The First Hundred Days

As long as I haven't gone crazy and can still count, today marks one hundred days since I departed England for America. Aside from the FDR reference, its made me realize that this time abroad hasn't gone quickly like I thought it would, because the terms at Leicester would be finished before you know it. Its a long time since me, Georgia and Joe turned up on campus on a muggy hot day, having no clue where to go and shouting 'Walmart' at people walking past. 

Although the midterms are supposedly when the work piles up here, its still been constant throughout November. We've managed to do a few things, like going to the International Spy Museum in D.C. Its a pretty good place to visit as it shows you how spies did their work over history, while having some fun interactive stuff kids. Although we were all a bit too keen to crawl through the ventilation shaft! But really, the main reason I wanted to go was to see the James Bond exhibition. As well as all the costumes, props like Jaws' teeth, and of course the cars, there was an activity to see how long you could hang from a metal bar like 007. The kids lasted longer than me, but Ted and Sahrish did alright!

We also had a look at the American Art and National Portrait Gallery Smithsonian which was just across the road. Although we didn't see all of it there was some great artwork and photography and I'll return to see the rest. For me, one of the best things about being close to D.C is the number of art galleries.

About a week later we visited Great Falls National Park, which had some stunning views, and it was nice to go for a walk through the forest which looks great this time of year even without leaves. Although my fellow trekkers pull some interesting faces when posing for these pictures....

So much has it happened since 100 days ago and its been great, but just for a few days we'll be leaving the country. Thanksgiving break is here so we're heading up to Montreal, Canada for the rest of the week. Not sure if I'm really prepared for the minus temperatures and probable snow that awaits, but considering the last few British winters I should be alright. See you soon Canada,

A

7:5 to D.C.

Being in another continent its always strange to see things from home around, so it was very surreal to meet up with my friend Sophie in D.C. this weekend, who has been on exchange down in Baton Rouge. We've known each other for 9 years since being in the same form together at school (7:5 and Mr Folley, 2004!) so it was weird to meet up 3 and a half thousand miles from home! It was great to meet up and also to meet fellow Brits on exchange from Sussex. Hopefully I'll make the return trip down to Louisiana and New Orleans next semester.

It was a chance to see some of the Smithsonians I hadn't done yet, starting with the Natural History Museum. They have a good collection of animal exhibits and sealife displays, but let's be honest, the only reason anyone ever goes to a Natural History Museum?

Dinosaurs. And yes, they were great (cue Jurassic Park music).

The National Archives don't allow photography in order to preserve its contents; the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. It was really interesting to see something I've learned about so much right in front of me, 237 years old. It doesn't have quite the same impact as the memorials but are equally worth seeing.

At the American History museum we saw the Americans at War exhibit, which proudly told the story of the United States role in the Revolution, the Civil War and World War 2. It was a really good part of the museum, with artifacts, somewhere to practice your 'Rosie the Riveter' factory work, and a piece of the Berlin Wall, and it does acknowledge the controversy of conflicts like Vietnam, even if it understandably focuses more on the others. It was sad to see a tiny box of text being the only mention of Japanese-Internment, where during WW2 120,000 American citizens were imprisoned against their will, separated from families, many losing their homes and businesses and receiving no legal protection. There's no mention of it being a bad thing, just the minimum facts. I learned about this at school and further at university and I was stunned to see it glossed over so easily.
The Presidency exhibit was an interesting look around, with many of the First Ladies dresses on display and a podium to practice your Presidential speeches. I went for a classic bit of JFK, although talking to 'my fellow Americans' doesn't really work in a British accent though the people watching had a laugh. Sophie was a bit more convincing in her FDR tribute!

Visiting Arlington National Cemetery was really something special, especially on Veterans' Weekend. It is just across the Potomac and is a place for military personnel and casualties, honouring what they did for their country. It's a very peaceful place and is huge, with graves stretching as far as you can see. You can visit the graves of notable figures who served in the military and are buried here including President Kennedy and his wife, alongside his brothers as well. At the Tomb of the Unknown soldier there was a laying of the wreath ceremony taking place which was remarkable to see the respect and dedication in carrying it out. I found the Cemetery extraordinary, and I love the respect and value in which these brave men and women are given. And yet it is obviously a very sombre place, and sad to know that the graves do stretch on so far.



