Hello all!

We touched down in Adelaide early this morning, packed our suitcases and our weary, travelled bodies into a taxi and headed to the hotel. We seemed to forget about our tiredness as we drove through the picturesque streets, and began to get excited about the adventures that were to come.

Soon after we had arrived at our hotel, and were on the look out for some food from the local shops (preferably something better than plane food). Our short trip to the local bakery provided us with not only some delicious Aussie treats (the Vegemite swirl worked a treat!), but also a feeling of familiarity; the money we used to pay still had the Queen’s head on it, and we spotted signposts to ‘Croydon’ and ‘Hendon’ (areas that are also found in London). However, the differences to home were also startling; mainly of course the glorious weather here! Life seems to be more chilled out, people actually wait for a green light to cross the road, a sharp contrast to our London home where everything is done in a hurry.

Our next stop was a welcome from the Education Adelaide team, who provided us with much needed caffeine and huge amounts of chocolate brownie. Just like everyone else we had met in Adelaide so far, they were extremely welcoming and very friendly (it must be the Aussie nature). They talked us through some fun facts about our home for the next couple weeks, such as Adelaide being ‘the 20 minute city’, because everything (and by that I mean EVERYTHING; the beaches, the hills, even the wineries) is only a 20 minute journey away.

No sooner had we finished stuffing our faces with chocolate, we were whisked away on a bus tour to visit the Adelaide Hills. Our driver gave great commentary as we made our way through the wide, grid-like streets of the city (which make it so easy to navigate and get around on foot), and helpfully told us that we could jump on any tram or the city loop bus for free (The free City Loop bus – #99C – takes you to all the major cultural and commercial centres, beginning at Victoria Square), which after forking out hundreds of pounds for travel in London over the years, was quite a welcome change for us!

As we began heading for the hills, we noticed there were signs warning motorists to watch out for koalas, something we can definitely say we have never seen before. We stopped at the Mount Lofty look out (Mt.Lofty is located some 711m above the sea level), and admired the stunning views of the city from our mountainous viewpoint.

Next, the bus took us through the small towns that were built in the hills, some which still had gorgeous original features such as a fully functional water wheel. Finally our bus stopped at Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest German settlement. It felt like we’ve been dropped into a town in Bavaria, where the main street is lined with German bakeries, butchers and bars.

The cute little shops and boutique cafes were really cool to look around, and offered a lot of hand made gifts. We stopped for some tea and cake at an old German pub called The Hahndorf Inn, and munched our way through a lemon meringue pie, apple strudel and a raspberry cheesecake. With German tunes in the background, small dogs running around and the smell of freshly baked pastries made the experience close to surreal. At times, the landscapes resembled a beautiful swathe of English countryside, or perhaps a stretch of Bavarian wilderness.

We spotted a pick-your-own-strawberry farm (Beerenberg Strawberry Farm), and the smell of ripe, delicious strawberries lured us in. Sitting back in rainy London seemed a million miles away from searching for the best strawberries in a sunny field in Adelaide, and one we could definitely see ourselves getting used to for the next two weeks!

We finished off our day with a dinner at a local Italian restaurant with the guys from Education Adelaide. The food was unbelievable, and the wine even better. Australians certainly know their food – everything we had eaten all day had been great. We headed to the hotel feeling very full, very happy and very, very, lucky to be in Adelaide.

How would you have spent your first day in Adelaide if you had the chance?

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Drum roll please. The winner of the competition is PeteSmyth who wowed us with these words:

#IStudyOverseas because understanding other cultures and nationalities is the surest way to world peace

Huge congratulations Pete! We’ll email you now requesting your address so please check your maibox.

We’ve got a fab new competitions lined up for March so make sure in the know by signing up to our Facebook page, our Twitter feed and our Google+ page.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I have just arrived at my hostel in Singapore after a 12 hour flight en route to Flinders.

To be honest I smell (!) and all I want to do is sleep, I feel a bit out of it due to the jet lag. My flight was a pleasant one, I sat next to a lovely old lady (who couldn’t work out how to use her TV, bless) who made intermittent conversation with me. The main downside of the flight was the crappy TV they had, but to be fair I did enjoy ‘One Day’. The first thing that hit me getting of the plane was the heat, it’s not sunny and it’s not really even THAT hot but when you are wearing four layers and Converse and are struggling with several bags it gets rather sweaty!

The man who drove me to the hostel was interesting – he spent the whole 30mins lecturing me on why Singapore is so clever and how amazing their government is! However it was nice having someone to talk to and to tell me a bit more about the history; stuff I was not very aware of before.

On arrival at the hostel I went into the reception, and to be honest I thought I was at the wrong place, comparing this to hostels stayed in in other parts of south east Asia this is a palace! Complimentary breakfast and wifi in every room (which is perfect as I have my laptop with me). The dorm I am staying in is a 5 bed one but at the moment it seems as though I am the only person. I have a little bed in the corner but because of how the fixtures are arranged my bed is very private which is also night.

I’m not really sure what to do now (other than shower) I am in Singapore alone and unlikely to really meet anyone, I am so tired but do not want to sleep now through fear of not being about to later and I want to make the most of my time.

I think my plan of action will be to go to the lounge room, see who is about and ask them what tips they have, then book some sort of tour tomorrow – maybe a night safari so I can sleep…

Anyway, I am pretty certain majority of this post have been incoherent due to my jet lag so I will now stop waffling. I’ll keep you all posted but now I must wash for the sake of everyone.

Lucy xx

OK, so there is one more sleep (if you can constitute it a sleep considering the time I have to wake up) until I leave for Flinders Uni in Australia for a year (oops, I originally accidentally wrote month…. imagine).

So yeah, wow this is scary, like really WOW, this does not seem real, there are no words. All my things are packed, all (well most) of my things have been sorted out, copious amounts of people have been added on Skype…. other than sending off various information to student finance (and let’s be honest most people probably have menial tasks like these they chose to ignore), everything has been done. I am ready (physically) to leave, but am I ready (mentally) to leave?

I think I have gone through every emotion in the past two minutes, let alone the last couple of months. Fear, excitement, the feeling I could throw up at any given minute, sadness, to name but a few.

To be honest I’m not really sure what I feel and I am really not sure what I have got myself into. Everybody keeps on insisting that I will be having the best time of my life and have an unforgettable experience, but the uncertainty is killing me. How can they be so sure and have so much faith when I, myself, do not?

However I have decided to embrace every experience, take every opportunity and have a little trust in the people I know and love and believe them when they say it will be OK.

So for now, I must dash as I have paperwork I need to sort (gosh I sound so mature) and things I need to do before my departure. No doubt there will be some sort of panicked post from me tomorrow or Thursday when I am alone and stressed/tired.

But for now Bon Voyage!!!

Lucy

PS Me and my mum tried to fit me in the case… needless to say it didn’t work…)

How did I come about blogging about Adelaide, Australia?

Hi! I’m Ottilie. A regular 22-year old, originally from York, UK. I’m now living in London (where I recently graduated from King’s College) and study Psychology at Middlesex University. I enjoy singing, socialising and pre-cooked pasta. Oh, and I’ve won a trip to Adelaide, South Australia, which is why you’re now reading these lines.

I bet you’re thinking ‘lucky girl, winning a free trip to Australia’; but trust me, it didn’t come easy. I paid a high price. My pride. My dignity. Re-living some of the most nightmarish moments of my life so far…

To enter the ‘Get me to Adelaide’ competition that ran on Facebook last year I had to post an embarrassing parents’ story describing a moment in my life when I wanted to get away from them. A long way away to a place like Australia? As painful as it was, I started typing:

‘My Mum decided to take up rollerblading (in her forties), but unfortunately, our garden wasn’t big enough to practice in. So she turned up at my school in the middle of the day and was attempting to skate around the playground, which the school looked over. Everyone at school ended up watching her from the windows, I was absolutely mortified when somebody realised and announced it was my Mum. To make matters worse the head teacher had to run out and ask her to leave.’

Anyway, it was all worthwhile in the end. Here I am, getting ready and all excited about my adventure in Adelaide, Australia.

To be honest, until a couple of months ago I didn’t even know where Adelaide was. I’m told it’s in South Australia. I imagine a thick line across the middle of the continent and ‘South Australia’ being everything below the line Right? Wrong actually. South Australia is one of Australia’s six states and two territories, founded by Colonel William Light in 1836. The population of the State is some 1.6 million people, of which 1.3 million live in the capital city, Adelaide. I’m told Adelaide is one of the best planned metropolises in the world. Big statement; it might just be time to put it to the test. But we’ll get to that later.

My purpose as an Adelaide-discoverer, you ask? Well, I’ll be the eyes and ears of those who want to find out more about the lifestyle and opportunities on offer for students in Adelaide. Everything from study opportunities, budget travel, getting close and personal with amazing wildlife and enjoying the city and incredible calendar of festivals (FUN! FUN! FUN!).

I will be visiting all the university campuses and talking to students about their Adelaide experience. There will also be a lot of travelling involved, discovering what’s on offer within a 100km radius from Adelaide CBD: wildlife, beaches, vineyards, history (and the occasional Aussie Rules Football game).

I’m not going to pretend I’m an experienced travel blogger. I’m not. But I’d love to share my journey with you. So if you’re keen to have a laugh then follow my blog.

The journey starts here. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Foursquare and WordPress.

I started the new year with a step in the right direction… I actually made it to the library!! Apparently I’m meant to be finding primary sources for my Ancient History course at Flinders University, but how am I meant to know what ones I am looking for? I can’t just simply type in ‘good primary sources about religious Anglo Saxon women’ (I know, I know, my topic is more than a bit loser-ish….and yes I did pick it myself).

Another task I embarked on was cleaning my room with my mum, a massive task to say the least, but 4 bin bags, 2 sacks of clothes to sell on ebay (added to the four I already have going…) and 2 bags for the charity shop later (which was a long time later, 5 and a half hours to be precise) my room was amazingly clean!

Later in the week my two friends from university visited (one of whom is actually doing a year abroad herself), which was absolutely AMAZING! On the first night we met up with some other uni friends and then afterwards the two girls and I hit up Faces, a standard Essex night out 10mins away from where I live. Despite the various mahogany fake tan hues we had a wonderful night out. The next morning (at 6am, which i was most definitely not pleased about) one of my friends caught her train/ferry to Holland where she is studying.

The next night we decided to go out again, this time, to Shoreditch, which was amazing. So many random things happened, such as my friend pretending to own a bar to us conversing with a security guard for 10mins trying to guess his name (which we didn’t get right needless to say).

What I am finding very difficult currently is trying to balance meeting up with my friends, revision and sorting out everything in my life before I leave to live in Australia forever (well for a year, but to be quite frank it feels like forever). It’s been getting really stressful because every time I chose seeing my friends over revision as I know it could be the last time I seem them for a year, however I don’t seem to have any voice in my head that spurs me on to study (earlier in the week my mother caught me in the pub when I said I writing an essay, not my finest hour). But I am slowly making progress (my exam is on Friday… less then a week probably should try to speed up!), AND earlier in the week I did complete an essay…. so I’m not ALL bad.

I am doing two history and film modules so there is a lot of viewing material I need to get through (Ben Hur is currently on in the back ground…have not been paying attention at all so I fear I may have to restart it), however watching films never really feels like revision and I do feel like more than a bit of a revision failure. However I did do some PROPER revision today and although it took ages it felt good, I actually feel like I might know what I’m doing in an exam for once… (saying this I will probably fail it now….)

Lucy xx

The time between rushing to get my application in on time and getting on a plane to go overseas for the first time seemed both to drag and to fly past.

To start from the beginning, my name is Rebecca Knott, I have just finished a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice at Flinders University, and I am currently sitting in San Francisco undertaking a 6 week internship at a law firm specialising in Entertainment Law (and I’ve been here for 2.5 weeks now, so we have a bit of catching up to do!)

I’ve wanted to be involved in copyright and trademark law in the music and film industries for most of my degree, but there aren’t many opportunities to be involved in that area in Australia… and especially in Adelaide! A lecturer once told me to be prepared to travel overseas or at least interstate to pursue this area, so when I saw the email about Internships in San Francisco I decided I had to give it a shot – even though I only had two days until the closing date!

The next two days, with support and encouragement from some wonderful friends when I decided it was all too hard to do in the time I had, saw me rush together the best application I could while preparing for exams, and I sat back and hoped for the best. The next few weeks were interviews, exams, I got a job, and I had to change my resume to the US format which is VERY different. Add to that the fact that I had never been overseas before, and didn’t even have a passport, and the next couple of months were shaping up to be very exciting, and very stressful!!!

They didn’t disappoint – I finished the last of my exams and an intensive subject, completing my degree which was exciting enough in itself, and then started the countdown to take-off!!! Finally the day arrived, though at the time – leaving home at 4am – I wondered why I thought a 6am flight out of Adelaide was a good idea!! The longest flight I’d been on up until this day had been from Brisbane to Perth, and it had been the longest 5.5 hours of my life!!

I had quite a few change-overs to break up the trip, first flying from Adelaide to Melbourne, then Melbourne to Los Angeles, then finally Los Angeles to San Francisco, where it was still only 11am on the day I left!
When I got to the airport I was met by the program co-ordinator, Devon, who had answered our endless emails full of questions and worries for the last few months. This was a bit of a surprise, but a very welcome one after arriving in a strange city on the other side of the world.

My first day was spent getting settled in, getting a US sim card (because you wouldn’t BELIEVE how much International Roaming was going to cost…) and trying to stay awake so I wouldn’t suffer jet lag too badly.
The accommodation is furnished apartments, so it’s like a home away from home. I share my room with an intern and there is a Turkish couple in the other room who are studying English. At first I didn’t know how we were going to understand each other, but they made me so welcome on my first night, including me in their get-together they were having with friends (who were from France, Venezuela and Brazil and also only just learning English!!) introducing me to people, cooking me dinner and sitting around laughing with a glass of wine.

It certainly wasn’t what I expected from my first night in a new country, but between being settled in by Devon and welcomed by my housemates I honestly couldn’t have been happier or made to feel more welcome or comfortable!

Happy Spring Festival everyone! Sorry for not writing the blog for sometime cos I was been busy preparing for the Spring Festival and been away for a while. Thanks for all the comments on my blog and for all the friends who keep contact with me☺. I wanna to write how my Spring Festival was in this entry.

Spring Festival is the biggest traditional festival in China and family members get together. Traditionally, we will go to our father’s hometown for the Spring Festival eve.

This trip made me see the big difference between rural and urban areas in China and the rich culture and language in China. Because my father’s village is in southeast part of China, they have different accent which is quite difficult for me to understand and the food they eat is quite different, it took me a while to get used to it. The climate is quite wet in southern part of China while in my home, it is quite dry. It was a pity that I was sick in the Spring Festival eve which is quite important during the whole Spring Festival. And the electronic power had some problems, so I did not watch the Spring Festival gala well on TV. Many people say that it is the best gala. Happily I was fine when I left my father’s village.

The advantage of this rural area is that the scenery and the air is quite nice and clean. The thing in China is the places that have nice scenery usually really poor and the hygiene situation is not that good. The place that is really polluted is usually quite rich.

One day after I came back to my home, me and my parents went to Lang Fang which is a place near Beijing where my mom’s family live. I like to spend time with them cos they brought me up. I was planning to go to science and technology museum in Beijing with my cousin, but unfortunately, he was sick, but I went there with my other family members. It is quite funny that me and my cousin usually get sick together, haha! I saw one of my father’s cousin who I did not see for a long time in Beijing☺ then I had some rest cos I was quite tired when I came back from the museum. The museum is so big and we only saw part of it, am planning to go to Beijing again before I came back to NZ at the end of this month. The place I most wanna to go is the Forbidden City cos I am quite interested in history.

Spring Festival is not over yet, Lantern Festival is next Monday, I am quite looking forward to it cos I wanna to see Lantern Festival gala on TV and fireworks outside, haha! This Spring Festival is quite important to me cos this might be my last Spring Festival if I can get a job in New Zealand.

L. M. Montgomery’s character Anne Shirley, the protagonist of her Anne of Green Gables Series, says the following about friendships, “Kindred Spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It is splendid to find out that there are so many of them in the world.”

It’s no mystery as to why I found myself reading the above quote again and again before I came to Ireland; I was nervous about the prospect of making new friends at a new university, and the idea that I had many more “Kindred Spirits” to discover once I arrived at the University of Limerick was a comforting one. It turns out that Anne was right, “Kindred Spirits” are not scarce, and I found many of mine during my first couple weeks of classes here at UL.

This being said, I know that repeating a simple quote over and over again to gain that extra boost of confidence doesn’t work for everyone. I also know that, no matter what, everyone gets nervous about making new friends (especially when trying to adapt to a new environment at the same time). So I figured that it would be helpful to all of you readers to make an informative, albeit a little humorous, list of my personal “dos and don’ts” of friend-making. Read on, and enjoy!

DO…strike up conversations with new people.
DON’T…interrupt conversations in order to join them.
Why I live by this rule: Have any of you ever been in a really great conversation with your friends and had a random person barge into the conversation saying something along the lines of, “Oh my gosh, that is so funny!” ~or~ “I know exactly what you mean!” ~or~ “That’s great, but do you want to hear something even better?” when they literally just walked up to the group five seconds before? If you have been in this situation, you know it’s ridiculously annoying. If you haven’t, just take my word for it. If you want to break into a group having a conversation, politely walk over, listen for a few seconds, and when you find a natural break in the conversation, courteously ask them to excuse the interruption and introduce yourself. This way, you’re the “polite, nice new person” not the “incredibly annoying newbie”. See the difference? Also, as a rule, if you find yourself in a conversation with a topic that you know little about, don’t pretend to know everything. People would rather you ask them to explain something to you than have you pretend to know what they’re talking about. And, if you think about it, it’s a win, win for you, the new person, because you save yourself the embarrassment of looking dumb AND you learn something new. Way to be!

DO…find people with common interests to your own.
DON’T…latch on to people like a barnacle.
Why I live by this rule: It’s important to find people that you can relate to and connect with, and often times you’ll find them in the most unexpected of places or when you’re just casually introducing yourself to everyone. However, if you are having trouble making friends, the absolute worst thing you can do it latch yourself on to a group of people that you share no connection with just because you are lonely or discouraged. Don’t fret! You’ll find friends that are right for you, and if you’re struggling, joining a club, society, or group always helps!

DO…party like a rock star!
DON’T… literally party like a rock star.
Why I live by this rule: There’s a big difference between going out for a few drinks and having a great time, and going out for a few drinks and letting those “drinks” make your decisions for you. I’m not here to preach to anyone, I go out for drinks with my friends as much as any other college student, but I do know the difference between safe fun and “just plain stupid” fun. Falling over and twisting your ankle because you’re disoriented…isn’t fun. Drunk texting the people in your phone terribly embarrassing things…isn’t fun (the next day). Is any of this going to help you make new friends? No. Will I admit that I know some of this stuff from experience? Yes. Do I also know that you can go out for drinks with friends (new and old), not get annihilated, and still have fun? YES. Please heed my advice; your liver and your B.M.I. will both thank me later.

DO…sign up for fun excursions and trips while abroad!
DON’T…neglect your studies in favor of too many trips.
Why I live by this rule: Exploring a new place can be exciting, informative, and rewarding. Trips while abroad also tend to be “hot spots” for meeting new people and making new friends. However, going on trips every week/weekend without keeping up with a) school b) sleep and c) eating habits is a bad plan. Remember that study abroad contains the word “study” in it. As abroad students we all undertake the challenge of having to balance what we want to do and what we need to do, and in order to go on those trips we “want” to take, we “need” a good routine. I am a huge culprit of the “substituting fun for sleep and food” error, and I can tell you that all it leads to is a) a cold b) the flu c) bronchitis…I could keep going but I may seem redundant. Long story short, take advantage of the trips offered to you, but don’t let those trips take advantage of you. If you do, you’ll be home sick and the only friend you’ll want around will be Vicks Vapor Rub.

And finally…

DO…show your true self to others.
DON’T…flaunt your true self for others.
Why I live by this rule: It’s simple. If you want to make truly good friends, you have to be yourself. I know this sounds incredibly cliché, but if the friends you make are actually making friends with the person you’re pretending to be, then they aren’t your real friends. Everyone has their own talents, gifts, and qualities that are unique for a reason. You are not “you” so you can make yourself into what everyone else is. And while I’m on the subject of everyone’s unique talents and such, I will give you this warning. Letting your true self shine is great…showing off is just as uncool, unattractive, and lame as it was when we were in kindergarten and grade school. If you want people to appreciate your talents, it’s best not to throw them in said people’s faces. Trust me, no one likes that…at all. Be modest, kind, and YOURSELF and you’ll be sure to meet the best friends for you.

I hope these tips have helped you a little bit, and maybe eased some of the nervousness any of you may have about making friends while abroad. Remember, everyone is worried about being the “new person” in an unknown place. Don’t let your doubts get to you, and never forget that “Kindred Spirits” are not as scarce as you or I may think they are.

It has been very interesting since I arrived here from Australia nearly two weeks ago. I feel like I have adapted very quickly, and my other friends who are doing internships here as well have been a wonderful asset! We have helped each other settle in.

When I arrived the first things I did were get a US adapter for my phone, purchase a new phone for use in the US, get some basic food supplies and unpack my suitcase. Since then, I have adapted to the transport system here, called the BART or Bay Area Rapid Transport system. The ticketing system for the trains reminds me a little of Melbourne’s MYKI ticketing system, where you have to prepay your fare. The trains are very fast here, and it takes me about half an hour to travel from North Berkeley to the city for work.

I usually wake up at 6.30am and start walking to the North Berkeley BART station at 7.30am to catch the 8am train into the city. I then have about half an hour to walk to work from there and get a coffee. The city of San Francisco considered to be “the industrial city” and has a lot of skyscrapers, like the Trans-America Pyramid. This is the tallest building in San Francisco, which stands at 260m high.

The first day at work at Wileys Publishing House, I got very confused with directions, even though I had a map of the city. I asked a taxi driver if he could drive me to the address. He laughed and said “it’s just across the street!” I went in the direction that he told me to go, and still couldn’t find it! Finally, after wandering into some random building, a security guy helped me to find it. I took the lift to the 11th floor where I met my manager and other colleagues. They were all very excited to have me there, as they said they had been flooded with work recently. My manager told me that they had moved into the new building about six months ago and were still sorting some things out. I was shown my office cubicle, where they had set up a laptop for me, with my name at the front of the cubicle. The nicest surprise was a sign that said “Welcome Angela!!” in the cubicle.

Berkeley is a nice, quiet and pleasant area. The university is not far from where I am staying in a townhouse with two other students. The other student I share a room with, Sarah, is also doing the internship program.

I have found people in San Francisco to be friendly, helpful and polite. Sales assistants in stores are always happy to help you, and one phrase they use a lot is “you’re welcome” when you say thank you.

A week and a half into my trip to San Francisco the San Francisco 49ers were playing against the New York Giants in a finals playoff game before the Superbowl, and a group of my Australian friends and I went to a city sports bar to watch game. It got very loud with people chanting and cheering. A girl near us would yell out every so often, “Whose got it better than us?” and the whole place would chime back, “Nobody!”. The whole bar would then start clapping and chanting, “Let’s go, Niners!”

Despite the 49ers losing the match by three points, the crowd seemed to be quite amiable about it. In two weeks the Superbowl will start and that will probably see this sports-mad city even crazier than this game I saw at the sports bar! I have noticed a major difference between Adelaide and San Francisco: I thought Australians were sports-mad, but then I came here and found out that Americans are even bigger sports nuts!

“Almost everyone I know from the College of Commerce balances college with part-time jobs or internships.”

People always mention the importance of work-life balance, but students often struggle to find balance in an extended version of that equation. I have been doing an internship for the past six months while still attending DePaul full-time, and find it a great experience. One of the first things that surprised me when I arrived to DePaul was seeing how engaged my peers were not only with their education but also with their professional lives. Almost everyone I know from the College of Commerce balances college with part-time jobs or internships. Some do it because they need the extra income to pay the bills while others do it mainly to gain experience, but either way DePaul does a great job at facilitating this combination for its students.

