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.

First Day of School!

Well, technically second now. But I got distracted yesterday and didn't get a chance to write a post!

So far, so good. Which is pretty easy to say for just having one day of school down. Though it is slightly weird, because this first week is something they call induction week. If I had to boil it down to anything, it's like syllabus week back home, but if you only had one class to learn about. For example, yesterday they told us all about the structure of the program. Today we will be learning about library services. Tomorrow is our first lab session, just to make sure we can function properly in a lab. I would assume Thursday and Friday would be more about services the university offers, but I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that they will be feeding us lunch on Friday, which is pretty sweet. All in all, I thought we were going to dive right in. But amazingly I have a lot of free time this week, which will be nice to spend with some of the new friends I made!

As a reminder, I am getting my MSc (Master of Science) in Cancer Cell and Molecular Biology (CCMB). This is actually one of the most popular courses the department offers, which isn't really surprising to me. You can find thousands of masters programs in cell and molecular biology, but I'm pretty sure this is the only one that specifically focuses on cancer. I think that's pretty neat. When all is said and done, I think there are about 15 of us in the program. Maybe 20, because I'm not great at estimating things like this.

One of the things I really enjoyed about meeting these people is the sheer diversity in the group. It's definitely something I haven't really seen so far in my education. Surprisingly, there's another American in the group. He's from Virginia, so everyone probably thinks his accent is cooler, but whatever. There's a couple of girls from Turkey, one I met from Saudi Arabia, one from India, and of course a few from around the UK. Everyone was extremely friendly, and I think we'll all get along well. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them and learn more about their individual cultures.

Just a few notes about the program itself, because I'm continually amazed that they condense a masters in just a year. All in all, it does round out to about a year. But the vast majority of that is the project period, which is when we get to work full-time in a lab and just shovel out a dissertation (which may not sound exciting to most people, but I'm super pumped). The first three months, however, is us getting knowledge shoved down our throats. Lectures only take place on Mondays, which sounds awesome, but some days lectures go from 9am to 5pm without a break. The rest of the week is spent in a lab, working on different lab techniques and practicing for the real-deal that comes in January. It's very intense, with papers counting for the majority of our grade, and there's not really a break until we get to the end of November. In that respect, it is quite intimidating. But I love to be busy, I love to learn, and I'm totally ready for whatever is thrown at me.

I think this year is going to be the most unique year so far in my education. The structure of the program is vastly different from anything I've experienced thus far. I guess that's the main point of the Fulbright award. Whatever I learn here, I can take back with me and encourage others to join in an educational exchange program. That's pretty exciting!

First Impressions

This is my third full day living in the lovely city of Leicester, so I thought it was about time to write down some of my first impressions of the city. I feel like I've been walking non-stop since I got here. Turns out it takes a lot of effort to move in to a new place on a different continent, especially when you don't really have any form of wheeled transportation. Or don't understand the bus system at all yet.

But anyway, since I've been walking so much I am getting to know the city fairly well. At least the area surrounding my flat, the city center, and the area around the university. I've only been on the campus once so far, so I'll save my first impressions of that for when I spend more time there.

I'm going to do my best to compare this city to some in the US, so if you haven't visited these places I apologize in advance. If we say London is like New York, so far I'd describe Leicester as an English Chicago. It feels like a fairly big city like Chicago, but size-wise I would say is probably close to a Grand Rapids, if Grand Rapids had no tall buildings and had a castle. As a side note, I don't know why I was surprised to find a castle in Leicester. They're everywhere in England.

All in all Leicester is a much bigger city than I had originally anticipated. To be honest, when I first got to my apartment complex I was a bit disappointed by the appearance. It didn't look "English-y", if you know what I'm getting at. There's quite a bit of trash on the street around my building, and some of the sidewalks that lead into the nearby park look particularly sketchy, and I definitely think I'll stay away from those at night.

