Today I found myself craving split pea soup, as I usually do around late November.
Last year, I posted a recipe for a meaty split pea soup, but, having decided to try and avoid eating meat, I needed to convert this to a vegetarian recipe.
This served another purpose: if I can somehow convert all my old family recipes to vegetarian recipes, I'll void all my excuses for not going vegetarian.
Also, the myths I posted last year are myths for a reason. Though the enamel soup pot thing is still true - I had my favourite fantastic one this year and I do taste a difference, if only psychologically.
Thus far, my vegetarian split pea soup seems to be turning out quite well - actually, I may like it better than my meaty soup - so here's the recipe. Also, a great thing about this is that it feeds loads of people or feeds a small amount of people for a long while, and shouldn't cost more than about 7 pounds in total, so it's also the ultimate budget food.
Ilse's Recipe for Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Ingredients:
5l water
1kg dried split peas
2 leeks
1 big onion
half a box of white mushrooms*
3/4 of big celeriac (all of it if you're using a small one)
1 table spoon of mustard
half a stick of salted butter
six vegetarian stock cubes
salt and pepper
carrots
In a 5-litre soup pot, melt half the butter. Fry the sliced mushrooms; dice the onion and fry this too; slice the leeks and fry this (clean the leek beforehand!). Cube the celeriac (as finely as possible) and fry. Fry everything until nice and brown. Add the mustard and two stock cubes and the rest of the butter - leave until butter has melted. Add 1l of water. Bring to a boil. Add half the split peas. Stir. Add 1l of water. Bring to a boil. Stir. Add the rest of the split peas. Add 2l of water. Add the rest of the stock cubes. Add 1l of water. Bring to a boil. Stir occassionally. Keep tasting and add salt to taste.
When almost done (that is, when the split peas have dissolved), add sliced carrots to taste (not too many, they sweeten the soup). Add salt and pepper to taste.
Ideally, make it cool down quickly and leave outside (if [near] freezing) or in the fridge overnight, then freeze or serve.
*I find it interesting that apparently I find it less insulting to my family recipe to use mushrooms to add a bit of an earthy, nutty flavour to the soup than I find it to use potatoes to thicken it. Perhaps because adding potatoes points to bad technique and using mushrooms enhances flavours. I don't know. Potatoes in split pea soup remain evil.
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Saturday, 30 November 2013
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Tips: Academese (for family and friends)
I have just returned from a week-long trip to visit my parents, and I have found out that as soon as I start talking about my studies, I no longer speak a different dialect but a completely different language. There is a divide between the real-world, of which both my parents have a thorough understanding, and Academia, and this divide becomes painfully obvious when you stumble upon it without being aware that it's there. I was recommended the book Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams, written by Alfred Lubrano, in the concept of 'straddlers' is coined, people who grew up in working class environments and end up being part of middle class environments. I do not technically qualify as a first-generation University student and I also did not technically grow up in a working class environment, but the idea of 'straddlers' still resonates somewhat with me.
I have therefore decided to put together this small glossary of Academese; suggestions for words to be added are always welcome. Dutch translation in italics.
of Arts (BA/MA): A degree in any humanities course, or any social sciences course that doesn't involve numbers or law*.
Een graad 'of Arts' betekent een graad in de geesteswetenschappen, of een graad in de sociale wetenschappen waarin geen nummers of rechten voorbijkomen*.
of Science (BSc/MSc): A degree in any science course that isn't engineering, or any social sciences course that does involve numbers (but no law)*.
Een graad 'of Science' betekent een graad in de bèta-wetenschappen dat geen ingenieursgraad is, of een graad in de sociale wetenschappen waarin wél nummers voorbijkomen (maar geen rechten)*.
of Law (LLB/LLM/JD): A degree in a law course; it's Bachelor of Law, Master of Law, and then suddenly Juris Doctor, which I think is a degree mostly used in the US. Old-fashioned 'meester in de recht' for LLM*.
Een graad 'of Law' is een graad in de rechten; Bachelor of Law, Master of Law, maar dan wel opeens Juris Doctor, wat eigenlijk een Amerikaanse term is. Vergelijkbaar met het vroegere 'meester in de recht' in geval van de LLM.
of Engineering (BEng, MEng - yes, I first thought is was of English too): A degree in an engineering course. Old-fashioned 'ingenieur' for MEng*.
Een graad 'of Engineering', afgekort 'Eng' (Ik dacht eerst ook dat het in Engels was) is een ingenieursgraad; MEng is de ouderwetse ir.
of Medicine (MD): The type of 'doctor' meant with the question "is there a doctor in the house?".
'MD' is het soort doctor van "is er een dokter in de zaal?"
of Business Administration: I think I only know of MBAs, not BBAs, though technically those should also exist. US-inspired degree in, well, managing a business.
Een graad in Business Administration, waarvan ik alleen de MBA ken, hoewel technisch gezien er ook BBAs moeten bestaan, is een Amerikaans-geïnspireerde graad in, tja, het managen van een bedrijf.
*HBO studies never have this addition, those are simply B or M.
*HBO studies hebben nooit zo'n toevoeging, die zijn simpelweg losse B's of M'en.
Propedeuse (P): Dutch term, meaning you've passed the first year of your study.
Je propedeuse of P betekent dat je je eerste jaar gehaald hebt.
Bridge year: Most of your undergrad courses work out to get you into your postgrad, but you're lacking somewhere so this year is to make up for that.
Brugjaar: Met de meeste bachelor studies kun je gewoon een daarop volgende master volgen, maar als je vakken mist moet je een brugjaar doen.
Gap year: Taking a year off to go backpacking in the Himalayas, comparable to the old fashioned Grand Tour of Europe often done by the ancient rich in previous centuries, though nowadays it's more people who are looking to find themselves. A select few still do it to see something of the world, though.
Een gap year is een jaar er tussen uit om te gaan backpacken in de Himalaya's, vergelijkbaar met de ouderwetse 'Grand Tour' van de ancien riche in voorbije eeuwen, maar vandaag de dag zijn het vooral mensen die zichzelf proberen te vinden. Een paar gaan echter om daadwerkelijk iets van de wereld te zien.
