This week was my Time for God Orientation conference. It was held at Cliffs College near Sheffield, about 30 minutes away from Buxton. In past years they have done these orientation sessions almost immediately upon arrival and then the volunteers are sent to their placements. This year they decided to change this process since we come from America with a week on orientation to a week in England for orientation. They both have their advantages. At this point I was able to have a better understanding of what I’m doing, and not doing, and can talk to my TFG field officer about specific concerns. But on the other hand some information that I learned this week would have been more beneficial a month ago rather than now.
Time for God is a British charity that helps young Christians from around the world find a placement for a year of volunteering. At my conference there were volunteers from Germany, Hungary, Uganda, Sweden, Belgium, South Korea, and four of the YAGMs. It was nice to be re-united with some of the YAGMs but it was even better to meet people from around the world.
It also helped to talk about culture shock, even though it isn’t as significant for the Americans as it might be for the Africans or Asians, it still is culture shock. It was good to learn the signs of culture shock and I began to realize that my difficult week last week could easily be attributed to culture shock.
One thing I noticed at the conference was the age of the volunteers. Most were 20 and younger doing this “gap” year before starting university. I find it very interesting that in Europe it is more common to do this at the post-high school age and in the US it is more common to do it at the post-college age.
Oddly enough it was comforting being around the Germans. When they learned that I spoke German many asked why I didn’t want to serve in Germany. I explained to them that I felt it wouldn’t be as challenging for me since I have spent a significant amount of time there. It wouldn’t feel new and exciting. After realizing what a comfort it was to be around them I realized that Germany would have been relatively easy for me. I know the language, the culture, the history, the people. It made me very happy with my decision. I also met the very first German to not like Germany. He hopes to never return to Germany. I would say it’s safe to say that most Germans love their country and think it to be the greatest on the planet. I was so intrigued with Tom who hopes to live either in London or San Francisco after his year in Scotland.
Another aspect of week that excited me was getting money!!! They are having difficulties setting up our bank accounts and so most of us haven’t received our stipend for this month that we should have received on the 20th. They gave us half our stipend in cash and hopefully the other half will be put in our accounts in about 2 weeks. It was also helpful to get budgeting tips for the year. They had a lot of suggestions that seem now like common sense that I’d never even considered before.
Overall it was a nice getaway from Buxton and was good to see old YAGM friends and make new TFG friends. It was slightly frustrating to be getting orientation information almost a month after our arrival in England, since the information I had already mostly figured out already. But I’m now looking forward to our mid-year retreat in Wales in January!!!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Being Entertained, British Style
Last weekend was a very fun weekend for me. In the midst of bouts of homesickness I found fun ways to keep myself occupied.
Friday night after finishing up at the Charis House I went over to Lisa’s flat for the English premiere of Disney’s High School Musical 2. I had never been a fan of HSM until coming to England and watching the first one a few weeks ago. I think I’m more taken with it given it takes place in Albuquerque. The second installment of the tween movie was set at a country club in Disney’s Albuquerque. Although it wasn’t an exact replica of “real” Albuquerque, it was close enough for me to really miss the desert. My friends were asking me if the sky was really that blue in NM saying it looked fake. Then they laughed that I was stuck in Buxton where the sky is gray most the time.
Sunday morning while preparing tea and coffee before worship, one young teenage girl was asking me if American high schools were really like that. I was entertained of the idealism that young teenagers have and their impressions of the U.S. based on TV and movies.
Saturday afternoon I went to my first Buxton Christians football (soccer) game. I’ve only been to a handful of football (soccer) games back home. Although I’m not a huge fan, it is something I’m hoping to develop over the year. I went to the game with some WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) of the team. Before heading to the game we went to Sarah’s house (Queen WAG) for tea and cake. Tammy explained to me that there are some women in Britain that aspire to be a WAG—for a professional footballer. It is an interesting sub-culture I’m hoping to learn more about. Tammy said that it might be possible for me to become an honary WAG since I won’t be dating one of the footballers.
Saturday night, Amy and I went to the Buxton Opera House to see a production on Annie. It has been several years since I’ve seen the story of Little Orphan Annie and I was impressed to see all the historical references contained in the musical. I am interested in knowing what other Brits thought of the musical since it is so “American”. There was a joke made about Babe Ruth and I was the only one in the entire theater to laugh. It’s funny that some things don’t translate, even in the “same language”. This weekend Amy and I are hoping to see the ballet Coppelia at the Opera House.
Sunday night we were offered tickets to see a movie in the Old Hall Hotel Pauper’s Pit Theater. They have a very intimate theater where they show movies every Sunday. A couple from church had the bought the tickets and weren’t able to go that night and gave them to us. This week they showed “The Last King of Scotland”. It was a very powerful and heavy movie. I recommend it for anyone who hasn’t seen it. Walking home from the theater I had a thought. Why is it that the British are able to criticize every mistake that the US’s foreign policy makes when they have made the same mistakes in their history. It really frustrates me and makes me a little angry. I’m not saying that our government and foreign policy is perfect or faultless, but the Bible verse from Matthew 7:4-5, “How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” comes to mind.
I have also become very interested in a British soap opera called HollyOaks that is on weeknights at 6:30pm.
Friday night after finishing up at the Charis House I went over to Lisa’s flat for the English premiere of Disney’s High School Musical 2. I had never been a fan of HSM until coming to England and watching the first one a few weeks ago. I think I’m more taken with it given it takes place in Albuquerque. The second installment of the tween movie was set at a country club in Disney’s Albuquerque. Although it wasn’t an exact replica of “real” Albuquerque, it was close enough for me to really miss the desert. My friends were asking me if the sky was really that blue in NM saying it looked fake. Then they laughed that I was stuck in Buxton where the sky is gray most the time.
Sunday morning while preparing tea and coffee before worship, one young teenage girl was asking me if American high schools were really like that. I was entertained of the idealism that young teenagers have and their impressions of the U.S. based on TV and movies.