But of course, first impressions are not always entirely accurate. The city center of Leicester, where I've spent the better part of the past two days, is wonderful. It's about a 20 minute walk from where I live, and as long as you don't get lost (like I did), the walk is really pleasant. Depending on the route I take, I can walk right by the castle! There's a huge shopping center called Highcross right smack dab in the middle of the city, where you can find anything you're looking for. The area surrounding the shopping center is filled with even more shops, along with plenty of pubs and restaurants, which I will look forward to exploring more when I find some friends to come with me! The city center was definitely "English-y" enough for my taste too!

Unfortunately, the city center is quite far. I'm hoping to find a bike in the near future, but for now I don't fancy walking a mile every time I want to go eat or I need something. So heading in the opposite direction, I found another busy street called Narborough, where you can also find anything you're looking for. While exploring, I stumbled upon a bargain shop, which is where I ended up buying most of my kitchen stuff for a very cheap price. It's also where I found a delicious Indian restaurant that you can be sure I'll be going back to quite often.

As if this street didn't have enough to offer, I found out that this year, it was named the most diverse street in Britain, with over 200 shops with owners from 23 different countries. Go figure.

That's pretty much what I've been doing over the past few days. Exploring a new city is always fun to me, especially when you can't completely rely on Google maps to get you anywhere. So far I'm impressed by what Leicester has to offer, and I can only imagine that I'll discover more as the weeks go by.

Exhausted

You know that feeling you get as you're going up the first climb of the biggest drop on a roller coaster? That fluttery feeling in the pit of your stomach that's a mixture of excitement, fear, adrenaline, and regret? That was the feeling I had almost all day yesterday. And most of today, really. But you probably guessed it, I'm officially in the United Kingdom! It was a pretty crazy ride getting here too, I must say. It seems that flying to another country can never really be straightforward.

My flights were originally scheduled perfectly, so that I would have four and a half hours in Chicago between my flights. My first flight out of Grand Rapids, which was supposed to be at 11:30 yesterday morning, was canceled due to storms in Chicago. United booked my on two completely new flights, but with only an hour and twenty minutes between flights. I don't know how many of you have been to the Chicago airport, but it takes a long time to walk between terminals because the airport itself is so enormous. Naturally, due to the already high amount of stress I was in, it was a pretty big setback to start the trip with.

Luckily, I managed to get an earlier flight to Chicago through American Airlines, and was spared too much hassle in Chicago. Besides the walking what felt like five miles to get to my next gate.

After that I hoped nothing else could go that wrong on the trip. But something much worse happened when I boarded the flight to London - I was sitting next to a baby. Not a baby-sitting-on-mom's-lap baby, but a single baby in a carrier (with mom next to baby). For those who have never had the pleasure of flying with an infant in the same plane, babies do not do well on planes. Specifically eight hour flights across the Atlantic. There's nothing better than being stuck in a metal tube hurtling 600 miles per hour through the stratosphere for eight hours with a screaming child. Naturally I was bracing myself for the worst, preparing to turn my iPod up to earsplitting volumes, when a flight attendant came and told mom and baby that they could move up closer to the rest of her kids (yes, she had two other small children with her who were originally sitting alone). At that point, I knew the travel gods were going to be on my side for the rest of the trip.

While it doesn't make for particularly interesting stories, the rest of my trip to Leicester went so smoothly that I didn't really have to try hard to do anything. I was worried about getting my three suitcases and backpack that collectively weighed over 100 pounds across London to the train station, but even that proved to be much easier than I expected. Turns out when people see a young girl struggling to get massive suitcases loaded on to a train before the doors close on her, they really step up.

I did hit a slight hiccup when I actually got to Leicester. Turns out the building that is shown on Google maps as my apartment building is not 100% accurate in real life. And when you don't have access to any internet or data services, you end up wandering in circles past the same street corner with your 100 pounds of luggage until you conveniently run into the manager of your very apartment complex just as you're about to cry tears of frustration. What serendipity.

After a slight delay in my room being ready for me due to an email error on the part of the renting agency, I am finally there. I did it. I made it. The room is, as expected, almost hilariously tiny, but I think it will be more than enough for what I will require during the next year. I'm sure after this first week of getting settled, I'll be spending more time outside of my room than in it anyway.

