Live, Learn, Love… London

As I have mentioned before, while studying in London I took a module called British Life and Culture.  In this class we learned a lot about our temporary home. In addition to learning all about the British monarchy, government, schools, and overall cultural characteristics, the class went on a series of field trips.  In an earlier post I wrote about our trip to historical Brighton Pier and Beach.  Our next trip was to another historical English landmark, and world- renowned educational institution, Oxford University.

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If Oxford’s name alone did not stir enough interest in our group, finding out that certain scenes of Harry Potter were filmed on the campus, and the “Hogwarts Great Hall” was modeled after the Oxford dining room, definitely caught our attention.  Oxford is also the birthplace of Alice in Wonderland.  The stained- glass windows of the dining hall feature the main characters of Lewis Carroll’s beloved story poking around in the corners of the glass.  The beautiful old buildings were larger than life, and had the most interesting architectural style.  Not only was the university’s campus an interesting atmosphere, but the entire town of Oxford had a really unique feel.  There were contemporary retail stores, old antique shops, and an incredible covered market.  The covered market was the first of its kind that I had seen in Europe.  It had everything from hats and dresses to skinned goats and rabbits hanging from meat hooks.  Oxford was a beautiful town, and it had some really interesting elements.  It was great to see, but it’s definitely just a day trip, as there wasn’t too much around to do.  Maybe someone else has some other suggestions for things to do in and around Oxford?

Hello Lovely Readers… Let me introduce you to Cutie’s For Katie!

If you were my Facebook friend or following me on Twitter last spring while I was in London, you may remember that while I was abroad I missed the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Great Strides walk.  As my sister, Katie, is living with CF this cause is extremely close to my heart, and I am committed to doing what I can to “make CF stand for Cure Found!”

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Katie is 19, and an extremely smart, funny, and talented girl.  She is a freshman studying biomedical engineering at George Washington University in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.  She hopes to use her degree to work towards a cure for CF, if we have not already found one by then!  Researcher, doctors, and scientists have high hopes, and believe we are close to a cure, but lack of funding puts a halt to these efforts.  CFF is a great organization, and is an incredibly worthy cause.

Since I am back in the states this spring my sister and I will be walking in Great Strides with our team, “Cuties For Katie.”  Please consider donating to our team, to continue what will be life changing, and lengthening research for the 30,000 Americans affected with CF. Every dollar counts!!!

Follow this link to Donate! Cutie’s For Katie!

And here is a video on the Great Strides Walk!

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In my opinion the EuroStar is an amazing method of transportation.  In just over 2 hours you can get from London, through the English Channel, to Paris!  Naturally when living in London, a weekend in Paris is a must! The first weekend in March, a group of girls, also studying at Kingston, and I went on a trip to the City of Love.  It was a trip hosted by Proscenium Tours http://www.prosceniumtours.com/, that was advertised through a Student Fair at our university.  We got a great discounted rate of 198 GBP, and it was so worth the money!  The day of departure we all met up at the Kingston train station to catch the very first train to London Waterloo around 5am.  From there we traveled to St. Pancras International Rail Station to meet our tour guide, Joel. We immediately loved Joel!  He had a great personality and was cracking jokes from the very beginning when our group crossed paths with a “Stag” party (aka Bachelor Party) all dressed as Hulk Hogan with feather boas – the British have quite the sense of humor.

A few hours later we arrived at Gare Du Nord, Paris, and started on our sightseeing tour.  We were on a coach for the greater part of the tour where Joel pointed out all the important sites of the city, and there were a few points where we stopped to get off the bus and take some pictures.  During the tour we saw Notre Dame, the Pantheon, the National Opera House, the Arch de Triumph, a statue of George Washington, the hotel Princess Diana left just before her fatal accident, the tunnel site of her accident, the Louvre, and of course the Eiffel Tower.  After the coach tour we stopped by the hotel to drop our things, and met up to go on a river cruise of La Seine. It was absolutely freezing on the waters of Paris in March, but seeing Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Paris’ famous bridges, and other Parisian sights all lit up along the river bank was an incredible sight.

The next morning we went on a walking tour with our guide Joel to La Bastille, the Marais district, Le Notre Dame, and the Ile de la Cite. While in Cite, we were given free time to explore Notre Dame, and discover the famous works of art in the Louvre Museum.  Also on our second day in Paris, we went to the Père Lachaise cemetery, which is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, and the burial grounds of Jim Morrison, Chopin, Delacroix, and Oscar Wilde, among many other famous names. We tried to go to the Catacombs, but by the time we made it there the site was closed for the day.  We headed back to the city to get some dinner, complete with a delicious dessert of Crème Brule, and to see the Eiffel Tower’s light show.  On the way home we had a slight traveler’s mishap, and got on a metro car at the end of its line.  My friends from London, some Greek musicians, and I got stuck in the Metro tunnel.  Naturally we all started screaming, and the conductor said something over the PA system, but it was obviously in French, which none of us, nor the Greeks could understand.  For about 2 minutes, which seemed like an eternity, we thought we were going to die in a dark Metro tunnel.  The metro car finally pulled out, and we got home with no further issues!

