Corey Winchester's Blog
Program: Arcadia Queen Mary
Major: Secondary teaching
Class: SESP 2010
Email: corey-winchester@northwestern.edu
September 18, 2008
For me, having never been overseas, London seemed to be the perfect city in which to study abroad. Its Western lifestyle, diversity in city streets, and historical significance made it pretty marketable when deciding where to go. I am truly thankful that I have the opportunity to do so. With that said, I’ll share with you the many experiences that I will have over the next fourteen weeks.This experience for me is a story of firsts. I had my first international flight and that was truly an experience in and of itself. I flew British Airways, sat in the emergency exit row, was offered a bottle of wine as a twenty year old, and was surrounded by many people with different accents. This was probably the first flight that I had where I was not listening to screaming children and didn’t have to worry about people climbing over me. While this may not be new to some, it was new to me, and so was getting off the plane at London’s Heathrow Airport. I’ve also never gotten off a plane without walking through the moving boarding hallway that most American airports have. We walked off the plane, immediately boarded buses and were transported to a terminal to retrieve our bags. It was also the first time where I had to catch a train to get to another terminal of the airport. Oh the simplicities of a large, European city.
My story of firsts didn’t end just with my flight to London. While hearing about streets with cars that drive on the opposite sides of the streets, I never really conceptualized what that truly meant or how it would visually appear. Well, growing up in the US, it was a sight to see. Let’s just say I don’t plan on driving here. My trip from the airport to my Arcadia University orientation program was great. I saw many sides of London, a city full of diversity. There were many faces - black, white, and brown. There were many languages, with signs in Polish, Bangladeshi, and Indonesian all next to each other. There were houses, large and small; most were attached to others, a sight typical of many Northeastern US cities like Philadelphia (my hometown) and Boston. There were also many cameras on the highways, on sidewalks, and storefronts, all of which reminded me of the infamous Big Brother of Orwell’s 1984. It was a lot to take in at once, but I was sure London had much more to offer than what I saw at face value.
After two full days here, I’ve been on the Tube (London’s subway system) and I’ve seen the inside of Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and crossed the Tower Bridge. I’ve been to St. James Park, a play in London’s theatre district, and took pictures at London’s Trafalgar Square. I’ve done more walking in two days than sleeping. I’m looking forward to all London has to offer to me. In the next coming days, I will be traveling through England to a homestay, an experience meant to immerse international students in the lives of the British. I will be staying with a family of three, a mum, a father, and a daughter, who together live in a small countryside village called Cleobury Mortimer, during which I’ll have ample time to ask the locals about how Cleobury Mortimer got its name. From there, I’ll go to Queen Mary College, where you’ll soon hear much more about this story of firsts.
September 25, 2008
Homestay & MovingSo, I didn’t find out about how Cleobury Mortimer was named, but it is a small agricultural village in Shropshire. Shropshire is a county northwest of London, about 4 hours away. It is a very historical part of England and has vast rolling green hills abundantly filled with sheep and small cottage homes. I had the opportunity to stay with a small family here in what I normally would call “the country.”
When I usually think of “the country,” in the United States at least, I honestly think of southern hick towns in Kentucky or West Virginia, filled with people who speak with a drawl, drink iced tea, and who still use outhouses. For some reason, I thought “the country” in the UK would be the same. Clearly, I was very wrong! The families that do live in the country out here are pretty much the same as your typical London or city family, the only difference being they farm every once in a while. I was fortunate enough to be with one of these families. I stayed with the Harpers, a family comprised of the Mr. & Mrs., their nine year old daughter, and two small dogs. They live in a gorgeous 300 year old home, one of the ones that hid Catholic priests from King Henry VII when England broke away from the Catholic Church. They made sure we got to see as much of England outside of London as possible in three days.