All that being said, it was almost exactly 24 hours of travel time, with about three hours of sleep (more than I've ever gotten on an international flight, though). So you could say I'm pretty much exhausted. But I managed not to take a nap, and I'm staying up until 9 tonight to adjust to the time change quicker. All in all the trip ended up being much less stressful than I had originally anticipated. And that crazy, nervous, fluttery feeling? Gone. But then again, it could be that I'm just too tired to notice.

Small Sacrifices

Tomorrow is the big day! Now that it's officially here, I'm partially terrified. Actually, mostly terrified. After seeing all the posts on Facebook from my friends starting their classes at Central today, it really hit me that I'm about to embark on this incredible journey. It's very different from going to school two hours away from home. Which is an obvious statement, but one that I have to keep reminding myself about.

The good news is I finished packing, like, half-way through the day. Usually I'm packing stuff up until the absolute last second. But of course, there's still time for that. The biggest thing I've learned from my two day packing fest is that I'm too sentimental to choose between all of my clothes. It also doesn't help that I'm terrible at making arbitrary decisions that will likely not have an extreme impact on my future. So I had to learn to make a lot of small sacrifices in what I packed and what I didn't, and it was pretty difficult. Though if this is the most difficult thing I have to do in life, I really can't complain.

Since I'm leaving tomorrow, I'm sitting here thinking through some of the things I really want to get out of this next year. I have a tremendous opportunity to grow as a student and a global citizen, and it's important to have some idea of what I want before the adventure really starts. I mean, I will have an eight hour flight to think through some more things, but for now this is what I've come up with.

1. A degree. Which is obvious. That's the main thing I'm going for. But as I approached the end of my undergraduate career, I began to realize that I had no intention of getting a master's degree, and would rather skip ahead to my doctorate. When I applied for the Fulbright, I knew it was a long shot. I also knew it would be delaying my doctorate for another year in order to get a master's degree, but it was definitely a sacrifice I was willing to make.

2. Improve my ability to make arbitrary decisions. Like what to pack on trips like this. Or where to go to dinner. What movie to see, what shoes to buy. I'm really terrible at those kinds of decisions, mostly because I put so much value in to them. I think to myself, I could leave this shirt at home, but what if there's that one time I want to wear it? Or, if I don't by this shirt, I'll regret it forever. These thoughts are usually not true, but I get so wrapped up in them that I end up packing too much or buying said shirt even if I don't really need to.

3. Enhance my global education. This means traveling, of course, but it also means engaging with other cultures on a daily basis. I grew up in a community of people who were just like me. I went through most of my schooling in a community of people who were just like me. I'm ready to study in a place that has a wide variety of people and cultures. I'm excited to spend more time in London, one of the most diverse cities in the world, to learn more about other people and learn how to interact with them.

4. Learn how to live by myself. I've never truly lived alone. I've always had a family or roommates to keep me company. This next year, I'll truly be living by myself. I won't have anyone to say "Hey, I'm going out!" or "Do you want to grab some dinner?" to. All of my decisions (there will always be more decisions) will be up to me. It's going to be intimidating, and a little strange, but still a learning experience.

Those are the biggest things I have for now. I'm sure more ideas will pop up in my mind as I sit on the plane trying to fall asleep. I hope these posts will become more interesting, rather than me rambling about what's on my mind or how I'm trying to pack all of my stuff. I'm excited to embark on this journey tomorrow, and I can't wait to share it with everyone!

One week! A.k.a I should probably actually pack...

Wow how the summer really flown by. I feel like I just blinked and BAM! Only one week left here at home. Officially this is my last Tuesday at home. Starting now everything is going to feel like my "last" time doing stuff at home. Which obviously won't be the case in the long run, but for now I all of a sudden feel so rushed.

