Great Theater on a Student Budget
Written by admin - 15/12/2016
Dec 15, 2016 1:20:10 PM
One of the many wonderful things about studying drama in England is the wide array of main stream to experimental theater available every day. Having chosen to study in Canterbury which is a quick sixty-minute train ride to London I have been able to zip up to the city for theater trips including many one-day marathon theater-adventures shared with new friends I’ve made here at university. Like most students, I had to find ways of fulfilling my passion for theater and still stay on budget. I’m happy to say it’s easier than I initially thought. What’s On The first place I began, even before leaving the United States, was with research online to find out what was happening around London and in local theaters between Canterbury and the London, as well as on my own campus. My list grew quickly to include productions at theaters including Donmar Warehouse, Almeida, Arcola, Old Vic, Young Vic and the National. My favorite websites for general theater information have become: Tickets Once I put together a list of my personal “must see” productions with, at the top of the list, “The Tempest” at Donmar, I went in search of affordable tickets and found these great websites. I also found that many theater companies have special pricing (some FREE) for students under 25. For instance, the Donmar which offers Young+Free discounts. University/Local Theater And like many universities and colleges I also found that theater on-campus was a great source for professional entertainment well within most any budget. Here at the University of Kent we have the Gulbenkian Theatre, where an impressive amount of touring companies come in throughout the year. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing several productions, including an interpretive dance piece by James Wilton Dance Company based on Herman Melville’s novel “Moby Dick”. It’s well worth seeing when it comes to a city near your campus. I was so delighted to see so much great local theater was available in the county of Kent, and all within an easy bus ride from campus. To find productions locally, The List is a great source to use. Asking the experts I’ve also made use of faculty and guest lecturers for recommendations of shows and theater companies. I’ve been directed to some unique spaces and happily entertained by delightfully unexpected theater gems, including a pop-up theater in London by production company, Found 111 . My favorite production thus far came from asking a visiting lecturer who is a West End producer, he recommended a visit to the Southwark Playhouse in London. I watched a new play, “Orca” by Matt Grinter; it was captivating, thought-provoking, entertaining and a perfect example of how an intimate theater can be transformed simply and beautifully into a tiny Irish seaside village. The Panto! As it is the holiday season we are treated to a theatre event quintessentially British, the Panto. I have been hearing for months from friends that the Panto is a must-see. Since there is one being produced in just about every theaterin the country you’ll be sure to find one near you. I have recently attended the “Dick Whittington” at the Marlowe Theatre here in Canterbury. The show was pure joy and merriment on stage, and reflected what pantos are known for. Pantos a farcical take on traditional fairy tales with humorous references to current events thrown in for good measure, a star-studded cast (in the larger venues) and all wrapped up in fabulously big, bright, bold costumes, sets and performances. Theater has long been an integral part of my life and coming to England my expectations for the British experience was very high. With each performance I watch, I grow in my knowledge of acting, directing, playwriting and technical design. For a drama student, England is a dream location with so much great theater to experience every day and so many affordable ways to see it! If you would like to find out more about studying in the UK, please contact one of the Across The Pond Advisors.
How To Celebrate Thanksgiving Whilst Studying In The UK
Written by admin - 08/12/2016
Dec 8, 2016 1:14:41 PM
Confession: I haven't missed home yet. True, I miss people--friends, family, the excellent baristas in my hometown; however, I find I do not miss my hometown much. Perhaps this blissful state can be attributed to the fact that I live in London, a city of constant activity and buzz. I’ve always been the independent sort, and I’ve found I miss travelling more than I miss staying put. In any case, this changed a bit one evening not too long ago. You see, in the United States we have this lovely holiday called Thanksgiving on November 24th. My family goes all out for Thanksgiving. It’s a big shindig with the cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, and an exorbitant amount of food. I’ve never missed a Thanksgiving meal until this November, and I certainly was not looking forward to it. Thanksgiving is so much more than a meal. Thanksgiving feels like a cozy blanket next to a fireplace with a warm mug of cider. It’s idyllic, perhaps a bit of an illusion, but for one day families unite, food is consumed, and the house smells of cinnamon and apples. I’m an MA student at King’s College, and my current plan is to live in London for a year, the duration of my program. Beyond my graduation, I’m not sure where I’ll be living and what I’ll be doing. I do have some preliminary ideas, but I haven’t settled on a plan yet. Because I am only in London for a year, I have not (nor will I) invest in the type of cooking supplies I’d need to make a proper Thanksgiving meal. It’s simply not practical. Luckily, university is a social place. Yes, there may be lonely times, but for the most part there are ample ways to make friends. This Thanksgiving, I had planned to go out to dinner, but I received an invitation from another MA student from the States who is subletting a room in a house. She had *drum roll, please* a real kitchen. So, on the 24th of November, I found myself in Whole Foods snatching up sweet potatoes, carrots and pecans in order to make pecan sweet potato casserole and cooked carrots. I stopped by a flower stand and picked up an autumnal arrangement (side-note, London flower stands are stunning) and hitched a train to the east end for some delicious food. My only regret is that I had so much fun with my friend, her housemates, and her housemates’ parents that I forgot to take as many pictures as I would have liked. After a delicious meal, jovial conversation and apple crisp, I headed home to FaceTime my family. Instead of feeling homesick, I was thankful to have friends in London and the technology to see my family on my favorite holiday. So, if you find yourself in the U.K. over Thanksgiving, don’t panic, there are ways to celebrate here. From what I’ve seen, a lot of British people are quite keen on the American Thanksgiving experience. If you would like to find out more about studying your degree in the UK, contact one of the Across The Pond Advisors, who will answer all your questions.