In the three days I was at my homestay, we went to the Ludlow Food and Drink Festival, the second largest food festival in Europe. It was in Ludlow, held on the grounds of Ludlow Castle. Ludlow Castle is one of the coolest places I’ve been to. It’s an old medieval castle that once was the seat of the Prince of Wales. We also took pictures from the top of Clee Hills, in what is rumored to be the highest point from here to Siberia! In fact, at the summit of Clee Hills, one could pick up radio waves from Russia! We also went to Croft Castle and Berrington Hall; two very beautiful historic and elegant buildings in Shropshire. Besides the much appreciated touristy things we did, I was well fed, well-entertained, and well-exercised. I spent most of my free time playing Wii Fit on Nintendo Wii with the Harper’s daughter. Unfortunately, it told me I had the body of a 29-year-old…time to hit up the gym...
After my stay in Cleobury, (it’s pronounced Clee-bree), we traveled back four hours to London heading for Queen Mary. Honestly, I was hesitant to actually start school, but once I got to Queen Mary’s eclectic campus, I was excited. I felt like a freshman all over again, but that feeling quickly faded. Queen Mary is in London’s East End, smack-dab in between Docklands, the City of London and the Far East-End. It is a school of many diverse faces representing many different places. We are in a dynamic neighborhood that has been the grounds for many foreign ethnicities that have settled in London in the past, such as the Irish and Jewish. More recently, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have claimed this area, most bringing a strong Muslim influence to the area.
At Queen Mary, I was welcomed by many friendly faces in red shirts that said, “Welcome Freshers” willing to help us move in to our residence halls. I live in one called Pooley House. It is an eight-floored building with apartment style living housing largely first-years. I am staying in a flat with 8 others. I am one of two international students in my flat. I have my own room with a refrigerator, bedding, dimming lights, a closet, a nice rolling desk chair, and my own bathroom. Compared to the facilities I was used to, this is so much more superior. I wish Northwestern had facilities like this. Anyway, right now, it feels good to actually be settled. Now I get to look forward to orientation, the selection of classes, and my actual academic experience, the true reason I am here!
October 6, 2008
Queen Mary is a leading University of London institution suited for accommodating international students. I was one of about 500 that had chosen to study at this college. However, the orientation and course registration here at Queen Mary is very different to say the least. I won’t say it was bad, because we were explicitly told during our Arcadia orientation that, “Things in Britain were not much worse, or much better, but just different,” and I wholeheartedly believe that.Orientation and course registration occurred over the course of two days. It was filled with very informative meetings but could have been better organized. During this time, I had the opportunity to become acclimated with the British schooling system. After graduating our equivalent of high school at the age of 16, British students choose three or four subjects that they are interested in studying and potentially pursuing as a career in the UK. At the end of the two year course, they take a test called A-levels. In order for British students to get to “Uni,” (short for university, as they call it here), they had to pass these tests. When British students are accepted into Uni, they go directly into their major. It takes three years for students to obtain their degree. Because of the A-level system, students choose much earlier in their lives what is it they want to do, so when they come to Uni, there’s no such thing as coming in “undeclared” as we do in the states. This also eliminates the need for the distribution requirements that exist at Northwestern.
All of the above is important for explaining the difficulties of course registration for international students! British students receive something given by their department in the form of a roster. Because British students do not take classes in departments outside of the one where they will be obtaining their degree, it is not necessary to register in other departments. This leaves interdepartmental communication at a minimum, making things much harder for international students. So, I spent one entire afternoon going between three departments - English, History and Politics - registering for my classes. This probably doesn’t seem like a huge problem and honestly it wasn’t. However, going to Northwestern where I take classes in many departments, registration in the British format seems like a nightmare! The reason why it is not as difficult at NU is because we have one place where we can register for all of our classes, and that’s online! Course registration would be much easier and less time consuming here with some sort of online registration system.
Regardless of the differences, I am an officially enrolled student at Queen Mary. I’m enrolled in four classes: British Political Systems, The American Century, Text, Art, and Performance in London, and Argument and Address, all of which I am greatly interested in and allow me the luxury of a four day weekend. I am also taking a supplemental course in Beginners Spanish. I think it will help me in the future as an educator working with the diverse populations we have in the U.S. In total, I have 10 hours of class a week!
