Posts under the ‘England’ category

This weekend has been one for the books! I spent Saturday at Stonehenge and in Bath with my British Life and Culture class, then spent Sunday at Hampton Court with some friends! I got to see a lot of cool things and took about 200 pictures!

Stonehenge was fairly interesting. We learned all about how it was built in stages over hundreds of years before we arrived, then got about an hour to walk around and take pictures. It was neat, but the cold wind and rain took away from the fun. I was, however, able to warm up a little with some of the café’s “Winter Warmer” (warmed spiced apple juice) which was DELICIOUS! I would definitely recommend trying it if anyone goes in the fall or winter.

After Stonehenge, we traveled to the city of Bath. This place was quite remarkable. Much of the city was either built by the Romans or had Roman influence. There is even a series of buildings built in a circle, supposed to resemble an inverted Colosseum. It is also home to an ancient Roman Bath. The class got a guided walking tour of the city, then we were all able to go on independent tours of the Bath. At the end of the tour, I had a drink of the hot spring water used in the Bath, which, during Roman times, was supposed to cure pretty much everything. I had a lot of fun.

Then, Sunday, a few of my American and Norwegian friends and I went to Hampton Court, near home. Hampton Court is one of the homes of King Henry VIII, whose story I am fascinated by. So, I had a good time wandering around the castle and learning some more history about the reign of King Henry VIII. On top of that, the palace and grounds were beautiful. Outside the palace, there is a hedge maze and many beautiful gardens. Inside the palace, there are beautiful paintings, tapestries, sculptures, and the like all over the place. We ended up staying almost right up until the palace closed for the day.

All in all, I had a very interesting weekend. But, I have to make sure I get a lot done this week so I don’t have to worry about homework next weekend, when I will be traveling to Ireland. Wish me luck!

Well, my first week of “uni” (what the locals call college) is now over (as of Friday – I’m a little behind schedule with this one). I officially have 3-day weekends and every Thursday off. NICE! That should give me lots of time to travel and study.

From what I have gathered so far, there are a few similarities between studying here and studying in the US. Similar to studying at Tech, I attend faculty-lead lectures in classes of 30-100 students. I was worried all of my classes would be much larger because this is a larger school, but I am not having that problem.

In contrast to studying at Tech, I only attend these lectures once a week per class for about 1-2 hours. I also attend an hour-long “seminar” which is faculty-lead, but is primarily filled with class discussion over what we learned in class that week and what we got from the reading. Another difference is that we do not have actual text books that we need to buy. Instead, our professors give us a long reading list and expect us to read something from that list to help us further understand the topic. Also, the classes are

mostly filled with students majoring in that field. For example, I am in a class called “Themes in the History of Art” which is primarily filled with Art History, Design History, and Art Marketing students. Students here do not take “electives” or anything like that. They only take courses that have something to do with their field of study. Tip: I would not recommend taking courses higher than a first-year level. Students in their second year have already had a whole year of classes specifically geared towards whatever course you would be taking, so the professor might leave out things he/she thinks has already been taught.

Other than classes, the weather has been uncommonly beautiful. It has been in the 80’s and sunny pretty much all week. So, in my free time, I have been hanging out by the Thames in Richmond with Eric or spending time with the American friends I have made so far. This next week, the weather is supposed to go back to normal, so we had to enjoy it while we could.

As I said in last week’s post, I went to Brighton last Wednesday with the other Study Abroad studentsand the British

Life and Culture class I am in. The trip was great! When we got there, we took a short bus tour of town, then went on a short walking tour to see where we needed to meet for our tour of the Brighton Royal Pavilion.

The tour ended in the area of town called “The Lanes”. This area is one of the main shopping parts of Brighton. We went to the North Lanes to shop around and most of the stores were small souvenir shops, many of which sold Mod-style souvenirs. This was pretty neat. There were also quite a few cafes. I stopped at one to get a PASTY! Yes, England loves pasties, almost as much at the UP. I have seen shops all over in London, Kingston Upon Thames, and Brighton.After wandering around The Lanes, I made my way to the Brighton Museum, which was filled with a very diverse collection of art and artifacts. There was also a lot of information about Brighton’s history, including history about King George IV (who had the Royal Pavilion built) and Brighton’s large gay community.

So, I’ve spent the last week getting used to the area. Spending less time getting lost and more time enjoying the sights and sounds of Kingston Upon Thames.

Last Thursday was Orientation for International Students at Kingston University. The actual Orientation was quite short – maybe an hour long. Something that was odd that seems to be typical of this university is that the session did not start on time. I do not know if it is an England thing or a Kingston University thing, but no one seems particularly concerned with schedules. The orientation was scheduled to start at 9:30 am, but did not actually start until about 10:15. And this wasn’t just because students kept showing up; the staff wasn’t even ready at 9:30. After Orientation, those students who had not already toured the town went on guided tours, but these were also not very organized. Very odd.