I'm not sure anyone can be prepared to engage with stories of the Holocaust. I've learned about it in the past, visited the Imperial War Museum exhibit and even met a survivor and heard him speak about his experiences. We knew we had to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C. even though it was not an easy place to visit. I don't want to talk in too much detail about it because I believe it should be experienced in person, and I don't have the words to really describe what it is like. Needless to say, it is an incredibly moving museum to see, and is undoubtedly the best one in D.C.

We spent the evening seeing the memorials at sunset and at night, including the long walk round the Tidal Basin to see Martin Luther King and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials. Both were very impressive and fitting tributes to two important figures in American history. MLK towers over you while you are surrounded by his quotes, a truly monumental sight, while FDR's legacy is spread out through stone and water fountains with the President right next to you. They're very different but both fantastic, much more personal than the grand tributes to Jefferson and Lincoln. The FDR memorial is also great for dedicating a section to his wife Eleanor Roosevelt, who could have had a memorial in her own right for her work for human rights.

Thank you for visiting Sophie, see you in 2014! Go and read her much more fun blog about life in Louisiana here http://sophiestudiesthings.blogspot.com/

A

Autumn or Fall?

In England, there's not really a full Autumn season like Winter, which lasts forever. It's basically the few weeks between the end of summer, which was never that hot to begin with, and the freezing cold that lasts until about March. Of all the things I miss about home, the climate isn't one of them- although I do appreciate it when it rains every now and then instead of virtually every other day! In America however the season seems much longer and everyone calls it Fall, as in the falling of the leaves. It's an accurate description, as the colour the leaves change into are so much more vivid and warm then at home, so it's fair enough to name the season after the leaves falling. I use it, although I'm beginning to slip into using the wrong words in conversation with Americans, saying "sidewalk" and "elevator". It's a bit worrying to be honest!

The midterms are out of the way. but there's no break in the workload. Fortunately choosing your own

classes means you can study a variety of topics so it never gets to familiar. At the moment I'm working on Roy Lichtenstein's series of Landscapes in the Chinese Style, Muhammad Ali's early career (when he was known as Cassius Clay) and his bouts with Sonny Liston, and the effects of mass media like television and radio through the perspectives of political science and philosophy. It's all really interesting, which makes it unbelievably boring when you turn up to class on U.S Presidents and listen to a man talk for 2 and a half hours about trivia and anecdotes he knows about them. Memorizing 100 years of these facts for each test is tougher still. Thankfully there was at least one day we changed it up a bit, by visiting the Woodrow Wilson house in D.C where he lived the last few years of his life. I found it really interesting, as Wilson had been such an important figure in learning history since year 9, as he was the President during the Progressive era, World War One, and the failed attempt to create and join a strong League of Nations. Learning about such massive events came seem a bit abstract until you find yourself in the rooms where he lived, and where he died. The room pictured here was where we had our opening talk, and it was surreal almost 90 years ago his funeral was in the same spot. to think Although I don't know how useful the experience will be in an exam, it's one I enjoyed and I'm glad I got from this class.

America gets pretty excited about their seasonal holidays, and Fall means only one thing- Halloween! And they take it a lot more seriously over here. People wore their costumes to class, there were Christmas-scale decorations outside the houses and pumpkin patches on lawns on the side of the road. It seems to be much more important than at home, where children will go trick or treating and students use it as an excuse for a night out. It did give us some laughs though, especially surrounding Marwan and the mystery of the missing pumpkin. "Billy" was stolen from the common room, prompting panic, wanted posters, announcements in class, ransom notes from cut-out letters from magazines, and payment of toblerone before his eventual safe return. All I can say is, well played to the thieves! (Sorry Marwan). We also dressed up, although most of us figured it out the night before so we're not on the American-level of Halloween dedication yet. But it was a pretty fun night, although it's a sad walk home at half-4 in the morning and there are no food places open on campus or in Fairfax... then I was really missing Leicester and it's Dominos that delivers until 5!

Although we had a week where the temperature suddenly dropped, it's been quite nice since so I've done a bit more sightseeing in D.C. I loved the hustle and bustle of New York but it can't really compete with D.C in the beauty side, especially at this time of the year. It's nice to start discovering new places that I didn't see the first few times I went in as well. So a quick run-through...

