Britain, A Stretch in My Life
Yusron Saadi, Indonesia
The new academic year reminds me that I have been in Sheffield for three years. This is not the first time I have lived in Britain since I had spent a one-year stay in Newcastle to pursue a master degree of Hydraulic Engineering. I remember when preparing my application for PhD, most of my colleagues in my home country suggested avoiding Britain. The reason behind that was simply to allow me to be able to experience living in another country. I rejected their suggestion and flew across the horizon heading to Sheffield. I found that The Department of Civil and Structural Engineering University of Sheffield had something to offer that I was really interested in. Most people may agree that students will put academic interest above everything although this idea may not be accepted by British and Western countries, students that also fully consider other factors in their university life, such as the existence of student union with all of its "colourful contents".
If I had to trace my memory back, it might be my childhood that played very important role in the way I was ignited to experience living in Britain. I remember that I liked to read The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. By the time I was fifteen I probably read all of their adventures and even named my beautiful cat after their clever dog Timmy. The way the story described haunted me down in my head. For instance, it was really difficult for a child of a tropical country to read and to imagine that the sun is still shining at 8 p.m. in the summer or the other way round in the winter. To me then it was a long dream to prove and to experience what summer and winter looked like. How flowers and bushes survived from the cold heavy burden of thick snow during winter and back to enjoying sunshine afterwards.
It is not fair if I do not mention my passion of football. During my childhood "The Road to Wembley" was the first European football match series that regularly shown in my home country's television and widely published in national newspapers. No wonder my head full of the story behind the famous clubs and their talented players. Again, if something left deep inside, you never feel enough and wanted more than that. The obsession to get more closer to what had filled my mind to experience and to watch the games in the real 3-D rather than 2-D was then mounted and to visit the stadiums, photographing in front of them, made the list of my dream inevitably longer. To be honest, I am very happy now that my dream has come true. I wish I could experience watching more football games not only in St. James Park and Old Trafford as I had done but also in other best stadiums in this country.
But why Britain? I think a one-year stay in Newcastle meant a lot to me and affected my intention to revisit and study in this country. I noticed that one of the most attractive habits of British was that they treated animal as good as human being. I often found people feeding a group of birds in the early morning or just putting shredded bread in the park and the corner of public premises during their spare time or on the way to their daily activities. I once read a newspaper advertising a missing cat with the reward to the discoverer was more than ten thousand pounds. How British loved animal has been clearly reflected by television programs showing the animal world and also by the existence of organisations such as RSPB and RSPCA.
The way British appreciated disabled as good as normal person was also amazing. Everywhere in the urban and rural area, there were always signs reflecting a warm welcome to disabled. Most public places were provided with inclined pavement and spacious toilet allowing disabled to enjoy things comfortably. So, it did not surprise me at all when Glenn Hoddle was forced to step down as England's football manager as soon as his cruel statement published nationwide. I could not believe how different things could be here in Britain.
Travelling in my spare time just like an obligatory task. I really love trees and the atmosphere of countryside. I feel very peaceful to see dales full of trees and streams flowing where space is dominated by the colour of green with birds singing and cattle dancing. What's amazing life living in such beautiful scenery. I am very fortunate that I have had the opportunity to visit the Scottish Highland during snowfall, enjoyed the coldness of river Tyne tributaries on the peak of Northumberland and performed my ritual ceremony on the edge of reservoir in Windermere Lake District. On the other day I explored the tunnel under Kielder reservoir in the English-Scottish border, walked down along the river Ouse in North Yorkshire and, as part of my departmental research project, stood nearly half drowned in a small stream inside Sherwood Forest Park in Nottinghamshire.
As a student, I probably need regular relaxations between the busy academic activities. That was why searching for "fresh air" must always be planned with a bold mark in my diary. In summer 2000, on the day described by weather presenter as the hottest day in England, I eagerly hiked out to the series of slope in Peak District. And before the winter arrived, Snowdonia National Park was the next destination. This time I experienced the rack and pinion railway system to Snowdon Summit and posting letters to friend and family from the highest point in England and Wales. On the way back down I decided to experience a different footpath but unfortunately the fog from "the roof of Wales" covered the beautiful surrounding area and forced me to follow the railway track.
I was also very impressed with the fact that there were many open spaces spread around the British cities with manmade lake in selected area surrounded by spacious playing pitch. I thought British cities have also been designed in such landscape with the existence of ancient building towering around. To be honest, this atmosphere and all the trips mentioned above kept me with the idea to continuously experience a living in Britain. Perhaps someday I will be in the middle of Isle of Wight after a memorable adventure to Isle of Anglesey where the town with longest name in this world exist.
If people say I am too English-sided or an Anglophile because of no comparison with different country at all, they may right but they may also be wrong. However, it does not bother me at all. I am only an ordinary person with limited experience who just wants to see everything runs well on its wheel without any disturbances, something that I fully understand is not easy to find on this "growing old fast" planet. Thanks to the opportunity to study in Britain, although it may not be the best example I have experienced in my life so far.
Yusron Saadi, Indonesia