My Two Pence

Ireland

Well today I just had my first exam and similar to exams at home they are not that fun. Examination here is a lot different than at UC. Exams take place over the course of an entire month instead of just one week, and depending on your class you might have review lectures or tutorials mixed in.

The exam its self took place in a massive room that sat nearly 200 people. I was very surprised as I had only been in exam like that my first year with very basic courses that most students have to take. This was for a specialized final year chemical engineering course yet still so many students were there. As is turns out not just my class was there but all the different types of chemical engineering. As a freshmen here at birmingham, students in chemical engineering can choose masters or bachelors degree in chemical engineering with a focus in either energy, food, or industrial. So although my class was only about 60 students, all the other focuses also attended.

The exam was difficult but as is expected, and more are soon to come. Time to keep studying :)

Ireland is Beautiful!

It’s been a while since I have updated my blog due to a few set backs. The first being loads of work was due in before break. The second being since it was break and everyone was gone, with the exception of international students, the internet was down for 11 days for construction. 

Things are still going great and I’m glad that I’m on break. It’s amazing how quickly 3 months has already gone by. I only have 2 1/2 months left. Time flies in England.  Can’t wait to get my coursework done, still have 2 reports and an essay left on my plates and then 2 exams as a cherry on top.

Some good news is I HAVE A VISITOR, with more to come next week. Americans in England is always a fun time.

This weekend was my first professional football (soccer) game. It was pretty fun. Game was all right but just the atmosphere was fun. Everyone knew team chants and you could hear them go around the whole stadium. A streaker even made his way across the field before being taken to the ground and dragged off by 10 security guards that he tried to dodge.  On the way back the streets were absolutely packed with people, many of them still chanting and we had to wait in queue ages to make it onto the train home.

Yay American Food! Its the little things, and I bet they are going to taste even better than usual!

2nd least snowiest year in history for Cincinnati and this is what it looks like in England.

Just got my tickets….

Having only been gone 3 weeks I don’t find myself homesick, but I have noticed some “comfort things” that are traditionally American that I wouldn’t normally partake in at home but here It just seems more appealing.  The two biggest things that come to mind are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a few country music songs. I normally would not touch either of the two.

On the other hand I have encountered things here that I like better than the equivalent in the States(most of them being food, go figure).  To start, bacon is better here. It is thicker and wider and a bit more hammy. Baked beans are also better here. They are not as sweet and don’t have as much other things added into them. Another thing I love about England is that brown gravy is served with every dinner no matter the dish. I have also tried the traditional fish and chips meal here but I don’t think the University dining hall does it justice even though fish and chips is something I get all the time at home anyways.

I look forward to continuing my travels. Having seen Birmingham and feeling pretty comfortable now I think its about time to visit some locations around England.  I’m planning on just going to visit the home cities of all the friends I’ve made here with them. That way I get to hang out with my friends, see their home towns, and some meet some new people, which is probably better than any tour can do.

The University