Dear CBU: Letters from England
Entry #5: Q and A Session

Correspondent: Sally Lynch
Senior at CBU
Natural Science Major
English/Psychology Minor
Hometown: Covington, Louisiana
(45 miles north of New Orleans)

I cannot believe that it's already the end of November! Only four more weeks before I go home to CBU! Time really is flying on this side of the pond! Two weekends ago, I met with Dr. Emily Mathis Forsdick and Dr. Tracie Burke who came to Edge Hill to check up on my progress here, and to discuss the exciting possibility of setting up a summer program specifically for Christian Brothers' students.

This visit was a wonderful surprise because it really gave me the opportunity to show rather than tell all about the Edge Hill campus, the village of Ormskirk, and a little bit of the city of Liverpool. Also, they supplied me with some feed-back from you, my fellow CBU students, and now, I can provide specific answers to your questions! If you have any interest in pursuing the semester abroad experience, or if you're interested in the summer opportunity, please see Dr. Forsdick or Dr. Burke as soon as possible! We need your interest and commitment to make these programs work, and remember, these opportunities are for you!

The first question that I will address is one concerning the surrounding area. Edge Hill is located just outside of the tiny village of Ormskirk in Lancashire. While this is a low-key place to live, Ormskirk really captures the charm of English life. I personally prefer it! The community here is very accommodating to students. There is no place that you cannot walk to, be it the local pubs, the market, or the post office; everything is within easy reach.

Some of you might be concerned about getting bored in a little village setting. While I will admit that it can get pretty quiet around here, keep in mind that the amount of fun that you have depends on one person- you! If you decide that you're bored, then go somewhere else for a night out every now and then! Liverpool is a great city to live-it-up in, and the city-centre can easily be reached by train anytime before 11 PM, and a shared cab back will probably only run you about 5 pounds at anytime of the night!

So, don't knock village life until you've tried it! My UK friends and I usually go out into the village at least 3 nights a week- we have a great time at the local pubs (which typically close at 11 PM or 12 AM) and then we head back to campus for late night snacks and laughs. Here, the social culture is a little different- most clubs and pubs close early, so be ready to start the evening around 7 PM and end up in bed by 1 or 2 in the morning. This means that you get plenty of sleep for your classes the next day!

Secondly, prices for Guinness were requested- thanks Tim! Actually, this request leads me into a good topic which I will explore in further detail later, and that is the topic of the drinking culture here in England. The legal age for buying and consuming alcohol is 18 years; a bit different from the US, huh? So, for those of you who do not choose to drink, be prepared for this, it is a little bit of a culture shock. And, for those of you who do tend to have a beer or two every now and then, just be careful- don't go crazy just because you can! Anyway, alcohol here is pretty significantly more expensive; Guinness for example will cost you about £2.10 for a pint (that's about $4.15). Don't worry, there are cheaper choices!

Okay, London. I know that a lot of you might want to check this "happenin" town, but might be a little confused about how to get there. Well, actually, it is not hard at all. Trains run directly from Liverpool to Central London. All you have to do is catch one! Remember, Liverpool is a 30 minute train ride from Ormskirk, and those trains run about every 15 to 30 minutes. To go from Liverpool Central station to Central London, it takes about 2.5 hours, and costs about £50 return (about £30 with a Young Person's Rail Pass). Once you get to London, all you have to do is find a place to stay and keep busy! Everyone should check out the British Museum! It's amazing, and it's free!

Next up, internet connections and electronic issues! So, as I mentioned earlier, there are NO internet connections in the dorm rooms! However, there is a 24-hour computer lab that students can use whenever they want to go online, type assignments, print papers, whatever! There are always students in there checking email, using instant messenger, or taking care of homework- a lot of people even use it for entertainment like watching DVDs. When it comes to converters and adaptors, be advised; don't take a ton of electronics with you! It's just not worth it!

Remember that the electric currents here are 270 watts; in the US, they are 150 watts. You will need a voltage converter and plug adapters for any electronics from the US! These items can be purchased at your local electronics store, like a Radio Shack, or a Bed-Bath and Beyond! They are kind of hard to find over here, and the school does not provide them!

Electronics to leave at home: Hairdryers, curling irons, or anything else that is a heating tool, leave them at home! If you really cannot do without, then buy a cheap one over here- there are a couple of stores in Ormskirk that sell these kinds of electronics. Alarm clocks are a must, but buy a battery-powered one- I promise, it's all that you need! By the way, of course you can get batteries here!

I know that many of you might plan to bring digital cameras. If your camera has a rechargeable battery, like mine does, make sure that you have a voltage converter and plug adapters- they will work fine as long as you read the directions carefully before plugging it in! Now, laptop computers- the big issue! Most laptops have their own voltage converter to prevent excessive electronic currents from damaging the hard drive. Anyone planning to bring a laptop should check their system out first- make sure that your model has its own converter system built in!

My Dell has had no problems being plugged directly into the wall, but I would not recommend using it while it's charging. Let the computer charge fully, and then use it- this helps prevent over-heating. Keep in mind that if you do bring a laptop, you cannot use it for internet access, but they do come in handy for typing papers, listening to your personal music preference, and downloading digital photos!

Let's see, what else! Currency conversion is easy enough! You cannot convert money on campus, but at the post office in town, it couldn't be easier! The post office does not charge you for conversion; they just give you the amount of pounds from whatever American dollar amount you present. Remember, the pound is worth a lot more, so don't plan to get £20 for $20; it'll be more like £10 for $20. ATMs are readily available on campus, and are easy to use, especially since the campus machine does not tack on a charge for using it as most ATMs do!

Now, the Young Person's Rail Pass thingamabob. These can only be purchased upon your arrival. They can be bought from most train stations in the UK; the Liverpool station being the easiest place to get them if the Ormskirk station happens to be out of stock. They cost £20, and you must have a passport-sized photo on you when you purchase the pass because one of the cards requires a photo! This is why it is so important to bring several extra passport-sized photos- you will probably be using at least five of them for various student ID's. One thing that I forgot to mention about these rail passes, the discounts from them are not available before 10 AM; if you're travelling before 10 in the morning, you will have to pay full price. This is just the railroad's way of protecting themselves from losing too much money.

I did receive a question regarding scholarships for these programs, but I am afraid that I can't answer that one! I was able to take my students loans with me to help pay for this adventure, but I had to leave my academic scholarship at home! Boo! For any new information regarding scholarship opportunities in study-abroad programs, I would recommend contacting the Financial Aid office at CBU, or checking online for any possible student scholarships that you might be able to apply for, be it through CBU or another institution- you'd be surprised how many of these there are in cyberspace!

Finally, I received a question regarding an estimate on average monthly spending. When I broke my finances down, I found that between random groceries, going-out every now and then, printing paper, laundry, communication (i.e. mobile phone costs), and my gym membership, I spend an average of between £75 and £80 ($150 to $160) per month. This will depend on your personal lifestyle or course, and this estimate is only considering the necessary costs; if you travel or if you're a shopaholic, you should plan to spend more money!

So, I hope that this little break-down of your questions has helped! If anyone would like to have any more specific questions answered, you can email me at SLynch2002@Yahoo.com. I'll do my best to answer your questions ASAP!

Check out some pictures with this entry!

Read Sally's Entries!
Entry #1: Hello to all my fellow Buccaneers back at CBU!
Entry #2: Subtle Differences
Entry #3: The A's, B's, and C's of Studying Abroad
Entry #4: Travel Tips
Entry #5: Q and A Session
Entry #6: The Countdown Begins!
Entry #7: Saying Goodbye
Entry #8: Re-Entry: the Ups and Downs

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