I am still enjoying my time here in London and Queen Mary. During orientation, I reminisced about my homestay and remember eating candy, one that tasted like Dimetapp cough syrup and one that tasted like soap, two delicatessens my homestay family enjoyed. I also remembered the tranquility of the English countryside and thought about how vastly it contrasted to life in the East End. London, especially the East End, enjoys a constant hum, whether it’s several hundred people being moved underground on its very modernized and intricate subway system, or whether people are taking the staple double-decker buses, which pass by at least every 5 minutes or so. London is just a cool place.
I had the opportunity to explore it more. I made a trip to Parliament and took pictures of buildings that were built in the 11th century; we’re talking 1,000 years folks. While the U.S. is rich in history, you will not find buildings that have been around this long. I also saw Westminster Abbey, and on a bus tour saw St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Courts of Justice, and some of London’s many other cool architectural marvels. I also have done quite a bit of walking up Brick Lane, a melting pot of many cultures and auras of life. Brick Lane has a vibrant community from India and Bangladesh who run many small restaurants. Brick Lane also has a great nightlife which has afforded me another cool experience. I also found that it is a key location for artists and art galleries, a good find that I need for my Text, Art and Performance in London class.
So far, I have found my transition to life here to be pretty good and painless. I have been able to address the most important aspects of my life here in London and I’ve accounted for my well-being socially, spiritually, physically and emotionally. I have not felt too homesick, and even when I did, that was cured with a quick press of a button on Skype. I have found a church that fulfills my spiritual needs. I have plenty to eat and plenty of places to explore. I have made friends from all over the world, from places like Northern Ireland to Germany to Afghanistan to Philly, my hometown. I have even met Brits who are fans of baseball and American football, more importantly, Brits who are fans of the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles, my favorite baseball and football teams. If you didn’t already know, the Phillies are in the playoffs, so this is an important year for Philly sports. Anyway, I am definitely enjoying the awesomeness of London! More to come!
November 3, 2008
So, it’s been a very long time since I’ve last blogged. I’ve been trying to squeeze the experience of a lifetime, as much as I possibly can, into what I’ve come to realize is only a few short weeks. Since my last blog, I’ve been to Scotland, Paris, Stonehenge and Bath and have seen things that I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to see in my life. All of this has happened over the course of three jam-packed weeks during which I have been making sure to stick to a very vigorous studying schedule.
Speaking of studying schedule, most of the “Unis” here have a period in the middle of the semester called “Reading Week.” It’s basically a time for students to catch up on their studies and helps them avoid the end of the semester cramming that I am used to experiencing at Northwestern. That time is happening this week, and it will be used wisely. I have learned over the past few weeks that I’ve needed to adjust my studying schedule. At Northwestern, I was used to studying late into the night, having the library available to me until 3AM, and checking out books for weeks at a time. At Queen Mary, I have had to do the complete opposite. The library closes fairly early for my liking (around 11PM), so I have to do most of my studying during the day. In addition, I also have to use the books that I check out right away because the loan period on some books is only about a week tops! This difference definitely has its pluses; it helps to make sure I stay on task and get my work done early. That means more time to explore London and travel.
And speaking of London, I’m becoming very familiar with their Underground transportation system. London’s Underground (also known as the Tube) has eleven different lines servicing the city. You can get almost anywhere using their Tube system. It’s quick, easy to use and is very reliable, especially when comparing them to subway systems in the U.S. They even use rechargeable fare cards called Oyster cards. You can “top-up” or put money on your fare cards online and by credit cards. The only downside to the London Tube is that it stops around midnight, so when traveling at night, I have to plan accordingly to get home. But, even their night bus system is very extensive, so it makes getting lost a bit difficult, which is definitely not a bad thing.
Exploration is definitely a common theme that I’ve encountered during my time abroad. Thinking back, over the past 6 weeks or so that I’ve been in London, I’ve been to some of the same places more than once, and have discovered new things that I didn’t realize existed before. For example, on my own campus there exists a Jewish cemetery! Mile End, the area where my campus is located, was at one point a heavily populated Jewish area. As Queen Mary developed, the campus grew around this cemetery and so, in the middle of our campus is a cemetery. I find it rather interesting that it remains there, isolated from the hustle and bustle of a college campus full of 15,000 students.