Off-Campus Living in the UK For International Students
Written by admin - 25/11/2016
Nov 25, 2016 2:16:33 PM
My best friend and I decided we wanted to experience studying abroad together. The biggest downfall is that we do not attend the same school. She attends Oxford Brookes (in Oxford), and I attend the University of Surrey (in Guildford). In doing some preliminary research, we encountered many people who encouraged to just live in the dorms at our respective schools and commit to see each other every weekend or something. But we were determined to live together! We utilized Google Maps, MapQuest, and distant friends who already live here in the UK to determine where it would be easiest for us to both commute from. We figured that Reading was the most convenient location as it is almost halfway between both of our schools.
No international student has the same story, and my journey to the UK to study is certainly a little different!
We had been told that getting an apartment could be rather problematic for foreign students because of the lack of credit and initial lack of UK bank accounts. As such, we moved to the UK as soon as our Visas allowed us to. Once we arrived, we had to find a cheap place to live while we were searching for a permanent resident. Our initial plan was to stay in a hostel or Airbnb. Fortunately, we found some local members of our church (which has local branches globally) who were able to find us a cheap place to live during our search.
The apartment search is REALLY challenging. Back home, you could walk up to an apartment complex and just ask if they have any apartments available. Everything here goes through a letting agent. We had to siphon through a bunch of websites and make a lot of phone calls to set up appointments. Some places immediately rejected us because we were students. Others were wary because we didn’t have any local credit. There were some appointments we went to that were quite a distance from the train station, or didn’t have any appliances in them. It got a bit discouraging.
Finally, we found a place that fit our needs perfectly. We are relatively close to the train station, it came with all of the appliances, and it was within our budget! However, we did have to pay six months in advance because of our lack of UK credit. Our Across The Pond Advisors had informed us beforehand that we may have to do that, so we had already saved up, just in case.
The commute is a bit long. I take a train every day, and it’s about a 45-minute ride. And then I walk a mile to school. I could take a bus that will get me there in five minutes, but as I am living on a budget, I prefer to walk. I am somewhat enjoying the commute because I get a lot of reading done. Two months in and I’ve already finished The Brothers Karamazov and four or five Alex Cross novels.
It turns out that many of my classmates are also international students. About half of them live in the dorms, and half of us live off campus. One classmate lives in the dorms; he has his own room, but shares a bathroom with five others. And he shares the kitchen with fifteen other people. He doesn’t mind it too much, especially as he is living with other graduate students, who tend to be fairly clean! Another classmate of mine, lives off-campus. He found his house share on Facebook. He had a friend who was already living in the area who checked it out before my classmate agreed to take the place. He admits it was a little scary, but is happy with his house.
No matter where you live, there are some growing pains involved. But being able to experience a different world has been an amazing experience so far! If you’d like more information, feel free to contact one of the Across The Pond Advisors.
The Awkward Study Abroad Adjustment Period
Written by admin - 21/11/2016
Nov 21, 2016 9:58:26 AM
You know that awkward moment when you don’t know how to greet someone you first meet? Do you just shake their hand? Or do you give them the one arm hand shake and then a one arm hug at the same time? This has happened to me countless times since arriving in the UK but with time you start to learn the different types of greetings. People from the UK typically just go for the hand shake but people from places like Italy, France and Spain give two kisses on the cheek.