Saturday afternoon I went to my first Buxton Christians football (soccer) game. I’ve only been to a handful of football (soccer) games back home. Although I’m not a huge fan, it is something I’m hoping to develop over the year. I went to the game with some WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) of the team. Before heading to the game we went to Sarah’s house (Queen WAG) for tea and cake. Tammy explained to me that there are some women in Britain that aspire to be a WAG—for a professional footballer. It is an interesting sub-culture I’m hoping to learn more about. Tammy said that it might be possible for me to become an honary WAG since I won’t be dating one of the footballers.
Saturday night, Amy and I went to the Buxton Opera House to see a production on Annie. It has been several years since I’ve seen the story of Little Orphan Annie and I was impressed to see all the historical references contained in the musical. I am interested in knowing what other Brits thought of the musical since it is so “American”. There was a joke made about Babe Ruth and I was the only one in the entire theater to laugh. It’s funny that some things don’t translate, even in the “same language”. This weekend Amy and I are hoping to see the ballet Coppelia at the Opera House.
Sunday night we were offered tickets to see a movie in the Old Hall Hotel Pauper’s Pit Theater. They have a very intimate theater where they show movies every Sunday. A couple from church had the bought the tickets and weren’t able to go that night and gave them to us. This week they showed “The Last King of Scotland”. It was a very powerful and heavy movie. I recommend it for anyone who hasn’t seen it. Walking home from the theater I had a thought. Why is it that the British are able to criticize every mistake that the US’s foreign policy makes when they have made the same mistakes in their history. It really frustrates me and makes me a little angry. I’m not saying that our government and foreign policy is perfect or faultless, but the Bible verse from Matthew 7:4-5, “How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” comes to mind.
I have also become very interested in a British soap opera called HollyOaks that is on weeknights at 6:30pm.
Being on the Wrong Side
I've mentioned that I'm having difficulty crossing the roads in England due to the English driving on the wrong side of the roads. Over the past week or so I've discovered some new problems with being on the wrong side.
When walking on the sidewalk it is quite a disconcerting feeling the hear/feel and car come whizzing up behind you with no more than 3 feet from your precious body to the metal cage.
The worst one is however being in the car. It is still a very odd feeling to be in the front seat on the drivers side but having no control over the car's movements, since you are actually in the front seat on the passengers side. This uncomfortable feeling is made worse by being on the wrong side of the road. I am constantly expecting on-coming traffic to hit us head-on since my car is in the wrong lane. And then I realize that we are all on the wrong side and if we all stay on the wrong side we shouldn't have any major collisions. But with all these complications of being on the wrong side combined with the narrow and winding roads though the British country-side leads to a queesy feeling in the tummy.
Normally I am not one to get car-sick. In fact putting me in the car was the only way my parents could get me to sleep and now that I'm older being in the car has always been a soothing sensation. That was until you put me on the wrong side. Even a 20 minute drive through the country-side is enough for me to regret eating breakfast.
I recommend bringing dramamine before any adventures on the wrong side.
When walking on the sidewalk it is quite a disconcerting feeling the hear/feel and car come whizzing up behind you with no more than 3 feet from your precious body to the metal cage.
The worst one is however being in the car. It is still a very odd feeling to be in the front seat on the drivers side but having no control over the car's movements, since you are actually in the front seat on the passengers side. This uncomfortable feeling is made worse by being on the wrong side of the road. I am constantly expecting on-coming traffic to hit us head-on since my car is in the wrong lane. And then I realize that we are all on the wrong side and if we all stay on the wrong side we shouldn't have any major collisions. But with all these complications of being on the wrong side combined with the narrow and winding roads though the British country-side leads to a queesy feeling in the tummy.
Normally I am not one to get car-sick. In fact putting me in the car was the only way my parents could get me to sleep and now that I'm older being in the car has always been a soothing sensation. That was until you put me on the wrong side. Even a 20 minute drive through the country-side is enough for me to regret eating breakfast.
I recommend bringing dramamine before any adventures on the wrong side.
Monday, September 24, 2007
I'll Just Go and Put the Kettle On
It’s a very well known stereotype that the British drink. I have learned that it’s a fact that the British drink a lot of. I tried to avoid the tea the first couple of days. I’ve been a fan of tea since high school, but only herbal tea. Herbal tea is not readily available here. I had my first cup one day after induction at Charis House. It wasn’t near as spectacular as I had imagined.
So I tried to avoid them for a few more days. At Charis House it’s expected that at least someone will ask you if you want something to drink, usually tea or instant coffee, at least once a day. I finally broke down and asked for a cup of tea. With milk and sugar.
It’s still not that good. I really don’t understand why people drink it all the time. It lacks taste for the most part and is relatively unhealthy.
Then it dawned on me that tea is something that the British see as bringing comfort. If it’s cold and dreary outside, the solution is tea. If you’re having a bad day the solution is tea. If the plumbing in your house has gone out the solution is tea. To any problem that the British face the first likely solution is to have a cup of tea.
In any social setting the first thing done is to put the kettle on. Everyone has their own preference for their tea. I have yet to see anyone not have their tea with milk. Some adding one sugar; some adding two sugars; and others having no sugar. I have mine with milk and two sugars (sorry Mommy!).
One of my church responsibilities is to prepare the tea before church every Sunday. One of my unofficial duties at the Charis House is to get drinks. I’ve noticed that every good host/hostess offers a cup of tea almost immediately after crossing the threshold into their house.
This past week was a difficult one for me. The weather was cold and rainy—by far the worst it’s been since our arrival. I was missing things at home and just overall homesick. Tammy’s solution was to fix me tea. I was hoping that maybe there could possibly be some Hogwarts magic is a cup of tea, but I was let down. It doesn’t help.
But having a cup of tea does warm you up when you’re chilled to the bone. It does give you something to do when working in the office has left you bored. It does substitute for a late-night snack. And most importantly it has become the staple to all social gatherings.
So maybe the simple cup of British tea does have its charms after all.
So I tried to avoid them for a few more days. At Charis House it’s expected that at least someone will ask you if you want something to drink, usually tea or instant coffee, at least once a day. I finally broke down and asked for a cup of tea. With milk and sugar.
It’s still not that good. I really don’t understand why people drink it all the time. It lacks taste for the most part and is relatively unhealthy.