• Washington National Cathedral- I had to visit here, if only to see where that scene from the 'Two Cathedrals' episode of The West Wing. It's an impressive place, huge and grand, with some incredible stained-glass windows. But to be honest it feels a bit too new. It was built in 1900 and doesn't feel like it has the history of Westminster Abbey or St Paul's for obvious reasons. It was worth a visit though and is a stunning building.
• Embassy Row- A long stretch from the Cathedral to Dupont Circle, where most of the international embassies in the U.S are located. You can tell the difference between the status of each nation and their relationship with the U.S quite well from how grand or small each one is.I enjoyed spotting a red telephone box outside the British Embassy, and there were plenty of statues along the route for famous figures like Churchill, Mandela and Gandhi.
  
   

• Jefferson Memorial- Missed this first time round as it is a bit out of the way from the Mall, on the other side of the tidal basin. It's an impressive structure dedicated to the writer of the Declaration of Independence and third President, and there's an area underneath with a mini-exhibit and gift shop. I was surprised that he was eulogized quite so much- in the overall scheme of American History Thomas Jefferson probably deserves a memorial, but the complete lack of any significant mention of being a slave owner was disappointing. I understand its not what you'd like to remember but you have to teach all aspects of the history, and it's a missed opportunity. Still, it is well worth seeing.

In fact, it's worth visiting just to get this view along the way!

A

Thank You, Laughing Water Farm

Bit of a late update this one. Last weekend was a long one, with no class on Monday thanks to Columbus Day, so we took advantage of it. A few of us were very kindly invited by Monisola to come along to visit a farm in Marion, South West Virginia, a six hour drive away(!) that was well worth it. We arrived late on Friday night to some very friendly people and some very tasty food. That was one of the trends of the weekend, incredible food, much of it straight from the farm itself. Roasted beef, goat, pork, pumpkin, grits, great green beans, real bread, fresh salad, we even tried a bit of squirrel... which tastes like rabbit, if anyone's wondering. After 7 weeks of campus food, it was amazing enough to sample all this fantastic cooking.

We went along to a farmer's market in Marion the next day, and got a bit of a feel for the town. To call it different is an understatement, it really felt like the kind of small town I'd seen on TV shows but never been to. Everyone seemed to know everyone and were incredibly friendly, chatting to us and making us welcome. A few people had a little singing session including Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, which I had to applaud, and there was even a little dance class at the market. Which I have to say, my roommate Yusuke was a natural at!

After a trip to a shop for the most amazing mint choc chip sundae you'll ever taste, and some surprisingly intense card games (Yusuke screaming "Asshole!" will stay with me forever) we did a few things in the evening. There was a trip to the Damascus Brewery, a nice little place to get a drink and chat (or sit and watch the over-21s drink. Thanks America), then a car trip in the pitch black seemingly up a mountain to visit some of our hosts' friends having a bonfire. It had been a long time since I'd been in the middle of nowhere around a campfire, which I used to love at Scouts, and it helped that we had a bit of moonshine to try. It's a famous American drink dating back to prohibition, when bootleggers brewed it illegally in places like bathtubs to avoid the government ban. It's still around today, although what we had was the legal regulated stuff and bought in a shop thankfully- apple pie flavored and surprisingly nice!

While there we learnt about Laughing Water farm and the Sprouting Hope garden as well, which was very interesting. It's great to see such a different way of life, and all the different types of things grown and animals raised. The things the Sprouting Hope garden does for the community are great, offering opportunities to both young children and others to join in and contribute. And it was fun to see all the animals as well, although none of them could match up to Goatley, the cutest baby goat you'll ever see. We did consider kidnapping her and taking Goatley back to GMU with us! There was also a corn maze adventure that, if we're honest, was a bit poor, and a taste of Dip Dogs (corn dogs) that I'm not sure I'd want to ever have again!

On our last day there we spent an epic 6 or 7 hours straight just cooking, as we returned the favour to our hosts. Me and Emily brought the British cuisine with Shepherd's Pie, Yusuke gave us Okonomiyaki (cabbage pancakes) from Japan and Monisola made some Nigerian meat pies which were great too. And we were treated to a proper strawberry and rhubarb pie- amazing food all round. Which matched the whole time- it was the best weekend I'd had in the U.S yet, and I'm very grateful to all the friendly people who made it a great one. So thank you Monisola, Hannah, Jason, Seth, and all the people down at Laughing Water farm. It'd be great to see y'all again sometime (had to put in a bit of the southern accent somewhere).

A

http://www.laughingwaterfarm.com/
http://www.sproutinghope.org/p/about-sprouting-hope.html

Shutdowns and Midterms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyXHA7xiChc

I'm sure it didn't play out exactly like this, but I imagine Obama showed some of the Bartlet attitude!

