Solidarity

So I think it's safe to say this week has not gone terribly well in the world of American politics. It's been weird watching everything play out from afar, and a part of me wishes I was home. I feel so helpless, and while it would likely not be much different if I was home, I would least feel closer to it. It's also interesting to note that I had more political conversations in this past week than I have had since I've moved to England.

Basically what I'm learning is the whole world is on edge. Probably with good reason.

I think one of the worst things that's happened is restricting communications of the EPA. I say "I think", but in all honesty it's what has terrified me the most. Trump has already made it clear he doesn't believe in climate change, but constricting the communications and funding of an organization that fights for the environment and funds research that helps protect our world is dangerous for everyone, not just America. It also proves to me that Trump desires to lead an uneducated America, which is the scariest part about the whole thing.

I had foolishly thought that the rest of the government would be able to prevent some of Trump's stupidest promises from happening (i.e. the giant wall). I feel so let down by my government, but I also feel I let myself down. I have the privilege of having a good education, but I don't understand the basic workings of the government. If I'm being completely honest with myself, I still don't fully understand the electoral college. It's these sort of revelations that makes me truly understand how Trump won the presidency. He played the people through their ignorance, and many are now regretting their choice (there's a whole Twitter account dedicated to retweeting tweets of people who voted for Trump but now regret it). 

So the title of my post is solidarity, because that's what we, as Americans, really need right now. We need to help educate ourselves and educate those around us. We have to protect our right to know what's happening in the world. We have to find ways to reach out and connect with others around the world as well, as they will feel the repercussions from many of Trump's decisions.

As Shia LeBeouf (bless him and his strangeness) is trying to prove with his protest installment, he will not divide us. I think this is important not just for the American people, but also the rest of the world. Trump is literally trying to divide us from our neighbors in Mexico with a giant wall. He is trying to prevent us from aiding refugees. He is trying to keep us from almost an entire culture by banning immigrants from middle Eastern countries and trying to start a Muslim registry. But we can show that we will not be divided.

The Women's March in Washington that happened in D.C., all around the country, and even all around the world, proved the real need for solidarity. While I wasn't able to participate in any, I saw the power that the people truly hold if they come together for a common cause. 

Side note: I've seen a few Facebook "friends" share that they didn't "believe" in the Women's March (how do you not believe in it? It literally happened in front of your own eyes? But whatever) and didn't support what it stood for. Some women shared that they didn't believe women were oppressed because they've never been oppressed or assaulted or felt lesser in anyway. Obviously because it didn't happen to them it doesn't exist, right? On that note, I'm going to leave this picture here so you can see how stupid that logic really is, and I'll let everyone make their own conclusions from it.

In essence, solidarity is our weapon. Fight for women's rights. Fight to prove climate change is real and convince the government to do something about it. Fight to help refugees. Fight to maintain our relationship with countries around the world. Fight for our education. Fight for the good in the world. But most of all, fight for each other, and do it together. 

Together, we can remind the government that the people hold the power. We can show them that we will not be satisfied with the current status. We can prove that a people undivided can promote great change, instill equality, and ensure the safety and well-being of our country and the rest of the world. 

This is a scary, unstable time in our history, but through solidarity, hope, and acceptance, we can create a happy ending. 

Happy New Year!

About a week late, but it's always better late than never! Well we survived what many are saying is one of the worst years ever. Bye 2016, hello 2017! But in all honesty, this was probably one of the best years I've had, at least school/career wise. So things are about to get personal here, so stick with me if you want!

One of the most popular sayings every new year is the whole, "new year, new me!" thing. While I think it is a good opportunity to change yourself for the better, I'm very happy with who I am and where I am in my life. 2016 was a year of filled with stress and excitement. I was applying for PhD programs and national scholarships at the same time; I was blessed to be able to travel all over the United States for conferences and interviews, generously supported by my university and the universities I was applying to; and I will forever remember the moment I found out I received the Fulbright scholarship, sitting in a hotel room in Seattle with my sister, her roommate, and my cousin.

However, while 2016 has been good to me, I really am excited to see what 2017 brings. I'll receive a master's degree (at least, if all goes to plan these next few months!), move back to the United States, and start the last (ish) stage of my education in Florida. I have a feeling that it's going to go by really quickly, so I'm going to be really cheesy and say I'm going to cherish every moment of it.

