No(r)way Mimi

The blog “Noway Mimi” is published by Emilie H. Braathen. The blog name originates from a joke a friend and I have on the countries we are from. I will say to her: "You are so finished!" and she will say to me "No-way!" For those of you who did not get the joke, she is from Finland and I am from Norway. The name Mimi is the nickname my friends over here call me. In total it sums up the positive experience I've had so far as a student abroad in UK! I am currently a Politics with International Relations student at the University of York. This blog is meant to be about student life in UK, culture clash, politics and Norwegian/Scandinavian/Nordic food and culture. Follow me on Instagram: hbemilie or Twitter: @nowaymimi      

[nowaymimi]

Help! Its only four weeks until the exams starts

I bet I got your attention now, did I not? 

Don’t worry I actually have it under control or at least I think I have it under control. The biggest difference from Norway is that in England you don’t read to the exams a month before the exam starts, everything you do in seminars and have read before is a practice to exams. So what I am doing now is revising, which basically means revising all the stuff we already have learnt! Great stuff. And practicing on writing essays for the exams. This doesn't mean you can be lazy, it means you have to practice for the exams at least 8 hours per day. I’m already feeling confident on comparative politics, but you never know what happens when the exams actually happens. 

Good luck to everyone with the revisions! 

See you.

[nowaymimi]

A pressing concern: It is next to impossible to find a private house for international students in York!

Finding a private house for international students in York is next to impossible!

This Saturday I’ve decided to take some time off studies (well deserved after 40 hours of reading this week).  A typical Saturday I am not lazy. Today, I’ll start my day with a hard workout in the Gym with Saara. Later on, me and my friends are going on house viewings. January is the time to find a house or a place to stay for the next academic year. I cannot tell you how daunting this process is! Not only does it affect your work, it also makes you more tired and stressed. Hopefully, we will find something today, if not, I’ll probably end up in a private accommodation hall outside University.

So to a more pressing issue for me personally, that makes me sad and angry. How is it for an international student to find private accommodation in York?

I am not going to lie, it is difficult to find somewhere to live. Not because international students are not clean enough, far from it. Compared to British students, international students are often more clean and respects the property better (I am not saying this is always the case). But that is not the reason why it is difficult for us international students to find a house, the real reason is the agencies. Most agencies will ask you to have an UK guarantor, this however is almost impossible to get unless you and your family by luck know someone that can be a guarantor for you. A guarantor is an UK based adult that can guarantee that you will pay your rent and if necessary pay it for you, if you fail to do so. Unfortunately, this guarantor cannot be from outside the UK. So, even if mum and dad are more than capable to guarantee for me, they cannot do so because they are Norwegians. Now that is what I call unfair!

The policy creates a divide between UK students and international students

This policy is not only discriminative against international students in York; I will go as far as to say it creates a divide between UK and non-UK students. To make it even worse, the agencies ask of you to pay 1 year upfront of the rent before moving into a house, if you cannot provide a UK based guarantor.

I’ve lived for myself for four years now, and never have I felt so unfairly treated before. In Norway you have to pay a deposit (this is often very high, around £400-1000) and you will often need a couple of references from previously landlords or/and employers, before a private landlord will consider you. I see this as a fair policy.

 “I cannot keep silent. Something needs to be done for international students.”

The discriminative policies against international students in York, prevents international students (including myself and my friends) to rent most houses in York. The right to find a home, is arguably one of the most basic rights any human being has, to keep international students from this, is discriminative. There is possible to rent from some private landlords, but there are too few properties out there, and the ones we have seen so far have been of poor quality. We are clean, serious students that prioritize studies before partying/going out; therefore I cannot keep silent on this issue. It is unfair!  Something needs to be done for international students, so that we can be able to rent on fair terms and equal grounds. . Until something is done, I will not keep calm.

-Nowaymimi

“The right to find a home, is arguably one of the most basic rights any human being has, to keep international students from this, is discriminative.”

[nowaymimi]

Thursday groove

It is already the end of the term, which I simply cannot believe. It’s gone so quickly! I am looking forward to going home in three weeks. But first there is two more weeks with seminars and then I have to write my assessed essays for January. To keep me up with this I have something to look forward to: Politics Society’s Christmas Ball on Sunday. And I also got lots of Scandinavian food today. I got Risgrøt or Rice Pudding, chocolates and crisp bread. (Love mode).