As you can probably guess from the title of this post, I have not officially begun packing. I've done some of the very easy things, like picking out what shoes I want to bring, picking out what jewelry I want to bring, making a list of things I can't forget to pack, etc. Here's the tricky part though - packing to live abroad is very hard. What do I bring? What do I buy? These are the difficult questions I am now finding myself facing. Which I probably should have started thinking about a while ago, but procrastination is a part of who I am.

So in case you're curious, and because I've run out of creative ideas for the whole "miss and looking forward to" thing, here's what I've been figuring out so far. Maybe this will help you fellow world travelers in the future in case you need to pack for a long trip out of the country.

1. Buy some food storage containers to pack some of your stuff in. I decided to do this mainly because I didn't want to have to buy storage containers in the UK, only to throw them out as I come home again next summer. Pro-tip: Sam's Club has really cheap containers that you can buy. Obviously I won't be bringing a whole tub full of them, but enough that I can still pack lunches!

2. Find a good way to travel with jewelry. I mean, we've all been there. But I can't tell you how many times I've untangled some of my necklaces. Or how many tiny stud earrings I've lost. This time, I decided to turn to the best source of knowledge I know - Google. I haven't tried it yet, but one blog recommended using plastic straws to thread necklaces through, keeping them nice and tangle free. As for the earrings, I invested in a little "earring booklet," basically a small booklet with pages that have holes for the earrings. Super nice and keeps me from losing my earrings.

3. Shoes take up a lot of room. To which you're thinking, well duh. But for those who know me, you know I like shoes. And I have a lot of them. And I want to take them all with me. But for the sake of the overweight luggage fee, I'll have to make some sacrifices.

4. Make sure you bring something to remind you of home. I'm bringing many things, because one, I'll be gone for a while, and two, I'm living alone. I know there will be times when I will miss living with people and miss sitting at home with my family watching baking shows. But that's when I can take out whatever reminds me of home and I won't feel so lonely.

5. You're going to forget something. So far, I've always forgotten something. Never anything super important. But it's an important to remind yourself that if you forget something, it isn't the end of the world. They have stores in England.

Obviously my adventures in packing are only just beginning tonight. This is going to be the most difficult part of moving but hey, I still have a week to get it done.

One last addition, for those who have an Instagram account, please feel free to follow me for some awesome pictures of my adventures. For those who don't know, I also travel with a small tiger named Spot, so he's usually in on them. Follow me @sheep.herder!

3 weeks!

Yesterday marked three weeks until I leave. That, combined with the fact that I submitted my two week notice for Starbucks, makes this all seem very real. Suddenly I feel as though I'm running out of time...

Which means, it's definitely time to start thinking about packing. And calling banks for credit card stuff, and getting all my paper work together so they'll actually let me into the country, and ensuring I have an actual plan to get to Leicester from London...you know, all the small stuff that will ensure my journey goes smoothly and without too much stress. I'm sure there will be some no matter what I do.

With that being said, it is time for more things I'll miss, and things I'm looking forward to! I did food last time, so I suppose this time I'll do places.

What I'll miss: the beach!
Sure, England is surrounded by water on all sides. But it just isn't the same. Plus, Leicester is pretty landlocked. Plus, I'm sure the water never gets super warm. Plus, it just isn't the same swimming in gross, salty water.

What I'm looking forward to: SCOTLAND
Yes, Scotland definitely deserves to be in all capital letters. For those who don't know, Edinburgh is by far my favorite city in the world (well, maybe not included Holland, but I'm a bit biased on that one). I'm also super excited to take another trip to the Scottish Highlands. That was by far the best part of Scotland, and I really want to get some more hiking and exploring in this time. Hopefully I'll meet an adventure buddy who will want to go with me!

What I'll miss: Home
Which is directly related to the beach, but hey. I'll really miss it. By home I of course mean Holland, but in reality it's all of Michigan. It's a fantastic state to be in. Plus, the majority of my family is in Michigan, which means I'll miss it even more. Even when I come back to the US I won't be truly moving back home, which makes me a bit sad. But who knows what the future holds in that respect.