I think I'll just offer a preview of what's to come in these next few months with Fulbright and studying in Leicester. Tomorrow I will begin my independent research project, which begins the stressful but exciting process of developing my thesis, which will hopefully lead to me being awarded my master's degree. I'm very excited about this, as independent research is definitely a strength of mine. For the first time I'll be working in a clinical-based lab too, which is something I've never done but am thankful for the opportunity.

My research will likely dominate my life in the coming months, but since it is an independent project, I will have much more flexibility in my schedule. Because of this, I'm hoping to be able to travel more, both around the UK and in Europe. I've never been to mainland Europe (besides a layover in Amsterdam that I don't count), so I'm looking forward to that opportunity. I'm also going to try to go to an international conference while I'm here, one because I love going to conferences, and two I think it will be different than all other conferences I've attended in the states.

That's what I have planned for myself right now. I'm not a resolution-making person, so sadly I can't share any of that. But I suppose my goals are to graduate (seems obvious enough) and take full advantage of living in England for the seven months that remain.

Thank you to those who have been reading my blog thus far, and I hope I will write posts more regularly in these next few months (which sounds pretty close to a resolution)!

So....Close...

So there's good news and bad news. The good news is I'm officially in America again! The bad news is I'm stuck in Chicago for a while due to an apparent plane shortage. The signs literally say "awaiting available aircraft." You would think they plan ahead for these things, especially for puddle jumpers. 

Another good thing is I get to pretend to be fancy, as I had a one-time pass to one of those United Club lounges. They have free food and coffee here, so I guess it isn't so bad. Definitely better than waiting out the three hours in a crowded terminal. Though if everything had gone smoothly, I would be landing in Grand Rapids in about 10 minutes! But of course, something usually has to go wrong on trips like these. 

I'm definitely excited to be back home again. There's snow outside and it's cold and it actually feels like winter here, which is something I never thought I would miss so much. It also feels nice to be using a plug without some sort of converter. It's the little things, really. I do keep trying to go up the down escalators, so getting used to things being on the right side again (literally) is apparently something I have to do, which I also didn't expect. At least I never drove over in England, so I won't accidentally drive on the wrong side of the road.

I don't really have anything else to say but I'm bored and really have nothing better to do, so I figured I'd write a little something to let everyone know I made it safely. Hopefully nothing else goes wrong and I'll get back to Holland really soon!

Part One, Done!

Friday I completed my last exam for my Master's course, which means I'm officially done with the first, taught phase of my program, so now I feel as free as a bird! That, combined with coming home in just two short days, is really getting me into the Christmas spirit. However, before I decide to shut my brain down for the few weeks over the holidays, I thought I would reflect on some of the differences I've learned about education here versus back home. I'll focus on university education, since that's mostly what I know. Obviously I knew there were going to be differences from the start, but some of the differences surprised me, so here we go!

The biggest difference in education here is that from the moment you start at university, they want you to be very specialized. In other words, focused solely on one area of study. Of course I still don't completely understand how the system here works, but when you apply to university, you're applying to a specific program at a school, not just the school in general. For example, if you want to become a doctor here, you basically start your med school program as soon as you get to uni.

Back home, this is definitely not the case. We apply to a university and then usually decide our major once we get there. Universities back home also put an emphasis on general education requirements, which I believe are still a thing here, but I think there are fewer requirements. All of my friends here have been really confused about my undergraduate education. I tell them I have a degree in Biochemistry and Music, and that's apparently pretty confusing and pretty much unheard of. I get judged about it at home too, but even more so here. Then I try explaining some of the classes I took, like a class on Harry Potter and one on Sherlock Holmes, and they're like, what even was your education.

This specialization carries into graduate programs as well. Those in my program currently applying for PhDs apply to a specific PhD project. In the States, you again apply to a PhD program and only choose your project after a year of lab rotations. I generally prefer the U.S. way of doing things, as it provides more flexibility, as well as the chance to try fun things like a class on Harry Potter. While specializing is good, I think there's plenty of time throughout your education to decide what to do.

Of course, education here is different structurally as well. They don't have high school like we do, but rather they attend a college to study for their A-levels, which are exams that allow them to get into university. Please don't ask me for specifics as I don't really know any, but if you're more interested about this subject I have plenty of people I can refer you to. Following A-levels, they go to university for their undergraduate education, which only lasts three years instead of the four back home. (Side note, the way they apply for university is very different than ours, but again I don't really know much about it so I'm not going to pretend to try). Their master's programs tend to be one year versus our two years, then PhDs are generally obtained in three, while back home it's typically five years to a PhD.

