After our long flight yesterday is when I started to notice the many differences between the UK and the US. After deboarding the plane and getting our baggage is when I noticed the sign above me with an arrow pointing right stating that the smoking area could be located there. Now, I was aware of the fact that the British do smoke a lot more than Americans usually do, however this was a clear sign of it. I think it really surprised me because I’d never seen any smoking areas in other airports and I believe lighters aren’t allowed past security so even if a person had cigarettes they’d need a lighter to smoke them. I also thought about the fact that smoking isn’t permitted on airplanes so it wouldn’t make sense even bringing cigarettes to a place where they cannot be smoked, unless of course there’s a smoking area in the airport. 

When we actually left the airport and began our drive into Birmingham I noticed just how green the UK is. With cities like London, Manchester, and Glasgow I had this incorrect notion that the country would be mostly cities with big buildings and air pollution but on our two hour drive to Birmingham most of it consisted of lots of farms, large grassy areas, and land filled with sheep, cows, or horses. After dropping our bags off at the hotel and beginning to walk around the city, I realized the UK is a lot like New York City when it comes to driving because people drive with a lot of enthusiasm and will not stop or yield to pedestrians if they don’t have the right of way. I also noticed small differences like traffic signs and license plates. Venturing around the city, we stopped at a vintage thrift store and looked around at the really good selection they had. We also went through Chinatown and looked at some of the culture there. Just walking around Birmingham I also realized how true the stereotypes of English people being more polite was, as there were people constantly apologizing to us or saying excuse me instead of just walking around us. After our long walk around the city, we headed back to our hotels to prepare for our early morning of school.

When first arriving at Birmingham City University, I immediately loved it. The campus was so beautiful and spacious and the buildings looked modern and aesthetic. Another thing I noticed in the university was that their trash station had four different areas made up of recycling, plastic bottles, general waste, and leftover food. I thought this was an extremely easy and effective way to be more eco friendly; which I noticed is another aspect of the UK since our hotel room lights only work when a keycard is inserted into them and their AC usually isn’t running high like ours in the US always does. I also don’t think I saw any paper towels in the restrooms, just electronic hand dryers which are also better for the environment. 

However when we actually sat down in class and began listening to Claire, Vena, David, and David is when I realized some of the differences in the US and UK systems. I learned a lot of things about healthcare and education in the UK that I previously had no knowledge of, like the fact that university in the UK is only 3 years compared to our traditional 4 year colleges, however their vacations are much shorter and less frequent. I also learned that students focus primarily on their major in the UK, whereas in the US, no matter your major you will most likely take many general education courses before excelling onto specific content needed for your major. I thought it was very interesting, as well as unfair, when Claire informed us that there is no national test for nurses to take to qualify for nursing in the UK like the NCLEX exam we have in the US. Furthermore I found it even more upsetting that once a nurse in the UK is certified they have the ability to work anywhere in the country whereas in the US we need licensure in each state we hope to practice in. Prior to coming on the trip I understood that there was a connection between the areas of nursing and education but going to Birmingham City University and listening to the teachers speak about their experiences in both these sectors and how each of their careers were very related I realized that they are much more connected than I previously thought. So far I’m loving Birmingham and I’m excited to not only have more fun in the city but also learn more about the areas of nursing and education and their impact on individuals within the systems.