Then it dawned on me that tea is something that the British see as bringing comfort. If it’s cold and dreary outside, the solution is tea. If you’re having a bad day the solution is tea. If the plumbing in your house has gone out the solution is tea. To any problem that the British face the first likely solution is to have a cup of tea.
In any social setting the first thing done is to put the kettle on. Everyone has their own preference for their tea. I have yet to see anyone not have their tea with milk. Some adding one sugar; some adding two sugars; and others having no sugar. I have mine with milk and two sugars (sorry Mommy!).
One of my church responsibilities is to prepare the tea before church every Sunday. One of my unofficial duties at the Charis House is to get drinks. I’ve noticed that every good host/hostess offers a cup of tea almost immediately after crossing the threshold into their house.
This past week was a difficult one for me. The weather was cold and rainy—by far the worst it’s been since our arrival. I was missing things at home and just overall homesick. Tammy’s solution was to fix me tea. I was hoping that maybe there could possibly be some Hogwarts magic is a cup of tea, but I was let down. It doesn’t help.
But having a cup of tea does warm you up when you’re chilled to the bone. It does give you something to do when working in the office has left you bored. It does substitute for a late-night snack. And most importantly it has become the staple to all social gatherings.
So maybe the simple cup of British tea does have its charms after all.
Thoughts for September (from Newsletter)
As promised, I will be sending out monthly newsletters to keep everyone informed of what my life is like across the pond. I’m hoping that these newsletters will give you a good idea of what I’m doing, what I’m learning, people I’m meeting, and what God is doing in my life and the lives of those around me.
I’m hoping that’ll I have these done around the 15th of each month and obviously I’ve missed my first deadline.
I’m still adjusting to a new lifestyle. Everyone person that I live with and work with are absolutely wonderful ensuring that I’ve settled in okay and adjusting to life in small-town-England. And I have settled in much better than I had even expected. I know that the novelty and excitement of everything will eventually wear off, but I’m surrounded by wonderful people, which is very comforting.
I’m looking forward to the year to come, the new adventures I’ll have, the people I’ll make, the things I’ll learn and the relationships I’ll build.
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The end of August and September has been a time adjustment. It’s an ongoing process.
I’ve had to adjust to the weather. On average the temperature is about 30 degrees colder than current temperatures in Las Cruces. Sweaters and sweatshirts have been my daily attire occasionally adding my new pink rain jacket and polka-dotted umbrella to the ensemble.
Then there is the complication of the English driving on the wrong side of the road. It throws me off every single time. In Manchester they painted “look left” at the crosswalks. I wish these reminders were all over! I end up looking lift, right, left, right, left, right and left once more as I’m crossing.
Another major adjustment has been the language. I quickly discovered that British English might as well be a different language from American English. If I’m in a position where I can add lip-reading to listening I usually have no problems, but phone conversations are difficult. I ask the person to repeat things—a lot! I’m also getting vocabulary lessons quite often. I get teased about not speaking very good English.
Aside from the major differences, there have been the minor ones as well. It seems that everything is different from the envelopes to vacuums to using money. It’s a very humbling experience asking for help for simple things.
I’m hoping that’ll I have these done around the 15th of each month and obviously I’ve missed my first deadline.
I’m still adjusting to a new lifestyle. Everyone person that I live with and work with are absolutely wonderful ensuring that I’ve settled in okay and adjusting to life in small-town-England. And I have settled in much better than I had even expected. I know that the novelty and excitement of everything will eventually wear off, but I’m surrounded by wonderful people, which is very comforting.
I’m looking forward to the year to come, the new adventures I’ll have, the people I’ll make, the things I’ll learn and the relationships I’ll build.
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The end of August and September has been a time adjustment. It’s an ongoing process.
I’ve had to adjust to the weather. On average the temperature is about 30 degrees colder than current temperatures in Las Cruces. Sweaters and sweatshirts have been my daily attire occasionally adding my new pink rain jacket and polka-dotted umbrella to the ensemble.
Then there is the complication of the English driving on the wrong side of the road. It throws me off every single time. In Manchester they painted “look left” at the crosswalks. I wish these reminders were all over! I end up looking lift, right, left, right, left, right and left once more as I’m crossing.
Another major adjustment has been the language. I quickly discovered that British English might as well be a different language from American English. If I’m in a position where I can add lip-reading to listening I usually have no problems, but phone conversations are difficult. I ask the person to repeat things—a lot! I’m also getting vocabulary lessons quite often. I get teased about not speaking very good English.
Aside from the major differences, there have been the minor ones as well. It seems that everything is different from the envelopes to vacuums to using money. It’s a very humbling experience asking for help for simple things.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Good News Family Care
As I’ve mentioned previously my particular placement in Buxton is working half time at the Charis House, which is associated with Good News Family Care. The rest of the time will be spent working with Buxton Community Church.
Good News Family Care was started 13 years ago as a family center. It has transformed into a women’s refuge mostly serving homeless and victims of domestic abuse. The house is massive with 11 rooms and a “flat” for occupancy by clients. There are also several common rooms both upstairs and downstairs. Also the two couples who are the directors of the entire operation each have their own flat upstairs where they live with their families. This branch of GNFC is called the Charis House.
Attached to the Charis House using 5 rooms downstairs is the Good News Nursery. They serve mothers living in the house as well as other families in the community. They care for children from birth to 5 years and are open from 8 to 6.
Once women have moved out of the house they are assigned a community support worker. The two women who currently serve in this position are responsible for ensuring that the former residents are continuing and healthy and responsible lifestyle out of the house. They are available for making appointments, taking them to appointments, taking them shopping, spending time with them, as well as supervising finances. I’m sure that there are many other responsibilities of a community support worker that I have not yet encountered.
GNFC also has a rehab that used to be housed in the top floor of the Charis House but recently moved a separate house. Women must already be de-toxed before admittance to the house. They are taken daily to the GNFC farm to work—rain, snow, or shine.
The GNFC farm is several miles outside of Buxton. Its purpose is to give clients a valuable work experience. They have approximately 500 hens. The eggs are sold at the house as a way to raise money for the charity. They also have a wood-working project for men as another way to fundraise.