Resume? What resume?
In Colombia, the general view on college life only involves going to classes. Had I stayed there, I probably would not have thought of getting work experience until after graduation, or during a fifth year in college. I worried when I went to my first accounting class and the professor invited us to go to a recruiting event, recommending we bring our resumes. “Resume?” I thought, “This is just my first year, what am I supposed to put in there?” Well, with some help from DePaul’s Career Center I learnt more about some resume builders and ways to get involved on campus and catch up on all this internship and recruiting world.

The best decision I took then was to join DePaul’s MAHA (Midwest Association of Hispanic Accountants). Through MAHA I met more people that were on the same page as me, and I became more familiarised with the expectations of my major. I also had a lot of fun and made new friends by participating in their social outings and fundraisers. By the end of my freshman year, I had obtained a Leadership Certificate through a series of DePaul workshops, joined the Student Finance Association, participated in a service trip, attended recruiting dinners and corporate events, and interviewed for summer programs. That blank piece of paper I had at the beginning of the year was starting to look like a resume. More importantly, through those experiences I had grown personally and felt much more prepared to start facing the professional world.

Network and network some more
Thanks to those efforts, during the summer I participated in Deloitte’s Leadership Program and PwC’s Expedition Conference (Deloitte and PwC are two of the biggest accounting firms in the U.S). I was also invited by MAHA to go to the ALPFA (Association for Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting) Convention in Anaheim, California. There, I got to fulfill one of my life’s dreams by going to Disneyland- so far I had only been to Disneyworld in Orlando.

The real benefit came from networking with students and professionals in different industries from all over the country; definitely not something I can do every day. Also, by submitting my resume ahead of time I had the chance to interview with different firms on-site at the convention. I interviewed with JP Morgan representatives from New York, which led to more interviews with other representatives once I returned to Chicago, and finally concluded in an offer to join the bank for a year-long academic internship which I have been doing since last September.

As you can see, every step I took led me to the next, and opportunities presented themselves where I least expected them. In this past year I realised that college is the moment where smallest the decisions can have the biggest impact in your life, and I have come to carefully evaluate every choice I make. If you want to know about the other lessons I have learnt since I started working at JP Morgan, and how I balance that experience with school life, please read my next post! Hope all you have a fantastic week…

2012 has arrived. Chicago has officially entered winter with the first snowstorm showers of the year. Everything flows in the order of nature, except for me. One of my New Year resolutions is to conquer my fear in height. Skydiving, bungee jumping, or riding in a roller coaster are way too extreme for me. I might get scared to death before I turn into a fearless super being.

Thanks to DePaul’s amazing campus recreations programs we are offered with various activities and outdoor adventures to challenge ourselves and add some colors to our intense academy life. Out of those fun outdoor workshops like hiking, caving, skiing and skydiving I find rock climbing to be the most wonderful challenge to accept this year. It is the perfect activity for me to conquer my acrophobia, build strength and stamina and release stress and most importantly…lose weight at the same time! Rock climbing has to be the perfect activity for everyone especially students.

With that in mind, I’ve been doing something against my nature since last week. Oh dear, rock climbing is hard! It requires so many skills and courage which I totally lack. Yet, I am addicted to it somewhat after my first trial. I failed, and I know I will be continually failing at reaching a higher point until a long, long time, say 2 months later? But it won’t keep me staying away from it. It is challenging and taking on the challenge can be very rewarding. I look forward to the fun and joy it will bring me in this brand new year. And I look forward more to learn about your new year’s excitement(s)!

Climb on, everyone!

I spent the first few hours of 2012 in Nottingham, England with my friend Alice (who gave me a home away from home during the holidays), her boyfriend Matt, and their friends. Until this year, I had never spent the holidays away from home, and the prospect was equal parts daunting and exciting. To make an incredibly long story short, I needn’t have worried at all as I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve with Alice and her family. Plus, what aspiring writer, such as yours truly, wouldn’t be thrilled to spend the holidays in Dickens’ home country?

Now that you know my “setting” for this past “New Year 2012” it’s only fair that I come clean about my usual lack of New Year’s Resolutions. That’s right I, graduate student and aspiring author Caela Provost, have never put much stock in the effectiveness or success of New Year’s Resolutions. This is especially odd as I am, in general, a very optimistic person and rarely cynical. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea behind the tradition, but I’ve always seen it as:

A) an excuse for people all around the world to buy gym memberships to make themselves feel good, and then actually go to the gym for just one week before getting frustrated and giving up.
*Side note #1: Props to the gyms for getting a lot of business, AND to all those people who don’t give up after just a week!*

B) a reason for people to set ridiculous goals for themselves and then later fall into bouts of despair and melancholy assuming that they’re failures just because they were unsuccessful in their attempt to become (insert outrageous resolution) before the end of the year. For example, a good resolution for me would be “I want to get into better shape,” where an outrageous resolution would be “I want to be a size 4.” I am 5’8’’ and, with my frame, if I were a size 4 I would look like a skeleton.
*Side note #2: You ARE NOT failures if you don’t accomplish all your resolutions and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.*

C) a means of justification for people who usually do nothing with their lives to feel great about making a list, thus actually doing something for a change, even if all they do is make a list and later brag about it making others feel badly about themselves.
*Side Note #3: Individuals in this category are few, but they do exist…ten bucks says you all know at least one.*

So now you all know the truth about my feelings concerning the ever popular New Year’s Resolutions. This being said, I am not one of those people who doesn’t like to set goals for myself, and I encourage all of you to set goals for your lives too. I actually give myself daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and even longer term goals I just don’t put excess stress on myself by putting a label on these goals. However, just because I love you all so much, I will give you a list of my “would be” resolutions. Enjoy.

I, Caela Provost, being of sound mind and body do hereby make the following resolutions for this the year 2012:

1) Graduate with Honors from the University of Limerick’s MA in English Program.
2) Stay happy and healthy!
3) Start eating more vegetables (please).
4) Write a stellar MA in English Thesis!
5) Find, and apply for, as many writing/editing/English jobs as possible, without letting the economy discourage me.
6) Cut back on the coffee so I may have a fighting chance of going to bed at a decent hour.
7) Send my Young Adult Novel to an agent that fits my writing.

Okay…so maybe New Year’s Resolutions aren’t THAT bad…Happy New Year, everyone, and thanks for reading!

Since my last post I have not done much on my to-do list however I have managed to actually create lists of things I need to get through for revision. I have also looked through some past exam papers. Everything now seems much more manageable (well the exam revision does anyway, I’m still working on organising the dissertation and planning my essay…)

I have also managed to sort out my baggage being upgraded from 20KG to 30KG which although is certainly not enough, is much more acceptable in my eyes. I might actually be able to bring more than two pairs of shoes now. So that is something else I have achieved!

Tomorrow/tonight, if I don’t fall asleep first… which is quite likely to happen before 12pm (my mum is already snoozing on the sofa), I will be watching some DVDs for university and then do some reading on said films. I’m hoping that will kick start my revision (I am feeling more organised by the second).

I am also VERY excited for next week, two of my best best friends will be visiting me in London; I want to get some work done before then so I don’t feel too guilty about spending all my time drinking, laughing and messing around. So after that I will have many more interesting things to tell you all.

Anyway I hope everybody had a wonderful holiday season and an amazing NYE. We are well and truly into 2012 now!

Lucy

PS Total solar eclipse…These don’t happen too often and this one should be spectacular. The bad news? You’ll need to fly to Australia to see this wonder of the natural world in all its glory. A total solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, will take place on 13 or 14 November, depending on where you are in the world. It sounds like the place to be will be Cairns, which will experience two minutes of totality just an hour after daybreak. Let’s be honest though: this will be a television event for nearly all of us. Just saying….

PPS My photo is a favourite pic of mine from over Christmas period. The eye patch and hat both came in a cracker, it was a bit strange but I liked to think I worked the look.

You may find it nearly impossible to sit in a cafe drinking tea and playing a board game for five hours straight non-stop, while still enjoying every minute of it, but I am here to prove you wrong!

My friend and I decided to meet at a cafe before she left for Istanbul permanently. While talking and talking, she ended up saying, “Why are we not playing tavla?” I said “I have no clue, but I think we should start.” So that was the start. Normally you play until one person wins five times, but we happened to never count, and we must have played over twenty games. After we realized how much time we had spent playing and talking about life, we decided to play until one person reached five.

Backgammon, or Tavla in Turkish is a game that is associated with the leaders and aristocracy of the ancient civilizations. Many variations being passed from Persia, Greece, and Rome, then moving over to the Asian areas, it made its move to the US in about the 1930′s where the rules were formalised and practiced today worldwide.

Backgammon is a widely played game by many Turkish people, older men in particular. In fact they have many cafes where only men are typically allowed in (socially, not legally), where they will sit there, hunched over, drinking tea and playing for hours. I always find it funny when walking past these cafes, where it’s quiet and there are low mumblings and words about life and such.

It’s not a game like checkers or chess. In those games you can ponder your opponents next move. However, in tavla (Backgammon) your moves depend purely on the luck of your dice roll. This makes it less stressing in the fact that you don’t have to think about your opponents next move, but makes it stressful when deciding whether to leave your pieces open in fear of being broken.

I have been playing for quite some time now, and it’s a really fun game. Thinking fast and moving the checker pieces rapidly is what makes the game entertaining. The sound of the dice rolling and the sound when you slam a piece down and breaking someone like you had just won a football match.

So go ahead, let the time pass, enjoy a few glasses of tea, strike up a conversation, all while playing a mad game of tavla.

How to play Backgammon (tavla):
Play Some Backgammon!

33 days, 20 hours, 12 minutes, 58 seconds is the amount time until I leave for Australia, about 38,732 minutes. Does that sound like a lot to you, because it definitely doesn’t to me…

Maybe I should explain my plans a bit more (for anyone who doesn’t know…). I am currently in the first half of my third year at the University of Leicester, studying ancient history and history. However, soon I am jet-setting across the globe to Adelaide, Australia to spend a year there studying at Flinders University (I am completing the last half of my ‘third’ year in February 2013).

I have created this blog to keep people I know updated on the goings-on in my life whilst away (as inevitably I will be rubbish at keeping in contact no matter what I promise), but also so people can try and see what it really is to go abroad alone. I will try and update this as much as possible, but you are warned I am crap at this sort-a-thing!

OK, so now it’s only 33 days, 20 hours, 7 minutes, 14 seconds until I leave and with every second I am growing more and more worried/scared/excited/anxious and things are becoming more real. My flights are of course booked, my visa has been sorted out obviously, I have been covered by the universities insurance, I have been accepted for my accommodation, I actually have a little money in the bank now… However, I still feel so ill prepared.

I am actually travelling to Singapore for three days and two nights (by myself) and to Melbourne for a week (by myself), and I am beginning to think that this was an awful idea. Although I have been travelling before (with my friend Sophie for two months around south-east Asia), everything seems really new and daunting. I have no idea where I will be staying, what I will be doing for these ten days (so if anyone has any ideas PLEASE let me know!). And on top of these anxieties over the holidays (which I am already a week and a half in to) I have an essay, two exams and a dissertation I need to sort out (naturally have not started any of these), plus working a job (as I am poor and want to afford to have fun in Oz) and seeing my friends (for what could be the last time in a year!). I also have to sort out all my medical records and ensure I can get all the medications I need prescribed to me. Needless to say I am a nervous wreck, but not many people know it. I am like a swan… no, more like a duck…. composed on top but struggling underneath to keep everything going and paddling for my life.

But today is the day things change… (I hope). I am going to make a revision time table/tick list of all the things I need to ensure I look at (if my printer ever decides to work again). I have also had a massive clear out and have thrown away about half my wardrobe so I can begin tidying up my room and finding everything I need to pack for Oz (I found my Hollister hoodie and a top which have been been missing for months – WHOOP!) , I am also going out to see some of my beautiful friends tonight and have a good time before my stress levels hit the roof, I have picked up my prescription of medicine I need to take with me and I will also begin making a comprehensible folder of all the ‘important’ documents and information I need to take with me abroad.

This is only the beginning of sorting out my life/degree, however, I think I need to think of things in little chunks so I can handle it all, the big picture at the moment is just TOO big for me!

Anyway, if anyone wants to help me organise my life or be my personal assistant please speak up now, if not, please wish me luck! I will post before I leave to give everyone details on how everything is going!

Lucy

P.S.

It’s only 33 days, 19 hours, 46 minutes, 10 seconds now….

Hey, guys! Happy New Year! I do hope you guys had a wonderful week this week as a good start for this year. We had more snow this week and in China, we say if we have snow at the beginning of the year, we will have a wonderful year this whole year; hopefully it will be true. The temperature did drop quite dramatically after the snow as it always does. Today is Xiao Han, another festival according to the Chinese lunar calendar which means the coldest days will come soon. And we can see this from the direction of wind today as well. Anyway, I want to write about what happened this week in this blog entry.

I watched the CCTV New Year gala on New Years Eve. This is the first time that CCTV had the gala like that, it was pretty awesome; I think it is much better than the Chinese Spring Festival gala every year on Spring Festival Eve. I saw lots of famous people from all over the world. Then from the 1st of January, a really exciting TV series began, with lots of interesting magic in it; I like magic so much. This is the first TV series like that – I think the director spent four years working on it because all the actors in it are taught by many famous magicians.

Anyway, I did not wait up until midnight on New Year Eve cos I wanted to go to a science museum in a nearby city the next day, it was quite nice as well. It is a province scale one. I am planning to go to the one in Beijing before I go back to New Zealand. I heard that it has changed a lot since my last visit several years ago, haha! I learnt a lot in the museum. Most of the stuff is about physics – although I am not good at it, I am happy to learn more about it . I also watched a 4-D film about an oil field, which was quite good, but a little bit scary though because everything seemed to be too near, I do not have some coverage to see some shots in it.

The most interesting thing in the museum is the static. When people touch it, their hair will stick up and in China we say if one’s hairs are up, it means they are getting angry about something. Because it is something to do with electricity, lots of people do not dare to do it, so when I did it, there were lots of cameras on me, haha! I was like a star at that moment.

Time is passing so quickly. Spring Festival is coming so soon! I am looking forward to seeing lots of exciting shows and fireworks, haha! Maybe we are gonna travel somewhere for Spring Festival as well, haha! I will be excited if we do that. It is actually a good idea because people usually do not go outside in the Spring Festival, so it will be good time to do traveling, we will see . But bye for now, take care and good luck guys!

We spoke to Chris Jaume, 25, who is currently completing his Part 2 Architectural Assistant placement as part of his journey to becoming a fully-qualified architect in the UK

Chris, originally from southeast England, studied his Part 1 at Newcastle University and then went on to complete a year of professional practice. He has recently finished his two years of Part 2 study and is now in a final year of practice, after which he will take the Part 3 exam in order to register as a qualified architect with ARB (Architects Registration Board) and to become a member of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects). We asked him about his study and career so far…

Why did you choose to study architecture?
Originally I chose it because it’s a very creative profession, plus the fact that you could have something that you’ve designed realised in real life. As time progressed, I began to be intrigued by how buildings could affect the way we live, our mood and behaviour. We spend most of our lives in buildings – through architecture you can influence the way people live their lives for the better.

Also, the building industry has the ability to influence 47% of the UK’s total CO2 emissions, so you have the opportunity to reduce negative impacts upon the environment through design.

Why did you choose the particular universities you went to?
Both of them were in the top ten in the country for architecture, so that was the key thing. No matter how good the city was, I wouldn’t have gone there if the university had a poor course reputation. I chose Newcastle because it was somewhere completely new to me – it threw me out of my comfort zone. It was very far from home; you couldn’t just nip home on the weekend – so it forced you to throw yourself into university life. It was a chance to experience a contrast in people and lifestyle. Also, I’d heard so many people say brilliant things about Newcastle and what a great city it was before I went there.

Manchester, again, was one of the best in the country [for architecture], and was located close to Leeds, where my girlfriend was studying for her PhD. The course structure also appealed, with the studio units taught in a very different way to Newcastle. Choosing to study in Manchester was yet another opportunity to explore a great new city and way of life.

What skills did you learn during your study?
During my undergraduate degree, I learnt a huge range of skills, from technical drawing and construction skills – you need to know how things go together on site – through to conceptual and creative skills. We were set various buildings to design, each with a loose brief, and had to present our ideas as they progressed to the rest of the year – verbal and graphic presentation skills were key!

How did Part 1 and Part 2 study differ?
The first part was much more creative, with life drawing classes, sculpture making, there was a bit of fashion involved – you had to make an outfit and parade down a fashion walk in front of the whole year. It was fun but hard work.

The second part is more enjoyable, and more intense. Your knowledge increases tenfold, as everyone there now knows they’re in it for the long haul, and not just tentatively seeing what career they might like to take. You have to drive yourself a lot more – there are no tutors saying ‘you have to do this, you have to do that’, they just give you a brief (often several at once) and a set of deadlines, then check on you every week or so, so you really have to be on top of it.

Do you have to have done design before you start an architecture degree?
It depends, some courses are more technical based, but some are more creative, like Newcastle. But it definitely helps. If you go into architecture with no design beforehand, you’re going to struggle.

How did your Part 1 work placement develop your skills?
One of the main things, I guess, is that you finally begin to know what an architect actually does; only 10% of it is design, the other 90% of it is admin, ringing people and having meetings. If you get through that year seeing the nitty-gritty of it, then you know whether or not it is what you want to continue with.

So, what’s next?
After this year of practice, I have to take a two-day exam and produce a long document detailing all my architectural experience to date. Throughout your time in practice, you have to fill out logbooks every three months, detailing every hour you’ve spent on a project, what you’ve learnt and what you hope to learn in the following months. Then from January through to September, the RIBA will start sending me through information packs which outline topics I need to understand, and suggest what I should be reading – there’s a lot to learn. When you qualify, you gain the right to call yourself an architect, so they’ve got to make sure that you are not only capable but an asset to the profession.

What do you do on a day-to-day basis in your job?
To be qualified, you have to see a project through from start to finish to show your competence, so I’ve just started on that. I’m redesigning the front entrances to 58 apartments on a housing estate in Manchester, which entails designing of the stairways, entrances and yards to the front.

So, I’m doing some design work on AutoCAD (a computer aided design package) at the moment. Also, as I’m in charge of this project, I have to make sure it adheres to all the regulations, so again there’s lots of meetings, lots of phone calls with the council and all sorts. Because I’m still an assistant, there’s still a lot of admin – I spent the whole of yesterday printing and folding drawings!

How did you find this job?
At our postgraduate degree show, some directors from Manchester practices came and viewed our studio’s work with our tutor – like a private viewing – and a few of us were selected and asked to apply to certain jobs. I did job hunt in Leeds, but there were no vacancies at any of the 127 practices I rung (that was a fun two days!) Then I got two or three ‘we recommend you apply here’ emails, so it was all fairly straightforward really.

Is that a normal thing to happen?
Yeah, if you’ve worked hard over the two years and produced some good work, the tutor knows you’re a suitable candidate for a Part 2 position. The university is intertwined with professional practice, so a lot of jobs are got like that. I still had to have a two-hour interview though!

What do you most and least enjoy about your job?
Admin is tedious – filing, printing and posting letters is pretty boring. But the best side of it is the design stage, followed by seeing your work realised on site; you see the foundations go in and you see stuff come off the ground. Also the atmosphere in the office – we have music on, we can have a chat, we do the crossword at lunch. It has an informal studio atmosphere, rather than an uptight ‘I’m sitting in an office at my desk’ one.

Is that common in architectural practices?
In small to medium [sized] practices, that’s common, but when you get into the big companies it can get more corporate.

What are the highlights of your study and career so far?
I would say the Edible Pavilion project in Manchester. Tom Petch, from the Manchester School of Architecture, and myself built a pavilion out of recycled timber on a nearby allotment site (see www.citygrowing.org). We first designed a new community growing site on a disused plot, for the use of plot holders and a neighbouring school. Next, we recruited a team of fifteen undergraduate students to help design and build the pavilion on the new site. We got the students designing facade panels, which they then assembled from scrap materials, and planted with edible herbs and flowers. So far, that was probably the most enjoyable project, as it was ours from start to finish; we got funding from the council and our studio unit, and we got it built.

How did you end up doing that?
It was in our fifth year at university, during the School of Architecture’s Event Month – in pairs you had to pitch a written project proposal to the first and second years [students], and they chose which one they wanted to get involved in, so that’s how you get your team of people. You have a month to get it all together from start to finish, so it’s quite intense. It was linked to the urban agriculture theme I was exploring within my studies, so it was a way of testing out some of those ideas I’d been playing with and seeing if they actually worked.

What do you think are the most important skills to succeed in architecture?
You’ve got to be creative and be able to think in 2D and 3D, in your head and down on paper as well – there’s not always a computer on hand! It’s a mixed bag – you need to be very meticulous and logical with what you do, but at the same time, you need a side to you that’s messy, hectic and allows you to throw yourself into creative exploits that aren’t necessarily within your comfort zone.

What difficulties have you faced during your study?
The long hours and the expense; it is expensive due to model making, books and field trips. Over the two unis I’ve been on two overseas trips, one to Paris and one to Brussels, both of which you’re strongly advised to go on. And you need a good computer to be able to run the design programmes, so that’s an added expense.

What advice do you have for students wanting to study architecture?
First of all, they should be prepared for a low income when they graduate. You don’t make a lot of money out of it, not until later. It’s not as well-paid as everyone thinks – not for the hours you do.

Secondly, be prepared to work hard and play hard. It’s a very social career and very social at university – you form a very close-knit group of people simply through being in the studio all day. Also, get experience whenever you can, like on a construction site, or in an office, and read books, visit buildings – just really throw yourself into it.

What are your plans for the future?
I intend to continue exploring the possibilities architecture and urban agriculture can offer by getting involved with as many projects as I can, collaborating with the contacts I have made over the last two years in Manchester. After I qualify, I would definitely like to experience working abroad for a while, before hopefully(!) setting up my own practice.

At the point of writing, it’s just three more days to 2012 and Christmas Day has come and gone. I have been home for a month now and have been enjoying every minute of my summer holidays!

Among all the things I have done in the last couple of weeks – I had been to Hong Kong for a family vacation, caught up with numerous friends, celebrated Christmas with my loved ones, and made a trip down to the newly opened Universal Studios Singapore theme park (quoting McDonald’s – “I’m Loving It!”)

The week-long trip to Hong Kong was the first overseas trip that my family and I made together. Different working schedules and priorities have prevented previous travel plans and we were all elated to be able to finally get on a family vacation together. Needless to say, we had a BLAST.

I have been to Hong Kong several times and I still love the country. The colours, lights, energy, activity, nightlife, smells, culture and delicious food are unparalleled. If you think that Singapore is already a crowded and busy enough city, Hong Kong will knock you off your balance as it is literally overflowing with activities 24/7. We were out and about on the streets even past midnight, indulging in hot sweet dessert soups by the street in the chilly winter night, teasing our senses with colourful neon lights billboards that hung overhead, smells of food from the late-night eateries, and bustle of the crowds that thronged the streets.

We were lucky to have been in the country during the festive period of Christmas, and with the Lunar New Year (a MAJOR festival celebrated by the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese) just around the corner, the atmosphere were almost intoxicating. In addition, I managed to get a day away to meet up with a friend, a Hong Konger, whom I have made during my studies at Flinders University. She brought me around Causeway Bay and we went to THREE different restaurants on the pretext of lunch – the foods were not to be missed.

During our stay in Hong Kong, we also popped by Macau for a day trip, which is just an hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. Macau is well-known as Asia’s Vegas, with dozens of elaborate casinos enticing tourists wanting to try their hands at the tables. Once colonised by the Portuguese, the amazing architecture of their older buildings, streets and food reflected the Portuguese influence. My Dad even stumbled into a local’s home while photographing the beautiful old streets and was invited in for a chat!

Back home, my cousins celebrated Christmas together with an amazing Christmas dinner and a ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange. Of course, I got the chance to meet up with various groups of friends to celebrate Christmas too. It’s always good to be home for the festive season.

