First thing to note is that the British System of Education is VERY different from the American system. First, you don't take "classes", you take "modules". Every class meets only once a week, and in my case, each class is only 2 hours. That's it. The professors give you a lecture, and then they expect you to basically teach yourself! How so, you ask? By reading.
Doesn't seem so hard, right? WRONG! I got a rude awakening when for my first (and what I though would be my easiest) class, I was handed a FIVE PAGE list of books to read! WHEN THE HECK WILL I HAVE TIME TO FINISH THIS?! I am a speed reader and all, but with three other classes to read for and London right outside of my door, I was not thrilled.
Not to fret though! The professors don't actually expect you to read ALL of the material! Since for most modules your only grade is an essay, they only give you a list of "helpful" pieces to help you write a persuasive essay. Never-mind if the books are written by the professors themselves. They wouldn't want you to be biased or anything.
So here is my week in review...
Monday:
NO CLASS! Wake up at 9, gym, errands, find where my classes are ahead of time so I am not late on the first day. After, I went to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, a church right on Trafalgar Square. On Mondays they sometimes have free lunchtime concerts, so I stuck around and not only got to enjoy piano and trumpet concertos, but also got to hear part of a Swedish opera! After spending some time in St. Martin's, I moseyed on over to the National Gallery right next door. I hadn't finished it the first time I went (the second day I was here) so I returned with a mission. After reading in my guidebook that I could go to a computer station in the Gallery and make my very own tour, highlighting artists I was interested in, and then print out a free map, I decided to make a bee-line for the basement. Not only did my personalized tour bring me into EVERY room in the Gallery, but I got to see work by Picasso, Monet, van Gogh, Renoir, Raphael, Rembrant, Michelangelo, da Vinci, and many, many others. I must admit, this feat takes stamina- don't assume that you can just traipse through certain rooms and finish the Gallery in an hour or two. In total, I spent EIGHT hours in the gallery (Over two days). You have to hit EVERY room in order to see all it has to hold. I highly suggest breaking the gallery up into multiple days- it is free to get into after all. It makes you appreciate all you are seeing- if you don't break it up, you'll find yourself not caring what you are looking at.
The inside of St. Martin-in-the-FieldsTuesday:
Officially my first day of class. I decided to stay in for the morning, doing laundry and going to the gym. I headed over to the Strand Campus early to ensure I got to my class on time. My first class was "Museums of London: A Cultural History". I am very excited for this class, despite the 5 page long reading list. During some module times, we are taken to some of the museums in London and given private tours! We are going to the British Museum twice, due to it's large size. Focusing on art obtained through Grand Tours, it seems like this course is right up my alley. My professor is British, and with that comes a wonderful sense of humor. She is half deaf, and during our first class, she informed us of this fact. She then said that she completely expects and welcomes us to yell at her, due to the fact that that is the only way she will hear us. The only problem, she says, is that because of this, she won't be able to tell when we are angry at her- so feel free to stomp and make angry faces at her in order to convey our feelings.
Wednesday:
My busy day. I made the mistake of going to the gym before my 9 am class, which resulted in a rushed breakfast of cereal and tea, and then a light jog to class. But I was still there 15 minutes early! My first module of the day is "Environmental Risk, Governance, and Society", a 3rd year class. Undergraduate degrees in the UK are earned in 3 years, so this means that this is a very high level class. My professor is a Swed who likes to refer to himself in the third person and is a little too delighted to have an American in his class- he asked me how I was affected by the mud slides in California. Well, I said, considering I live in Connecticut, I was not affected at all. After discussing risk vs. hazard, and then discussing different kinds of risk (voluntary and involuntary), our professor asked us to give examples of each. Obviously, involuntary risk is any natural disaster. One student raised their hand and said "Climactic Environmental Events". Problem is, the Professor wanted 5 examples. After a long pause, a particularly sarcastic British student offered "Solar Flares" and "Being sucked up by a black hole". I love this country.
My second module is "Social Theory and the Environment", also a 3rd year course. This seems like it is more of a philosophy course. Where we are studying how Marxism reacts to the Environment. Well, if you know me, you know I HATE Marxism, Socialism, Communism.... all of it. Let's see how this one goes. After class, I spent some time in the library reading for my courses. I still love how my library is basically a castle. Never gets old.