Later in the day, I attended an information session for just Study Abroad and ERASMUS students that was a bit more helpful. The Orientation was generic and mainly geared towards international students who would be attending KU for the entirety of their college career. This session, on the other hand, was geared specifically towards semester/year-long Study Abroad/ERASMUS students. Here, I received quite a bit of information about the university’s grading system, transferring courses, the courses I will be taking, and so on.

Saturday, Eric and I went to Richmond Park. Tip: I learned online that Richmond Park is less well-known than Hyde Park (London), but is less crowded and therefor more enjoyable to visit. It was kind of odd because I was expecting so

mething similar to Central Park, with defined trails and recreation areas, lots of benches, and the like. Richmond Park, on the other hand, had trails that sort of meandered around in indefinite ways, separating the wooded areas around the perimeter from the grassy areas in the middle. And the grassy area had very tall grass. I am not sure if people usually go into those areas, but they seemed more for the wild animals that live in the park (like deer). There were also a lot of gated areas that included “Henry’s Mound” and “Poet’s Corner” – Richmond Park is a royal park – that were very beautiful/interesting. Despite the fact that it was not what I was expecting, it was still quite an enjoyable experience (other than the rain that started about half-way through the day). I intend to go back and see more.

Sunday, I attended a Sunday Roast (traditional in England) by KU. It was delicious!

Yesterday (Monday), Eric and I finally made it to Central London! It was awesome! The weather was very temperate and, surprisingly, it never rained. It was also surprisingly easy to get around to the various landmarks. We brought a map, which we used a little to find our way when we got lost, but it really wasn’t needed too much. We only walked around and looked at larger landmarks like Big Ben and Parliament, the London Eye, and the Tower Bridge. We hope to make another trip to visit indoor sights, like the British Museum and the National Gallery (which are both free) at a later date.

Tomorrow I will be attending my first class-related activity – a day trip to Brighton! Keep the excitement coming!

So, I’m finishing up my first full day in the UK today. I arrived at Heathrow airport yesterday at 5:55 am local time. After that, all of the international students that arrived around the same time were taken to campus, at which place I spent a few hours at Kingston’s international welcome center going through enrolment. I was under the impression that enrolment would include sheduling classes, but it did not. Tip: Kingston University schedules your classes for you once they have been approved and will e-mail you if you have problems. After enrolment was done, I waited about a half hour for a taxi driver that got lost, got told the wrong place to pick me up and got told the wrong address to take me to. Suggestion: Don’t schedule a taxi pick-up through Kingston University ahead of schedule.

Since the last time I posted, I received my lodgings* information and my visa. Both of these were big things I have been waiting on. Now that I have them, along with my round-trip plane ticket, I can be sure I have all of the big pieces in place. I have been nervous because my visa information was sent back to me a couple weeks ago because I forgot to attach a passport size photo to my application. But, now it has been approved and returned to me, so all I have left to get together are the last minute things – international SIM card, bedding, luggage, and stuff like that. I also have to remember to cancel my classes at Tech so I do not get charged double.

Now that all of the big pieces have fallen into place, I simply cannot wait until September 12th!!

*Note: Lodgings are like a combination of a homestay and an apartment at Kingston University. You get your own room and access to the kitchen in a local’s house, but you live separately from the family. I wanted to stay in the dorms, but you can only do that if you study at KU for an entire year. Since I will only be there for one semester, I had the option of staying in lodgings or finding my own apartment. KU sets up lodgings for you and they are reasonably priced, so I decided to take the easier route and stay in lodgings. I am happy I did this because I will be living fairly close to campus alongside other international students (including two American students that will be living at the same residence as me).

Hi, everybody! My name is Kodi Padilla and I am very excited to be starting off this blog. I will be studying abroad during the Fall 2011 semester at Kingston University in London, UK. I will be documenting the steps I take in preparation for the trip, along with the adventures I have while I’m there, to provide a little guidance for those who are thinking of studying abroad.

About me: I’m a Civil Engineering major going into my 3rd year here at Tech. I decided to study abroad  for the opportunity to see the world without having to take time away from school. I chose England as my destination partly because they speak English (haha) and partly because of its rich history and centralized location. Studying in England will allow me to travel to other countries quickly and easily, which is something I would really like to do. Being from a small town in the UP, I take every opportunity I can to get out and see the world. I chose Kingston University out of all of the institutions on Tech’s study abroad website because its website showed that it offers Engineering courses, so I won’t prolong graduation.