I think before coming here I knew the American Government wasn't exactly efficient. A system based on the Separation of Powers to ensure a balanced system doesn't match the modern situation of deeply divided attitudes. Democrats and Republicans no longer seek the compromises sought in the past but stick to strongly entrenched views. Although the incumbent party are the Democrats, lead by President Obama and advocates of the Affordable Health Care Act, Congress who handle the budget are controlled by the Republicans. They refuse to pass a budget without defunding the act, commonly known as Obamacare, despite it being validated by the Supreme court and forming the basis of Obama's re-election a year ago. Call it justified use of power or irresponsible government, the crisis has left Congress unable to pass a budget for the new fiscal year, and as a result the Government shuts down until it is resolved. This means almost 800,000 federal employees have been sent home without pay for the past week and a half, National Parks have been closed, and non-essential departments have been closed. 

It hasn't directly affected us that much, other than a lot of places to visit in D.C being closed. It's a bit frustrating that I can't visit the Smithsonian Institution at the moment, especially since the week before I visited the National Gallery of Art to do some research for my Art History class. But more than losing resources, it's shocking how casual it's been treated. News networks had 'Countdown clocks' and 'Shutdown cam' following the live updates as congressmen did nothing but complain, waste time, and accept the inevitable shutdown. Essentially the result here is that the politicians have failed in their jobs, yet are still being paid to do nothing while thousands are out of work. It's a an embarrassment really, and makes you wonder if our system is all that bad.

Then you remember we ended up putting David Cameron and Nick Clegg into power, so maybe not!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK8HfO6jXxA

Back on campus the work has started to pile up, especially now the Midterm exams have arrived. For two weeks I have four major exams, and a lot of revision to do. There's a constant system of assessment here that isn't as tough but the workload is much more. On the plus side we don't have January exams, but I'd rather the British system where you can take it pretty easy for a while before knuckling down to study for assignments. Plus our U.S Presidency lecturer told us that an essay is basically telling a story, something we've been taught to avoid for the past 9 years! Every now and then studying in America throws me off completely, but the material is really interesting and I am enjoying the classes. 

So until the work is out the way I'm not free to do that much, so we'll hopefully get off campus a bit more once Midterms are done. Maybe the Government will have caught up and gotten back to doing their jobs by the time we've sorted out ours. I'm imagining Obama will sort it out West Wing style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HZOYoXY5Bs

A

Gardening, Gun Debates, and the City that Never Sleeps

Having been here 5 weeks now I feel pretty settled, almost like I was used to whatever the United States could throw at me. Then again, this is the U.S, and it was saddening but honestly not surprising to see another mass shooting in America story on the news. Although with it taking place in the Navy Yard in Washington D.C., this was a bit closer to home. What was surprising to me was the seemingly overwhelming opinion of common sense in both the television shows and talking to American students on campus. Everyone seems to know the absurdity of the lax gun laws and the need for further restrictions. Its extraordinary to me that in 2013, 10 months after Sandy Hook this is even still an issue.

Fortunately, on campus things are going well, even if the hard work has started in force. As part of our Global Crossings course we got involved on campus by helping out on the campus garden. The early start on Saturday morning wasn't appreciated, but I did enjoy the outdoor work. I'd never done it before, but it was quite satisfying breaking up the soil and planting some vegetables. Marwan and Sam's improvised blues songs helped get us through it as well! As for the classes, a pattern is emerging of hugely interesting content being held back by huge amounts of reading. For example, in my Sport class we had 2 weeks to read an entire 300 page book and write a paper on it, in addition to our standard reading each week. In Presidents, we are covering 4-5 Presidents each week and its difficult to keep up with the teaching when class ends at 10pm. The interest varies greatly; for every Lincoln or Washington, there's a Taylor or Fillmore that learning is a real struggle. I'm having no such issues with History of the Media, which is a great balance of history, political science and philosophy. The discussions mean its closest to the seminar-style of studying at Leicester, and the first exam went pretty well (even if I'm doing exams before most people in England have gone back to uni!).


Maybe the most interesting class at the moment, even if its the most difficult, is Art Now. After skimming through art history and moving onto abstract expressionism, I'm really gaining a new perspective and understanding on modern art. The assessments coming up may be terrifying but its worth it to study this in depth. Part of the appeal of doing American Studies when you can pick your own classes is studying things you never would at home. And seeing the art over here is brilliant- from Rothko to Monet through Kandinsky and best of all Van Gogh. Seeing their work up close and with the new understanding from my art class has been a fantastic experience.

