Thinking outside the Triangle

Picture: Constance Malleret

Bristol is a wonderful city. Whiteladies road offers a plethora of bars, coffee shops and lunch options, Stoke Bishop is a fantastic rowdy mixture of freshers awkwardly finding their feet and returners promoting their ‘organised fun’, while Cabot Circus is a hot spot for clothes shops and chain restaurants. However, putting irony aside, do Bristol University students know anything other than the straight line from Halls to town? Do we really know our city like the locals do?

As a 4^th year languages student, I have spent the last 12 months exploring the French city of Bordeaux and the Spanish city of Malaga. With only 6 months in each place to lap up the rich culture around me, spare Sunday afternoons were spent in art galleries, days off work involved whistle-stop tours of local landmarks and hangovers provided little barrier to my desire for exploration. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the 2 years I had spent in Bristol previously. I imagine the most exotic voyage I ever made was to watch a French film at Watershed or perhaps the one time I climbed Cabot Tower.

Aware of my generalisation, I feel strongly that a large majority of Bristol students have their blinkers fixed firmly to their faces when it comes to exploring the city. The well-heard complaints that, ‘the Student’s Union is just too far away’ or the stereotypes that 2^nd years live in Redland, while 3^rd years opt for Clifton seem restrictive and unnecessary. With a host of sights to see and things to do, why do we all seem so apathetic about our surroundings? There is more to Bristol than the University and a really nice bridge.

Inspired by my year abroad, I have made a plan. With only one year to go in the pearl of the South West, my 4^th year is to be a second attempt at my 1^st year (with maybe a little bit more studying thrown in). Back to being an inquisitive fresher, back to square one. Day trips to Weston-Super-Mare, Bath, Stonehenge and Salisbury are all on the list. Lecture-free afternoons will be spent at M Shed, St Nicholas Market, Ashton Court and SS Great Britain. Fewer Friday nights spent in Lounge, and instead exploring the variety of cocktail bars and the occasional speak-easy for which Bristol is actually quite famous.

In the future, if I am ever asked by a Bristolian where I went to university, I would feel a sense of shame if I was unable to engage in a conversation about our city other than the well-trodden roads around the university. If, as seems likely, I am to move away after graduation, I want to feel that I have made the most out of my time in this beautiful, arty, yet very rainy city that seems hooked on much more than just hot air balloons and valuable graffiti.    

This article was originally written for Bristol University's newspaper, Epigram. The article can be found here. 

   

What Teaching Has Taught Me

I have now been an English assistant in a primary school for 6 weeks in Malaga on the south coast of Spain. With a fairly heavy schedule that involves teaching a total of about 450 children in a working week, it’s safe to say that I have dived head first into the enigmatic world of Spanish education. 

As can be expected, Spanish schools reflect relaxed Spanish culture. There is a large list of differences between their education and the memories I have from childhood in the UK. This includes the fact that it doesn’t seem to matter if the teacher is 10 minutes late, that lunchtime doesn’t come around until 2pm and there doesn’t seem to be any strict system for homework (or any punishments if half the class decide not to do it). However, the lenient schooling works to my advantage; a laid-back syllabus in the English lessons means that I can teach what I want in the way that I want to teach it.

No time for nervousness or lack of confidence, on my first day I was handed a piece of chalk and told to take a class of 10 year olds for 45 minutes. With 20 seconds to rack my brain for any piece of knowledge that might be interesting to them, I decided to talk about London. Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge (which fascinates 10 year olds because it opens and closes for boats) were all on the menu, and the kids loved it. I even suggested they do some written work on the subject, and 2 days later I was handed 30 projects to mark and a red pen.

Some of the many projects!

Since my first week, my patriotism has only grown stronger. We have now covered English food (“it’s very unhealthy”, commented one 8 year old), English schools, English uniforms and the Royal Family (which amusingly gets translated into Spanish; our Queen is now called Isabel, and her son is Carlos). The kids think I’m incredibly exotic, and I have even persuaded the younger ones that Harry Styles is my best friend.    

