Cadbury World and Projects

It dawned on me that I failed to mention my trip to Cadbury in my last post. It was a fun experience and honestly a great deal! it cost 12 pounds for the student ticket. With admission you’re given 4 candy bars and also a melted chocolate sample later in the tour. You walk through and read about the history of Cadbury and chocolate in general. There are a couple short movies and even a ride for part of the tour. Once you’re done you also have the option of watching a 4D short film, which was pretty cool! They had some pretty awesome chocolate sculptures on display too. (I also went back to the German markets with flat mates and tried one of the half meter bratwursts, it was filling.)

I’ve been busier than ever these last couple weeks working on and preparing for my final assessments and exams. There’s only 10 days until the semester is over. Theres a lot to do in those ten days.

The great struggle will come next week as I’ll desperately try to pack everything in 2 bags to bring back home.

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German Markets

The 8th week of classes just wrapped up. Concluding just over 10 weeks total in Europe. It really hit me this week how accustomed to England I’ve become. When I first arrived it seemed as if there were some things that I’d never get used to, let alone have them be second nature. However, now I’m at the point where I’ll actually have to readjust to certain things back home. For example; cars driving on the left side of the road, not tipping at restaurants, referring to pop as “fizzy drink” and readjusting to saying dollar instead of pound (which was the hardest habit to break upon arriving here.) These are just a few of the things that I’ve grown accustomed to seeing and doing.

With the risk of sounding like some click bait article I thought at this point I’d share 5 tips of advice for living and traveling in the U.K.

Tips

1. Book trains in advance! This is a big one that I’ve learned a little too late. (Sometimes this isn’t possible when taking last minute trips.) We all know that booking in advance on anything usually saves a few dollars, but with the trains it can save far more than that. For example, when I was going to London I checked the fast train prices at the train station and they cost 60 pounds if I were to buy them on the spot. However, getting the same train to the same place cost me only 11 pounds when I booked online a month in advance. Even if you book a week in advance you can pay less than half the price! Just to put that in perspective. I cut the price from the equivalent of $80 to $15. This can be a real money-saver.
2. Get a pay as you go phone. If you’re concerned about having data while in England then I suggest getting a pay as you go phone, especially if an overseas plan isn’t possible with your carrier. Now of course this depends how long you’ll be in the country but the options are fairly cheap. I went with a carrier called vodafone. I bought a very basic smartphone for around $70 and then got data/text/call plan for $13 / month. No credit card or anything is required, cash works just fine, and you only pay for the next month if you want to continue using it. There is no contract. An even better option is to bring your own unlocked smartphone and then all you have to pay for is whatever data bundle you choose.
3. Get Uber, if you don’t have Uber (which you might not if you’re from a smaller area) then be sure to get the app. Uber is essentially a taxi service, you link the app with a credit card and you’re good to go. It’s the simplest, fastest and cheapest way to get around in most cities aside from just walking. You might even get a talkative driver that can give you insights on places to go and see.
4. Bring an umbrella. This may seem like a small and disappointing piece of advice, but trust me, you’ll thank me later.
5. Be aware of lingual differences. For example if someone asks “Are you alright?” they aren’t implying that somethings wrong. It’s just another way of saying “How’s it going?” It’s worth googling a few of these before coming

 

P.S. Sorry for the low quality pictures of the German markets, the crowds and night time didn’t help haha.

 

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Week 9

Week Nine was a fairly relaxed week here in Birmingham. Exam time in England is after the spring semester (Yes, even for classes that are taken in the fall.) That being said, I’ve mostly been trying to line up early exams since I won’t be here in the spring. I haven’t left Birmingham in 4 weeks. I’ve been using my time to hang out with flat mates and other friends. However, I am hoping that I can squeeze in another weekend trip before my time’s up here.

