One world: two stories

My sister (left), who has just finished her A-levels, is also writing a blog to document her time abroad.

The difference is, she's going to Chiang Rai, Thailand, and is literally as far away from Washington D.C as possible! We're going to be so many time zones apart that live conversation will be difficult, or at least impractical. In addition, this will probably be the furthest we've ever been apart.

I wanted to share the link to her blog as a counter-part and contrast to mine. I'll be heading to the heart of capitalism, materialism and Western culture, whilst she navigates the Orient and Far East. Max Weber characterised the Orient, as opposed to the Occident (Western world) as being irrational, less bureaucratic and much more "enchanted" than the "disenchanted", capitalist West. We'll see about that.

Whilst she lives in a shared domitory, eats rice three times a day, and teaches English, possibly to monks, hill tribe and other ordinary people, I'll be neighbouring Capitol Hill and anticipating the splendour of the 4th of July/ Independence Day celebrations.

I'll let her speak now, if you're interested;

http://openmyjournal.blogspot.co.uk/

Welcome!

So, I'm Nikita, and I've just finished my first year reading History at Oxford. Anyone who has been observant enough to note the URL of this blog will have seen that I'm about to go literally "across the pond". Whether or not you've already noticed this, keep reading.

This kind of reminds me of a bridge in my college, Worcester, which goes over the lake (see above). Only instead of a lake it's the Atlantic Ocean. "Across the pond" is the phrase used by English people to describe going "stateside" or to the United States, I'm not sure if Americans use the same phrase when they come to Europe...

Anyway, a few quick links by way of introduction;

This internship opportunity was made possible by the University of Oxford's Careers Service, who run internships abroad and in the UK every summer for Oxford students - http://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/ I genuinely don't think that enough current students make use of everything they have to offer!

In turn, the funding which has made this internship possible for me this summer comes from my Moritz-Heyman scholarship, and more information concerning the scheme can be found here - http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/student_funding/moritzheyman.html I've spent quite a bit of time over the past year promoting and informing people about Sir Micheal Moritz, and his wife Harriet Heyman's donation to Oxford and the difference this has made to the lives of the selected students.

e.g, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaDp5wjT0Jw

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzUmWc9kr_o


I'll be staying in an apartment shared with other interns, close to the centre of D.C. I'll be working in a museum, with their education and outreach programme, hopefully designing some activities for their curriculum and delivering one of their annual summer camps!

Well, I'm setting off for Heathrow in a couple of hours, so I think I'll leave this for now, see you in the U.S.A!