Life at Edge Hill

I've been talking about traveling so much that I thought at a post about home would be nice. It's funny how I consider Ormskirk home now. I feel comfortable here and like it is where I belong. It is easier for me to write in lists so here it goes

1. This time of the semester is when essays begin to be due and group projects are starting to pick up. I have 2 essays due within the next week. It really isn't as stressful as it sounds because we have known about them since day 1. Not much guidance was given because the tutors want you to explore the whole topic and be creative with your writing.

2. The Hub- where you go for meals, a convenient store, a big screen TV and to hang out. It is located in the center of campus so it is the perfect meeting place for a coffee or to hang out with some of your mates. Every week day a few vendors come to the hub and sell everything from fresh produce to clothing to school supplies.

3. The common room- each residential building has a common room with couches and a TV. This is where I met a majority of my friends. It is a great central meeting point and where everyone hangs out after class.  Because our hall is half American students and half British students, I have met a variety of people.  Everyone in our hall is friends and we have a great little community feeling.

4. Ormskirk- It is like the perfect small town you see in a movie. It has absolutely everything you need with multiple clothing stores, restaurants and pubs etc.. but is still small and friendly. It is personable and home-y compared to a big city such a London where you could live there for 3 years and still not have seen all of it.  I go to Ormskirk about 2-3 times per week. There are some coffee shops where I go to do homework with a friend or sometimes I just have to run some errands.

5. Tutors here are much less formal than professors at home. You address them by their first name and can send casual emails about questions. They are always willing to help and have many open office hours. They seem to be able to make more jokes while in class- but it may just be the British humor.

I've made great friends to where I know I never have to eat alone, always have someone to talk to, and know I have a place to stay if I want to travel to their hometown. Some of my British friends already have plans on visiting the States and I already have plans to visit some friends I met over here who live in South Carolina. I have a little over 2 months left and that is not nearly enough. Time has flown by and I am not ready to leave (nor will I ever be).

Some friends I've met along the way

The Tube and The Castle: My weekends in London and Scotland

London

This weekend I felt like I was living on the Tube (their subway system). It is really a curse and a blessing. The tube is crowded and busy, yet simple and extremely convenient. After the first day or so I got acquainted with the social etiquette of the Tube… You stand on the right side of the escalator and walk on the left. If you are only going 1-2 stops, standing is easier. Have your ticket ready when you need to scan it through the machine, don't be "that" person to hold up the line…

I saw all of the touristy destinations, which are 100x better and more beautiful in person than you would think. We went on a free walking tour which is a necessity for every city I visit. I want to know what buildings I'm looking at and the context for how and why they were built.  

Visiting for a weekend was a great getaway yet the hustle of a big city is not for me and only makes me appreciate Ormskirk that much more. There are hundreds of museums, restaurants, pubs and shopping centers which are great to see but a weekend is not enough time to see even half of the city.

Scotland 

I say this every time I go to a new city but…. Edinburgh may be my new favorite city. It is absolutely breathtaking. The history, the mountains, the people- everything was perfect. We did a free walking tour through Sandemans (all of their tours have been GREAT) and also did a tour through the Edinburgh Castle. The castle dates back 3000 years and is sitting on volcanic rock. Parts of it were built specially for cannon balls to be deflected and there is a prison inside with carvings in the wood are still remaining. We learned where the drink "Bloody Mary" came from (the war between the Catholic and the Protestants) and also the game Capture the Flag.

Walking through Edinburgh, expect to see Bagpipers, hundreds of cashmere and wool shops and beautiful cathedrals. The city is a mix of old and new, traditional and new age culture. My travel partner  Katie and I had to try Haggis (lamb) for Edinburgh is known to have the best. To my surprise, I loved it! This is just one example of the many times I have tried new things and been taken out of my comfort zone while abroad. 

On the tour, we saw the birthplace of Harry Potter. I have always enjoyed the series but have need considered myself a huge fan. After seeing the coffee shop where J. K Rowling wrote the series and walking through the cemetery where she sought inspiration for characters names, I grew much fonder of the series and the author. 

The Edinburgh Castle

 My favorite picture from Scotland- the view from the top of the castle overlooking Edinburgh

If you look closely, you can see Thomas Riddell written on the stone. This was just 1 of the many tombstones I saw that got turned into characters.

Day Trips to York and the Lake District

Hey there! 

Well today officially marks one month of being in England! Being here has become normal, sometimes I even forget I'm in another country. Days have fallen into a type of routine and classes are in full swing. I have met so many great people and I am so thankful for the awesome friends I've made. My time here would not be half as memorable if it were not for all of the wonderful people I have become close with. 