Next weekend the German Christmas Markets are coming to the Birmingham City Centre. It sounds like it’s going to be a pretty big event and a great experience! The markets open on November 16th and continue up until Christmas. There’ll also be a Ferris Wheel and an ice skating rink.

The weather is starting to get chillier, ranging between 35-45 degrees. I’m sure this temperature will seem warm by the time I get back home in mid-December!

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Reading Week, Halloween and the Vale Fireworks.

The end of October and beginning of November has been a fun yet hectic time here in Birmingham. This was the 6th week of classes at the University, and for many departments it is reserved for “Reading Week.” This is essentially a week where many people don’t have lectures and it’s meant to be a time for students to catch up on course work and have a little bit of a break from the regular schedule. I’m in classes from a wide variety of departments. Therefore, some of my lectures were cancelled while others were not. the schedule I did have was light, so it was enough of a break for me.

Along with being Reading Week it was also the week of several other events including Halloween! The decorations came out halfway through October. But now people were starting to line up costumes and on Halloween the dining center had a Halloween themed meal. My flat went all out with decorations, face paint, costumes etc. Oh, and we also got a pumpkin named Patrick. (He’s still hanging around.)

After Halloween on November 2nd there was a big event in the accommodation village where I live. Carnival rides, games, and food trucks were all brought in. For the main event there was a fireworks display held. The streets were filled with people and it went well into the night. It was the sort of festival that one would expect to see in the summer, nonetheless it was a fun time!

Now that October is gone, and Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in the UK, everyone is gearing up for Christmas. My flat took all of our Halloween decorations down. We plan to go shopping to replace them with Christmas decorations this weekend. Including a tree of course! Too early? Nahh.

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The Experience so Far

54 days is how long I’ve been in the UK, that’s nearly two months, which surpasses my previous record of being away from home for only 4 weeks! I reached the halfway point early last week so I thought I’d take the time to reflect on my progression and what one might be able to expect especially if this is the first time being away for an extended period of time. In the study abroad intro videos Iowa State touches on the highs and lows referring to it as somewhat analogous to a roller coaster. I think that’s a good way of summing it up, and it will definitely be different for everyone. I’ll break up my experience into sections.

Weeks 1-2; This was the time when I traveled around before classes started. This was definitely the time when I was figuring things out, everything from planes and trains to hotels and hostels. I was a little nervous facing a new country and new situations by myself, but the busy rush of the first few weeks pushed me through it and now the things that always seemed so intimidating are a part of everyday life. However, some nights I did find myself missing friends and family back home. By the end of the second week I was definitely ready to move into my university accommodation.

Weeks 3-5; The next three weeks flew by, in previous posts I talked about all the things that needed to be done upon arrival to the University. I was meeting all kinds of new people and getting to know my city. Not to mention classes on the side! These three weeks literally felt like one week.

Week 6; During week 6 my family came to visit, I was running between classes and the city center everyday to visit with them. We also traveled around on the weekends, which was a nice change after being in Birmingham for a month. This week flew by just as fast as the others.

Week 7: The seventh week definitely slowed down compared to the rest. This was the week that I hit the halfway mark. On one hand the days leading up to it seemed to have gone by in the blink of an eye, but on the other hand it seemed like a lifetime ago that I first boarded the plane to London. Fall was in full swing, and being one of my favorite seasons, I found myself missing home and all the activities that come with Fall. Now in the grand scheme of things it’s not like English culture differs a lot from American culture. However, the city life is nearly complete opposite from my rural home area. This was the main source of feeling homesick. There are no open roads to drive on, no open spaces to walk in, save for a few parks here and there. At home I would travel miles to go various places for shopping, visiting people etc. Here, life is lived in a 2 square mile box at most. Everything you need is packed in it. Which is convenient, but doesn’t allow for the feeling of much space or freedom I get when living in a more rural area.