Today I have been busy with the EU essay plan. And even if the clock is 6pm is still have to do more reading today! You could say I am happy about those Scandinavian treats right now. 

To keep me focused through the night I am playing Troye Sivan on Spotify, one of my newest favorites in the world of music. Only 20 years old, but so talented. 

Keep in there guys, it’s the end of term and with just a couple of more weeks of hard working it is soon Christmas Break! 

-Nowaymimi

[nowaymimi]

Second year mania (hysteria)!

Here’s an update on how second year is like at University of York!

Second year is definitely a step up from first year. The workload is massive. Even though, I am fairly used to reading everything in English and taking notes in English, there is still much more reading this year. I have probably improved my reading speed x10 to when I first arrived to York. But still, I’m not going to lie, reading 150 pages (A4) on the Computer in each subject, which makes around 600 pages a week is challenging. There is less time for friends, and it feels like I am in a study ‘vacuum’.

 I have four modules this year:

Theories of International Relations (TIR) – compulsory

Comparative Politics

The European Union

State, Economy and Society (SES).

So far my favourites are TIR and the EU. Second year is in general very theory based, which I did not like at first, but now I am getting used to it.

You can read more about the modules here: http://www.york.ac.uk/politics/undergraduates/politics-ug-modules/

 My workdays are like this:

Monday:

 09-12.30: Read for seminars

1.30-3.00: Seminar in State, Economy and Society

3.00-5.00: Read for seminars in the library or go to the gym

5-6.00: Lecture in EU

6.30: Home

 Tuesday:

9.00-10.00: Comparative Politics Lecture

10-14.00: Read for seminars

14-15: Theories of International Relations Lecture

15.30-17.00: Comparative Politics Seminar

17-18: State, Economy and Society Lecture

18.30: Home à I am exhausted

 Wednesday:

08.30-09.30: Review for the seminar

10.30-12.00: Theories of International Seminar

12.30: Back home

13.00-19.00: Reading

19-20: Dinner

20 -->Friends or relaxing

 Thursday:

09-18: Reading

 Friday:

09.00-10.30: Seminar in EU

11-13: The gym

13-14: Relaxing and lunch

14-18: Reading for seminars next week

18---> Friends

 Saturday:

09-14: Reading

14--> Time off, friends

I think we can all agree on that this is pretty tiresome and I can say that I have a busy schedule. So, I better get back to studying now. 

Talk to you later. 

-Nowaymimi

[nowaymimi]

Bye vegetarian, hello flexitarian!

I remember the day I quitted meat; It was 20th of July 2015. I have been without meat for 3 months and 18 days. Today is the day I am going to try to eat chicken again. Why, you might wonder? Why start now, when I have managed so long without it? The explanation is pretty complex and to be honest I am a bit scared. To be truthful, my energy level has been extremely low lately. Therefore, I want to see if it is related to the fact that I am a vegetarian. 

Let me clarify. I am a pescetarian: A person who does not eat meat, but fish. When I moved to England to study here a year ago I found the meat horrendous, compared to back home. I am sorry to say so, but the quality is simply not the same. Slowly I started to eat less and less meat. I used soya mince instead of beef mince. I made vegetarian lasagnes. I quitted hamburgers and sausages. Until I finally only ate a vegetarian diet with fish. 

“The hopeless thing is that you get cravings for sweet stuff all the time. In fact, you eat more unhealthy, because your diet is not filling enough.”

Some of the biggest problems with being a vegetarian is the things you miss with meat, like having a normal lasagne and being able to eat mums homemade  meatballs, pork lion, duck breast and expensive chicken. I do not miss cheap meat. I do not miss red meat. I do not miss bacon. Non of that. What I do miss is having a good selection of toppings on my bread to chose from. There is few toppings to chose from when you are a vegetarian: Cheese, egg, vegetables, chocolate spread, peanut butter and jam. The hopeless thing is that you get cravings for sweet stuff all the time. In fact, you eat more unhealthy, because your diet is not filling enough. 

“Becoming a vegetarian was my own little sacrifice to make the planet a better place.”

