UEA!

In a few months I will be moving to England! That's right! I have accepted an offer to study literary translation at the University of East Anglia. The university is located in Norwich, England, a city which is one of the UK's most sustainable and also most affordable. It's a relatively young university, dating from the 1960s—hence the chunky concrete block structures (the university newspaper is even named Concrete). But I've heard that the city has kind of a medieval feel. You can read more about Norwich on the university's page. 

The course in literary translation is run by the British Centre for Literary Translation, which has its own library and summer school at the university. My main reason for choosing UEA is that I can study my language pair of Swedish to English with a mentor who is a professional in the field. UEA is the most affordable option of the universities that offer this degree, and the people are very nice! I plan to complete the master's degree in one calendar year, from September 2023 until September 2024. If I decide to apply for a Graduate visa while living there, I could have the option of remaining in the country for up to two years after graduating with my degree. There are three semesters of classes, and in the final semester I'll be working on a thesis project which may be a translation with commentary. 

This course will give me the training I need to bring Swedish texts to English-speaking audiences. I'm particularly interested in translating children's literature. Some of my favourite Swedish authors in this area are Åsa Lind, Rose Lagercrantz, Barbro Lindgren, and Eva Lindström. I can't wait to discover more excellent authors working in children's literature! 

Here are some images from Norwich!

A City Street

Norwich Cathedral

Biddy's Tea Room

Grey Seals, Norfolk Coast

The Broads

One regret that I had after studying abroad in Sweden in 2013 was that I didn't do more things on my own that were outside my comfort zone. I visited as part of a group from the US and did not have to make too many of the arrangements for myself. I was glad to return home, and I never thought that I would get to the point where I felt like travelling far again! After being away for four months, I wanted to stay home forever among people I knew and loved. I did experience intense homesickness on the trip. After college, I also wasn't really looking for more education in the form of academic-style classes—right away, at least. For the past seven years I have been working at the library in my home town. 

I feel like I've been led to this decision through prayer. In 2021, I visited Germany and loved being abroad again! England has always been the destination in my mind. For over a year, I have been thinking and praying not only about visiting, but possibly finding a way to stay longer. The plan came into my head while sitting in church, and I have felt guided through every step of this process. Everything is falling into place. I know that I will feel supported by the university community around me. I'm looking forward to indulging the conspicuous anglophile in me (can I please get a good cup of tea?). I'm also looking forward to meeting people who have similar interests in the field of translation and getting to see if it's the right career for me. And I'm looking forward to sharing my faith with people I meet. 

Honestly, some days I feel very excited about this journey and other days I just want to crawl into a hole and wish nothing would change. Mostly, however, I am extremely grateful that I have the opportunity to live abroad. 

Thanks for reading, and please check this page for more updates in the months to come!