Bachelor's: First stop after secondary school, provided you've got decent marks. Will probably get you a lower-level administrative job somewhere; it means that you've learned the basic concepts of a certain field. Takes 3 years in Europe, 4 in the US. Also called undergrad(uate).
Je bachelor is de eerste stop na het VWO; met je BA/BSc kun je ergens een administratieve baan krijgen, het betekent dat je de basis begrippen van een bepaalde academische discipline kent. Duurt 3 jaar in Europa, 4 in de VS.
Master's: After bachelor's. Means you are capable of most jobs in your field; you have learned both the basic concepts and can apply them in new ways. Old-fashioned 'doctorandus'. Often takes 1 or 2 years, though 1.5 is not unheard of. If you're teaching with a Master's, you're an instructor/teacher (except for the US, where everyone is a professor unless they're a PhD) and people address you as 'Mr' (not! Mr. in de recht) or 'Ms' (or 'Mrs', of course, if you're married). Some particularly tough Masters-degrees are called 'MPhil' instead of MA/MSc/LLM/MEng; these are research masters. Also called postgrad(uate), or just grad(uate) in the US.
Je master is na de bachelor en betekent dat je de meeste banen binnen je discipline kunt doen; je hebt zowel de basis begrippen geleerd en kunt ze toepassen. Dit is de ouderwetse 'doctorandus'. Duurt meestal 1 of 2 jaar, maar anderhalf jaar is ook mogelijk. Als je lesgeeft met een master ben je gewoon een leraar of lector (behalve in de VS, waar iedereen een professor is) en mensen spreken je aan als 'mevrouw' of 'meneer'. Sommige masters zijn MPhil: dit zijn research masters en die zijn extra zwaar.
Doctorate (PhD, DPhil): A degree that takes a minimum of about three years (though it is not unheard of, especially in the US, for it to take 7 years) that means you have added new knowledge to your field. Old-fashioned 'doctoraat'; afterwards, you are the type of doctor that is always called upon and then confuses people by saying "but I know nothing of medicine!". People are to address you as 'Dr' (though many fail to do so properly). Afterwards, you're technically qualified to teach and research at University level. See also this illustrated guide: http://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/
Je doctoraat is een graad die minimaal drie jaar duurt (volgens de Nederlandse wet; het is echter niet vreemd als deze bijvoorbeeld 7 jaar duurt, zoals in de VS) en het betekent dat je nieuwe kennis toevoegt aan je discipline. Daarna ben je het soort doctor dat altijd moet zeggen "maar niet in de medicijnen!" en mensen moeten je aanspreken als doctor maar veel doen dat niet. Na je doctoraat mag je lesgeven op een universiteit. Zie ook bovenstaande link voor een uitleg met plaatjes.
Post-Doc: The ghosts of Academia; technically qualified doesn't mean anything, so it's becoming increasingly customary for people with a Doctorate to go on and do a Post-Doc; also known in the Netherlands as AIO (assistent in opleiding) or OIO (onderzoeker in opleiding). Basically, you're spending your time teaching classes and doing research for lousy pay.
Postdocs zijn de spoken van Academia; dat je mag lesgeven op een universiteit betekent niet dat dat ook lukt, dus gaan steeds meer mensen na hun doctoraat een postdoc doen, wat ook wel bekend staat als AIO (assistent in opleiding) of OIO (onderzoeker in opleiding). Eigenlijk spendeer je je tijd aan lesgeven en researchen voor weinig geld.
Professor: Those who have managed to battle the bog of the bachelor's without imbibing too often, manage the misery of the master's without going mad, do (and finish!) the doctorate, get results in researches, publish papers, and teach terrifically, all for a good number of years, may finally see their hard labour recognized by a University and call themselves (and have themselves called!) professor from then on.
It's kind of a big deal, and that's why those good enough to get a professiorate (that's a word, whether or not my spell check recognizes it) may put the title 'professor' before all their other titles and keep it until they die (though after retirement it becomes 'professor emeritus').
Een professor is iemand die na een paar jaar zonder gek te worden door de universiteit wordt beloond met een professorschap; daarna mogen ze de professor-titel voeren vóór alle andere titels en die houden ze tot ze doodgaan (na pensioen wordt het wel 'professor emeritus' en als je Diederik Stapelt raak je alsnog je titels kwijt).
TA/RA: Teaching assistant or research assistant; anyone who isn't a full teacher or researcher on a project but is nevertheless responsible for carrying out the same tasks as anyone who is. Can also be called an intern and then be forced to write a complete thing and still be second author.
Een TA of RA is een 'teaching' or 'research' assistent, die niet volledig leraar of research is maar toch dezelfde taken moet uitvoeren. Kan ook stagiair worden genoemd.
Author: Someone who wrote something; order of names is important, because when there's a load of authors it becomes 'first name et al.', in which 'et al.' is short for et alii, which is Latin for 'and the rest'. Illustration: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=562
De auteur is de schrijver van iets, en de volgorde van de namen is belangrijk, omdat als er veel schrijvers zijn het 'eerst naam et al.' wordt, waarin 'et al.' et alii betekend, wat Latijn is voor 'en de rest'. Zie ook bovenstaande illustratie.
Don: Someone important at some old British unis, like Oxford and Cambridge.
Een Don is iemand belangrijk aan oude Britse unis zoals Oxford en Cambridge.
Fellow: Another name for an instructor at some old British unis.
Fellow is een andere naam voor leraren en lectoren aan oude Britse unis.
Uni: Short for university.
Uni is een afkorting voor universiteit.
Oxbridge: Portmanteau of 'Oxford' and 'Cambridge', often used to indicate all supposedly elitist older British unis.
Oxbridge is een samenvoeging van 'Oxford' en 'Cambridge', wordt vaak gebruikt om alle zogenaamd elite universiteiten in Groot-Brittannië aan te duiden.
Russell Group: Group of 24 British unis which lobby for better things for unis.
1994 Group: Second most important uni lobby group.
De Russell en 1994 Group zijn beide lobby groepen voor universiteiten in GB.
Campus: Confusingly, both just the location of the university buildings and of that plus university-owned housing, but can also be housing alone.
Een campus is zowel de locaties van de universiteitsgebouwen als de woningen die de universiteit aan studenten verhuurt.
Funding: Money to do research. Sometimes also available to PhD-students so they can actually find that new bit of info.
