The Lincoln Awards: Best Videos of 2012

The Lincoln Awards for Best Videos

Ladies and gentleman, Happy Holidays! I'm unveiling my first ever "videos of the year list". And what's a great awards show without the well-known name? If you were wondering, it comes from the famous Lincoln quote:

"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my ax and one watching videos on YouTube." 

Here are the categories for 2012:

• Most-Unappreciated Video (#starthome)
• Best British Oddity Video
• Best Poetry Video
• Best Music Video
• Best Inspirational Video
• Best Cheesy Inspirational Video
• Best Gay Marriage Video
• Best Overall Video

Some of these have around 1,000 views. Only 1,000?!? For the best of the year in this category in the whole world? That's outrageous. 

To be clear, they don't have to be new this year, just ones that I've watched for the first time in the last 12 months. All videos also come with instructions. These will help you get the most of the viewing experience. 

Most Unappreciated Video - Orphan Eyes - Mi Hogar, Home Sweet Home

All I can say is, why isn't this a viral sensation? It has a cheesy saxophone melody, stellar cinematography and some of the best slow motion I've seen in years. The three keys to great videos!

Really though, I want you to take some action taken and popularize the most unappreciated video of the year. If you love it (and you are going to), tweet #starthome with a link to this video or my blog, or share it with that hashtag on facebook (or both). Notice the connection to #stopkony? Well, yes, we are trying to make someone famous. These guys. 

Currently it has 1,950 views on YouTube. Want to try and hit 10,000 by Tuesday? Maybe a 100,000 by New Years? Well, it's worth a try.  

How to Watch

• Go into a forest with your favorite instrument and pretend to play it along with the music.

Seriously. Wasn't that amazing? My favorite part is 2:50. #starthome.

British Oddity Video of the Year - The Way of the Bells

A short ethnographic film about bell ringers of the UK. It's just so properly British. I can't watch it without my heart filling with warmth and cultural love. 

How to Watch

• Quickly sign up* for your nearest bell-ringing group. (*May need to move to the UK)
• Grab some tissues. It's a tear-jerker. 

Poetry Video of the Year - Sarah Kay - If I should have a daughter
I'm such a sucker for beauty. And poetry, especially spoken word poetry delivered by captivating speakers makes life a little brighter. Thank you Josh Cleary for showing me the light. This last only for about the first four minutes of the video. 

How to Watch:

• Get out a note pad and a pencil. You are about to learn how to be a great parent. 

A close second is Shake the Dust, by Anis Mojgani: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qDtHdloK44

Music Video of the Year - Antwon - Helicopter (warning: explicit language) 

This video is simple, beautiful, and straight up gangster: 

How to Watch

• Grab a stack of pancakes and pour Sriracha sauce and Olde English on them just like Antwon. 
• Pause the video when Antwon and his posse are chilling on the apartment steps and appreciate their superb ethnic diversity. 

Inspirational Video of the Year - Adora Svitak - Learning from Kids

Now, this isn't traditional "inspiration". But it's an invitation to think differently, rediscover the joys of youth, and learn a lot from a 10 year old. 

How to Watch

• Try not to feel too bad that you weren't speaking at international conferences at the age of 10. 
• Listen to what state she is from... And if kids from there are like this, imagine how cool kids from Oregon are!

Cheesy Inspirational Video of the Year - How Great I Am 
I'm not an unconditional lover of inspirational sports movies, but I've been known to "Remember the Titans" a time or two, if you know what I mean. So I present to you, a montage of some of the greatest lines from those movies, mixed with inspirational sports figures. Yes, goosebumps be a coming. 

How to Watch

• Set your running shoes out for the morning. You'll be a training fiend by the end. 
• Grab a bottle of arsenic and drink every time they feature a female athlete (hint, you'll survive, and the lack of such figures is a travesty)

Best Same-Sex Marriage Videos of the Year - John Corvino

I really want to thank Emily Lindgren for sharing these videos with me after I posted the Gay Marriage blog. They are just gems! Here's one on the definition of marriage. 