Preparations: After getting everything together for Tech’s study abroad application and being accepted, I sent my application to Kingston University. Both of these were very lengthy processes, but neither took as long as waiting to hear back from Kingston University about my acceptance. It was a little stressful, but after receiving my official acceptance letter (3 months later), I started getting final preparations together. So far, I have purchased a round-trip plane ticket, purchased an International Student

Identity Card (ISIC) for discounts while abroad, and applied for a Student Visitor Visa. I applied for this type of visa because I do not plan on working while abroad, nor will I be staying in the UK for more than 6 months. If I wanted to do either of these, I would need a Tier 4 Student Visa. Now, I’m saving up for the trip and playing the waiting game until I hear back whether my visa has been approved or denied. With a little luck, I won’t have to reapply (fingers crossed!). When the trip gets a little closer, I also plan to get an international SIM card and cell phone to communicate with anyone I meet abroad and keep in touch with my boyfriend, Eric, who will be studying at the same university.

I will be flying out September 12 and arriving in London September 13, two days before KU’s International Student Orientation. Classes start on the 19th and I can’t wait!

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

When I arrived in Aberdeen, Scotland I was immediately reminded of the Upper Peninsula.  Aberdeen is on the coast of Scotland about 9 hours north of the busy streets of London.  As soon as I arrived I could sense that the atmosphere was very laid back and relaxed as opposed to the hectic energy I feel here in London.  Aberdeen is known as the “Granite City” named after the victorian era architecture using granite found in the city.  This nickname is no joke, the whole of Aberdeen is practically carved out of granite.  Looking down the streets all I saw were rows of buildings and houses all made of granite.  It actually made for some pretty cool pictures and it did look nice, but I must say I could foresee seeing all that gray every day becoming slightly depressing.

Caution: Sheep Crossing

On my second day in Scotland I rented a car and drove from Aberdeen up to Inverness and Loch Ness.  On the way there I took the back routes and saw some beautiful scenery including rolling hills, farms, and castles.  One of my favorite parts was when we had to stop the car because there was a herd of sheep crossing the road.  Of course I got out and tried to pet one but they were not very friendly so I herded them back into their field so we could cross the road safely.  I also stopped at the Horse Welfare Society which takes in abused or neglected horses and rehabilitates them.  The staff there, who were extremely friendly, showed us around, and answered all of our questions.  It was actually quite sad reading about the way some people treat horses and animals in general.  I took a picture with a little pony there that was rescued. He was so sweet, I just couldn’t understand how anyone could ever mistreat him.  I really wanted to take him home with me but as my Mother would say, I already have enough animals so we had to move on.

Rescued pony at Horse Welfare Society in Scotland

Once in Loch Ness it was 4:00 p.m. and already getting dark!!!  Although I was disappointed that it was already dark, Loch Ness was still beautiful at night and I was able to get a few decent night shots of it.  Inside of a cool little gift shop on the water I looked though books and discovered the origination of the my Mother’s maiden name, McCartney.  I even found which tartans were worn by our ancestors and saw what our family crest looks like.  After that I traveled back up to Inverness, walked around the waterfront area, and had dinner in town.

The Coast in Stonehaven

The next day I traveled to Stonehaven, a small fishing town about 20 minutes south of Aberdeen.  Again, it reminded me a lot of the Upper Peninsula. It was very laid back and the people were all friendly and welcoming.  The town had really pretty beaches and although it was freezing outside I had to put my feet in the Ocean.  Unfortunately my time in Stonehaven was cut short because I had to be back at the airport by 5:00, but I still had a great time in Scotland and I am very glad that I had the chance to go!

Next week I will be playing in my first polo challenge (called a chukka) against other students at Ascot Park.  I am also getting ready for finals and trying to sort out when I will be coming home.  I can’t believe that the semester will be over in two short weeks!!

Best

Lauren

Winding up for a shot at Ascot Park Polo Club

This week I have come down with the flu and spent most of the past three days in bed trying to recover and avoid a dreaded trip to the doctor’s office. Last night after being begged to come into work I finally agreed to go, just to be sent home a few hours later after everyone got sick of hearing me coughing. I wish I had my mom here to make me some chicken noodle soup! For some reason a can of chicken noodle soup heated up by my mom tastes so much better than when I do it myself.

This week my sister and my dog drove down from Houghton to spend Thanksgiving in Wyandotte with our family. I hope most people don’t have to ask but just in case, no, Thanksgiving is not celebrated in England (and yes I have been asked this more than once!!). However, this year, at a small flat in Clapham Junction, Thanksgiving will be celebrated by 8 American students and one British friend. Unfortunately we have not been able to find a turkey and even if we did I don’t think any of us are willing to stay at home all day to cook said turkey. Regardless, I am just happy to have people to celebrate Thanksgiving with and I am hoping we will all do the cliche ‘go around the table and tell everyone what your thankful for’ thing. I will be sure to suggest it.