Funding is geld om research te doen, wordt soms ook aan PhD-studenten verstrekt zodat ze ook daadwerkelijk nieuwe info kunnen vinden.
Conference/Symposium: A few days so you can meet other academics in your field and listen to their research, while you present your own. Also a very good excuse to travel abroad for a few days and see something of the world/drink.
Een conferentie of symposium is een paar dagen waar je andere academici kunt ontmoeten en naar presentaties luistert (en soms ook zelf presenteert). Ook een goed excuus om naar het buitenland af te reizen en iets van de wereld te zien/te drinken.
(Wine) Reception: Academic afterparty, means free food and free alcohol, plus a chance to mingle without having to look (too) serious.
(Wijn) Receptie: Een academische afterparty, wat gratis voedsel en gratis alcohol betekend, plus een mogelijkheid om te kletsen zonder al te serieus te hoeven doen.
Department/Faculty: Section of the uni devoted to a particular field.
Departement/Faculteit: Deel van de uni specifiek op een bepaalde discipline gericht.
College: In Oxbridge terms, a separate unity comprising a number of fields of study, though still part of the greater Uni of Oxbridge; in terms of other unis, the collection of all Departments in a direction (e.g. College of Social Sciences).
Het college is een verzameling departementen binnen een bepaalde richting, zoals het College van de Sociale Wetenschappen.
More academese Meer Academees: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=405
I have therefore decided to put together this small glossary of Academese; suggestions for words to be added are always welcome. Dutch translation in italics.
of Arts (BA/MA): A degree in any humanities course, or any social sciences course that doesn't involve numbers or law*.
Een graad 'of Arts' betekent een graad in de geesteswetenschappen, of een graad in de sociale wetenschappen waarin geen nummers of rechten voorbijkomen*.
of Science (BSc/MSc): A degree in any science course that isn't engineering, or any social sciences course that does involve numbers (but no law)*.
Een graad 'of Science' betekent een graad in de bèta-wetenschappen dat geen ingenieursgraad is, of een graad in de sociale wetenschappen waarin wél nummers voorbijkomen (maar geen rechten)*.
of Law (LLB/LLM/JD): A degree in a law course; it's Bachelor of Law, Master of Law, and then suddenly Juris Doctor, which I think is a degree mostly used in the US. Old-fashioned 'meester in de recht' for LLM*.
Een graad 'of Law' is een graad in de rechten; Bachelor of Law, Master of Law, maar dan wel opeens Juris Doctor, wat eigenlijk een Amerikaanse term is. Vergelijkbaar met het vroegere 'meester in de recht' in geval van de LLM.
of Engineering (BEng, MEng - yes, I first thought is was of English too): A degree in an engineering course. Old-fashioned 'ingenieur' for MEng*.
Een graad 'of Engineering', afgekort 'Eng' (Ik dacht eerst ook dat het in Engels was) is een ingenieursgraad; MEng is de ouderwetse ir.
of Medicine (MD): The type of 'doctor' meant with the question "is there a doctor in the house?".
'MD' is het soort doctor van "is er een dokter in de zaal?"
of Business Administration: I think I only know of MBAs, not BBAs, though technically those should also exist. US-inspired degree in, well, managing a business.
Een graad in Business Administration, waarvan ik alleen de MBA ken, hoewel technisch gezien er ook BBAs moeten bestaan, is een Amerikaans-geïnspireerde graad in, tja, het managen van een bedrijf.
*HBO studies never have this addition, those are simply B or M.
*HBO studies hebben nooit zo'n toevoeging, die zijn simpelweg losse B's of M'en.
Propedeuse (P): Dutch term, meaning you've passed the first year of your study.
Je propedeuse of P betekent dat je je eerste jaar gehaald hebt.
Bridge year: Most of your undergrad courses work out to get you into your postgrad, but you're lacking somewhere so this year is to make up for that.
Brugjaar: Met de meeste bachelor studies kun je gewoon een daarop volgende master volgen, maar als je vakken mist moet je een brugjaar doen.
Gap year: Taking a year off to go backpacking in the Himalayas, comparable to the old fashioned Grand Tour of Europe often done by the ancient rich in previous centuries, though nowadays it's more people who are looking to find themselves. A select few still do it to see something of the world, though.
Een gap year is een jaar er tussen uit om te gaan backpacken in de Himalaya's, vergelijkbaar met de ouderwetse 'Grand Tour' van de ancien riche in voorbije eeuwen, maar vandaag de dag zijn het vooral mensen die zichzelf proberen te vinden. Een paar gaan echter om daadwerkelijk iets van de wereld te zien.
Bachelor's: First stop after secondary school, provided you've got decent marks. Will probably get you a lower-level administrative job somewhere; it means that you've learned the basic concepts of a certain field. Takes 3 years in Europe, 4 in the US. Also called undergrad(uate).
Je bachelor is de eerste stop na het VWO; met je BA/BSc kun je ergens een administratieve baan krijgen, het betekent dat je de basis begrippen van een bepaalde academische discipline kent. Duurt 3 jaar in Europa, 4 in de VS.
Master's: After bachelor's. Means you are capable of most jobs in your field; you have learned both the basic concepts and can apply them in new ways. Old-fashioned 'doctorandus'. Often takes 1 or 2 years, though 1.5 is not unheard of. If you're teaching with a Master's, you're an instructor/teacher (except for the US, where everyone is a professor unless they're a PhD) and people address you as 'Mr' (not! Mr. in de recht) or 'Ms' (or 'Mrs', of course, if you're married). Some particularly tough Masters-degrees are called 'MPhil' instead of MA/MSc/LLM/MEng; these are research masters. Also called postgrad(uate), or just grad(uate) in the US.
Je master is na de bachelor en betekent dat je de meeste banen binnen je discipline kunt doen; je hebt zowel de basis begrippen geleerd en kunt ze toepassen. Dit is de ouderwetse 'doctorandus'. Duurt meestal 1 of 2 jaar, maar anderhalf jaar is ook mogelijk. Als je lesgeeft met een master ben je gewoon een leraar of lector (behalve in de VS, waar iedereen een professor is) en mensen spreken je aan als 'mevrouw' of 'meneer'. Sommige masters zijn MPhil: dit zijn research masters en die zijn extra zwaar.