What I'm looking forward to: New Home
Well, sort of new home. I'm hoping that my time abroad will establish many connections, both personally and professionally, so that when I come back after my year living in England, it will feel like a second home to me. I really love getting to know new cities, so I'm really looking forward to taking my time exploring what Leicester has to offer me.

There's probably a lot more specific places I'll miss (The Cabin in Mount Pleasant, Grand Rapids, etc.), but there will always be places you miss when you move away. It's part of growing up and becoming truly independent. So while I am starting to get pretty nervous, I'm excited to see what my trip has in store for me!

One Month and Counting!

Wow how the time really flies! Today marks exactly four weeks until I leave for England, which is part terrifying and part exhilarating. I thought in the next few weeks leading up to my departure, I would share some of the things I am most excited for in England, as well as some of the things I will miss the most. So here we go, food edition!

What I am excited for: Tea!!

I have been missing my quality English breakfast tea for a few months now. What we have here isn't really the same. There's just something missing that the tea direct from Britain has. Maybe it's the snobbery that seems to accompany tea in Britain.

What I'll miss: Mountain Dew

Unsurprisingly, Mountain Dew in the UK just doesn't taste the same. Probably because it's missing that key ingredient that makes it so fluorescent.

What I'm excited for: Quality Indian food

I love a good curry, but great Indian restaurants are lacking in Michigan. Luckily, England has a large Indian population, which means a great many wonderful Indian restaurants.

What I'll miss: Mexican food

Unfortunately, while England offers many sources of Indian food, it severely lacks in Mexican food. And by severely lacks, I mean I never saw Mexican food anywhere in my previous visits to the UK. My only source of Mexican food will have to be my own cooking. I hope any British friends I make will be prepared to be introduced to some spicy, taco goodness.

There's a lot more food that I'm excited for, and food that I will miss from home. One of the most difficult things during my month in Scotland was missing American food, if you can believe it. But I'm sure I can get over my lack of American food by delving into some great meat pies and fish and chips!

50 Days, Visas, and Privilege, oh my!

Today officially marks 50 days until I leave! The past few weeks have absolutely flown by, and I cannot believe how close this all is. I'll still be working through my to-do list for quite a while, but I finally started my biggest task - applying for a visa. Which isn't actually as terrible as it sounds, so I won't bore anyone with all the details.

What I really want to talk about is the current issues that are ravaging our country. In all honesty, this past week especially has really convinced me that leaving the US for a year is the right thing to do. I don't want to keep waking up to the news of another police shooting of a black man. I don't want to wake up to see innocent police officers gunned down by a sniper. I don't want to live in a country where these tragedies continue to happen, yet the government refuses to change things. While I am still grateful to have grown up in America, and will miss it while I'm away, it's time for me to say goodbye for a while.

Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky to be able to just get up and leave for a while. I am very privileged in this way. These thoughts have caused me to reflect on my life, and truly acknowledge the amount of privilege I really have. One of the current trending topics are the "issues" surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement. This is an extremely powerful movement, and one that I am fully supportive of. However, a lot of people see this as "oppressive", "problematic", or "unequal." "ALL LIVES MATTER," these "oppressed" white people yell from the sidelines. "It's unfair to exclude other races!"

Pardon my French, but what a complete load of bull.

I have had a really great life. I grew up in a wonderful family, nice neighborhoods, and have never truly wanted for anything. In addition, I have grown up surrounded by people like me - middle-class white people. I know my privilege. I see it every day. And every day I wake up and wonder how I could possibly help those who are behind the Black Lives Matter movement if I don't truly understand what they're going through. Here's how - shooting down All Lives Matter.

All lives do matter. But right now, that's not the point. Not all lives are being innocently gunned down. Not all lives are fearful when they are pulled over by the cops for what seems like no reason. Not all lives need to fight for equality. I am privileged. Most of the people who read this will likely be privileged like I am, so we cannot truly understand Black Lives Matter. But if you read this, don't support All Lives Matter. That is not what the country needs right now.