Most of those paintings I saw at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a great part of a great day. Because last Saturday I finally visited the most iconic city in America for the first time, and to paraphrase Woody Allen, I adored New York City. While D.C. feels like an entire monument itself, full of history and clean but not lived in, NYC is the opposite. The skyscrapers really are that tall, Times Square really is that busy, the subway really is that grim (not a patch on the tube). But otherwise it reminded me a lot of London- huge buildings of concrete and glass next to old churches and apartments. In Central Park you could almost forget that you were in the middle of Manhattan. We only spent 7 hours there so didn't see much- although somehow found time to visit the giant Toys R Us! It was a fantastic day though, and I'll definitely make time for a longer visit later in the year.

A

Washington D.C. A Tale of Two (or Four) Memorials

Despite having been on its doorstep for almost 3 weeks, I still hadn't visited the nation's capital for one reason or another. We began to make up for this last monday when a few of us visited the National Zoo, which was a little way outside the main centre of the city. As with all the Smithsonian Institutions it was absolutely free, and was pretty good. We saw plenty of different animals but the main enjoyment came from seeing a panda for the first time up close, which was pretty special. It had given birth only a week or two previously, so I might have to head back in a while to try and see a baby panda. Overall it was a good trip, but I was still waiting for a proper visit into D.C.

I didn't have to wait too long, as at the weekend we went on the metro to the surprisingly quiet city. As soon as we stepped out the Washington Monument was in sight, although sadly still under scaffolding as repairs continue following an earthquake in 2011. It doesn't spoil the sight of it though, nor of the National Mall which is a great view. On our way there a motorcade of black cars lined the road in front of us and stopped, with a cameraman sticking out of the roof of one. When Georgia asked what was happening, he said "Obama" and the cars drove away... It probably wasn't, but it makes a better story just to believe that we were a few feet away from the President!

Afterwards we walked down the Mall and saw a few of the memorials. The Korean one was probably my favourite, as it's quite peaceful and understated. The figures marching through the grass toward the U.S flag and the ghostly faces on the wall next to it really make you realise the human cost of such a conflict. On the opposite end of the scale is the Lincoln memorial, which is pretty impressive. With his speeches either side, Lincoln is given the stature he arguably deserves as the definitve American President (or at least, the one America would like to be defined by as the President who ended slavery). I was actually more impressed by the view looking out from the memorial, as it reminds of the iconic shots of Martin Luther King Jr delivering his "I Have A Dream" speech. To stand where these famous figures stood was the moment it really hit me that I was in America, and I know that sounds crazy having been here for 3 weeks already. But there's something about being at the places you'd seen and studied for years that makes being there in person pretty special.

Having said all that, the landmarks that surprised me most were the memorials for World War 2 and the Vietnam Veterans, and the differences between them. The WW2 one is only a recent addition in the last decade, and is a grand circle around a fountain with pillars for each State and inscriptions throughout, with structures either side representing the Pacific and Atlantic fronts of the conflict. It's a very ornate and patriotic design, occupying a prime spot between the Monument and Lincoln and proudly praising those who fought in the War, rightfully so. What shocked me is walking not that further along the Mall to the area remembering Vietnam, which is a bit of out of sight and to be honest, is a hole in the ground. There are two bronze statues for the Women and Soldiers, and a wall that cuts into the earth that you walk along and see thousands of names marking those killed. Its a sombre place but not one that felt entirely respectful to me. Despite the war's controversial legacy as something America would rather forget, these soldiers still gave their lives for their country and are remembered with far less ceremony than WW2. I appreciate that one was a victory and the other a failure, but that shouldn't impact how the victims are rembered and it left a bad taste in my mouth.

The rest of our day saw a trip to the Hard Rock Cafe, just down the road from Ford's Theatre where Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth. Opposite was the House where he died, marked by a plaque, and next door was "Lincoln's Waffles", an unbelievable cash-in! The meal was great and there was some cool stuff inside like Elvis' jacket and Dylan's set list. We also took a quick trip to the Museum of American History and saw the original Star-Spangled Banner, but it was the end of the day an it closed pretty quickly. Overall I had a fantastic day in D.C., and was surprised how different it is to London. There's plenty of wide open spaces and monuments everywhere you turn, and it almost feels like walking through a history lesson. I'm looking forward to comparing it with other American cities, as in a few weeks time we'll be taking a day trip to New York.

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