On Monday it'll be two years since I moved in and I can still remember how excited and petrified I was. Of course it's probably easier for me to imagine because I felt the same about three weeks ago for moving here... Anyway. How has it been two years?! I remember being in sixth form and feeling like that went on for twenty years and yet here we are, on my third year of uni, studying in Spain whilst my pals at home are actually just starting their final year. So much of me wants to be with them but at the same time I cannot bear the thought of leaving UEA for good so I'm very thankful for this year to put off the inevitable for a while.
UEA is a really special place. There's such a sense of pride to go there and you can feel it in the air. Yes we all complain quite a lot but I've never come across anyone saying they hate it there. At least once every day I see someone tweet about it accompanied by the hashtag #ohUEA (or the longer version, #ohUEAiswonderful). I think on Derby Day last year the hashtag was probably used more times than the Olympics. Lol jokes.
I will defend and promote UEA to anyone, which I've since learnt has rubbed off on my brother too - he doesn't go to uni and has no plans to (that I know of) since he has landed an amazing full time job already (the little shit) but as his friends are now starting to apply, he tells them to go to UEA. I didn't even know it existed until I'd chosen 3 of my 5 application places and I'm so glad I learnt of its existence. Aside from the general atmosphere, my course is so good. A lot of language courses in other universities make students take modules in literature/history/politics etc. of the language they're studying but we do actual practical things. My modules last year were 'translation issues across the media', 'subtitling and dubbing', 'language contrasts and translation' and 'Spain through the eye of a lens'. I feel like we learn so much more interesting and more widely applicable things than studying some old Spanish novel or a whole module on the history of France.
Being here in Spain has upped my pride and love for UEA about 5795739 levels. Only once you've left do you appreciate what you have at home. It might just be British universities in general BUT EVERYTHING WORKS. Here in Spain they're disorganised and weird and leave everything up to you and are unhelpful. We have to build our own timetables and then go to classes to see if we like them and if we don't we have to pick something else. It's just so stupid. We couldn't register before working out the timetable and choosing decent classes but when you show up to a class and they work from resources you only have access to if you're registered it is just ridiculous. I know I'm only complaining because unis at home are so cushy and we're spoonfed but it just makes more sense for students to do the learning and the admin staff to do the admin!
I've since learnt that a library open 24/7 like UEA isn't a common occurrence. Here the library is 8am-9pm I think, and closed on the weekend. I even found out Newcastle uni isn't 24/7! Not that the library is something I ever use at home but I just can't believe 24/7 availability isn't a normal thing.
I miss the lovely city of Norwich which is small and quiet yet I still manage to get lost. I miss the lake on campus. I miss the JPC. I miss seminars where I know what's going on. Most of all I miss my friends, the ones who are there this year and the ones that are scattered all over the world this year the same as me.
I've not really felt a sense of community here at Alicante. It's probably because I'm an erasmus student though. People tend to ignore you... So I am very sorry to anyone who was erasmus at UEA who feels like I do now. EVEN OTHER ERASMUS PEOPLE IGNORE ME! It's so sad. I thought everyone would be up for a chat here and there but nope, they ignore me. I'm not gonna give up trying though... I'm only here until June so if they think I'm a persistent weirdo it doesn't matter.
This went a bit rambly since I haven't blogged for a while, sorry pals. Basically, if you're a fresher starting at UEA this weekend, I am so incredibly jealous of you and of the fun you're going to have in the next few years. If you're starting your final year at UEA next week, I am so incredibly jealous of you and I hate you a little bit. At this point I miss UEA so much that I'd gladly to go every LCR night they put on. If you're away from UEA this year and you're missing it like me, come visit me in Alicante so we can cry together. OH UEA IS WONDERFUL.
Until next time, hasta luego
twitter | tumblr | instagram | facebook | pinterest | goodreads | spotify | youtube
I know how you feel about no-one wanting to talk to the Erasmus lot, and then the separate countries all splitting off. It is hard.
ReplyDeleteWe Erasmus are different, there's no denying that, we don't belong here nor can mix in their conversations properly, because of the language. But, actually, in one of my French modules people invite me to dinner, talk to me and are curious, like I was with my Erasmus friends during our first year (and you see what that curiosity brought to). We just need to find our place, and it's more difficult here because, unlike at UEA, there are SO MANY PEOPLE in every class that teachers can't pay much attention to everybody. You know I complain a lot and am as pessimistic as can be, but, perhaps, before leaving we'll have found a new balance. Hopefully.
ReplyDelete