In conclusion, I’m normally not one for being away from my hometown for long periods of time so I imagined I would get quite homesick. Which I have here and there, but luckily, not nearly as much as I anticipated I would. The one thing I have found the most helpful to stay content with where you are is to stay busy. Whether it be with classes, traveling, hanging with friends, exploring the city, etc. as long as you continually mix it up so that you can avoid boredom things will go much smoother. I may touch on this topic again toward the end of the semester to see how the second half progresses.

-Quinton

 

Getting to Know the Country You’re in.

While getting to know the city you’re in is a very important part of the study abroad experience, I think it’s just as important to get to know the culture of the country you’re in as a whole. After settling into your new University it’s a good time to start thinking of other places you want to go that would make good weekend trips. Chances are you won’t be doing long extensive trips outside the country to much after school starts. However, weekend trips within the country are very doable.

I was lucky enough to have some family come to visit and we spent a couple weekends traveling the UK. First we went to London (Which seems to be like a second home to me over here given the amount of time I spend there.) I’ve talked about London before, but you could go back again and again and there would always be something new to do. While my family was here we rode the London Eye and checked out the Tower of London, topping our time off by doing some shopping at Piccadilly Circus. We also took a day trip that allowed us to see Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and do some sightseeing in Bath. This trip was a good change from London and Birmingham. While I love the cities they don’t make it possible to see the countryside and the smaller towns that seem to have more traditional culture. However, spending 8 hours on a tour bus winding through the English countryside does!

I’ve still got more places to cross off my list, which includes Scotland, Snowdonia, and a coastal town like Brighton. I’ve now reached the halfway point of my time in Europe, hopefully the second half will contain just as many travels!

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Welcome to Birmingham!

Between the studying abroad, packing and traveling posts I figured it would be appropriate to talk about my home here in England.

I am living in student housing here at the University of Birmingham. Over all the experience has been fantastic! It’s about a 20 minute walk from campus and a 30 minute walk (give or take.) to the City Centre. However, for the sake of time my friends and I will either take the train or get an Uber into the city. I’d never used Uber until I came here, and I’ll warn you now that it’s dangerously convenient! Especially in a large city like Birmingham it’s a great way to get around fast and cheap.

Culture: I swear every culture from every reach of the world is present here. From Indian cuisine, Chinatown, European delicacies to 1950’s American diner imitations and everything in between. I’ve found that the people here are for the most part very friendly and open to outsiders. I think this is partially accredited to the fact that they live with people that come from all different backgrounds.

If you ask anyone from Birmingham what their lifestyle is like, they would say they live in a relaxed but steady city. However, coming from a town of 600 people, I personally don’t think there’s anything relaxed about it! It’s all a matter of perspective. They often compare their city to London, so in those regards it is much slower paced. But, compared to even the largest cities in Iowa, it’s a busy place!

Things to do: After class there are often days when you’ll find you have quite a bit of free time. For most University students it seems as if there are two main past times. Either you hang out with friends/student organizations around campus or you go to the Bullring (shopping mall). While being here I’ve played my fair share of ping pong and I’m starting to finally get a good feel for the Bullring. There is also Cadbury World, which I have yet to see.

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Settling In

When you first arrive at your new University settling in can be intimidating. There will be so much to do and so little time to do it. When I first came I dropped all my stuff off in my room and went to meet my new flatmates. In fact I didn’t actually unpack my suitcases until a week after arriving! Within that first welcome week I had a lot of business to attend to. First of all there was the essential Right to Study check. This is where I obtained my ID card and was officially given the green light from the University to become a student. Along with that I needed to make sure that all my classes were in order. This was by far the most time consuming thing in my case. It’s also a good idea to register with a doctor. It’s easy to put off, but if you get sick and you haven’t registered then you may be out of luck. It took me a couple weeks before I finally forced myself to actually make the trek to the GP’s office, but seeing as there were quite a few people in my building getting sick I made sure to do it.