How to Watch

• Keep on for the after-credits joke. There's one in each video in the series. 
• Post some YouTube comments about the video! I've heard it's a good place to have reasonable discussions about the issues....

Best Video Of the Year- Sir Ken Robinson - Changing Education Paradigms

How can I decide the video of the year; humor, significance, my own person reaction? Well, I've decided to go with all three. Why is it the best video of the year? I want to make the subject of this talk my life's work. So, I think that's reason enough. Also, it's extremely meaningful, funny, and engaging. 

How to Watch

• Remove and fold, placing them nearby. They'd be blown off anyway. 
• Graduate school before watching. Otherwise, you might be encouraged to doubt the system. (Or change it.)

-----

Thank you for joining me for the Lincoln Video Awards. In fact, I enjoyed compiling these so much that I might just have to make it a Holiday Tradition. Have a wonderful Holiday Season, Merry Christmas, and look out for my next blog on New Years Resolutions as we near the 1st. Oh, and #starthome.

Much love from the UK, 

Kurt 

Schools Making Most of Tech Grants!

Core Value:  Community Partnerships


The Spaulding Education Fund (SEF) is a private, community-based organization that makes strategic investments in compelling educational initiatives in the Manchester Essex Regional School District (MERSD). Programs funded by SEF advance and enrich learning and bring excitement and enthusiasm to our classrooms. These initiatives support curriculum not currently funded by the district’s budget.

I can’t thank Spaulding enough for the support it has provided to the schools. Over the past ten years, they have donated nearly $850,000 in support of our students and teachers. From interactive white boards and iPads to teacher training and student enrichment, Spaulding has been a valuable partner in our efforts to continuously improve the quality of our academic program.


GDT Article:  Schools Making Most of Tech Grants

School Gains Show in Essex

GDT Article:  School Gains Show in Essex 

The work being done by the staff and students at Essex Elementary is a clear example of our commitment to continual improvement and belief in our core values balance of Whole Child and Student Achievement.  

WriteSteps Common Core Writing Program Honored with Learning Magazine 2013 Teachers' Choice Award

WriteSteps Common Core Writing Program Honored with Learning Magazine 2013 Teachers' Choice Award

2012 Little Lex Glenbrooks - Manchester Essex Debate & Speech

2012 Little Lex Glenbrooks - Manchester Essex Debate & Speech

Excellent Oddities of the United Kingdon, Part 2

After two glorious months in the United Kingdom, it is time to update my list on the endearing eccentricities of this great nation. 

Last time in this series I covered driving, Britishness, and new nouns. Today I'll take a swinging leap into sinks, accents, confusing sidewalk encounters, and on of the world's least consistent measuring systems. Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to have a proper good time. 


If A Car Weighs 200 stone and is driving for 15 kilometers getting 35 MPG...

Imagine a country where you measure weight with stones (but sometimes kilograms), measure distance by the mile (but sometimes kilometers), sell gas by the liter (but never the gallon), and then measure your fuel efficiency in miles per gallon. Yep, the UK has done the impossible: somehow use a more confusing system of measurement than the US. Bravo my friends. 

Come on man, it's only 1 stone...

And to think, I even had my pounds to kilograms all worked out. But nope, it's normal in most parts of the UK to talk about your body weight in stone. Did not see that one coming. Rocked me to the core, if you will. The Math: 1 stone equals 14 pounds, or 6.35kg. Example: Just birthed a seven pound baby? Well, it's a healthy 1/2 stone. 

Honestly though, I love the stone measuring system. It's like it's from a different age... And, my perceived weight can depend on what I define as a stone. Want to feel big and strong for MMA class? 1 stone is a boulder. I weigh 13 1/4 boulders. Need to slim down a bit for a run? Eh, 1 stone is like a piece of gravel. I can practically float across the pavement. 

As for the others, I find the miles per gallon/gas sold by the litre thing to be a bit perplexing. Imagine if we tried the opposite in the states.... "My car get's 15 miles per liter!"... ummm, are you speaking in soda?


Scalding or Ice Cold?

