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Published: February 9th 2007
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The last two-and-a-half days have had a lot of ups and downs. Ups: Winchester Cathedral, joining a choir. Downs: Tough classes and getting sick.
Classes are a lot different here, which has been making me anxious. I only have class Monday and Tuesday, though, which is nice. Tuesday I had European History: 1500-1789, from 9-11, and Print Media from 3-6. The lectures are a lot longer than I'm used to - two to three hours, only once a week - and the instructors expect a lot more pre-class reading and independent work. Every class has two major assignments - for mine, it's all writing assignments, 1500-3000 word papers - which is all we're graded on.
For history, I have it with a bunch of other Americans, so it's nice to be confused together. Some days, we have "seminars" instead of lectures, which is a discussion session. There is a list of five books that we were apparantly supposed to read BEFORE the first class - when I introduced myself to the teacher after class, that's what he said he expected. We hadn't even got the syllabus (or "module booklet") yet! I think this is a second-semester class for these
students, so they already had the previous history background last term. So we're already behind - I was lost during the lecture. We also signed up for the first essay questions, and I got one that looks interesting, about Ferdinand and Isabella, so hopefully I can catch up.
For Print Media, it's a 200-level class instead of a first-year class, like all my other courses. So there was a lot of referring back to material that these students had already learned! There was a mix-up about the classroom we were supposed to be in, so we had a PowerPoint lecture minus the PowerPoint, which made it more difficult to follow. Plus, it's a theory class, and I've been used to all my Eau Claire journalism classes be more practical and hands-on. The teacher is from Nigeria, and I really enjoy listening to her accent. She's a little uptight, though, and long-winded. I was also shocked to have a girl rudely stop the lecture and say, "I can't listen anymore" - so the class was stopped and she let us go! I stayed after and introduced myself to the teacher. She was really excited to have an American in the
class, because she wants to talk about the differences between U.S. and U.K. media. I was glad I said something - even though I don't want to be put on the spot every day for how U.S. media works - because she promised not to make any more references to UK news stories (like she did today; I was lost) without explaining them, for my benefit.
Tuesday night, I also joined an on-campus choir - by accident! Emma reminded me of it after supper, when she said "do you want me to drop you off at the choir practice?" so I really had no choice...or recollection of our conversation last night. Anyway, they signed me up immediately, because they needed another person for a trip they're taking to Plymouth the first weekend in March. It's an all-girls choir, called King Alfred Singers, about 20 people, and I'm a middle voice. They're pretty good, not outstanding, but the group is a lot of fun. The director is a little eccentric and short-tempered, but I liked her. We sing religious pieces for things like that choir festival in Plymouth (I get a free weekend trip!) and fun stuff from musicals during
rehearsal. We also get to sub for the Winchester Cathedral choir!
Yesterday I went to Winchester Cathedral, all alone, and it was amazing. My friend Mary woke up sick, so couldn't go to the cathedral with me, as planned. Instead of going back to bed, I watched the sun come up outside my window, with the English hills and steeples in the background, and decided to go outside, because the there weren't any clouds and the lighting seemed perfect for shooting. And it was!! I took my camera around campus, which was totally quiet, and the cemetery, and then walked down to Winchester Cathedral. I didn't know exactly where it was, but had an idea and figured it wouldn't be hard to miss.
It's is the longest medieval cathedral and is also the place where Jane Austen is buried. It was SO beautiful. Walking in literally took my breath away. I was super early, just after the morning prayers, so I didn't have to pay admission and had the place practically to myself - though I did talk with the priest/minister. Also, the organist was practicing, which made the experience even more authentic. I simply can't describe the
beauty, with the sun shining through the stained glass windows and the magnificent arches and carvings. It was also nice to have some time alone, since I haven't had a quiet moment since I've come here. The lighting was perfect for shooting, and I took a TON of pictures.
I didn't want my nice morning to end, so I stopped at West Cornwall Pasty, Co. for a latte and a mushroom-and-cheese pasty. Delicious! I sat uptairs, at this window that overlooks the street, to people-watch.
Around noon, back home, I started feeling sick, with a bad cough and runny nose. It's just gotten worse since then - I won't gross people out with the details. It probably doesn't help that I went downtown with Anna, Brittany, Liz and Alex in the afternoon. (We got postcards and stamps, and I got food at the grocery store. We also had all our cameras out and were taking pictures of the town, and visited a military museum near campus.) I came back and went immediatly to bed - not getting up until 10 this morning. I really wanted to go out last night, but it simply wasn't possible with my sickness.
Hopefully I'll feel better by tonight, because Thursday is the best night to go out.
I went to the nurse on-campus this morning, but she wasn't very helpful. Anna got me some cough medicine downtown, and I've just been sitting around, since then, since I feel really weak - I should probably eat, though the thought makes me feel nauseous. Several other Americans are sick, including Mary and Jay, so I don't feel totally alone - though it doesn't seem fair that the new climate and dorms are affecting some of us so strongly and others not at all. Sorry, all, I'm just crabby! A sign that I should stop complaining and sign off...
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Kristal Donahue
non-member comment
Hello
Hey Emily, I'm sorry to hear that you aren't feeling well. I hope that you feel better soon. I know what you mean about the church. Go to as many as you can while you are in Europe there are so many amazing ones. I even got tears in my eyes at one the churches that I had visisted while in Europe. They all are just so old and have so much history behind them. There isn't as many of them like that back home. I can't wait to read more. And thanks for putting pics on I enjoy looking at those to and I know how much you love that camera. Well rest up and feel better. Love Always, Kristal