Along with the dedicated staff of the many branches of GNFC, they have several volunteers who usually spend a year in Buxton. Most volunteers come through an English organization called Time For God. This is the organization that the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission have teamed up with. They support Christian volunteers from all over the world creating a global community for GNFC.
The last ministry of GNFC is the church. When the organization started the associated church was naturally named Good News Church. But because of the growth of the church, it eventually split into two congregations: Good News Church, now homed in Whaley Bride, a community near Buxton, and Buxton Community Church, homed in the house. It is a non-denomination church with the congregation made up primarily of residents and staff along with a few other community members. The pastor is Mick the husband from my host family.
Within the church there are several ministries—all of which I’m involved with in some regard. They sponsor the Buxton Christians Football (Soccer) Club, Little Fishes (a weekly group for moms and children under 5), Women’s Group, various small groups and Bible Studies, and Rock Solid (youth group).
GNFC is a growing ministry that is doing a great job supporting families and making a difference in the Buxton community. I’m really enjoying learning more about the work done and having my own opportunity to do good in my new community.
Back-to-School
“The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.”
--Tom Bodett
Last Monday several of the residents of Charis House began their new term in college (upper high school). For most of them this is the first time they’ve been enrolled in school in several years. They have all been excited and really enjoying their first week of school. They are coming home early to work on homework rather than simply milling around the house with their children in the evening. During dinner-time when I’m at the house I’ve been offering to help them with homework ranging from dividing fractions to letter writing to working on Macbeth.
Their excitement rubbed off on me and I realized that I’m actually sad that I’m not in school and learning new things everyday. That is something I never thought I would say since I was about 5 years old. I guess you could say that I’m a student of a different type of schooling, but it’s not the same. I think I can attribute my excitement to start graduate school next year to the women living in the Charis House. I’m really hoping that all our excitement will endure over the year. Most women are enrolled in courses that will ensure jobs upon completion. I’m so proud of them for taking this difficult step in bettering their lives.
I’m still working on figuring out the schooling system in England—it’s rather confusing so I’ll get back to you on this one…
--Tom Bodett
Last Monday several of the residents of Charis House began their new term in college (upper high school). For most of them this is the first time they’ve been enrolled in school in several years. They have all been excited and really enjoying their first week of school. They are coming home early to work on homework rather than simply milling around the house with their children in the evening. During dinner-time when I’m at the house I’ve been offering to help them with homework ranging from dividing fractions to letter writing to working on Macbeth.
Their excitement rubbed off on me and I realized that I’m actually sad that I’m not in school and learning new things everyday. That is something I never thought I would say since I was about 5 years old. I guess you could say that I’m a student of a different type of schooling, but it’s not the same. I think I can attribute my excitement to start graduate school next year to the women living in the Charis House. I’m really hoping that all our excitement will endure over the year. Most women are enrolled in courses that will ensure jobs upon completion. I’m so proud of them for taking this difficult step in bettering their lives.
I’m still working on figuring out the schooling system in England—it’s rather confusing so I’ll get back to you on this one…
Great Expectations?
I’d like to say that I came to England with little to no expectations. But the longer I’m here I realize that although I said I didn’t have any I actually did have several. At orientation we were told that it would be easiest to adjust if we a) didn’t have expectations or b) expected our expectations to shatter.
My first expectation that I’ve had shatter was that living in the UK would be a simple adjustment from living in the US. The US was the UK’s child (that’s how it was explained to me in 8th grade history) so the similarities should be more prevalent than the differences. But I’ve seen over the past 3 weeks that even the simple things are different, which makes my life just slightly more complicated. From the vacuums—or hoovers—to even the envelopes, I feel that I have to learn everything all over again. And this process is rather frustrating. I like to consider myself a very independent person and wait till the last possible second for help, but since being here I feel that I’ve lost all sense of independence and have asked more questions than ever before in my life.
My second expectation was that most laws would also be similar creating a similar social setting. But as my work at Charis House becomes more involved, I learn more and more differences between the two countries.
Many of the women here are on welfare equivalent. However, their benefits are so great that there is rarely an incentive to find a job and begin living a more independent life. I am a full supporter of giving mothers/families extra help where needed, but when they are receiving more money than people working full-time jobs without any incentive to do more than watch TV all day, that’s where I have a problem. They receive weekly checks for spending money, housing money, and extra money for their children with no limitations on a time limit—at least that I’ve learned about so far. But if a job is found they usually don't pay enough to cover basic living expenses but pay too much to continue receiving assistance, essentially giving no reason to ever want to get a job and get of benefit.
But the maternity leave is much better than the US. This past December they changed the laws to give new mothers 9 months off with full pay (it used to be 6 months) and 3 months off with 60% pay. The fathers receive 2 weeks paternity leave.
In order to have to personal TVs in rooms, the household must register for a TV license for each TV. These are purchased annually for approximately £125. Personally I find this a bit excessive and ridiculous.
In Buxton they’ve just started a new recycling campaign called “Binnovation”. But from what I’ve learned from it so far is there are so many rules for the recycling that everyone can easily become overwhelmed and give up before any progress is made. It’s interesting to me to see people who in the United States would be stereotyped in a certain political party, but have a deep desire for recycling. Quite a contrast from what I’m used to at home. But perhaps that is just my cynical American nature surfacing.
The “Protestant Work Ethic” is another expectation I arrived in England with, unaware. I figured that I would more often than not be busy and occupied. I’ve never considered myself to be one who whole-heartedly followed the theory behind the Protestant Work Ethic, but being here I seen that I am most often sitting—unoccupied. And it drives me crazy! I’ve been volunteering for jobs that I would otherwise rather not do, simply because it keeps me busy for at least 2 minutes. I’m trying to be patient…but it’s hard!
I think the last one is the most significant—as well as the most difficult for me. It is the child protection policies followed in England. I think it would be fair to say that the U.S. has an okay policy when it comes to child abuse, protecting the children, and taking the necessary steps with the perpetrators. However, compared to England we have an outstanding system. Over the past couple of days I’ve realized that a child’s word is not considered evidence in a case, no matter how concrete it can actually be. A child can be initially taken from the parents’ care if abuse is confirmed, but just as easily the child is given back—repeatedly. It is a very rare occurrence for parents or whoever is abusing the child to have any legal action taken against them. I find this system heartbreaking, tragic, and sickening. It makes me thankful and grateful for the measures—no matter how small or insignificant—the US takes to protect children from abuse.