Ever been punished for wanting to wash your hands? Well, it's a common occurrence in some British sinks. In my flat in particular, our bathroom sink looks like this:

Every day I question the science behind this system. It works something like this:

• Twist the blue handle? Freezing Hands.
• Twist the red? Hands on Fire.

How can these be the only options? My only saving grace is the five seconds it takes for the hot tap to go from lukewarm to scalding. In this brief period of gloriously gentle warmth, I'm a hand-washing fiend. A British friend tried to offer some helpful advice, saying "You know, just get a bit of cold, then a bit of hot, and it's fine." Nope, still burnt my hands. I guess growing up in the UK earns you a tolerance for such extremes. I've got a long way to go. 

No, You Can't Actually Do a British Accent

Throughout my life I have heard a lot of American friends try to imitate English/Scottish/Irish accents. Some I even thought sounded convincing, almost dead-on. I was wrong. 

In reality, I've found that it's impossible to imitate a British accent, because a single British accent doesn't exist. Seriously. Oh they have accents here, in fact I couldn't image a more accent rich place in the word. But which one specifically are you trying to imitate? Is is the Sheffield accent or the Leeds accent (these cities are only 45 minutes apart). Is it a posh London accent, or a Cockney London accent? Is it a Scottish accent from Glasgow, or from Edinburgh? Are you trying to speak the Queen's English? Pssh, no one actually talks like that. See how hard this is? Here are two examples: This is the Norfolk Accent  , and these are the accents in Yorkshire.

This is so strange to me, coming from a region in the states where I'd need to take a 15 hour+ road trip to get to a place with a different accent (and that's if you count the California Valley Girl accent).

1000's of miles separate the US's Best State from any other accent.

So go ahead, try to master an accent from the UK. But you actually need to pick a specific region, down to the postcode. 


Awkward Sidewalk Interactions

I spend a lot of time thinking about how to walk down the sidewalk. Definitely more than the average person. These thoughts always coalesce around the same simple decision: "If I meet someone coming from the opposite direction, which way do I go?"

It's the classic sidewalk choice. You are walking down a street. Casually, you notice you and friendly stranger are set for a head on sidewalk collision. Is the US, this is simple. I move to my right, they move to their right, and we pass without notice. In Australia, since people drive on the left, they move to their left. Easy peasy. 

So how about the UK? Let's look at a real life example. Here I am at London Liverpool Street Train Station. Looking one direction, people are "going to the left" to use the stairs. Perfect. People in the UK go to the left. But what's this? Looking in the opposite direction from the exact same vantage point, people are staying to their right.

That's correct, people are actually crossing over and switching sides halfway through their walk to/from station! This held for the five minutes I watched people walk by.

Of course, everyone from the UK knows which way to walk. Awkward sidewalk interactions are only the cause of people such as myself who don't know the system. Said a friend, "No, there is no rule, you just kind of figure it out." Really? Figure it out? **Sigh** I feel like I'm trying to not get burned by my sink all over again...

------

Expect a third round of UK wonder sometime in the New Year.

Much love from the UK, 

Kurt 

This is not an official US Department of State website or blog. The views and information presented in this post are my own and do not represent the Fulbright Programme or the US Department of State.

Nine Massachusetts CHPS Verified Schools Recognized!

Congratulations to MERMHS!
Recognized with elite award for healthy, high performance green school buildings, from the Collaborative for High Performance Schools last Thursday. The schools received plaques commemorating their achievement at a recognition ceremony at the ArchitectureBoston Expo in Boston, MA. The recognition of these schools makes Massachusetts the leading state in number of CHPS Verified schools.
Thank you to the many school and community members who worked tirelessly on the building project!

Nine Massachusetts CHPS Verified Schools Recognized

Students Explore Native American Culture

MERSD Core Value ~ Climate
We believe our schools must create an environment of respect and appreciation for individual and cultural differences and instill a passion for responsible social action, both locally and globally. To this end we endeavor to help or students develop a multicultural world view.

One example of this effort can be seen in our elementary students' study of local Native American culture as they develop an understanding of the roots of our Thanksgiving tradition.  Read about our elementary students' experience with the Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers in the Gloucester Times article Going Native.