I have taken 2 day trips to other parts of England since being here. Edge Hill's student union paired with a bus touring company to offer students the opportunity to see popular English tourist destinations. They are around 30 pounds (or 50 dollars) for a day filled with a guided bus/walking tour along with time to explore independently. 

First, I went to York. The history and the buildings in the small town is so interesting and beautiful; I am extremely grateful I was able to experience it first hand. York was discovered in the 12th or 13th century. There were wood walls created by the Vikings surrounding the town but they were replaced with brick and a moat to keep out unwanted visitors. There are only six gates entering the city and the Queen is only allowed to enter through the Mickel Gates Bar with a special knock. 
In York, we walked through the town seeing modern day clothing stores along with small souvenir shops. There was also a free walking tour we took part of which explained the history of the city more in depth. If you are in England, York is a must see! 

                                        A beautiful cathedral called the York Minster

                          Clifford's Tower. Go to the top and you get a view of the whole city

You can see the 4 layers of brick all built in different centuries

                                 And now for the Lake District!

Words cannot describe how beautiful and perfect the Lake District is. It is a National Park about 1.5 hours north of Edge Hill full of Lakes, rivers mountains and valleys. Fun Fact: there is technically only 1 lake in the Lake District, called Lake Windamere. The rest are called Tarns and Meres. We took a boat ride around Lake Windamere, viewing some if its islands and the beautiful homes around the lake. We also went for a small hike through the forest and drove around the mountains on roads way too small for the bus (A warning sign said no vehicles over 6'6" wide were allowed… Our bus was 9' wide).

Our bus driver, Frank, was knowledgable yet really fun and personable. We listened to Beatrix Potter children's stories on the drive up. I didn't think I knew who she was, but after hearing Peter Rabbit, I remember hearing her stories as a child. She lived and got all of her inspiration from the Lake District. We stopped at the birthplace of Gingerbread! It was the smallest store I have ever seen, but it is where Sarah Nelson created Gingerbread. Of corse we had to buy some and try it for ourselves, and let me tell you, it is worth the hype. If you are interested in nature, hiking or merely a beautiful view, the Lake district is a must! 

                                       Beautiful, Breathtaking, Surreal

                    My good friend Katie and I had to take a picture to prove to ourselves that we weren't dreaming. It was THAT beautiful.

Next Blog: My Weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland! 

Liverpool, Studies and Culture Shock

Hi All!

Last week was filled with meetings and orientations for the international students. We learned about the British culture, got an idea for how our classes (here they are called modules) would be, and learned more about the university. Tuesday we took a trip to Liverpool with a member of the international office. It's about 5 pounds round trip and a 25 minute train ride. I have to say it may be one of my new favorite cities. It's historic buildings mixed in with modern day shopping and night life makes for the perfect balance of old and new. It is a large city, but most major landmarks seem to be within walking distance.  I can't wait to go back and explore the vast Liverpool One shopping center :)

The culture shock is a little more than I expected but still not too bad. Yes I probably stand out and Yes people probably stare a little bit longer, but I still feel welcomed and a part of the student culture. It is actually harder to understand the British accent than I was expecting. Not everyone speaks all "Posh" like you see in the movies. It's interesting to hear all of the variations in the accents depending on what part of England they are from. Also, there are many different words they use for everyday things and lots of slang (this will have to be a whole blog by itself.)

Classes started this week. I am lucky to only have class on Wednesday and Thursday, which gives me a nice long weekend to travel. All of my classes are lectures, with two of them having a seminar every other week. The lectures are around 60 people, and last 2-3 hours (thankfully they give us a break in the middle) and the seminars are around 10 people, where we discuss the material more in depth, ask questions, etc..

In each module, I have 1 paper and 1 project/exam. This is your whole grade. I am not sure if I agree with this measurement of our progress, but I understand why they choose this way. We are expected to turn up (their version of "show up") to each class and we are not bribed with points for attendance. There are no easy assignments or take home quizzes to easily boost our grade.  With this being said, their grading scale is much different. Anything over a 40/100 is considered passing. Anything over a 70 is something to be very proud of. Their reasoning is that there is always room for improvement, no one assignment is perfect. This is hard to understand, our whole American schooling career has been aimed at earning a 100%. I respect and enjoy that they know we are not perfect and don't expect us to be.

Here, the tutors (their word for professor) expect you to do work on your own and critically think about the material. I really enjoy how we are given the freedom to criticize and question the material we are learning, and not believe every theory we read. It is different and slightly intimidating to know that papers we are assigned are broad, without much direction. In America, we are so used to specific, step by step directions that being able to make choices on our own is scary but such an incredibly necessary life skill.