On our third and final day in the city of love, Leah, Sarah, Carolyn, and I headed to the Pantheon, where the crypts of Voltaire, Monnet, Marie Curie, and Victor Hugo are.  Our visit to Paris could be defined by all the graves we visited.  After the Pantheon we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and the view was nothing short of breath taking! When we were done with the oohs and ahhhs of standing so high above such a beautiful city, we met our guide, Joel, outside of the world famous Moulin Rouge for a tour of Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur.  In Montmartre there were great markets of artists selling paintings and doing portraits, bakers and sweet shops, and so many other great local merchants.  The Sacre Coeur was another beautiful and magestic cathedral sitting high on a hill with great views of the city below.  After our tour was over we headed back to the hotel to go home to London.

The most used phrase of the weekend was definitely, “Oh my gosh you guys… We’re in PARIS!!!”

And the number one thing you MUST do in Paris… Eat a Nutella Crepe! You will totally love it, and I am not ashamed to say, I have had dreams about these delicious Parisian pastries! As always, comment me! I’d be happy to answer any questions and give any advice!  :) Britt

Falling Phone Booths on Old London Road in Kingston

I know its been quite a while since I’ve updated all that went on while I was studying in Europe, but I am still determined to update my readers on all my adventures.  Forgive me for the year delay- its been a busy one.  I am now converting my hand written travel journal to blog posts to share with anyone who’s interested! So I am starting up again, chronicling my journeys, and giving my advice, and as always, interested in your input!

One of London’s many claims to fame is its theatre.  In my British Life and Culture class we went on a trip to the National Theatre to see a play called London Assurance.  It was a slightly humorous venture with a plot of a confusing, misleading, deceitful, and ironic web of relationships, that in my opinion is a bit of a tired story line.  I am pretty sure the members of our BLC class were the only people in the theatre under the age of 60, and being as we are all study abroad students, we weren’t quite as impressed with the ‘witty’ British humor.

Before we attended the theatre, our BLC class had a very fitting ‘British Theatre’ theme.  We were told that the British found theatre to be a more sophisticated profession than that of cinema actors.  Our instructor, and an American visiting lecturer, told us that the audience of a British theatre was much different than we were used to in the States.  The American lecturer told us that the British theatre was more revered as an art form, the audience was more respectful, and the overall feel was more sophisticated than that of American theatre.  After attending the theatre, I couldn’t really disagree more.  I found the audience to be comparable to those I’ve been a part of in the States, and the overall experience was similar to any play or musical I’ve been to either in a small New Jersey playhouse or a bigger Philadelphia or Broadway Theatre.  This made me seriously wonder where this woman was going to the theatre in the United States.

Overall, my first experience of London theatre was not bad, but it wasn’t as impressive as I had thought it would be.

My second experience of London theatre was a popular musical in London’s famous West End- The Phantom of the Opera.  I had never seen the musical on Broadway, but I have watched the movie if that counts! Anyway, I thought the show was incredible!  The actors and dancers and singers! They were all fabulous! The production is currently at Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End, and I would definitely recommend seeing it if you get the opportunity.  Even if you are my States-Side readers I am sure the show is just as great (if not better!) on Broadway- GO SEE IT!

Phantom has really sparked my interest in London’s West End theatre district, and with great student or group rates, I plan to see a few more shows before I head back to Broadway! Currently top of my list is Les Miserables and Wicked – any other suggestions?!?!

Way back in February I got the opportunity to take  a weekend visit to Liverpool, England.  Jocelyn, one of my  friends at Kingston in London, has a friend, Jenny, who lives in Liverpool, and I was invited to tag along for the visit!  Jocelyn and I started our journey bright and early at the Surbiton train station and made our way to the Victoria Coach Station in central London.  We hopped on the National Express bus to Liverpool, and sat for five or six hours.  It was a long, long day of travel, but we finally arrived in Liverpoool, and were greeted by Jenny and her father, Mike.  We drove through the Kingsway tunnel, under the River Mersey, and pulled up in front of Jenny’s house.  Jenny’s family was so kind to be letting us stay with them for the weekend, and they were nothing less than perfectly hospitable.  Jenny’s mum made us a great home-cooked meal, and we rested up for the following day of sightseeing.