On Boxing Day, I headed down to Universal Studios Singapore with some of my cousins and friends. The outing was highly anticipated as Universal Studios have just introduced a new ride in 3D – Transformers. In addition, there are rides like Battlestar Galactica, a rollercoaster ride that offered the option of “Human” (supposedly less scary and more humanely acceptable) and “Cylon” (think 360 degrees roller coaster rides that only robots can endure), that were highly praised. The weather was fantastic and we had the chance to try almost all the rides there despite the Boxing Day crowd that thronged the theme park that day. All of us had a really good time and if you guys have a chance to come to Singapore next time, Universal Studios Singapore is a must-go!

Enough of my ranting already. Hope that you too have an awesome and fun-filled summer holidays as I have had till now. Let’s live the last few days of 2011 to the fullest and welcome 2012 recharged, and all ready for the BRAND NEW YEAR! CHEERS MATES!

Best wishes to all,

JM.

Normally, I go back to Colombia as soon as my breaks start at DePaul. Chicago is a wonderful city, but I’m always eager to see my family and enjoy every moment I can spend with them. This winter break was different because I had an internship, so I had to stay in Chicago working a couple of weeks into my break. I decided to take this opportunity to visit one of my friends in St. Louis.

I had never taken the Amtrak trains in the USA, but I would recommend it to everyone who comes to visit; it’s a comfortable, easy way of transportation at an accessible price. I enjoyed those relaxing hours in the train, looking out of my window as a snow-covered Chicago slowly changed into beautiful view of St. Louis. I didn’t know what to expect, but I immediately realised the St. Louis skyline didn’t compare to Chicago’s. It’s a small city but my days there were full of fun activities.

On the first day, my friend and I decorated his family’s Christmas tree, went on a tour of the best Christmas lights around the city, and then spent hours at an outdoor skating rink. Next day, we went to the St. Louis Gateway Arch, where we almost witnessed a marriage proposal. The arch is a huge structure with windows at the top, from which visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. As we approached the arch, we saw a banner on the grounds with the phrase “Will you marry me?”. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the top, the banner and the hopefully now engaged couple were gone. Next in our agenda was a visit to St. Louis city museum, a place that didn’t seem like a museum at all. On the contrary, the building was like a giant playground with hidden entrances, tunnels, and slides. It was designed in such way that we had to climb and crawl through extremely tight spaces to move around. As part of its attractions, it also had a ten storey slide! It was like the place every child never knew that they always wanted, and I have to admit I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time.

Finally, my trip to St.Louis concluded with a visit to the Art Museum where I got to see the exhibit of Monet’s Water Lillies. I think I haven’t mentioned this before I did oil paintings when I was younger and since then have always had a passion for art. The centerpiece of the exhibit was called the Agaphantus, which consisted of three enormous paintings of seven by fourteen feet. The combination of the three canvases was breathtaking and it was the first time they were exhibited as Monet had intended; side by side in the same room. When we asked about the approximate value of the paintings, were surprised to discover that we were standing in front of a billion dollars.

With that ended my visit to St. Louis, and I am certainly glad I took the chance to travel there and enjoy all those new experiences. To any other explorers out there, I would recommend you stop by St. Louis sometime, as the people are very welcoming and I’m sure they’ll make your visit an enjoyable one. As for me, I think one of my new year’s resolutions will be to make the time to travel more, even if it’s just weekend trips. Happy New Year everyone!

Hey, everyone! It has been a while since I have written an entry, time has been passed so quickly, another year is about to pass, Christmas and new year is coming so soon! It is so cold outside nowadays, there is ice on the cars now and we need to warm the car and clean the ice on the window before driving. Sometimes my hands are freezing when I go outside!

Today is another small festival called Dongzhi (冬至) in China according to the lunar calendar and it is the first day of the following 81 days. Those 81 days are divided in 9 parts, which means 9 days in each part, the coldest days are the third to fourth parts. There is usually snow in those days, haha! I do not know much about this lunar calendar stuff, it is mainly for the farmers in rural areas. People in northern parts will eat dumplings today as a tradition. It is a pity that I do not know how to make dumplings, what I always do is to buy them from the supermarket.

Christmas is coming so soon! It is a pity that I never spent Christmas in New Zealand before because I always go back to China at Christmas time, I would love to spend one in the future, haha! But I am quite amazed to see lots of Christmassy stuff in China now; there are lots of Christmas decorations in shopping mall and schools. There will be some Christmas parties in hotels as well. With the increasing numbers of foreigners in China, more and more people know this festival and some young people regard it bigger than the Chinese New Year especially those who have been overseas like me, haha! Children will be happy on that day because they will receive gifts from their parents, haha! The decorations on the streets are quite similar to those in the streets in Wellington and Auckland.

For me, I brought some chocolate from Wellington and sent them to my young cousins, haha! They were quite happy to receive them, I always will buy some chocolate when I go back to china because I know children all love them and chocolates overseas are more tasty than those in China, haha! When I was young, if my parents’ friends or my teachers sent me some chocolate from overseas, I would be excited. And I am quite thankful for the Christmas gifts from my homestay mom and that Christmas dinner she cooked for me before I went back to China, haha! My family are so envious of me, but I would love to spend Christmas in New Zealand someday, haha!

Last but not least, Merry Christmas and happy New Year, everyone! I wish everybody happiness and good health next year!

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. It wakes everything up; your mind, your body, and your soul. Besides that, breakfast can de-stress. I find preparing and having breakfast mindfully provides similar benefits as yoga or exercise. They get you focused on something and bring your mind together. Pretty Zen! When you are feeling stressed over school, internship or work, try to wake up an hour early the next day and have a long, relaxing breakfast. Despite the fact that you just pulled an all-nighter, you still need to get up and conquer the world the next day anyway. Why not start the day with a great meal instead of rushing out of the house with a banana or toast in hand?

I suggest creating a night ritual that includes thinking of your favourite food before sleep. Scan through the favourite food list in your head and pick one as your breakfast tomorrow. The most popular breakfast items in my head are always breakfast burrito with fluffy scramble eggs filling (omg), some multigrain waffles with strawberries, honey and whipped cream (omg), pan-fried Korean Kimchi dumplings (ooohhmmmybuddha), spicy dry noodles salad with sesame oil (omg omg omg).

Alright, I need to stop right there. Yes, the night ritual will definitely be the best motivation for you to start tomorrow. But make sure you start the night ritual while you are in bed and almost ready to sleep, it is incredibly crucial. If you start choosing breakfast at 8pm, uh-oh, I bet you will end up sleeping at 8:05pm and waking up in the middle of night, feeling weird. At least, that is what always happens to me. Me, being impatient about the next-day breakfast and ends the night way too early than it should be.

Remember, the happiness of your day depends on a leisurely and mindfull breakfast! Mindfully is the key, prepare your omelet mindfully, sprinkle it with dash of salt and pepper mindfully, eat it mindfully, and live the rest of your day as mindfully as your breakfast moment.

Have a magical morning, everyone!

Hey, again! Time is passing so quickly, I can not believe it is almost a month since I arrived back in China and another year is about to pass! I want to write about my time with my family since I came back! I have really had lots of happy times with them.

I was crying when I met my Mom and my grandparents in Beijing airport when my plane landed! I did not want to cry, but I just could not help it, my eyes were filled with tears when I saw Beijing from the air. Then after a short rest, I had a wonderful lunch with my favorite cousin, his parents, my Mom and my grandparents. I was sad to see how busy studying my cousin is, like other Chinese kids. Much busier than I was when I was his age.

Then I went to traveling to Beijing with them as I wrote in my previous entry, it was really quite fun! I plan to travel to Beijing again after Chinese new year and before I go back to New Zealand. I’m really looking forward to it; Beijing is a place I have travelled to lots of times since I was three, but I never get bored with it because it has so many places to see. It is a city of modern and traditional – Forbidden City is my all time favourite.

After one week in Langfang which is a city quite near to Beijing and where my grandparents and my cousin live, I went back to my town with my Mom. We drove around five hours south to my town Dongying where my parents work. I saw my Daddy and he was quite happy to see me.

Then I spent some time with my other young cousins and their family as well. They are sooo cute, one of them is two years old and the other one is four. I like to be with little children. Since my parents have to work every day, I do most of the housework like cooking and cleaning. My Mom taught me how to drive sometime as well. I spent most of my time with my parents, we went shopping and to parks and stuff. Those times are the most happy times for me. Sometimes I will feel bored because, when my parents are working in weekdays, there is no one at home except me, haha! Sometimes my Mom will go back home a little bit earlier to spend more times with me.

I applied to a job at Shane English School and I will have my second interview soon, wish me luck, haha! I will have less time with my family if I do get the job, but I will try my best to spend as much time as I can with them in this summer holiday because I do not know how long can I stay back in China because I will be busy trying to graduate and find a suitable job.

Anyway, hope to see you soon and I do not check my comments for the blog often, so sorry if I reply to comments late.

Yet another quarter has come to an end and while most students at DePaul are getting cozied up on their couches, whether in Chicago or in their home town or countries, I chose to hang around in Chicago for a little longer this time. One of the things that I really like about my university is that it allows the option to take classes during winter break, spring break and summer break, whenever I should find it convenient. That is exactly what I decided to do this year, so I signed up for my December Global Human Resource Management class.

Although this past quarter has been one of the busiest quarters for me at DePaul University, between taking five classes and holding two on-campus job positions, I was still eager to try the concept of taking a December Intersession class this year. Last week I started the intense amount of readings that becomes an inevitable part of the class when you compress ten weeks into three weeks and only meet on Fridays and Saturdays. Nevertheless, I found it to be quite enjoyable to be able to focus all my energy and time on one specific topic, going in-depth and really learning about it, not having the topic compete with five others. Also, as the winter is slowly creeping up on us here in Chicago I have found the time to explore a variety of coffee shops around the city, enjoy the cold and the one snow fall we have had thus far here in Chicago, from inside.

As an international student, I really enjoy learning about how the US school system views and teaches on global topics, which is one of the reasons why I chose the Global Human Resource Management class. In addition, earlier this year I applied and interviewed to be a participant on one of DePaul’s International Business Seminars, and just recently heard back that I had gotten accepted to the Seminar and will be going to Japan in mid March next year. So stay tuned, as I will surely be blogging about what I think will be an experience of a lifetime.

However, before any of that can happen I will have to finish my December class this week. I have not been home for the Christmas (or Winter Holiday if you prefer) for two years now. Therefore, just as my class ends I will get on an airplane headed for Norway to see my family and friends for a few weeks. So, look out for a blog post from Norway soon.

Have a happy holiday and stay warm!

My cloth cross has been taken from my arm and sewn on my back; a palm leaf is being held aloft; my pilgrim’s purse has been tied. The pilgrimage is over.

I tried to make the most of short time in Israel. I visited Masada, a luxury fortress built by King Herod on top of a huge mesa and held by Jewish rebels against the Romans for years. Eventually, after an epic siege, the Romans broke in, but the Jews had all killed themselves as free men rather than live as slaves. I went to Ein Gedi, a beautiful valley in the desert, an oasis full of animals mentioned in the Song of Songs. I also floated in the salty water of the Dead Sea, 400 meters below sea level and the lowest point on earth. Across the water I could see the mountains of Jordan.

The First Crusaders walked down the coast to get to Jerusalem. By then most enemy nobles were happy to conclude treaties and let them pass, so there wasn’t much that happened there, but I thought I should follow the route for some extra scenic detail.

I went to Caesarea, again built by Herod, with a temple dedicated by Pontius Pilate and fortified by later Crusaders. The ruins of a hippodrome there are just one of the impressive things you can see.

After seeing Haifa from Mount Carmel I went up to Akko, once known as Acre. The First Crusaders passed it by but it became the last bastion of later Crusaders in the Holy Land. Richard the Lionheart executed most of its inhabitants during the Third Crusade. Acre has ruins from various eras as it juts out into the sea. There are extensive Crusader-built tunnels, hospitals, crypts (and Crusader toilets) and, with modern Akko being very mixed in population, the city has a feel all its own. There are old stone streets, sea air, bazaars selling sugar cane and Jordanian dates, and restaurants with some very good hummus. I also went to some caves made by the sea in bone-white cliffs about two hundred meters from the border with Lebanon.

My final evening in Israel I spent wandering around Yafo, which was old Jaffa, a port that was important very late in the First Crusade for supplying the siege of Jerusalem. The old part is very small and atmospheric, and I saw it all in the dark and in the sunset. And as I made my way to the airport, knowing I still had a day in Athens and a day in Paris before I began the 24 hour plus flight back home, I had to face the fact that my pilgrimage was indeed over. I had seen far more Crusader sites than I had ever expected, I had achieved things beyond my wildest dreams. It could all only make my novel fantastic. There was more I could have seen in Jerusalem, but there always is, and it just makes me want to return later.

One thing I noticed, was – When I first went to Istanbul years ago I felt excited that ‘I was in the Middle East!’

After a few days that feeling vanished and I realised that was just the image the souvenir shops sold.

Then when I got to Urfa in Turkey this trip, with its desert surrounds and men in head-dresses, then again, ‘I am in the Middle East!’

But again that faded. And Israel is strangely familiar. We have seen it in Bible movies, on the news and in documentaries. Whatever ‘The Middle East’ was in my head, this wasn’t it, either.

The Middle East keeps moving further south the more I travel. Perhaps there is no ‘Middle East’, just an idea of it, an ‘other’ that can only exist if you have not interacted with the people and seen their humanity and their daily lives, their hearts beating the same as yours.

And, studying the religious bigotry of the Crusades from afar, this is perhaps an appropriate revelation to be bringing home from my academic pilgrimage.

I am reporting from Israel. The good cop/bad cop getting in, well, one cannot help but make religious allegories. The first sarcastic, no nonsense angry woman was like the angel guarding the gates of heaven. She saw into my very soul, every sin. She sent me to another office feeling incredibly guilty. There, a man with the most calming voice and gentle manner, obviously a man with many sons and who you would imagine being the perfect dad (God, basically) told me warmly that I would love Jerusalem, said that my reason for coming was interesting, stamped my passport and let me through the airport gate at 2am after my late flight.

After getting to the hostel and sleeping a couple of hours I made a beeline straight for the Holy Sepulchre, site of Christ’s resurrection and the ultimate goal of the entire Crusade. I have to say, I felt nothing. I really wanted to, I hoped I would cry or something, irreligious as I am, because at least it marked the climax of my academic pilgrimage. If anything I only felt slightly let down that I had no feeling. I had built it up and then gone straight there. But at least I had reached the site.

Meanwhile I saw every place someone in the Bible was born, every place someone in the Bible died, every place someone in the Bible stubbed their toe and every place someone in the Bible ate a sandwich. Mary’s tomb, Mary’s birthplace, Mary’s mum’s tomb, Mary’s mum’s birthplace… Two kids tried to rob me on the Mount of Olives. I had wandered into a Bad Part of Town without realising, my Israeli couchsurfing hosts informed me.

I felt more the first time I went to the Western Wall. I don’t mean this in a bad way, but there is something so pathetic about it, the remains of this temple, this great loss. So much of the Jewish faith seems to me as an uninformed outsider to be about loss. You have no heaven to look forward to and there is this faceless God who is often angry and you love him anyway because he is God and he is all-powerful. Even if he smites you for reasons you cannot comprehend and destroys your only temple, you love and worship Him, because He is God. I found it weirdly moving, and in Jerusalem of course Judaism is a very living religion.

In the Room of the Last Supper there was some faith healing happening. In the Garden of Gethsemane there was a little lizard on one of the trees that they say witnessed the agony of Jesus. I visited all but the first station of the cross. I put my hand where the cross stood, saw the crack in Golgotha, put my head on the slab where Jesus was anointed and touched the rock shelf on which they say he was resurrected.

I went back to the Western Wall Friday evening to see the beginning of Shabbat.

There was prayer, song and more guns than I had ever seen in my life. The young soldiers doing their military service are required to carry their huge guns and they visit the wall at Shabbat too.

I went to Bethlehem, which is on the West Bank, but is also the tamest place in the West Bank. An aggressively mercantile taxi driver showed me where the Jewish houses were being built, some Banksy art and the great security wall, as well as the Church of the Nativity. Apparently everyone in the Bible was born and buried in a cave.

I went back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre later, spoke to a Catholic monk and was allowed to see Godfrey of Bouillon’s sword and spurs. Godfrey was the Crusader prince who became the first Latin ruler of Jerusalem after it was conquered. Seeing those, undoubtedly fake as they were, gave me the thrill I had been looking for, the rush of emotion telling me my pilgrimage was soon coming to an end.

But before that, there were a few more Crusader sites in Israel to see.

“Whiskey and truth should both be served straight up, Doctor.”
How Dr. Michaela Quinn helped me find my way to the perfect university

Hello everyone! For those of you who only know me through my recent blog post, there’s something I should tell you right now, at the start of this post, that will make the rest of its content make a lot more sense. I, Caela Provost, am a huge fan of the hit 1990’s television programme, Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman.

I know this startling confession may not make a whole lot of sense to any of you right now, but bear with me and I promise everything will be set right by the end of my 500 word blog limit. This being said, I have another startling confession for all of you: I, Caela Provost, was terrified of coming over to Ireland to get my MA in English degree. For someone like me, who not only has a ton of experience travelling to new places (I was in Ireland for a semester before), but also loves embarking on new adventures… let’s just say that the idea that I was scared to come back was more than a little embarrassing.

All of last year, as I was applying to graduate schools, I knew that I wanted nothing more than to return to the University of Limerick to earn my Master’s Degree. I loved everything about UL: the campus, the people, the atmosphere, the extracurricular activities offered, and, especially, the English programme. When I got my acceptance letter this past spring, it was like a dream come true… and then, as any of my friends can attest to, I began to worry. A lot. A wicked lot. Entirely too much – but I digress…

Thankfully, just as I was about to lose my mind with worry, and potentially make the terrible mistake of not following my dream to come back to Ireland for my graduate studies, my friend Evie introduced me to Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman. (See, I promised this would all come full circle.)

Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman is an amazing show that follows Dr. Michaela “Mike” Quinn as she struggles for acceptance as a “woman doctor” in a small town in the Colorado Territory (a few years after the American Civil War). Dr. Quinn’s courage and independence were an inspiration for me, and, somehow, during the course of several Dr. Quinn movie nights at Evie’s house, I had an epiphany. My realisation was simply the following: you should never let fear, worry, insecurity, or the skepticism of those around you, keep you from achieving your dreams.

Dr. Michaela Quinn moved all the way from Boston to Colorado Springs, Colorado so that she could practice medicine, and she did it on her own. Just a few months ago, I, Caela Provost, came all the way from Winchendon, Massachusetts to Limerick, Ireland so that I could achieve my dream of getting my MA in English from the University of Limerick. For me, it was never a question of what university was right for me; in fact, most students say they just “know” when they’ve found the right one. I, Caela Provost, needed to find the strength within myself to believe in my dream…

So, from one woman with a dream to another, thanks, Dr. Mike, for that extra push.

Hey again guys! I hope you are all well and happy. I want to write about my life back in China in this entry, lots of things happened. I will write some in this entry and probably continue in the next entry.

I was a little bit sick when my plane landed in Beijing, probably because I was quite tired and the sudden change of the cold weather. I can remember clearly that the temperature in Beijing that day was -4 degrees according to the radio on plane. Also, the pollution in China might be a factor that makes me feel uncomfortable. So the first few hours are just sleep, but unfortunately because of the five hour time difference, I could not sleep that well. Then I had lunch with my extended family including my grandparents, uncle, auntie, cousin and my Mom in a restaurant – we ate hotpot which is one of my favourite Chinese foods but I do not think I ate a lot because I just wanted to sleep.

But I was a lot better after a good nights sleep. Then I went to Beijing to visit some of my grandparents’ friends who are quite close to me and who saw me grow up. I was quite happy to see them and their grandson who is two, I think. He is so cute! I like little children. But I can feel the pressure of big cities because his parents are both working in Beijing and they do not have much time to be with him as lots of Chinese parents do, so he seems to be more close to his grandparents and the babysitter in the house who is from the place I was brought up, haha!

The following days, I went to Beijing again, this time to do some traveling. I wanted to go to the National History Museum, but I did not, because I came to Tiananmen Square late, so it is not worth it to go into it. For every museum in Beijing, you need at least 4-5 hours in them because they are too big, so we went wandering around Tiananmen Square, which was quite nice. I really love those two big screens which mainly show different nationalities and different beautiful sceneries in China. I was surprised to see how many places I already traveled to in China. But I still love the place I was brought up which is called Sichuan province better, the food and the scenery is just sooo amazing! In terms of nationalities, I love Tibetan culture best. I really want to go to Tibet sometime. I think I stood in front of those two screens for about 30-40 minutes, it was really awesome!

Then I went toward Forbidden City; there are many different little museums in front of it. I went to one about the life of the last emperor who is called Pu Yi, it is quite interesting. I am quite interested in him because he has had quite a life; he was only three when he began as emperor, and he became a criminal and then his life changed again in Mao’s age. I used to quite like a movie called The Last Emperor which talks about his lifetime. I did not have time to go to Forbidden City, but I hope I can go there sometime again this winter (in China season.)

Snow today, haha! Quite excited! Anyway, I will continue talking about my life in China in my next entry.

Hello everyone, my name is Caela Provost and I’m a postgraduate student studying English at the University of Limerick! I hail from Winchendon, a small town in Massachusetts, where I did most of my growing up with the three best brothers a girl could ask for. I graduated high school as my class Valedictorian, and went on to attain a BA in English and a Minor in Music from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York where I loved every minute of my undergraduate experience.

Now for a little bit of who I am… Words are my life, and I honestly don’t know where I’d be or who I’d be right now without the written word. I enjoy traveling, exploring new and exciting places, boating and working at Lake Winnipesaukee, mocha chip ice cream, fireworks, making music, Christmas time, and spending time with my family and friends. I dislike most vegetables, that Gwen Stefani song about the bananas, and I’m terrified of clowns.

Most of all, I am looking forward to writing and talking to all of you about why I chose to get my MA in English here at the beautiful University of Limerick! I anticipate hearing from you soon!

Firstly, I want to thank all of you for reading! For me, writing is just as meaningful to the “reader” as it is to the “writer,” and I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to thank you all for your interest in studying in Ireland; without you, I wouldn’t have this amazing opportunity to write and share my experiences. Thank you!

I should preface the content of this blog post with the following: I studied abroad at the University of Limerick (where I now go to school) in the spring of 2009. This being said, you’d think after spending a full six months in Ireland when I was 21, and then coming back for my postgraduate education, that I’d be able to quickly and eloquently give a definitive reason telling you why I chose to attend university in Ireland. The truth is – I can’t.

However, this inability to give you a straightforward reason for studying here should by no means tell you that I can’t think of something good to say about my education, and has little to do with the fact that my mind may or may not be swimming with the content of three research papers due in two weeks or so. No… the reason I am struggling is because I really can’t seem to put into words how incredibly ecstatic I am to have been afforded the opportunity to study here.

I could tell you I chose to come here because of the unbelievably breathtaking landscapes and views. Even on rainy days (which do occur here from time to time), everything is green, vibrant, and full of life.

I could tell you I chose to come here because of Ireland’s rich history. How whenever I walk down the streets of Limerick I discover something different and interesting, or how every day I learn something new even when I’m not in class.

I could tell you that I chose to come here for the amazing education offered at my school. I get to not only heighten my knowledge and love of literature, but also broaden it by reading and writing about new ideas from a different culture.

I could tell you that I chose to come here because for some reason, a reason not even I can put my finger on, I feel safe here in Ireland. I feel welcomed by everyone I meet, and I feel at home.

I could tell you all these things and I’d still feel like I’m missing something. I guess the best thing I can say to all of you is this: I knew I was taking a risk in coming to Ireland to study. What I didn’t know, was that the risk I took in coming here, would turn into one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Ireland has been an adventure – my adventure, and that choice is one I wouldn’t change for the world.

“This place looks like Lego Land!” I exclaimed as our plane cruised nearer to land, and all the buildings came into view.

“It’s SO over-populated!” (This time rather hysterically, I admit.)

My new-found Aussie friend that I made through the seven hour flight smiled and replied: “Betcha missed it though!”

