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Published: September 20th 2005
I had my first "official" class today. I put "official" into quotation marks because I am still not quite sure if I attended a class, a conversation, and informational meeting, or a two hour discussion on inflation. My first foray into Graduate life could be described as any of those things.
I shall take this opportunity to explain the University of Edinburgh's own unique and different approach to Graduate life. I have been pretty frustrated with the overall lack of contact I have had with people from the University over the past several months -- so much so that the very fact that I knew where to be to make it possible to attend my first class was something of a miracle in and of itself. From numerous paperwork problems to a complete and total lack of prepatory reading list, from confusion over start dates to confusion over supervisors, the buerocracy within the University has been a little frustrating. Being here, I have just figured out that they are not incompetant -- they just don't do the whole explaination thing all that well.
An example: Last week at our first "meet and greet" event, I spoke with my supervisor regarding coursebooks, syllabi and schedules. Apparently, that kind of formality just isn't done here. At the graduate level, they are much happier letting things take their natural course of progression. When pressed, my supervisor responded that she wasn't sure that there would be any kind of schedule at all -- that we would meet when we could meet, twice a week as it is convenient for the numerous guest lectors who come and visit the University on our behalf. Now, as grateful as I am that numerous scholars from all over the UK and Europe are so excited about this programme that they want to come and teach a guest session, I kind of need a little bit of an idea what my weeks are going to look like -- preferably in advance. I need to work. WORK! My supervisor was a little surprised -- isnt THIS my work, my life's work, my ONLY WORK! I think I took EVERYONE aback by the idea that I wanted to work. No, by the idea that with no work, there's no food. Hmm...and no house when we get back and no wedding and a lot of other great stuff that I would someday like to purchase.
I have yet to actually get a clear class schedule. I THINK my next class is Tomorrow. Ask Vince and Brian -- they are also completely in the dark. Of course, they both have numerous degrees behind them already, so they seem like they are pretty well up to speed on this whole thing. I'm a little overwhelmed. Today's class was less of an introductory meeting and more of a discussion about what we already know about the Second World War. Unfortunately, I do not know as much as they already do. Which begs the question: why come here if you already know everything you need to know about WW2. I thought I was here to learn. But okay, okay...I guess it is just a little weird being in a class with two -- just two other guys. Their graduate experience, and the fact that they are both very chatty, means that I have to work twice as hard to get the respect that I need -- and hopefully I am up to the challenge.
Though not tonight -- because I can't even start my reading as the library closes at 8:00. Grrr...
But once the dust settles I think I will be quite happy with the programme. I am just a little frustrated right now. In America, we are all business. We get to class the first day, they give us our syllabi, we know exactly what classes we go to and when and what room they are in and what we have to read from the very start. Here, especially since we are the first students to really go through this whole programme, they just say "very well, we will study what you guys want to study -- you direct the course...you are the ones who motivate this process..." Which, again, is great because it means that we are part of a process of learning and thinking and very interesting stuff and all -- its just not RMWC, and its definitely not undergrad. So welcome to grad school I guess.
Tomorrow, on to Historical Methodology. This seems to be an actual straighforward class with like 40 people in it -- the cool thing is that it is bundled with the Research Methodology seminar, which follows every Wednesday at 4. For that class, professors and historians from around the country will be submitting their current research to us, we will go home and read it in preparation for class, and they the author themself will come in for a Q&A and critical discussion. So we will maybe be passing around comments and suggestions that may help one of these historians do their work. That's super exciting.
Its just one of the many examples that the Faculty here is very very smart, and that this really is a very very good school. Like today, my supervisor was talking about the latest Hitler biography, saying how we may or may not want to read it, the choice was really ours. So she said that she had a couple of copies. One that she bought herself hot off the press. One that she got when she was asked to write a review. And one from Ian. Like Ian Kershaw. Like Ian Kershaw gave her a copy of his book. Like Ian Kershaw my idol. Like THAT Ian Kershaw. OMG!!! So when Ian Kershaw sends you your own personal copy of his book because you are chums, I guess that means you have arrived.
Completely off subject, I did three other very important things today.
1.) I opened a bank account. Though, due to the restrictions on international citizens holding UK bank accounts, the priviledge of banking with the Royal Bank of Scotland will not be available to me until 7-10 days from now. Which means that we will still have to wait 7-10 days to get a cell phone. Stupid cell phones.
2.) I bought a pair of shoes. Now, although I know I left quite a few of my well loved fashionable shoes back in Massachusetts (goodbye pink and black polka dot stillettos -- you will be missed this year), this little jaunt down to the High Street was not meant to replace the cute ones I miss so much. This trip, and subsequent £25 spent, was because I was an IDIOT and didnt pack enough shoes that were, oh, I don't know, COMFORTABLE!!! As I walked down the street today in the black 3.5" heeled boots that I loved so much when I was prancing around in my apartment, it occured to me that there was no way that I could keep doing this for an entire year. I walk 3-4 miles a day -- what on earth did I think I would need a pair of red leather pumps for? Was I THAT out of touch? I guess I was -- because really the only pair of flat shoes I had were my sneaks and my ballet flats that were -- let me tell you -- a good last minute purchase from Strawberries. I would up going to Clarks and shelling out cash for a pair of sports inspired mary jane flats in burgundy that can be worn with pants or skirts, black or brown - a good all purpose shoe. I will count the money spent as a good lesson in packing.
3.) I found my coffee shop. It is called the Black Medicine Coffee Company -- and I don't know if it is a chain, but I would just as well never find out because it is exactly what I wanted in an independent adorable little coffee shop. The brew is much cheaper than Starbucks (though I broke under temptation AGAIN today and got a Columbia on my way home from the gym early this morning. It was kind of cost effective, though, cause the guy filled up a Grande cup and only charged me for a tall -- of course the tall is about $3), but the atmosphere is awesome. You walk in and the walls are all stone. The tables are specifically set up to look like little nooks and hideaways, and they serve cheap sandwiches. I had to grab a cup to go today, so I didnt get to savour the place, but there it is definitely going to be my shop of choice. It is also one block away from Cafe Nero, and it is closer to the campus than any of the other shops that I have found. Making it ideal for a break from studying at the library. Let me just tell you -- a place this cool would be packed ALL THE TIME in NYC -- it is just the kind of Anti-establishment independent hippie kind of soy latte place that would make any coffee loving New Yorker go crazy -- if they are avoiding Starbucks simply on principal that is. I think maybe the thing that keeps it from being mobbed here is that its not called the Black Medicine Tea Company...hmmm...
So that is my fabulous story for today. Tomorrow, maybe thw whole grad school thing will make a little more sense.
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