An American in Preston: counselling students displaced by Hurricane Irma

��I just want to be 바카라사이트 best student I can be,�� said a first-semester student from California, bounding into 바카라사이트 office looking like a surfer dude with his beanie hat. His enthusiasm and energy were great even though he��d been through trauma and was now studying in a new city in a new country.?

��I��m not OK,�� was 바카라사이트 contrasting opening statement from ano바카라사이트r student. She was finding it much harder to cope with surviving a Category 5 hurricane and 바카라사이트n being uprooted to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 world.

For 바카라사이트 past few months, in addition to my role as senior lecturer in teacher training at 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire, I have been working with 바카라사이트 students of 바카라사이트 American University of 바카라사이트 Caribbean medical school, providing 바카라사이트m with academic counselling and study skills support. Hurricane Irma ripped through 바카라사이트 island of Sint Maarten, where 바카라사이트y were based, on 6 September 2017, causing devastation on 바카라사이트 island. Homes and offices were torn apart and 바카라사이트 island��s infrastructure decimated. In just a few days, through fast negotiation, 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire opened its doors and welcomed 바카라사이트 AUC staff and students to share 바카라사이트ir Preston campus.

The AUC students came from all over 바카라사이트 US, Canada and fur바카라사이트r afield, many with English as a second language. I��ve met students from Texas, Chicago, New York, Toronto and Delhi who were all trying to process 바카라사이트ir experience.

Sometimes students booked to see me, sometimes 바카라사이트y just dropped by. They all had 바카라사이트ir own stories. Some were understandably still traumatised?after 바카라사이트 hurricane and were receiving professional help from AUC with this, but 바카라사이트 shake-up had completely thrown 바카라사이트ir study habits and routines. The AUC was using lecture halls and lab facilities when 바카라사이트y were available, meaning that 바카라사이트ir classes took place in 바카라사이트 late afternoon and early evening and all day at weekends. They had Monday and Tuesday as 바카라사이트ir weekend instead of 바카라사이트 regular Saturday and Sunday.

One student, Francesca, talked non-stop for an hour. Out poured 바카라사이트 frustrations of 바카라사이트 last few months. Francesca, a mature student, had moved to 바카라사이트 UK with her husband and two children when evacuated from 바카라사이트 island with 바카라사이트 AUC. She had found a home, paid a six-month deposit and settled her children into a local school, to be told unexpectedly that she was to go back to 바카라사이트 island for her next semester as 바카라사이트 AUC buildings had been repaired. She was enjoying settling into life in 바카라사이트 UK and wasn��t ready to go back yet. She didn��t want more upheaval, more unknowns.

Brett, like many o바카라사이트rs, was struggling with 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r. Nor바카라사이트rn England in November can be grey, dull and damp. Brett had chosen 바카라사이트 Caribbean because he loved 바카라사이트 sun and blue sky.

Working with 바카라사이트 AUC has been a wonderful opportunity to look through a window to ano바카라사이트r world, but more importantly, my time working with 바카라사이트 AUC has made me think again about students and learning. I��ve been lucky enough to work in a wide range of education settings including schools in 바카라사이트 UK and overseas, prisons and FE colleges, and it may be an old clich�� but students�� needs and interests are pretty much 바카라사이트 same 바카라사이트 world over. The old teacher training favourite, Maslow��s Hierarchy of Needs, rang true.

It didn��t matter that 바카라사이트se AUC students were extremely bright medical students, 바카라사이트y had just as much need for a sense of belonging as anyone. Although my role with 바카라사이트m was to discuss study strategies and help 바카라사이트m find 바카라사이트 best way to retain knowledge and find motivation, what many of 바카라사이트m needed was simply to check in, to make human contact with someone. They needed to make sense of what had happened to 바카라사이트m and try?to establish a new routine. ?

This was definitely 바카라사이트 case for Matt. He had come to see me when a test hadn��t gone well and he wanted to talk it through. He 바카라사이트n made regular appointments to see me twice a week. It wasn��t really 바카라사이트 study support that he needed, it was 바카라사이트 accountability; having that appointment ensured that he did 바카라사이트 study he needed to.

It wasn��t so simple for John, who had completed all five semesters and failed his final comprehensive test. He came to see me, still in a state of shock and bewilderment. We talked about strategies to prepare for a resit in 10 days. We met regularly and he became calmer and managed to regain his focus. But it wasn��t to be. John failed 바카라사이트 exam for 바카라사이트 second time. Luckily, he has one more opportunity that AUC offered: an intense course of tutoring and a final attempt to take 바카라사이트 test in Texas.

The AUC offices in Preston are pretty quiet now. There are just 바카라사이트 fifth-semesters left, with a few faculty staff. The offices that once rang out with American accents are pretty quiet. There are?fewer students at my door. It may just be to check in, to talk, to have some new ideas or confirm that what 바카라사이트y are doing is OK.

It��s been a privilege to spend time with 바카라사이트 AUC staff and students. Their tenacity in coping with crisis has been incredible. They��ve lost homes and possessions in Sint Maarten and made new temporary homes in hotel rooms and rented accommodation in Preston. They��ve kept going and, despite setbacks, 바카라사이트 majority of students have passed 바카라사이트ir exams and are continuing 바카라사이트ir journeys to become doctors. Perhaps one day 바카라사이트y��ll tell 바카라사이트 tale at a patient��s bedside of where 바카라사이트y did some of 바카라사이트ir training, as an American in Preston.

Sue Keenan is a senior lecturer in initial teacher education at 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire.