Level 13 Academic Warrior

November 14, 2011

Lately, a large portion of my collected fan mail has been flooded with requests for me to describe how different schooling is in Melbourne in comparison to Richmond. So, I figured that now, during the exam period, is a perfect a time to fill you in.

First off, the University of Melbourne is held in pretty high regard. It’s prestigious in Australia, and I think about 40,000 students attend school here. That’s about ten times what I’m used to at the University of Richmond. Classes are divided into lectures, which equal one professor teaching an auditorium full of 200+ students — for a little more than an hour if you’re lucky, and for two hours if you’re not. Unlike Richmond, the lectures are so big there’s no way they can actually take attendance. That would probably take about the entire lecture to complete. So, of course, if a few students don’t show up, a lecturer won’t notice. On the other hand, like in my Human Rights in East Asia class, if only 24 students show up to a lecture of 100, the professor has a pretty good idea that some people aren’t showing up. Also, classes are called subjects here, and subjects are called courses (Note: be on the lookout for an upcoming Australian to American English lingo translation guide).

Anyway, university here taught me a few very important lessons.

Number one: there is no actual cap or regulation on the amount of red ink that can be used while grading a paper.

Number two: the grading system starts a lot lower here than it does back in America, so the category for failing is consequently a lot lower.

Number three: in a panic attack induced from receiving a very low grade, refer to number two.

Number four: even though classes here are pass or fail, grades still made a difference to me. I’m not sure if it’s some sort of self-instilled personal high standard, or simply a way of judging my own abilities, but I still wanted to do well. At the same time, it taught me to do something because I wanted to, not because I had to. After skipping a few lectures, I realized that I would only have one opportunity to see education from this non-American point of view. This would be my only chance to see, in a completely unbiased manner, how other countries see the United States. As soon as I started listening, I realized how incredible of an experience that was. There was now this new category of an “American perspective,” and it drove me to learn everything I could. It really is an experience I can’t quite put into words, but if I tried, I’d say it’s one that’s worth it.

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Oh Yeah, That School Thing.

November 1, 2011

Going abroad is quite an experience. It is, however, grounded by that one thing that actually got you here in the first place — school. Living in a foreign country and traveling may be the most exciting aspect to studying abroad, but there is still work to be done. Up until this point in my blog, I have really neglected to talk about anything school-related, so here I go.

I am about a month and a half into my stay here, and the schoolwork is coming in at full force. While preparing to go abroad, I heard many times that the teaching style in Europe is very different, and that final grades are often determined by a single exam or paper. This is true in many cases, but my field of study dictates something much different. I am taking three design modules (what we call classes) that are largely computer based. At Richmond, they are transferring in as Studio Art credits. In these type of classes, work is constantly due. Whether it be sketches, print-outs, or final pieces, the module coordinators (or professors) keep you working. In this case, final grades are earned from turning in all revised coursework at the end of the semester. I like this method of teaching because, after a critique, I am able to apply changes to the final product that is turned in.

One fault I have with the university system here is that classes only meet once a week for about 4 hours. The idea is to give students ample time for independent work, but I would much rather learn from a professor and gain experience in the classroom. This is part of studying abroad, though — learning different ways of doing something.

Although the classes are set up differently, I am finding them extremely interesting and beneficial. I am learning computer programs that I probably wouldn’t have used back at Richmond. In my Animation course, we are learning to animate scenes using Adobe Flash. When we get further along with the course, I will post an animated video on my blog. I am also taking a Graphic Design module in which we use InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator quite a bit. This week we critiqued a poster design brief (what we call a project). Here is a picture of my class’s posters:

My most challenging class is 3D modeling. We are learning a program called 3D Studio Max. Designers use it for character and product design. Imagine a scene in a video game — it was probably created in this program, or a program like it. It is engaging material, but definitely a little more difficult to understand. I still have over a month until my final projects are due, so I think I will get a handle on it!

I have been spending a lot of time in the Learning Resource Center (basically a library — reminds me of exam week last year!) to get work done. My advice would be to get most of your work done during the week so you are free to explore during the weekends! I made sure to get everything done this week because Halloween is Monday, and they do Halloween big here — I’m talking thousands of people, costumes, parades, and fireworks. My next post will definitely be about this event!

