It has been a long time since my fingers have graced the keyboard; indeed two years have passed since my last update in 2008 where I was still a second year in university in Manchester. A lot has happened in my life so far, and I am making an active effort to keep my blog alive. Unfortunately, it has come to such a point where I can find nothing more to talk about other than economics and developmental related issues. I feel I am getting very old, and I suppose it doesn’t help when I work with young people on a firsthand basis. However, I feel duty bound to provide you with an update as to what happened after that last post in April 2008.
I graduated in July 2010 with an honours degree in Economics and Development Studies. I then applied to the University of East Anglia for a Masters in Globalisation and International Development and got the place with a 10% scholarship with tentative full scholarship during April should I prove my worth in both academic and personal skills.
Sadly, I was unable to remain in Manchester for my Masters and I would have dearly loved to stay. I made many friends for life in Manchester, including the whole youth mentoring team I worked with, executive branch included. I will never forget Xavier Bosch, the CEO of ReachOut, Brendan my project leader and most of all little Bradley who I had the pleasure of watching learn and grow in personal character; although we didn’t start off on a good foot, we managed to overcome our odds and become the best of friends during the short time we knew each other. I would like to head back to Manchester sometime next month to see how everyone is doing. But, I do not regret my decision to move to Norwich.
The University of East Anglia has not disappointed so far; as a matter of fact it has proved quite the contrary. I have a network of support from the teaching office and I have managed to rouse the interest of a couple International Development lecturers who have expressed their pleasure in being academic referees for my internship and job applications.
My arrival in Norwich
I arrived on the 24th of September in fair Norfolk, where the wind blew true and the skies shone blue. East Midlands Trains, traditionally known for being atrociously incompetent in their transportation skills surprised me with good service and a relatively calm journey (though it still took five and a half hours to travel from Manchester to Norwich).
After settling in my rented flat near the city centre, it was off to dinner with a Thomas James Maxwell in nearby Nandos, where I required suitable guidance traversing Norwich city centre. Bear in mind even though I possess the world’s most awesome sense of direction and cartography, I need some time to familiarize myself with my territory of abode. Indeed, the streets of Norwich are well-known to me at this current point of time due to my handy Samsung Galaxy-S' GPS and my trusty minute bike which has lasted many trips to UEA and back.
After a hefty meal of ½ a chicken and copious amounts of coca cola I was once guided back from the treacherous streets of Norwich to my place for the year where I very quickly settled into bed (after sending Mr. Maxwell off with a smile and a farewell), tired after a day’s long journey.
University life in Norwich
My initial thoughts on my postgraduate degree were that they would involve a great deal of contact hours and coursework. Imagine my great surprise when told that I was going to be taking only 3 modules per term, with a maximum of eight contact hours a week! This astonishment was soon curtailed by the rather alarming amount of reading that each module contained. Most of my nights are spent doing notes on readings and preparing for seminar presentations. I have even started on one of my final essays for December.
I may have been suffered and rightly deserved to be called lazy during my three years in Manchester, but I am certainly not guilty of this vice in Norwich. I am heavily involved in volunteering; four evenings of my week are spent dedicating my time in Scouting, Mentoring and Youth Church. I have gotten involved in a ministry by the name of Proclaimers, and I would like to think that I have been accepted as one of their own. I have managed to get myself absorbed in the youth group and its International Development project, Hope for Latvia, which focuses on Microfinance. More on this in future posts.
My typical day consists of waking up at set time of 0730 hours, setting the alarm on snooze, and then arising at 0815 hours in a panic, throwing on some clothes, brushing my teeth and biking to campus in a flurry of frenzied pedaling. I usually arrive 2-3 minutes before the lecture starts, although at times I have stopped for coffee delayed myself (I am sure that Ed Anderson remembers my name solely from the fact that I usually burst into the lecture theatre 5 minutes late, hi-vis vest on, cup of coffee in hand, grab slide notes from the desk and proceed hurriedly to the front row where I sit and stare attentively).
After the two hour lecture, it’s usually a chat with the lecture about issues touched in the current topic this week, and depending on whether I have lectures later in the day, either a meal in the cafeteria followed by a bustle up to the IT sector to do internship applications/reading or a cycle home where I spend the day doing notes and watching Dexter (it’s usually a Tuesday when this occurs, and Dexter comes out on Monday, so what better time than to sit in the comfort of one’s home and indulge.)
I have discovered a study aid which has the potential to become my life’s blood in the next few months. It’s called “Anki” and what it does is convert all your notes into flashcards, which it tests you on repetitively until the message has been ingrained into your brain. I can now state from memory Joe Stiglitz’ Post-Washington Consensus notions and his rightfully disdainful views of the IMF and World Bank. It seems to be working so far, and it’s a free download from the web as well, so if you’re in college/university/school, google ANKI and download it. It’s really simple to use and invaluable as a study aid when it comes to memorizing raw data. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do much in helping with analytical and evaluative skill; these tend to come with experience and wisdom over time. If only I was able to use this software when mentoring last year, sigh…
My new friends
I know I sound like such a little kid from the subtitle “my new friends”. I bet you’re half expecting me to continue with something along the lines of “today I met someone at university. Her name is Katelyn, she’s really sweet, intelligent and funny, and she’s from the United States”, and frankly I can’t think of any other way to proceed! By the way, “Katelyn” really exists and she’s all that I said she is. We have had quite a few interesting conversations in our Development Perspectives module where I usually turn around on my seat, and have an impromptu chat during our short break, nonchalantly intruding into whatever conversation she’s embroiled with and getting involved.
Another chap I met was quite a charming young fellow who graduated with a degree in Natural Science Tripos from Cambridge University. Get down on your hands and knees and worship, people! It’s not every day we meet someone from such an esteemed educational institution (his personal character and habits have nothing to do with the fact that he’s such an awesome and unique guy, no no…) doing International Development of all courses in East Anglia! Rajiv at your service, ladies and gentlemen.
These two people I would say are my closest friends I have made in Norwich so far; we have had dinner together after several failed attempts and are involved in volunteering with each other. Of course I have made many more friends from my course and from church, but that’s another story for another day. As it is currently a little over 0330 in the morning, I’m feeling ever so fatigued and bless Monday because I have a free day. More notes, coffee and garlic bread to come later in the day. And also possibly a meeting with Thomas Maxwell on Tuesday for dinner.
Stay safe,
Clement.
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