Modules

If you're wondering if I study at all, I'm here to tell you that I do. For proof, here are some of my books. Classes (modules as they call them here) are much different from the ones I have taken in the United States. Lectures meet once per week and some modules have a seminar that reviews the lecture. There is usually a lot of preparation that goes into a seminar- a lot of reading and questions to reflect on- and then you meet with your professor and a couple of other students for a discussion. The only grades you receive for most modules are for a paper and a test, however, if you are unprepared for a seminar or do not participate, then you may be docked points from your final grade.

Thus far my favorite module is gender and culture. Right now we are discussing how the media effects our perception of gender, so we have been looking at advertisements and news stories. We have been looking at how much of our identity is embedded in the media. Certain advertisements convince us to buy products, not just for the product itself, but for the image that it portrays. If we buy a sweater that was on sale, it makes us look like someone who is practical and smart, but also someone who is stylish. Our identity is caught up in the products that we buy.

So, between all of my weekend travels, I do a lot of reading to prepare for my essays and my one seminar. I am enjoying learning in a new way, but it takes a while to adjust and learn how to prioritize everything. Overall, I really like my professors and the content of my lectures.

I think I may have the strongest legs in the world...

I spent the last two days in York and Newcastle and I think I walked the most I've ever walked in my life. It was well worth it though, because now not only do I have nicely toned legs, but I was able to see two beautiful cities in England. York is a really old, quaint city.

In this picture you can see the cathedral in background. Inside there are huge stained glass windows. We also saw a train museum, the castle museum, and walked around the city wall.

Newcastle has been one of my favorites so far. This picture was taken from the top of a castle built in the 1100's. The city is right next to a river, and one of the bridges (not the one in this picture) is lower, so when ships come in it has to turn to let them through. The big silver building behind the bridge in the picture is actually a theater. We went inside and it is simply huge.

Lately there have been a lot of people who have not been feeling well, and unfortunately I caught whatever has been going around. Thankfully, I am feeling a lot better. They have a juice here called J2O, which has powered me through a runny nose and a sore throat. It is absolutely amazing. So far apple and raspberry is my favorite kind, but I would have to say that apple and mango is a close second.

.: Kingston upon Hull :.

The University of Hull is located in the city of Kingston upon Hull, and this past weekend a couple of friends and I took a day to check out the city. We went to the tourist office and they gave us a map called a fish trail. There are different kinds of fish that are imprinted into the sidewalks all over the city center in downtown Hull, and if you use the map to follow the trail, you are able to see most of downtown. It took us a while to find the anchovies, but after that we were on our way. We passed by a lot of interesting places that I hope we get to go back and visit sometime (e.g. the William Wilberforce museum and the aquarium). For lunch we ate at a pub called Ye Olde White Hart. It is one of themost famous pubs in Hull; there isa bar downstairs and a restaurant upstairs. There was a woman who was murdered in one of the rooms, so after the building was discovered, her skull was artfully displayed above the bar.

One unique thing about Hull is that all of the telephone booths are white instead of

red because the city of Hull had its own telephone company.

It is fun to see so many old buildings and architecture that is so different than home. I think they have an appreciation for history here that is not as strong at home in the States. Granted, the United States is only a couple hundred years old, but it is refreshing to see so much value put into

history.

Liverpool

I am officially done with the first week of classes! I am looking forward to the semester. My classes will be challenging, but it will be fun to learn things from a different perspective. The weather has been overcast, but usually between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so I can't complain. I have mastered the bus system and am able to get from student housing to Tesco (the English version of Wal-Mart) at the city center.

I am a part of a group called International Student Association, and this weekend we took a trip to Liverpool. Liverpool is on the west coast and a little further south than Hull; it took us about three hours to drive there. It was a really good trip. The first thing we did when we arrived was to take in the Beatles exhibition, which was located right on the dock. It is a museum that took us right through the lives of the band members. I learned all about their childhood, how they met, how their career started, and who important people were in their success. They recreated the street where the Beatles began, Matthew Street, and also the pub they played in, which is called the Cavern.

I also visited the Martime and International Slavery museums.

The Mereyside Maritime Museum had exhibits on the Titanic,

Lusitania, and the Empress of Ireland. Thousands of British people lost their lives on these three ships that sank within three years of each other. The International Slavery Museum told the stories of past and modern slaves. There were video interviews and stories to read on the walls. There were also quite a few exhibits on different African tribes. Liverpool was once a major port for slave ships; you could actually look out the window of the museum and see the dock where slave ships were repaired. After we went to the museums we got some lunch and did some shopping. Next week we head to Newcastle!

Map: http://www.visitmap.info/britainvisitoratlas/england.asp?x=100