Rachel M. - Lancaster, England - Fall 2012

So you’ve decided to go abroad and now you have to read my blog. Well, let me tell you, it has been tough to get time to write this, so I certainly hope you appreciate it. Let me be one to tell you that going abroad is so much work and it is really tiring. Don’t be fooled to think it will be super awesome all the time. However, once you are at your destination and surrounded by everything different, it will be worth it. Your experience won’t be like mine and mine has certainly not been like anyone’s that I have talked to. But don’t think I can’t tell you something helpful, or at least amuse you with my tales of my British experience! So alas, let’s move on.

I spent a couple days in London before going to my school, and that was really different. My program that brought me abroad was IFSA- Butler, and they had an orientation for all the students studying in England. So they put us all up in a hotel and we had a couple meetings, then they set us loose in the middle of London. It was fun, but I really just wanted to get to my university. But I did go out drinking with the other Americans, bought my UK phone (far too many choices if you ask me), and slept. That was great. The jet lag was over and done with once I slept for like 13 hours.  I got to see some of the famous sites in London, but I will probably go back on my own at some point during the semester and really explore it for myself.

Finally I got to my university. This was really odd for me. They had the international students come for freshman orientation or “Fresher’s Week” as they call it. It was great for the first few nights, but I began to notice how out of place I was. Not because I was an American, but because I’m a senior. I was older than a majority of the orientation leaders. They are all just starting out their college experience and I am going to be leaving it. Now, we still all had fun and went out drinking practically every night, but I found it easier to talk with the 3^rd years when they moved in during the week. The good thing about being with the freshers though is that I got to experience a freshman week another time. And in comparison, I have to say they do theirs better than American Universities. And that is mainly because of the drinking. Because it is legal for them all to drink here at 18, it is incorporated into the week. Everyone is taken care of and the orientation leaders have the job of making sure even the drunkest fresher is put in a taxi and taken home. There are no groups sneaking alcohol in the dorms and binge drinking with no one around to help if bad choices are made. It’s just a better system, because it would be ridiculous for anyone in America to believe that the freshmen in college don’t drink. So here, people just seem to be smarter about it. But that’s my opinion and observation here at my school. Others may be different. But seriously, there is alcohol everywhere. You don’t have to drink it. No one will make you feel weird about not drinking, but my campus has 9 bars. One for each college. (Explanation: the dorms are grouped together and called colleges. So I live in Cartmel College on the Lancaster university campus.) So clubs and organizations will meet at a bar for a social and just hang out. It’s pretty cool if you think about it. I have made friends with a lovely Chinese girl who lives in the room next to me. An American boy from Colorado and some British freshmen. I haven’t gotten to meet a lot of people my age because I have seriously been hanging out with the freshers all week. But I’m sure it will be happening this week as classes begin and I can join the clubs.

Moving away from the topic of alcohol, I have to tell you, as Americans we have been lied to. We are under the assumption that every other country hates us. In reality they think our government is ridiculous but they love America and Americans. There are so many people who have told me how much they want to go to America and they want me to talk about what it is like there. It was really weird because I have so many problems with America and to hear them all want to go live there makes me want to tell them not to! But my opinion of our country aside, I do tell them all about it; I encourage them to take a semester or a year over there and see for themselves, because everyone can form their own opinion. They do love to talk about our politics though. They hate Romney, by the way, so if you support him, it’s best to avoid the topic all together. I have had offers of help when I tell them if Romney wins the election I won’t be going back to the states.

Ah, but classes, because I am attending school and all. I just started my first class today. I don’t know how everything will go, but I can tell you that they system I had to go through to sign up for classes drove me insane. So if you are going to come to Lancaster University, you can ask me more about that. I don’t have a lot to say about all that right now because classes just started. School started really late here.

Another thing you should be aware of though: it rains, all the time. We all know that British weather is rainy and cold and blah, blah, blah. But honestly, I didn’t even think it could rain this much in one place. It has rained every day for a week. There are only two days that have been clear and lovely. I wouldn’t mind the rain, except it rains sideways. It’s just not normal. It drives me insane because I don’t have the proper shoes to walk around in the rain.

So I really don’t have much else to say. Sorry if it’s all hard to follow, I am writing this off the top of my head in the middle of the learning center because my computer is lost in the mail. My life has been so sad without my computer. Please don’t forget it when you leave. (Mine was being fixed, I didn’t forget it.) So yes, I have not been able to check email as often as I’d like, but my computer should arrive sometime soon, and I do check my email once a day. So if you have any questions I can let you know anything that I know. I know it is a weird time to be so unsure of what to buy here and what to bring or what to expect with travelling. I’m going to Scotland this weekend. You know how awesome it is to say that? I’m just going to go visit Scotland for the weekend, no big deal. Ha Ha!

Anyway, email me! I’ve found I love talking to people more than I used to. Mainly because, I don’t know anyone!! So I really do talk to the most random people here.

I need to stop or I will write you a novel. Also, I just used the spell check, and it told me a bunch of my American spelling was wrong! It’s so odd to see the different spelling. And some of the symbols on the keyboard are in different places. Just some small things to get used to I suppose.