I am fine without meat, honestly. I do not miss the taste of meat. What I miss is the energy level it gives me. I miss the company it gives me and the great variety of dishes you can make with it. So why did I became a vegetarian in the first place? For the environment. For animal welfare. Because sometimes meat is too heavy for my stomach. My own little sacrifice to make the planet a better place. 

“I am still going to eat fish four times a week and vegetarian dishes two times a week. But maybe Sunday’s can be my meat day. And I do not care if anyone find it strange.”

But in the end it is too much of sacrifice. I want to be able to eat the same as my friends when we are making a dinner together. I do not want to be the problem. I want to be able to eat a Christmas Dinner with meat. I am still going to eat fish four times a week and vegetarian dishes two times a week. But maybe Sunday’s can be my meat day. And I do not care if anyone find it strange. I do not care if some vegetarians might judge me. I don not care if some people that eat meat say: “Why do you not eat whatever you want?” I know all the arguments, but in the end it is my decision. 

“I am going to be me, a woman that loves food and is proud to know who she is.”

I want to be the woman that can make dinners with meat for my children sometime in the future. And in a restaurant. I am still going to eat fish most of the time, the substance of life I can never give up. I want to be a flexitarian. A woman that mixes, but mainly eat fish and vegetarian meals, and sometimes meat. I am going to be the mix. But mostly, I am going to be me, a woman that loves food and is proud to know who she is. 

Good weekend from York!

Best,

Nowaymimi.                                  

[nowaymimi]

12 weird experiences that happened to me when I moved abroad

So I’m back in O-town (Oslo) for the summer! Looking back at the past year as a Norwegian student abroad, I discovered 12 weird things that happened to me when I moved to England. Warning, this might happen to you as well, if you move abroad!

Yes, Norway is that long and big country next to Sweden! 

 1.     You will start to think in English. This happened about a month after I moved to England. Everyone that have lived abroad will tell you that this will happen, but what they do not tell is how weird this feeling is! These days, I think in English, before I think in Norwegian. #Mega weird.  After a while you will struggle to say the simplest things in Norwegian and feel silly afterwards.

2.     It get’s weirder: I started to dream in English! This began after two months. I remember waking up and thinking: “Wow, I just dreamt in English. What’s wrong with me? This is so strange”. When I tell people this, their first reply is often to laugh. Them: “You seriously don’t dream in Norwegian anymore?” Me: “Nope”. Them: “Wow, I thought that started after a couple of years.” I can reassure you it begins earlier.

3.     Soon enough you will be one of those polite people (this is at least the case in UK)! It’s actually a thing in UK to say “sorry” and “please” to almost everything.  Even if it was the lady bumping into you and not the other way around. You are the one saying “sorry” or sometimes you both say “sorry”. Furthermore, you will also say, “thank you” to the bus driver when you leave the bus or “thank you” to the lady at the check out after buying your groceries.

It get’s weirder; you will adapt this politeness into your daily life when you get back home! In Norway almost no one use “sorry”, “please” or “thank you”, most of the time we avoid these phrases. On the other hand, you will see more people smiling in Norway. Now days, I’m all about being on of those polite people (can’t believe it)… #Civilised

4.     You will say “see you later”, even if you don’t see the person in a week. You will say, “see you” when leaving a room and sometimes you will explain what you are doing next. Even if you are staying inside and are not actually going out of your flat, you will say something when leaving a room!

In Norway people always leave a room without justifying where they are going. The exception is if you are going to the loo, then you should excuse your self in Norway. Some people might even leave a conversation or leave the party without saying “goodbye” or “see you later”.  And to be honest, I think it’s a bit daunting to always have to say “see you later” in England. I prefer to say “goodbye” to people I know and leave a room without saying “see you later”. Sorry Britain.

5.     You will start to enjoy the queuing system, because it actually works! Compared to back home, no one is in a hurry in the store. First, the queuing systems annoys you, but you will grow to like it. No one is being impolite, in a hurry or trying to sneak before you to the counter. Everyone is waiting for his or her turn. I wish people could be a bit more polite in Norway in the stores. Not just us costumers, but also those who work in the stores. #Be polite #Please #Thank you.

I am not saying everyone is impolite in Norway; there are plenty of polite people in Norway. All I am saying is that there are a higher percentage of polite people in England, not that I have counted. So don’t take my word for it!