Doctorate (PhD, DPhil): A degree that takes a minimum of about three years (though it is not unheard of, especially in the US, for it to take 7 years) that means you have added new knowledge to your field. Old-fashioned 'doctoraat'; afterwards, you are the type of doctor that is always called upon and then confuses people by saying "but I know nothing of medicine!". People are to address you as 'Dr' (though many fail to do so properly). Afterwards, you're technically qualified to teach and research at University level. See also this illustrated guide: http://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/
Je doctoraat is een graad die minimaal drie jaar duurt (volgens de Nederlandse wet; het is echter niet vreemd als deze bijvoorbeeld 7 jaar duurt, zoals in de VS) en het betekent dat je nieuwe kennis toevoegt aan je discipline. Daarna ben je het soort doctor dat altijd moet zeggen "maar niet in de medicijnen!" en mensen moeten je aanspreken als doctor maar veel doen dat niet. Na je doctoraat mag je lesgeven op een universiteit. Zie ook bovenstaande link voor een uitleg met plaatjes.
Post-Doc: The ghosts of Academia; technically qualified doesn't mean anything, so it's becoming increasingly customary for people with a Doctorate to go on and do a Post-Doc; also known in the Netherlands as AIO (assistent in opleiding) or OIO (onderzoeker in opleiding). Basically, you're spending your time teaching classes and doing research for lousy pay.
Postdocs zijn de spoken van Academia; dat je mag lesgeven op een universiteit betekent niet dat dat ook lukt, dus gaan steeds meer mensen na hun doctoraat een postdoc doen, wat ook wel bekend staat als AIO (assistent in opleiding) of OIO (onderzoeker in opleiding). Eigenlijk spendeer je je tijd aan lesgeven en researchen voor weinig geld.
Professor: Those who have managed to battle the bog of the bachelor's without imbibing too often, manage the misery of the master's without going mad, do (and finish!) the doctorate, get results in researches, publish papers, and teach terrifically, all for a good number of years, may finally see their hard labour recognized by a University and call themselves (and have themselves called!) professor from then on.
It's kind of a big deal, and that's why those good enough to get a professiorate (that's a word, whether or not my spell check recognizes it) may put the title 'professor' before all their other titles and keep it until they die (though after retirement it becomes 'professor emeritus').
Een professor is iemand die na een paar jaar zonder gek te worden door de universiteit wordt beloond met een professorschap; daarna mogen ze de professor-titel voeren vóór alle andere titels en die houden ze tot ze doodgaan (na pensioen wordt het wel 'professor emeritus' en als je Diederik Stapelt raak je alsnog je titels kwijt).
TA/RA: Teaching assistant or research assistant; anyone who isn't a full teacher or researcher on a project but is nevertheless responsible for carrying out the same tasks as anyone who is. Can also be called an intern and then be forced to write a complete thing and still be second author.
Een TA of RA is een 'teaching' or 'research' assistent, die niet volledig leraar of research is maar toch dezelfde taken moet uitvoeren. Kan ook stagiair worden genoemd.
Author: Someone who wrote something; order of names is important, because when there's a load of authors it becomes 'first name et al.', in which 'et al.' is short for et alii, which is Latin for 'and the rest'. Illustration: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=562
De auteur is de schrijver van iets, en de volgorde van de namen is belangrijk, omdat als er veel schrijvers zijn het 'eerst naam et al.' wordt, waarin 'et al.' et alii betekend, wat Latijn is voor 'en de rest'. Zie ook bovenstaande illustratie.
Don: Someone important at some old British unis, like Oxford and Cambridge.
Een Don is iemand belangrijk aan oude Britse unis zoals Oxford en Cambridge.
Fellow: Another name for an instructor at some old British unis.
Fellow is een andere naam voor leraren en lectoren aan oude Britse unis.
Uni: Short for university.
Uni is een afkorting voor universiteit.
Oxbridge: Portmanteau of 'Oxford' and 'Cambridge', often used to indicate all supposedly elitist older British unis.
Oxbridge is een samenvoeging van 'Oxford' en 'Cambridge', wordt vaak gebruikt om alle zogenaamd elite universiteiten in Groot-Brittannië aan te duiden.
Russell Group: Group of 24 British unis which lobby for better things for unis.
1994 Group: Second most important uni lobby group.
De Russell en 1994 Group zijn beide lobby groepen voor universiteiten in GB.
Campus: Confusingly, both just the location of the university buildings and of that plus university-owned housing, but can also be housing alone.
Een campus is zowel de locaties van de universiteitsgebouwen als de woningen die de universiteit aan studenten verhuurt.
Funding: Money to do research. Sometimes also available to PhD-students so they can actually find that new bit of info.
Funding is geld om research te doen, wordt soms ook aan PhD-studenten verstrekt zodat ze ook daadwerkelijk nieuwe info kunnen vinden.
Conference/Symposium: A few days so you can meet other academics in your field and listen to their research, while you present your own. Also a very good excuse to travel abroad for a few days and see something of the world/drink.
Een conferentie of symposium is een paar dagen waar je andere academici kunt ontmoeten en naar presentaties luistert (en soms ook zelf presenteert). Ook een goed excuus om naar het buitenland af te reizen en iets van de wereld te zien/te drinken.
(Wine) Reception: Academic afterparty, means free food and free alcohol, plus a chance to mingle without having to look (too) serious.
(Wijn) Receptie: Een academische afterparty, wat gratis voedsel en gratis alcohol betekend, plus een mogelijkheid om te kletsen zonder al te serieus te hoeven doen.
Department/Faculty: Section of the uni devoted to a particular field.
Departement/Faculteit: Deel van de uni specifiek op een bepaalde discipline gericht.
College: In Oxbridge terms, a separate unity comprising a number of fields of study, though still part of the greater Uni of Oxbridge; in terms of other unis, the collection of all Departments in a direction (e.g. College of Social Sciences).
Het college is een verzameling departementen binnen een bepaalde richting, zoals het College van de Sociale Wetenschappen.
More academese Meer Academees: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=405
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
Tips: Preparations (For My Undergrad Friends)
Yesterday I visited the town of my undergrad uni and met up with some friends who are currently in their last year of undergrad. Without fail, they are all planning on leaving the Netherlands and study abroad next year. It is for them that I write this post; a list of practical tips when studying abroad. Be advised, there'll be no hints on how to apply etc. because that differs per uni (except: apply as early as possible).