In terms of teaching as a career enhancer, I would argue that standing up in front of 30 children is a fantastic experience for creativity, quick thinking, managing relationships and public speaking. The phrase, ‘transferable skills’ is thrown around university campuses regularly, but teaching foreign children for 6 weeks, having to constantly adapt to their level of enthusiasm and ability has taught me a huge amount.

Hand me that piece of chalk and put me in front of 30 men in suits any day- at least they won’t ask why the cars don’t fall off the bridge when it opens for the boats!

Teaching the Royal Family in Spanish!

Dangerous Domestics - Year Abroad #2

My second column for Inter:Mission, this time I decided to talk about moving in with strangers...

When you make the decision that you want to live with other people (rather than in a studio flat) on your year abroad, you put your hand into a lucky-dip of unknown personalities. You may create future friendships that are to last, or you could find yourself slap bang in the middle of disaster. When you decide, as I did, to live in an Erasmus flat where the people change every few months, you are multiplying that risk by 10 and adding a pinch of communication trouble into the melting pot too.

When I first moved into my 4 bedroom, ‘this’ll do’ apartment in Bordeaux, the first person I met was a lovely Austrian girl studying French in the city. We immediately hit it off, chatting about lots of things we had in common and about how beautiful Bordeaux was. Perfect, at least I’ll have one friend. Not so, she soon informed me that she was in her last week, and she didn’t fail to add that the other guy, a Slovakian, was an interesting personality.

She was right, the Slovakian guy was an interesting personality. Although rather charming, especially if you’re into the Russian/eastern European accent, I soon discovered that he was affording his travels through blogging. ‘How interesting, I like to blog too. What do you blog about?’ He has 100 webpages apparently, and one of the most prominent money-makers focuses on a lovely group of 5 English boys called One Direction. Ah. The second eyebrow was raised when I asked his age and he responded that it is a, ‘secret that even my ex-girlfriend doesn’t know’. Of course I headed straight to Facebook, (I’m slowly discovering that an obsession with Facebook stalking is a decidedly English attribute) and after much searching of birthday posts and graduation years, the most I could deduce is that he’s older than 33. He still won’t tell me.

The next to enter my flat of eclectic eccentricities was a French girl who couldn’t understand a word of French that either Mr Slovak or I said. Although I am well aware that my French is not perfect, it is at least comprehensible. Whether I was confused, insulted or mildly irritated, her bedtime of 8pm on the second evening told me everything I needed to know about the longevity of our friendship (or lack thereof). Even Slovak said he didn’t fancy her, and that’s saying something.

Despite the mystery of an Erasmus flat, I truly believe that my year abroad is designed for experiences like this and I love it. When else will I get the opportunity to learn about different cultures so intensely and be able to shout Britain’s praises to others? ‘The Olympics was just such a huge success, you see’. Also, my room has a lock. That helps.

You can find the original article on Inter:Mission Bristol here.

Tea-Total in Wine Country - Life In A French Office

I was recently very flattered to be asked to write a piece for the Travel section of the University of Bristol’s newspaper, Epigram. Two months into my time in Bordeaux, I decided the best theme for the article would be my attempts to integrate into a French working environment…

Image: Flickr: Aurdesco

One of the greatest benefits of having a year abroad is that, for one year, we briefly leave behind the 'Bristol bubble' and get to dip our toes into the paddling pool of real life. Of course, there are many that choose to study. However, the majority of British students who go to France opt for life at a desk with a cup of strong coffee in one hand and an AZERTY keyboard to tackle with the other.

Like most Bristol students, I had done various bits of work experience where I sat at a desk pretending not to be on Facebook, so I felt I had a fairly good grasp of the way things work in the corportate world. However, on my first day in my marketing office in Bordeaux, I learnt very quickly that things are somewhat different here. The first earth-shattering, fear-inducing panic attack came when I discovered that my office, shockingly, didn't have a kettle. Apparently on the odd occassion that they make tea, also sacrilegiously plumping for fruit tea over black tea, the microwave is their method of choice.