I expected to arrive in England with little to no expectations and this week I’ve realized that was the biggest expectation that has been broken.
My first expectation that I’ve had shatter was that living in the UK would be a simple adjustment from living in the US. The US was the UK’s child (that’s how it was explained to me in 8th grade history) so the similarities should be more prevalent than the differences. But I’ve seen over the past 3 weeks that even the simple things are different, which makes my life just slightly more complicated. From the vacuums—or hoovers—to even the envelopes, I feel that I have to learn everything all over again. And this process is rather frustrating. I like to consider myself a very independent person and wait till the last possible second for help, but since being here I feel that I’ve lost all sense of independence and have asked more questions than ever before in my life.
My second expectation was that most laws would also be similar creating a similar social setting. But as my work at Charis House becomes more involved, I learn more and more differences between the two countries.
Many of the women here are on welfare equivalent. However, their benefits are so great that there is rarely an incentive to find a job and begin living a more independent life. I am a full supporter of giving mothers/families extra help where needed, but when they are receiving more money than people working full-time jobs without any incentive to do more than watch TV all day, that’s where I have a problem. They receive weekly checks for spending money, housing money, and extra money for their children with no limitations on a time limit—at least that I’ve learned about so far. But if a job is found they usually don't pay enough to cover basic living expenses but pay too much to continue receiving assistance, essentially giving no reason to ever want to get a job and get of benefit.
But the maternity leave is much better than the US. This past December they changed the laws to give new mothers 9 months off with full pay (it used to be 6 months) and 3 months off with 60% pay. The fathers receive 2 weeks paternity leave.
In order to have to personal TVs in rooms, the household must register for a TV license for each TV. These are purchased annually for approximately £125. Personally I find this a bit excessive and ridiculous.
In Buxton they’ve just started a new recycling campaign called “Binnovation”. But from what I’ve learned from it so far is there are so many rules for the recycling that everyone can easily become overwhelmed and give up before any progress is made. It’s interesting to me to see people who in the United States would be stereotyped in a certain political party, but have a deep desire for recycling. Quite a contrast from what I’m used to at home. But perhaps that is just my cynical American nature surfacing.
The “Protestant Work Ethic” is another expectation I arrived in England with, unaware. I figured that I would more often than not be busy and occupied. I’ve never considered myself to be one who whole-heartedly followed the theory behind the Protestant Work Ethic, but being here I seen that I am most often sitting—unoccupied. And it drives me crazy! I’ve been volunteering for jobs that I would otherwise rather not do, simply because it keeps me busy for at least 2 minutes. I’m trying to be patient…but it’s hard!
I think the last one is the most significant—as well as the most difficult for me. It is the child protection policies followed in England. I think it would be fair to say that the U.S. has an okay policy when it comes to child abuse, protecting the children, and taking the necessary steps with the perpetrators. However, compared to England we have an outstanding system. Over the past couple of days I’ve realized that a child’s word is not considered evidence in a case, no matter how concrete it can actually be. A child can be initially taken from the parents’ care if abuse is confirmed, but just as easily the child is given back—repeatedly. It is a very rare occurrence for parents or whoever is abusing the child to have any legal action taken against them. I find this system heartbreaking, tragic, and sickening. It makes me thankful and grateful for the measures—no matter how small or insignificant—the US takes to protect children from abuse.
I expected to arrive in England with little to no expectations and this week I’ve realized that was the biggest expectation that has been broken.
Manchester Excursion
Last Saturday, Binod, Amy and I took the 10:30 train from Buxton to Manchester. This was the first time we had been to the train station since our arrival about a week and a half prior. It looked different than it had on August 28 and I’m sure it was because it was no longer new and unusual.
Arriving at the Manchester Piccadilly train station about an hour later we tried to find our bearings. The only map we had was from my Lonely Planet Great Britain travel. It proved to be helpful, but a more detailed, larger version would have been much easier. Our first desired destination was the Manchester Art Gallery.
As I almost always do enjoy art galleries, this one was no different. Although there were not many artists that I’m familiar with I enjoyed it none-the-less. I also really enjoyed the fact that on several paintings throughout the museum they had modern takes on the paintings in cartoon form for children that are “dragged” there, by their parents. As a child that was often “dragged” to museums as a child, this approach to entertaining the younger audiences would have been much appreciated. They also had a section of hands on activities for children. It was essentially a children’s museum and art museum combined for a great family experience. On the top floor was a craft section with a dollhouse exhibit, which I loved. I’ve always loved miniatures and dollhouses. But the highlight of the museum was free admission. Apparently most museums in England do have free admission.
After lunch we were walking around and came across a parade. It was the oddest parade I’ve ever seen and I could never figure out what the purpose of the parade was. We also heard a marching band. This all took place in front of a large Ferris wheel, which looked identical to the London Eye, so I’ve decided to call it the Manchester Eye. At this point we headed towards the Science
museum. As we were walking we passed the Manchester Cathedral. We stopped inside and heard a children’s choir practicing for that night’s prayer service. They were amazing! I thought it was very interesting that the cathedral looked like every Catholic cathedral I’ve seen on “the continent” I going to make the assumption that it was Anglican rather than Catholic.
We also passed the John Rylands Library, which was a memorial for him from his widow. Last summer I discovered my love for libraries and am looking forward to a visit when I can explore this one!
By the time we made it to the science museum Amy and I were pretty tired and uninterested in the museum. Binod had already been there, so he left us and were going to meet up an hour and a half later. So while Binod was off exploring, Amy and I sat in the museum café. Around 5pm we headed back towards the train station for the 5:30pm train back to Buxton.
My overall opinion on my trip to Manchester was “meh”. My Lonely Planet guide hyped-up the city to be the “cultural center of the North”, but my opinion was it was great for shopping—which I sadly didn’t get to experience—but the museums were sparse and not easily accessible for tourists. But I am planning on returning at least once again this year, this time hoping for some shopping!
