A Medley of Observations 2

Hopefully, I will be able to deliver semi-monthly some of the things I have observed about life here. So for yet another month, here are some of the things I've noticed.

It started in July when I received my first physical letter from Newbold. I had been keeping a folder with all the paperwork of applications, transcripts, and other forms. When I put this paper in, it was more narrow and a bit longer than the rest of the papers in the folder. It stuck out of the end a little. I barely thought twice about it, writing it off as just an official letterhead thing. But when I came here and began gathering school supplies: pens, binders, notebooks, it became quite apparent. Paper is a different size.

Now, this may seem quite trivial. However, what one doesn't realize is how the standard 8 1/2' x 11' has been psychologically ingrained in our minds. This paper looks different, but feels different as well. Holding it in your hand - writing on it. When taking notes I have to switch to the next line faster. I've gotten into a certain groove in my note-taking without thinking about it. I know how many words I can fit on a line, I know approximately how many seconds it takes to fill up one line before moving along to the next. While this system makes sense, like most systems of measurement outside of the states, it can be a difficult adjustment. What would happen if the states tried to adjust to this A4 standard?

When I arrived in August, one of my first purchases was a cell phone. This is essential not just for social survival, but for safety purposes as well. When I'm walking down Carnaby Street unable to find the nine other member of my group I need a cell phone. When I get back into the train station at midnight in Bracknell from a long day in London I need a cell phone so I don't have to walk the 30 minutes back to school. But the cell phone here are not average cell phones. These are equipped with super-batteries that somehow last longer. The phone I ended up purchasing can last 12 days on one charge. Are we sold inferior technological devices just to have to buy a replacement in a year or even a few months?

I knew coming to England would mean an enormous increase in the number of times I would hear the word "cheers" on a given day. It isn't as if I've never said it myself for anything, but these anythings always involved a holiday or a wedding or some kind of special event that only occurred a few times a year. After just two uses of the word, my quota of "cheers" usages is up for the year. But being here, it is rare to hear the word less than 10 times a day. A few weeks ago I was out to dinner with several friends and every time the waiter came or left the table he began, or ended his phrases with "cheers" - every time. No exceptions. The first meeting I had with my tutor (which is basically my academic advisor) he concluded each of the last few farewell phrases of our conversation (i.e. thanks for meeting with me, hope your classes work out for you, have a good day) with "cheers". But this was nothing compared to what happened a few nights ago at a young adult bible study I attended. As we were beginning the study we paused for prayer, and at the end of this prayer more than one individual ended it with and affirmative "cheers" instead of the widely accepted "amen".

While America isn't necessarily the cleanest country in the world, I have come to realize that it certainly gives every opportunity to the individual to remedy this. I've been into London several times now, walked around Bracknell and other surrounding cities, and even around campus and one thing has become quite apparent: garbage cans are no where so be found! When I go into a town, buy something to drink, food, anything with a wrapper on it, I have to explore thoroughly to find a rubbish bin to throw things away in. This turns out to be a nearly impossibly task. Incredibly enough, however, this does not mean that the street and sidewalks of the town are particularly littered. In fact, they might even be less littered than cities I've been to in the states. Why is this? I can only begin to guess...