On a more mundane note, I had a very unique and new shopping experience. I was looking to purchase an alarm clock and I was directed to go to a department store called Argos. I was very confused when I walked into a very small store filled with people flipping through catalogues and writing numbers down on little slips of paper. I didn’t see any aisles, shopping carts, or clerks walking around the store. What I did see were three areas, one where these catalogues were, one where people were paying for their items, and one where people were picking up their items that they just paid for. I was very confused, but after a few minutes of looking lost and feeling unintelligent, I figured things out and I purchased my alarm clock for ten pounds (about $16.50). I like to call this shopping experience “take-out shopping” because it’s exactly like that. You look at a menu, you pay for what you ordered, and you pick it up when it’s ready. It was a very cool, but very different experience.
So, I’m starting to realize that this whole experience will soon be coming to an end. But, one of the things that I’ve appreciated the most was the ability to travel and in the 8 weeks I’ve been here, I’ve had the opportunity to accomplish quite a bit. I went to Paris and saw all of the tourist attractions and even was able to use the six years of French I took to help me out. In Paris, English is widely spoken, but the Parisians still respected the fact that I tried to speak French. I also felt satisfied knowing I could communicate in another language. Scotland, Bath, and Stonehenge were also very neat places to visit. As cliché as this may sound, I been able to experience places for their historical value. I’ve taken away so much from my visits and feel like I’ve expanded my knowledge of the world so much more. There’s nothing more satisfying than expanding your mind and immersing yourself in the culture of places you’d never imagine seeing in person. I’ve been really fortunate while abroad and would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the experience I’m having so far, especially my elementary school teacher Mrs. Gray who has sponsored some of my trips!
November 25, 2008
My time abroad is slowly coming to a close! I’ve had many fun and memorable experiences. I’ve been to Germany, Italy, France, Scotland and other places in England. I’ve truly gained from the classes I’ve taken and have experienced a new and unique style of education.
One of the highlights from my time abroad was witnessing and participating in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election. Throughout my travels, whether I was in England, France, or Germany, never before have I realized how important American politics was to the rest of the world. Even in my classes, I’ve been asked to share my opinion of American policies domestically and on the global scale. But even more eye opening for me was everyone else’s knowledge of the American political arena. Whether I was grabbing a meal at a restaurant in Germany, checking out books at a library, taking a tour of Westminster, or even talking to my flatmates, I was blown away by the interest and knowledge of American politics by everyone I met who was not American. It never occurred to me how important America is in the world and that as a nation, we are viewed with the strictest scrutiny. With that said, on the morning of November 5th, 2008, as I was flying out of Stansted Airport on my way to visit Germany, I witnessed history. I was watching President-elect Obama give his winning speech in Grant Park in Chicago. It was an indescribable feeling watching the election of the first black president in American history and hearing everyone’s reaction to this news; it just gave me goose bumps. It was a moment I will not forget.
In other news, one of my classes, Text, Art, and Performance in London, has allowed me to see a lot of interesting places and things in London I would not have known about, let alone see. Two of my favorite trips have involved traveling back in time, to say the least. One brisk fall morning, our class traveled to the house of Dennis Severs, an artist who converted his dilapidated home to a Victorian era style home over a decade’s time. It was very cool because it felt as if I was actually living in the 18th century. Every detail was historically accurate to a T. I learned that in London, there is a very large population of artists. Art has influenced and created a cyclic development that is familiar to many neighborhoods. Changes over the years have attracted artists to these neighborhoods because of their low property value. As a result, art has revitalized most of these areas and many artists have seen property values increase and were forced to move again. This explains the reason for the many artsy neighborhoods in London where one can find many art shows and galleries on any given day.
I also had the opportunity to see a modern day version of the play Othello. The setting was in a pub and the play itself was filled with much more than just the traditional acting. While the play adhered to the original Shakespearian rhetoric, it was filled with techno music and intricate choreographed dances that brought this 17th century play into the modern era. It’s a play I would recommend seeing. I just wish this play was around when I read Othello in high school because it would have made reading it much more interesting. But, to each their own, and since some people would prefer a more traditional play, London’s theatrical scene is very inclusive of everyone’s favorites. Whether it’s a traditional play showing at one of London’s many theaters, or the world premier of Quantum of Solace, there is always something really exciting to see.