The tea debate was made even worse by that fact that the French word for kettle, brouilloire, is possibly the hardest word for an English person to pronounce. Therefore, as I resigned myself to the fact that the french prefer coffee to tea, I decided to embrace my surroundings, or as the cliché goes, 'broaden my horizons' and made the transition. You may think that I am over-dramatising a mere swap from tea to coffee, but my next shock came in a more physical manner; their coffee was strong enough to give me the shakes.

Leaving the ktichen behind, I was there to work rather than to drink hot drinks after all, I was soon showed to my desk and introduced to my colleagues. Cue awkward cheek kissing. The interesting thing about working in your second language is that the simplest task becomes a nightmare. Sending a quick email to your boss sends shivers down your spine: what if it is littered with mistakes? Using Microsoft Word leads you to believe that your computer is trying to trick you as 'ctrl + B' no longer turns your words bold. Why is it trying to search your document instead? However, all this pales into insignificance the first time you hear the dulcet tones of a ringing phone. You look around to discover that you are the only one in the room. You brace yourself as you pick up the phone: 'Bonjour ... pardon?' 

Despite the many difficulties I've faced during my first two months in a French office — being asked to translate 'Sidebar Widget' is fairly high on the list — I have also learnt a huge amount. My favourite aspect of the office has to be lunchtime where we sit down together to share bread and cheese in the middle of the table. Even though I may still occasionally hide my Facebook in the bottom corner of my screen, or pretend to work when I'm actually writing an article for Epigram, I have certainly gained a fresh outlook on office life. I'm looking forward to diving in permanently sometime in the future.

You can find the original article on Epigram's website here and the complete E2 Living Section on Issuu here.

The Challenges Of Moving Abroad

My recent big move has been a fairly smooth ride as far as these things go, but it hasn’t always been completely bump free. A voyage across the seas for an extended period of time can be an incredibly worthwhile thing to do; independence, initiative and interest can all be acquired while you’re away. However, it isn’t always plain sailing (perhaps you learn how to make travel related puns as well), here are a few reasons why...

Image: cartoonaday

New People. Meeting people is often one of the hardest parts of moving away. Meeting fun, nice and normal people is often even harder. However, don’t forget that while you’re abroad, you have the perfect opportunity to meet a huge variety of people. Why not approach a randomer on the street and ask them to show you around? If they think you’re weird, just tell them it’s what all English people do.  

New Habits. Getting used to a new routine can be a very confusing thing, but it’s very important to embrace the culture of the place where you are living. Waiting until 9pm to eat dinner, as the French do, was practically impossible to get used to, but now I prefer it. Clubs not even opening until 2am was even stranger but I finally felt like I fit into French culture when I discovered that I can start work as late as 9.30am.

New Living Arrangements. Moving into a flat with strangers and a kettle-less kitchen can be a daunting thing. Discovering how to make the washing machine work provided a particularly deceptive challenge (the washing powder and the freshener look identical!), but making mistakes and learning how to not burn yourself when lighting the oven is all part of the ‘broadening your horizons’ experience.  

Had to invest!

New Language. Without a doubt the most nerve-wracking, nail-biting pre-year abroad jitters for me came from my fear of not being able to understand those around me. Of course it was a struggle at first, and I still occasionally nod my head when someone looks at me expectantly without a clue what I’m agreeing to, but over time it occurs less and less and you begin to understand more and more. 

The Things I Will Miss About Bristol

DriveMinistry

As I embark upon my year abroad, in which I will spend a year in the sun meeting amazing people and having new experiences (all counts towards my degree apparently), I will occasionally think back to Bristol and my old home. I will only be away for a year, but here are a few things that I might miss…

Park Street. One of my constant confusions when plodding down Park Street into town was that every time I looked up, I found something new. After two years at Bristol, you would expect that I might have a pretty secure knowledge of my surroundings, but the mystery that is Park Street never fails to surprise. From random little restaurants, to foreign bars and even some dodgy looking clubs, each time I take the street, I notice something I’ve never seen before.