When you move to a different country you will without a doubt experience a handful of awkward moments, but it’s okay. One of the first things you will notice when you move to the UK is that they drive on the opposite side of the road. Two months into living abroad and I am still looking both ways multiple times before crossing the street.
Before coming here, I thought that everyone in England had the same accent. Since moving here, I have realized that people from Manchester have a different accent to people from London, and both of them have a completely different accent than people from Liverpool, which I have found the hardest to understand. I knew that there would be differences across the UK countries, but what I did not know is that there are different accents within each country as well. According to yougov.co.uk there are 12 main accents of the British Isles, but it seems like way more.
Accents are difficult to pick up on, especially after someone you are talking to has had a few pints. But not only that, you also have to pick up on different slang they use over here. The first night I was here I was invited to a pop quiz. When I first heard this I was like “school doesn’t start for another week” and they all laughed at me. I guess what they call a pop quiz is what we would call a trivia night; it is actually really fun if you get a good group together. While ordering food at a pub I asked the bartender what ‘gherkin’ meant and she had no idea how to explain it to me. It turns out that it is just the English term for pickle.
I’ve also had to adapt to the different ‘currency culture’... UK money has so many coins it is difficult to keep up! They have £2 (pounds), £1, 50 pence (our equivalent to cents), 20 pence, 10 pence, 5 pence, 2 pence and 1 penny coins. I have a collection in my room now because every time I go out I feel like a leprechaun carrying around a pot of gold. At least it comes in handy when I do laundry since the machine only takes £1 and 20 pence coins.
It certainly takes time to earn the intricacies of your new UK home but it’s all these little differences that make the place all the more endearing! It will take some time to get used to living in a new country but that is the fun of it. The only way to find out about yourself and your own culture is to experience another one. If you would like to find out more about studying in the UK, please contact the Across The Pond Advisors.
Tips to Handle Homesickness Whilst Studying Abroad
Written by admin - 17/11/2016
Nov 17, 2016 12:43:26 PM
No matter how much of a seasoned traveller you may be, at some point everyone feels homesick. It can be nothing or paralyzing. I’ve lived abroad more than once, and studied abroad three times already. So, here’s my four top tips for handling homesickness for before and when it hits! 1) Turn your room into a sanctuary This can be the difference between having a great experience and reeling from homesickness. Prepare to spend some money decorating your dorm room (and for shipping items home at the end). You’re here to live and study; white walls and emptiness will only make you feel like you’ve put your life on hold and, trust me, it’s quite depressing. The first time I studied abroad I didn’t make much of a change to my dorm room. But this time, I’ve put the energy and money into my room and it’s amazing. And if you plan for it, the extra cost won’t send you on a guilt trip. Take a look! 2) Choose a phone plan that allows you to stay connected Again, be prepared to spend a little more money if you need to. There’s nothing worse than disconnection to make you feel even more homesick. The first time I studied abroad, I didn’t have ANY connection the first night, and spent it in a near panic attack. I’ll admit: times have changed. But I’ve made sure I can call home anytime, anywhere. More contact=less homesickness! 3) Make friends! If there’s one way to prevent feeling homesick, it’s by knowing that you’re not alone. In my flat we have three Brits, a German, and two Americans. It’s a perfect mix: my fellow American (see what I did there?) and I can talk about American things, the Brits can really make me feel at home in England. They live semi-nearby (about an hour out) and I know if I ever feel lonely or nostalgic, , I can visit their homes. It’s good to know you have that. Halloween 2016! 4) List your top reasons for studying abroad It’s a huge step going overseas for more than a vacation. At some point you’ll need to be reminded why you undertook this incredible adventure! My top three reasons: My studies: Perhaps grad students are luckier in this sense, but the program we have chosen to study is something we are interested in and passionate about. You genuinely enjoy your work and buckle down into your studies. It is a reminder of why you’re here, and helps to keep the homesickness at bay. Travel: It’s incredibly rejuvenating to go back to being a tourist for a day. Visit a museum or castle or a new town! My uni offers some great opportunities so make sure you keep an eye out! English Coast from Scarborough Castle Living in a different culture: One of the things I love about England is the cafe and pub culture. There’s nothing like being able to study in a cafe that’s literally built into medieval walls! If you’re feeling homesick, remind yourself why you wanted to be here and go do that! Gatehouse Cafe: York, England. Cafe built into the medieval walls and one of my favorite places to study! From my experience, homesickness will strike after the initial rush of being in a new place and meeting new people, right before class starts and before you set up your living routine. But all of these can and will help you to fend off missing home and have an amazing overseas experience. So what are you waiting for? Talk to Across The Pond and get started!
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