To me, everything seems much more fast-paced, which is good for some people. However, like I said before, the U.S. system leaves room for trying new areas of study to make sure you're really in the program you want to be. I'm really glad I had my undergraduate education in the states, and I'm excited to come back to do my PhD, but I definitely think doing my master's degree here has been a great choice for me.

I would talk a bit about the grading system, which caused me some panic in the beginning, but I might save that for a future post as this one is getting pretty long. I've had a great time during the first phase of my program, and when I return I get to do what I truly love, which is working in a lab all day everyday, working on my own project! Which I will talk about more after the new year, of course. Until then, I passed my exams, I go home in two days, will be spending New Year's Eve in London, and will get to see my Fulbright friends again soon. Life is good!

Trumped.

I know I'm a little bit late to the game, but I wanted to take my time and think through things before I posted a reaction to what happened. I had another post I was working on, but it will have to be put on hold because I think this is more important.

I remember when this whole process began. "Donald Trump running for president? Has to be a joke."

Over a year later, it is now our reality.

Sometimes I still have trouble believing it actually happened. Up to the election, most people thought the same as I did - there's no way he can win. Hillary has to win. There's no way an entire country can let a man like Trump win.

It still pains me to say that my country has let me down tremendously. I'm usually proud of where I come from, but for a while there I didn't feel so proud. Almost 50% of eligible citizens didn't vote. Half of the country decided it wasn't important for to choose who governs them. Many later confessed they didn't think Trump would win, and that kind of thinking is a big problem. 11,000 other people, who are an entirely different breed of idiot, decided to march themselves to the polls and throw away their vote on a dead gorilla.

I woke up at 5:30am that day and watched the remaining votes come in. I sat there in horror as the hours passed and Trump kept gaining electoral votes. When the final result came in around 7:30, I cried. I cried because America decided a misogynistic, racist, bigot was the person to represent them. I cried because while I am protected due to the color of my skin, my class, and my sexuality, thousands upon thousands of others are not, and many are now afraid for their very lives. I cried because for a while Britain was winning as the stupidest country, but America took back its crown.

I think Stephen Colbert put it best when he said that the "illusion" of a post-racial America was shattered. We had gotten to a point where most people were perfectly happy pretending that racism didn't exist, that we were all treated equally under the law. While this illusion was slowly being destroyed anyway due to all the events of this past year, Trump's victory was the last straw that broke that illusion, and I have a sinking feeling that, at least for a time, hate crimes of all forms will increase.

What's most unbelievable is some of the statistics from this election. Yes, more men than women voted for him. Yes, more uneducated than educated voted for him. Yes, more white people voted for him than any other race. But women voted for Trump. Educated Americans voted for him. Minorities voted for him. It is these statistics that scare me the most. Women voted for a man who is going on trial for sexual assault. Educated men and women voted for a man who made fun of a reporter with disabilities. Minorities voted for a man who was openly racists towards all races except his own. People are so fed up with the system and with the world that they willingly voted for a man like this to be considered the most powerful man in the world.

However, in light of this, I see a lot of good. People promoting the idea of uniting together, not lashing out but rather trying to create safe places for others. A friend said something brilliant - this is a turning point. It may seem like a low point, especially after a president as wonderful and successful as Obama, but drastic change has to begin somewhere. Something shocking always has to occur before people as a whole are motivated to make a change, and Trump's victory is definitely a shock that I think can cause good change. I believe that a lot of young people will be inspired by these events and grow up motivated to make a better tomorrow. Perhaps a young lady watching Hillary's speech that day, seeing her so composed (I still don't know how she did it), and be determined to become the first Madam President, or a young boy, listening to his immigrant parents cry and discuss their future, determined to become the Secretary of State.

This is where the end begins. This is where we can all work toward a change. We are stuck with Trump, and no articles boasting a "way out" will change that. Our future president, MY future president (sorry, while I get the idea behind #notmypresident, he still will be my president whether I want it or not), is a walking, talking yam that spews hate and essentially is now the poster boy for white supremacy. I still can't believe it, but it is what it is. I got a lot of sympathy the day following the elections, as everyone here couldn't believe it either. I don't think anyone in the world expected for America to actually be Trumped.