Why Oregon is the Best State Ever… in the US.

Real quick, I’d like to offer a sincere thank you to everyone who read my blog explaining my support of same sex marriage and urging others to follow suit. It had over 900 views in one day! So even if you didn't agree with the article, thank you for reading. Official feedback from my Mom: “People in Mt. Angel (my socially conservative hometown) said you should stick to writing about your travels.” That’s when I knew that it had been especially effective.

We are the Best US State Ever

Oregon has it rough. People from the East Coast can't usually produce our name (it's Ory-gain (like from again), not Ory-gone), some think we still use covered wagons, and even Jon Stewart once commented that Oregon was “California’s Canada, Washington’s Mexico, and Idaho’s Portugal.” It's time to set the record as straight as the southern border of Oregon: We are #1. 

Why make this bold statement? One, it's something that people in the US need to know. Two, I’m officially fed up with people from the UK not knowing about the glorious fountain of wonder that is the state of Oregon. Here’s a common example:

• UK Person: Whereabouts are you from in the States?
• Me: Oregon! Have you heard of it? It’s only the coolest state in the union.
• UK Person: Ya, Oregon, umm, that’s umm… near Minnesota? Midwest somewhere?

Yep, totally Midwest. Really, what’s a few thousand miles between friends? I don’t blame them though, there are 50 states to remember, and these people are not originally from the US. In fact, they'd probably score better than most Americans on a similar test. To turn it around, how many Americans could name any one of the 48 counties in the UK? (Nope, London isn’t one, nice try).

There it is, in all it's glory. 

So I don't care if you don't know all 50 states in the union. But you should know Oregon. Oregon is different. Special. Unique, Brilliant. Forget about all of those other states, and memorize these two facts:

1. West Coast Best Coast. It’s simple, and oh so true. Why do you think so many left the East Coast and took the Oregon Trail? Because they wanted to get to someplace awesome.
2. Oregon is the best state on the West Coast.

And this proof would hold up to the highest levels of academic scrutiny. Well, assuming the academic is from Oregon. Let’s dive a bit more into the specific reasons why.

We Have the Best Beer City in the US

Could there be a better place to start? I actually have facts to back up this assertion! Portland is ranked as the best beer city in the US, and is consistently ranked in the top 5 of beer cities in the world, with over 50 microbreweries within the city limits.  We are have big beer names, with Deschutes, Rogue and Widmer all birthed in Oregon. But in the end, it’s the not the number sold, it’s the quality of the beer (call this the Coors Light proof.). If you’ve ever tried Rogue’ All American Amber or Oakshire’s Espresso Stout, you know the kind of quality I’m talking about. And this is only the beginning… 

We are The Goal in the Game “The Oregon Trail”

If you haven’t played The Oregon Trail  before, I demand that you whip out a ’95 Macintosh computer with MSDOS and buy a CD Rom copy off ebay. Or for less dedicated players, you can read about it here.

This game may have been the most exciting yet tragic offering for kids under 10 ever conceived. Here is a quick review:

• The premise: Load up a wagon with your friends and family and head west, toward the wonderful state of Oregon.
• The actions: Ford some rivers, hunt for some food, and soon you’ll be in the paradise of the West Coast.
• Any risks? Not really. Only that at least 1 member of your family will drown or die of typhoid or cholera, and there is about a 50% chance that your venture will end in starvation or your own death. But no, no big.

Again Nicole? Really?!? Ugh. 

We Invented the Freaking Bottle Deposit… And More

Ya, you’re welcome. Actually, Oregon has been at the forefront of a number of cutting edge social or environmental programs. According to former Oregon senator Frank Robert, Oregon was also the first to grant widespread public beach access, the first to have statewide voter registration, and the first state to celebrate Labor Day. Boom. 

This picture is literally how I feel, and is available for purchase from these wonderful artists.