As a pretty big Beatles fan I was so excited to be able to actually see the city where the Fab Four got their start.  We took the ferry across the river, and began our day walking about the streets of the Liverpool.  We saw the Albert Dock, went into “The Beatles Story Exhibition,” where we saw tangible Beatles’ history, including John Lennon’s white piano, and then met up with Jenny’s parents for a drink at the Cavern Club, where the Beatles played in their early days during the Merseybeat era.  Of coure, the band playing in the Cavern Club finished their set with a cover of the Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ and the whole place was singing along.  Liverpool was such a vibrant and lively city, and I loved all of it!  The next morning, Jenny’s parents took us to see the Cathedrals in Liverpool, Penny Lane, and the city of Chester.  All the sites were really unique, and the people were great!  I think its safe to say that the inhabitants of Liverpool, or the Liverpuldians, were far more friendly and helpful than the Londoners.  On Sunday evening, Jenny’s mum made us a tradiational English Sunday Roast. It was AMAZING!  It may have been the best meal I’ve had since coming to England.

Monday morning came, and Jocelyn and I had to make our way back to London.  I was so sad to leave Liverpool, with its friendly people and their great Scouse accent!  (If you don’t know the diference between a Scouse and a London English accent, compare Paul McCartney’s rougher Scouse sound to Hugh Grant’s more polished, more London sound.)

Liverpool was one of my favorite places, and one of the best weekends I’ve had here in Europe.  I think if I were to move to the UK Liverpool might be where I would settle.  For my British Life and Culture class I had to write a short paper on an independent visit, and I did mine on Liverpool!  There are a few interesting facts about Liverpool’s past and present so I am attaching my work just incase any readers are interested. Enjoy!

Independent Visit: Liverpool

As we have discussed in class, ‘British’ life and culture can be quite different depending on what country or region of Britain one is speaking of.  The differences in lifestyle and culture seem to be more prevalent when crossing country lines, for instance Scotland is notably different than England, as is Wales and Northern Ireland.  I was very interested to see just how drastic the differences in culture and everyday living is between regions of the same British country.  A few weeks ago I took a trip to Liverpool, England.  I was originally drawn in by Liverpool’s link to the Beatles, and was rather surprised by the variation of city life in Liverpool and city life in London.  This trip was eye- opening and thought provoking.  It made me want to learn more about the city of Liverpool, and gain a bit of knowledge on the birthplace of the Beatles.

Liverpool is located in the North West of England and lies along the River Mersey.  Liverpool was one of England’s first centers for mercantile trade because of its conveniently located docks for trade to America, as well as Ireland.  It was also a large slave trade port, which is paid homage in Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum on the refurbished Albert Dock.  Liverpool was a main hub during Britain’s maritime domination.  The docklands are now mostly converted into residential housing, businesses, entertainment, and museums commemorating the city’s rich history, but portions are still used for Liverpool’s freight shipping industry.  Commercial cruise liners are also now using Liverpool’s ports, which is another boost for the tourism, and economy, of the city (2008, 2009).

Liverpool is also home to not one, but two cathedrals.  The Liverpool Anglican Cathedral is the largest Anglican cathedral in Europe, and was designed by a Catholic architect.  The Catholic cathedral in Liverpool, the Metropolitan Cathedral, is referred to as “Paddy’s wigwam” because of its odd tepee structure.  An Anglican architect designed this Catholic cathedral.  According to a poll conducted in 2004, 46.03% of Liverpool’s population is Catholic making it, by far, the largest Catholic Diocese in England.  This is likely due to the heavy Irish immigration during the Great Famine in the 1840s.  More than half of ‘Liverpudlians’ trace their ancestry to the Welsh or Irish.  Some say that the distinct ‘Scouse’ accent and dialect of Liverpool is a link to the Welsh and Irish ancestry of the region.  The label of ‘Scouse’ English or ‘Scousers,’ used synonymously with ‘Liverpudlians,’ comes from a local, stew- like meal called scouse.  Liverpool has come a long way since its days of shipping, slave trade, and Irish immigration (Cheney. 2005, 2008, 2009).

Liverpool was put on the map worldwide as the birthplace of the Beatles.  It has been estimated that 600,000 people visit Liverpool every year just for the Beatles.  There are numerous Beatles sightseeing tours in the city, The Beatles Story Exhibition, Penny Lane, the Cavern Club, Strawberry Fields, tours of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s childhood homes, and many other places of historic Beatle interest.  The pull of the ‘Merseybeat’ scene and its larger than life history is a key factor in Liverpool’s status as the sixth most visited city in the United Kingdom for international visitors.  The Guinness Book of Records named the city the ‘World Capital of Pop,’ and UNESCO named it a world heritage city in 2004.  As a world heritage city, the Liverpool waterfront was placed on a list along with Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China as one of the world’s most important places.  To further secure Liverpool’s place as a cultural center in England, the city has the oldest Chinese community in Europe, as well as the largest Chinese gateway outside of China.  It has more listed buildings than any UK city, apart from London, and is the only UK city outside of London that has its very own collection of national museums and galleries.  The culmination of these prestigious attractions and accomplishments led to Liverpool being named the 2008 European Capital of Culture, which was followed by a year of events designed to celebrate culture (2008, 2010).