Lounge. I can’t explain it, I know it’s embarrassing, but I just know that I will miss this living room-sized sweat pit and their green jug.

Running into everyone, everywhere. Although Bristol is a city, for the students, it’s a small one. I shall miss those awkward moments when you don’t know if you should smile or say hi and in the midst of confusion, you inevitably end up keeping your eyes on the pavement and walking by.

Free Stuff. Whether it’s the Christians and their BBQs or the obsessive amount of pens I pick up at each Freshers’ Fair, I am certainly going to miss the freebies. Let’s hope I can still get my student discount in France!

Making jokes about the ASS. The best one this year? When it snowed: this is not the first time 7 inches has stopped me reaching the ASS. I have a feeling that the French just won’t understand…

Image: Spotted in the Ass Library - Bristol/Facebook 

Why I Am Scared To Write What I Think

The usual calm and informative atmosphere of the website I write for called Inter:Mission Bristol was recently unhinged by a controversial article that split opinion. My first reaction was that it was fantastic that people are putting these contentious opinions out there for the world to read and I was hoping that interesting comments would gradually materialise to further my knowledge on the topic. To be fair, concerned parties wrote their thoughts eloquently below to argue the other side of the coin, but I was taken aback by the other comments such as, ‘terrible article’ and ‘[Is Inter:Mission] just looking for page views’. 

This isn’t the first time that I’ve come across hostility where I believe hostility is undue. As the editor of the theatre section, I regularly find people who want to review shows but are simply too scared to review anything less than perfect in fear of the onslaught of criticism from readers, especially within the student circle. I therefore beg to ask the question, is the access to instant responses that the internet gives us making us think less and type quicker? 

I have always been one for formalities, but I believe that, ‘terrible article’ shows a lack of respect for the writer and doesn’t offer much information either. I can’t help but think that when people had to write letters to newspapers in order to comment on a controversial piece, the slower method of structuring the correspondence and physically putting something in the post may have allowed for a deeper thought process, and presumably less irrational half sentences of disapproval.

I have always had respect for writers who write what they think and I thoroughly enjoy reading an article when I totally disagree with it. The writer took their time, structured their points and hopefully did some research, shouldn’t the commenters do that too?

We shouldn't make writers feel like this

Nostalgia for MSN Messenger

Image: chyang313

Do you remember the days of Friday night MSN? You’d spend all day at school with your friends and then as soon as you were home you’d log onto the family computer, sit through that old dial up noise and log on to MSN Messenger just so you could create a huge conversation where you and those friends sat around sending each other smiley faces and slices of pizza. 

Perhaps you had a more productive childhood than me and my friends, but when I heard the news that MSN were putting an end to their Messenger, I did feel the slight tinge of nostalgia for the days before Skype, but then I remembered that nothing has changed…

The drama of the webcam. What a nightmare. When you’ve got no plans for a whole day except watch Masterchef and paint your nails, it’s an absolute disaster when you hear the Skype noise coming from your computer: you’re not wearing any makeup. You don’t want to appear vain, but your hair looks like it went through the car wash backwards. “My webcam seems to be broken…”

The emoticon battle. This one isn’t unique to the video messaging, Facebook chat is a culprit as well and it can get out of hand. It starts with the cheeky :P, it turns into the XD and it escalates to so much more. You can get dancing ninjas, the afore-mentioned pizza and my favourite for Facebook, type in :putnam: and press enter. I KNOW. 

The abbrevs. (Abbreviations for those not in the loop) Most of them make sense, brb for ‘be right back’ lol for ‘laugh out loud’ to everyone except my dad who stands by ‘love you lots’ even g2g as ‘got to go’ is acceptable. However, as tweenagers we took it too far, starting with LMAO, then came the naughtier LMFAO and then the absolutely ridiculous ROTFLMFAO. Just no. 

The games-athon. I’m pretty sure that I learnt how to play chess, checkers and battleships through MSN. Unfortunately this one hasn’t survived the shift to Skype and sadly long gone are the days of ‘waiting for player 2’...

The choice!