Arriving at the Manchester Piccadilly train station about an hour later we tried to find our bearings. The only map we had was from my Lonely Planet Great Britain travel. It proved to be helpful, but a more detailed, larger version would have been much easier. Our first desired destination was the Manchester Art Gallery.
As I almost always do enjoy art galleries, this one was no different. Although there were not many artists that I’m familiar with I enjoyed it none-the-less. I also really enjoyed the fact that on several paintings throughout the museum they had modern takes on the paintings in cartoon form for children that are “dragged” there, by their parents. As a child that was often “dragged” to museums as a child, this approach to entertaining the younger audiences would have been much appreciated. They also had a section of hands on activities for children. It was essentially a children’s museum and art museum combined for a great family experience. On the top floor was a craft section with a dollhouse exhibit, which I loved. I’ve always loved miniatures and dollhouses. But the highlight of the museum was free admission. Apparently most museums in England do have free admission.
After lunch we were walking around and came across a parade. It was the oddest parade I’ve ever seen and I could never figure out what the purpose of the parade was. We also heard a marching band. This all took place in front of a large Ferris wheel, which looked identical to the London Eye, so I’ve decided to call it the Manchester Eye. At this point we headed towards the Science
museum. As we were walking we passed the Manchester Cathedral. We stopped inside and heard a children’s choir practicing for that night’s prayer service. They were amazing! I thought it was very interesting that the cathedral looked like every Catholic cathedral I’ve seen on “the continent” I going to make the assumption that it was Anglican rather than Catholic.
We also passed the John Rylands Library, which was a memorial for him from his widow. Last summer I discovered my love for libraries and am looking forward to a visit when I can explore this one!By the time we made it to the science museum Amy and I were pretty tired and uninterested in the museum. Binod had already been there, so he left us and were going to meet up an hour and a half later. So while Binod was off exploring, Amy and I sat in the museum café. Around 5pm we headed back towards the train station for the 5:30pm train back to Buxton.
My overall opinion on my trip to Manchester was “meh”. My Lonely Planet guide hyped-up the city to be the “cultural center of the North”, but my opinion was it was great for shopping—which I sadly didn’t get to experience—but the museums were sparse and not easily accessible for tourists. But I am planning on returning at least once again this year, this time hoping for some shopping!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Learning a new language
When I first learned I was going to be serving in the UK I was very excited that I was not going to have many language struggles. However as I'm beginning my second week in Buxton, it's become apparent that I am having language struggles and they won't be subsiding anytime soon. Most of these are just funny anecdotes, but there are the occasional frustrations and they mostly come when I'm working with children.
I've began a list of odd words I've encountered over the past week and I'm sure as the year progresses I'll have many more. But here is the start of my list:
*bin- trash can
*dummy- pacifier
*poorly- sick/ill
*tea- dinner/supper/and of course of the drink
*dinner- lunch
*supper- late night snack
*knackered- exhausted
*hoovering- vacuuming
*jumper- sweater
*mobile- cell phone
*crikey- geez (or any other equivalent)
*fortnight- two weeks time
*pudding- dessert
*chips- french fries
*crisps- chips (as in the potato kind)
*football- soccer
*college- last two years of high school
*university (more commonly uni)- college
There are others that I've noticed but can't remember now...
Another difference I struggle with is the way they say times. Half seven means seven-thirty. However, in my German studies I learned that "halb sieben" (half seven) means six-thirty. I'm still clarifying when someone tells me times. It's a little frustrating, but I'm used to asking language questions, so it's not terrible.
Last week I was playing with Liam (7) and Ethan(5). Ethan picked something up off the floor and was playing with it. I asked him to put it in the trash. He looked at me so I repeated myself. He asked me where to put it and I quickly remembered the "proper" word: bin. Once I asked him to put it in the bin he sprang into action.
On Monday I was playing with Mercedes (5) and Holly (3). Mercedes kept coughing. I asked her if she was getting sick. She looked at me in confusion so I repeated my self. Then she replied "No I'm not sick, I don't feel well."
It helps to have the mother's of children around when I'm talking to them for "translation" purposes. Since they are used to American movies, TV shows, and music they understand me much better than their young children. But I'm put to the test when I'm by myself with the kids. I've also noticed that they have a hard time understanding me and I usually have to repeat myself once or twice. It becomes a little tedious and frustrating.
Yesterday I was being introduced to a woman at Little Fishes (a weekly group for mom's with children under 5). Sarah said "And Christina's from America aren't you?" The woman I was being introduced to said "Well I think I've gathered that". I laughed and said "What gave me away". It had obviously been my accent--or lack of one.
It also makes me giggle a little to hear the Brits pronounce words ending in "a" since it sounds like "er". So my name goes from being Christina to "Christiner" whose from "Americer". Although I love hearing English spoken with a British accent, I've noticed that if I'm not in a position where I can add lip reading to listening I really struggle to understand them. Speaking on the phone has proven to be the most frustrating for this reason.
Stay tuned for more language blunders between American and British English. They certainly are two different languages.
I've began a list of odd words I've encountered over the past week and I'm sure as the year progresses I'll have many more. But here is the start of my list:
*bin- trash can
*dummy- pacifier
*poorly- sick/ill
*tea- dinner/supper/and of course of the drink
*dinner- lunch
*supper- late night snack
*knackered- exhausted
*hoovering- vacuuming
*jumper- sweater
*mobile- cell phone
*crikey- geez (or any other equivalent)
*fortnight- two weeks time
*pudding- dessert
*chips- french fries
*crisps- chips (as in the potato kind)
*football- soccer
*college- last two years of high school
*university (more commonly uni)- college
There are others that I've noticed but can't remember now...
Another difference I struggle with is the way they say times. Half seven means seven-thirty. However, in my German studies I learned that "halb sieben" (half seven) means six-thirty. I'm still clarifying when someone tells me times. It's a little frustrating, but I'm used to asking language questions, so it's not terrible.
Last week I was playing with Liam (7) and Ethan(5). Ethan picked something up off the floor and was playing with it. I asked him to put it in the trash. He looked at me so I repeated myself. He asked me where to put it and I quickly remembered the "proper" word: bin. Once I asked him to put it in the bin he sprang into action.