During my visit to the city of Liverpool I found that the people and the atmosphere were much more laid back and friendlier than can be found in London.  Liverpool may not be as large of a metropolitan city as London is, but it is certainly both important and influential in British culture. The Irish heritage found in Liverpool is quite interesting, and is noticeable in everyday interactions with the Liverpudlians, from the strange Irish influence in their ‘scouse’ accent to the numerous Irish pubs serving traditional Irish foods. Even though London is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, it seemed as though cultural diversity was more greatly appreciated in Liverpool.  I was really impressed with Liverpool and its fundamental similarities and vast differences to London.  It was like any other British city with its hustle and bustle, pubs and taverns, and culture and history, but the character of both the city and the people is what made Liverpool really stand out.  My weekend sightseeing and observing the culture in Liverpool was the best weekend I’ve had in England so far.  The people of Liverpool were welcoming, hospitable, and genuine.  After my long weekend was over I did not want to leave – I want to be a Liverpudlian!

The Royal Buckingham Palace

To My Dearest Readers,

As you can see I have not been able to update my blog as often as I would like.  I have been unbelievably bust trying to get the absolute most out of my time here in the UK! I am trying to bring the blog up- to- date between today and tomorrow, when I am on the move again for Spring Break.

There is so much to tell- and I promise it is all coming soon!

Britt

This will probably be one of the very few ‘study’ posts about my ‘abroad’ experience, but what I’ve observed is pretty note worthy.  First off college students here have an entirely different language than we do in America.  Here you wouldn’t say, “I go to college,” or, “I’m studying at a university.” University or ‘uni’ is used for everything. “I go to uni,” or “I’m studying at university/ uni.”  For some reason the way the word ‘university’ is used is just a bit different, and a bit more frequent than it is in America.  During our international orientation at uni the presenter talked to us about the modules we were registered for, and that we should look to our timetables to see that our tutors have not changed.  All easily understood, but the lingo used seems far fancier than it really needs to be.  The word choice is not the only thing that is a little strange about schooling here in the UK.

From what I understand, kids begin preparing for their specialized field of study two years before even entering university.  Once they are in uni they are set on a stict track of classes, and move through their three years at university in a cohort where they essentially have the same classes with the same people for all six semesters.  There is very little freedom or choice of courses, or modules, while working on your BA of ______ Honors (I don’t really know why its called ‘honors’ when its not a special program, but that’s the way it is).  A full course load is between three and four classes that are 15 credits each, which translate to four credits a piece in the US.    Once the students finish three years of uni they can get a post-grad degree in just one year.  What a deal!

The grading and assessment system is also very different here in the UK.  To pass you only need 40% and an outstanding, virtually unreachable, grade (or mark as they call it here) is 80%.  Papers and examinations go through a long process of grading where they begin with a mark from your lecturer, and then go to a tutor from an outside uni for a second grading to ensure that your lecturer has a fair grading system.  It seems to be a great process to really be certain that you are getting a fair grade, but because of this system marks are not returned for weeks upon weeks.  For example,  we are now 3 weeks into the spring semester and there are students still waiting for their final marks from the fall semester.  I don’t know about you, but I get antsy when I have to wait two weeks for my final grades, I couldn’t imagine waiting two months! None of my classes have tests, and only two of the four have any sort of evaluation other than a final paper or exam.  The reading assignments are much lighter than I am used to, which is a plus!  In two of my classes attendance is optional, and in the other two its mandatory – so its kind of hit or miss with that one.

The class atmosphere is odd here, its more relaxed, but in a kind of sloppy way.  For example, classes NEVER start on time and its ok to walk in 10 minutes late- which I would NEVER do!  Many of the British students chat amongst themselves during lecturers’ presentations, and when they are asked to stop the lecturer will usually just go silent and glare at them, which reminds me too much of high school disciplinary tactics.  It may be because I am a junior at Rowan, and in many “first year” classes here, but the students here seem a little more immature than the freshmen at Rowan.  Don’t get me wrong, Kingston has their fair share of intelligent, respectful, and insightful students, but they are unfortunately overshadowed by those who are… not.  I have found that most of the participation in class discussions are being done by American students, and the British usually sit silently.  Although I can’t speak for all of the universities in the States,  I feel like the educational system and code of conduct is completely different here, I don’t think its different in a bad way, but its just very different.

I plan to update the “Kingston Courses” page with personal descriptions of the modules I am taking, and trying to update it with topics we discuss each week.  So keep checking that page for more info!