Fun Fact #7: While living here in Derry, I have learned that people are not expected to tip. You don’t tip taxi drivers, you don’t tip waitresses, and you don’t tip at the bar. I have to say that I am a fan of this cultural difference!

Fun Fact #8: Shelled peanuts are called monkey nuts. People generally don’t eat peanut butter although it is sold in stores (doesn’t taste the same as good ol’ Jiff). Jell-O is called jelly. Jelly is called jam. And most people haven’t heard of a PB&J.

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Community, Globalization, and Tons of Trash

October 24, 2011

So many villages, so little space to write about them…  so I’ll keep up with the highlights principle.  The highlight of the Land unit was definitely Baw Kaew community.  It is a protest village where the people were kicked off of their land, and two years ago they returned and have built a community.  There were people from all different villages, and through the shared struggle and passion, they have created something unbelievable.  The grandmothers share their stories of being kicked off their land with the children, who will continue to fight based on the devotion.  This unit showed me that an outside force or a powerful figure is not needed for a successful grassroots movement.  Anyone and everyone has agency, and it just takes motivation and passion to create change.  It was a really moving exchange and experience.

My Paw from this unit, other than the two one-nighters, was incredibly educated.  I was sitting watching Meh cook one night when Paw came into the cooking area.  He sat down next to me, pen in hand, and started to lecture.  All in Thai, of course, but the essence of the conversation was, “Julie, do you see this papaya—we grow them in Thailand.  You don’t grow them in America, yet you are able to eat them in America.  That is just one reason why globalization is so amazing.”  The lectures continued and got more and more complex over the course of the three days. There was a lot of guessing based on what was said or drawn (one day he got out his grandson’s coloring book and drew for us—an upgrade to the hand), but it was all an amazing lesson on both communication and globalization.

After the unit ended, there was an optional trip to the landfill near our campus.  Just 17km away, 200 tons of trash is brought in each day.  There is a community of 60 families that live there, started by just one man who went to make a living off of the trash.  Not only does it bring to light the realization of scavengers (those who work 20 hours a day picking through garbage to find plastic bottles to recycle), but it brings to light the realities of consumerism.  I literally climbed a trash mountain.  Not to mention the irony of the laundry detergent package I saw in the mud that read, “Hygiene”.

I was so blown away by the Paw that we exchanged with there.  He no longer works in the landfill, nor does his wife and children, but he lives there because he owns his land and he wants to make the community a better place.  Unlike in America, where people strive to get out of the slums, Paw was trying to improve the village.  He chooses to live in a dump — literally.

The problems with each village we visit are hard to stomach.  With each unit and each exchange, I continue to recognize the realities of a developing country.  It is natural to make comparisons to the United States, and we have many of these issues.  We have medical problems associated with damming and mining (the coming two units).  We have poverty that is solved by cash cropping.  There are so many problems in our world.  This country is so amazing, and my time here is invaluable, but it is hard meeting amazing people and learning about their suffering, unable to fix it.

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So Much to Do, So Much to See.

October 3, 2011

Induction for international students at the University of Ulster (a.k.a. UU) is not unlike freshman orientation at UR. We had a very detailed itinerary with several meetings and speakers. Some parts were — how shall I say this? — less exciting than others. It definitely included information that I needed to hear, but my favorite day, by far, came on Friday– the day of registration and the city tour.

I had my enrollment form filled out and all ready to go by early Friday morning. I’m pretty sure my school here is fairly new to the whole online registration thing. I had a paper form filled out by hand, but then they led students into a computer lab where we basically input the contents of our form into the computer system. It was good for me, though… I was out of there in no time.

Some American friends and I decided to walk to the city center early to look around before the tour started. It is so liberating to attend a school that is embedded in a city. It takes about 20 or 30 minutes for me to walk to the middle of the Derry. Sure, UR is on the edge of Richmond, but it is pretty isolated. It is a great experience to go to a different type of uni (as the Irish students abbreviate). It is also a very different type of city. Derry doesn’t really have the glassy and steel office buildings and skyscrapers that litter Richmond’s downtown. Most buildings are made from stone or brick. Especially in the city center, buildings are hundreds of years old.