(I'm no photographer so bare with me)


         St. Georges Hall- This is a beautiful building on Lime Street where many people get married and concerts are held.

                                                            The Walker Art Gallery

 My favorite stop of the Liverpool trip. The Cavern Club is where The Beatles got their claim to fame. Unfortunately, it is much smaller than it was when The Beatles were there because they sold part of their building (before The Beatles made it big and they realized how much history was in the small pub.)

Next Post: My day trip to York!

My first few days

Yesterday, all of the international students took a trip to the town of Chester. It is a pretty big town with great shopping and restaurants. We went into a Cathedral and saw a street performer. It is interesting how different the daily lives are over here. People walk to the grocery store everyday to pick up just a few items. Everyone is more patient and has been so extremely kind and welcoming (especially when we are trying to figure out how much each coin is worth). People here seem more laid back and concerned with others and not so rushed all the time like in America.

I have met so many international students (there is about 60 of us) as well as British students. The British students have welcomed us with open arms and I know they will be great friends. Everyone usually hangs out in the common room.

Next week the international students have different types of orientation everyday. I find out my class schedule and meet my professors, hopefully learning my way around campus more. We are also being taken on a trip to Liverpool to see the town. Jason, Bill and Joanna from the International office are great and always willing to help.

I've only been here a few days and I absolutely love it! I love everyone I have met and I've been having the time of my life. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the semester brings!


                                  This is a clock tower in the lovely town of Chester.

                               This is the clock tower/ center of town in Ormskirk

                       
                                 The next two are Cathedrals in Chester.

                               Here is the street performer we saw in Chester.

Of corse I had to take a tourist picture in a phone booth!

                                  These are some pictures of my room.

My First Day at Edge Hill

I finally made it! I didn't actually realize that I was going to England until I got in the car to go to the airport. I'm pretty sure my exact words were "Is this really happening?"  After saying my goodbyes and some delays, I finally landed in Manchester. Jason (the international coordinator for the U.S) met me at the airport and showed me to a van full of 11 other International students who arrived today. It was about a 40 minute drive to Ormskirk through beautiful open land and farms. So far, the 11 of us are spread out through 4 halls that all connect to one common room. Each hall has 9 single rooms with 1 bathroom and a kitchenette similar to the residence halls at CMU. 
A group of 5 volunteer students gave us a tour around campus and then through Ormskirk. The campus has many buildings, but they are all close together so you don't have to walk far between classes. There are a bunch of little cafes around campus where you can use the 45 pounds per week you are given on your UNI card (student ID.) Many of the buildings seem very modern while others are more classic college buildings. There is also "The Hub" which is just like the Bovee UC at Central.

Ormskirk is the cutest little town about a 10 minute walk away. There is small farmers market type booths lining the main street selling everything from fresh vegetables to purses and other small trinkets. The town definitely has everything you will ever need while here, with every type of store and lots of variety. We stopped at a small restaurant (I wouldn't really call it a restaurant. It was more like a tiny storefront with some hot pastries) and all ordered a small dinner.  A few of us plan on going back to Ormskirk tomorrow to explore and pick up some things we need. 

Thats all for now, I'll post pictures of my flat (dorm) and Ormskirk once I get settled in.

Preparing for Ormskirk!

T minus 3 days until I hop on a plane to England! I have been preparing all semester and I've even had a count down on my phone for the last two months (safe to say I'm a little excited…) I've been researching Edge Hill and the Liverpool area to become familiar with where I'll be and to find some interesting places to go. My excitement is out of control-all I can think about is England! 

Everyone has been asking me if I am nervous and the answer is always "No." I've always been independent and loved exploring new places on my own. I went to Central, which is 5 hours away from home and in a different state, not knowing anyone and my experience has been more amazing than I ever expected. Being half way around the world will obviously be a much greater leap, but I'm confident that I will be able to handle it.  

I am not worried about much. A minor concern is not being able to travel enough, but being able to spend a semester in England is an amazing experience in itself. I also have to make sure I am paying attention to my budget and the exchange rate between dollars and pounds. 

It still hasn't "clicked" in my mind that I am leaving so soon! I am starting to realize that I will deeply miss my friends and family, something I wasn't expecting to be a problem. I downloaded a free texting app on my smartphone and already told my friends that I want pictures and to hear everything that is happening back in Mount Pleasant. (I also told them to prepare themselves for all the Facebook pictures I'll be posting.)

My next post will be from Ormskirk!
Melanie