5 Great Bristol-Related Websites

What it says on the tin.

VisitBristol. Probably designed for tourists, but I can’t get enough of it. This is the best place to go if you have some free time and don’t know what to do with it. Whether you want to go to the theatre, find a National Trust stately home to wander round or find the perfect place for your parents to stay if they visit, this website is incredibly easy to navigate. They even have a section called, Rainy Days Out.  

BristolCulture. This little gem is written by one man who has his finger in every little Bristolian pie. From reviews of theatre offerings to news about opening cafes and restaurants, this is the site to head to if you fancy an eclectic mix of Bristol information. I found out recently from BristolCulture that Jason Donervan plans on visiting Jason Donervans… 

Inter:Mission. This one is more for the students, and I’m a little biased because I write for them. However, if you’re stuck for something to do then head over to the Inter:Mission calendar and the weekly planner which will let you know the best things happening that week. It’s also a great place for the more quirky student, a fan of the intimate-venue, up-and-coming band scene? Head to Inter:Mission Bristol. 

ThisIsBristol. I don’t always agree with their theatre reviews, but if you’re after local news then this is a great place to head to. The website is updated regularly and it’s a really good way to make yourself feel more connected to the Bristol community, if that’s what you fancy. 

Crack. For the more fashionable amongst you, Crack Magazine’s website is the place to go if you love music and art. They keep you updated on the anti-mainstream, you can even play tunes on the site. What’s more, they have a physical version of the magazine that is FREE and widely available.

Why You Should Spend All Your Money On A Skiing Holiday

Insert some sort of 'on the piste' joke...

We all know that a trip to the French Alps is not exactly the cheapest way to spend your holidays and perhaps not the most important use of your student loan. However, I hope to persuade you that if you find yourself with a tiny bit to spare or you need an (energetic) break from uni, a ski holiday is the answer.

The Mountains. Exams getting you down? Dissertation looming? Fresh air is obviously what you need! I’m not talking about the untouched fumes of the countryside, but the refreshing sparkle of snow and the glint of a freshly pisted double black diamond run. 

The Alcohol. Almost as important as the skiing, some might argue that it is more so, is the necessity to party and to make sure you get as little sleep as is humanly possible during your week away. Not only do you party like it’s 1999 (apparently that’s a song?) but you discover a whole host of drinks that you aren’t allowed to even sniff when back home. Toffee Vodka? Yes please. Smirnoff Ice? Totally socially acceptable when abroad! 

The Humiliation. Watching people fall over is funny. Falling over is quite funny. Causing people to fall over is pretty funny. Trying to do a CAB 1440 MUTE  (that’s a freestyle ski jump apparently) and then bailing is pretty funny, providing you don’t break any vertebrae in the process…

The Competition. There is no way of denying it, when skiing with friends, there’s a battle to be the best. Luckily enough, you can just about get away with whispering expletives under your breath while dropping that cliff without anyone hearing your cries of fear. You may be completely terrified, but you will have secured your place as the most outrageous skier to all those watching and can go home with your head held high (as well as your broken arm). 

Image: LA Observed

The Places of Bristol: Boston Tea Party, Park Street

Image: Trip Advisor

Although this may not seem like an original choice, the reason I have chosen this dainty little coffee shop is for its garden. Already loved for its ethically-sourced products and family owned atmosphere, the Park Street branch of BTP was in fact its flagship location set up in 1995. The café boasts a large collection of teas and if you’re lucky, the baristas even put a nice leaf pattern on your coffee. 

The secret of this place, however, is only to be found when heading towards the toilets in a ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ style-moment. Heading through the tattered door, you come out the other side to a beautiful tiered garden. With lovely rock tables and heaters for cold mornings, the garden really does charm its customers. 

This picture doesn't do it justice!

So next time you fancy some Red Berry and Hibiscus Tea or a Get your goat, you’ve pulled! toasted sandwich, why not head to Boston Tea Party on Park Street? Find the old door that takes you through to your own peaceful garden, stealing you away from the hustle and bustle of city life just for a little while.