One similarity the two cities share is a winding river running through. However, for us, the James acts as a fun place to hang out with friends during the summer. The Foyle River here in Derry acts much more like a dividing line, but the people here are trying hard to change this aspect of the city. Before I can explain the geographic significance of this river I need to give a brief history of the country:

Northern Ireland has a sad history which is probably all that many Americans know about the place. Locals refer to these times as “the troubles”. They were a time of unrest and disparagement between Catholics and Protestants about the status of Northern Ireland as part of the UK or the Republic of Ireland. The Good Friday Peace Agreement of 1998 started to put an end to the bad times and the country has been recovering ever since. Derry has actually been chosen as the first UK City of Culture for the year 2013 (which makes the inhabitants extremely proud). I may have to make the journey back then to take part in the festivities.

So, back to the Foyle. The city center is located on the western banks of the river. This part of the city is called the “city-side”. The opposite side is referred to as the “water-side”. Traditionally, Catholics live on the city-side and Protestants live on the water-side. There is however a tiny bubble of protestants who live on the city-side. They show their pride here with murals and by painting the curbs red, white, and blue. Here are some pictures of that community:

Let’s return to the tour, where I actually learned all of this information. So, my friends and I were exploring the city before we were to meet up with our international group. We decided to enter The Guildhall, which is basically the city hall where the council meets. This building was amazingly beautiful. As an art person, I could really appreciate it. The floors, ceilings, walls, and even windows were beautifully made. The windows were stained glass dating back to the 1910s. When we met up with our school group here, we actually were able to sit in the same room the council meets and hear the Mayor of Derry speak. Here are some photos of this building and the mayor:


Our tour guide, Garvin, showed us around the old city walls and energetically told us the stories of the city. The walls surrounded the original city of Derry for protection. They are quite wide and tall and the public is allowed to walk on top of them around the city.

Some cafes and churches are actually located on the walls. They are about 1 mile in circumference. The views from the walls are spectacular. Derry is located in somewhat of a valley, so you can see surrounding churches, neighborhoods, mountains, and the Foyle River. I can actually see the Foyle River from campus. The views here are unlike anything I have seen. Although the tour was optional, I am so happy that I came along. I know so much more about this beautiful city. Here are some pictures from my adventure around the walls:

My main advice to anyone wishing to or planning to study abroad is to take advantage of any opportunity that is offered you. If the school planned a city tour, take it. If there is a seemingly boring residence meeting followed by dinner, go. Attend as many events as possible. Meet as many new people as possible. Immerse yourself in the culture. Become part of the culture.

Fun Fact #3: Derry, Northern Ireland is home to the oldest department store in the world, called Austin’s. Yes, it is older than Macy’s in New York and Harrod’s in London. It recently celebrated its 180th birthday.

Fun Fact #4: To be called a “Professor” in Ireland is much, much more impressive than to be labeled a “Doctor”. It’s a little tough keeping this cultural difference straight.

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Mai Chai Bouey Kem Me: Don’t Use Chemical Fertilizer

September 28, 2011

The food/agriculture unit homestay has come to an end.  These last six days were filled with excitement and unbelievable experiences.  I cannot share everything from this past week, but I’ll go over the highlights.

First stop, Roi Et province.  We stayed in a village that was in transition from non-organic to organic farming, so almost every family had pigs to make their organic fertilizer.  We got a tour of some farms, and they really tried to make it interactive.  So, I got to plant a banana tree!

Before heading to Yasothon province, the location of our last homestay of the unit, we stopped in Masaharaka to observe our future families protesting the use of chemicals in farming.  The speakers brought some to tears as they spoke of the horrors that have come as adverse effects, and the passion of these people to protect their livelihood was an unbelievable thing to watch.  Wearing green, just as the organic market they participate in is the Green Market, the street was flooded with signs and images of pesticides.  This peaceful demonstration showed more than just what chemicals can do—it showed the importance of community.  These individuals came together for a cause, and their community was shown through both the market and the signs floating down the street.

I loved my family at this homestay.  Paw and I were surprisingly able to communicate a lot,  so I got to learn about both his and Meh’s farming practices and lives.  Both have lived in the village their entire lives, and have been farming organically for 12 years now.  We took the tractor out to the farm and came back with a bounty of delicious treats.  A green papaya for Som Tom, a local dish, long beans, peanuts, sugar cane, okra, and my favorite—passion fruit.  I got to learn about the different type of rice that he grows, and then that day we stayed up late and helped prepare for the market.  Weighing peppers, sorting veggies, carrying coconuts, and watching as Meh prepared the banana snacks—coconut and rice wrapped in banana leaf.  We woke early (4:00) to meet our parents at the market, and helped sell their rice and treats. (My time at local farmer’s markets paid off, because I would not allow for bargaining).