6.     You will enjoy having people around you all day long. Before I moved abroad I could easily enjoy spending a couple of hours or even a day alone. Probably because I am an only child. However, after spending a year in York, I now find it boring to be alone even for a couple of hours. I love having people around and having something happening almost all the time. What’s happening to me?!

7.     You will bring way to many groceries from your own country back to the UK. Normally a whole grocery bag with chocolate, crisp bread and Norwegian brown cheese. I have a friend that brings a whole suitcase full of food each time she leaves home! Eventually, you will stop taking so much stuff with you each time. There is one reason for this: You eat too much chocolate, especially the Norwegian  “Melkesjokolade” (milk chocolate) from Freia.  You realize you need to bring less next time, because you end up eating one chocolate bar in one go, because you miss home. #Bad.

8.     You will start to go without a coat, when you are going to a club night. Bear in mind that you will do this in the freezing winter. Just to save those few pounds, you rather leave your coat at home. At first you will think this is so weird, why aren’t people freezing? But after a while, you find it more convenient.

9.     You get used to having people sitting beside you in the bus, the train or in the tram (in Oslo). In Norway people don’t sit together, unless they have to. Therefore you can see a lot of people sitting alone, even though there is an available seat right next to them! In the UK people sit more together, even with strangers. Today, I think this is a great thing! It makes the atmosphere a bit more relaxed on the tram or the bus. Thumps up!

10. You get friends from all corners of the world and have to learn and adapt to their cultures as well. I never imagined having so many international friends, when I first arrived. But truly, it’s wonderful and it broadens your horizons.

11. You won’t just get friends or best friends. You will get sisters and sisterhoods! Not being around them makes you feel empty and you can’t wait to see them again. Even if you have plenty of friends back home.

12. At last my favourite; you’ll get more relaxed: You won’t hurry when you are walking from A to B. You have lots of time in the store. You feel more comfortable around strangers. You plan your time a bit better, so you won’t stress. In Oslo people could learn a lot from this: Be a bit more relaxed. Talk to the person beside you in the bus. #Smile 

These are only my personal experiences from York. Keep in mind that I come from the capital in Norway, Oslo. People are often more open in smaller places in Norway. Just as people are more unfriendly and impersonal in London, so is the case in Oslo (which I believe is quite average for bigger cities).

Do you have any more weird experiences from living abroad? PM me and I will write about it!

 -Mimi 

[nowaymimi]

Last night in York

It’s my last night in York before I leave back home. I will never live in a student accommodation again; here from I will live in a big house with my friends. It is scary! I won’t be back in York before in four months. Even though, I will work some during the summer it is scary. Firstly, because I won’t see all my friends in a while.  Secondly, because I love York. There is always something funny going on. Time flies so fast here; studying, friends and extra curriculum activities. Lastly, what am I going to do with all that time over the summer?! Four months is a long time…

 Well, I will be all right, as always. Everything is packed, everything is cleaned and cleared before I go and my room is so empty! I had five boxes in total that are sent to storage over the summer. I can’t believe I had that much stuff!

 What I will miss with living in student accommodation:

(+) A big bed (3/4)

(+) Friends

(+) Some privacy

(+) My view

What I won’t miss with living in student accommodation:

(-) Doors slamming in the night

(-) Loud people

(-)Dirty kitchen

(-)Living in a small place

(-)Washing up by hand

 Will miss my view from my room

Will miss

Won’t miss:

So in total I’m happy to move, but I’m going to miss my friends and this wonderful place that York is! Thanks for a great year!

[nowaymimi]

En route to Manchester!

The girls and me went to Manchester on Tuesday. It was nice to see another city in England. Manchester is primarily a shopping city and a football city. We weren’t impressed by the city it self, but Manchester has some highlights as well. If you ever feel like experience something else than York, Manchester is about one and half hour with train from York.   When in Manchester visit: Visit the Richmond Tea Rooms (in Richmond Street). A lovely Tea Room inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Great Afternoon Tea, cozy seats and feels like a home away from home. Manchester Cathedral is really beautiful. Well worth a visit when in Manchester. If you are hungry there are many nice eateries nearby. Visit the Harry Potter inspired John Ryland’s Library. I wish York could have such a nice University Library! It’s something special.  Visit the Trafford Centre! All you need in one Centre and beautiful architecture. I have never been in such a big mall ever, and never such a beautiful one either. I normally don’t like Shopping Centre’s, but this was good! Take the 251 or 51 bus route from the Piccadilly Gardens to Trafford Centre (nearby Primark). It takes about a half hour, so you need enough time, but believe me it’s worth it.

