First Week Reflection

First Impressions

Before I moved, I believed the United States and the United Kingdom were like sisters. They may drive on the opposite side of the road, but I figured that would be the largest cultural difference I would experience. Since arriving at the United Kindom and having my first week of classes, I have noticed more and more differences. The most memorable experiences from my first week were exploring campus, meeting other international students, traveling in town, experiencing an on-campus club, and meeting my new flatmates. 

Exploring Campus

The day after I arrived, I immediately wanted to explore the campus. The university was established in 1963 and utilizes brutalism architecture designed by English Architect Sir Denys Lasdun. Popular in the 50s and 60s, brutalism is an architectural style notable for its simple and blocky concrete structure. The university uses on-campus accommodations called the Ziggurats in several of its marketing photos, so I wanted to see them in person. I also saw there was a lake on campus called the UEA Broad, so of course I had to see that as well. 

UEA Broad

I was impressed with the blend of old and new on the UEA campus. The brutalism architecture was blended in with many plants and greenery. While I am not sure it can be entirely categorized as this, I would say it borders on eco-brutalism. 

I walked around the lake which has a nice view of the Ziggurats. There seemed to be multiple trails around the lake, which is nice because it is like its own trail system right on campus. The more I walked around, the more it reminded me of NAU’s campus. UEA is entirely centralized and very walkable. I got lost walking around it the first time, but I found out it is smaller than NAU. The UEA is 360 acres while NAU is 883. I figured if I could find my way around NAU I definitely would learn UEA campus. 

Ziggurats

International Welcome Week

The UEA made it easy to meet other international students during the first week. Students from the U.K. arrived on the weekend, so it was nice to have a few days to adjust before everyone got to campus. I did an international student scavenger hunt with people from all over. My group ended up winning the big prize: a huge box of biscuits. I ended up becoming good friends with another American student named Violet from the University of Illinois and now we hang out all the time.

International Student Scavenger Hunt

The next day there was an orientation about resources available on campus and a U.K. snack and game night. We tried Pickled Onion Space Raiders (similar to Funions), Irn Bru (tasted like liquid sugar), and various cookies and chocolates. That night a few international friends went to karaoke at the on-campus bar. The on-campus bar and sale of alcohol in the on-campus shop were the biggest culture shock for me. They have so many safety procedures in place it feels like such a safe environment that is just walking distance from on-campus accommodations. So when I thought about it, it seemed like it was a smart idea.

Horsey Beach

My favorite activity from the week was the trip to Horsey Beach in Great Yarmouth about an hour away from Norwich. During the wintertime, hundreds of gray seals line the beach. Seals are one of my favorite animals, so I enjoyed getting to see them in the wild and taking pictures of them so close! This was a free event for international students through the university, and it was very neat to get the opportunity to explore Norfolk (Norwich’s county) outside of the university.

Baby gray seal at Horsey Beach

First Trip In Town

On Sunday, my international friends and I went in town to Norwich for the first time. I went with Edith who is from Hong Kong, Violet from Chicago, Lucia from Spain, Belle from Australia, and Emily from Canada. The only parts of the city I had seen so far were from bus rides, so I was ecstatic to get to explore it for the first time with friends. The university has a partnership with First Bus, so lines are running from the university across Norwich. 

We went to the Norwich Market first, where there were many colorful stalls with various food and store vendors. Most stalls were closed because it was Sunday, but we got food at one of the stalls and sat and ate on nearby benches. I ordered fried white bait, chips (we Americans call them french fries), mushy peas, and a slushy. I will admit, I did not know what I fish I was ordering. I wrongfully assumed it was just a certain type of the notorious “fish and chips” I had heard stories about. As it turns out, whitebait is a young fish that still looks like a fish when it comes out of the fryer. It is bone-in, which I am not fond of either. I did not eat much of the whitebait, but I did enjoy everything else, including the mushy peas! 

Fried whitebait, chips, and mushy peas

We went to Norwich Castle next and explored a bit of the museum inside. We did not see all of it but students get in for free, so I will be returning to see the rest of it soon. From the parts we saw, they had art and history from all over the world including Norwich. 