Think of it this way (and I can't take credit for this example, I saw it on the internet) - a group of four people sit down at the table. Three people are given food. The one without food says, "I deserve food." The other three say, "We all deserve food," and keep on eating. At that moment, it doesn't matter that everyone does deserve food. What matters is the inequality that hangs in the balance, and that one person is still going hungry.

I know that racial issues are prevalent everywhere, and that going to England will not save me from the inequality. But at least in England, innocent black men aren't gunned down by those who are supposed to be protecting them.

I'll leave with this - black lives matter. Some people see this as unfair, oppressive, or unequal to other races. I will forever struggle with my own white privilege, but there is one statement that I tell myself every day that helps make it a little easier, and I hope those reading this will carry it with them wherever they go. When you are used to privilege, equality seems like oppression.

Brexit: Nightmare or Reality Check?

***Full disclosure before I begin this post - I have put some research into this topic, and have formulated my own opinions on what has happened. That being said, I am not a British citizen, are not in any way connected to the Eurpean Union (EU), nor do I fully understand the economics behind everything or even the full scope of the politics behind everything. But I feel like the UK's referendum vote is important for us as US citizens to understand a little more, and I want to share my thoughts on it.***

Back in February, for my Fulbright phone interview, one of the questions I was asked stated, "What is a news story about the UK that you have been following?" Naturally, I chose the UK referendum that was taking place. Normally I, as an America-centric US citizen, know next to nothing that happens around the world. But this particular story had caught my interest a while back, mostly due to the odd coincidence surrounding it.

A few years ago I studied abroad in Scotland over the summer. That particular summer, in 2014, Scotland was preparing for a referendum vote themselves, to decide whether or not to remain in the United Kingdom, or become an independent nation. (Spoiler, they voted to stay). Fast forward two years, here I am, preparing to live in the UK for a year, and they have just had a referendum vote as well, this time, over whether or not to remain in the EU.

Anyway, that's an interesting aside that takes away from the real topic at hand. In case you have not yet heard the outcry from across the ocean, on June 23, 2016, the UK voted to leave the EU. The vote was terrifyingly close, with 51.9% voting to leave, and 48.1% voting to remain. This tiny margin has sealed the fate of the entire UK, and consequences are sure to be felt around the world. There are a few notable things that I would like to discuss, so bear with me as this post could become fairly long. And if you don't want to read the whole thing, please scroll to the bottom and read the last paragraph.

1. The Prime Minister, David Cameron is stepping down.
Back in 2015, during his re-election campaign, Cameron promised to hold a referendum vote to decide whether or not the UK should be a part of the EU. He was facing increased pressure from some in his conservative party, who thought being in the EU was only bringing the UK down. Cameron himself was fully supportive of the remain campaign, telling citizens that he had the power to negotiate terms with the EU to make UK citizens happy. What started out as a promise that looked easy to control, became Cameron's downfall, and he will be leaving office in October of this year.

2. British banks, who still use the pound sterling, have already taken a massive hit.
For decades, the pound sterling has been the strongest currency in the world, and while the pound has steadily been declining in worth since a high point in 2014 (when of course, I was there and it was almost $2 to one pound), it has taken a massive hit. Currently (only according to the Google search I preformed), the pound is worth about $1.37. It may not seem so influential, but it has fallen 10 cents since the vote to leave the EU, costing Britain's banks around 130 billion pounds (heavy, right?).

3. Scotland voted to remain in the EU.
Scotland overwhelmingly supported remaining in the EU. Every single voting district in Scotland wanted to stay, with a win of 62% over leaving. There is now a loud outcry of rage on Scotland's part. This will likely trigger another referendum on Scotland's behalf, and I would not be surprised at all if this time, they decided to part ways with England. Many see it as extremely unfair that their entire country wanted to stay, but are now forced to leave due to their involvement in the UK. I would not disagree with them there.

