Northeastern University

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FINAL THOUGHTS!

November 17th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

After completing 30 hours of service learning and doing my first semester of college in London abroad, I feel I’ve really grown.  Ok, so I turned 18 last year and I thought that was a big deal, and that I should be treated as an adult by everyone around me, a self-efficient one at that. But not until a few weeks living here in a dorm did I realize I wasn’t to the extent I had thought.  I’ve learned so much and love the culture here.  I can finally say that I am completely self-efficient when need be and I feel great.  But with all that said, and after a great time in London, I CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK HOME!!!  I just miss my home country!  I miss “real” fast-food even! haha. But I really miss my girlfriend, friends and family, so damn much.  But it’s okay, because before I know it Chenille will be picking me up from Logan International Airport in Boston in the early afternoon on Saturday! I am so excited, SO excited!  I can’t wait to have a home cooked meal and give my brother a HUGE f***ing hug!  I know I’m being ridiculous right now, but I’ve just missed them so much.  This will be my longest break from school since the summer of 2008 and I couldn’t be more excited for it.  I’ve seen so much and done well while doing all of it!  I’m sure I’ve made my family proud, and to be going to Northeastern as well.  I can’t wait to move in either or see my friends who have already arrived on December 4th’s Orientation.  I am so psyched to go back to the USA! It’s my favorite place ever.  I love London though, and can’t wait to return with friends/family in the future.  What an aawesome experience I’ve had! Seriously, I never thought I’d have such a good time or get through it as fast and as well as I have.  I’m actually happy the Australia trip was cancelled now, because London is such a historical and beautiful place.  I’ve made so many friends here, I just don’t want to say goodbye.  I can’t wait to meet back up with them in Northeastern.  Thank you Liz, Lauren, Stephanie and Babs for all you’ve done for us NUin London students and getting us to experience so many things here!  I may not have traveled to the extent many others had while here in London across Europe, but honestly, I’m not sure I was ready for it.  I was just copping with the work from Uni and trying my best to soak in all the things surrounding me.  I can’t believe I’ve seen Stonehenge, stood where William Wallace was tried, seen and went over the London Bridge (Tower Bridge - yeah yeah lol), tried Indian food and Korean food for the first time here, saw Bath, saw an awesomely interesting modern art museum, saw the number 1 Shakespeare play in the Globe Theatre front and centre, and saw so many great plays here!!!!!!!!!!  There is just so much I can’t even list, memories that will last me a life time.  Sure the occasional partying and drinking legally was fun and all, but they weren’t a huge part of my experience, I’m in Britain for god’s sake!!!!  Oh my gosh, I cannot say what an awesome time I have had here.  I almost wish I wasn’t leaving so early, but at the same time I miss people back home, I wish I could bring them all here! Thanks again so much you guys, you were the best!!!!!!!  I Love NUin London! Peace out London!

Cheers!

Chris

Back in the USA in just 10 days…

November 10th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

I never thought I could learn so much from service.  This trip has showed me not only that I can benefit from volunteering by helping out the community but also learn a lot from service learning activities.  I came to the realization that I can help communities for the better by offering so little of my time.  After volunteering for just 10 hours this past weekend our London Air Ambulance group was able to collect a whopping 3,291.60 pounds!  All that money goes straight to the London Air Ambulance which means more lives saved.  I also learned more skills to help with my problem solving in my volunteering.  A skill I feel I have adapted specifically is how to address people in a more successful manner.  I learned in scenarios such as my service learning experience with London for London, that on must make eye contact and usually ask those walking by if they would like to “make a donation to three special charities.”  With my newly earned experience during NUin, I believe I will volunteer my time much more when back home in the United States.  But first thing I’m going to do when I get back home is have a nice, relaxed, home-cooked meal with my family.  I cannot wait!  I’ve enjoyed my time in London, but I’m ready to go home.  I’m more than excited to see my family and friends, but mostly to see Chenille.  It’s been months since I’ve seen most of them which is a life record for me.  I can’t wait to see my brother again either and how much he’s changed without me around for the longest time.  I hope that not much has changed.  I love my town and cozy two-story home.  I just hope I get a glimpse of fall back home before all the leaves have fallen - I should make it back just in time.  I had a great time in London and I’m glad I had the opportunity to start college abroad, but now I’m ready for more, bring it on Northeastern!