True enough. It has been some time since I have been back home and as soon as the plane landed, another friend of mine, who was also on the same flight, came rushing from her seat with a look of amusement – “I can feel the humidity already…”

Welcome to Singapore, my friends.

I breezed through the customs and collected my luggage in less than ten minutes, whilst looking excitedly to see if I could spot any familiar faces in the crowd of people waiting to welcome their loved ones home at the Arrival terminal. There they are, my family, and before I knew it, they were whisking me off to indulge in Singaporeans’ favourite pastime – FOOD.

The following days were spent catching up with different groups of friends and family (at the point of writing, I regret to inform that this ‘phenomenon’ is predicted to be continued throughout the summer break. Apologies in advance if it becomes rather repetitive for my other blog posts to come), eating the delicious local food that I have missed so much, and of course, SHOPPING. Did I mention how new malls and brands seem to have decided to mysteriously spring up all over the place, and I was so overwhelmed that I started to suspect that I definitely got to be away from this country for more than the nine months I have been in Australia for.

And since we are on the topic of retail therapy, I have to introduce you all to the most famous shopping district in Singapore – Orchard Road. This stretch of road, more commonly just known as ‘Orchard’ among the locals, is the ultimate shopping paradise. With more than 22 shopping malls and six department stores flanking both sides of the road, one can literally ‘shop till you drop’, and still not be able to finish visiting all the malls. Orchard was decked up in full force with Christmas decorations, in celebration of the Yuletide season. Christmas jingles can be heard all around and road buskers compete to see who can dish out the merriest songs. Tourists and shoppers alike were all armed with cameras snapping pictures of the beautiful decorations all around. Yes, the holiday spirit is definitely here, and who said you need the snow – we have the fake ones though!

My camera probably did not do the awesome decorations justice but I hope that I have managed to share the joyous atmosphere down here. There are still many places that I have yet to visit since I have only been back for less than a week. If I get the chance to, I will share them in my next post and I promise to also feature some of the fantastic local food we have. I will also be going for a short trip to Hong Kong with my family in a couple of days so stay tuned for more! In the meanwhile, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, I will sit back and enjoy a cuppa in my favourite café. HAPPY HOLIDAYS people!

Signing off, JM.

Hey, guys! Sorry for not writing the blog for so long! I am pretty busy since I went back to China two weeks ago, haha! I want to write about the time from the airport until now, probably in two blog entries.

One of my best friends said goodbye at my home in the morning before I left, and my kind homestay mom sent me to Wellington Airport at around lunchtime on the 19th of November and I walked around the airport for nearly one hour. I always want to go to the airport early in case some change needs to happen, which I always encounter for some reason, but not this time. And it is a requirement to go to the airport one to two hours before an international flight. Wellington Airport is a quite small one. I think Welly is the coolest and the smallest capital in the world.

One hour later, I am in Auckland, the biggest city in New Zealand. I had a high school friend there and he took me around Auckland for the first time since I came to New Zealand. I had an awesome trip with him. We went to the Dominion Road (if you translate into Chinese, it is a bad name because it means bad luck) which is a kind of Chinese town because there are lots of Chinese shops and restaurants around. We walked around Victoria Street which is the main street in Auckland city, lots of shops and shopping malls and bars and restaurants around. It was awesome up there! Haha. Auckland’s second steepest slope was around there as well! North Shore Bridge is a must go place as well if you like the seaside scenery like me; I will definitely go to beaches in Auckland next time because it seems very beautiful.

Sky Tower, which is the highest tower in the southern hemisphere, is in the city as well -  we spent some time seeing the whole of Auckland in it. It was quite cool, quite scary as well because it is quite high. I think the coolest and the scariest thing to do is to stand on the glass with the whole city under your foot, haha! I do not like that tower so much because there are not many things to do up there and it is quite expensive as well. I went to a tower in Shanghai before with my family and it is nicer than that tower because I like the museum in that tower which talks about Shanghai history and today.

We had dinner together at a Korean BBQ place, which was quite cool. Korean food is my favourite food ever. I have not eaten BBQ for a long time. Time was passing so quickly, I was quite excited to see him because I have not seen him for nearly three years since graduating from high school, but will definitely go to Auckland again sometime because it is such an exciting city. I did not have time to see it all because of the time limitation.

My plane to China was around twenty minutes late – I slept a lot on the plane. I was quite tired and excited to meet my family again, I cried when I saw Beijing underneath the cloud because I miss that city. I will talk about life after landing in the next entry. For now, take care and good luck, guys!

I met with a very friendly academic from Antakya’s Mustafa Kemal University who has published two books in Turkish on the history of Antioch and has recently appeared in a BBC documentary (hosted by someone in my bibliography) which will air in January. He was kind enough to drive me around to some the Crusades related sites nearby. We visited Iron Bridge, an old Roman (stone) bridge where the Crusaders fought a few times and which was seen as ‘the gateway to Antioch’. We also went to Bagras castle, not technically related to the First Crusade but built fifty years afterwards by the Knights Templar. Its ruins sit on a hilltop guarding the Belen pass towards what was medieval Alexandretta, and some rooms, towers and cellars are still intact, so it was worth the trip. Near Antakya is Harbiye, once known as Daphne, a Roman resort town where Apollo fell in love with a nymph. Waterfalls trickle by kitsch but very nice restaurants and cafes full of faux Roman statuary.

Once I had tracked down every ruined aqueduct and hint of city wall I could find I headed on to Samandag, a town near Antakya, once the port of St Symeon. Roman slaves carved the kilometer long Titus Tunnel through the stone nearby to protect an ancient port from flooding mountain streams. I stayed with a couchsurfing host who took me night-fishing and we drank coffee in his friend’s boat as the lights from Syria blinked further down the bay.

I got to within about two kilometers of the Syrian border this trip, but no following the Crusaders through there this time. Perhaps later when the trouble winds down I can visit Krak des Chevaliers, which was built on a site where the First Crusaders had a minor run in with an earlier castle.

I’d done most of what I needed to do and I still had some time in Turkey. The one part of the First Crusader’s route I’d missed was the plain of Cilicia, where a side expedition of two young, power hungry princes, Baldwin of Boulogne and Tancred, went to chase away Turks, cow Armenian princes and squabble with each other.

To follow them I went up to Adana, with its beautiful old Roman bridge, and to the small village of Misus, once called Mamistra. Here Crusader fought Crusader when Baldwin and Tancred’s men came to blows. I got a free coffee from a café and they opened the museum during off season just because I was visiting, which was nice. After that was Tarsus, birthplace of St Paul, and the first place in Cilicia Baldwin conquered. Only one part of the old walls remains, known as ‘Cleopatra’s Gate’, and feeling much at St Paul’s well or the plexi-glass covered excavation of his supposed house takes some imagination, but I spent a pleasant day there seeing what I could.

From the warm plain I took a bus through the mountain pass known as ‘The Cilician Gates’. Jagged shards of mountain rise either side of the road and one does feel as if they are passing through the remains of a doorway erected by long dead giants.

I missed two things: the ruins of the monastery which gave St Symeon its name, and a Roman road Baldwin probably walked down outside Tarsus, because they were difficult to get to and I was running out of steam. All in all, though, Turkey has been a roaring success. I’ve seen much more than I expected, met so many unbelievably nice and hospitable people, made friends so close they felt like family and eaten some damn good food. It will rank as one of my best all time trips abroad. Flying out is going to be devastatingly sad, as I will be leaving many a good Turkish kanka behind.

But the Holy Land awaits.

In the picture Adro says, ‘Goodbye, Turkey.’

Hatay. Antakya. Antioch. The city where the word ‘Christian’ was invented. The city that the First Crusaders besieged for nearly a year. When they finally captured it, through betrayal, they were quickly then themselves besieged by an army which greatly outnumbered them. The citadel, five hundred meters up on a mountaintop, strongpoint of all the defences, was still in enemy hands as the Crusaders tried to hold off this new army. Antioch was one of the focal points of the First Crusade. Accounts relate that, in the battle that eventually defeated the enemy force and won the city, angels and St George himself fought alongside the Crusaders. A piece of the lance that pierced the side of Christ was supposedly discovered buried within the city. Almost all the First Crusade folklore originated here.

I was greeted by a lightning storm when first arrived and electric flashes illuminated the mountains I had dreamt of seeing for so long.

The first thing I did was visit the cave church of St Peter, possibly the earliest public place of Christian worship in the world. If I had been a Catholic I would have earned a plenary indulgence by making the pilgrimage there and had some or all of my sins forgiven. As a friend pointed out, if I had been a Catholic I would have married my first girlfriend, have five kids by now and have been incapable of going anywhere, so I still would not have got the indulgence. Touché.

Next I climbed the two mountains of Antioch. It was probably a silly thing to do alone, clambering about sometimes by my fingertips with no rock-climbing experience and a ten kilo bag on my back, but it is the memory that will define Turkey for me. I saw a turtle on the first mountain, Mount Staurin, ‘The Mount of the Cross’, which also has a bust carved into it called ‘The Face of Charon’, a charm meant to protect Byzantines from plague hundreds of years ago. Between the two peaks I saw the Iron Gate, the only remaining gate of Antioch, and then started up the cliffs of Mount Silpius. The walls of Antioch once snaked up and down both mountains, culminating in the citadel near the highest point of Mount Silpius. Even the bits of the wall that remain are awe inspiring. They run along sheer cliffs and the only way for me to follow them was to pull myself onto the sturdy ruins of the walls and walk along the top, sometimes with sheer drops on either side.

I found the remains of the citadel and from there the old part of the city of Antioch below me seemed like it would fit in the palm of my hand. Nearby was a gully where the Crusaders had to form a shield wall as enemy after enemy poured forth from the citadel, trying to break past the outnumbered Crusaders and rush down the only path from the citadel to the city. The Crusaders held the higher ground so, even with the advantage of numbers, the Turks and their allies would have had to have been incredibly brave to face the organised knights. It went on like this for several days, the Crusaders having to make an improvised stone wall to hold the enemy off.

I followed the pieces of remaining wall all the way down into the southern part of the city, having to find a path on aching legs that didn’t cut through anyone’s backyard. One wary homeowner actually watched me while holding a shotgun until he was sure I wasn’t coming near his porch.

My first day in Antioch and the Crusades were everywhere.

The photo shows the walls tumbling down the mountainside, down into the valley towards the Iron Gate, and then they would have gone up again at the next mountain. I showed the photo to a local (none of the locals I spoke to had been up there) and he thought at first it was of the Great Wall of China rather than the medieval defences of his own city.

So, recently I attended my graduation ceremony along with my peers. It was a glorious rainy day in Dublin, where everything left outside more than a few seconds would get soaked! Though the weather was not giving any joy, there where plenty of smiles on all faces while we were lining up, in alphabetical order, for the ceremony of awarding us our degrees. Most of us were collecting a master and a few part-timers their diplomas.

About a week and half before, I was given a heads up for the ceremony. Apparently I did decently on my overall performance. So good, that I got the highest academic performance in my category and was to be awarded a prize for my performance. It goes without saying my parents were beaming with joy when I told them! I, on the other hand, was somewhat detached. I had never been the best before and was strangely unfamiliar with the feeling. I did not tell anyone I was going to get a prize, but waited for the information to be leaked at the graduation ceremony.

Following that came what I can only describe as a wave of congratulations, for both me and my parents. It was a terrific feeling, but then again I hardly did anything different then I would have done. I was told it was hard work though when recalling the time I did recognise difficult situations, but do not remember them as hard work. If this is due to having passed these barriers, so that I now consider them smaller obstacles than they were, I do not know.

Anyway, after the celebrations in Dublin I got celebrated at home where my story got tipped to a local newspaper. I got a call from a journalist who wanted to bring the story for the local area. Before I knew it, I had given an interview and had made arrangements for a minor photoshoot for the article. After the article had been published, my parents and I got another round of congratulations. However, one person’s commendation in particular caught my attention.

It was my grandmother who besides being proud also mentioned that she thought it was about time with a success story in the news. Asking to the exact context, she explained that she was getting slightly annoyed by how often unhappy or unsuccessful (read gangs, drugs, drinking, theft and violence) youths where mentioned. I know my grandmother is old fashioned and, therefore, tends to exaggerate things from time to time, so the past seems more rosy than it perhaps was. However, it might also just be me who stopped paying attention to these things, which I think is particularly disturbing as a fact.

Now that I had my master, I went on to the road. I hitched from Denmark down to Berlin where I am going to spend an entire weeks time visiting friends I met in Düsseldorf, Paris, Dublin and the city itself. Then I have to make my way to Istanbul where I booked a flight for the 22nd of December to Hamburg, so I can make it back home for Christmas. The 27th I will be flying to Oslo for two nights before going to Dublin to celebrate New Years with more friends. What follows in January is yet to be known, but I am sure I will figure it out soon enough.

We went up in a balloon in Cappadocia. It was part of the deal of enticing my friend Tisho to come – Cappadocia and a balloon ride. We saved enough couchsurfing that it wasn’t too expensive. My favourite parts were when we hit a tree, hit another balloon and went very high. The sky there is full of balloons; it’s a big business. That was a view the Crusaders would never have got.

We also visited some underground cities, places carved out over many levels to hide up to 10,000 Byzantine citizens and their animals during Persian attacks. The air shafts were disguised as wells.

After more hiking around Cappadocia it was time for Tisho to leave. I was alone again. I went through Kayseri, Goksun and Kahramanmaras (once Caesera-in-Cappadocia, Coxon and Marasch), going over what were known as the Taurus mountains and very close to the pass 1,500 metres up where the Crusaders suffered dearly, losing trains of tied-together pack animals over sheer cliffs and throwing heavy helmets and armour down the mountainside in despair. Modern cars were breaking down on the road there so it is still not a particularly easy climb. Kahramanmaras is famous now for its ice cream, so I made sure to sample some.

After Kahramanmaras the land levelled out a bit and the Crusaders followed a valley to Antioch. I was making good time so I decided to hold off on Antioch for a moment (vegetables before meat) and I made a detour to Sanliurfa, known in Crusader times as Edessa. Baldwin of Boulogne, who was to become King of Jerusalem after his brother died in a similar role, created the first ever Crusader principality in Edessa after he most probably betrayed the Armenian king he had initially sworn allegiance to.

All the guide books say that Urfa feels more ‘Middle Eastern’ than most other Turkish cities, and that is one of the most striking impressions. The land is irrigated now and was clearly dry until very recently. Men wear baggier Arab style trousers and headdresses. People drive motorcycles on the footpaths and men play backgammon while sipping tea.

It is a magical place, purportedly the birthplace of two Biblical figures, Abraham and Job. The cave of Abraham’s birth is a shrine you can visit. According to Islamic tradition Abraham was being burned on a pyre by an enemy king when God turned the fire into water and the coals into fish. Sacred carp swim in pools around beautiful mosques and calming gardens and visitors can buy pellets to feed them. The foundations of the fortress from which God flung Abraham to safety in a bed of roses, and which was the seat of Baldwin’s principality, tower above the whole area on a rocky outcrop. It’s a truly beautiful part of the city which will give anyone goosebumps regardless of their religious leanings. I hadn’t originally planned to visit Edessa but I’m very glad I did. The stories of Job and Abraham feature thematically in my book, so it was good to muse on them.

From Urfa I got a bus to Hatay, also known as Antakya, once called Antioch, the city the Crusaders besieged for nearly a year. When they finally captured it they were then trapped within and besieged themselves. Antioch saw the Crusade’s highest drama, bar Jerusalem, and it is the most important site relating to the First Crusade in Turkey. Its name immediately stirs the imagination of anyone with a passing familiarity of the First Crusade. I didn’t know what to expect …

Hey guys! I hope you are all well! I want to write about my life this week which is the last week before I go back to China. Had a very busy and exciting week, did lots of stuff, will write some of them shorter than others.

I went to a Japanese show on Monday night, was quite nice. It is a pity that I am not allowed to take pics or videos, but I am amazed that China and Japan are so near, yet I can not understand one single word of it. But the dancing and singing are really quite awesome! Will definitely see a Japanese show again if I have time in the future.

Went to a public lecture about mining safety in China and New Zealand on Wednesday night. It is quite shocking how many Chinese miners die every year because of the accidents and other associated diseases! I am quite angry with it. I do not get why the companies in China only care about profit and do not care about their own workers! In addition, because of the stupid neo-liberal thing (sorry about my language), the safety level of the mines here in New Zealand is decreasing as well!

Went to see a film called City Monkeys in a Chinese film festival with several of my friends yesterday. Was a nice evening, we talked a lot and that movie is like a true story of what happens in China. I really have a strong feeling towards that boy in the movie about my age, our 90s generation try to change and break the traditions, but it is hard to change though! It makes me quite angry when people say 80s and 90s generations are different, but that film makes me think those two generations might really be different because 90s generation has a more rebellious nature in them.

I also went to a botanic garden and Karori Wildlife Sanctuary this week. Other than that, I did some packing and job searching as well. The saddest thing to do is saying goodbye to my friends – goodbye is such a sad word to say!

My flight back to China is tomorrow afternoon, wish me luck and safe trip, haha! I will need to take some rest before I can do anything because I will be quite tired because, for some reason, I can not sleep on the plane and for some reason I will usually be sick for sometime after I come back to China. It is a pity that Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google are all blocked in China, but I can still access Skype and email though. I will try to access Facebook in some other way in China. I will miss my Facebook friends!

Wish you guys all the best!

Since my last blog I have visited Kangaroo Island! The weekend was a fantastic, although rather tiring jam-packed two days of non-stop activities! After a gruelling 6.30am departure from Flinders on Saturday morning, 15 of us made our way, by minibus, to Cape Jervis and the Kangaroo Island Ferry Terminal there. The crossing was extremely rough and resulted in a few members feeling nauseous! Nevertheless, we made it alive to Kangaroo Island by 10.30am. Once on Kangaroo Island, our tour guide, Jason, wasted no time in taking us to Prospect Hill, where a view of the entire island can be seen, as well as the mainland. After this photo opportunity, we quickly moved on to an Emu Oil and Eucalyptus Oil Distillery, where we were given a brief history of the farm, as well as the opportunity to sample goods. However, my favourite part of this section of the trip by far, was the orphaned joey taking residence at the farm!

Following this, we quickly moved on to Seal Bay, where we were given a guided tour of the area, as well as being allowed to walk on the beach, up close and personal with Australian sea lions. I found this to be an incredible experience, as the sea lions were wild, yet seemed unmoved by our presence on their territory. After this, we drove to Little Sahara, where we undertook a spot of sand boarding on the sand dunes. I especially enjoyed this! Little Sahara seemed extremely surreal considering we had just been observing sea lions; it was like we were in a completely different country. After tiring ourselves out climbing up the sand dunes, we moved on to a Koala Sanctuary, and were given the opportunity to walk amongst Eucalyptus trees which Koalas had taken sanctuary in. Exhausted from a fun-filled and exhilarating day, we headed back to our hostel to enjoy a great Australian barbecue!

Sunday began with yet another early morning, this time leaving the hostel at 7.30am to take a two-hour hike through ‘Snake Valley’. Whilst hiking to the beautiful cliff-line, we encountered a wild wallaby, sitting in the middle of the path! Following our hike, we moved on to Admirals Arch, and then Remarkable Rocks. At Admirals Arch we had the opportunity to observe New Zealand Fur Seals, whilst at Remarkable Rocks we observed some truly unique rock formations, with the added bonus of climbing on them! Sunday afternoon left us with two more activities – visiting the underground caves at Kelly Hill, and watching pelican feeding. All in all, Kangaroo Island was a fantastic trip! As the semester finishes, I look forward to visiting family in Perth for the festive season… I can’t wait!

We’ve been doing ‘couchsurfing’, where you basically stay with people for free. It’s a ‘hospitality exchange’. It works really well. You actually meet and stay with locals. Couchsurfing dominates the moods and stories of the last week. And in medieval times, pilgrims would stay for free at monasteries or mosque complexes, so perhaps couchsurfing is the modern equivalent…

In Afyon (a city meaning ‘Opium’ but with no bars, for religious reasons, and where all the students are very bored) we stayed at a student house where everyone had nicknames. There was a Kurdish boxer built like Apollo, ‘Elephant Man’, ‘Napoleon’ and ‘Caveman’, who ran out to us delightedly saying, ‘I am Caveman!’ while pointing to his luxurious upper arm hair. They couldn’t pronounce the names of my friend Tihomir or I so we were ‘Timur’ and ‘Arthur’. Tourists were so rare some high school boys saw us from the school window and ran out to chase us up onto a mountaintop castle.

In Konya, outside the tomb of Rumi, we met some girls who were just supposed to see us for coffee but ended up taking us in like stray puppies. They spent all afternoon finding a place for us to stay (they wanted us to stay with them but Konya is the most religious city in Turkey and their other housemate was worried about what the neighbours would think), took us to a very moving free Dervish show and soon we were sitting in their friend’s house, eating home cooked food, with a room full of Turkish students saying, ‘We love you! We love both of you!’

They were ridiculously sweet and went out of their way to help us. I asked one of our new friends, a small statured girl with a headscarf, how to say, ‘I am a stupid dirty tourist’ in Turkish. She promptly protested, very earnestly, ‘Oh no! It is not true! You are not stupid! Don’t say that! You are not stupid at all! Dirty, maybe, but not stupid!’

The other, who doesn’t wear a headscarf and looks for all the world like any designer- conscious nineteen year old, still does not drink and would not even enter a shop selling alcohol. I felt bad after that buying a bottle of Raki to share with the boys we ended up staying with, so in the end I just left it in their fridge, unopened.

Later the girls declared that it would be too boring for us to get a bus from Konya to our next destination five hours away, so they proposed that together we hire a car and go on a roadtrip. That would be much more fun than the bus, we agreed, so off we went.

While stopped at traffic lights a boy sold one of our friends a postcard with a Quran verse on it. I asked her what it said. She told me she could not read it without washing her hands first. The postcard was right there, in her hand, but she could not read it. Later she sang along to ‘Losing My Religion’ by REM with another travelling companion and she knew all the words in English.

We stopped at an extinct volcano I had described in my book from pictures on Google Earth and went to a Byzantine cave monastery from the era of the First Crusade. We ended up in Cappadocia.

We were meant to stay with other couchsurfing hosts there, but there was a mix-up; the guy we were meant to stay with had palmed us off to friends, they were a little creepy and looked like stoners and all of us were a little uncomfortable. First one of our new friends fought, in Turkish, for them to provide us better accommodation because we were her friends, and then helped us escape the whole situation and find a hostel. The drama meant that the girls wouldn’t get home until 1:30 am.

Even living in Iceland and Hungary I never got to know a huge amount of locals. But, like in Iceland, where after a few days in a dorm the other exchange students felt like family, I feel like I am getting a big Turkish family now. I have two Turkish sisters who saved my life twice. People have been so ridiculously nice. For my book of course and from the Crusader’s perspective the Turks are all enemies. It’s going to be hard to write like that now.

The photo shows us all at the end of our trip, in Cappadocia.

Hey, guys! Sorry that I did not write the blog for a while because I have been very busy recently with exams and social life, haha! I just finished my last exam for this trimester yesterday and I am happy that there are no more exams for me, but I hate this waiting period because I am not sure whether I did OK until I get my final result. Keep the fingers cross, I hope I can do fine. Anyway, I will continue writing about my study life here. I finished my last blog with Foundation study, I will continue to write about my uni life in this entry.

So after I finished Foundation, I continued doing at Victoria University. It is a totally different experience because the people I met in Foundation are all international students while most people I met in undergraduate level are local students. But it depends on which major you do. There are not many international students in geography courses, but you will find heaps of them doing economics, management, finance and accounting. I do not like studying those (sorry to those people doing those subjects), haha!

Actually, geography was not my first-choice major, my first choice was education and English literature. I did not do education because I enrolled late and one of the compulsory courses for education was full, so I needed to wait another year to do it, so I did not do education. I am glad that I did not do it because there are so many essays to write and so many readings to do if I studied it, I do not think I would like it. So I changed it to geography and English literature. When I did Engl 117, it was a hard time because there were lots of readings to do and essays to write. But the tutor was so nice, he helped me with every one of my assignments and I was so happy that I got B- for that course despite the fact that I did not pass the internal test . I was lucky that Engl 117 did not have a final exam, otherwise I would probably fail that. Because I know that I can not do English anymore, so I leave it just as geography.

