Journal Entry 6: First Interviews and The Top of Cambridge

I had another great day in my international internship experience at Anglia Ruskin University.  First, I had two very productive interviews with high level administrators at the university and got a lot of great information to use for my project.  Their transparency about the work they do was very refreshing and made my role as an interview very easy, as it was almost like we were having a conversation, rather than an interview.  After this Ryan and I had a great conversation with a staff member at Anglia Ruskin who is from London.  She is going to be sending us some great places to go when we go to visit! 

Next Ryan and I visited the Forbidden Planet comic book store in Cambridge, they had a fabulous selection for how small the store is.  I ended up buying a copy of From Hell by one of my favorite graphic novel authors Alan Moore.  The story is about Jack the Ripper and I thought it would be very cool to say I got my copy in England.  After this Ryan and I ventured to The Snug, a local pub where we got some great pub food for dinner.

After dinner, I joined Debra and Melissa for yet another walking adventure around Cambridge.  There is so much to see in this city, it seems every time we venture out we try to push ourselves farther than any SAHE Intern has gone before! (This year at least).  While walking about we stopped by a rooftop bar called The Varsity (it was recommended by some locals).  There we managed to snap some fantastic photographs of the city of Cambridge at sundown.  I will say the view was simply stunning (see below). 

Again I am so excited with the direction of my project and with how much I have been able to do as far as sightseeing is concerned.  Soon I will need to go out and get some presents for some loved ones to take back with me.  I am excited for what tomorrow brings!

Song of the Day:  Joy Division - "Shadowplay"

Journal Entry 5: A Roadmap and One Smart Tie

Word of the Day: Fantastic!

Yes, today was yet another fantastic day in my study abroad experience in Cambridge, England!  First, I had the opportunity to meet with my internship supervisor Dr. Apurba Kundu for the first time. I came away with an immensely better understanding of the scope of my project and the direction I would like to take it.  I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation in our meeting and we accidentally ran over by 30 minutes!  I also had a very interesting meeting with Julie Walkling.  We discussed some issues facing senior level management within student affairs.  I am glad she is taking the time to meet with me about my future aspirations and sharing her expertise. 

Also, today was great for me as it was the first time there has ever been a Bow Tie Tuesday at Anglia Ruskin University.  While I was the only one that participated, I am very proud to say that The League of Extraordinary Bow Ties was able to bring Wright State University President Dr. Hopkins in and others to participate in Bow Tie Tuesday this week!  I am also very honored that they would think to Skype me in for this occasion.  It was nice catching up with people and my brief conversation with Dr. Hopkins was also fantastic!

After joining in for Bow Tie Tuesday, Debra and I decided to explore the other side of King's Parade that we had not seen yet (there are pictures on Facebook as well, none of burritos this time unfortunately, though I did have a fantastic lamb kabob today).  While exploring the other side of Cambridge we were able to go into a church that was built in the 14th century today.  This was an amazing experience, you could almost feel the history that the walls had experienced.  We also were able to see the famous Mathematical Bridge (though I am not sure why it is mathematical?  Maybe it was the angles?).  Finally, we stopped for a pint in the world famous Eagle Pub, which has also been around since the 1600's.  This pub was used often by airmen during WWII and was also the place where Francis Crick and James Watson announced they discovered DNA in 1953.  I have decided that THIS place is where I will have my official Fish and Chips, but Debra and I thought it would be nice to wait until all the others on our trip could join us! :)

Overall, it was an amazing experience to see history so well preserved and to see people still using the facilities.  Also, it was great to see that there seemed to be an immense amount of respect for the buildings.  That is, I didn't see any gum stuck to the walls, or people scratching their names into the buildings, etc.  Additionally, there were no guards there policing the locations, you could move about freely.  This was a refreshing contrast to historical sites in the U.S. where they are always heavily guarded to prevent someone from causing shenanigans.  I am so excited to continue my study abroad journey in England and I believe we will be venturing to London this weekend! :)

Song of the Day:  The Smiths - "How Soon is Now?"

Journal Entry 4: The First Day, An Angry Cyclist, One Giant Burrito, and Calling Home

Today was yet another exciting day in my travels in England!  First, it was our first day as interns at Anglia Ruskin University!  It was great to tour the campus and to get to see some of the staff that I met when they visited Wright State and to meet a few others for the first time!  After the tour we had a group lunch and shared a number of laughs while swapping stories about the United States and Britain.  Our stories ranged from discussions of student affairs/student services practice, to Star Trek Christmas Trees!  Needless to say, it was both an engaging and hilarious conversation.  Ryan and I also discovered that opening a sealed sandwich package is next to impossible.  As a result, we were left with a package that looked like raccoons had broken into it.  Needless to say, this display brought much joy to our new colleagues. 

Next, after work Ryan and I set out to solve the internet dilemma that had been occurring in our flat.  We made our way to a local computer store called Maplin, where we were able to get the adapters we needed to boost our signal in Anastasia House...So I am proud to say we finally have WiFi!!!  On our way to the store we cut through a large recreation grassy area called Parker's Piece.  This area (like much of Cambridge) has a number of cyclists that ride through the area.  I will say that I have still not mastered the system of sharing the sidewalk with cyclists in these types of areas.  In the United States, usually one side is reserved for oncoming and the other is reserved for traffic going the other way.  However cyclists here bike everywhere so are practically professional and have little patience for an American that walks slowly and takes in the scenery.  I wasn't quite able to make out what the woman said about me, but I know it was not good.  I have tried to determine what the system is in Cambridge where pedestrian foot traffic and cyclists meet on the sidewalk, I am making it a priority to solve this riddle.