Those were some of the housekeeping things that need to be done. However, there are more fun and just as important things that you need to be doing! You’ve probably been preparing quite a few months for this moment and now is the time to make friends and immerse yourself in the sites, people, and experiences. It’s never to early to start making friends. I’d suggest starting with your flat/room/floor mates seeing as these are the people you’ll be seeing the most throughout your time. Luckily, I ended up in a flat with 7 amazing people that I would be happy to call friends!

Look into joining clubs and societies on campus as well. They are a great way to meet people that have similar interests as you. Don’t be afraid to try new things! A lot of things will seem strange at first, but trust me, trying new things will become the norm.

So far I have met way more people than I ever thought I would, and I hope to meet many more!

Cheers,

-Q

Traveling Before School

Travel!!!

That’s why you chose to study abroad, to travel around and see new places. However, that doesn’t mean you are limited to just seeing your new city where you’ll be attending school!

I chose to visit London, Dublin and Cashel (A smaller town in Ireland.) If you find that you have spare time between summer work/activities and the beginning of your semester then pick a few places on the map and get an early start!

I think it’s important to put some variety in your trip. I wanted to see the well known cities like London and Dublin. However, due to their size and diversity they definitely have more of a global feel. So if you really want to get a feel for the culture go to a smaller, less populated part of the region. That’s where Cashel came in for me. There were still beautiful sites at Cashel, but the town itself was fairly small and filled with locals. As much as I enjoyed the grand sites of London and Dublin, I found it just as interesting to see what the more traditional culture was like. Listening to the locals talk about politics, local events, and other various things really made it possible for me to understand the culture on a more personal level. I learned more about Irish history and culture by talking to a local for a few hours in Cashel than I did from spending 6 days in Dublin.

I hope to do some travel on the weekends, however, since school has started I want to get to know my new city and also get to know my new friends. Weekend trips will undoubtedly also be much more rushed. So I definitely recommend doing a week or two of travel before hand. Don’t overextend yourself though. You won’t have time to see everything. So instead of trying to hopelessly cram the whole world into 2 weeks, pick a few places, relax and soak it in.

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Packing!

Packing!

This can be one of the most exciting but dreadful things about traveling. I would argue there is no set “standard” for packing. It all depends on the region you are going to and you’re travel plan and style. Not to mention essential items vary between guys and girls.

I’m not going to provide a packing list, instead I’m going to give you a few key pointers to ensure that you have everything you need packed! The first step is simple. Simply google search “Study abroad packing list” or “International travel packing list” find a few solid lists, and cross reference them in case one list is missing something. Then each person will have a few personal items that go with them everywhere, so don’t forget those! Also, don’t forget to bring lots of pictures to decorate with! Sadly I didn’t 😦  Lastly, I recommend paying specific attention to what you use in your day to day life, because odds are most of those will be essential.

Now as I mentioned above it depends on how you travel. If you fly over and go straight to your University then don’t be afraid to pack a little heavier. However, I did some traveling around to other places ahead of time, and if you do that you’ll want to pack a lot lighter. Trust me on this, I packed into a backpack and a small suitcase and that was just about all I would be able to handle walking around on cobblestone sidewalks. Inside my large backpack, I also had a smaller day pack, this is great not only for when you just go on small day excursions, but can also be used as a backpack for school.

I chose the Porter 46 and the Daylite day pack (Not pictured), both of which are Osprey backpacks. They work well together (as they were designed as a set) and they also meet carry on restrictions for most airlines (Including Ryanair.) The Porter 46 was the carry on luggage, the Daylite pack was my personal item, and the suitcase was a checked bag.

Bring major things (laptops, cameras, clothes, etc.) or other things that you can’t buy at your destination. But to help save on space and weight, don’t bring things that you can easily get later, such as most toiletries, laundry detergent, etc. However, do bring a small supply of toiletries to use before you get the chance to get to a store. As I touched on above too, make sure you pack for the climate at your destination. NOT the climate in your hometown.