I was unsure whether geography was the right subject for me because I thought science courses would be difficult, I remember I only slept for four hours because I was nervous for the next day (which was the first day at uni), had not entered a lecture theatre before, so I needed to adjust to the huge number of people around me. It was quite scary at first, actually. But I got used to that in the end. I decided that I wanted to go on studying geography because the first geography lecture was so interesting! The lecturer was funny and the content really stimulated my interest despite the fact I only had four hours to sleep the night before. Geog 111, a physical geography paper, was quite hard because it covered all the basics of physical geography including oceans, earthquakes, volcanoes and so on, so there are so many things to remember for the final exam. But I  was lucky again because that exam was all short answer questions and multiple choices, so it was quite easy.

Geography is a huge subject including human geography, development study, environmental study, physical geography and many more. They are all interconnected, but my passion is on development study probably because I come from a third world country and I know how people are suffering and I really want to help them in the future.

I guess I should stop there now. Hope you find this one interesting, sorry if it is too academic for you. See you next time!

Hi, guys!

It’s November now! I have good news, and bad news.

The good news is I have finished all my assignments for all of my subjects. And because I have no exams for my subjects, it means holiday! Yay! I’m very happy. I can’t believe I’ve done all the assignments. But hey, I did!

The bad news is my time here has only one week left. Four days from when I make this post to be exact. Yup, I will leave Australia right when the exam week begins. I really wish I could stay longer and explore more. But, I have my thesis waiting for me way back home. I have to do it as soon as possible so I can graduate.

Saying goodbye is never easy. Moreover, I never felt like this before. I am very happy, but very sad at the same time. I am very happy to go back and meet my family and friends. Yeah, I miss them all so bad.

On the other hand, I am very sad to leave Adelaide. In this short time, I already made some good friends. It becomes even sadder when I realise the fact that maybe I will never meet them again, but you never know, hopefully I will cross paths with many of them again.

Putting all this aside, I am very grateful to be here – to be selected to go as an exchange student to Flinders University – and to be able to experience how to study and live abroad in Adelaide. The time has really flown.

However, I’m doing my best to cram as much into the last few days I have left and enjoy my remaining time here in Adelaide. I have visited the various interesting and beautiful places of Adelaide. Like Brighton Beach, for instance. It is a truly beautiful beach. I go there with my friends and we have a BBQ in a park nearby.

I also visited Windy Point – a scenic outlook in the hills. It’s like a hill that’s high enough to see almost the whole of Adelaide and the sea. It was an amazing sight. And there was also a koala hanging out there too!

And just yesterday, I played bowling with my friends. Four of us played two games of bowling. It’s not like I never play bowling before. But, playing it with my new friends is just what makes it so great.

So, this is may be my last post guys! Please pray for my flight to be smooth. Thanks for reading!

Sometimes it’s not the bad memories that make us sad, but happy memories that we know may not happen again.

I went to Eskisehir, a marvellously modern student town once called Dorylaeum, and I trekked out to the highway junction where once the Crusade was nearly destroyed during the Battle of Dorylaeum. I thought it would all be quite boring but still I walked along highways and clambered over hills, passing discarded bottles full of truck driver’s urine, and finally I reached the junction. So much was still there.

I could see the river, where the women had to go to get water, and where Esther in my story plucks up the courage to run and find water for her friends in the midst of battle. There was the marshy ground the Crusaders used to protect their flank. Parts of the highway were built on the drumlin hills that the second contingent of Crusaders used to hide their approach from the Turks. And, of course, there were also thousands of cars zipping in every direction.

It was somehow weirdly profound. It’s strange to say it now but I had tears of joy in my eyes as I was there, and not just because I had obsessed over this and read and written about it for two years and now there I was, not just because I was stepping into history, but because it was like stepping into my own storybook world. I could go and see where my characters had their great moments.

On the train back I felt like I was becoming the man I always hoped I would be but never thought I could; a world traveller, a scholar, someone trying their best to be an artist. I guess as a kid all I could imagine I wanted to be was Doctor Who and here I was studying to be a doctor, an expert in something, and travelling about every place I could, time travelling. It was all quite eerily wonderful, and perhaps it sounds silly saying it out loud or looks silly written down.

Anyway, visiting where the E90 from Bursa meets the 650 from Bilicek turned out to be a profound moment and count among the best days of my life. I never saw that one coming.

From there we went to Seyitgazi, known in medieval times as Nacolia, and Yazilikaya in the Phrygian Valley, known as Midas City. It is a landscape of stony valleys with cave houses, cisterns and huge decorated inscriptions carved into the living rock. The Phrygians started it over two thousand years ago and it has been inhabited constantly since. Byzantine citizens once lived in the cave shelters stacked one on top of the other, connected by weird twisting staircases carved out of the stone.

Turkey itself is a land of ruins stacked one on top of the other, great civilization after great civilization. Everywhere I looked the wonders of the past were echoing down to the glory of today.

The picture is my silly MS paint attempt at illustrating the Battle of Dorylaeum. The Crusaders are split into two contingents. The first enter from the left after crossing the river and are ambushed by the Turks, coming from the right, who hope to trap and destroy the Crusaders in the confines of the valley. The Crusaders use the marshy ground near what they called ‘a field of flowers’ to protect their flank, forming a defensive circle. The fighting lasts for hours and women run back to the river to fetch water for the knights. Eventually the second Crusader contingent manages to sneak past behind the cover of some drumlin hills, surprise the Turks and win the battle. The Crusade was really on a knife edge here; it could have been completely destroyed.

My friend Tisho and I start marching up a hill. We can see the remains of a fortress at the very top. It soon becomes clear the track will not take us to the ruin so we leave the path and start scrabbling up through brush and trees, often on our hands and knees.

Shots start ringing out. It is probably just hunters somewhere, but every time we appear in a clearing, sure enough, there is a shot. And we can hear them getting closer as the blasts echo down the valley.

We see a hunter’s eyrie hanging from a tree and avoid that. Slowly we get higher up the hillside. But, every time we stick our heads out… Bang! Unnerved, we scramble faster. When we finally reach the top and what we think is safety, shielded from eyes below, the first thing we run into is a meter-long snake. Tisho, who has a particular phobia of snakes, says to me drily, ‘You’d better include me in the dedication of your book.’

A contingent of the People’s Crusade, the bunch of badly organised Crusaders who preceded the rest by a few months and got wiped out in Asia Minor, are described as marching a few days from Nicaea (Iznik), finding a castle on a hill that can only be accessed from one side, capturing it, and then being trapped inside when the Turks arrived. There was no water, just a cistern at the bottom of the hill, and they were forced to surrender and were killed or enslaved. This episode features in my book.

No-one knows where the fortress, Xerigordon, is. Older books have dots on maps for it, newer books don’t, so maybe something got disproved. But I checked those dots on Google Earth and, sure enough, I found a ruin that seemed to fit. So we went there.

‘Pasalar Kalesi’ it is called on my big map of Turkey. We went to Pamukova and got a taxi to Pasalar, a settlement at the base of the hill the castle was on. It was only the next village over but so obscure even the taxi driver didn’t know where it was.

And then we had our adventurous climb.

The ruins, and the view, were quite magnificent. To my untrained eye it seemed clearly Byzantine and matched all the descriptions of Xerigordon. It probably had nothing to do with the Crusade but for the fiction it makes a very good stand in. Creepily there was a deep hole to nowhere with a ladder. Perhaps some of the locals were digging for artefacts?

I don’t know what the shooting was but I can say that it continued the whole time we were up there and stopped the instant we started going down. We never heard another blast again once we began to descend. Who knows, could have been hunters, could have been kids trying to scare us … Walking back along the road from the village of Pasalar there was a spent shotgun shell lying discarded literally at every step so shooting is obviously popular there.

But how is that for an archaeological expedition? Gunfire and snakes! There’s your Indiana Jones, right there!

It’s almost the end of the semester here. Summer holidays are approaching, but before that we will have a tough exam time. I had enough time after my last post to do all the work for my assignments and exams, but you know how it is, the student life – putting everything off till the last minute. The most irritating thing for me is a lot of group projects. If you are not a big fan of working in groups, it gets worse when most of the group members are the same. So, we’ll see how it goes very soon. And I will just hope that our lecturer is as nice as he seems. Despite what I think about them, group projects also kind of bring people together, so they have some positive effect in the end.

Something I have noticed since I have come, it is very remarkable how all the professors here just say: “OK, I am proposing one or two weeks extension for your assignment. See me if you don’t agree with that.” Before coming to Flinders, I have never had any extensions. Our timetable at Stirling was very strict, but here the deadlines just drift closer and closer to exams leaving no time for preparation.

So, by my next post I will probably know the results of my semester studies here… crossed fingers, hoping for the best. It was not in vain people from international office said that in first semester, people usually are getting used to the system, since everything is quite different, so they should not expect to have the same great grades as at home uni.

This is going to be my first year without any winter. I came to Australia during summer in the northern hemisphere (when it was +20C during the day here), and now we are going to have summer. It definitely will be very interesting to experience Christmas when it is +40C. Surely I am fed up with snow, as usual winter for the middle of Kazakhstan lasts roughly half a year; they had first snow last week and it still can snow in April. However, I will miss it a little bit… should I go on the quest of snow? Maybe Eastern Asia tour during summer holidays? We will see…

Oh, by the way, from personal experience, phones (at least unlocked ones) have better coverage on Telstra compare to Optus (the two largest carriers in Australia.)

On the photo is an evidence of my trip to the oldest German village in Australia. It was not as German as I expected, but missing Scotland, I was able to find some good German things in there.

I find myself relocated in Denmark as I am writing this. My master is now finished, and everything that remains is the final graduation ceremony which will take place Friday next week in Dublin, Ireland. This will be the end of an era as a student and the beginning of… I do not now what this is the beginning of, but I am curious to find out.

Since the last time, I completed my Viva, which was my oral defence of my thesis. If you are interested, you can find the presentation here. I actually did it in PowerPoint as well, because that’s what the rules in the guidelines told me to! You can find this here. I was concerned about using a new software and in particular some software that was so different from standard PP-slides. In the end, it turned out to be a great “gamble” and was even suggested that Prezi would be included in the guidelines for future reference. So in the end I not only got a “well done” for my Viva, but also altered the guidelines for future students. Even though it was a small and probably even insignificant change it still felt great. We should not forget to celebrate the smaller victories in life!

So what now, I asked myself? After celebrating with Suki-Yaki (see the picture), I was left with an intellectual hunger to saturate. So I filled it up with a short trip to see friends and family in Ulm, Munich and Copenhagen. Along the way, I picked up a few books to read, if you want you can check them out here. Besides that, I have started freelancing part-time; currently I am doing phone interviews at a pretty decent rate per hour. I have also started sending out applications for certain jobs, mainly related to industries or companies I would like to work within. However, this is only to keep me busy while figuring out where I will travel. Currently I am spending much time looking at the InterRail map and dreaming of trips to go upon. For the time being it is causing me great annoyance that I will be limited to an amount of trips or amount of time I can travel, if I go inter-railing!

Did you know that the European train network was originally designed for troop transports during war time? Also, did you know that during WWII, Russian soldiers were navigating through the help of train tracks? You can find pretty amazing things to know about trains!

Did I mention already that there are tons of things to do in Chicago? Well, this year I had a very hard time deciding what to do to celebrate Halloween. So many choices!

My Halloween weekend started Thursday night when I became one of the cast members in a live recreation of a terror film. Well, at least that is how it felt. On Thursday, October 29th I went with a group of 40 other students from DePaul to the Richardson Farm to go through the world’s largest corn maze. We left DePaul at 5:00pm and arrived at the farm at 7:00pm. It was a dark, cold but otherwise beautiful night to get scared to death trying to find our way out of the maze. At first, two friends and I started to walk around trying to scare other groups. Besides the light of the stars, we were in complete darkness; only a  few people had flashlights. After half an hour of walking in what seemed to be endless circles, we mysteriously found our way out of the maze! We were thrilled, until we looked at the map and realized that the point was not to find your way out, but to find your way back to the starting point.

As we headed back we ran into another group of DePaul students. They, unlike us, were not randomly wandering through the maze but were actually trying to find the 28 hidden stations that were scattered throughout it. Mind you, I only saw corn left and right, I had no idea how they were able to differentiate one path from the other to find the stations, but we decided to join them and see what they were doing. Turns out one of the students had a great sense of direction, and he guided us through each of the remaining stations until we all shared the victory of getting to the 28th. We didn’t get lost once! With this feeling of accomplishment, we left the maze and climbed a four-storey tower from which we could see the entire farm and surrounding houses. We saw a couple of flashlights in the maze and knew that some people still hadn’t found their way out.

After this we went to a, what was the name? Oh yes: Jumping Pillow. It was basically a huge plastic floor that was inflated in such way that it acted like a trampoline. You just climbed into the middle of it and started jumping. We also shared smores by a bonfire and then headed back to campus.

After that scary night, of course I need to get even more scared, so Friday I decided to go watch Paranormal Activity and then dress up in my Queen of Hearts costume (from Alice in Wonderland) to go to my neighbours Halloween Party. Saturday, I went to Studio Be, which by the way, I recommend to all of you! Studio Be is performing arts organization, and Thursday nights are college nights so the performers are mainly students from DePaul, Columbia and Northwestern. They do improvised comedy shows and their special Saturday Halloween midnight show was hilarious.

So, those were my not-so-crazy Halloween adventures. I hope all of you had as much fun as I did this past weekend!

Halloween is one of the celebrations that I look forward to. I’m a sucker for costumes and love parties with a theme. I recall that I dressed up as Clark Kent when I attended a Halloween party back in Singapore. I had to take the train and people were staring because I had my hair all gelled up and they could see the Superman logo through the shirt I was wearing. It was all good fun.

I thought this year I would try something crazier and scarier. What can be more out of this world than a crazy genetically-modified carrot? HAHA. Ok, this may be a bit of an “inside” joke for nutrition students. We had a lecture on GM food and there was this poster with a genetically-modified tomato that bit the mouth of a boy eating it.

Halloween in Adelaide is so much fun even though I didn’t go trick-or-treating. The night started off in the community centre of the DJ village at Flinders University. We had X-Men like Storm, a pumpkin, some vampires etc… What I loved most about the party was the coffin cake. It really looked like a coffin; the colour, the shape, the woody like texture of the cream. AWESOME. Did I mention the taste of it? Oooooh the chocolate was so amazing. I don’t care that it looks scary but it is absolute YUM.

So after the CC party, we headed out to another party in the city for a midnight party and also to check out the city. Fortunately for me and my friends, we skipped the queue because we already had tickets to the party. I have to thank Scott for that. Scott shoots for an Adelaide newspaper and very kindly offered me his free tickets.

At the door of the bar, the bouncer told me to watch out because he saw a Bugs Bunny went in earlier on – and I thought that my carrot costume was crazy enough! Then, at the party, I met Pikachu from Pokemon, Elmo, Ernie and Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, and the list goes on. The music was average but the company was so good. No one was sitting down or anything because everyone was on the dancefloor. So my
friends and I basically took photos with everyone on the dancefloor. Maybe due to the fact that final exams are close and people need to dance all that stress away before they take on the toughest period of the semester.

All in all, it was so good. So good.

You know, as an American family, dinner times can be many different things. Sometimes dinner can be grabbing your plate of food prepared by your parent and taking it to your room, enjoying while watching TV, studying, or browsing the internet. Sometimes, dinner is enjoyed at the dinner table with the family, where you talk about what happened during the day and then leave immediately after the food was inhaled. Other times you may grab the plate of food and crowd around the tube (TV), not saying a thing, but paying attention to the comedy show, reality show, or daily news.

One of the things I love about dinner time in Turkey is not just the absolutely fresh and fulfilling food that is served, but rather the conversations. Typically it is started by a simple thing that happened earlier in the day, but then is extended to a very intriguing and sometimes intense conversation. When the food is all gone, they stay at the table and talk for another half an hour. After a while it is typical, if it’s not too late, someone offers to prepare Turkish coffee. This then leaves for at least another hour of conversation and fortune reading.

If you don’t know, a typical thing to do after drinking a small cup of Turkish coffee, you cover the cup, flip it over while wishing something, and then the fortune will be read by another person after the cup has cooled. The easiest way I can explain this is through Harry Potter where they are looking at their personal objects.

I love the Turkish culture for many things it offers to the family and friendships. Conversation is a very easy thing to strike up, especially over dinner or Turkish coffee. This is something I would love to carry over to America. Dinner time that lasts more than the meal, conversations that can solve the world’s problems, and fortunes to explain the future. Maybe with even an hour of sanity over dinner, we can all find relaxation and health over good nourishment.

Hello everyone! How are you guys doing? I attended a cultural event at DePaul University last night and it was such a blast! Last night, DePaul Indian Student Association (DISA) organized a Diwali celebration and invited people of backgrounds and ages to experience the “Festival of Lights”. Frankly, I know nothing much about the festival but I always love Diwali. To me, the “Festival of Lights” is more like the “Festival of Happiness”. Everyone seems so happy during Diwali. I guess there must be something magical about the traditional dance moves and music. Do not get what I am trying to tell? Check this out:

This is a quick video I recorded last night, exclusively for i-studentlife only!

Their smiles warm my heart and I hope they could warm yours as well.

Have a great day, everyone!

So I did it!

I finally registered for the SAT and, to put it bluntly, I am SCARED!

I would have to say that the SAT is the main obstacle in my journey to US study and would be for many UK students planning on applying.

The SAT consists of eight different types of questions organised into three sections:

This is just a basic overview of how the test is set out and it’s based on American high school teaching and which is very holistic and broad compared to the UK. Our holistic study tends to finish at GCSE and when we get to college or sixth form we go into much more detail in our chosen A levels and BTECs whilst in America they study a lot of subjects even up to their first year of university.

My test date is on the 5th November, so I’ll be keeping you updated on how the revision is going and reviewing the difficulty of the process for me and how it would be for an average UK student.

Hi there and thank you for stopping by my very first blog post here at i-studentlife. My name is Daniel Sulen and I am a senior studying Management at DePaul University in Chicago. This year I will be blogging about my life as an international student studying in the magnificent city of Chicago in the USA.

I was born in Norway and lived there the first twenty-one years of my life. My hometown is situated on the west coast of Norway and is called Bergen. It is a relatively small city of roughly 250,000. Back in Norway, the city is generally known for being the rainiest city and its people, “Bergensere”, the loudest and most extrovert people. To reference the rain aspect of Bergen, it is the twin city of Seattle. After graduating high school, I went on to joining the Royal Norwegian Coast Guard. Living aboard the more than 300 feet long ship was an incredible experience and I am forever grateful for the adventures I encountered of the shore of Norway. It was the perfect way of getting to know and experience every little part of the coastal country and to learn to appreciate its nature and climate, for better or for worse.

Growing up in the little country with a population of less than five million, I always knew that I wanted to expand my horizon and explore the world. Upon finishing my military service with the Coast Guard, I started to work to save up some money to be able to explore the world. While being off shore I had spent a significant amount of time researching schools around the world, however what really caught my eye was an article in my local newspaper about a group of people studying on the beaches of Thailand. It did not take me very long before my application had been completed, sent, approved, and I was headed for Thailand.

Studying in Thailand was a great experience and I got to visit a variety of countries and see a lot of what South East Asia has to offer. However, what sparked my interest in the US was the greater variety of programmes, internship opportunities, and in general a better education. I started studying in Saint Louis, however I learned soon that the city is not very accommodating to international students in terms of public transportation and mobility. That is when I started to look around for a bigger city and better school, and my eyes eventually landed on Chicago and DePaul University. Since that day, I have not once looked back or regretted the switch. Chicago is such a great city that offers such a great variety of different things to do and see, and in the heart of it lies DePaul University.

As a management major, my vision is to one day manage across borders in a position that allows me to keep on traveling, seeing the world and all of its different cultures. So please do join me as I will be blogging about my life as an international student in the city of Chicago, and my path towards achieving my goals.

Look at the picture.

The chimp is sad because a) National Love-a-Chimp day only comes once a year; and, b) He has a banana allergy and can only eat soy bananas.

I was going to write a long, maudlin entry about travelling alone. But instead, there’s the picture. Look at the monkey!

I finished my time in Istanbul. By the end I had seen almost everything mentioned in Lonely Planet, and certainly everything I could find related to Byzantine Constantinople. I met several academics, including a Byzantium expert, someone who knows their Seljuk Turkish pottery and the head of an historical research department. The last person I met was convinced she wouldn’t be much use to me, as she was an art historian, but we hit it off immediately on artistic grounds. She was sick so we met at her house overlooking the Bosphorous, sipping tea and talking about all the hidden architectural meanings of the Hagia Sophia and how encoded in its stone are the mysterious divisions between the earthly and the sacred, written out in architectural language.

I indulged in a few non-research related activities on rainy days when there was not much to do, including visiting a WWII era submarine that is now a floating museum and getting to feel like a submarine captain. For research I found a few more mosaics glittering down at me with their mystery, all faces except those of Christ turned down in sadness as they are burdened with the imperfection of sin.

And as my time in Istanbul drew to an end I was no longer alone. A Bulgarian linguist friend, whom I met when I lived in Iceland, joined me on the final night and together we headed off to keep chasing the Crusaders.

We came to Iznik, formerly Nicaea, where the Nicene Creed was agreed upon, as in, ‘I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost…’ It is still surrounded by its medieval walls. It was the first town in Asia Minor the Crusaders besieged, but as it sits by a huge lake they could never blockade it completely. Cue the Byzantines, who dragged boats across the land from the Sea of Marmara using oxen and a lot of human muscle power. As soon as those Byzantine boats appeared on the lake, the town surrendered, and to the more peaceful Byzantines rather than the plunder hungry Crusaders. The Crusaders also fought the Turks there when they tried to relieve the city. I got to stand on the hill where the Kilic Arslan would have looked down at the town and the Crusaders encamped around it before sending his own men into the fray. He would have had a good view!

I also tried ‘Couchsurfing’ for the first time. We stayed with a magnificent Turkish family who bike around the world, going across several countries at a time with pedal power. The man of the house was also a history teacher so he was able to tell me a little about the town’s past. Iznik itself is lovely and the lake gives it a peaceful air, despite the odd snake jumping out to surprise hapless tourists.

I was in Anatolia, Asia Minor, which was considered enemy territory by the First Crusaders as they plodded along on their three year trek to Jerusalem. Now my pilgrimage was really under way.

Hello readers! Sorry for such for a late second post, A Levels and UCAS applications have been the main priority for the past seven weeks and so I’ve struggled to find time to apply to US universities as well as write about it!

On the 1st October I went to the USA college day hosted in Kensington Town Hall by Fulbright and EducationUSA. It was an event where up to 150 US college representatives came and set up stalls around the building telling us anything we needed to know about the college, admissions process and the extra details that we tend not to find out on the website.

Luckily the day and weather wasn’t bad because it was a very over-subscribed event! I stayed in line for about 45 minutes waiting to go into the hall and this line stretched around to the neighbouring street. I think this just goes to show how many more people are exploring their options abroad after the rise in UK fees was announced.

It was a truly useful event though because, as well as US colleges being there, there were stalls about how to get international scholarships and how to deal with the US admissions process.

For anyone interested in US study, I highly recommend this event for next year!