On Monday I was playing with Mercedes (5) and Holly (3). Mercedes kept coughing. I asked her if she was getting sick. She looked at me in confusion so I repeated my self. Then she replied "No I'm not sick, I don't feel well."
It helps to have the mother's of children around when I'm talking to them for "translation" purposes. Since they are used to American movies, TV shows, and music they understand me much better than their young children. But I'm put to the test when I'm by myself with the kids. I've also noticed that they have a hard time understanding me and I usually have to repeat myself once or twice. It becomes a little tedious and frustrating.
Yesterday I was being introduced to a woman at Little Fishes (a weekly group for mom's with children under 5). Sarah said "And Christina's from America aren't you?" The woman I was being introduced to said "Well I think I've gathered that". I laughed and said "What gave me away". It had obviously been my accent--or lack of one.
It also makes me giggle a little to hear the Brits pronounce words ending in "a" since it sounds like "er". So my name goes from being Christina to "Christiner" whose from "Americer". Although I love hearing English spoken with a British accent, I've noticed that if I'm not in a position where I can add lip reading to listening I really struggle to understand them. Speaking on the phone has proven to be the most frustrating for this reason.
Stay tuned for more language blunders between American and British English. They certainly are two different languages.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
A pence. A pound. A quid. A what?
Money makes the world go around. It's sad, but true. Over the past week or so I've become very aware of money. Which is good in some ways since it's a lesson I need to learn.
The first thing that I'm still trying to learn is all about the British currency system. There's the pence, which is the equivalent of a penny. Then a pound, one hundred pence, which is the equivalent of a dollar. Then there's a quid. It took my a while to figure out what exactly that is. I even googled it and learned that it's slang for a pound. Basically like us calling it a buck.
Another thing I'm still trying to sort out is which coin is which and which bill is which. It doesn't help that in my wallet I still have American coins and Euro coins mixed in with the British coins. What I'm doing so far (and it's working) is trying to count the coins out, handing it to the clerk and telling them, "I hope that's right". They have pence coins, 5p coins, 10p coins, 20p coins, 50p coins, 1 pound coins, and 2 pound coins. It's all very confusing and tricky.
A piece of advice that we received at orientation in Chicago was to not convert the price of things into dollars. This has proven very difficult for me, but I'm trying to get better at since it'll make me feel not as bad about spending so much money. The exchange is currently about 1 pound for $2.16. So for everything you buy, double it, add a little more and that's about what you're spending! I bought a birthday card the other day and it was cheaper that what I spent on postage to the States. I saw a rain jacket yesterday for 140 pounds. Double that and it's close to $300. For a rain jacket. But fortunately another store was having a 50% off sale, so I bought a brand new rain jacket for 29 pounds. That's even cheap in the States!
My last struggle is with having money and not having money. The ELCA sent us off with $100 to last us till our first stipend is paid. Well when we got here that was only 40 pounds. To last a whole month. It's gone already. I have more money of my own, but I'm trying really hard to save that for traveling--however, my pretty new raincoat did come out of my bank account. Our first stipend comes in Sept. 20 and I'm very excited, even though it won't be a lot of money. It'll be interesting to see how I can survive by only getting money once a month. Stay tuned to see how well I succeed at this endeavor. I'm excited to learn how to challenge myself to live simply and this definitely helps!!!
The first thing that I'm still trying to learn is all about the British currency system. There's the pence, which is the equivalent of a penny. Then a pound, one hundred pence, which is the equivalent of a dollar. Then there's a quid. It took my a while to figure out what exactly that is. I even googled it and learned that it's slang for a pound. Basically like us calling it a buck.
Another thing I'm still trying to sort out is which coin is which and which bill is which. It doesn't help that in my wallet I still have American coins and Euro coins mixed in with the British coins. What I'm doing so far (and it's working) is trying to count the coins out, handing it to the clerk and telling them, "I hope that's right". They have pence coins, 5p coins, 10p coins, 20p coins, 50p coins, 1 pound coins, and 2 pound coins. It's all very confusing and tricky.
A piece of advice that we received at orientation in Chicago was to not convert the price of things into dollars. This has proven very difficult for me, but I'm trying to get better at since it'll make me feel not as bad about spending so much money. The exchange is currently about 1 pound for $2.16. So for everything you buy, double it, add a little more and that's about what you're spending! I bought a birthday card the other day and it was cheaper that what I spent on postage to the States. I saw a rain jacket yesterday for 140 pounds. Double that and it's close to $300. For a rain jacket. But fortunately another store was having a 50% off sale, so I bought a brand new rain jacket for 29 pounds. That's even cheap in the States!
My last struggle is with having money and not having money. The ELCA sent us off with $100 to last us till our first stipend is paid. Well when we got here that was only 40 pounds. To last a whole month. It's gone already. I have more money of my own, but I'm trying really hard to save that for traveling--however, my pretty new raincoat did come out of my bank account. Our first stipend comes in Sept. 20 and I'm very excited, even though it won't be a lot of money. It'll be interesting to see how I can survive by only getting money once a month. Stay tuned to see how well I succeed at this endeavor. I'm excited to learn how to challenge myself to live simply and this definitely helps!!!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Who are you?
Warning: This one's long and very stream of conscious-ish
So in these first few days I have met so many people. All of them have been absolutely wonderful, welcoming, interesting, and just about any other positive word that you can think of! Almost everyone that I've met has some type of connection to the previous person I met and it's getting a little complicated and confusing to sort out. But I'm working on it.
Tonight is the end of my first weekend in Buxton. Amy and I are referred to as either "the girls" or "the Americans". And oddly enough I kinda enjoy that.
Friday was supposed to be my first "real" day at work. First Tammy took us to get registered at the doctor which really only entailed getting forms for us to fill out. Then Tammy and I walked to the Charis house. Since most people have been on "holiday" the house has been very quiet. Tammy showed me how to do a few procedural type stuff in the office. While in the office someone asked me my "surname". It makes me giggle when they say my name because it sounds like there's an "r" at the end. Brian then said "Well that's a posh name isn't it". I have a posh name, haha!