We Don't Use Umbrellas

Who needs them? Not using an umbrella comes down to simple pride, and is a perfect example of Oregon's resilient and wacky spirit. We are one with the rain. If you can't handle it, grab an umbrella and move to Washington. If you are a true Oregonian, but on a rain coat, some boots, and tough it out. 

Try graduating while holding an umbrella in Oregon... Not going to happen. 

We Have the Most Applicable State Mottos... Ever

“She Flies With Her Own Wings.” Yep. It says it all. Progressive, daring, independent, Oregon. And when did we come up with that motto? Freaking 1854. That's right, we've been doing it right for over 150 years. 

The most recent Oregon tagline is "We Love Dreamers." I think this picture tells you about all you need to know:

Other Reasons: Nature, Sustainability, Food, and countless, countless more I'll find time to write about at a later date. 

So there it is ladies and gentlemen, it's settled. Oregon wins. 

Much love from the UK, 

Kurt

This is not an official US Department of State website or blog. The views and information presented in this post are my own and do not represent the Fulbright Programme or the US Department of State.

Girls travel to UNH on a S.T.E.M. field trip

Girls travel to UNH on a S.T.E.M. field trip - Manchester Essex Multimedia Online

ME Athletics Now on Twitter!

 M.E. Athletics @MEHornets

The official home of Manchester Essex Athletics.

GO HORNETS!

Essex Kids 'Mix It Up' For Lunch

Essex Kids 'Mix It Up' For Lunch -

 

This week both Essex and Memorial students are participating in  Mix It Up Day sponsored and founded by Teaching Tolerance.   The goal of this national event is to encourage students to reach beyond their comfort zones, to meet new people, and to expand their social boundaries.  Even in our small schools it is important to encourage students to "mix it up" and spend time with students from different classrooms and peer groups, which helps break down barriers and promotes positive social relationships. 

I am proud of our students for their participation and of our staff for organizing such an important the event.  Activities such as these promote our District Core Value of the Whole Child education.

• Whole Child:  We believe schools must establish a safe environment conducive to the development of the whole child, which extends beyond the academic core to include experiential learning, the arts, cultural awareness, and physical and emotional well being.  (MERSD Strategic Plan)

Essex Clamfest this Sunday!

Essex celebrates Clamfest this Sunday
Please come out to support the community and our local businesses.   If you stop by, be sure to enter the raffle for a clambake - proceeds go to support the Essex Elementary 5th grade!

Why I Support the Legalization of Same Sex Marriage

“Follow those who seek the truth, doubt those who find it.”

This quote lies at the foundation of my moral and spiritual life. I’m a skeptic, a doubter, someone who is never quite satisfied with traditional explanations. But even I will say that sometimes there are truths so self-evident, so clearly moral and just, that it’s possible to say “I believe in this 100% and I will fight to make this belief a reality.” Ladies and gentleman, gay marriage is one of these truths.  I firmly believe that same sex marriage should be legalized and celebrated in the state of Oregon, Washington (yes on Ref 74!),the nation of the USA, and all over this lovely planet that we call earth.

I'm the type of person that sees this in the store and thinks... "Wait a minute..."

I’ll dedicate this blog to expanding upon the reasons that I feel so strongly about this topic, and I’ll try to give a proper thrashing to some of the common arguments against this extension of equality and civil rights. I'm focusing this blog on people who find homosexuality acceptable but draw a line at same sex marriage, but it's a fun read for everyone!

Two Sides to Every Coin?

To those of you who oppose same sex marriage, I understand that your opinion on this topic is based on a series of life experiences and a certain system of beliefs or assumptions.  I would even go as far to assume that you’ve arrived at this position after a great deal of soul searching, discussion, and possibly even prayer. But I’m challenging you to go further.  It’s time to rethink your position, to have new discussions, and to eventually join the side of equality. Because like every issue, there are two sides to this coin.  In this case, it’s equality or intolerance. And I’m intolerant of your intolerance.