The girls and me!

Mel and me

Me and Saara

Thanks for a fabulous trip to Manchester!

-Mimi

[nowaymimi]

My parents visited me this weekend in York! Here are some nice pictures of us and the city. 

-Mimi

[nowaymimi]

York Minster seen from the City Walls (Free entry for University of York Students if you bring your student ID)!

[nowaymimi]

My parents in town!

Finally after one year in York my parents came to visit me. I can’t underestimate how important it is to have people visiting you from home when you study abroad. You will miss home, when you are in England. Though, I like to be independent and live for myself, it is always nice with a visit from my parents.

 They were really impressed by the city. And who wouldn’t be? It is one of the most beautiful cities I have been in! (I am not bragging, it is actually true) However, York is fairly expensive city to visit, so keep this in mind when planning a visit. The price level is the same as in Oslo for a Hotel, but food and clothes are cheaper.

We visited York Minister, Clifford’s Tower, The National Railway Museum and the Museum Gardens. Furthermore, we walked through the whole city centre and went to cosy cafes and restaurants. We also did a lot of shopping, since York is a great shopping city. On their last day of visit my parents saw my accommodation and the campus. They enjoyed the lakeside views at campus, but were less impressed with the 60’s architecture in Heslington West. I explained to them that the buildings might not be that nice, but that the education you get over here is much better than home (or at least on my course). Politics at York is ranked as number nine in UK, and I have never experienced such a high quality on the academic staff anywhere else!

York seen from the City Walls! Beautiful, right?

-Mimi

[nowaymimi]

Looking back at the Exam Week

It was a lovely feeling to be done with all my exams last Friday and not to mention first year! I had four exams in just one week and I can tell you it was intense. Never has one week felt so long and never have I been so tired in one week. But now it’s done and summer is just around the corner! 

At University of York you often have four exams in one week. Compared to Norway where you have around three to four weeks on three exams, this was a transition for me. You are also required to write two essays in two hours, whereas in Norway you would have six hours for one or two assessments. For some reason two hours felt a long time. My tip to you is to prepare your arguments when you are revising and practice on writing essays by hand the couple of weeks before the exams. That way one hour on one essay is enough time and you will feel more confident.

The first exam felt best. It might be because I had read more to that subject or because it is my favourite subject. The worst exam was the one that we had on a Saturday evening from 6-8pm. I can tell you that would never ever happen in Norway, weekends are “Holy” in Norway.

Looking back it was a tiresome and stressful week, but it has been such a good course and it felt good to be done!

Mimi (Emilie Halland Braathen) studies Politics with International Relations at University of York. 

[nowaymimi]

This is how you survive the Exam Week

There is a dark cloud over University of York at the moment and it’s not because it’s bad weather - it’s because exams are coming up! Here are my tips to you on how to survive the exam week:

1.    Do not stress read right before the exams, it will do you no good. Instead, focus on the knowledge you hopefully have gained already, and make mind maps and practice on writing essays instead. I have done a lot of exams, as I already have studied Literature home in Norway. My biggest tip to you is: Do not read too much on the actual exam week, it will just distract you. And let’s face it, if you don’t know it by now, you will not have time to learn it before exams. So focus on the knowledge you already know and repeat it!

2.    Do not read too much each day. Everyone is different, but reading in 10 hours per day nearly without breaks is not healthy for your brain or your body. You will probably not be able to remember more than 5-6 hours of the time you spend reading anyway.

3.    In the weeks before the exams it’s not a good idea to procrastinate. But on the actual exam week, or the weeks you have exams, reward your self with doing something else in the evenings or during the day (watching Netflix, relaxing with friends and so on). And relax. You probably remember more than you think!

4.    Have something to look forward to. In my case that is a trip to Manchester when the exams are done, a trip across the Nordic countries this summer and going back home to Oslo this summer and see friends and family. Why is this important? You need something that motivates you! If everything is stressful, your days will be quite sad.