4. The Leave campaign was littered with scare tactics, mostly involving immigration.
The United States isn't the only country that has a problem with immigration. I know we see Europe as this perfect union, where they are open and accepting of all peoples. Since us, as Americans, have such a small scope of knowledge surrounding European politics, we often see Europe with rose-colored glasses. Europe is definitely filled with just as much discontent as America. While the EU was set up in order to create peace and stability, it is a constant battle to keep all the nations happy. UK citizens physically living in the UK were growing uneasy with all the immigrants "coming in and taking their jobs." Sound familiar to us here in the US? Oh, but let me clarify - there was, as there seems to be across the world on this issue, a large generational gap on this issue. Can you guess which generation was worried about immigration?

5. Speaking of the generation gap, this played an enormous part in the vote.
Much like our own election struggles with bringing in young voters, the referendum struggled with bringing in the young ones as well. While 71.8% of eligible voters turned out on Thursday, with more than 30 million votes cast. This is the highest voter turnout since the 1992 general election. Age played an enormous part in the voting. Here is a short breakdown:

        Age 18-24: Remain, 73%
        Age 24-34: Remain, 62%
        Age 35-44: Remain, 52%
        Age 45-54: Remain, 44%
       Age 55-64: Remain, 43%
       Age 65+: Remain, 40%

Unsurprisingly, the older generation claims, "we were fine before the EU, we'll be fine after!" Also unsurprisingly, the younger generation retorts, "the world has changed! We need the union!" As to who is correct, only time will tell.

6. Education matters as well.
Level of education was another huge factor in deciding how people voted. Those with a higher level of education mostly voted to remain, while those with less education tended to vote leave. This is unsurprising, considering the tactics the Leave campaign used. The Leave campaign filled their speeches with false advertising, generating fear about immigration, the economy, and the general rights of UK citizens. Those with less education are more apt to take these rumors as truth, without putting forth their own research. This will no doubt play a huge role in our own upcoming presidential election as well.

7. Just in case you didn't see, EDUCATION MATTERS!
And not just in voting, but in general. Following the closing of the polls on Thursday, there was an enormous surge in UK citizens Googling terrifying questions. They are not inconsequential. The second most Googled question? WHAT IS THE EU? CITIZENS IN THE UK DID NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE VOTING AGAINST. This is huge, and absolutely unacceptable. Not on the part of the citizens, but on the country. Shame on the UK for not properly education their citizens. Good thing I live in a country that makes sure voters are always properly educated.

(For those that can't get sarcasm through a blog post, that last sentence was meant to be sarcastic)

So hopefully that provides you with some information on what has just occurred on the other side of the world. It is important to note that the UK will still be a member of the EU for at least 2 years, as the leave negotiations begin. Of course, the article that dictates this process has only been around since 2009 and is therefore untested, but now the world can only wait to see what happens. One last interesting tidbit, there's already a petition for another referendum vote that has over 2 million signatures (EDIT: a day later it now has over 3 million, but some signatures may prove to be fraudulent). So I would keep an eye on that. But anyway, if you want more specific information regarding statistics or how this affects the world, I will leave some links at the bottom of the page. Most will be articles I took my own information from.

Now, I hope there are some people still reading this, because what I have to say next is very important.

We live in a very chaotic world. After 43 years in the EU, the UK has just left, the only country ever to do so. Donald Trump is the Republican candidate for our presidential election. We just saw one of the worst massacres that the US has ever seen. Fear and hatred seem to plague our society so viciously that it is difficult to see how we can fix it. I want everyone to know, especially my friends and family in the US, that your voice counts. Your opinion matters. The best way to end this chaos is to stand against it. Educate yourself on the issues. Understand the differences in opinions that different candidates have. And most importantly, when the time comes, GO OUT AND VOTE. (Not for Donald Trump, please). I don't care if you vote for Hillary Clinton or Gary Johnson or Jill Stein. I don't care if you don't think your vote counts. Now is the time to start a change. While Brexit may seem like a nightmare to many now, it provides us as a nation a reality check. We can learn from what happened to those UK citizens who wanted to stay in the EU. Don't be one of those people Googling Trump's campaign stances after voting has closed. Education comes first, then comes change.