HI! My name is Andrea Zurita and I’m going to be one of the new bloggers for DePaul University starting this year. Since I am new to the site, I just wanted to tell you a little bit about myself. I was born in Cartagena, Colombia, and grew up with a weather of let’s say, 90-100 degrees all year long! Yes, that may sound like a lot to some of you, and it certainly did to me when I was growing up. Now that I have experienced Chicago winters, however, I must say I definitely miss being able to go to the pool every day of the year. Cartagena is also very touristic because of its beautiful beaches and the history that surrounds it. We have castles and walls around the city that were built centuries ago when Spanish conquerors sought to hide and guard treasures from pirates. Sounds a little crazy, I know, but you can still see many of the old cannons when you walk around town. The more I think about it now, the more I realize Cartagena was just perfect for Halloween; it doesn’t get much creepier than exploring the underground tunnels of an old castle under a full moon…

Now, back to the point, how did I end up in DePaul? I love trying new things; I feel that change and the challenges that come along with them are what keep me motivated. This is why I decided I wanted to go to a school in a big city, with a strong business community like the one Chicago has. I, believe it or not, was also bored of the hot weather and was dying to finally see what snow looked like. I also like that the university places a very high value on diversity and that its campuses are right in the city so there is always something to do. As of now, I am a Finance and Accounting major, and I am interning part-time while going to school. I am also one of the Global Ambassadors for DePaul, which means that I’m always here to talk to other international students about the school and the city. In my free time, I love going to Millennium Park, which is located just a few blocks away from campus, because it combines nature with a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline. I also like trying out new restaurants with my friends, going to the movies, and taking advantage of all the different events that DePaul and Chicago have to offer. This Thursday, for example, I am going to a corn maze with DePaul’s Campus Ministry. No, I have never been to a corn maze before and I am pretty sure it will be scary but at the same time I’m really looking forward to it. After attempting to go through the maze, we will sit by a bonfire and have smores, so if you want to know how that Halloween experience goes please be sure to read my next post.

I can’t wait to get to know all of you through your blogs and I hope that my first one has helped you see just a little bit more about myself. Happy Halloween!

I have now been studying at the Royal Holloway for three weeks. It is a very beautiful campus, and I will never get tired of walking around the Founder’s Building. Fresher’s week was a lot of fun, with the Fresher’s Fair and many activities organised by the Student’s Union. It was really interesting to see all of the different clubs and societies available to the students. I signed up for the Photography Club, as well as the History Society and the Politics and International Relations Society. Unfortunately these all seem to clash, but I am looking forward to going to a few events for each throughout the term.

The Study Abroad team is excellent, and I must say it was really good to finally meet the people I have been bombarding with emails for the last few months! The introductory sessions were good, and I found out that the Royal Holloway is ranked 88th out of all of the world’s universities. I was amazed to see so many different nationalities represented in the activities for international students. As everyone is in a strange place we all seem to feel as though we are in the same boat, and it is pretty easy to start making friends.

Despite the efforts of the staff here, I have still managed to get lost on the huge campus a couple of times, and I know I’m not the only one. The professors and lecturers are pretty understanding when it comes to the new students though, and they have all been happy to point me in the right direction. I’m really enjoying my subjects; ‘British Social & Economic History 1914-1945’, ‘Empire & Decolonisation’ and ‘The Politics of Migration and Ethnicity’ which all work together really well. I am also doing ‘Conquest and Colonisation 1000-1300’, which is a bit left of centre for me but it has been really interesting, and has gone a long way in explaining some of Europe’s current divides to me. The range of history subjects here really is something; I would like to be able to take a few more!

It’s not all been study so far; there was a ‘heatwave one weekend with teo days over 30 degrees, which signalled everyone to make their way down to the beach. I headed to Brighton, which has a great atmosphere. I was really amused by the English definition of a day at the beach, which includes sunbaking on pebbles because there is no sand, fun park rides and sideshows on the pier and not much swimming. Very different to Australia.

I have had the opportunity to check out a bit of the London nightlife. There are some pretty cool spots, and quite a lot of people run pub crawls around different areas, which are a great way to meet people, even if most of them are Aussies.

I have booked a few more trips to Europe to see a few more countries, which means I have to knuckle down and do some serious homework so my weekends are free. I’m off to the Somme next weekend, and I also have my first seminar presentation to give, so it is going to be a pretty full-on week.

Hey, everyone! This is Rose again. I am in a study break for exams now – I have four exams, I feel quite stressed! I will never choose four again because it is so stressful, hopefully I will do fine. As promised before, I will write about my study life in this entry. By the way, thanks for the comments from my friends for the first entry. I love you guys, haha! In addition, the information I wrote here is just my own experience and my own opinion, feel free to express your opinion if it is not the same as I wrote here because I love to hear different opinions because everybody is different. In addition, do check again if you wanna to do those programmes because sometimes they change the courses they offer. That’s the aspect I do not like about the uni here – it is always changing!

I did all my education before high school in a government school in China, but my parents were pretty wise to send me to an international school for high school because they knew that I could not bear the pressure from the university entrance exam in China! Anyway, that’s the reason I am in New Zealand now, because my high school has a connection with Victoria University in Wellington. Anyway, because I went to an international school, my English level is better than other Chinese students. (By the way, thanks for all my teachers in that international school, you are so awesome and give me lots of confidence!)

Then I went to a Foundation programme here when I first came because it would help me prepare for university. I chose some courses there, I think I chose six in total (I can not remember the exact number now, haha, that’s another aspect of me – I can not remember lots of stuff, but I can remember the important ones though.)

I think there is one called academic writing that I chose. It was quite boring, but quite helpful as well because it teaches you how to write uni essays. I learned a little bit of that in international school as well. I hate referencing, I know it is quite important, but I found it takes me so much time to do it! There is a software called EndNote that can help me to do it – I installed, but never used it though, haha! There is another highly recommended course in that programme that teaches you how to do a library search, I took that one as well, was quite helpful. I did not take economics because I was never interested in economics! I remember I wanted to take physics and chemistry, but because there are not so many people choosing them, they canceled those classes which was a shame. I think the other ones I did take were maths, information systems, New Zealand history, New Zealand literature and computer technology.

I enjoyed that programme because the teachers there were so awesome and helpful and supportive. I met lots of new friends from different nations there and they are like a family to me, haha! It is a shame because we do not keep in touch often nowadays though because we are doing different majors and some of them are in different countries to me now, but I will always miss them though. I think that’s another aspect of why I like it here, because you can meet lots of people from different nations. I love the diverse culture here.

I guess I will stop there for now and I am gonna to continue writing about my study life here in my next entry. Once again, if you have any comments and questions, feel free to ask or comment! I love to hear from your guys! All the best to you all!

‘Do you want to buy a fez?’

‘Do you want to buy a carpet?’

These are important questions my visit to Istanbul has forced me to consider. Never mind the minutiae of eleventh century life. Do I want to buy a fez? Oh, the existential pangs! But it would get all crushed in my bag!

Omnipresent street vendors aside, Istanbul has even more than its usual dose of magic if you are at all fascinated with its history. I am sleeping where the Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors once stood. That place over there where I can see the ferries go was Chalcedon, the settlement on the Asian side of the Bosphorous opposite Constantinople. The Hagia Sophia was for centuries the largest and most breathtaking church in the world. Charioteers raced around the hippodrome, and the bronze column there depicting three coiled snakes was made of weapons and armour the Greeks melted down after they defeated the Persian army.

I gazed at the glittering majesty of Byzantine mosaics, all pinpricks of light softly glowing in subtly designed church domes floating high above as if supported by strings from heaven. I walked the walls which protected the city for centuries, keeping the Byzantine Empire alive for a thousand years longer than their counterparts in Rome (though, to their minds, they were always simply the continuation of the Roman Empire, its true inheritors). My crusaders gazed up at those walls in awe and envy. Later crusaders were guided away from the east by greed and sacked this city, which was for countless generations the greatest, wealthiest and most populous city in Christendom. Next to Constantinople, everywhere else in the west was provincial.

‘I can’t carry a carpet in my bag. I’m backpacking.’

‘No, I can ship it to you, don’t worry.’

I’m standing at the frontal gateway to the Blue Mosque.

‘I can’t afford a carpet.’

‘But I have some very cheap!’

‘No thanks, but have a nice day.’

The city’s status as a ‘megopolis’ continues to this day. I think there are 14 million people living in Istanbul? That’s nearly three quarters the entire population of Australia. Market stalls fill the maze-like streets between the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. The Bazaars themselves are not the end of it; the bazaar district constitutes an entire suburb of almost nothing but just stalls and shops. I can’t even describe how the pedestrians interact with the traffic on the packed roads. Somehow, in the chaos, no-one is killed (as far as I can tell). Getting off the packed trams I worried I am pregnant. But there are all those magical domes and spires from all those magical mosques on the hilltops. When the light is just right it’s like being in a fairytale.

Constantinople’s position made it a trading hub. It’s always been a city of merchants.

A shoe shine man walking in front of me drops his brush. I know it’s a con, I know it’s a con, but I can’t just leave it there. I hand it to him.

‘Oh, thank you! Where are you from?’

Always the same question. Nobody asking it cares. I’m going to start saying I’m from Venus. But I’m too flustered.

‘Australia.’

‘Australia! Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie! For how long are you in Turkey?’

I’m already backing away. I shook his proffered hand after returning the brush and he seems nice. Too nice.

‘A while. Have a nice day! Bye!’

I was wearing hiking boots and he could hardly have polished them. I don’t know what he wanted but if I want to find out I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities. Within half an hour another shoe shine man has made a bee line towards me.

‘Where are you from?’

I’m glad I’m a fast walker.

I remember the first time I came to Istanbul, about three years ago, with my girlfriend. We were lost, looking for our hostel, carrying heavy bags, sweaty, tired and starting to snap at each other. And then walking between the competing magnificence of the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia we heard the call to prayer for the first time, erupting from a thousand minarets across the city. It remains one of the most moving moments of my life.

Other Things That Happened:

• Ferries between Europe and Asia

• A group of unattended kids, no older than four, started spitting at me and throwing rocks. Fortunately because they were toddlers they can’t lift heavy rocks and their aim was bad. Not sure why that happened but I was walking through a poor district near the walls. Also, I was wearing a Gumby t-shirt, just Gumby’s face with giant red peepers. Do people really care about the evil eye? I thought that was just a thing for the tourists.

• Apple tea and Turkish delight. It’s only for the tourists, but gosh darn, it’s good.

Hey, everyone! This is Rose here. I am an international student from China and I am currently studying in Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. I am a second year undergraduate majoring in geography. I have been here for almost 3 years because I had a one year Foundation study which is a programme which can help you prepare for uni – highly recommended, by the way. But the real uni is much harder than the Foundation programme though. Time is just passing so quickly, when I look back, I can not believe that 3 years has passed! This is my first entry for the blog and I would like to talk about my life recently because I can write a book about my life in those three years, haha!

The biggest event happening here at the moment is the Rugby World Cup (RWC) which is the third largest sporting event in the world. I think the first is Olympic Games and the second biggest is the football World Cup! People here are so crazy about rugby and this is the national sport, so people here are proud! I am not so interested in rugby itself, but I like to go out into towns and fan zones those days to feel the atmosphere of the crowd and the awesome fans! In addition, I can see lots of people from different countries performing in the street as well. As a geog student, I like to feel the different culture here. There are already different cultures even before the RWC, because you can see different cafes, restaurants and people from all over the world! By the way, the rate of improving number of cafes in Wellington is the fastest in the world, every time I go to town, there is a new café, haha! And coffee lovers say that the coffee in Wellington is the best in the world – anyway, that’s another story.

The most exciting event for me is the South Africa music festival which finished a couple of weeks ago. I love African culture because it is so diverse and exciting! Although the people there suffer from poverty, they have such a diverse culture and music styles and the most beautiful heart! I tried some African food, it was really awesome! I love spicy food!

The other upcoming big event is the election in November, so you can see lots of campaigns and debate in the street. Really interesting! There are lots of fundraisers for the election campaign as well. I love the topic of aid and development and climate change, so I went to a political debate about NZAID a couple of weeks ago. I will go to another one about climate change next week! Looking forward to it. It is unfortunate that I can not vote because I am not a New Zealand citizen, but if I could vote, I would definitely vote for Green Party because they support sustainable development and I like their election campaigns which include solving child poverty (which is a big problem here) and cleaning the rivers.

The other interesting event last week is the so-called “Occupy Wellington” protest. I am a strong supporter for that because of the inequality here and in other capitalist societies. These are the supporters of the Occupy Wall Street campaign – I guess the number of supporter will grow because it is a growing problem here!

Anyway, I will probably stop there. Oh, I just realized I did not talk anything about my study life here. I will probably talk about it in my next entry. Feel free to comment and ask me questions, would love to hear from you! Hope you are all happy and fine! Haha!

Hello everyone and hello to my very first blog entry on i-studentlife! My name is Prestine Davekhaw, currently an international student at DePaul University, pursuing a major in advertising and minor in media and cinema studies. I am from Penang, Malaysia and came all the way here to the United States to learn more about myself and the world. I originally wanted to do a study abroad in Taiwan when I freshly graduated from high school, but then someone came into my life and told me “Hey, I think the United States may be great for you!” I thought about the idea of getting higher education in the States for two weeks. Two whole weeks! In the end, I accepted the challenge, took intensive English courses right after that, and enrolled in a local international college to do an American Transfer programme. The next thing I knew, I was on my way heading to the Windy City – Chicago, Illinois.

Attending school in the states has been great especially in a big city like Chicago. I love DePaul and it has been treating me well. Study abroad can be difficult but it is the most valuable experience in my life. I have been here for ten months, yet still struggling with the language and American culture. Despite that, I enjoy every moment here – the good and bad.

Alright, since I am new here, I shall tell you more about myself! In fact, ten random facts about me
1. I am one of the Global Ambassadors at DePaul University!
2. I love creative advertisements, experimental and avant-garde short films so much that I spend a magnificent amount of my time exploring them. Say, 21 hours a week.
3. I enjoy reading philosophy and ancient Roman poems – I never really understand them but I find them beautiful.
4. I enjoy listening to French music too. Again, I never understand a single word from the music but the language and music are simply gorgeous.
5. My ultimate goal in life is to please myself in every way I could by following my heart at all times.
6. I cannot spell tomroow… tomorrow.. tommorrow? So I use “tmro” all the time.
7. I ate bees once in my life and got food poisoned! That would be my last bizarre food experience in life.
8. I cannot pronounce the word “beach”. When I could, it always sounds more like “b****”
9. [cannot think of any]
10. [cannot think of any]

Well, I hope all of you like my first introductory post on i-studentlife! I look forward to communicate with everyone over the world. Ciao~!

One of the perks a research grant is that you get up to fourteen days ‘down time’, off the clock. I timed these to coincide with the wedding of two friends.

I once went on exchange to Iceland. I lived in a dorm and I met lots of people who within five minutes were like family. Two of these, a Canadian and a Bavarian, fell in love in Iceland, had lived in Vienna for years and were now tying the knot.

Unmarried ladies, you may want to stop reading now. Your dream wedding is not going to top this one.

Picture perfect alpine Austrian countryside, Sound of Music-worthy. They were married in a small village church and it seemed to me like everything inside was plated in gold. The reception was held in a hilltop castle, and that is also where we slept. Personalised napkins, personalised wedding love heart schnapps, bubbles, wish balloons. People from at least ten countries were there. Oh, and the night before, and scattered amongst the wedding, there were lederhosen. That’s right. Lederhosen.

Fifteen hours of drinking, absinthe at five am, waking up too drunk to be hungover, meeting all sorts of fantastic people, the hangover creeping in on the train, and seeing some friends who I had shared some of the best moments of my life with unite their two lives together… Well, what more could you want from research field trip down time?

I was also in Hungary, where I once lived for two years, catching up with friends, rushing back and forth across the entire country to do so, enjoying some fantastic Tokaji Aszu wine, and even shovelling a pig sty (long story, I did it voluntarily and I count it as research). Did I eat goulash, you ask? Of course. Home cooked, no less.

The First Crusaders did actually pass through Hungary, but I didn’t really need to do any research here as the Hungarian pieces of my novel were based on experiences I already had in a Hungary I knew. Next it is back to full on research. Next it is a train back from Budapest to Vienna to catch a flight to Istanbul …

Other Things That Happened:

• I walked up a hill to the wedding castle with thirty kilos of luggage. Research. The crusader kit weighed about the same, and I made it!

• I met a bizarre hostel owner who likes to shut down his hostel, take his guests out to bars and have them act as wingmen as he tries to pick up chicks.

• I fed chocolate to a pig because I thought it would be tragic if he died having never tasted chocolate.

Hey everyone!

This is my first blog after mid-semester break. It is getting really busy now, with all the assignments and projects around. Some people are lucky enough to say: “Yeah, I submit my last essay next week, and that’s me. Don’t have any exams or anything.” Unfortunately, this is not my case, so huge pile of assignments and exams. And the end of the year is swiftly approaching. That is sad.

I did have a whole lot of fun on mid-semester break though. First thing I did is I went to Victor Harbour with Flinders University photography club for a day. We were really lucky to get good weather on the day, because it was cold and wet before and after that day. However, we spent an amazing day walking around Granite Island. In addition, there was some kind of retro cars meeting up; it was quite interesting to look at those old Fords and Corvettes. I thought I took a lot of pictures (around 120), until my friend said that she had her camera full with over 1200 images! After this, our photography club used some of our pictures for an art exhibition we had on-campus.

After that, ta-da, there was something I had been waiting for a long time! A three day trip to Kangaroo Island organised by ISSU with 20 other students. It was too great to be able to fully describe it. There were two bad things about it; first one – we were supposed to leave university at 6:15am. The other one – the trip was too short! However, it was awesome. Even on the way there it was amazing. While being on the ferry, we saw some dolphins swimming around it. We did all sorts of fun stuff, such as sand-boarding, hiking, walking around beautiful remarkable places, having campfire in the evenings. We had some llamas and kangaroos in our back yard on the farm we lived. The most remembered place we had been to is the last place we went to – farm with lots and lots of animals. We got not only to pet kangaroos there, but to hold them (big ones) and bottle feed them. It was really funny when the farmer without a word, quickly took a kangaroo and put it in hands of some girl. She was shocked for a bit. We got to meet parrots, emus, possums, snakes, peacocks, some sort of deer, and my favourite of all – koala, amazing, slow teddy bear. I did not get to meet any dingoes though. That was the very first question my friend asked me: “Have you seen any dingoes?” Guess it is not only hard to get puppy-dingo for my friend, but also hard to see it. Oh well, I have some time to do that. In short, if you are in South Australia, get a tour to Kangaroo Island. That is going to be an experience you will not forget.

The tyranny of cheap flights had me stuck in Paris for a few days. I know, woe is me. Still, I didn’t want to waste the time if I could help it. There must be SOME research I could do in the City of Lights.

I took a trip down to the Paris Museum of the Middle Ages. I was glad I went to the effort of getting a student card. That’s quite different to the ‘under 26’ card that gives discounts practically everywhere in Europe. ‘I’m a student but an old student,’ I would say, and it made the woman behind the counter here laugh. They always ask what I am studying. Is it a survey? Do I only get the discount if the attraction is directly related to my study? Fortunately it was.

The museum had a temporary exhibition on ‘The Sword’ and they had shipped in pieces from all over the place. I had based my knight’s weapon on different features from several swords, but most of the distinguishing traits came from a specific piece, with ‘Gicelin Me Fecit’ or ‘Gicelin Made Me’ written along the blade. I walked into the museum and there it was. It was like a fictional sword, the sword of my fictional hero, had tumbled out into reality and was hanging inches from me.

The second place that proved to be very useful was ‘The Institute of the Arab World’. The exhibit was fairly small, and the woman didn’t laugh when I said I was an old student but she still let me in at a discount, but there was so much stuff, such a rich collection of a huge variety of day to day objects from my era, including written pages, alchemical bottles and gold coins. I stood before all of them, scribbling descriptions as they came to me.

The descriptions will all need some work but little things like this will add so much believability and detail to my ficto-historical world. Some were from Egypt, some from Iraq and some from Iran, but thanks to the Silk Road and famous caravans I don’t think it is too far fetched to think that traders might have brought one or two of these objects into the paths of my protagonists:

‘Shaped like a lynx with a lattice work of holes, the bronze object was for burning incense or diffusing some kind of perfume. It seemed to grin at him from a wide face with a little beard, its ears and tail raised as if in expectation.’

Of course, would my knight know what a lynx was? Still, useful stuff. It wasn’t all swanning about one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Other Things That Happened

• I’ve been to Notre Dame before, but it has personal meaning to me. I’d never been up in the towers to come face-to-face with the gargoyles, but this time I queued the one-and-half- hours and did it, living up to my childhood name of ‘Quasimodo’.

• Went to the Paris Sewer Museum, which sends you down into Paris’s working sewers. As bad as it sounds. The smell hits you like a wall and you feel it all over your skin. In retrospect it suddenly occurs to me it was maybe a bad idea.

• Eiffel Tower, Arc D’Triomphe, The Pantheon (no discount!), The Church of the Sacred Heart, you know the drill.

Next stop was Bayeux, beautiful Bayeux, to see the famous tapestry again. I had seen it before but it was important to look at it with fresh eyes, after two straight years of thinking about the Normans, and I’m glad I went. It really is fantastic, and you could look at it a dozen times and still see something new, it is like a great comic strip seventy meters long. You can see every stitch those women did nine hundred years ago, recreating the world as they saw it, in a visual form that would have made the story accessible for all.

The countryside of Normandy is so green and lush. Travelling through it was a real joy. Again, I was furiously scribbling every impression, every detail that might have struck my protagonists.

There is a scene in my book when some brothers visit Mont St Michel and use it to define their beliefs. ‘This is what we are going for, this is why we are liberating Jerusalem, this is what religion means to us.’ The problem is the scene as written just sort of ends. Clearly a trip was in order.

I left early in the morning for Mont St Michel, that great abbey built on the promontory jutting from a flat tidal bay on the coast of Normandy. Mist was covering everything making the Norman countryside particularly heavenly. The first time I glimpsed Mont St Michel it was just a shadow on the horizon rising from the mist as if sitting on a cloud. There we go, write that down, that description can go in the book!

I also learned from physical experience that Mont St Michel really does have quicksand in its tidal bay. I thought quicksand only existed in Tarzan movies! But no, there it was, wobbling like jelly under my feet until I began to sink… The Bayeux Tapestry even depicts knights being rescued from the Mont St Michel quicksand. Hmm, there must be something in that, some kind of scene…

The Normans have always loved the Archangel Michael so this really is the spiritual heart of Normandy, it really would have personified religion for my characters. Michael himself rises in gold from the topmost spire at the very pinnacle of this majestic abbey. What a magnificent place, it really is breathtaking. You don’t need any kind of religious belief to be overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of this place.

I had two powerful scenes in mind for Mont St Michel now, one involving quicksand and foreshadowing, the other depicting a service amidst gabbling pilgrims that would not sit still. Both scenes would only improve my book by helping to elaborate on some of its major themes.

Plus I got to visit a truly amazing and world class heritage site. Not a bad way to do a day’s work.

Other Things That Happened:

• I gave a Benedictine Monk far too funky a hand clasp.

• I couldn’t stop playing with the quicksand.

• I didn’t order a thirty-five euro omelette at Madame Poulard’s. I would have needed a third research grant to be able to afford that.

My name is Adrian and I am on a research trip because I am doing a PhD in Creative Writing. Never ask a PhD student exactly what their thesis is about because you don’t want to know all the boring details, but suffice to say that for the creative part I am writing a novel about the First Crusade of 1096-1099, when Christian knights left to capture Jerusalem from the Muslims in the name of God, hoping that in doing so all their sins would be forgiven.

My trip will take me through five countries as I research details for this novel.

I like to think of my trip as an academic pilgrimage. Pilgrimages to holy sites were popular in the Middle Ages and almost a form of tourism. Of course I will forsake blood, death and religious zealotry for photos, the furious scribbling of notes and objective research, but like any pilgrim I embark seeking enlightenment by the end of my journey. I have no staff and scrip and I’m not carrying armour, but at times with my huge backpack it certainly feels like I could do with a horse.

I managed to get two grants for this trip and I’ll be away for three months. I guess ‘following the route of the First Crusade’ sounds so romantic that even the funding bodies couldn’t resist. There’s a tip – if you’re going to do a PhD in Creative Writing, write about somewhere far away and exciting that you can get funding to visit!

I’m very lucky. If all goes well I’m going to be able to visit every major location from my book, and every major place the First Crusaders passed through, from France, through Turkey and to the Holy Sepulchre itself in Jerusalem. The end, though, is months away, and my journey is just beginning.