My Awakening

My journey towards supporting same sex marriage is part of a larger change in my beliefs and perspectives. This shift started in the Australian outback, where I spent a week with a student group learning about the oppression and racism inflicted on the Australian Aboriginal community. This example encouraged me to reevaluate my worldview, and search for other injustices around the world. I found an alarming re-occurrence of oppression and blatant discrimination against minority groups across the planet. Both modern and historical events told the same story. Structural Racism. Systemic Inequality. Cultural Homicide. Genocide. Denial of Civil Rights.

Over time it became clear that the struggle for marriage equality was very similar than the struggles of women or African Americans pursuing civil rights. All three consist of groups that were traditionally oppressed or villianized working together to gain civil rights while certain members of the already-privileged society fight against the equality for what in hindsight look like ridiculous reasons. For example:

• In 1873, Harvard professor Dr. Edward Clarke wrote a best-selling book stating that if young women studied too much they would divert blood away from the uterus to the brain, rendering themselves “irritable and infertile.”
• In 1957, Governor Orval Faubus announced on statewide television that "Blood will run in the streets if Negro pupils should attempt to enter Central High School."
• In 2012, the Family Research Council posted the following statement on their website: "Sympathy must be extended to those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions, and every effort should be made to assist such persons to overcome those attractions, as many already have."

Our Mission: Not to be a modern-day Orval Faubus

Maybe that connection is a bit overstated. Maybe you think that this time it’s all about the institution of marriage, the sanctity of marriage, etc. etc. Well, let's talk. 

Redefining “Traditional” Marriage Worked Before

Marriage had always been about one man and one woman. Well, except for the Old Testament, where it was one man with a few women. But we changed that! And recently we changed it again to include marriage for love. Through change, we strengthened the institution of marriage …..

It’s the same way this time, where changing “the traditional definition” of marriage to be the loving union of two committed individuals will be a step toward increasing inequality and lessening oppression, thereby strengthening the institution of marriage. 

Sanctity and Exclusion Do Not Go Together.

Marriage is sacred! It’s a pure, loving bond between two people that keeps them together for the rest of their lives at least 50% of the time…

If you want to strengthen something, look at the causes of the weakness. In this case, our society should have a critical discussion about the cultural and societal factors that lead to such a high rate of divorce. Denying loving couples the right to marry will not help strengthen the institution of marriage. 

You Can’t Pick and Choose Biblical Laws

Of course I follow Leviticus 15:19-30, “When a woman has a discharge, and the discharge in her body is blood, everything on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean...", so why should I not follow Leviticus 18:22, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."

And to this point, I quote the eminent scholar Mackelmore, from his recent song about gay marriage, entitled “Same Love”:

America the brave

Still fears what we don't know

And God loves all his children it's somehow forgotten

But we paraphrase a book written

3,500 hundred years ago

It’s Won’t Even Directly Affect Your Life

Same sex marriage will negatively affect my life and the life of similar families around the country. Here's an example. Three years ago I planted a flourishing vegetable garden. A year later, my neighbor planted a similarly successful garden with different types of vegetables. My garden is now seriously damaged.

That’s the silliness of this idea. Same sex marriage isn’t going to negatively affect other marriages. Period.

In the End, It’s Easy

Marriage should be the loving and committed union of two individuals regardless of gender.
  

This isn’t politics. It’s not Obama vs. Romney. It’s simply not up for debate. By supporting gay marriage, we are extending marriage equality to all Americans regardless of sexual orientation. By opposing gay marriage, we are withholding this right and continuing the cycle of ignorant oppression that has marred so much of the earth’s history. 

Please join me in supporting the legalization of same sex marriage in Washington, Oregon, and the world beyond. 

Much love from the UK, 

Kurt

This is not an official US Department of State website or blog. The views and information presented in this post are my own and do not represent the Fulbright Programme or the US Department of State.

Homecoming Weekend!

Go Hornets!

Saturday October 13, 2012

9:30 am - Girls Junior Varsity Field Hockey vs. Masconomet Regional HS  

11:00 am - Girls Varsity Field Hockey vs. Masconomet Regional HS  

1:00 pm - Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Amesbury High School

3:15 pm - Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Amesbury High School

Sunday October 14, 2012

2:00 pm Varsity Football vs. Northeast Metro Technical High School

Progress Report: One Month in the UK

I’ll be back with more excellent oddities of the UK in a later blog, but for now I thought it proper to share some basic details about my time in Norwich.