Hitting a backhand on Pepe at Ascot Park Polo Club

Also I finally got someone to make the journey with me to the polo arena to take some action shots of me. I was also invited to a polo party of some sort on Friday and my friends Megan and Cate will be joining me. I am extremely interested to find out what this polo party is going to be like! I am wondering whether my friends and I will blend into the polo crew, or more likely, stick out like sore thumbs. Megan is from New York, and she is the loud, in your face, angry New Yorker type. If Megan had asked one of the polo riders how old they were and got “That is a personal question” as a response, I highly doubt that she would just apologize and feel embarrassed like I did. Nope, Megan would definitely be giving them a million reasons on why it isn’t a personal question, or somehow just talk or yell at them until she got the answer that she wanted. On the other hand, Cate from Arkansas, is a soft spoken, southern belle type. I am not sure where the yooper girl would really fit into all of this, but I’m pretty sure that the polo crew won’t know what hit them haha!

Well its back to bed for me so I can survive the night at work this evening!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Lauren

 

Christ Church in Dublin

From my trip to Dublin, having my wallet stolen at work, having my first exam at school, and being threatened to be deported this week has been a busy and stressful one!  Where to start…

Well last weekend kicked off pretty poorly when someone from work stole my wallet out of my purse.  We all keep our jackets and purses hanging up in the back cloak room so I never thought that someone would be able to get back there to steal anything.  Another girl I work with also had some money stolen from her purse on the same night.  I lost my wallet, Michigan license, school ID, credit card, money, bus pass, and a few other things.  What a nightmare! This also happened right before my trip to Ireland so I had no credit card and severely depleted funds for the trip.  This also means that I took a hit in the polo department because lessons are only payable by card. This is the second time I have lost a wallet so I have vowed never to have it happen again, and I am trying not to carry anything valuable, or anything at all really, with me.

So after all of this happened I had to somehow come up with enough spending money for my trip to Ireland.  I searched my room from top to bottom and was able to collect 30 pounds in coins, and also $100 USD.  This gave me 110 euros which my Irish friend said would not be nearly enough, but I learned how to save money from the best… my mother, and especially my Sister Lindsey, famous for their bargain shopping ways.  I was able to get through three days only spending 60 euros which I seriously think is some kind of record.  I even splurged and bought my granny a 50 cent post card!

In front of the Bank of Ireland

Instead of staying at the hostel with the other American girls I was traveling with, I was able to stay in a spare room of a friends which ended up saving me tons of money.  The couple also insisted on making a Sunday roast, and feeding me breakfast every morning, so that was extremely generous and helped me get through the weekend.  Also, as far as meals go, there is nothing like a cheap loaf of bread to fill up with!  On Friday the other girls took a guided bus tour of the Irish country side but I stayed back and walked around the coast taking pictures.  I saved the most money on Saturday when I opted to drink water while everyone else was drinking pints of Guinness while watching the Ireland vs. Australia rugby match.  I still had a great time, but I did end up being annoyingly peppy the next morning while everyone else wanted to stay in bed. So that is how I was able to see Ireland on a budget, and the flight was also only 30 pounds bringing my grand total for money spent for an entire weekend in Ireland to about $135 USD. Not to shabby!

The coast at a park in Greystones, Ireland

All in all, I thought that Dublin was great fun.  The people are all really nice and they like to drink so it reminds me of the Upper Peninsula a bit! I think the Irish are a bit more talkative and friendly then people here in London.  I’m not sure if it was because of the Ireland vs. France world qualifying football match, or the rugby match vs. Australia, but there was a good energy in Dublin; a little frantic, but exciting at the same time.  In Greystones, about 40 minutes up the coast from Dublin, the energy was a little more relaxed and I got a taste of the more laid back small town life. One thing I do regret was not being able to go on the bus tour.  I would definitely recommend a tour of the country side to anyone planning on visiting Ireland. My friends had a great time and said it was well worth the money.

Back in London, I had my first test in my Inorganic Chemistry class.  It was a little more challenging then I thought it would be, but I think I managed and hopefully I will get a good grade.  Other than this short 10 question test there is only the final exam left which will be worth most of  my grade.  I think most of the science courses, and probably all other courses here, are set up like this where the final exam makes up most of the grade.

And last but not least, being threatened to be deported!!! Luckily it looks like I am in the clear but I thought I would be able to drop one of my courses here that I found out wouldn’t count towards my major.  Before my trip to Ireland I sent an e-mail to the study abroad office that I would in fact be dropping this class.  They responded by telling me I was unable to drop course. Unfortunately, I was unable to reply because I was in Ireland.  When I got home late Monday night, I had a letter waiting for me saying I needed to come into the study abroad office as soon as possible.  Long story short, I had a very harsh scolding from the study abroad manager threatening to have me deported if I was not studying as a full time student.  So I guess it’s back to studying hard for all my classes with only less than 2 months to go until finals!

Best

Lauren