Thursday:
A relatively chill day. Started with the gym and reading for classes, and ended with my second SNOG and a walk around Whitehall. On my walk, my initial goal was to go to Banqueting House. However, due to it being closed, I went to the Household Calvary Museum and Horse Guards Parade. This is where the Queen's personal guard (who ride on horseback) are housed. The Horse Guards Parade is not really a 'parade' at all- it is a giant sand court where the the Calvary prepares for the changing of the guard each day. After snapping some pictures, I went into the museum (which is the first I have had to pay for, a whole £4!) and discovered I was the only person there. I went through the small museum, taking pictures of the different uniforms and memorabilia, reading some interesting facts about the guards (every member must be at least 6 feet tall), and taking in the history. Then, I came to a room that had a glass wall. On the other side of the glass were the ACTUAL stables of the horses used in the guard. And right against the wall was a stall with a HUGE horse in it. As I was looking in, the horse turned its head to me, and just stared. I looked back. Knowing I was alone, I didn't care just staring back at it and making weird faces.
...that is, until I saw the attendant in the stalls staring at me. Embarrassed, I left the glass wall and pretended to be looking around. Seconds later, the same attendant appears inside the museum. Apparently, he was an off duty guard. In any movie, this would totally be a "meet-cute". Too bad I'm taken and the guy was not attractive at all. Sorry Hollywood, no great plot here. However, he did come up to me. I must've been as red as my coat. He then said, "Do you wanna come in the stable and pet the horse, he seems to like you! Usually we don't do this, but you are the only one here." Um, yeah. I didn't hesitate. After a few nice pats, I politely told him I should go, since I was probably breaking the law by touching the Queen's Guard Horses. He laughed, and then joked- "Wanna ride him? You have a red coat on- you can blend in!" HA! Yeah, I would love to get fricken deported. Thanks, but no thanks, buddy!
Officially my first day of class. I decided to stay in for the morning, doing laundry and going to the gym. I headed over to the Strand Campus early to ensure I got to my class on time. My first class was "Museums of London: A Cultural History". I am very excited for this class, despite the 5 page long reading list. During some module times, we are taken to some of the museums in London and given private tours! We are going to the British Museum twice, due to it's large size. Focusing on art obtained through Grand Tours, it seems like this course is right up my alley. My professor is British, and with that comes a wonderful sense of humor. She is half deaf, and during our first class, she informed us of this fact. She then said that she completely expects and welcomes us to yell at her, due to the fact that that is the only way she will hear us. The only problem, she says, is that because of this, she won't be able to tell when we are angry at her- so feel free to stomp and make angry faces at her in order to convey our feelings.
Wednesday:
My busy day. I made the mistake of going to the gym before my 9 am class, which resulted in a rushed breakfast of cereal and tea, and then a light jog to class. But I was still there 15 minutes early! My first module of the day is "Environmental Risk, Governance, and Society", a 3rd year class. Undergraduate degrees in the UK are earned in 3 years, so this means that this is a very high level class. My professor is a Swed who likes to refer to himself in the third person and is a little too delighted to have an American in his class- he asked me how I was affected by the mud slides in California. Well, I said, considering I live in Connecticut, I was not affected at all. After discussing risk vs. hazard, and then discussing different kinds of risk (voluntary and involuntary), our professor asked us to give examples of each. Obviously, involuntary risk is any natural disaster. One student raised their hand and said "Climactic Environmental Events". Problem is, the Professor wanted 5 examples. After a long pause, a particularly sarcastic British student offered "Solar Flares" and "Being sucked up by a black hole". I love this country.
My second module is "Social Theory and the Environment", also a 3rd year course. This seems like it is more of a philosophy course. Where we are studying how Marxism reacts to the Environment. Well, if you know me, you know I HATE Marxism, Socialism, Communism.... all of it. Let's see how this one goes. After class, I spent some time in the library reading for my courses. I still love how my library is basically a castle. Never gets old.