- Make a list of companies and institutions that you need to contact... this means your insurance agencies (health, travel, etc.), your bank, your phone provider, make it as complete as possible.
- Visit their websites and see what their regulations are for you living abroad for an extended period. If there's no info on there, don't hesitate to contact them. Most will have no issue with it whatsoever, but then at least you have a good to-do-list before you leave.
- On health insurance: you will be obligated to keep your Dutch health insurance despite whatever insurance you pick while abroad, unless you get a job. In the UK, you will be eligible for NHS; for this, visit your closest GP, ask for the registration form and fill it out. It will take up to 8 weeks or so for your card to arrive in the mail including all your information, but from then on you won't have to worry about UK health insurance. Do be aware that you need to have a valid UK address and plan to live there for more than 6 months (no requirements on having lived in the UK before).
- On banking: it's best to inform your bank that you'll be living abroad, so they won't, for instance, block your debit card for unusual transaction patterns. Also, if you have ING, make sure your Dutch phone number is registered as '+31' so you can receive your TAN-codes wherever you are and change your phone number without hassle. I'm not familiar with other banks, but in any case it's best to just find the nearest branch, make a physical visit and ask about peculiarities.
In the UK, you'll most likely be subjected to a 3-month trial period on your bank account because you'll have no credit rating whatsoever. In order to open a bank account, bring your passport and just to be sure bring a letter from your uni addressed to you on your UK address, so a) you can show you ARE in fact studying there and b) the bank will know it's a serious address on which you really live. The UK has no such thing as our GBA, so in a sense serious mail addressed to you on your address is the only way for any company or institution to know that you actually do live there and aren't just faking it. Also, they'll prefer it if you register a UK phone number but since you won't be able to get a UK phone subscription without a bank account, they will usually accept a Dutch number. Change it to your UK number as soon as you've got one. - On phones: What you do with your Dutch phone is up to you. If you can, it's probably better to change it to a top-up plan if your subscription has run out, preferably one in which you can also top-up via internet or text, so you won't be stuck with Dutch subscription fees per month.
In order to get a UK phone, most phone companies will be very hesitant to sign you up for a subscription, because of your lack of credit rating, and you won't be able to get one at all without a UK bank account. From personal experience, I know 02 does subscriptions without a credit rating, but you'll have to pay a 100 pound deposit which you'll get back three months later (or can leave on your account so they'll take the subscription fee from the deposit in the months afterwards, until the deposit runs out).
You can also get a phone using a top-up plan. That's way easier, as you can spend as little as you want on the Sim-card and phone, won't have to suffer the credit check and can get it everywhere. - On the GBA: You can only get "uitgeschreven" from the GBA within five days of you moving abroad. Most likely, your municipality will allow you to do this online, for which you'll need a DigiD. Seeing as you have stufi, you have DigiD... if you don't, I suggest you get a DigiD NOW. You will need to de-register with the GBA.
- On DigiD: Make sure the number registered for text-validation is a +31 number so you can receive texts abroad and change your number if necessary.
- On stufi: DUO is wildly annoying when it comes to studying abroad. You'll need to make sure of a number of things. One of them is letting DUO know you'll be studying abroad, and you'll need to do this as soon as possible because it can take them up to 3(!) months to deal with your request, leaving you possibly without stufi for the first few months (you will get your stufi eventually, with retrospective effect, but your first few months are the most expensive and having your stufi then makes them much easier). You'll furthermore be eligible for the whopping extra 147 euros because your tuition fees are higher than the regulated Dutch fees, but in order to get this you'll need to send them proof of your tuition fees being that high. The acceptance letter from your uni (which'll specify this) will do. They'll also want to know your address abroad, but you can leave this empty until you actually know your new address. Do this stuff early enough and you won't have to deal with them very often. Email doesn't work, you'll have to call them if something goes wrong.
- UPDATE: On doing English language tests: If you've been at RA your English should be sufficient. Nevertheless, most UK unis still require you to take a TOEFL/IELTS (I think there's only a handful that waive them, among them Oxbridge... I think.), despite the letter that you've received education in English for three years and even if you have a letter from a professor supporting your English proficiency. Take the test as soon as possible. TOEFL is in Arnhem, in a place that takes forever to find, and it really isn't very difficult if your English is relatively decent. Basically; if your English was good by RA standards, you'll get a good score on the TOEFL without practicing (heck, you'll have been practicing for three years).
- The key to everything is start early. Not because you have to, but because that way you'll have a time-margin to deal with the bureaucratic stupidity that comes with most companies and institutions.
If you're thinking of studying abroad next year and I haven't covered it here, feel free to contact me or comment below... and GOOD LUCK! :)
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Tips: Mid-Minute Paper Writing
I have been whinging lately to just about everyone I know about this one paper that I have had to write.
I have to write another one, and a research proposal, but those aren't as much an issue as this one was.
See, the problem with this paper is that
a) I didn't know where to start;
b) I wasn't at all inspired;
c) The last real paper I wrote was my Dorian Gray paper, which I tremendously enjoyed doing, partially because I wrote it while stretched out on the lawn in my dad's garden;
d) I was pressuring myself into making it perfect because I want not just my MSc, I want it with Distinction.
But I started last week (finally) as inspiration struck (while I was watching Mary Poppins, which was annoying). I'm close to finishing it now... no, scratch that, I have finished it, all I'm doing now is polishing.
I still didn't know where to start when I begun, so I checked my reading list for the course, but of course all the good books had already been checked out of the library. Nevertheless, by making use of e-books and massloads of journal articles (which created its own challenge, in that I like to print stuff but then end up with a pile of articles to look at and a genuine fear of attacking said pile), I managed it. I still have two weeks before I have to hand it in; it's not like I started last-minute.
More likely, I started mid-minute. Still too late.
So here's my list of steps for mid-minute paper writing:
I'm going to start early I'm going to do the same.
I have to write another one, and a research proposal, but those aren't as much an issue as this one was.
See, the problem with this paper is that
a) I didn't know where to start;
b) I wasn't at all inspired;
c) The last real paper I wrote was my Dorian Gray paper, which I tremendously enjoyed doing, partially because I wrote it while stretched out on the lawn in my dad's garden;
d) I was pressuring myself into making it perfect because I want not just my MSc, I want it with Distinction.