My journey isn’t just about dusty museums, old books or handling rusty artifacts with rubber gloves. It’s about translating experiences, about trying to capture the essence of something in words, and to ‘colour in’ details of a physical and spiritual journey made by people nine hundred years ago. It’s not just what I find but the experience of the trip itself that can be used to add depth to my novel. My research encompasses every aspect of my travels. That said, I did get a vaccination against typhoid, so there is one opportunity to discover genuine crusader experience I will be missing out on.

How many writers can say they got to walk the paths of their characters, to visit every location of their book? I should be pinching myself; this is usually something only the most successful novelists can afford.

My first stop is France, which represents ‘home’ to the characters of my novel. My protagonists are eleventh century Normans, French speakers descended from the Vikings who conquered England in 1066, about thirty years before my novel is set. So I chose to fly into Paris and head off without delay to Normandy.

After my twenty-five hour flight and two hour train trip (and dropping stuff off at the hotel with a quick shower … I got to say, ‘La douche? C’est bon!’ to a real live Frenchman) the Men’s Abbey was my first destination. For me it was wonderful to start my journey at the very site one of the main characters of my novel is introduced.

Caen in my novel is home to my primary female protagonist, a washerwoman-cum-storyteller. Caen is where she is meant to have grown up. I have lots of nice little details about the town now; I can describe that to walk to certain places you must go uphill and many buildings there are built of Caen stone, an especially attractive limestone, the same as was used to build the Tower of London. I scribbled things like this in my notebook.

Something I quickly discovered is that the eleventh century is there, physically, in Europe, but it is underneath, buried, peeking out just here and there in frustrating glimpses like those faces hidden in stone foliage or gargoyles leering from an otherwise beautiful church façade. It is in foundations everywhere but so much of it is missing or has since been built over. I suspect I’ll find myself chasing traces of the eleventh century this whole trip and correcting a lot of assumptions I had made looking at photos of sites and peering at ruins from above on Google Earth.

Other Things That Happened:

• I met an eighty-eight year old WWII veteran from New York on his way to the D-Day beaches and shook his hand.

• I ate far too many kebabs.

Melbourne – the city they say experiences all four seasons in one day. Well, I certainly experienced that when I visited the city during the mid-semester break! The weather greatly varied, from beautiful beach weather, to rain with strong winds, all within the space of one day! Aside from the weather, I had a fantastic time travelling to my second city in Australia!

After an early morning flight, we arrived tired and rather hungry in Melbourne. After boarding the Sky Bus (the major bus transfer to the airport to the city) we were soon in the city and quickly figured out which tram to take to get to our hostel, Home at the Mansion, on Victoria Parade. The hostel exceeded our expectations, with spacious rooms, and cleanliness throughout. For $26 per night, we stayed in a twelve-bed dorm room, meeting people from all over the world, including Australia, the UK and Sweden! The hostel was a ten minute walk from the city centre, so we quickly became used to navigating around the city.

We had a lot to fit in during our short trip, as we were only staying for four days, and so on our first day, we headed out to explore the city. Melbourne reminds me of New York, with lots of impressive high-rise buildings and busy city life. We also visited the Victorian Markets, where hundreds of stalls were spread out over three warehouses. Here, you could buy anything from sports memorabilia to tourist souvenirs! After a successful shopping trip at the Markets, we headed over to Northcote, where a street music festival was occurring. The festival showcased local talents and culinary skills. All in all, it was an excellent way to begin our trip!

The next day, we headed to St Kilda’s, where we found some beautiful beaches. The weather was perfect for this, as it was averaging around 28 degrees! From St Kilda’s, you could also see the outline of the city; it was truly beautiful. Also, at St Kilda’s there is a fairground, known as Luna Park, which unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to have a look around. In the evening, we headed down to Brunswick Street for a quiet drink. Day three and we visited the aquarium, museum, and Chinatown.

I greatly enjoyed my trip to Melbourne; the city was vibrant, exciting and lively. However, it did make me appreciate the more ‘homely’ feel of Adelaide, something which I feel is important as an international student. I like the fact that Adelaide is not that big, so it is easy to navigate around, making it easy to settle in and consider Adelaide as my new home for the next year. Also, the weather is much more consistent here too!

As the end of this semester quickly approaches, I look forward to visiting my family in Perth, learning how to surf, and spending Christmas on the beach!

Finally, a chance to sit down and relax! I have had a whirlwind month in Europe and the UK, visiting as many different places and doing as many different things as possible. As soon as the jetlag wore off, my Mum and I were whisked off to Edinburgh to see the Military Tattoo, which was an incredible experience for me as a Piper, and has long been an ambition of mine to see. Edinburgh itself was beautiful, with a vibrant atmosphere and incredible history. We looked around Edinburgh Castle and did a tour of Mary King’s Close, which is a walk through a street buried by construction in the 1800s and preserved. After this we made our way up through the highlands and loch country, with was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. One of the highlights was climbing the National Wallace Monument, which was a bit of a struggle but offered a fantastic panoramic view of the Stirling area. The Scottish people were so friendly, and the food was absolutely fantastic. Beautiful steak and ale pies, and fabulous puddings.

After getting home we spent a few days in England, visiting many of the famous places such as Notting Hill, Camden Markets, Oxford, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. One afternoon we splashed out on a real English High Tea and spent the evening having a relaxing girly chat with my cousin.

After this the three of us girls caught the train to Paris for three days. Such a beautiful city, again with fantastic food. Climbing the Eiffel Tower at night was the high point of the trip (no pun intended!). However, I am incredibly scared of heights, so it was a bit stressful. I thought I did really well, except during the night I woke up screaming, dreaming I was falling off the Tower! Really gave my Mum and cousin a shock as we were all sharing a room. Personally I think it was worth the nightmare to see the look on their faces!

Back to London on the train, before setting off for a few days in Italy. We had a really early start with Ryanair (a British discount air service), and were in Pisa for breakfast. We caught the train over to Florence, which is just amazing. Every day I was there I felt like I was on the set of a movie, with big orange and yellow buildings along cobbled streets, with huge wooden doors and window shutters, all set along the river amongst rolling hills. It was wonderful warm weather there, and real Italian food is completely different to Australian Italian food…I do not need to tell you which I prefer! Whilst there we saw the statue of David, and the Santa Croce where Michelangelo and many other Italian greats are buried. We also walked around the Uffizi, which is the world’s oldest art gallery. On the way back to the airport we visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and did the typical tourist photos there.

One day before Mum went home we went out to Egham to have a look at the Royal Holloway University, mainly to work out how to get there from the train station. The campus there is huge, and the Founder’s Building looks like the castle out of a fairy tale. I am really looking forward to getting started there.

So finally the master thesis was given in, but the question whether it is “good enough” remains. The answer will be at the defense of it on the 13th of October. This leaves me in limbo for a few days, though I must say I prefer this than the stress before the deadline.

The unknown…

What is ahead of me is unknown, other than travelling, I am to conclude that over the following days. It is both exciting and scary. How advantageous is it and what are your acquired skills worth? What salary can I expect and what salary can you expect if you go travelling for a year… Planning, planning, planning… What happens if you do not plan, but just go. Did anyone ever do this, other than in the movie Into The Wild.

Internships

Another learning chapter is internships, where I finished two at almost the same time. I received positive feedback from both and I can honestly say I learned something in both of them. One of the companies even invited me for a fancy retreat in Croatia. I have never done something similar before. In short, it was incredible. There was even a whole day-trip involving cruising around on a pirate ship!

Next chapter

…will be the defense of the thesis, also called “viva”. The viva is to be done online which is quite intriguing by itself. Finally, we are moving into mobile education and not a moment to soon. I cannot wait to see my kids grow up with education from 5-10 different countries, depending on their interests and field of study. Imaging one could study finance, engineering or mathematics online and engage with like-minded people. Perhaps even move somewhere and organize their own math-cluster.

The third year is now under way. Preliminary lectures have taken place and tutorial instructions are piling in. Be here, be there, read this, stay tuned for an email from him… the calm of the summer months is now a thing of the past and it’s time to step up, plaster on a smile and plough through this s**t one more time. (Props to those who know that line’s origin).

So here’s what I’m facing. One practical and one R&D (research and development) module each semester, and then the dissertation running throughout. Each expects in-depth work and expert scheduling by myself to ensure equal time/effort distribution. I’d like to think I’m up to the challenge, but we’ll have to see. I’m still half expecting myself to implode at some point and hide away in the utility room until the mean things go away. It could happen…

But right now I’m doing okay. My education is on track, and the web/business endeavours are as good as ever. My options post-uni look really good, to be honest; I just have to swallow the terrifying idea that nothing is certain and I might have to scrape by for a while – hands and knees across a bland landscape that drags my hopes and dreams further down with each passing day. Maybe not at all, or maybe exactly that. We simply can’t be sure.

On the other side of this year lays a road with many forks. So many directions, and each with their own subset of directions – some offering great success, while others wait to drop nothing but gloomy pastures. It kind of feels like that bit on Takeshi’s Castle where they have to guess which of the four ‘doors’ leads to the next stage, with the other three offering nothing more than a headache and a bad shoulder.

Something like that, anyway.

Remember I mentioned to you guys about the upcoming Flinders Photography Club photoshoot in one of my last blog posts?

Flinders Photography Club managed to plan our photoshoot for the very start of our term break. At first, everyone in the club was dubious of the weather – but luckily we had absolutely lovely weather on that day.

We met at 10:30am and car pooled to Victor Harbor. Unexpectedly, some unwanted drama followed halfway into the journey. One of the club members who was also driving suspected that his car was overheated. So, three out of five cars pulled over and all of us helped check it out. Turns out, it’s just dust off the roadside, NOT smoke; and the car was struggling to accelerate because we were going up the hill.

After surviving the car drama, we finally reached VICTOR HARBOR!

We went for lunch at this awesome fish and chips shop called ‘The Fish Shop’. I know right, how creative is that? HAHAHAHA! But ultimately it’s the awesome taste that I’m going back for. The fish shop serves one of the best fish and chips in South Australia.

After lunch, we headed to Granite Island to do some outdoor photoshoot with our models all dressed and dolled up. The club was lucky to have Lauren and Naomi who are both studying a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics to model for us. They have never modeled before but trust me, if you were to look at those photos; you won’t think that it was their first time doing this. Their fresh faces and amiable personalities impressed us all. We also had people who volunteered to style them.

However, portraitures weren’t the only thing we did that day. A small group of the club members went to explore Granite Island taking panoramic photos of the gorgeous view.

As the sun set, golden light lit up the magnificent umbrella rocks on top of the island. All seventeen of us gathered for a group photo to commemorate the moment. It was all good fun and I was glad that everyone enjoyed themselves; the photographers all had magazine worthy shots and the models felt like superstars. I really look forward for the next outdoor shoot. So if you guys know anyone who loves photography, modelling, styling, make-up or just looking to learn some Photoshop skills be sure to look out for the Flinders Photography Booth next year!

To look at all the photos taken by the club members and me, drop by the Flinders Photography Club on Facebook.

I’m sure you won’t be disappointed! Talk to you all soon!

Sorry for the enormous time gap between my previous post and this =P . Was pretty busy catching up with school work, lecture, lab report, final year project, assignments etc. And honestly, I am that busy. Life has been really hectic that I barely had the time to even do my laundry >.<

Anyway, first up, a couple of weeks ago, I teamed up with several of my housemates and neighbours to form a team for an event called the Orientation Hunt, or O-Hunt for short. It was organised by some local church community, which has hosted a ton of other events such as Oxygen Ball (O-Ball) and the Malaysian Food Fest (the place where I was first ‘blackmailed’ into joining the O-Hunt). Well, sadly, I had no idea what we signed up for, but neither did any of us know… that this event… was such a disorganised event… so disorganised, that they could be documented into a documentary (lets say it ever existed) dubbed How Not To Organise An Event.

A few weeks down the road, from Malaysian Food Fest, I got really busy by the sudden influx of assignments, only to be reminded of that event a day before. Seeing that it’s gonna be a really tough week, I wasn’t really keen on going for that hunt anymore, but, in order not to let my team mates down, just went on with it. Well you see, being a man *cough*, breaking promises isn’t really what we can do casually =). But a weekend in which I can just lie around doing nothing is really tempting, but oh well… I’ll just have to look forward for the next weekend then. =/

The only motivation for us joining the race is pretty much only the lucky draw, which was supposedly an iPad 2. To be truthful, none of us cared about completing the race, let alone winning it. During the briefing before the race, it was brought to light that the lucky draw is only eligible to those who finish the race within the time limit. Well, fair enough, seeing that the prize is something sooooo valuable. So, games on! Or so I thought…

The target destination of the hunt includes most of the city’s attraction which includes Adelaide City Train Station, Coles (local supermarket), Central Market, Rundle Mall, State Library, Victoria Square (square in the heart of the city), Torrens River, The Aboriginal Museum, and Light Square.

The task which was most memorable was the task that was thrown to us in the State Library. A task which needs us to scramble around hunting for several books and deciphering the hidden messages… which i think is a really bad idea. Well, this particular task sent the other participants sprinting all over throughout the library in search for their designated books… which is real baaaaaaad… well, for all we know, that’s a library, a quiet ground for those seeking solace to interact with their inner self and their well deserved peace… alright, I was exaggerating. The library is a quiet ground in which people could read their books in peace… but well, that peace was broken by the other participants yelling at each other across the library.

But anyway, we were the first team to arrive at the final rendezvous point, the church. For all we knew, victory was pretty much ours. We waited for nearly an hour for the next team to arrive, and while waiting, we were pretty much tucking in on the sausage sizzle being organized by the church. But me, well, not really a fan of sausages, went on to help out in the preparation of the sausages. Cooking sausages under bright sunshine is pretty much a new experience I could say, as all I’ve ever done with sausages are cooking them in enclosed kitchen with finite floor space.

The ‘termination’ time for the hunt was extended by an hour given that only two teams (including mine) managed to complete all the tasks within the given time. My team leader (housemate) was pretty annoyed with that decision but still managed to keep calm and collected, with the thinking that it’s okay to give chances to the other participants. During the judgement, it was ruled that some of our pictures (side challenges which must be completed alongside the main challenges) were disqualified for unknown reasons. Well, we were still pretty calm, slightly agitated, with only the iPad as motivation. The final straw came when it was announced that all participants were eligible for the draw for the iPad. The few of us came pretty close to storming out of the assembly hall boycotting the prize presentation ceremony.

So in the end, we ended up on 2nd place. My team wasn’t in the right mind to step on stage as our mood was totally crushed by the organiser and their sudden instantaneous rule changes. We were awarded a hamper full of junk food and AUS$150 worth of flight vouchers each. Might sound pretty reasonable eh? But well, there’s the catch… out of the AUS$150 flight voucher, only AUS$50 worth of flight vouchers are eligible to be used for every trip booking, and the trips have got to be international. Well, lets face the truth, who (student) flies international at least 3 times a year? So at the end of the day, they’re just worthless pieces of papers which hold no value.

So all in all, this is one of the worst treasure hunts ever, organised by a group which couldn’t stand by their principles. But the baseline was, the hunt was fun and challenging, only to be letdown by the quality of the organiser.

Hi everyone! It’s me again. It’s September now. That means that the winter wonderland is over, and here comes lovely spring! The weather is really nice nowadays. I like it so much – warm and sunny days!

Time really flies so fast. Next week is spring break already. That means I have completed the first half of the semester. The first half of the semester was great. I have some new friends. I now know Flinders much better and also know the bus route better. And, there was also not so many assignments, which means I can go exploring Adelaide more often.

Speaking about Adelaide, now I can say that I have fully adapted to Adelaide, and I really do enjoy it! The more I explore Adelaide, the more I like it. And so far, this city never stops which has amazed me.

This month I went to two great events. The first one is ‘INDOpendence’. It’s Indonesia’s independence celebration in Adelaide. That was great. So much Indonesian food there. Some traditional dance and song was also presented there. I personally really enjoyed the food. It’s quite a long time since I ate Indonesian food, so I do miss it a bit.

Then, ‘The Adelaide Show’! I went there with my friends. It was amazing. We were there from 3pm till 9pm. We watched the marching band, and wandered around the exhibition and did many other things such as the rides and played so many games. We also had some food and wine tasting. I had my first grilled turkey. It was literally huge. And it all closed with the fantastic fireworks.

So, as I said, next week is spring break. And I already have my plan. I will go to Melbourne! I have already booked the ticket, and am ready and raring to go! I have my auntie living there, so I will stay in her house. It’s also like a family reunion, because it’s  been a while since I have seen her.

Sadly, after those two weeks of spring break, October will come. My agenda for October is already full with a lot of assignment due dates. It’s quite frustrating, indeed. I just will believe in myself and do my best.

Thankfully, October will be brighter a bit from those assignment due dates, because of the ISSU trip. I have booked a trip to Adelaide Hills, including Hahndorf, the famous German village run by the International Student Support Services.

Hmm, so many interesting things are happening. I just can’t wait – and will be sure to keep you all posted!

As I write this blog, I am approaching the end of week eight of university! After eight weeks, Flinders has a two week mid semester break, and then another five weeks of lectures, and then exams; so in short, I do not have that much longer left of this semester! I found the structure to contact time slightly different in Flinders, as at home I would have three one-hour lectures a week, plus a tutorial fortnightly for four modules. However, in Flinders, my contact time varies in form and length in each subject, which keeps it interesting and not too monotonous. Whilst at Flinders, I am studying: the International Protection of Human Rights, the History of Legal Ideas and International Criminal Law. All three are subjects which are not offered at my home university, so it is a great opportunity to strengthen my knowledge regarding international legal issues!

I am living in the self-catered part of the university’s accommodation – the Deirdre Jordan Village, in particular in the units. In a unit, I share with four other people, and have access to large bathroom, kitchen and living areas. I really enjoying living here, because the room’s modern and spacious, as well as the fact that it is only a 5-10 minute walk to the main campus over a bridge which overlooks a valley full of wildlife, such as parrots. The surrounding area is full of trees and lots of typical vegetation to Australia, in short, it is a beautiful place to live. Moreover, my room has a view that overlooks the city of Adelaide, with the view even stretching to the beach!

The village runs a reasonable amount of social events, including birthday BBQs each month, music nights and the village pub crawl. The birthday BBQs run each month, with a different theme (so far we have had Australian and American) and we celebrate those villagers who have their birthday in that given month. The music night gave those with a talent for singing (or not) the opportunity to showcase their talents, either by performing well known, established songs, or by performing something that they had written themselves.

Finally, the pub crawl involved each villager being given a themed t shirt of “This bar crawl is how I met your mother”, whilst we visited four pubs in the city centre. All three were very enjoyable evenings”. I went to the beach last weekend, as we hit temperatures of 26, despite it only being the start of spring! The closest beach to the Flinders Campus is located in the seaside resort of Glenelg. Here, it has everything you expect from a seaside town, lots of shops, lots of fast food, and a beautiful beach. While I was sat on the beach, I saw some people “jetty jumping”. For those of you who don’t know, the jetty is a long walkway that extends slightly into the ocean.There were also some people going jet skiing, despite the coldness of the sea!

As I look forward to the Mid Semester break, I look forward to a trip to Melbourne. This will be my first visit to another city outside of Adelaide, and I am really looking forward to it! But more on that in my next blog!

So I was invited by a friend to an outing to visit the wineries. At first, I wasn’t that interested because I have already been to the Barossa Valley in South Australia twice already. I do love wineries but the idea of going there for the third time made me think twice.

However, this winery tour they were organising was to the Adelaide Hills wineries near Crafers and my favourite German town, Handorf – and also not too far from university. I’m glad I went for the tour that day because the weather was awesome, the people I met were funky and the wine was tasty.

The downside of it was that I had to get myself up and ready to go before 8am. 8am! That meant that I was suppose to wake up at 7.30am? On top of that, it was a Sunday! People do not wake up at 7am on a Sunday! So, I managed to get ready by 8am and my friend was kind enough to pick me up because I don’t drive in Adelaide. We whizz through the roads, picked up another friend from another suburb, forgot the name of it but the house was so huge. We all gathered together at the organisers house, another friend of mine. My jaw dropped when I saw a horse – my friends pet.

Pets in Singapore were restricted to dogs, cats, hamsters, birds etc. A horse is definitely something new. And the surprising thing was that the neighbour had about 30 kangaroos?

The first winery we visited was called The Lane. Hmm, I wonder what rhymes with lane… lame? JUST KIDDING!! Ok, this winery had the best service in terms of their knowledge of wine and professionalism. The manager who dressed so fine, shared a whole lot of wine related terms such as slippery and woody etc. He was so into his whole wine lecture I felt I should be taking notes. I am more of a sweet wine person so I didn’t get any wine from them.

The rest of the wineries we visited were much more cosy and with services that had their own personal touch; something I always look out for. The Bird in Hand was my favourite winery of the day.

So if you think Barossa Valley is too far of a drive for you, you can always try the Adelaide Hills for a different type of experience. I personally recommend the Bird in Hand for first class service and absolutely delicious wine.

Bird in Hand Road, Woodside, Adelaide hills, SA 5244

I swear they didn’t bribe me.

I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend visit me in Holland where I showed him around Delft and introduced him to my Dutch supervisor and some of my Dutch friends. It was nice to show him the town I have been living in and the places I have been talking about for so long. I packed my bags and we left on a two week adventure through Europe to some of the places we have both desperately wanted to visit for so long.

First stop was Amsterdam, a must see for any tourist passing through Holland. Since I am just about Dutch now, I showed my boyfriend all the typical Dutch things, including their famous deep-fried bar treats and the their liquid gold – Heineken! We then flew to Rome where we saw some amazing sights and learnt a lot about the history. My favourite sight was the Colosseum; words cannot even describe how breathtaking it is. The history was unbelievable and I just couldn’t believe how integrated the ancient ruins and modern city are. I got to spend my 23rd birthday here which was wonderful and it will certainly be one to remember forever.

After three days of exploring Rome, we moved on to the southern coast of Italy towards Amalfi. We stayed in a small town just outside of Sorrento which was absolutely, positively, 100% the most beautiful and special place I have ever visited. Here we spent four days swimming, soaking up sun, shopping and of course… eating! We timed our visit perfectly with the region’s annual pizza festival, so needless to say, we sampled quite a bit of it!

Sad to leave, we made our way back to the Naples airport (would not recommend staying in Naples any longer than absolutely necessary – it was a very trashy, scary place to be in) and boarded a flight bound for Barcelona! Here we did more shopping, eating and beach-going and really just soaked up the culture. Our trip was drawing to an end, and we hopped on another flight, this time to Paris where we spent our last night together before parting ways. It was truly a whirlwind trip of a lifetime and it is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I always planned on travelling as soon as I finished uni, but thanks to this exchange, I was able to combine study with travel and get the best of both worlds!

I have been back in Delft for about two weeks now, madly catching up on lost study time. My research is coming along very nicely and it is starting to get very exciting. It’s amazing how slowly research moves in the initial stages and then suddenly, things start happening at a million miles an hour! Now I am having trouble switching off my brain and relaxing or sleeping because I am too interested in getting to the next stage. I suppose that’s a good thing though!

Last week was the TU Delft ‘O-week’ where all of the new students participate in big parties and activities, so Delft has been buzzing. I actually took part in the exchange student introduction day where we were officially welcomed and given some idea of what to expect during our stay/where to seek help etc etc. We were shown around the campus and were encouraged to mingle with each other and make friends. It felt really weird having this introduction after almost four months of already being here, but I am so glad I did it because in a single day, I made more friends than I have made in my entire time here. I met people from all over the world who have chosen to come to Delft to study because of its academic excellence and reputation. Many of the exchange students are in the same position I was in when I arrived – never been to the country before, can’t speak the language, don’t know anyone here and have never lived away from their family home. It really is a shame that I couldn’t have come at the start of TU’s academic year so that I had the same support that these students now have as well as the opportunity to meet so many new people who are in the same circumstance. It would have made this trip a totally different experience and I probably wouldn’t have had such a hard time adjusting. On the other hand, it might not have been such a character building experience if I didn’t have to go through all of the hard times on my own. Nevertheless, it’s been great to finally meet some other exchange students and have some fun! We have been out to dinners and parties and have made lots of plans for more catch-ups, so I know I am really going to enjoy this last leg of my trip.

