Signal to Noise

Posted by E | Posted in , | Posted on 9:53 AM

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After another week of careful consideration, the jury is still out on the British University system. Seven days of Rushdie, bookstores, and loads of down-time, but there is still a question mark over my head.

That makes it sound as if I'm not happy. I am happy, very happy, in fact. However, the class system is very different than it is back home, as are the students. The social situation is fine--everyone is very nice and fun to be around--but the in-class interaction leaves something to be desired. It will take some getting used to, and I'm sure that I will get used to it, but I can't stop wondering if that twinge of annoyance will ever go away.

Here at Middlesex University, Awkward Silence is king. I don't know if it is that laziness I hear about or if it's shyness, but whenever a professor asks a question in a discussion, it feels like ages before someone (mainly me, it seems) speaks up. Sure, I could just be completely full of myself--hell, that's always a possiblity!--but there hasn't been a class that has resisted the stifling silence of these tight-lipped students! Here's a scenario many of you might be familiar with: It is the first day of a new course in a new semester. There are students you recognize and students you don't. The first discussion of the semester begins, but it begins with a heavy silence, flavored with hesitation and trepidation. Do you have an opinion, or are you simply blank? Will your peers agree with you, find you stupid, or find you a genius? There is a cloud of self-questioning that hangs in the air until finally, as if someone released the tension from a distended tire, some brave soul sticks out their neck and breaks the silence. The trail is blazed and soon, other students join in, creating an active and lush discussion.

For my American course load, I deal with this same situation at least 3 times a semester, 6 times an academic year. It's an atmosphere I am familiar with. It's an atmosphere that I'm used to taking on. However, it's an atmosphere that, in American Universities, lasts only an hour or so. Not a big deal.

However, things are different here at Middlesex. That same cloud hangs over the class as if it was the first day of a new class, but something is wrong. These classes are not semester-long classes, but year-long classes. These faces, apart from those of changeling exchange students such as myself, are the same for January as they were for December. Christmas break does not signify a shift in the classroom, merely a short break. So, why does the awkward silence prevail? Why does no-one raise their hand and partake in the discussion? Is it possible to still be uncomfortable with the 8-or-so students that have been studying with you for months? However, the seminars and lectures are quite infrequent, whereas, back at Chapman, within the first week of a new semester, you've seen your new classmates 2-3 times. I'm used to being mentally engaged during the entire week, not just a day. Whenever I feel myself start floating down from my academic frame of mind, I have the same class again to bounce me back. Here, I fall too quickly.

I get very anxious in these classes, waiting for the good stuff to start, but it never seems to begin. But perhaps it is just the sleepiness of coming back from a long break. Maybe next week, I'll feel the brains around me begin to defrost. If not, I suppose I'll have to do what I always try to do in these situations: force myself to make the best of it. If this is a type of institution that supports a regimen of self-enforced study, independent learning, and self-fueled curiosity, bring it on! I can take whatever they can dish out!

Shakespeare's Sister

Posted by E | Posted in , , , | Posted on 1:43 AM

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I had my first wave of English classes yesterday. Creative writing was first. It was pretty sweet, though I'm a little concerned that because that we are focusing on the novel this term, it won't count toward "Writing the Short Story" back at Chapman like I planned. Oh well, I suppose I'll fight off those dogs when I hop that fence in 5 months. The class itself reminds me of a class I took with Gattis last semester, "Writing the Novel." It'll be interesting to revisit novels from a different direction!

This school seems so boss when it comes to creative writing! I was looking at the courses for majors at Middlesex, and they have entire year-long courses devoted to one part of writing. They have a course just for character. They have a course just for narrative. They have a course just for setting! Forget Chapman's endless list of literature course requirements. Imagine complete immersion into the subject of writing! However, I have to say, I'd feel less enriched without lit courses. Though, I'm sure that in these year-long courses, they have you read a lot for class, not to mention the stuff they expect you to do outside of class.

Speaking of reading, I've got my work cut out for me. Chapman did not alert me that I needed to have Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children" finished by the first day of the new term, so I need to catch up on all 500 pages of that as soon as possible. Then, I have to finish two short novels for a compare/contrast essay in my CW class for mid-February. He gave a long list, but I'm thinking H.G. Wells's "The Island of Dr. Moreau" and Patricia Highsmith's "The Talented Mr. Ripley." I'll see which I can find at the bookstore today.

I also had my Literature and Otherness class yesterday, which was...interesting to say the least. Most people hated "Midnight's Children." One woman hated it so much that she couldn't resist saying needless things regarding how terrible an author Salman Rushdie is. She called his work "greedy" and "verbal diarrhea." Pleasant. She also said that "Life of Pi" was boring and mostly useless. "The last 30 pages are amazing," she said, "but why the other 200 pages? Just make it a short story!" Being as "Life of Pi" is my favorite novel, I felt a tad put off by that. I feel like she mostly missed the point of that novel. If you've read it, I'm sure you'd agree that the end of "Life of Pi" is only great because of how you got there. Take away what's before that, and you ruin the entire novel.