Norwich – She’s a Keeper

Moving to Norwich was a bit of a blind date. I knew the city had a great university, and it’s Wikipedia page was impressive, but what was it really like? Our first encounter happened three weeks ago, and I’m happy to report that Norwich is a babe with personality. The city boasts a wide range of historical buildings and cobblestone streets, countless 200+ year old churches, a 35 mile walking trail to the beach, several microbreweries, an open market with over 80 shops and stalls, a Roman Catholic “Eco-Catherdral”, and miles upon miles of flat bike paths. Norwich isn’t drop dead gorgeous, but it’s the kind of city with whom you’d want to have a long and committed relationship.

IMPORTANT: It’s pronounced Nor-itch, not Norwich.  Luckily I learned about the silent w before arriving.

Living Situation

I’m currently sharing a flat (british for apartment) with three other graduate students in the heart of downtown Norwich. We all have our own rooms and share a kitchen and two bathrooms. British Language update: Don’t call them restrooms, it’s loo, toilet, or bathroom. The flat is perfect. My three flat mates are all graduate students, I’m a ten minute walk from anywhere in the city, including the house of my gracious and excellent Fulbright Friend and his family, and every day I get a bit of exercise on my 20 minute bike ride to school. 

University of East Anglia - Brutally Good

Brutalism on Campus

You can’t make stuff like this up. Basically it was the 1960’s, and some architects were trying to design  university campuses that were the opposite of Cambridge or Oxford. So what was the solution? Cement. Lots and lots of cement. Last week when I commented to a professor that the center of campus was an almost soulless clump of fifteen building made of various shapes of hard gray mass, I was told that’s exactly how it should be. Brutal. 

Tough to get the total brutalness from one photo, but I'm sure you get the idea. 

I’m happy to report that cement does grow on you over time (not really though, it’s inorganic), and the campus also offers beautiful terraced residence halls and lovely paths around a large meadow and lake.  

Master’s Program Details

As for the education quality, I've found the International Development program at UEA to more than live up to it's ranking as the 3rd best in the UK. Here’s a quick snapshot of the things I’ll be doing in my Master’s program over the next year

• Taking six classes, three for each three month semester (October to December, January to March)
• Studying like crazy during a month of exams (April)
• Doing research and possibly fieldwork and then writing a dissertation (May-September)

A Full Year Ahead

So outside of the above, what’s on tap for the year? Here’s a quick snapshot

And following this quick snapshot, here is the list:

• Exercise:Triathlon practice six days a week and yoga twice a week. Probably some triathlon races in the Spring, a half marathon in Edinburgh in March, and definitely a Survivor Man 10K obstacle race on Nov. 17^th.
• Travel:Visiting Alissa at the beginning of November in Honduras, definitely going to visit Cambridge, Oxford, Manchester, Newcastle, Durham, Colchester, countless other UK cities.
• Food: So important! The food here is actually quite good. I'm cooking for myself every meal of the day, including a lot of granola and fruits for breakfast and a variety of vegetarian meals for dinner, consisting vaguely of whole grain pasta/rice, vegetables, and a plethora of beans. Don't worry, I'll have a blog in a few months about cooking and food. 
• Work/Internships: I recently started as an intern at a local education and development non-profit where I’ll volunteer three days a week, and there is still an off chance I’ll do some weekend work in a local pub.
• Language:Continue to develop my Spanish 3+ hours a week, and have plans to start learning a third language (Probably German, Arabic, or French)
• Visits:I’ve bought an air mattress, and am prepared to host! My parents are coming over the Christmas and New Years, Nicole Schiffer will be here right after that, and Alissa will be visiting around April-ish. Definitely room for more friends!

Ladies and gentleman, it’s a month in, and things are positively smashing. 

Much love from the UK, 

Kurt

This is not an official US Department of State website or blog. The views and information presented in this post are my own and do not represent the Fulbright Programme or the US Department of State.