But I started last week (finally) as inspiration struck (while I was watching Mary Poppins, which was annoying). I'm close to finishing it now... no, scratch that, I have finished it, all I'm doing now is polishing.
I still didn't know where to start when I begun, so I checked my reading list for the course, but of course all the good books had already been checked out of the library. Nevertheless, by making use of e-books and massloads of journal articles (which created its own challenge, in that I like to print stuff but then end up with a pile of articles to look at and a genuine fear of attacking said pile), I managed it. I still have two weeks before I have to hand it in; it's not like I started last-minute.
More likely, I started mid-minute. Still too late.
So here's my list of steps for mid-minute paper writing:
- Genuinely start early, or as early as you can make yourself start.
- Begin by reading overview books. You know, 'The Oxford Handbook of X' or 'The Routledge Handbook of Y', as well as course books, 'Essential Theories of Z'.
- Note down every single piece of research in these chapters that seems even marginally useful.
- Find out that all the good books have already been taken from the library, no matter how early you start.
- Collect all the journal articles. Stick them in a computer file or print them out, either way, collect as many as possible.
- Examine the essay question.
- Write the essay outline.
- Find out half the articles are irrelevant. Work them into your essay anyway.
- Start writing.
- Find out that the really good book, the absolutely necessary book, is on a shelf in the library. Attempt to loan it; find out it has been reserved by another person and all the access you would've had to the book is now taken from you as it is put with the other reserved books. Really, you should've stayed in the library with it until you were done with it.
- Fit the semi-relevant books into your essay.
- Print your essay.
- Identify each segment.
- Put the segments in a reasonably decent order.
- Rewrite your essay.
- Spend your leftover time polishing the essay.
- 30 seconds before the deadline, find out that your essay only marginally sticks to the original brief. Hand it in anyway.
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
Tips: All-nighters
Everyone has a different opinion on all-nighters, and since I have a blog, and am pulling an all-nighter right now, I hereby claim my right to free speech to posit my opinion.
- All-nighters are necessary.
They are not just for when you have to hand in your essay tomorrow morning at 10 am, but every once in a while they are just good for you, in the sense that because you're sleep deprived, you'll go through the material to read much faster because you're skipping everything that makes no sense, and you have no time to fuss with flowery phrases (alliteration unintended). In a sense, it is a way to re-calibrate your reading and writing process. - The procrastination.
Because you'll be inclined to put off reading that next chapter, you'll instead be doing something like cleaning out your wardrobe (which in turn allows your socks to find their long-lost siblings), finally doing your dishes, or finally doing your laundry. Or writing a blog post. - The calories.
I'm not very clear on this one yet, but you clearly burn more calories sitting behind a desk, putting in effort to keep your attention on the page, than you do sleeping. Plus, in order to stay awake, you should really open up the window, letting in the cold night air, and it has been scientifically proven that shivering burns calories. Also, that walk around the block at 4am surely burns calories too. On the other hand, the amounts of coffee/cola/red bull that you drink in order to stay awake may counterbalance all this. As I said, I'm not clear on this one yet. - The stress and guilt.
Being one of those persons who needs to leave tasks to the last minute in order to be able to efficiently work on it, I feel guilty in the weeks leading up to this moment because I should've spent them writing. And then I start stressing out and eventually panick, and it's when I start panicking that I realize the moment is nigh. Doing an all-nighter takes away a lot of guilt for spending afternoons watching Have I Got News For You on iPlayer. - The calm.
Everyone is sleeping. Everywhere, lights have been turned off (except in that weird house across the street that always looks a little dodgy). There you are, sitting behind your desk in your pajama and jumper, writing seriously academic stuff. If your dorm/flat is in any sense sound-proofed, now is the time to blast music and not feel weird for singing/dancing along with it.
Tips on how to get through one:
- Eat a decent dinner in order to prevent midnight cravings.
- Throw open your window to let in that crisp night air.
- Blast any other sort of music that prevents you from going to sleep (I personally like opera for this, currently have Don Giovanni on, but 80s rock also works really well for it, except that you'll want to sing along. No such problem with opera, unless you speak Italian/French/German and know the operas by heart).
- Have caffeine on hand - the semi-healthy type, not in pill or powder form.
- Do an occasional walk around the block.
- Give in to procrastination, but only a little - it'll wake you right back up.
- Under no circumstance decide to start doing stuff in bed (all sorts).
- After dawn, make your way to the library as soon as it opens up, so you can continue your night's work without being tempted to sleep for the day.
- Come home just before you'd normally go to sleep, and crash. BAM, that'll also put your sleeping pattern in order again.
Sunday, 9 December 2012
Leicester Adventure/Tips: Finding the perfect place and applying
Finding the Place
I have come across an interesting phenomenon: it seems that whenever I find a 'perfect place' to do something, and I set out to my parents what the pros of that place are (I happily ignore the cons), somehow it ends up being assumed that that is the place I will go to; never mind that I a) first need to be accepted and b) need to then be accepted for a funded place in this case of me looking for a PhD place.
Perhaps a sample size of three isn't the best, but it seems a recurring pattern.
Who cares about pragmatics when you have a dream?
The first sample is for when I applied to Cambridge - somehow, it was assumed that I'd be spending the current academic year at Cambridge, which frankly I was assuming too but only sort of/half/something...
The second sample is for when I was in the process of applying to Leicester; though a little more careful this time around, asking me first how I thought my chances were, there was still the underlying assumption that I would go to Leicester, and all the B&B-googling that went with that (just so you know, my mum and step-dad are really into B&Bs).
I see the same happening, now, too; I've found a place where I'd love to do a PhD, where there's a professor whose interests line up almost eerily perfect with mine, where I stand a decent chance to be funded and where I'd have the advantage of knowing at least one person with whom I could perhaps share a flat. First thing my step-dad asked me after I told my mum about this place: "So, you're going to X?". I catch myself assuming this too - "ooh, I do hope I'll live close to a decent pub next year" etc.
