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.