THE GLOBAL CITIZEN

November 4th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

I believe a global citizen to be a person who cares for and is conscious of the Earth as a whole.  Not just a person or citizen who is loyal too or concentrating on a single place in the world, say a state, and only wants to better their area and leaving the rest thinking it to be the sole-responsibility of those who live there.  It is a citizen of any part of this planet who cares for and attempts to work for the betterment of our globe, wether it be financially or environmentally.  After living in the United Kingdom for several months I am proud to say I believe I am now a global citizen.  I think to reach such a level of awareness one must live or be in a different area some distance or atleast quite different from there home on Earth.  This tripp has enabled me to want to become more green, to help out my local community more and communities of others - as I have done while studying here.  All the collection of donations for UK cancer research, Air Ambulances, the works, they all were a contribution to not only the London community but our globe as a whole.  The survival of few means the survival for many.  If the UK finds a new sufficient treatment or cure for cancer it will aid the planet not just the United Kingdom.  I feel living here has made me think more about how others live from how I have lived here.  Wanting more for them, a better environment in several ways.  It has made me realize I am patriotic for more than just the United States, the United Kingdom too, even the world!!!!!  That’s what it means to be a global citizen.

Exercise 10.4

November 4th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

In all honesty the change I would like to see take place in this world is for people to become more self-aware.  Aware of their surroundings and their actions and how they effect others.  This would make our planet a much better place.  There are so many out there who merely go through life vying for the goal of self achievement.  Either to become wealthy or rich with knowledge, not noticing or caring about who or what they step on or destroy in their path of getting there.  It reminds me of an infomercial I see on the television regularly here in London in which a man is reading a story to his child about how the world is being destroyed by people and there careless excessive release of CO₂ emissions and how it is up to us to save the world for our children, the generations to come.  With more people becoming self aware of their effect on the environment and others we can achieve this goal.  Thus creating a more happy, healthy, and carefree environment in which we all could live.  And yet people still ignore this factor out of greed and self-indulgence.  Hummers are a perfect example of this indulgence as they are large and huge gas consumers as well as great at producing carbon dioxide emissions and people just purchase them as a luxury vehicle.  There is no need for such a thing.  Those purchasing hybrids and more fuel efficient gasoline-run motor-vehicles are clear example people are becoming more self-aware.  The Green campaign is making a difference, which like many others, I am relieved to see, but it is not doing enough.  It is still left up to many to pick up the pieces that others so frivolously leave behind.  Service learning enables us to convey this message to the people and be an active participant as a sponsor in it’s goal.  Our opportunity to volunteer with the Thames 21 organization is that exactly.  Picking up after others, those who so indiscriminately throw their trash along a running river, making a difference.  Trying to better our global environment one step at a time is all we can do at this point in age.  But there is just so much to do, and with people continuing to be so ignorant our Earth will continue to suffer for it.  Maybe some day, with enough people self-aware of their actions and affects on this planet we can stop or even reverse such digression of our planet.

Gun Crime in the UK

October 27th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Compared to the crime rate in the United States, the crime rate in the United Kingdom is drastically lower.  While the US is notorious for its violent crimes with guns, the UK is known to have violent crimes usually involving knives.  Both are quite lethal weapons.  Here in the UK I must say though, I feel safer.  The crime is so much more diluted than in the US.  Although crime was never an issue in my town I wasn’t far from it, about a fifteen minute car drive at most.  But when it comes to visiting the city I feel much more safe.  I wouldn’t say I let my guard down, but I do relax on a level I find not to be possible in New York City.  Although I feel this view could be biased as I have lived in London for a few months now :).  What makes the largest difference here when it comes to crime and a HUGE death rate in the US in comparison to the UK is the gun laws.  I mean for us Americans its right there, right in the second amendment, we have “the right to bear arms”.  While most countries don’t allow gun distribution to the public once reaching the age of 21, we do.  That’s our problem and thats why our murder rates are rising each year.  Its one that will be continued to be argued by the US people and the NRA (National Rifle Association).  Although I honestly see no end to it.  The argument will persist, but that right will never disappear.  The reason for this is it is one of the rights our country had been built on with the Constitution as listed in the Bill of Rights.  Honestly I think we have a better chance of survival in the US when it comes down to gun violence.  While people here in the UK illegally obtain guns, those people are gang members and shady people, not the general public.  Therefore when someone is threatened by a home robbery or something of the sort when the criminal is threatening people with a gun they easily get away with it.  While in the US there is a higher percentage of people who own such weapons.  Therefore if the same incident occurred in the United States the victim would have a better chance of deflecting the crime and have a greater chance of survival.

