To be honest, a large percentage of my grad school selection process had to do with what kind of traveling was easily accessible on weekends. Nina asked me some time ago to consider writing a post about whether or not grad school is actually worth it. With an attitude like the one I just mentioned, many would say it is not, that perhaps it is even foolish. But, for my postgraduate education, I was looking for something that I kept characterizing as “exponential.” I wanted to go to a school with a good creative writing program, which American institutions will argue exists exclusively in America, but I was also looking for a submersion of exposure to attitudes that were not exclusively American. Traces of such, no doubt, can be found worldwide, but I wanted more than a “diverse community.” I wanted to live abroad and far, far away from that which is the regionally introspective American frame of mind.

Creative writing programs are, by nature, a bit of a joke. It’s taken me about ten years to get over sneering while saying aloud that I’m a poet. But there are certain things a person shouldn’t deny within themselves (right, gays?) for too long. So, I’ve gone and done a foolish thing. Is it worth it? So far: absolutely. I’m about to begin my fourth week in the most highly regarded creative writing program in Europe, having tasted students like Ian McEwan and Kazuo Ishiguro. I realize this means nothing for a student whose main ambitions include navigating the Ryanair homepage, but I am also working very hard (a poet is lucky in regards to the nature of her laboratory).

However, the school holds very little clout – for regionally introspective reasons – with American writers and the respective programs in which they teach. This might indeed be a hindrance on prospective employment opportunities (as relegated by the creative writing hierarchy) upon returning to the United States of America, but, um, I guess I could try doing something else for which I have about as much passion as I do for teaching.

My university’s tuition and living expenses fall about 2,000 USD shy of the University of Iowa’s (number one ranked US institution for creative writing) total estimated costs of attendance for a single year, but that program takes twice as long to complete. If I’m shit, it doesn’t really matter too much where I get my spendy pat on the back from. If I’m skilled in networking, the same rules apply. Either way, a writer with a Master’s degree is playing the hierarchical game required by the community.

A new scheme has been introduced in the United Kingdom this year. Anyone who obtains a master’s from a UK institution is automatically eligible for a twelve month work visa. Working in the UK right now means earning twice as much for the same job as one would in the United States. Now, living in the UK, specifically London, is probably twice as expensive as many U.S. cities, but factor in also that the GBP is now over two USDs and that work visa should still spit me out somewhere near the top.

Enough with employment. Back to my exponential education. Instead of heading down to the library or local café to get my writing and research done, I’ve been trying to see as much of the world as possible. This is requiring a bit of a personality shift. I love to do my planning at the last minute. It feels so free, but it’s slapping me severely with the message of how economically unfriendly that really is. A train ticket to London is over 70USD when purchased at the last minute! With a mere week of forward thinking it drops down to about twelve dollars for the round trip. So, I’ll be heading there as soon as this post is finished.

There are several varieties of transportation into and out of most EU countries. In two weeks I’m going to Paris by train (under the water) for around 70 USD. For about the same price, I could have opted for a train/bus combo with a ferry trip. There are also the airlines that taxi between EU countries, like Ryanair for example, that list 14-day advance tickets from London to Barcelona for about 26 USD. The taxes appear to be quite steep on these, however, doubling the cost of most flights; but that’s still not bad. Also, these airlines tend to fly into airports that are not central to the cities, generating an additional transportation cost.

Once in the city, public transportation is one of the biggest dollar savers; and most of the underground systems are fabulous. London’s underground will take you literally anywhere in the city and is quite simple to use. Talking to the handy information people is helpful, and the Tube seems to be almost overstaffed with them. From one in London I learned that buying an Oyster Card (basically a frequent rider card on which you can add credit to at any time) cuts the cost of every train trip by half. I need to study the bus system before heading to Rome, however. Being one of the oldest civilizations has its downfalls when it comes to excavating. They have about 2 operating lines.

I’m still working through my priorities on these trips, but I’ve definitely decided that entertainment and experience take precedent over accommodation. This next tip won’t be for everyone, and I know I’ll be forfeiting this when certain of my friends come to visit and travel with me. Hostel dorms are incredibly cheap, as low as ten USD/night. Now, it’s a bit like summer camp, a big open room full of bunk beds and strangers, but if you’re only there to sleep and you don’t sleep lightly, then it’s not a big deal. Personally, I’d rather spend money on Shakespeare at the Globe (Midsummer Nights Dream tomorrow afternoon!) than a fortune on where I close my eyes. Hostels also have private rooms, which I tend to opt for at a minimum of around 35 USD, but they’re often less like rooms and more like tombs.

Entertainment for me is a portion of the definition of that exponential education and typically involves visiting historic sites and museums. Nearly every museum in the UK is free for admission, so I’ve spent several days already without paying a single pence on the activity portion of my journeys.

Food is going to be more of an issue when I get to places like Italy and Belgium, but for my strictly Britain exploration, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much in the cheap department. I’ve developed an uncanny and not terribly healthy appetite for fish and chips.

So, to answer Nina’s question: Is grad school worth it? So far, yes. I’ll keep you posted.