Thursday:
A relatively chill day. Started with the gym and reading for classes, and ended with my second SNOG and a walk around Whitehall. On my walk, my initial goal was to go to Banqueting House. However, due to it being closed, I went to the Household Calvary Museum and Horse Guards Parade. This is where the Queen's personal guard (who ride on horseback) are housed. The Horse Guards Parade is not really a 'parade' at all- it is a giant sand court where the the Calvary prepares for the changing of the guard each day. After snapping some pictures, I went into the museum (which is the first I have had to pay for, a whole £4!) and discovered I was the only person there. I went through the small museum, taking pictures of the different uniforms and memorabilia, reading some interesting facts about the guards (every member must be at least 6 feet tall), and taking in the history. Then, I came to a room that had a glass wall. On the other side of the glass were the ACTUAL stables of the horses used in the guard. And right against the wall was a stall with a HUGE horse in it. As I was looking in, the horse turned its head to me, and just stared. I looked back. Knowing I was alone, I didn't care just staring back at it and making weird faces.
...that is, until I saw the attendant in the stalls staring at me. Embarrassed, I left the glass wall and pretended to be looking around. Seconds later, the same attendant appears inside the museum. Apparently, he was an off duty guard. In any movie, this would totally be a "meet-cute". Too bad I'm taken and the guy was not attractive at all. Sorry Hollywood, no great plot here. However, he did come up to me. I must've been as red as my coat. He then said, "Do you wanna come in the stable and pet the horse, he seems to like you! Usually we don't do this, but you are the only one here." Um, yeah. I didn't hesitate. After a few nice pats, I politely told him I should go, since I was probably breaking the law by touching the Queen's Guard Horses. He laughed, and then joked- "Wanna ride him? You have a red coat on- you can blend in!" HA! Yeah, I would love to get fricken deported. Thanks, but no thanks, buddy!
Horse Guards ParadeFriday:
Today was a whirlwind of a day- I never stopped moving! Starting off with a 5 mile run, a 5 mile bike ride, and some rowing at the gym, I then met my friend Annie at 10am to go to the Cabinet War Rooms and the Winston Churchill Museum. I HIGHLY suggest going to these museums- they are connected. Although the admission is a staggering £12.80 for a student, it is worth every penny! The War Rooms are very interesting, and everything is left EXACTLY how it was on the last day of WWII, when the rooms were finally emptied. Not only do you get to see what life was like in this underground, almost bomb-proof facility, but you also get to see Winston Churchill's room, his secret telephone room with a direct line to FDR, and many other interesting items. The Churchill Museum is also a must for anyone that has ever quoted Churchill, aka my Dad.
After the museums, Annie and I parted ways since I had class at 2. Luckily, I still had time for lunch, so I went to "Herman Ze German" near Embankment for some Wurst. Although the Bratwurst was delicious, it doesn't compare to the real stuff- especially since they offer to put Mayo on it. WTF? NO! I really don't get the Brits obsession with Mayo. I can't wait to go to Germany again! Since Herman Ze German does not have indoor seating, I went to the Victoria Embankment Gardens to eat. With 45 minutes left to get to class, I walked along the Embankment, took some pictures since it was GORGEOUS outside, and then headed to my last class- "Climate Variability, Change, and Society". It is in this class that I discovered that two amazing accents are no longer amazing when they are combined together.
German. Amazing accent that I love despite it's sometimes harsh tones. British. Drool-worthy accent. Combined..... not so much. The professor of my last class has this hybrid accent. It's not that it is ugly, it's just....weird. Also, it doesn't help that this class, a 2nd year class (what most study abroad students take for ALL of their classes, but you know, I am an overachiever and decide to stress myself out with two 3rd year classes) is COMPLETELY juvenile. I have basically learned all of the information in my Biology classes over the years. But hey- I can always learn something new. Maybe. The fact that he talked about the Greenhouse Effect for 2 hours seemed a little much. I could've given a lecture on this in 5 minutes. O well.
After class, I went an loaded up on groceries at Tesco, then returned to the dorm. Earlier, Annie had mentioned that she wanted to see "The King's Speech". After doing some research and consulting my flatmates on cheap theaters in London, we found Vue Islington. Only a tube ride away, we could see a movie for £8, compared to the £17 we would've paid for back-row seats at Leichester Square. My flatmate Matt joined us, and we set off, only to find upon our arrival that the 9:15 showing was sold out. We decided to see the 10pm showing, however, the movie was 2 hours long, and the Tube stops running at 12:30am. Problem.