Angela K. - Chester, England - Fall 2012

Greetings from Chester, UK!!

My name is Angie and I'm studying for a semester in Chester, UK and I'm so happy of the placement I've chosen. I've been here for two weeks already, but school has just started today. The first week was designed so that international students could get to know one another. I love the group of friends I've made. I now have friends from Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, the US, Australia, Canada, and so many more! The second week the freshman, otherwise known as the freshers, came to Chester and havoc broke loose! We were warned that the freshers week was one of the craziest weeks we'd experience, and they weren't lying! Students celebrated starting the school year off all day every day for a week straight! I couldn't keep up with the British ways so I took a couple nights off to plan some trips across Europe instead!

Chester is lovely town with some of the most beautiful architecture I've ever seen. Chester is equipped with a roman built wall that surrounds the city. It's a lovely walk around the city. Great for photographic reasons as well as a different view of the city. About half of the wall is currently being restored so we'd have to get off and find where it started back up, but that was the best part because we were in the part of the city that we were unfamiliar with so we were forced to explore and find some hidden gems of the city. 

The location of Chester is fantastic because we are 40 minutes away from Manchester and Liverpool and Wales is only 20 minutes away. We've already explored Liverpool many times and me being a huge Beatles fan found Liverpool to be amazing for it's the birthplace of the band. A trip to Wales and Snowdonia is this weekend and I couldn't be more excited. I have found a great group of friends here that all share the same interest in traveling and we already have trips to Spain, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Amsterdam, and more planned out! What a great semester it's going to be!!

Aliki S. - Canada, Spain - Fall 2012

Hello!! I’ve been in Spain now for about a month and I’ve learned so much in such a short time. It’s hard to believe that it’s already October! But time flies, right? Spain is such a beautiful place with beautiful people. The lifestyle here is what you could call, more relaxed. The people move at a slower pace and really enjoy their time with friends and family...it’s wonderful! It’s hard to sum up all that’s happened over the past month into one blog and I don’t know exactly where to start, so I’ll start at the beginning and see where that takes us!

Upon arriving is Spain, I made friends with a group of five or six other students who were also studying abroad this semester in various areas of Spain. We met on the plane and then parted ways once we arrived in Madrid. A couple of us still keep in touch; it’s nice to have friends in different parts of the country that you can visit and stay with. My first obstacle was finding my apartment after arriving in Madrid. I am studying through ISEP, which is the most independent, study abroad program. I was responsible for finding my own place to live and getting there (on a budget). I took two Metros and a bus to my town (at the time) of Brunete which is roughly 40 kilometers outside Madrid’s city center. I think if I hadn’t been hauling an overstuffed suitcase, duffle and backpack it would have been a relatively easier trip (pack light!), but I’ll know for next time!! My university was in the next town over, Villanueve de la Cañada and after only four days of staying in Brunete, I moved into a house in Cañada (if something isn’t working for you, change it!). I’m now within walking distance to my university as well as the grocery store, restaurants, bars, the bank, etc. I did, however, buy a bike (arguably the best purchase I’ve made thus far) which I ride all the time. My house is wonderful! Although I do live will all guys -- one Hungarian, one Chilean, one American, and two Spaniards. The landlords also live with us, but they live in the basement.

When I was accepted and placed into my university here, I also became a part of the ESN (Erasmus Student Network) chapter at my university. This is a program available to students enrolled in universities within the European Union which allows students to study easily in other countries. The program is run, at least at my university, by upperclassman or alumni who have already studied in various countries through ESN. They are proud of their program and eager to help any of us with school, jobs, places to eat, parties to go to...anything! They’ve been so great and I’ve made friends with many of the student coordinators. Being a part of this program has been, so far, the greatest experience so far in Spain. We had a 10 Day Welcome “Week” where we learned about the university and registering for classes, took trips to Salamanca and Segovia, went on guided tours of Madrid, attended parties all over the city and met the rest of the study abroad students who would be attending my university this semester. It was a GREAT way to meet new people and to also familiarize myself with the surrounding area cost effectively! I would highly recommend staying as active as possible, not only to take your mind off of home, in order to get the most out of your stay. Erasmus connected me with students from similar situations around from all over Europe. I am so glad I chose to participate in every event possible. And...it was really, really fun!

One aspect of Spain that took some getting used to was the academic system. I had my preliminary registration form with classes I thought I might like to take once I got here, but wasn’t sure how to go about registering. Classes technically started September 10^th, but I didn't have to register for classes until September 21^th -- two weeks later. Within those two weeks, I had the opportunity to go to various classes and see which I might be interested in taking. However, many classes didn’t start until September 24^th, so there wasn’t an option to do that. I’m just now, FINALLY, settling into my academic schedule. I’m taking:

-  Civilization and History of Spain

-  Geography and Politics of the World

-  Theory and Practice of Translation

-  Commercial, Administrative and Touristic Translation

-  Spanish for Foreigners

-  Translation from Spanish to English

-  Translation from English to Spanish

Seven classes may seem like a lot, but the courses here aren’t like the ones back home. Some meet for only an hour a week, while others are three hours a week. It isn’t anything too crazy, but just make sure you’re in contact with the right people (coordinators, registration, etc).

