So I haven't updated this in a while, although I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, I've just been busier with work at University and basically just doing odds and ends all over the show!
Over here the only way to describe work in University is that of work in School. Each night you get a homework for each subject and the next day in class you are always quizzed on topics you have learned from the homework at the start of class. I have noticed they are a lot stricter regarding turning up for class and also making an effort in class, this obviously works out better in the long term. I cannot compare the structure of work here at the University of Tennessee to that of the Univeristy of Ulster, it is a lot stronger regarding work ethics and work loads and especially in the United States as it is a 'Dog eat Dog' world so everyone is trying to do their best, at the University of Ulster that couldn't be further away from the truth as in some of my classes back home you can turn up for class if you want, and if youn don't it's your own loss, there is no real motivaition to turn up for class or do better than your classmates. So yeah, work here is a lot harder! It may be harder in some of the classes for me as I am doing level 400 classes, this basically means the majority of my classmates are older than me and I suppose I am doing a higher level of work here than what I should be doing during my second year of University back home.
Over the past two and half weeks (since I last updated this) I have been upto quite a few things other than just class. I attended my second American Football game, been to court a few times with my class, playing/teaching americans how to play football (soccer), I was recorded again for the UT television channel and this past weekend I was in Boone, North Carolina hiking.
We will start off with my second UT Vols football game. Once again it was a home match at the Neyland stadium and again over 105,000 people were in attendance. They were playing Arkansas State University and UT won by 48 points to 27. It was a match which Ut was expected to win so the atmosphere wasn't as good as my first game although 105,000 people in a stadium is bound to create some sort of noise. I especially enjoyed the half-time show by the Pride of the Southland Band, although I would of enjoyed it better if I was at the other side of the stadium because they spelt out 'Tennessee' in one of their routines, you will understand better from the pics - Here are a few -
Sky Line and scoreboard at the Neyland Stadium.
American Flags and scoreboard.
Representing.
Preparing for one of the plays.
T E N N E S S E E, looks pretty cool although to look at it from the other side would of been amazing.
UT, The displays by the band are amazing at half-time, they really put a lot of effort into each and every one. Each display is different at each game so it keeps the audience guessing what the next routine will be.Some pics of my T.V. appearance, hopefully I will get DVD's of the shows this week and I will be able to burn them onto this.
Yeah thats me, most probably in the midst of talking about some type of current affair. I had to give my opinons on the Iran President visiting the U.S. last week and some other news stories which run on CNN. As an international student the Americans seem to think that my opinion means more than their own as it is maybe looking at the news story from a differnt perspective.
As I was in Boone, North Carolina this weekend I didn't see the show go out live on TV so some of the other International Students who did watch the show took this picture and e-mailed it to me! I already had saw the show and I knew I would be getting a recording so I wasn't too fussed about not seeing it go out live.So as I said I was in North Carolina this past weekend. I stayed in a wooden cabin whom one of friends family owns and uses during the summer months, (It would be too cold to use in the winter.) Elizabeth is a friend I met through the BCM which is an organisation I have mentioned in previous posts. It was myself, Elizabeth, Elizabeth's younger siste Evangela and two other friends from the BCM Jordan and Catherine. Also accompaning us was Elizabeth's parents. I stayed in a town called 'Boone' which to be honest is like a town in the middle of a forest. In the winter months it is used as a small ski resort, although not really a vast ski resort that people go to in Europe.
Boone is a 3 hour drive from Knoxville, Tennessee and it is known for its hiking regions, so thats why I was there this weekend, to go hiking. When I say 'hiking' I do not mean using apparatus such as ropes, wearing hiking boots or jumping off cliffs, it is the term used here basically to climb up a mountain trek as there are so many nationally acclaimed moutains around the Southern States. It was really enjoyable and the views were unbelievable, you will see from the photos. In relation to 'Slemish' there was no sheep although I really wanted to see a bear, unfortunately I didn't, however to see a bear is not an unusual sight.
Anyway here is some pics -
The Wooden Cabin I stayed in for the weekend.
Down the creek from the cabin was a trek which we walked down and found a rope were you could swing on. So the rest of ones swinged on, I decided not to as I would most probably fall into the water.
Someone getting married by a lake in Boone.
Again the lake.
A music shop in Boone, where they play Country music with all these weird shaped instrumnets, kinda like banjos, again these people appreciated my accent.
In one of the shops I saw this matress, I found it funny thats why I took a picture of it.
'The Running of the Knob' an annual event in North Carolina supposedly. When I fist viewed this picture I laughed quite a bit, although the Americans who were standing around me didnt understand why. I decided not to explain to them what a 'Knob' is back home.
A picture of the U.S. flag in Boone.
I had lunch at this lake, the trees haven't really started to change colour yet due to the 'drought' experienced in the Southern States this past summer, although you can see one or two just to the left of me which have just started. This particular area is full of trees and is meant to look awesome during the Autumn time.
This is a picture of us having lunch on Saturday afternoon beside the lake before we went hiking. Pictured (L-R) - Elizabeth's Mum, Jordan, Catherine, Elizabeth, Evangela and Me.
This is about the half way point on one of the mountains, it was an unbelievable sight all around. Just trees and mountains everywhere, the only other sight I have saw like this was when I was sking in France along the side of Mount Blanc, although snow covered all the mountains.
Rocks were prominent througout the trek to the top of the mountain and took really good pictures. The weather was kinda warm for walking although it was cooler than Tennessee.
Skyline.
Jordan looking towards the scenary.
The views were out of this world.
The view from the top.
And finally, Myself doing the stereotypical 'Im on top of the world pose.'
Again the lake.
A music shop in Boone, where they play Country music with all these weird shaped instrumnets, kinda like banjos, again these people appreciated my accent.
In one of the shops I saw this matress, I found it funny thats why I took a picture of it.
'The Running of the Knob' an annual event in North Carolina supposedly. When I fist viewed this picture I laughed quite a bit, although the Americans who were standing around me didnt understand why. I decided not to explain to them what a 'Knob' is back home.
A picture of the U.S. flag in Boone.
I had lunch at this lake, the trees haven't really started to change colour yet due to the 'drought' experienced in the Southern States this past summer, although you can see one or two just to the left of me which have just started. This particular area is full of trees and is meant to look awesome during the Autumn time.
This is a picture of us having lunch on Saturday afternoon beside the lake before we went hiking. Pictured (L-R) - Elizabeth's Mum, Jordan, Catherine, Elizabeth, Evangela and Me.
This is about the half way point on one of the mountains, it was an unbelievable sight all around. Just trees and mountains everywhere, the only other sight I have saw like this was when I was sking in France along the side of Mount Blanc, although snow covered all the mountains.
Rocks were prominent througout the trek to the top of the mountain and took really good pictures. The weather was kinda warm for walking although it was cooler than Tennessee.
Skyline.
Jordan looking towards the scenary.
The views were out of this world.
The view from the top.
And finally, Myself doing the stereotypical 'Im on top of the world pose.'So hopefully you enjoyed reading this latest post. All comments are welcome below each post or if you want to e-mail me, my address is nialfoster@hotmail.com
Hope your all keeping well,
Nial
Hope your all keeping well,
Nial