As Ryan and I made our way back toward Anastasia House, we stopped by a restaurant called Nannamexico that had some great Mexican food.  We both got one of their gigantic burritos and I must brag we emerged victorious over the gargantuan cuisine.  While there we were happy to note this restaurant's dedication to recycling seemed to be a cut above the norm.  This was a refreshing sight indeed.

As I mentioned earlier, Ryan and I were able to get the internet working for ourselves in a way that will provide internet to our fellow interns! :) After completing this seemingly insurmountable tasks (I am still not quite sure how we got it to work) I was able to call my fiancé Susan as well as my parents over Skype.  It was nice to have the opportunity to catch up with them and see how things are.  Though I was worried that I was monopolizing the conversation by excitedly telling all that has happened here and all the differences between the United State's and England.  Though I am sure they will understand.

Finally, I have been thinking about my work that I will be doing here at Anglia Ruskin.  I am conducting research and doing a comparative analysis of student conduct systems, policies, and procedures in both the United States and England.  While at work I had the opportunity to do a bit more digging into Anglia Ruskin's student conduct system.  I feel that from what I have seen so far, this would make a fascinating publication.  So I think I am going to try to see about publishing my findings, of course I will have to discuss this with people at both Wright State and Anglia Ruskin.  However, I feel that it is important and would love to do it.  So more on that later, time to end this entry, I look forward to another exciting day tomorrow!

Song of the Day:  The Cure - "Pictures of You"

 

 

 

Journal Entry 3: King's Parade and A Bit About Accents

After our time at the library this morning, we decided to take to the streets of Cambridge and explore the other side of the city.  First we hit a pub called The Cricketeers and had some of the best Thai food I have ever had in my life.  Then we made our way to historical King's Parade and saw some of the churches and colleges located there.  It was so interesting seeing some of the architecture in Cambridge.  Particularly, most of the shops are located in older buildings, so even the modern ones that are converted, have classic upper levels.

While on this journey, I had a delicious Café Mocha from a coffee shop called Café Nero.  I enjoyed the drink so much I bought a bag of their coffee.  While in this neighborhood we were around a number of historical colleges.  There we saw many students that were graduating today, so it was interesting getting to see them revel in their big day from an outsider's perspective. 

Today I also had a very interesting cultural interaction.  While I was at the checkout line at Pound Land (it's like our Dollar Tree), the cashier complimented me on my accent.  As soon as I spoke to her she jumped and said "Oh! You're not from around here are you?".  She then informed me that I sounded like I was American (which I confirmed) and that she liked my accent.  This small exchange was so interesting to me, as I certainly have never thought of myself of having an accent.  Obviously being in a different country, this is understandable given I am a foreigner.  However, I guess I just never thought of an American accent as being interesting.  Whenever you hear of actors doing different accents, it's always accents like: English, Irish, Scottish, and German accents.  Being on the other end of a conversation that so many visitors to the United States get was an interesting experience.

I am very excited as I write this because tomorrow is my first day as a Temporary Staff Member of Student Services at Anglia Ruskin University.  I am very much looking forward to seeing student affairs work from another perspective.  Also, I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge on issues of student conduct through my project.  It should be a great professional experience. 

  

Journal Entry 2: Arrival and Exploration

Melissa and I arrived at Heathrow Airport in London and had a relatively easy time getting through customs (though apparently our other cohort mates had a significantly more difficult struggle).  After a nice drive from London to Cambridge (with beautiful country-side scenery) we arrived and were taken to our rooms in Anastasia House!  There were some minor hiccups at our flats, with the internet and our key cards. Ryan and Debra finally arrived and we were able to make our way across the street to Anglia Ruskin University where we would be working to check in with the staff there.  When we talked to staff, we were assured that all of our issues with our logins and key cards would be fixed.  

After settling in we were joined by staff members Caroline and Nicole for a late lunch at a local pub.  During lunch we discussed our flights, differences between the U.S. and U.K.  Caroline and Nicole also gave us some general tips about navigating Cambridge.

After our lunch Debra, Melissa, Ryan, and I decided to explore our surroundings!  We made our way to Grafton Shopping Centre to get some supplies.  Then we went to some local pubs to take in some of the sights.  At one pub I had the opportunity to cheer on my favorite football team Manchester United as the Red Devils routed Norwich!  Finally, we had dinner at an Indian restaurant called Curry Garden where our very patient waiter helped us find some great food!

I had some significant culture experiences on my first day in England both large and small.  Getting to explore the city was great.  Also, having a local shopkeeper look at me as if I had ten heads when I asked him if they had a restroom was an interesting experience to say the least.  I have heard in the past that in England restrooms are referred to as "The Loo", however I have not encountered this in my experiences thus far.  Most often I have heard (and seen on signage) restrooms referred to as "The Toilet". 

Finally, the jetlag won out and I crashed around midnight!  My first day was packed with adventure and I am excited for the next three weeks. 

Journal Entry 1: Journey to England: Lessons from Flying

My journey to England began with my very first plane ride.  I flew from Dayton to Dallas Fort Worth Airport.  I was very grateful that my fiancé Susan gave me a rundown of how airports work before I started my journey.  While she gave me a lot of information at once (and I worried I would never remember it) when I got to the airport, the info she shared came flooding back to me.  As a result, I felt like I was able to navigate the processes of the airport reasonably well.

The first flight from Dayton to Dallas was easy enough, as it was only around a two hour flight.  I remember thinking, "Why do people always complain about the room in coach seating, this isn't bad at all!".  When I got to Dallas and boarded my second plane, I realized why people complain about the lack of room on planes.  My first plane that left Dayton was a significantly smaller vessel.  My plane for my eight hour flight to England was significantly larger.  The seating was much smaller and there were more people crammed on this plane.  However, given the length of the flight, I felt I did reasonably well!  Also, I learned that I am most definitely an aisle seat person, though the window provides you with better scenery.