Our week came to an end after our last exchange with a local government official who was very passionate about hating TNCs.  This past week was a great first unit trip—personal connections were formed and we got a real insight into the issues.  These next 10 days in Khon Kaen will be rough, because I can’t wait to get back into the villages.

(Oh! I almost forgot… if you put a green mango into a box for a few days, it ripens perfectly!  It’s a very useful skill when mangos are not in season.)

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A Week That Felt Like Class, Including Saturday and Sunday

September 14, 2011
Our week of background lectures comes to a close today, and in our “alternative education model,” it won’t be returning. To talk about all of them would both bore you and possibly imprison me in Thailand, seeing as each of them were four hours long. I will draw attention to some of the highlights, though.  The “Thai History and Politics” lecture was so intriguing.  This country has such an interesting past and present—it is truly captivating.  The first lecture we had, on Human Rights, was given by the most amazing woman I have met here.  I should set the scene…
When we have exchanges or lectures, we are told to dress in “polite” attire.  This means skirts past the knees and covered shoulders for girls, or our nifty– yes, nifty— school uniforms.  Our lecturer, the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Commission on Human Rights, walked in wearing jeans and a jean jacket that faded into lace at the bottom.  And let me tell you, not one of us doubted her for a second. She spoke with such confidence and passion for the subject, and to put it bluntly — she was a total boss.  I learned after the lecture that she was once at a big party with Henry Kissinger and happened to be next to him on the buffet line.  So naturally, she took that as her opportunity to tell him everything she thought he had done wrong.  I could not stop writing as she spoke to us, and her wisdom on Human Rights was profound, to say the least.
The second half of the week was spent on our “mock-unit”, which was on HIV/AIDS.  We had an exchange (a question & answer forum) with TNP+, which is a network for people in Thailand living with HIV/AIDS.  After the question & answer period and an activity that demonstrated the spread of the virus using water cups and food dye, we got to visit a home of a person living with HIV/AIDS.  What an experience.  I must say that in a country where the culture seems to avoid the topic of sex, it is amazing how open both the organization heads and the individuals were with us.  In small groups at the home visits, we were free to ask any questions, and I was overwhelmed with knowledge.  The juxtaposition between Montclair, New Jersey (my hometown) and the community I visited were so drastically different. Here, the “norm” is to be ostracized, whereas at home, neighbors seem to do anything they can to help.  The man I spoke with knows that the disease cannot be transmitted through objects, but still insists on having separate soap, and cups, and plates from his family to ensure his two daughters’ and wife’s protection.  The struggle to fight the silence surrounding sex is obviously a struggle for education in Thailand, and it makes the Condom Caravan at school in Richmond seem like a godsend of information.
In other news, there is a family of geckos living in my room.  I’m not too concerned, because as a friend put it when I was initially freaked out, “They are more afraid of me than I am of eating shellfish.”
And how do you turn a mango yellow? …more on that to come.
Thai village

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Initial International Interpretations…. Italy

September 14, 2011

So, the past week and a half has been very… interesting, exciting, scary, overwhelming, mind-blowing, awing, amazing, and overwhelming… did I already say that? Ha, which is part of why I am a little behind on my posting. Sorry, people. As transitions go, this is certainly no walk in the park. New country, new language, new people, on top of missing home country, home language, and home people has not been easy. I won’t lie to you, loyal readers — I have had some tough days. But I must say that as far as first weeks go in a new country, especially while fighting through my homesickness and broken heart, in retrospect, it has been pretty amazing.

I figured I would talk mostly about cultural things and differences in this post and save some more of the fun stuff for later (but don’t worry, there is still plenty of fun to go around). So, my biggest window into sharing cultures and gaining a more worldly perspective so far has been through my Italian Intensive Language Course offered here by Bocconi, 5 hours a day Monday through Friday until academic classes start, then night and weekend classes for another week after that. Now, as you can imagine, 5 hour classes starting at 9:30 in the morning that are spoken in a language few members of the class can speak at higher than an elementary level can be a little boring…. to put it nicely. But as people have been known to bond together through agonizing experiences, my class has become somewhat close-knit over our past 10 days together. This melting pot of world travelers studying at the University includes an equal mix of Brazilian, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, Canadian, and American students, all being taught by an Italian teacher. While we all come from different places and walks of life, we have found things in common that have created the beginning of some beautiful friendships. I have been pleasantly surprised (especially given all of the American stereotypes I am trying to kill off) that our different cultures don’t separate us, but instead bring us together with an attitude of curiosity and open mindedness. Spending time in and out of class, going during our break time to get lunch together, and hanging out in the park on a nice weekday night has really been meaningful to me. Sharing customs, jokes, games (I played my first game of European soccer on Tuesday and it was sick; 1 goal and 1 assist)… We have been able to learn a lot about each other and where we come from.