After 20 minutes of previews, the movie finally started. GO SEE IT! It was easily the most amazing movie I have seen. (Yeah, above Pride and Prejudice... that good!) However, the only problem is that we were a 25 minute tube ride away from our flat, and by the time the movie got out, it was 12:20am. We were able to get kinda close to the flat before the Tube shut down, so we had to find alternate means of getting home. After realizing we were in a sketchy area of London, we settled on taking back a cab. Cab rides in London are insane. You keep thinking your driver is going to hit the car to the side or in front of it. They whip around corners and stop on a dime. I guess there is truth to The Knight Bus in Harry Potter.
After arriving safely home, I had finally finished my first school-week in London. Hooray!
Until next time.... Cheers!
Today was a whirlwind of a day- I never stopped moving! Starting off with a 5 mile run, a 5 mile bike ride, and some rowing at the gym, I then met my friend Annie at 10am to go to the Cabinet War Rooms and the Winston Churchill Museum. I HIGHLY suggest going to these museums- they are connected. Although the admission is a staggering £12.80 for a student, it is worth every penny! The War Rooms are very interesting, and everything is left EXACTLY how it was on the last day of WWII, when the rooms were finally emptied. Not only do you get to see what life was like in this underground, almost bomb-proof facility, but you also get to see Winston Churchill's room, his secret telephone room with a direct line to FDR, and many other interesting items. The Churchill Museum is also a must for anyone that has ever quoted Churchill, aka my Dad.
After the museums, Annie and I parted ways since I had class at 2. Luckily, I still had time for lunch, so I went to "Herman Ze German" near Embankment for some Wurst. Although the Bratwurst was delicious, it doesn't compare to the real stuff- especially since they offer to put Mayo on it. WTF? NO! I really don't get the Brits obsession with Mayo. I can't wait to go to Germany again! Since Herman Ze German does not have indoor seating, I went to the Victoria Embankment Gardens to eat. With 45 minutes left to get to class, I walked along the Embankment, took some pictures since it was GORGEOUS outside, and then headed to my last class- "Climate Variability, Change, and Society". It is in this class that I discovered that two amazing accents are no longer amazing when they are combined together.
German. Amazing accent that I love despite it's sometimes harsh tones. British. Drool-worthy accent. Combined..... not so much. The professor of my last class has this hybrid accent. It's not that it is ugly, it's just....weird. Also, it doesn't help that this class, a 2nd year class (what most study abroad students take for ALL of their classes, but you know, I am an overachiever and decide to stress myself out with two 3rd year classes) is COMPLETELY juvenile. I have basically learned all of the information in my Biology classes over the years. But hey- I can always learn something new. Maybe. The fact that he talked about the Greenhouse Effect for 2 hours seemed a little much. I could've given a lecture on this in 5 minutes. O well.
After class, I went an loaded up on groceries at Tesco, then returned to the dorm. Earlier, Annie had mentioned that she wanted to see "The King's Speech". After doing some research and consulting my flatmates on cheap theaters in London, we found Vue Islington. Only a tube ride away, we could see a movie for £8, compared to the £17 we would've paid for back-row seats at Leichester Square. My flatmate Matt joined us, and we set off, only to find upon our arrival that the 9:15 showing was sold out. We decided to see the 10pm showing, however, the movie was 2 hours long, and the Tube stops running at 12:30am. Problem.
After 20 minutes of previews, the movie finally started. GO SEE IT! It was easily the most amazing movie I have seen. (Yeah, above Pride and Prejudice... that good!) However, the only problem is that we were a 25 minute tube ride away from our flat, and by the time the movie got out, it was 12:20am. We were able to get kinda close to the flat before the Tube shut down, so we had to find alternate means of getting home. After realizing we were in a sketchy area of London, we settled on taking back a cab. Cab rides in London are insane. You keep thinking your driver is going to hit the car to the side or in front of it. They whip around corners and stop on a dime. I guess there is truth to The Knight Bus in Harry Potter.
After arriving safely home, I had finally finished my first school-week in London. Hooray!
Until next time.... Cheers!
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