Returning to Warwick

Going home was definitely a good idea. I really missed my parents as I had not seen them since early August when I left for my fall semester at USC. However, my holiday with Mom and Dad has, unfortunately, ended. My Easter began early in the morning as boarded a plane in Japan and landed roughly 13 hours later at the London-Heathrow Airport.  From there, I dragged my exhausted body to a hotel where I fell asleep before posting a new blog entry--whoops. Today I will be traveling to the university.

From Heathrow, I can either take trains or a bus to Coventry Station. I like to take the bus because wandering around town with luggage while jet lagged is not ideal. The ride to Coventry Station (i.e. Pool Meadow Station) takes about two hours. England is filled with lots of curvy roads and roundabouts, so the ride can be a little tough if you, like me, are prone to motion sickness.  On the bright side, you get to see the rolling hills and bright green pastures of the English countryside. Absolutely gorgeous!

Bus drivers in the UK (or at least in England and Wales) typically do not announce stations, so you need to keep your eyes peeled for signs. Coventry Station is nearby a large, metal thing. I am not exactly sure what it is and how to describe it. Maybe it is art? I use it as a landmark, so when I see that I know my stop is near.

Once at Coventry Station, I take the number 11 or 12  bus (they both go to the University). The buses do not give back change, so passengers need to either have exact change or be willing to part with a bit of extra money for the ride. When I traveled to the Warwick Uni the first time, I bought a bottle of Sprite at the cafeteria in the station to break a fiver (a five pound note) for coins for the bus. 

The ride from Coventry Station to the University is about 20 minutes. I stay on the bus for a while longer after driving onto university grounds to reach a stop nearby another interesting metal structure. This location is very close to Senate House where I will collect the keys to my dorm room. Then I can begin round two of my study abroad experience. Wish me luck!

Hard Times

When a typical non-European imagines England, we think of beautiful, picturesque buildings rich with history.  The University of Warwick is a relatively young institution so the buildings are “modern”, but are older than anyone in my generation.  To quote my Malaysian neighbor, the buildings have “little architectural value”.  If you want to see structures older than dirt, or at least your parents, you will have to leave campus.  The good news:  a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace, is only a bus ride away.

At the Shakespeare Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon in early February.

Have you ever shared a kitchen with 25 other students?  I do at Warwick, and it is not exactly pleasant.  Communal kitchens are a norm in England, just as they are in the US.  In fact, I shared only five kitchens with over 500 other residents during the two years I lived in Capstone House, but it was never a problem because the majority of us were on  meal plans.  UK schools do not offer meal plans, so students must prepare their own food or eat out.  This is really not a problem--just know how to make some basic meals before you leave the States.

The issue is theft.  My kitchen has two fridges and two freezers, so I only have about a third of a shelf to store food, and sometimes (later in the Spring term with more frequency) I noticed my groceries were missing.  I used to wonder Who Moved My Cheese? but learned that I should have been asking who ate it, instead.  People have drunk my milk and opened packages of other more substantial foods like chicken countless times.  It is a real drag, and some students who share my kitchen have complained, too.  Not many of the exchange students who live in other dorms have had this issue, so keep in mind it is not guaranteed you will too.

However, the biggest difficulty I encountered while in England is the weather.  I knew that England is a rainy place before moving there, but I did not understand to what extent and how that would affect me.  I do not recall seeing the sun during my first month in Coventry, and, to be honest, rainy days (and Mondays) always get me down.  If you are moving from famously hot Columbia, best pack a bottle of fish oil to help combat the blues. 

Apparently, England experienced an especially wet winter.  The southern area of the UK suffered from floods that were compared to the water in Louisiana after the levees fell in 2005.  Despite the constant precipitation, Coventry did not even get a smidgen of snow this year, which Joanne, one of the ladies who cleans my dorm, said is unusual.  She grew up in the area, so she would know.  By the way, my room came with bedding (sheets, pillows, blankets) and is vacuumed/hoovered twice a month, which is nice.

The University provides comforters and other bedding to on-campus residents.

Everything is new.  Some things are good, others are just plain irritating, but it is all interesting.  Embracing the differences is what makes you a more tolerant and resilient person, and I believe those are the two main reasons why studying abroad is worth the ups and downs and stolen cheese.