Privilege/Identity Reflection of Service Learning

October 27th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Privilege of a group of people or a single person can be measured through their education, race, economic status and social status.  Such things can give one detriment or an advantage in life.  One can say that everyone who is able to attend college is privileged in the fact that they are able to reach that form of higher education through hard work or family notoriety or money and in some cases all three.  In fact, all of us attending Northeastern University are quite privileged.  It is not an easy school to gain acceptance to as in the vast numbers of colleges in the US, it is ranked at 86.

Personally, as a well educated, upper-middle class white person I am quite privileged.  With my families background and hard work I was able to get a good education from a well ranked public high school and thankfully, also due to my privilege, get to attend the college with the highest job rate out of school.  Without the funds my parents have earned, I would most likely not be able to attend Northeastern University and would most definitely not be able to travel abroad to London for my first semester of college.  I am rather fortunate to be as privileged as I am and have the opportunities I do.

It is quite sad in the fact that the less privileged gain less notoriety and are very much likely to not gain the success level that a more privileged person may reach.  The uneducated or less educated people, those with less money, and those of a race that is discriminated against are not privileged in the same sense that a young college-bound white boy like myself is.  It is a sad truth that the less privileged do not have access to the opportunities more fortunate people do.  They do not usually have access to the same level of comfortable living conditions, good jobs, and safety us more fortunate people due.  Its a shame that our society must work in such a fashion, but this appears to be the only option we have without resorting to communism.

Thanks to my privilege and the privilege of the rest of the NUin students we are able to be more versatile in the London community.  We have opportunities to work and go places that less privileged people can never venture to.  This enables us to grasp a perspective above and beyond most of the common folk on the street.  As college freshman we already have a greater perspective than that of a less educated person may have, but also with our status as students going to Uni we are able to gain even more knowledge from our ability to aid the community.  By doing community service and helping out in London we are participating in a form of service learning.  From service learning we are able to broaden our perspectives and ideas from working with the community.  We are also able to help the less privileged and less fortunate people.  In such small contributions to the community as collecting donations for London for London, in which all the collected donations went to charities throughout London such as the Kids Company and the Volunteer Police Cadets.  Such privilege enables us to participate and gain more from service learning experiences and therefore further construct our own identities as young college students.

Nine point Six

October 19th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Last Saturday I took advantage of an opportunity I was given to Volunteer in Zone Three collecting donations.  In Zone 3 Liz, Colleen, Danny, Kanji, Babs, and myself volunteered for London’s Air Ambulance.  Outside the Leyton soccer stadium we collected donations from fans and passers by who were willing to contribute to this great cause.  In case you are not sure, London’s Air Ambulance is a helicopter service that acts as an air transport to London hospitals for those in need and is funded primarily by the public’s donations.  The community leaders for the project were right along side us collecting donations.  The more people with buckets around the more donations the cause had, so each person counted to a large extent.  Gloria, a community leader who also happened to be quite a talker was also helping out.  She was polite and after introducing herself to Babs and I she interviewed us on our backgrounds.  We had no real problems with the event except for the crowd.  When it got to be about an hour before kick-off the place was packed inside and out.  It was hard to get any donations as by the time anyone saw us through the people they were busy getting out their ticket to go through the turnstyles into the stadium and not willing to go through the trouble of getting their money out.  We all had the same personal goals set of collecting a decent amount of donations from the public, although some peoples goals were different than others in that they wanted to make it a competition between one another seeing who could collect the most money out of our pairs.  In terms of college’s preparing us for a service learning activity I would suggest that they promote helping others.  We would learn from it as a result as foretold in the title service learning. All conversation exchanged during the event by myself and Barbara, when we were together collecting, was simple things such as where we come from in the U.S. and why we were volunteering for a London cause.  I found myself explaining why I thought it was a great opportunity to several folks for the cause and all, more specifically that I felt it was necessary since unlike most health care services in London, the Air Ambulance only receives a small amount of funding from the British government.