The problem is, I do it too. My dear friend Kristy is now also applying, for Master's programmes, and I find myself assuming that she'll go to Oxford, while really I should know better than to make assumptions no matter how good someone's application is. My other dear friend Ma-ike has been talking about doing a History master's in Leiden in a few years and I'm assuming she will actually be in Leiden in a few years.
Applying
This all also means that I'm now being sent personal statements and research proposals by friends asking me whether I'd please go over it for them (and to be nice - I guess I do tend to be a little harsh and strict when looking written things over), like I did myself last year.
I wish I had the key, though, to a good personal statement or research proposal, but once again I can only draw on a small sample size, of one this time - I still think I wrote a really good application for Leicester, and that one was only good because I'd written it with genuine enthusiasm and interest.
If that's the case, however - Leicester being my only good application ever - I have no idea of how I got into Roosevelt Academy, so perhaps I should see whether that one's any good and if so, what makes it good.
First of all, what's bad is that my RA letter of motivation is very long - I just waffled on. Furthermore, my word choice was definitely not as good as it could have been, almost cringe-worthy in places, and I have no idea where I left my structure. My paragraphs are too short, there's too much white space on the pages. I should've gone with the Times New Roman 12-font. Signing with 'Yours Faithfully' is so antiquated even I would be hesitant to use it nowadays. I didn't date the letter.
However, what is good about it, is that it shows dedication to my choice (much like the enthusiasm I showed for Leicester), and what exactly it was about Roosevelt Academy that made me so dedicated to my choice (and what about Leicester and Criminology made me so enthusiastic about both). Some life history of how my ambitions developed with age, that blah-blah.
About my experience in my chosen fields, and how my lack of experience should not matter because I really do love the fields (for Leicester, I harked on about my experience at the court... also perhaps not the greatest type of experience, but I squeezed it for all it was worth). Something about what I wish to do with my time at RA, something about my hobbies - I was frank enough to state that I'd once written a bad screenplay for a planned but never made movie, perhaps this touch of personal honesty was another plus (though it shouldn't be a selling point that I wrote bad screenplays and was part of a group that didn't carry out its plans). Some more experience, this time on being editor-in-chief of the school paper, on my hobby of writing, and another bit of honesty in that "I am not that good an author".
About my (workable, realistic) plans for the future, with the rather ambitious line of "I am willing to keep on studying until I have learned everything I wish to know" - again, honest. More honesty on that I failed a test here and there, but then insistence on me always trying my best, with a bit of mother's wisdom thrown in (my mum's favourite statement it that you can't do better than your best).
There are in it some lines about something that I now care deeply about; "In the fourth year of high school, I had a great Economics teacher. It was a difficult subject but I liked it so much that I became quite all right in it". Not the best wording, perhaps, but I find this line interesting because over my time at RA I became even more convinced of the idea that good teachers are what's necessary in making a course great - the subject matter is almost entirely secondary. Not something that's needed in a letter of motivation, I think, however.
In short then, what seems to work for me in letters of motivation/personal statements/application, is almost painful honesty (up to the point where it becomes almost a symptom of lack of self-esteem), ambition, realistic plans, and enthusiasm or dedication to the choice I've made, with the inclusion of why I'm so dedicated/enthusiastic.
What should be left out are things such as my bad screenplay example; instead I could've included that I really like to cook, or something. I remember now that I left cooking out back then because I didn't consider myself good enough at it; as if you need to be good at cooking to enjoy it. Oh well.
So that's it, then, the stages of applying (to anything)*:
I have come across an interesting phenomenon: it seems that whenever I find a 'perfect place' to do something, and I set out to my parents what the pros of that place are (I happily ignore the cons), somehow it ends up being assumed that that is the place I will go to; never mind that I a) first need to be accepted and b) need to then be accepted for a funded place in this case of me looking for a PhD place.
Perhaps a sample size of three isn't the best, but it seems a recurring pattern.
Who cares about pragmatics when you have a dream?
The first sample is for when I applied to Cambridge - somehow, it was assumed that I'd be spending the current academic year at Cambridge, which frankly I was assuming too but only sort of/half/something...
The second sample is for when I was in the process of applying to Leicester; though a little more careful this time around, asking me first how I thought my chances were, there was still the underlying assumption that I would go to Leicester, and all the B&B-googling that went with that (just so you know, my mum and step-dad are really into B&Bs).
I see the same happening, now, too; I've found a place where I'd love to do a PhD, where there's a professor whose interests line up almost eerily perfect with mine, where I stand a decent chance to be funded and where I'd have the advantage of knowing at least one person with whom I could perhaps share a flat. First thing my step-dad asked me after I told my mum about this place: "So, you're going to X?". I catch myself assuming this too - "ooh, I do hope I'll live close to a decent pub next year" etc.
The problem is, I do it too. My dear friend Kristy is now also applying, for Master's programmes, and I find myself assuming that she'll go to Oxford, while really I should know better than to make assumptions no matter how good someone's application is. My other dear friend Ma-ike has been talking about doing a History master's in Leiden in a few years and I'm assuming she will actually be in Leiden in a few years.
Applying
This all also means that I'm now being sent personal statements and research proposals by friends asking me whether I'd please go over it for them (and to be nice - I guess I do tend to be a little harsh and strict when looking written things over), like I did myself last year.
I wish I had the key, though, to a good personal statement or research proposal, but once again I can only draw on a small sample size, of one this time - I still think I wrote a really good application for Leicester, and that one was only good because I'd written it with genuine enthusiasm and interest.
If that's the case, however - Leicester being my only good application ever - I have no idea of how I got into Roosevelt Academy, so perhaps I should see whether that one's any good and if so, what makes it good.
First of all, what's bad is that my RA letter of motivation is very long - I just waffled on. Furthermore, my word choice was definitely not as good as it could have been, almost cringe-worthy in places, and I have no idea where I left my structure. My paragraphs are too short, there's too much white space on the pages. I should've gone with the Times New Roman 12-font. Signing with 'Yours Faithfully' is so antiquated even I would be hesitant to use it nowadays. I didn't date the letter.
However, what is good about it, is that it shows dedication to my choice (much like the enthusiasm I showed for Leicester), and what exactly it was about Roosevelt Academy that made me so dedicated to my choice (and what about Leicester and Criminology made me so enthusiastic about both). Some life history of how my ambitions developed with age, that blah-blah.