5.    Sleep enough! Do not stress way too much, a bit stress is good because it will motivate you. You should feel a bit nervous, if you feel to confident about exams, there is probably something you have missed. This is different for everyone, but that is how it is for me.  Eat healthy, just because exams are coming up, it’s not a good excuse to feed your body with fast food.

6.    Exercise! Or at least move! You may say, what? I do not have time for that in the exam week or before! However, the truth is that if you go to the gym or do other sports before and between exams, your brain will be sharpened, and you will feel great afterwards. I was able to focus more, when I revised to my exams. Normally I will go to the gym every other day, during the exam week  I will not exercise more than 2-3 times. I also walk in 20 minutes to the exam, rather than taking the bus, so that I will be awake on the actual exam.

7.    Focus on the bigger picture when you revise for exams, details are good, but do not go too much into details. The important thing is to understand the whole picture when you write your essay.

8.    Reward yourself with something good after an exam; this can be to buy something you want, like clothes or chocolate.

9.    And in 1-2-3 the exams will be done! Time flies fast at University!

Good luck to you all!

[nowaymimi]

10 of the best European islands … that you’ve probably never heard of

Explore Europe’s lesser-known islands and enjoy a leisurely break where walking, watersports and doing nothing at all are the order of the day

Yes, Lyngør in Norway is beautiful! Plus so many more!

[nowaymimi]

Norway: The country of baking! Here are some traditional Norwegian cakes and typically bakes. 

From top: 

1. picture: Traditional Norwegian Cheesecake 

2. picture: Rasberry mousse cake 

3. picture: Cheesecake 

4. picture: Chocolate cake topped with chocolate ganache 

5. picture: Norwegian ‘vafler’ or waffles 

6. picture: Norwegian ‘boller’ or buns 

and 

7. picture: ‘Skolebolle’ with rasberries. ‘Skolebolle’ is a bun filled with vanilla custard and is very popular in Norway. 

I used to have an active baking blog and all these pictures are taken by me, and all of it is made by me. 

[nowaymimi]

International student in York. My experiences.

The college I live in is called Langwith College and on your arrival day you will be welcomed of a team of STYCs. These are second or third years that are there to help you with the transition from moving away from home and to the college. This is a great support network!

On the first night on arrival (Friday) we had a get-together event with fish and chips down in the Glashouse (our own college bar). I remember it was great, because you get to know new people immediately. The day after this we had a local shopping trip to Morrison’s, where we got all the essentials from food to cutlery. They even have duvets! On Saturday evening we had a pub night at a local pub, where I got even more new friends. Great stuff! On Sunday all us internationals had bounded so much, that we went to explore York together and went shopping. On Sunday all the British students arrived and you had the advantage of having lots of friends already!

The international community in Langwith is exceptional good and you do not want to miss out on the first weekend. Don’t worry about getting new friends. Nobody knows anyone, so everyone is desperate to get friends! Therefore friends come easily as long as you are active!  

I have met people from China, Bulgaria, Japan, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, U.S. , Norway and many more countries in my college. I think this shows how international Langwith is as a community.

At the end of the day, you will get so integrated in your community that you will have both international and British students as friends. And when your course starts you will get friends from all parts of the world.

If you get homesick we have an amazing Well-being Committee and the Nightline you can talk to! And I will encourage you to talk with friends if you get homesick! As I already had lived for myself for a couple of years, the big homesick feeling never reached me here in the UK. I found the transition very easy, and there are marginal differences between Norway and UK in communication and attitudes. Of course the culture is very different, but you are here to learn a new culture as well.

So my last tip to you as international student is: Don’t worry before you go. It’s going to be fun, exhausting and you will get memories for life! Also, everything feels like a second, so remember to relax during Fresher’s Week. You don’t want to get the Freshers Flu (but you will probably get it)!

Me in Langwith College!

-Mimi

[nowaymimi]

This is Norwegian nature and a big part of why I love Norway and miss it so much! Norway has an exceptional beautiful nature and views that will make your mouth drop!  Mountains, white beaches, great outdoors and snow. The pictures are taken in central parts of Norway and North of Norway (Bø i Vesterålen, Nord-Norge in Norwegian). It is very popular to go to Vesterålen amongst tourists, so if you are considering a trip to Norway don’t miss out on Vesterålen and Lofoten. Beautiful!