Edik Kaptzan, MSc Clinical Child Psychology

October 2012

I came to Anglia Ruskin in order to progress in becoming a clinical child psychologist. That was the main purpose, and still is. But experiences are not academic only, of course.

First of all, my course (as well as the whole university) consists of people from many different countries. Already interesting. But what's more interesting - some of them I couldn't meet in my home country, Israel. I guess this is what usually happens when you're not from Europe - you have countries that are just not accessible for you, especially if you're from the Middle East... But what can I say - politics, diplomacy and security issues are all important and well considered - I'm truly not indifferent to them. But people? "People" are a totally different issue...

Suddenly names of countries and places are not related anymore to an area on the map, but appear to have faces, voices, particular sense of humour, more or less standard perception of life. So I find myself sitting in a pub with Luxembourg, Germany, England, Poland and Malaysia; discussing assignments, or just having an open-hearted chat with Bangladesh, India, Turkey, Iran and Greece; taking the heart functioning patterns of Saudi Arabia; talking on the phone with Ghana and laughing with Kenya... more than interesting.

Secondly, the surroundings. It's been a while since I've had a bicycle, and suddenly I'm an integral part of the Cambridge society. Here I am, master of the road, cycling wherever I want and almost don't suffer from traffic. But it is really hard to concentrate... I mean, take the city centre for example: you are trying to get to your original destination, but your eyes go a bit to the side - Boom! A building from the middle ages! And another one! The 12th century competes with the 18th and between them - "Starbucks". But the last is not really surprising. Somebody (I don't remember who exactly it was) has already mentioned in the past that when we get to Venus, the first thing we see will be a Starbucks Café.

And after all these impressions and jumping between thoughts you really expect me to get to where I planned, and on time?! No way on Earth! If only I didn't have to spend time on studies...

Luckily, the rain keeps me in one place, and so my studies are distracted less. But when a sunny day comes... I'll tie myself back to the chair, and this time stronger. After all, the Masters degree is still watching from the corner.