Me, Edith, Violet, Lucia, Belle, and Emily

We walked over to the Norwich Cathedral next, which has incredible architecture and stained glass windows. A choir was singing inside as we walked through. It was even bigger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. 

Norwich Cathedral

I found it most interesting the blend of medieval and modern throughout the city. The castle and cathedral stood amongst modern stores and businesses. In some older U.S. cities, including Flagstaff, some of the oldest buildings date back to the 1700s or 1800s. One of the cathedrals in town can be seen from inside a McDonald’s across the sidewalk! In England, I get to walk on the same ground as people from the medieval era, and I think it is the coolest thing ever. 

Meeting the Flatmates 

Over the weekend the rest of my flatmates moved in. There are 12 of us total in one flat. All but one are from various areas of England: Essex, Brighton, London, and even a Norwich native. I learned they had gone to “college” for two years before coming to university, so some of them already had basic knowledge about their degrees. This is everyone’s first time living away from home since this is their first year at university. All of them are such sweet people, and it has been fun hearing about their lives in England and answering various questions about the United States. They have been very helpful in my learning of the English vocabulary. I was surprised to learn how much I did not know.

My flatmates Ester, Emma, Hadley, Sophie, Izzy, Frasier, and Talia

First Grocery Trips

I went on two separate grocery trips during the first week. First I walked to Aldi with my friend Lucia from Spain. This was a small grocery with a very limited selection, but I went for some essentials that turned into 40 pounds of groceries. We did walk back to campus in the dark too, but it was a nice bonding experience for us both. 

On the second trip, I went to Asda with a few of my flatmates. The Asda was much bigger than the Aldi. Some things I noticed were the eggs were left unrefrigerated, the main type of crisps (American chips) were Walkers (Lay’s potato chips), and there were so many other types of cheeses such as halloumi, originating from Cyprus. I learned that production practices in the U.S. are different than in Europe, which is why is it ok to leave eggs at room temperature. In the U.S. eggs are washed to prevent salmonella, removing a protective layer called the cuticle. In Europe, farmers vaccinate chickens to prevent salmonella and do not remove the cuticle. Learning this blew my little American mind! Other than the eggs, a lot of the food available was the same. I was able to buy sandwich supplies, crisps, olives, chocolate, and various other foods I enjoy from the States. 

Asda trip with the gang

Diffusionism

Diffusionism is the study of the ways things from one culture spread to another. It asks questions such as: “What about this thing makes it appealing to other cultures?” or “How did this thing spread from its cultural origin?” Cultural traits can be spread from one culture to the next through war, trade, migration or other contact. I have noticed that social norms in the States are generally the same as in the U.K.. The only main difference would be people in the U.K. tend to be a bit more formal when dressing in public and strangers appear more reserved. Both cultures are part of Western society which also includes much of Western Europe, Canada, and Australia—countries with historical ties to Europe. Beyond social norms, much of the food, education, and traditions are the same. Naturally because of America’s pre-statehood ties to England.

Besides America, diffusionism from other cultures in England is apparent, specifically through popular foods. I always find it interesting what types of foreign cuisine are most popular in places where it is not the dominant culture. Chinese, Indian, and Turkish/Greek seem to be very popular here, especially curry. Upon further research, I found that Indian immigrants moved to the U.K. in the 50s and 60s. Dating back even further, British traders arrived in India during the 17th century, bringing back Indian spices and recipes. Over time, the popularity of Indian food grew into what is now one of the more popular cuisines in the U.K. 

In Sum

Overall, I had a fantastic first week. I could not have asked for better flatmates, a better host school, or better first-week activities. University life at UEA is very similar to university life at NAU. Both are global communities; inviting students from all over the world to intermingle. I believe most students everywhere share a similar hunger for knowledge and curiosity about the world. It is refreshing to go somewhere new and see it in every new person I meet. Everyone on campus has been very helpful in the adjustment process too, I am very appreciative and surprised by how easy the transition has been so far. 

It has been a very personal experience, leaving everything I have ever known 5,000 miles away and starting anew. I miss my close friends, family, and familiarity, but so far all of the discomfort has been worth it— like emotional growing pains. Like a plant that has been uprooted and replanted—I can still grow and thrive in a new environment while still keeping my roots. 

This post is for Journal Entry #1 for HON491C