Then she needed to run some errands for her boyfriends birthday and Brian (staff at the Charis House) sent me along with Tammy and Naomi. They showed me some more things downtown, like where the "posh" shops are and then we had Subway for lunch. Definitely not the same!!! When we returned to the Charis House, Tammy sent me home since there wasn't much else for me to do that day. I spent the rest of the afternoon playing on my computer and watching British television.
Saturday, Amy and I went to the market that's held in front of the city hall every Tuesday and Saturday. It was fun but very small.
Then we headed to the Cavendish Arcade (where the posh shops are). We wandered around there for a while. Afterwards we walked through the Pavilion Gardens again. I think they're so beautiful and I think I'll end up spending a lot of time there--at least before it gets too cold!
Last night Binod (turns out I misunderstood his name) made Amy and dinner. He made rice, lentil soup with curry and chicken curry. It was delicious. Tammy invited us to go out with her and her friends. We met up with Lisa (who also works at the Charis house), her friend, and Naomi along with Tammy and Matt and Binod. I went to my first British pub and had Strongbow--which is basically alcoholic apple cider. While we were there a man that Lisa knew came to sit down with us. After learning that Amy and I were Americans he said, "I don't like Americans." My response was, "Geez, thanks!" He tried to take his foot out of his mouth by replying, "Well not Americans individually, but the government." One of the guys we were with tried to help buy saying he doesn't like the way their government plays puppet to George Bush, Tony Blair specifically. In an attempt to stop any further political talk in a pub, I said no government was perfect. After a long pause of silence the big goon asked if anyone smoked, I said I was a non-smoker. He responded "Said with that American accent". It was at this point the whole group left.
This morning we went to church. It's held at the Charis House and is one of the churches that I'll eventually be working with. It's made up of staff from the Charis house, residents of the Charis House, and others that have some type of connection to either one of those groups. Beryl had Amy and I come up to the front to introduce us and encourage the congregation to take us to do things with them. We had several people excited to met us and talk with us. People ask us so many questions--but hey! who doesn't love talking about themselves!!!
Tonight we went to Matt's parents house for his birthday party. It was all people from church. When I first walked in a girl about 13 said "Hey, you're the person from church". Later, Abby, Matt's 5 year-old half sister asked me a question. When I answered her, her next question was, "Who are you?" I'm assuming my "strange" accent was the clue that I was a stranger. I told her who I was and asked who she was. She's absolutely precious and I could tell she just found me odd. One girl (who's 15) was asking me if New Mexico was near New York, Florida, or Alabama. She was disappointed that it wasn't near any of those places.
Although all week I've been the "new volunteer", "the American" or just a stranger in general, it's all been very fun. I've loved sharing about where I come from while learning about this "strange" and new culture!!!
So in these first few days I have met so many people. All of them have been absolutely wonderful, welcoming, interesting, and just about any other positive word that you can think of! Almost everyone that I've met has some type of connection to the previous person I met and it's getting a little complicated and confusing to sort out. But I'm working on it.
Tonight is the end of my first weekend in Buxton. Amy and I are referred to as either "the girls" or "the Americans". And oddly enough I kinda enjoy that.
Friday was supposed to be my first "real" day at work. First Tammy took us to get registered at the doctor which really only entailed getting forms for us to fill out. Then Tammy and I walked to the Charis house. Since most people have been on "holiday" the house has been very quiet. Tammy showed me how to do a few procedural type stuff in the office. While in the office someone asked me my "surname". It makes me giggle when they say my name because it sounds like there's an "r" at the end. Brian then said "Well that's a posh name isn't it". I have a posh name, haha!
Then she needed to run some errands for her boyfriends birthday and Brian (staff at the Charis House) sent me along with Tammy and Naomi. They showed me some more things downtown, like where the "posh" shops are and then we had Subway for lunch. Definitely not the same!!! When we returned to the Charis House, Tammy sent me home since there wasn't much else for me to do that day. I spent the rest of the afternoon playing on my computer and watching British television.
Saturday, Amy and I went to the market that's held in front of the city hall every Tuesday and Saturday. It was fun but very small.
Then we headed to the Cavendish Arcade (where the posh shops are). We wandered around there for a while. Afterwards we walked through the Pavilion Gardens again. I think they're so beautiful and I think I'll end up spending a lot of time there--at least before it gets too cold!
Last night Binod (turns out I misunderstood his name) made Amy and dinner. He made rice, lentil soup with curry and chicken curry. It was delicious. Tammy invited us to go out with her and her friends. We met up with Lisa (who also works at the Charis house), her friend, and Naomi along with Tammy and Matt and Binod. I went to my first British pub and had Strongbow--which is basically alcoholic apple cider. While we were there a man that Lisa knew came to sit down with us. After learning that Amy and I were Americans he said, "I don't like Americans." My response was, "Geez, thanks!" He tried to take his foot out of his mouth by replying, "Well not Americans individually, but the government." One of the guys we were with tried to help buy saying he doesn't like the way their government plays puppet to George Bush, Tony Blair specifically. In an attempt to stop any further political talk in a pub, I said no government was perfect. After a long pause of silence the big goon asked if anyone smoked, I said I was a non-smoker. He responded "Said with that American accent". It was at this point the whole group left.
This morning we went to church. It's held at the Charis House and is one of the churches that I'll eventually be working with. It's made up of staff from the Charis house, residents of the Charis House, and others that have some type of connection to either one of those groups. Beryl had Amy and I come up to the front to introduce us and encourage the congregation to take us to do things with them. We had several people excited to met us and talk with us. People ask us so many questions--but hey! who doesn't love talking about themselves!!!
Tonight we went to Matt's parents house for his birthday party. It was all people from church. When I first walked in a girl about 13 said "Hey, you're the person from church". Later, Abby, Matt's 5 year-old half sister asked me a question. When I answered her, her next question was, "Who are you?" I'm assuming my "strange" accent was the clue that I was a stranger. I told her who I was and asked who she was. She's absolutely precious and I could tell she just found me odd. One girl (who's 15) was asking me if New Mexico was near New York, Florida, or Alabama. She was disappointed that it wasn't near any of those places.
Although all week I've been the "new volunteer", "the American" or just a stranger in general, it's all been very fun. I've loved sharing about where I come from while learning about this "strange" and new culture!!!
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