Besides learning about everyone else and where they are from, I have also learned a lot about myself and where I am from. The first week I was here, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine from Barcelona about Milan and studying abroad, and in the course of the conversation, I asked:

“What do you hope to get out of being here? What are your goals?”

Needless to say, his answer shocked and made an impression on me, or I wouldn’t be writing about it now. He said: “That is a very American question, John,” in a cool Spanish accent that I’m slightly jealous of.  “Americans are so goal oriented, always looking for the outcome… I don’t necessarily mean that as a bad thing, ” he continued. “Americans are very driven and motivated, so they accomplish a lot, but sometimes they forget to stop and look around.”

So I thought about my response… and I thought, and then when I thought I knew what to say, I thought a little bit more… and I finally said, “You’re right.”

I was impressed by his insight in evaluating my culture, and I was taken aback by the true realization that Americans frequently miss what is most important in life. Europeans value things much differently than Americans in terms of success. In terms of time and efficiency, they are polar opposites;  just being in Italy for a week has driven a control freak like me to insanity because of the inefficiency, constant strikes, and seemingly pointless bureaucracy. But I must say, in many ways, they are happier people. They are more welcoming, less competitive and cutthroat, and often very relaxed. Whereas Americans get annoyed by foreigners who don’t know English, Italians welcome foreigners and are always eager to explain and help them learn. I hope while I am here, I can continue to develop myself in a way that allows me to hold both my goals for success and my values of a happy and enjoyable life on an even plane. I will not be disloyal to my beloved America, but I will also not be naïve enough to believe we always know best. Everything about this is a learning experience, and the first thing I am learning about is my own perspective on life.

Words of wisdom: like flavors of gelato, we are all made from different things, but we are all very good in our own way.

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Anticipation.

August 24, 2011

Summer 2011 has been the longest summer of my life. Not just because an amazing experience is waiting at the end, but quite literally. My break started in the middle of May and will last until the middle of September – a full 4 month summer. As all my friends begin returning to school and starting the new semester, I still have almost a month of summer… to endure. The pure anticipation is excruciating. I want to be there. I want the experience to start.

Having lived in Richmond for half my life, I only have a simple 10 minute drive to visit friends on campus. Some of which are returning from Europe themselves (from summer abroad programs). Hearing stories from my friend Marielle who studied German in Austria only intensified my excitement. She made great friends and traveled to amazing places. She wished her trip would not end.

When September 18th rolls around, I will FINALLY board a plane heading to Derry, Northern Ireland – which is what this blog is all about. Hi, I’m Julia, by the way. I am a junior at UR studying Business Administration (with a concentration in Marketing) and Studio Art. This is a strange combination, I know, but it has a purpose. My dream job (for now) is something in the advertising/graphic design industry. So, at the University of Ulster, I will be taking graphic design classes… hopefully. At the University of Ulster (and many other European universities) registration begins upon arrival. Having been pampered by the luxuries of BannerWeb, I am terrified to attempt registering on paper. I have a list of classes that I want to take, but we’ll see how that goes.

As for other preparations for the trip, I’m still working on that. I have made travel arrangements (including 3 connecting flights, 2 layovers, and and a 2 hour bus ride) plus I have a place to live. I will stay in an apartment in Duncreggan Student Village. I know I am living with some roommates, but I guess I will meet them when I get there. My passport and other important documents are stapled and neatly sitting in a folder ready to go. It is almost impossible to walk across my room due to the numerous piles of stuff I plan to take. I definitely need to start weeding some items out. More important, however, is my mental preparation. Right now I am fine – calmly excited. I assume the freak-out will begin when I cross the threshold of the airplane and take my seat. But for now, the wait continues…

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