About my experience in my chosen fields, and how my lack of experience should not matter because I really do love the fields (for Leicester, I harked on about my experience at the court... also perhaps not the greatest type of experience, but I squeezed it for all it was worth). Something about what I wish to do with my time at RA, something about my hobbies - I was frank enough to state that I'd once written a bad screenplay for a planned but never made movie, perhaps this touch of personal honesty was another plus (though it shouldn't be a selling point that I wrote bad screenplays and was part of a group that didn't carry out its plans). Some more experience, this time on being editor-in-chief of the school paper, on my hobby of writing, and another bit of honesty in that "I am not that good an author".
About my (workable, realistic) plans for the future, with the rather ambitious line of "I am willing to keep on studying until I have learned everything I wish to know" - again, honest. More honesty on that I failed a test here and there, but then insistence on me always trying my best, with a bit of mother's wisdom thrown in (my mum's favourite statement it that you can't do better than your best).
There are in it some lines about something that I now care deeply about; "In the fourth year of high school, I had a great Economics teacher. It was a difficult subject but I liked it so much that I became quite all right in it". Not the best wording, perhaps, but I find this line interesting because over my time at RA I became even more convinced of the idea that good teachers are what's necessary in making a course great - the subject matter is almost entirely secondary. Not something that's needed in a letter of motivation, I think, however.
In short then, what seems to work for me in letters of motivation/personal statements/application, is almost painful honesty (up to the point where it becomes almost a symptom of lack of self-esteem), ambition, realistic plans, and enthusiasm or dedication to the choice I've made, with the inclusion of why I'm so dedicated/enthusiastic.
What should be left out are things such as my bad screenplay example; instead I could've included that I really like to cook, or something. I remember now that I left cooking out back then because I didn't consider myself good enough at it; as if you need to be good at cooking to enjoy it. Oh well.
So that's it, then, the stages of applying (to anything)*:
- Discover your interests.
- Find a place where the interests line up with yours.
- Check whether you're eligible for funding if you need it.
- Find out whether that place is in an environment that you could live in for the time that the programme takes.
- Find out whether the teaching's any good.
- Inform about further possibilities.
- Establish informal contact with someone there.
- Write your application:
- Consider why you are making that choice and show your dedication.
- Include some experience (both work and academic), and be honest.
- Don't be painfully honest, that's just detrimental.
- Describe your (realistic) future plans.
- Toss in some ambition.
- Send your stuff in.
- Wait.
- Wait.
- Cry in frustration.
- Wait.
- Rejoice/Cry some more.
- If necessary, start over again (though to be safe you'd better apply to more places at the same time).
- If accepted, start your other arrangements (see just about any other post that I've written for this blog).
*Disclaimer: has only worked for me for 2/3 application so far, no guarantees.
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Tips: Finances
First, a quick statement: I am not going to go into my personal financial situation here (because my savings and debts are just not interesting). Just a bit of a warning about finances if you're planning to study abroad as well (I somehow hope that aside from friends reading this blog to find out how I'm doing, students looking for tips on studying abroad may find this blog as well - I am writing for an audience, in short, even though it is imaginary, and for this specific post the audience consists of prospective students-abroad).
Studying in the UK is expensive if you're used to Dutch university costs. My tuition fees for one year are 4795 pounds, or anywhere ranging from 6000-6500 euros (depending on exchange rates), and I'm going to live on campus because that's easiest for now - as soon as my contract ends, I'm going to look for non-university owned living, which is less expensive but did not have the guarantees of OK maintenance (although Universities aren't that great at that, either, but they're far more reasonable as a landlord to have a feud with), convenient locations, and a guaranteed room to begin with. But that's also over 3200 pounds for a 39 week contract (in my case, and I've got the cheapest contract available for Leicester).
Sure, you're eligible for tuition credit on top of your basic study finance and student loan (which I do recommend you take, especially for a one-year study abroad - you don't want to worry about finances this year and you'll probably make it back fairly easily once you go out into the working world), but it's still going to be hellishly expensive.
These basic fees I just outlined? They're just the fees you can be sure you'll have to pay - there's going to be soooo many more variable fees, like for books, or food (I don't recommend living on noodles and tea alone, because though a very effective weight-loss diet, eventually your body will shut down and you won't be able to concentrate), or, being a student, drinks. You'll want to make some trips, too, like to conferences - especially when you're a postgrad - and more stuff that'll enhance your study. That budget plan everyone encourages you to make? Make it, get your known fees covered, and then toss it aside because for everything else it's not going to work.
So be warned. It's not that difficult to get these fees covered, but you (or your parents) will have to go into debt (even if just with DUO, which we all know doesn't really count) and it's always going to turn out to be more expensive than you'd hoped. But it'll be worth it, surely.
Studying in the UK is expensive if you're used to Dutch university costs. My tuition fees for one year are 4795 pounds, or anywhere ranging from 6000-6500 euros (depending on exchange rates), and I'm going to live on campus because that's easiest for now - as soon as my contract ends, I'm going to look for non-university owned living, which is less expensive but did not have the guarantees of OK maintenance (although Universities aren't that great at that, either, but they're far more reasonable as a landlord to have a feud with), convenient locations, and a guaranteed room to begin with. But that's also over 3200 pounds for a 39 week contract (in my case, and I've got the cheapest contract available for Leicester).
Sure, you're eligible for tuition credit on top of your basic study finance and student loan (which I do recommend you take, especially for a one-year study abroad - you don't want to worry about finances this year and you'll probably make it back fairly easily once you go out into the working world), but it's still going to be hellishly expensive.
These basic fees I just outlined? They're just the fees you can be sure you'll have to pay - there's going to be soooo many more variable fees, like for books, or food (I don't recommend living on noodles and tea alone, because though a very effective weight-loss diet, eventually your body will shut down and you won't be able to concentrate), or, being a student, drinks. You'll want to make some trips, too, like to conferences - especially when you're a postgrad - and more stuff that'll enhance your study. That budget plan everyone encourages you to make? Make it, get your known fees covered, and then toss it aside because for everything else it's not going to work.
So be warned. It's not that difficult to get these fees covered, but you (or your parents) will have to go into debt (even if just with DUO, which we all know doesn't really count) and it's always going to turn out to be more expensive than you'd hoped. But it'll be worth it, surely.
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