Honestly, I don't think there's much else to say. There's only so much that can be said, but so much more that can be done. 2016 may seem like the worst year ever. Our world is in chaos, and it seems like the shots just won't stop coming. It's time to stop wallowing in self-pity and it's time to take responsibility for what's been happening. Change is coming, and it starts with our own actions. Promote love, promote unity, promote change and hopefully this unbelievable event will actually make America great.

Cultural Exchange

One of the main goals of the Fulbright program is cultural exchange. The program, founded by Senator J. William Fulbright, was created in 1946, following the end of World War II. Senator Fulbright started the program because he wanted to increase understanding between the United States and the rest of the world, especially in light of the conflict that had just ended. While the programs are based in intellectual or performance pursuits, the underlying goal is to create cultural ambassadors that can better the relationship between two countries.

You might be thinking, is there really a huge cultural difference between the US and UK?

Let me assure you, there definitely is. On the surface, it appears Americans and Brits speak the same language, but the longer I live here the more I think we really don't. It provides me with a great source of entertainment.

A favorite pastime of my new British friends is making fun of me, both the way I say things and the way I do things. Side note: apparently it's unheard of to eat apples with peanut butter, which is something I do all the time. By the end of the year I'm going to get them to try it and they're going to love it. Cultural exchange at its finest.

Most of the differences are quite amusing to me. A lot of the words Americans use are just simplified versions of the words that Brits use. My favorite example is French press. The word perfectly describes what a French press is (i.e. a way to make coffee where you literally press the living daylight out of coffee beans), but over here they call it a cafetiere (really just using the French word, I think). When I first told my friends we said French press, they had a good laugh. What can I say, Americans like things to be simple, descriptive, and easy to understand. The same issue arises with eggplant, which they call aubergine (again, using the French word). A part of me thinks they use these words just to sound extra fancy.

Another thing I have found amusing is the speed at which everyone speaks. In America, people from the Midwest are known to talk really fast, so I should be fine, right? Here, they somehow talk even faster. That, combined with the accent, made a lot of my conversations the first few weeks consist of me saying "What?" after anyone said anything. Luckily, I think I've made it through the worst.

While there are some things that I will never agree with, such as using "pavement" instead of "sidewalk" (both the road and sidewalk are pavement, there needs to be a distinction), I'm really enjoying being here and learning about those differences. When I went to the first Fulbright orientation, they mentioned that making friends here might be different than back in America, as the British tend to be more reserved and it can take longer to draw people out of their shell. However, I have found that everyone here has been more than welcoming and are making my time here extremely enjoyable, even if they do like to tease. Hopefully I'm getting this whole cultural exchange thing right!

Next to Normal

I've officially been living in England for about a month now! As the title of this post implies, it's finally beginning to feel normal. The first few weeks I was here, I was extremely conscious of my accent, but I think I've gotten used to sticking out. A lot of people are usually just interested in knowing where I'm from. It's still difficult adjusting to the different words, but I'm trying my best. A part of me just feels like I'm making fun of the way British people talk if I try to incorporate the words into my own speech. My lab partner recently assured me that most people don't even notice, so it's probably okay.

Other things that have begun to feel normal include the money (even though having coins for one and two pounds still makes my wallet feel way too heavy and still seem unnecessary), walking everywhere (as well as biking everywhere), and driving on the wrong side of the road (well, not me personally driving). Granted, I still would never, ever want to drive here. There's so many one-way streets and twisty roads that I'm pretty sure I would cause an accident within five minutes. They should've adapted the block system.

One thing I haven't gotten used to is the disconnect I now feel with events that happen in America, especially in regards to the election. Even after watching the presidential debate, it's been difficult focusing on what's been happening (Fun fact though, I voted and you should too!). Especially now that I'm concentrating on school work, I feel like I don't have time to keep up with current US events. Every once in a while my tablet "pings" and lets me know when a new gun-related terror occurs, which is mostly just sad. And I don't think I'll get used to seeing all of the pictures on Facebook of my friends going to football games, or enjoying a night out at my favorite bar in Mt. Pleasant any time soon. Some aspects of living here are harder than others, but moving on is a just a fact of life.

But I'm liking this new normal. I'm still getting used to living on my own, but that's changing too. I have new friends to get to know better and have adventures with. I'm digging into the tough (but fun!) work of getting my master's. While this isn't my normal yet, I definitely feel like I'm getting there.