People like this person frustrate me, no matter how hard I try to understand where they're coming from. They decide they don't like something, but they are too busy bad-mouthing the author or the work itself to talk seriously about the work. She claims that the work "left her cold" or that she was "annoyed," but she leaves it at that, not bothering to look at why it caused her to feel that way (or even if that was the point). When you're so caught up in coming up with fifty different ways of saying a work is a piece of bona-fide shit, you miss out on the actual important stuff.

I was also baffled by the class. "I'm not sure about his narrative style," said one boy, "does he always write like this?" You mean none of them have read Rushdie before? This is a third year class! How can lit students nearly graduate from University without having read Rushdie before? He's only one of the most important writers of the 20th and 21st centuries! Regardless if you love his work or you hate it, you have to respect it. He literally risked his life to publish his work. Not to mention, he's one of today's most famous "British" authors (I use quotes because we all know he's an Indian writer at heart). That's like an American who has never read Mark Twain! Please! What is with these lit majors who don't understand anything about writers? They see a bizarre, seemingly unrefined narrative and don't even consider if it's intentional.

I apologize for what's now become a rant, but you have to understand that as a writer, many of these things are insulting to me and my prospective profession. I understand that some people don't like certain novels, writers, and styles. I respect that! But what I have trouble respecting is uneducated brutality toward a novel that requires education, spoken by someone who considers herself an english major. I'm not a big fan of "Ulysses," but I don't call Joyce a retard. In addition, because I've read more of Joyce than simply his most famous work, I know that his narrative style was specific and intentional for his novel. Unlearned learners are seriously going to be the death of decent criticism.

ANYWAY. I'm sorry for the outburst there. I have done other things than mope and fume, I promise! In fact, I've joined an "extra-curricular" string ensemble (I say extra-curricular because you dont have to register for the class, but I'm not really sure how you would consider it in the US). Apparently, I'm one of two violists here, so I should have some decent work. And we brainstormed repertoire, a session which consisted of awkward silences until I mentioned about 10 different works we could play as a string ensemble. The professor seemed impressed with my "wide experience," of which we all know I have none. The music department here is pretty small, but they have quite a bit of viola repertoire in their library, so I'm excited to pull out a few pieces to learn. In the meantime, I am performing in my Performance 1 class (original, huh?) in about two weeks. It's a good thing I brought my Piazzolla piece as well as the piano part. Though, I should start practicing again.

I realize that I am posting very often and about pretty unimportant stuff, but I think that it is merely because it's a very new, exciting experience for me. Most likely, I'll begin to cool off on the blogging in a week or so.

Also, Crystal informed me that commenting was not working. I've adjusted the settings and it now works for everyone! Hope to hear your thoughts!

Cheers!

It's been 3 days since you looked at me

Posted by E | Posted in , , | Posted on 4:57 AM

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I crunched through some old footprints, their edges soft from last night's light snowfall. Small things like that are magical. It's proof that something exciting happened while I was sleeping.

Yesterday, I visited the old Londub haunt--Camden town! With a shudder down my spine, I passed by the Camden Eye. The memories of a man named "Michael Jackson" who wanted four ladies for "should I say, sex" filled my mind, as did an echo of Crystal's famous line: "Why don't you just moonwalk out of here?"

As I walked through the miles of market there in Camden, I felt the absence of this summer's anxiety. I had hated Camden Town, feeling vulnerable there with the crazies and the dark alleyways. But yesterday, I loved it. It was both different and the same. Somehow, I felt more comfortable this time. Perhaps it is because I survived the "Payne" of the first impression.

I was astonished by how huge the market truly was. There are actually two markets that run together. There's the Camden Lock Market, which begins right outside of the Camden Town tube station. At the end of that, bridging Camden Town station with Chalk Farm Road station, is the Stables Market, a market that is built in the old stables, which you can actually see if you visit the shops in the basement. I enjoyed the Stables Market the most because of the way it was structured. In a labyrinth of tiny shops and food carts, the smells and sounds create the perfect atmosphere. I've always loved the smells of incense, especially when I wonder if it is really incense that I'm inhaling. Next to the hookah bars were lines of food shops whose cuisine ranged from American, to Japanese, to Indian, to Moroccan. It was an amalgamation of deliciousness. Each shop had different fare and the amount of stores focusing on antique or vintage clothing was astonishing. The sound systems (which played Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir," Bryan Adam's "Heaven," and a piece of Bollywood genius) pulled me from shop to shop, blasting my eardrums gracefully. It was a great ride. I cant wait to go again!

Today, we had our intro to the School of Arts and Education. It was a pretty great intro talk and it magnified my excitement for the classes I'll be starting next week. However, when I finalized my Creative Writing class, it turns out it conflicts with my lit class (Animals and the Other in 20th century Literature). I might have to change that course, which makes me a little sad. I was looking forward to reading Life of Pi and Midnight's Children. Hopefully, something can be worked out.

