Another long update, sorry!
On Thursday we had our DESTIN induction, which involved 3 and a half hours of talking. The induction process here is sooooo incredibly comprehensive so we were introduced to all the lecturers and given massive “student guides” to help us with almost everything. Then people came to talk about the Language Centre, Careers Service (we have our own DESTIN careers advisor to help us with specifically applying for jobs within development), and Volunteer Centre. It’s amazing how many things LSE offers it’s students, and how incredibly well resourced everything here is. The Student Guide that we were given explains absolutely everything from where to find photocopiers to two-page summaries of each of our options offered by DESTIN to letters from past Masters students about the programme. Truly fantastic resource!
I spent a little bit of time this afternoon in a Student Servics Centre induction, which was mildly helpful but mostly information I’d got previously. Then it was off to the specific MSc Development Management induction. I am SO glad I chose to do development management at LSE, rather than development studies here or anywhere else. The programme is exactly what I was after and focuses on institutions, organisations and development processes. Plus, the “Godfather” of development management is co-teaching the core course . . . I’d thought he was too old/retired but apparently he’s still lecturing despite the fact that he’d be in his 70’s I’d say. He’s incredibly funny, in fact the whole department have a definite sense of humour, and is very good at explaining complex ideas simply.
It’s amazing being at a university which has these brilliant minds as professors! It’s all going to be a lot of hard work but I didn’t expect anything less and it looks like the reading load is pretty much the same as for Honours so that’s definitely do-able. There’s about 72 of us doing development management, although apparently even more applied this year than last, and 80-90 doing development studies, so it’s quite a big department.
After the development management induction we had drinks and nibbles (crisps and peanuts) up in one of the Senior Dining Rooms. I didn’t get a chance to speak to any of the lecturers but met lots of the other students. There’s at least 3 from Australia and I met one guy who’s a Kiwi but left 20 years ago and has been living in London for 5 years. There’s a few Brits, a large group from South America, a large-ish group from the USA and Canada (I know I shouldn’t group them but it’s so easy to), and then quite a few from Europe and the Middle East and Africa. Basically it seems like there’s at least one person from almost every country, quite an amazing mix.
Friday was 6 hours of lecture, and I promise I won’t spend the next millennium recounting exactly what was said. Basically it was a great series of lectures by different professors and a fantastic way to get to hear some of the possible options available, although I was totally shattered at the end of the day. I still managed to spend the entire evening trying to work out my timetable.
Today I wanted to do something completely different, so I shopped this morning and went to the British Museum this afternoon. Shopping in central London, particularly on a Saturday, is very scary and it’s taken until now for me to feel like I can actually survive the crowds. There are some insane shops, TopShop has far too many people in it at all times, and most shops are a write-off after midday. I managed to find some new clothes though, YAY for finally having a few more clothes! I got rid of a lot before I left and I needed a new pair of trousers so it was good to find some fabulous cheap jeans. I’m trying to not thing about the sweatshop labour that went into them. Must find non-sweatshop shops here! I also took some photos while I was out and about. I do like the little houses here, so perfectly cute . . . for more photos see the link above.<>
The British Museum is an incredible place, full of lots of interesting exhibitions. I spent most of my time in the Egypt, Greek and Roman areas, although I spent a little time wandering through an exhibition about Sacred Objects from the Pacific. The Pacific exhibition had lots of Maori bits and pieces and it was nice to be somewhere where I recognised things again.
Anyway, I spent much more time oggling at Egyptian sarcophagi and carved stone heads and so on. I can’t say I learned much, mostly because there was so much to take in I ended up looking at heaps but not entirely understanding most of it. Luckily, the BM is free and 10mins away from Passfield so I think I shall be spending a lot of time working my way around it learning all sorts of things this year. It really is so very interesting!
Even better, they have this amazing reading room. It’s apparently where George Bernard Shaw and Mahatma Gandhi studied and where Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto. I think I shall have to spend time reading there next time.
You can see more of my photos from the BM here.
I’ve just realised that it’s Sunday tomorrow, which means I have to decide on which church to visit this week. My current thinking is that I’ll head to St George’s, which is near Russell Square and therefore only a 10min walk for me. It claims to be “a medium sized Angican church . . . with around 30 students at the church from a wide variety of [University of London] colleges.” As they have ‘lively evening services’, I think I’ll try their 5pm one tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes!
I think I shall also try and catch up on my emails tomorrow, apologies if you’ve emailed me recently (or not-so-recently) and I haven’t replied yet! Lectures begin properly on Monday . . . fun fun fun!!
