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
Sunday 23 September 2012
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
Sunday 9 September 2012
The Calm before the Storm
Less than 24 hours from now I will be on a plane to the USA. I thought this would be the perfect time to start a blog, those hours before you leave when the time seems to just drag. This blog will be the canvas for my thoughts on my year abroad at the University of Oregon where hopefully I will learn a heck of a lot as well as have a bit of fun on the side. I have never written a blog before, so I hope for those who spare a few minutes to read this will be entertained and I hope I can include some attempt at humour.
Because the planning, organisation (and never ending stream of health forms) keep you occupied until you leave the country, the moment of reality hits you like a brick wall. Packing my suitcase seemed more like a hallucination (even more so after the 4th time of re-packing to try and keep the weight within the limit!). I have learnt not to take the American view of weather too literally. What maybe 'cool' to the common American may in fact be 20 degrees (centigrade) to us Brits which is often when people will rush outside and spark up the BBQ. So imagine my surprise when the city of Eugene, which is my destination and described as wet and cold, had temperatures forecast in the mid 80s (20-30 degrees centigrade) up until the end of September! After re-packing I have hopefully now achieved a balance of summer and winter clothing (but hey, you're going to America, there is certainly no lack of clothes!)
Looking ahead, I am anxious about moving into the campus accommodation, especially seen as I am technically an international student. I will arrive before the 'locals' although my roommate may be there at the same time as she is flying in from China. This is two experiences for the price of one, living in a new country and having a roommate from an altogether different culture. It will be interesting. I still can't get my head around the label of 'international'. I know there will be differences, and I know it won't all be plain sailing, but surely Americans and Brits have more in common than most? I may have to eat my own words in the future but we shall see.
Classes will be interesting, I became completely lost trying to find courses on Oregon's website so I hope things will become more clear when I get there but I am looking forward to trying something new, interesting, and maybe a little different. Finding a dissertation topic is the main goal of this semester, and I hope inspiration strikes before December!
I had my last alcoholic beverage today, well maybe not my last but I am preparing for the worst. After completing a non-optional online course on the dangers of alcohol it not only scared the living daylights out of me but also programmed me to now believe that all American guys are out there to get me drunk and sexually assault or rape me (Obviously I don't believe that they are like this at all but the program was quite insistent on the assumption!). They really are extreme in the US and they certainly couldn't have done more to convince you that alcohol is just bad,bad,bad. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the college students react once term starts and it will be strange having to sneak around for alcohol at the age of 20 when we are used to booze being the foundation of your fresher experience!
So this is my send off from the UK. The next post will be from the glorious green state of Oregon with probable comments on the international orientation designed to prepare us for the culture shock of the states.
Have a Great Day! (just practising my cheery disposition)
Sarah
Because the planning, organisation (and never ending stream of health forms) keep you occupied until you leave the country, the moment of reality hits you like a brick wall. Packing my suitcase seemed more like a hallucination (even more so after the 4th time of re-packing to try and keep the weight within the limit!). I have learnt not to take the American view of weather too literally. What maybe 'cool' to the common American may in fact be 20 degrees (centigrade) to us Brits which is often when people will rush outside and spark up the BBQ. So imagine my surprise when the city of Eugene, which is my destination and described as wet and cold, had temperatures forecast in the mid 80s (20-30 degrees centigrade) up until the end of September! After re-packing I have hopefully now achieved a balance of summer and winter clothing (but hey, you're going to America, there is certainly no lack of clothes!)
Looking ahead, I am anxious about moving into the campus accommodation, especially seen as I am technically an international student. I will arrive before the 'locals' although my roommate may be there at the same time as she is flying in from China. This is two experiences for the price of one, living in a new country and having a roommate from an altogether different culture. It will be interesting. I still can't get my head around the label of 'international'. I know there will be differences, and I know it won't all be plain sailing, but surely Americans and Brits have more in common than most? I may have to eat my own words in the future but we shall see.
Classes will be interesting, I became completely lost trying to find courses on Oregon's website so I hope things will become more clear when I get there but I am looking forward to trying something new, interesting, and maybe a little different. Finding a dissertation topic is the main goal of this semester, and I hope inspiration strikes before December!
I had my last alcoholic beverage today, well maybe not my last but I am preparing for the worst. After completing a non-optional online course on the dangers of alcohol it not only scared the living daylights out of me but also programmed me to now believe that all American guys are out there to get me drunk and sexually assault or rape me (Obviously I don't believe that they are like this at all but the program was quite insistent on the assumption!). They really are extreme in the US and they certainly couldn't have done more to convince you that alcohol is just bad,bad,bad. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the college students react once term starts and it will be strange having to sneak around for alcohol at the age of 20 when we are used to booze being the foundation of your fresher experience!
So this is my send off from the UK. The next post will be from the glorious green state of Oregon with probable comments on the international orientation designed to prepare us for the culture shock of the states.
Have a Great Day! (just practising my cheery disposition)
Sarah
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