Nov 04

A good start — My life at Lancaster University

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DSC00847 It’s been a month since my ‘induction day’ at Lancaster University. Honestly, I can’t believe it’s been four weeks!

Time is really a tricky concept. But time is truthful, all truth hurts, that’s the principle.

So what I’ve done so far?

On the one hand, I managed to make a few friends in my class and residence. It’s my first time to talk to people from such a diverse L1 (first language) background. Now I can see the real value of learning English well. It’s not for money or grades any more, it’s for survival and emotional needs, or, for a meaningful life.

I remember my legendary teacher, Erick, who can speak French, English, Chinese (L1), Japanese and Spanish once made such a confession: Steven, you know how do I feel while learning abroad, I miss home, though when I do come back I’ll miss overseas life again.

Now it’s finally dawned on me how he felt. Living abroad is not so fancy, rather, it’s a double-edged discipline, which means both academic and emotional hardship.

On the other hand, I’ve got my self a job called “AV Loan Assistant” in my department. I’ll sign the contract next Monday.

Being on the ‘payroll’ is really nice for an international student like me. I do need that money to compensate my 84 pound per week accommodation fee (the water supply problem had just been addressed yesterday) and my unreasonable 74 pound Internet connection fee (NO direct access to the Internet by the way, I can’t even gain access to this blog’s control panel).

That’s not the point.

The point is, by doing this job, I can become more involved in the research-intensive culture in my department. Coming from a rather “humble” academic background, I do want to learn what those researchers do normally that lead them to some concrete, earth-shattering publications in the end.

Again, the little person in my heart that wants to become a professor one day is still alive and kicking.

We’ll see.

This Article is from: Health matters[http://stevenlichen.com]

URL: http://stevenlichen.com/2007/11/04/a-good-start-my-life-at-lancaster-university/

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