My changing perspectives

October 19th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

After being in London for about two and a half months I feel differently about London than I had in the past.  Over the last month or so, I feel I have grown a lot.  I feel it took me longer to fully adjust to the environment than most of the other NUin students.  Struggling to get out and about and travel, I felt a little overwhelmed with work at first.  In truth, it was completely understandable and my own fault, as I let most of the work pile up.  Sifting through daily towards the end of the day I managed to complete all my assignments but just in time.  I knew I couldn’t live like that, not now, not in college, not while I’m in London!!!  So quite plainly, I got my shit together.  I knew I would have to and wanted to more than anything, but I found it harder to adjust to this persona than in the past when I felt myself to slip back in High School.  It was probably because of all the things constantly going on for us in London, all these great opportunities.  I had always been excited for family dinners, the Eye, the tour of Parliament, etc. but when it came to tours for some other classes I felt slighted.  Not looking forward to waking up for any of them, early none the less.  Eventually I taught myself to take the good with the bad and I have found I enjoy more of London as a whole this way.  I feel more relieved and relaxed, in a sense I could only achieve back home during breaks from school.  I feel I have grown to fend for myself without putting on more stress which is a great feat for me.  I love Autumn and I feel its arrival helped me make this tradition.  The smell of the dead leaves, the feeling of the brisk cool air in my lungs, all of those things make it my favorite season and although I truly miss seeing it at occur at home,  with the awesome scenery, I feel fortunate to experience it in an entirely different country and in one of the most beautiful locations in the UK.  I also once had a yearning to travel, to see things abroad, but I feel content now almost planted in a way.  Which is fine, isn’t London a great experience in itself in four months?  I feel it’s enough and besides I save money.  I’m still excited to see Scotland for Halloween, but other than that I have lost a true desire to explore.  I want to experience such travel with a friend, not alone, so I’ll just wait.  I’m content, I love where I am and am doing well in school, what else could I ask for?

Disciplinary Lens 84

October 13th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Skills or critical inquiry perspectives for a music theory major:

patience

social interaction

general knowledge of music

read music

past job experience

determination

When it comes to doing service, joining to aid an organization or group requires many things.  One of the most important qualities of the volunteers must be patience.  When setting up such programs to help others such as London for London helping out 3 major charities in London by collecting donations on October third the people setting it up need patience to put it all together even with the distance and (some)hard to find locations.  Even more important in such a circumstance is the volunteer collecting having patience.  Standing outside a pub for some time just waiting for people to stop and talk to you or just to place change in your bucket requires some patience.  If I had not possessed patience during this event I would have left in no time at all as it took some time for anyone to approach me outside O’Neil’s pub that night, over an hour and a half in fact.  Community projects such as these also require the ability to, at least to a  minimal extent, socially interact with people interested or part of your team in such a project.  Many people approached me that night giving me what seemed to be the evil eye until getting close enough to ask me, “What’s all this aboot?”  If I had no ability to socially interact with these people they would have never donated to the cause, but thanks to my ability many people found it important to donate to the charities I told them it was for like the Kid’s Company and the Volunteer Police Cadets.  And contributing to or working on a project or with a Community partner such as London for London also requires determination, a driving force to go out and do good, to stand outside a pub for six hours at night.  All these skills mentioned in the above list are required acquired skills needed to successfully carry out my major.  I believe that I have developed each one to a certain extent to do well in music theory just from service learning alone as I had done in London for London.  This holds true for each aspect listed except for the musical skills which I believe I have developed on my own to a decent extent and hope to further broaden and define in the future in a somewhat musically related service learning event.  This event is yet to be discovered but will most likely be community service at a live music event or stage production at a coffee house.

Service Learning Experience Outside of Zone 1

October 13th, 2009 by improtac | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

During break I had the opportunity to participate in fundraising for Cancer Research UK.  Liz, Colleen, Racheal, Danny and Myself all took the tube to Jubilee Place shopping centre.  Our jobs were to collect donations and spread, more specifically, breast cancer awareness through our passing out of flyers, distributing raffle tickets, and sporting our awesome pink attire.  When we arrived we we’re given not only the raffle tickets, flyers, and a donation bucket but also rather ostentatious pink-camouflage uniforms.  Once we were suited up and had our supplies handy we were dispersed throughout the shopping mall.  Although the task may seem easy to some I as well as the other Northeastern students attending actually found it a tiny bit painstaking standing up and barely moving for over three hours.  All in all it went quite well and we had a great time.  We all collected a fair amount of donations while also showing off our awesome new camo!