If you’re coming to Europe to study, don’t worry about getting around. The public transportation is great! We have a pretty efficient bus system in my town, and Madrid’s Metro system is easy, cheap and efficient!! If you’re using public transportation frequently, I would recommend getting a monthly transportation pass which allows you to travel an unlimited amount for a set rate each month.

One aspect that took some getting used to was the siesta. Every day between (depending on where you are) 2:00 and 5:00PM, everything shuts down. Banks do not reopen, but everything else usually does and stays open until 8:00 or 9:00PM. It’s great when you’re exhausted and need a nap! But sometimes can get a little frustrating when you’re in need of groceries. OH! And don’t expect anything to be open on Sundays except restaurants. I’ve had many Spaniards tell me that Sundays are reserved for drinking coffee, soaking up the sun, and spending time with family and friends. I think it’s absolutely wonderful! This practice is just one of MANY that I’ll be bringing back home with me come February.

If you have any questions, concerns or you just want to chitchat about the study abroad experience, I’d be more than happy to help! Feel free to email me – ask Alice for my e-mail address – or leave comments and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. You’re all in for an AMAZING experience!! I’m excited for you :)

Chao!

Aliki   

Elyse J. - Grenoble, France - Fall 2012

Bonjour à tous, and greetings from Grenoble, France! For those of you who will be going abroad this year or the next, or for those of you who are interested in voyaging to a different country, but not sure when or where…I have some tips for you, of which I have taken note of since my arrival in France. Some of these I had already adhered to, and others, which make up the majority, I have learned over the past six or seven days. If you don’t have the time or patience to read through all the tips, I recommend glancing over #2,3,6,7,8,9,10…(Okay, so that’s almost all of them, but be sure to glance at the underlined portions).

1)     When you are making your departure for another country, leave several days in advance. Plan for late departures, language barriers, and ticket problems. For example, my flight out of O’Hare was delayed five hours; plus, I had to purchase a new train ticket at the airport in Paris (to connect to Lyon, then to Grenoble), after waiting in the ticket line for about one hour. The speedy, European trains are just that…speedy. They have to leave on time, and if you can’t lug your luggage onto the train fast enough, you better hope there are some kind natives to help you out. Thankfully, I didn’t have to be at the university until several days later…Thus plan ahead.

2)     Lose cents to make sense.  Basically, to make sense of some of the cultural things, you may have to be flexible with your spending the first couple of days. This is especially true if you are going to a country where they speak little English, or where they can speak English, but you have the ability to speak French, German, or what have you (and you need to practice with the natives)…For example, I ordered a small orange juice in McDonalds, and the cashier asked if I wanted the smallest size…I assumed that she meant “small”, but instead I got a cup even smaller than the size “small.” And ended up paying more than I wanted to. But now, in retrospect, I know what to ask for when I order a drink. …Lose cents to make sense.   

3)     Most McDonalds have free wifi! Use it! But don’t let the first meal you eat in another country be a BigMac with large fries. If you are residing in dorms on or near campus, be prepared to have limited access to the internet, to pay for the internet, or to be without wifi.

4)     The bathrooms in Europe (at least, in France) are not like American bathrooms…To be very straightforward, European toilets are defined as follows: squat-aim-release. My first night at the dorms, I walked into the bathroom, opened one of the stalls, and thought it was a shower. I guess the smells didn’t give it away at first.

5)     In some dorms, you may have very limited facilities and provisions; for example, no toilet paper in the bathrooms and no screens on the windows.

6)     Visit the tourism building/center/office in the town. They have excellent resources for local events, how to use the transportation, etc. Also, they can answer any questions you may have about the city or town in which you are residing (i.e. if there are any bad neighborhoods to avoid, etc.)

7)      Walk around and get lost… Okay, get lost, but be smart about it. If you are alone, a female, and want to get lost in a big European city, I recommend saving your exploration for the day-time, or when you have made a few international/native friends.

8)     Things I wish I had brought with me (had they fit in my suitcase/had I remembered): lunch box (those offered in Grenoble were 22 euro or more!), multi-tool (with screwdriver, etc. all in one), more summer clothes (be sure to check the average temperatures for the month(s) in which you are departing…here, September can be quite warm), water bottle (I finally found one!).

9)     If you are going abroad to study a language or to a place where English is not the major language, push yourself to speak with natives and other international students! It can be somewhat intimidating at first, but once you try, you’ll want to keep trying! Also, some universities offer international-language-exchange-programs, or they have groups that pair you with a native student. This is a great way to learn about the culture in the country where you are staying and/or about other cultures.

10)  You will lose things…although, hopefully nothing too valuable. I lost one of my scarfs today on my way to the campus. Don’t be carefree with things (especially with official documents…guard those with your life!), but don’t freak out if you lose a pair of gloves or your favorite scrunchie.

Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions you may have (especially since I know that you have to for class)!  Also, feel free to contact me via email…Ms. Alice can provide you with my email address.

Ciao,

Elyse J.

           

                                                                                                                                    Escargot!