was his first question which relates to the mascot of the uni's football team. Again this was another hint that this team and sports in general were a pretty big deal to the locals. Customs was far easier to navigate than I anticipated and it was just a great start to the American adventure.
In Portland airport I saw stall after stall dedicated to the Oregon Ducks merchandise. I couldn't even imagine any sports team from UEA being advertised at Norwich Airport, or any other university sports team for that matter. This small thing just blew my mind but then I remembered that the stadium in which the ducks play seats 59,000 people. There are only 20,000 students at the University so the rest of the crowd has to come from somewhere!
The last short flight from Portland to Eugene was an experience in itself. I boarded a tiny plane which had actual propellors! The 30 minute long flight was like a mini aerial tour of Oregon, and again there was a lot of agriculture.
The hotel we are staying in looks like it came straight from a film. Unfortunately the sort of films that come to mind when thinking about the hotel are horrors (or 'Me, Myself and Irene' oddly) and I must admit that I anticipated the sound of a gunshot or an axe-murderer to burst through the door!! Thankfully this didn't happen and in fact the place is a really good base. In fact, one thing I have discovered is how much America looks like the America we see in the movies. I guess it is weird to think that the 'real' America wouldn't be like 'film' America but it does still feel like an augmented reality. I should stress the reason that we are in a hotel is because the international orientation begins on Wednesday but we can't move into our halls until Thursday. Go figure that one out. I am thankful, however, for the opportunity to explore before the crowds descend.
Campus is beautiful. There is no other word to describe it. The buildings are mostly red brick and there are trees everywhere. First impressions are definitely all positive at the moment. Visiting the duck store was amazing. This is where anything and everything that can be branded with the University of Oregon logo can be found and the store is massive. I can't wait to get all kitted out in Oregon gear.
We then had a rest outside one of the libraries and a guy randomly asked us to look after his bike will he dropped off some books. So trusting these Americans are! He even said 'You can ride it all you like' which was a very tempting offer. I just can't imagine people doing the same thing in Norwich.
So far the sun has been brightly shining but I have been warned (several times) about the insane amount of rain which falls in Eugene, so I am fully braced for the expected downpours.
Flying was not as stressful as I anticipated. The first glimpse of America I had was the security at Amsterdam airport with the full body scanners and pat downs! Scary stuff but I did feel reassured by the staff who were nice and friendly. So on the flight to Portland I met my first fellow Oregonian. He plays tennis for the Uni and the first thing he asked me was 'What sport do you play?' ... ... ... 'erm...I don't play any sports?' This quickly limited the conversation and was the first indication that this university is definitely sport orientated but he was lovely company on the flight. Amongst other conversation points, the guy told me that campus attire is very casual, up to the point where jeans raise eyebrows and are considered to be seen as 'making an effort'! I must have made a good impression because the guy stuck with us in Portland airport until the Eugene flight, I felt pretty cool. Oregon itself from the sky looked quite a lot like England, a lot of fields and farms. And then it was time for the visa check. The dreaded moment when your hands begin to sweat and your voice quivers making you look suspicious even though you know you have everything with you. The queue for customs only built up the anxiousness and I watched the guy I was going to be dealing with absolutely grill the couple in front of me. My turn. After the guy knew I was studying he seemed to change from scary security guy to friendly American. 'So you're gonna be a duck?' was his first question which relates to the mascot of the uni's football team. Again this was another hint that this team and sports in general were a pretty big deal to the locals. Customs was far easier to navigate than I anticipated and it was just a great start to the American adventure.
In Portland airport I saw stall after stall dedicated to the Oregon Ducks merchandise. I couldn't even imagine any sports team from UEA being advertised at Norwich Airport, or any other university sports team for that matter. This small thing just blew my mind but then I remembered that the stadium in which the ducks play seats 59,000 people. There are only 20,000 students at the University so the rest of the crowd has to come from somewhere!
The last short flight from Portland to Eugene was an experience in itself. I boarded a tiny plane which had actual propellors! The 30 minute long flight was like a mini aerial tour of Oregon, and again there was a lot of agriculture.
The hotel we are staying in looks like it came straight from a film. Unfortunately the sort of films that come to mind when thinking about the hotel are horrors (or 'Me, Myself and Irene' oddly) and I must admit that I anticipated the sound of a gunshot or an axe-murderer to burst through the door!! Thankfully this didn't happen and in fact the place is a really good base. In fact, one thing I have discovered is how much America looks like the America we see in the movies. I guess it is weird to think that the 'real' America wouldn't be like 'film' America but it does still feel like an augmented reality. I should stress the reason that we are in a hotel is because the international orientation begins on Wednesday but we can't move into our halls until Thursday. Go figure that one out. I am thankful, however, for the opportunity to explore before the crowds descend.
 |
| Our hotel :-) |
Campus is beautiful. There is no other word to describe it. The buildings are mostly red brick and there are trees everywhere. First impressions are definitely all positive at the moment. Visiting the duck store was amazing. This is where anything and everything that can be branded with the University of Oregon logo can be found and the store is massive. I can't wait to get all kitted out in Oregon gear.
We then had a rest outside one of the libraries and a guy randomly asked us to look after his bike will he dropped off some books. So trusting these Americans are! He even said 'You can ride it all you like' which was a very tempting offer. I just can't imagine people doing the same thing in Norwich.
 |
| The business centre on campus |
So the campus is quiet at the moment but I'm sure things will change once the international orientation begins. That is when the excitement will really start!!
Have a great day!
Sarah x
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