I am very excited about the musical prospects of London. Yesterday, I was looking at the schedule for Barbican hall and there are some amazing concerts during my months here. Yuri Bashmet, Midori, Janine Jansen, and Lang Lang are all coming to play with the London Symphony Orchestra, who alone is a treat. Plus, some of the programs are simply outstanding: Symphonie Fantastique, Alpine Symphony, Appalachian Spring, Shosty 5, Holberg Suite, Serenade for Strings, Mendelssohn Concerto, Sibelius Concerto. These are pieces I listen to on a daily basis and pray that I'll hear live. I have a recording of the Mendelssohn by Midori. I can see her play it live? For only £7?? I can't see how I would miss that. And Yuri Bashmet? As a violist, I could never face my instrument again if I didn't jump on that £9 opportunity!

After only 3 days, it's becoming rather difficult to contain my excitement. Imagine what it will be like after 3 weeks. 3 months! Goodness gracious!

*Edit* Well, it seems like I will be able to take Lit and Otherness after all! There was another course time. Oh, and it seems like most classes have a different structure here than in America. While my other classes are once a week, my lit class is twice a week. However, one day is a seminar, the other day is a lecture. Here is how they described it to me: a lecture is just as it sounds--the professor talks and we take notes--while the seminar is designed with class discussion in mind. Sounds awesome! Hopefully not too awesome though; I'm going to have to eventually come back and do things the Chapman way. ;)

The Shiek of Araby

Posted by E | Posted in , , | Posted on 10:41 PM

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At this point in time, everything has been very anticlimactic. I anticipated traffic, busy security lines, intense crowds of people squeezing through with caution. Instead, my original flight (yesterday) was cancelled due to weather conditions in London. These same weather conditions affected only the flights of British Airways, as most other airlines were able to land safely at Heathrow. Naturally, while other Chapman students arrived at Middlesex and began updating their Facebook statuses to alert the world of their triumphant arrival, I was sitting at home, watching “The West Wing” and blowing my nose.

Today, I anticipated the grand scramble. Sure, it would be a day late and I’d be slightly more prepared (I pulled hairs out the morning before), but it would turn out to be the hectic airport experience after all. However, here I am, sitting at gate 41 in LAX with a considerably low stress level. There wasn’t a line for self check-in. I was able to check both bags for free. My largest bag was a lucky 4 pounds under the weight limit. Security didn’t even need to open up my viola case. Painless, quick, calm.

And as I sit here, feeling as if hardly have any “exciting” experiences to write for this first true blog post, I cant help but laugh inside as the airport version of Louis Prima’s “The Shiek of Araby,” titled “The Shiek of Napoli,” plays over the speakers. In this version, the background singers never sing “Put that turban on!” It was a song from a very, very different time, I suppose.

There are thick clouds of fog intermittently heaving themselves over the terminals from the ocean, which is only a mile away. I wonder if British Airways had to cancel today’s flights as well due to “extremely foggy conditions.” Oh, BA, you make me laugh! But let’s leave the past in the past. In about an hour, I am going to be sitting on a plane, ready to say “A Bientot!” to my dear California. See you on the other side (of the Atlantic), folks!

(1/7/09)

...

I'm currently writing this from my home away from home, Gubbay Hall. It has a bed, a sink, a desk, some dressers, a radiator, and a view of the courtyard which is coated with a layer of ice-packed snow. It's not cold in the room, though I half expected it to be freezing. The radiator is actually quite effective. It's so quiet and magical at this hour--6:47 am--because the sun doesn't rise until 8 am. I've actually been awake since 4; I was so exhausted after my flight that I went to bed at 6 pm yesterday! It's amazing how 10 hours of sitting on your ass watching movies can be the most stressful and energy-draining thing a human can do. Though, the ride from Heathrow up to Middlesex was actually quite pleasant thanks to my Polish taxi driver. He was so amiable and was very interested in America.

It's funny. Because I wasn't able to arrive on the orientation day, there wasn't anyone to meet me at the airport. I had always figured I would freak out at being by myself in London, but perhaps those extra few days of being stranded this summer were for the best. Panic was the last thing on my mind. I just called the University, called a minicab, and did it! Elise, are you finally growing up? About time. Maybe I should change this blog's title to "Don't Panic."

London is so interesting! Everything is so different than what I've seen before, even the London I saw this summer. The sidewalks are covered in snow and the trees have that layer of snow on the top of their branches. I've always seen pictures of trees like that, but growing up in California, as most of you know, that kind of snow becomes more of a myth than a reality. Though, I have already seen someone fall on their butt, so I better choose my footwear carefully.

I'll probably venture out soon, wearing my wool coat, my gloves, a scarf, a hat, and some very unattractive New Balance trainers. It'll be chilly, but exciting, I'm sure.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Let it Snow

Posted by E | Posted in , , | Posted on 9:22 PM

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First of all, this blog is finally public! Hooray!

However, there are more pressing things to talk about. Here's a current weather update in London:

Temp: 34 F
Feels like: 27 F
Humidity: 93%
Snow expected: 10 in.

Well, I suppose that I should dress warmly for my flight tomorrow, as I might get rerouted to a different airport. It is supposedly the coldest winter in Europe in 30 years. My timing couldn't be more perfect! Ah, but I'll suck it up! It's about time this OC girl gets some snow...or slush, as the case may be.

In the meantime, I still have to finish packing and organizing and pacing. I've got my work cut out for me!
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