Articles:
BBC
BBC Charts Breakdown
BBC Why Leave Won
NPR
NY Times
Washington Post

75 Days!

There are currently only 75 days until I arrive in England! The weeks are slipping by faster than I imagined, and suddenly my to-do list seems more challenging than before. Luckily, most of my to-do list has been moving along without a problem.

The most exciting news is I officially have a place to live next year! It's a private apartment complex, "sponsored"  so-to-speak by the University of Leicester. Sadly, it's about a 25 minute walk from the campus, but they run a free shuttle, which was part of the draw of the location. Other bonuses include a gym in the complex, a discount grocery store across the street, and (perhaps best of all? Most dangerous of all?) a Starbucks across the street! It was one of the more expensive properties, but I think comfort and convenience trump the cost, especially living so far away from home.

Unfortunately, I still have not begun the visa application. This is mainly due to the fact that I have not yet received my diploma, and the process has to begin there. It goes a little something like this: (1) obtain unconditional offer letter from a university in the U.K. My offer is currently conditional on the fact that I received a diploma and maintain a 3.0 gpa. (2) Send unconditional offer letter to the Fulbright commission. (3) Obtain official and final grant offer from Fulbright. (4) Obtain a CAS number from the university upon them receiving copies of all the prior documents. (5). Send in the visa application to the US government, including my passport. (6) Wait the few weeks to receive my visa. It's a fairly extensive process, and I have not been able to start, presumably due to some holdup of my diploma, which should have arrived a few weeks ago when they sent my final transcript.

But it's fine for now. I still have 75 days, but they're sure to go by in a flash. Between working at Starbucks and hanging out with my friends and family as much as possible, I won't have much time to worry!

To Endings and Beginnings

Well it's official, I'm a college graduate! Last Saturday I graduated with my Bachelor's degree.  Monday I said goodbye to the town that has been my home for the past four years. Yesterday I purchased my plane ticket for England. In exactly 111 days I will be heading across the pond to my new beginning as a Fulbright scholar.

All in all, it's been a pretty emotional week, especially saying goodbye to some of my best friends. Endings are always difficult, but they are necessary to provide new beginnings.

Not going to lie, leaving the US for an entire year is mildly terrifying. Studying in a different country for an extended period of time is something I've always wanted to do, but now that it has become a reality, the novelty has worn off. First came the excitement, now comes all the work. Plus, the reality of my next six years has finally set in. When I think about where I'm heading after my year in England I remember that I won't be living in Michigan for at least the next six years. And I've lived here my entire life!

But I know these were the right choices for me. It's time to venture out in the world and see what I can accomplish outside of my own little bubble. So here's to endings, and the beginnings that they provide!

Adventure is out there!

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my blog 2.0! I created a blog for my travels in Scotland, but figured it would be nice to start fresh for my next adventures in the United Kingdom. I thought the title of the blog was pretty witty, too. (For those who aren't knowledgeable about classical music, look up "An American in Paris").

For those of you who happened to stumble across this blog and have no idea who I am, a bit of background. I am about to graduate with my undergraduate degree, and am preparing for my next big adventure - graduate school! Next year I will have more school (yay!) to obtain my master's degree, followed by five more years (yay times five!) of school to get my PhD.

But why the blog?

Well, I have been awarded a Fulbright Study Grant to the United Kingdom! (But what does this mean?!) In a nutshell, Fulbright is a world-wide program intended to promote cross-cultural studies and cooperation. It is a national scholarship, intended for academic and creative study around the world. I applied to a UK-US partnership to the University of Leicester, and about a year after this whole process started found out I was selected as a finalist!

So this blog is dedicated to my year as a Fulbright scholar. I won't be leaving the US until the end of August, so for now I'll be posting infrequently, mostly just about my musings of preparing for living abroad for a year (which will likely revolve around packing, because I happen to have a lot of clothes).

Feel free to follow along!