So the countdown is now on for my return back home. I have about five or six weeks left to finish off my research and finish seeing all that there is to see in Holland. I will be a very busy girl indeed! I can’t wait to see my family and friends; being away has made me realise how dear they are to me.

Well, I better get back to work – bye for now!

Amy

Hello readers of i-studentlife! My name is Elizabeth Adeogun and I’m an A2 student in St Bede’s School in East Sussex, UK, and I’m currently studying Politics, History, Drama and Economics. I’m currently getting ready to apply to both US and UK universities and I thought to share my experience of applying in both countries.

In terms of my background I’m Nigerian but was born and live in the UK and I currently live in Greater London/Surrey in an area called Croydon. You may know the area as one of the worst hit areas during the period of the UK riots that took place about a month ago. Other than that though, it’s generally a nice area to stay in that is not too loud but not too quiet.

I hope to apply to the US mainly because I’d really like to take advantage of the Liberal arts holistic system of higher education that is only just starting to surface in the UK. I’d like major in International Relations because I hope to become a Foreign Ambassador in the future.

However, I’m still applying to UCAS as back up and also because the UK has a great university selection and because there are many universities I’d love to go to here as well.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading about the path of admissions to study in the US and UK, whether it is successful or not, and I hope to be a source of help to those wishing to study in the US from the UK in the future.

I have been here for a month now. One disadvantage of going somewhere across the equator is that it was the middle of the year here when we started. I remember from studying at the University of Stirling that the middle of the year is not as easy to start studies as the beginning of the year. Now I can fully understand why some exchange students were so weird and not talkative.

The studying itself is very interesting at Flinders. It is different from what we had at Stirling. I like thinking that it was easier there, but I am sure it is just that it is always a little bit hard in the beginning, when getting used to a new place. Also, to help us not to be bored, from this year on, Flinders University changed its system and we have to take not three subjects but four.

To help us to feel at home and just to let us have fun, Flinders University housing office arranges some good activities every now and then. The other day they organised a movie night, which was from 4pm to 12am. They showed four movies in a row, ordered pizza, cold and hot drinks and anybody could come, so there were quite a few people enjoying it.

The other event I was really looking forward to was a pub crawl, which is very usual event for a Scottish university, and I am glad that we have something similar here in Australia. It was great, because we had two buses taking us to the city and a few guys looking after us. So there were two full buses of people wearing the same t-shirts walking from pub to pub all drinking quite substantial amounts (or should I say a little bit dizzy). On that day, I heard a lot of people saying that they never get drunk. A funny moment occurred when we met another university’s students all wearing the same t-shirts, a little different from ours.

The International Student System Unit (ISSU) organises a three day tour to Kangaroo Island that is going to be on in a month which I am going on. I just wish it would be held sooner. My friends who went on similar tour last year said it was great. Also, everybody I am talking to asks me if I have picture with kangaroo or koala. Some even asked me to send them a dingo pet (which I think may be a slightly difficult quest to fulfill). Kangaroo Island should be the place to go and have a chance to take very nice pictures with those famous symbols of Australia though! So stay posted!

What should I do when this internship finishes? What should I do when my masters are done? Should I look into a PhD? Should I accept the current job offer? Should I travel and see the world? Should I start my own business?

Those are some of the questions taking up space in my mind at the moment. Though I am still 1+ month away from the masters. I have just finished my internship at trivago and was fortunate enough to be offered one year contract for an internship. Though the position was interesting to pursue I declined. This brings me back to Denmark where the rest of September will be spent on finishing my masters dissertation.

I have been looking into further studying (IT or language) and will probably continue to look into it while I finish my masters. In the end I am pretty sure that I will travel for some time and maybe even shift continents. Oddly enough I seem to be having a fear about shifting the continents, but not the country. So my plan will be to head for Istanbul and see if I dare to step over the Bosporus, but first the master.

Writing you final master project is not easy – you need to decide on a qualitative or quantitative study, where upon you need to justify whether this model will provide valid data and 100 other limitations. The most difficult part is to be above the Bachelors level and restrain yourself from going all the way to PhD. The first because it will not fulfill the requirements and the latter because you just do not have the time nor resources.

As I battle on with my thesis and dream about which road I will walk down, I wanted to enquire what you would do when you finish? Will you find a nice little cottage, with your dream girl and start your career? Will you throw all this over your back, strap on a backpack, and walk off into the wild?

Just up there, over the hedge and round the corner, lies the final furlong of not just my time at university, but my education as a whole. Unless I suddenly think that some form of post-graduate learning is in order, after this third at final year at the University of Lincoln, I’m officially done. No more putting off getting a ‘proper job’ and contributing to society… it’ll be time to put on some smart trousers, buy (and then shine) a pair of reasonably priced shoes, and get a job. Doing something in world of film, ideally.

That could be quite scary but, in honesty, things have been (or at least felt) so busy lately that I haven’t stopped to think about it. Quite a lot has happened since my last entry at the start of July, so here’s a bit of a recap; a look at my summer activities, if you will, before year three rolls around and begins to consume my life.

1. I’ve found a place to stay for the third year. It’s a pretty sweet little three bedroom property that I’ll be sharing with my two good friends, Preyesh and Ahmed. Considering we left organising housing so late, we’re pretty lucky to have struck gold with such a fine little household. I also scored the biggest bedroom downstairs, wherein the wireless router lives. Count it.

2. My web workload has increased, bringing with it a pleasing amount of scratch. Not bucket loads, mind, but enough to keep me fed, clothed, and creeping ever closer to the purchase of a tablet PC of some description. An iPad, perhaps. Or exactly…

3. This summer I’ve had two great work opportunities, but both would have meant leaving university, which I’m not prepared to do. There’s a chance I might be shooting myself in the foot by letting super opportunities pass by as I continue to strive (and pay) for a piece of paper which might not mean a hell of a lot in a heavily portfolio based industry but, hey ho, we’ll never know.

4. My business endeavour is becoming increasingly active and exciting. I don’t know why I never talk about it more openly than this, really. But yes, despite there being plenty of obstacles thrown in my way, I continue to work hard – doing the right things, making all the right moves and, fingers crossed, it might be about to pay off.

That all doesn’t sound like a lot, but it has been. And it’s late and I’m tired, so I’m probably forgetting something. Two things I know I need/want to improve on and take care of are as follows: (1) stop pretending that next year’s dissertation doesn’t exist, and come up with a thesis proposal, or begin research for the existing proposal, and (2) blog more.

Now it’s just gone midnight and I have an early start so that’s me, folks!

All the best and take good care of yourselves.

Hello! My name is Anastasia, and I’m a third year BA (Hons) International Business student, and I’m studying at Flinders as part of an exchange from the University of Brighton, UK.

I arrived to a lovely little welcome message from my flatmates who all seem really nice, which was lovely. I’m living on campus in the Deirdre Jordan Village, and the house is really quite lovely. There’s a balcony, which overlooks the city and the sea, and I can see the sea from my room. I was woken up this morning with rainbow lorikeets squawking outside my window, and had breakfast out on the balcony in the “winter” sun. This place is a world away from the Grey Britain with which I am familiar.

In my month or so in Adelaide, I’ve been on a few decent nights out, a few gigs and to a handful of events organised by the International Student Services Unit (ISSU) and the DJ Village. These include pub nights, bar crawls, movie nights, a Glenelg beach tour and a trip to Cleland Wildlife Park, where we fed kangaroos, wallabies, and I held a bloody koala!

If you’re used to the hustle and bustle of London, Adelaide seems a pretty quiet, small city, but a damn friendly one at that. Flinders is a bit out of the way, but the public transport seems decent, and the buses run throughout the night, so nights out in the city are affordable. The campus itself is really quite beautiful, if a little hilly. I will have legs of steel by the end of this year I swear… or I would if there wasn’t a Subway on campus too.

Before I forget, in the hope that in future, a tea-lover can avoid the torment of having to brew tea in a mug or a pan, unnecessarily, go to Chinatown if you want to buy a teapot. In my first couple of weeks here, I literally couldn’t find a decently sized teapot anywhere. I did however, find some really nice teapot pyjamas; I think Australians just pretend to like tea. A week in, I finally found a lovely teapot hiding out in Chinatown. Phew.

I suppose, coming from the UK, the cultural overhaul hasn’t been too overwhelming for me, but I have to say all of my tutors, lecturers and peers have been very helpful in the transition academically, and socially.

So far, so good!

You don’t have to beg, borrow or steal at the Gilles Flea market! Alright that sounded kind of cheesy but well, here it goes. So once a month, mostly on the third Sunday, a portion of this Gilles Primary School in Adelaide transforms into a vintage/retro market thing.

The flea market here feels fresher in the sense that the weather is actually cool and you can avoid the claustrophobic feeling one can sometimes encounter at the markets. There is nobody pushing anybody nor shoving themselves around with sweaty arms. And since that Sunday was a sunny one, everything just seems nicer to me.

And boy did I find some bargains! I bought a black friday tee for only $15! I am pretty sure it’s not a replica because it’s not a mainstream label. Besides, I don’t think the China and Korean manufacturers would want to replicate such a low key brand.

As I browse through the stalls, I noticed that there were really quite a number of editorial clothing available in the market. Things I wish I would borrow to do a photoshoot with. But well, I don’t own a publication so that’s out of the question. Also, I was quite surprised when I saw a faux fur jacket for AU$35. Not something anyone I know would wear but it still is a steal. Rhythms? HAHA!

There was a wide range of mens clothing as well! I saw this reversible jacket that screams Grease; I mean, John Travolta virtually floated into my mind at the very site of it. Since the jacket was reversible I figured I could wear them to to vintage/retro theme events. At AU$35, the price was reasonable BUT I questioned myself about how many vintage/retro theme parties have I been invited to and actually attended: That answer would be zero! So, I reluctantly decided to let it go.

It is best to visit the Gilles Market after 2pm because many items are on sale and you have a better chance of being more successful if you were to haggle for a lower price.

The flea market closes at 4pm but you only need 2 hours to go through every single piece of fashion and accessory that is on display. If you are not into style, the Gilles Market also offers hand made craft gifts like a hand sewn monster looking plushie or some ornaments you can use to decorate your house with.

The date of the next flea is in the photo, be sure you mark it in your calendar if you are interested. Unfortunately, I won’t be joining you guys because I’ve just signed up for… THE CITY TO BAY RUN! I’m doing the 12km run through the streets of Adelaide all the way to Glenelg beach in the name of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and also for Flinders Housing.

Living on-campus at Flinders definitely has its perks!

One of the perks of living on campus is having subsidised movie tickets for area event. AUD$8 will buy you a movie ticket, popcorn and drink! Where else can you find such deals?!

A nice way to spend an evening in Adelaide is at the cinemas. A great feature of Adelaide’s cinemas is the big legroom and rather spacious armchairs, which are very roomy for a petite-sized person like me. However the luxury of the extra space allowed me to curl up comfortably to watch the movie. I was in my element, however there was something nagging at me, the one thing missing from this perfect evening was the munching on popcorn! To my dismay there was only salted popcorn available. Frankly, the salted popcorn tasted like Styrofoam. Where’s my caramel popcorn?!

One thing that amazed me was the apparent lack of crowds at the cinema. Even in the movie theater, most of the seats were not filled. I’m so used to seeing throngs of people at the cinemas in Singapore and the seats being sold out so quickly. It was a pleasant change to watch the movie in silence and actually be able to enjoy the movies uninterrupted. In Singapore it is usually a struggle to try to concentrate on the movie with hushed whispers all around me. The one exception to Adelaide’s movie crowds model movie watching behavior occurred when the audience erupted in squeals of delight when Draco Malfoy appeared on the screen in the latest installment of Harry Potter. Luckily, Draco didn’t appear that many times!

The movie we watched this time round was Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I must say it’s a movie that one can reflect upon. It has its creepy moments and heart wrenching scenes. There were funny and exciting parts to the movie. The impressive special effects which brought the apes to life and unique storyline makes it a movie that stands out from the rest.

There’s just this thing I’m hung up upon. MY CARAMEL POPCORN! So my next mission is to track down some caramel popcorn in Adelaide. Luckily, at the cinemas in Adelaide you can BYO (bring your own) food and drinks. So I shall be sure to do that next time! In the interim – has anyone got any good caramel popcorn recipes to share?

I thought it was probably about time for an update on how it’s all going over here. Nothing really very exciting has been happening. Everyday life is pretty much the same here as it is back home – uni, gym, dinner, sleep. Uni, gym, dinner, sleep…

Now that it’s summer holidays here, the campus is very quiet during the day and most of the people I have made friends with have either graduated or have gone abroad or back home to their families, so the weekends are pretty boring. My housemate has gone overseas too, so my flat is pretty lonely.

Study is going well, I am finally making some progress (I think) and some of the theory behind my research has finally started to “click”.

Unfortunately I still have down days where I feel like giving up. The stress of study combined with the lonely feeling sometimes pushes me over the edge. I am craving some time with people I know well. I guess I am just a bit tired of being out of my comfort zone. It gets very emotionally exhausting. For example, last week I went to a party and I turned up alone thinking that I would be able to mingle with whoever might be there, which is something I would normally be quite comfortable doing in my home environment. Here though, it is not as easy as I thought. Given that the conversations are all in Dutch, it’s a little bit hard to just join in and add my two-cents-worth. When I had this sinking realisation, I decided to sneak out and go home. I didn’t even last half an hour! I was actually pretty disappointed in myself for doing this but I just didn’t know how to handle it. Hopefully I get a bit better at this before I leave.

I anticipate the next two weeks being pretty quiet too – I will be studying hard to get lots of work done before my boyfriend arrives. He is visiting for two weeks and we have planned a mini tour of Europe together. Next time I blog I should have a few nice photos of Rome and Barcelona to post!

Something that is getting me a bit down lately is missing my little sisters 21st birthday this month. That’s going to be a really tough day. The upside is that my family is going to Skype me and hook me up to a big screen TV at the party so that I can see everyone and make a speech for the birthday girl.

Even though life in Delft at the moment is pretty dull and quiet and I am often homesick and sad, I am still very thankful for this opportunity because I know it’s doing wonders for me. As they say – it’s all “character building”.

Amy

P.S. This Dutch summer is not what I was expecting… It has done nothing but rain for the last week! Check out the photo of me on my balcony after cycling in to town to get groceries for dinner!

Last weekend I visited London on a cheap EasyJet flight. I took Friday and Monday off of uni (its ok, my supervisor was away too), so that I had a long weekend.

WOW! What a fantastic city. I am in love with it. As soon as I stepped out of the airport I felt as though I had come home. Even though England looks different and the people sound different, I still felt like I was somewhere in Australia. It was an unbelievably comforting feeling. Hearing Aussies wherever I went probably contributed to this feeling. Something that surprises me is that I have not heard another Aussie in Delft.

Lucky for me, I have two close friends who moved to London early this year to live and work. I stayed with one of them who lives about 15 minutes from central London by Tube.

On my first day there I wandered along the River Thames on a section called Southbank which is filled with restaurants, museums, galleries, shops and the London Eye. I took about a hundred photos in less than a day, I was so excited to be there! Check out my self portrait in front of Big Ben. I met my friend after he finished work and we went to one of the famous Walkabout pubs, which is a chain of Australian themed pubs where all the Aussies hang out and is known affectionately as The Walky. We did the Aussie thing and ordered Chicken Parmies for dinner. At that point, I reeeaaaaally felt like I was back home.

On Saturday we visited Abbey Road and paid tribute to the Beatles, then walked from there to Lord’s Cricket Ground and then all the way to Camden Town markets. I loved the busy and quirky markets and it was surreal seeing Abbey Road. I must admit, it did just look like another zebra crossing to me! Nevertheless, it was cool to get photos of it and watch all of the tourists stop traffic trying to capture a similar image to the one on the Beatles famous album cover… hilarious and very amusing!

Sunday we went to my friends local pub, The Pig and Whistle, for a roast lunch and afternoon wines. That night we went on a Jack The Ripper tour in East London which was really interesting. Our tour guide also talked a lot about the history of London and we all learnt a few cool things. I bet none of you know where the sayings ‘one for the road’, ‘back on the wagon’, and ‘in the lurch’ come from? You’ll have to visit London and do the tour to find out for yourselves!

I could go on and on about London forever, but all I will say for now is if you haven’t yet been, put it towards the top of the list of places to see!

Amy

Delayed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport! Due to technical difficulties, I am getting the chance to catch up on some blogging before takeoff. If this was not such an amazingly interesting place it would be quite a problem. We have had a slight change of plans in the timeline of my trip; originally we had planned that my Mum would come over for Christmas and spend it with the family here, but it was much easier for her to come with me and spend the month before the British Autumn semester starts. I can honestly say that having company on the first leg of the flight was great, and I imagine the last long haul between Kuala Lumpur and England will be the same.

KLIA is quite something, with possibly more shops than Rundle Mall and an enclosed rainforest walk with waterfall included. We have been wandering around here for hours, had a lovely dinner and checked into one of the lounges to have a shower, which definitely made a difference to the morale. However, the stress of the last couple of weeks is starting to take its toll, coupled with the strain of being up at 4am Aussie time (it is now 1.30pm Aus time). The last hectic week included many goodbyes (going away does wonders for your social life; everyone seems to want to see you), arranging a travel card with the bank, getting my international driver’s licence, cancelling my phone plan, lots of shopping for last minute things like ear planes (earplugs to help with the pressure during takeoff) and neck pillows and finally packing. Everything went fairly smoothly considering, and I was quite pleased with the results of my careful folding and arranging in my baggage.

The drive down to the airport, leaving at 5am, was a struggle to stay awake more than anything. Both Mum and I said goodbye to Dad and passed through customs without incident. We have been flying with Malaysia Airlines, which (aside from the current delay) has been an excellent service. The staff went to great lengths to get Mum and I seats together, and the selection of games, TV shows and movies that would keep anyone entertained for hours.

After the delay the takeoff was eventful, to put it lightly. We had the most incredible lightning storm, which we saw from incredibly close up. The turbulence was something that I had never experienced, and we were both fairly sure we were going to die, without trying to sound too melodramatic. Eventually the heart palpitations stopped, and we even managed to get a little sleep. The flight attendants somehow managed to keep perfectly cheerful and helpful throughout.

After landing, getting through immigration at Heathrow Airport was a nightmare, with several hundred people shuffling along a seemingly endless line, and all suffering from lack of sleep. It took so long to get to the front of the line that my cousin had begun panicking that they were refusing to let me through for some reason.

After all that, driving through early morning London, seeing Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and all the cute little town houses was completely surreal, as was moving into my home away from home bedroom. Sitting around our first real English cup of tea and having a wonderful family catch up was definitely one of the highlights of the day, but by lunchtime the jetlag had kicked in. It is this horrible feeling of being simultaneously drunk and hung over, which results in a high level of dizziness. Hopefully it does not last too long because I am dying to go out and properly explore London, as the central part of the city is only a 10 min bus trip or 30 min walk away from the house.

I hope that I have not been too rambling, as this entry has been written under the conditions of a combination of 1am in KL airport and jetlag after arrival.

Next time I will be able to make a bit more sense of everything and blog about the sights of London, a week in Scotland, as well as several other little trips that we have planned for the weeks before the start of semester whilst my Mum is here.

Shannon

Becoming a part of a club is a great way to meet new people, pursue a new or existing area of interest and immerse yourself in student life for any student at university.

One of the clubs I swore I was going to join when I first arrived at Flinders was the Photography Club. Well, that didn’t happen because it was a pity there wasn’t actually an up and running photography club to join upon my arrival. After one semester of going to activities held by other clubs, it came across my mind that I should start up one myself!

I know that there are a lot of “homeless” photo enthusiasts like me out there that would love to join. The good thing about Flinders University is that you can form your own club provided you have ten students that are willing to join it. So I got my pen and paper, well not exactly that, I got my Macbook and started sending emails and Facebook messages to everyone I thought may be interested. I got in contact with the previous photography club that was no longer functioning and POOF! The Flinders Photography Club was formed! Flinders student clubs receive support from Flinders One – which delivers many important services to Flinders University students. Due to this support we get access to amazing facilities such as the shared club hub and of course the assistance of the Flinders One team.

After an actual get together over afternoon tea, the club decided we would meet up the following week to test out all our equipment. We decided to do some outdoor photography at the Flinders Gully. If you don’t know where the gully is, it’s just below the bridge you cross everyday at Flinders! We were fortunate enough to have lady luck shining on us with the good weather and plenty of sunlight coming though the trees.

We were awed by the flora and fauna spotted there. Apparently it was the mushroom season and there were heaps of wild mushrooms that we took close up macro shots and they looked amazing. It’s quite surprising what we have in our backyard! Well, if you live in the on-campus accommodation, the gully is theoretically your backyard.

After the outdoor shoot, we headed back to the community centre where we booked a tutorial room for an indoor studio shoot. We were lucky enough to have a student model from Lithuania. Okay, I admit I don’t know where that is at first. It’s actually a smaller country in Europe and they speak Lithuanian! The enlightening aside, Ernestas, (pronounced- er-nest-thas) the model for the day worked it like a top model and I’m glad we had experienced photographers and people with actual studio equipment that made it happen. Not all of us were of professional standard but we tried to act like Mario Testino that day. It was all good fun! The Photography Club is going for a outdoor fashion shoot in September to Victor Harbour!

Await the Vogue spreads people!

It’s my seventh week here in Holland and it feels like I have been here for months. Time spent away from familiar surroundings and company seems to go much slower! I have squeezed a lot into the time I have been here though and there is still plenty more to see and do before I go.

A couple of weekends ago I went on a three day trip to Paris. It was wonderful to finally be in the city that I have dreamed of visiting for so long and seen on TV and in the movies hundreds of times. It was very surreal and I am lucky that I got to experience it all with one of my closest friends from home and her lovely family who were holidaying there. We did all of the usual Paris tourist things; went up the Eiffel Tower, went to the open markets, sipped coffee and ate croissants and ice cream at one of the many sidewalk cafes (which cost us an arm and a leg!), and went to the Notre Dame, Sacre Couer and the Arc de Triomphe. We attempted to visit the Louvre, but the lineup at 10am in the morning wound itself back and forth through the huge central courtyard and then into the adjacent courtyard and out through the gates, all the way along the street and around the corner. It would have been over a kilometer long, so we passed on going inside and just took photos of the famous glass pyramids instead!

I plan to return to Paris when my boyfriend visits me in August and we can explore the Louvre together – hopefully when there are not so many tourists! The highlight would have to be seeing the Eiffel Tower at night. It brought tears to my eyes – I thought it was truly beautiful and I had to pinch myself to make myself believe I was actually standing there in front of it! If you told me this time last year that I would find myself travelling Europe on weekends and studying at a world-renowned university in the Netherlands, I never would have believed it! I count myself very lucky for this opportunity.

However, like I have probably said in some of my earlier posts, this is still a very personally challenging time for me. I often feel very lonely and disconnected from home. It seems like if something could go wrong, it has for me. The latest disruption has been moving out of my rental place. After speaking to many students at the university, I discovered that I was paying a significantly high price for a room which did not warrant it. At first I was happy to pay the extra because it was a nice house with nice facilities. Unfortunately though, the landlady (the mother who I rented a room from) became a little difficult to live with and I felt very uncomfortable there. It was also difficult to meet new people and socialise when I was not living with other students. Lucky for me, a friend from the uni knew of another Civil Engineering student who had a room available for ’subrent’ while his housemate was taking an internship abroad. I jumped at the chance to rent the room and live the true student lifestyle. I am now living on campus in a multistory student apartment. I share with one male student my age and we have our own bathroom, kitchen and living room to share, including wireless internet connection (a luxury compared to the last place!). My room is huge and it came fully furnished, including a TV and a couch. All of this for less than half of the cost of the last place! It is an absolute gem of a find! I have been here for a few days now and I am loving every second of it. I have met some of my room mate’s friends and tonight I have even invited some of them over for a taste of my home-cooking. This is another luxury because previously, I was not allowed to have guests.

Things seem to be falling into place nicely now and I can see lots of opportunities in the near future for making friends and enjoying what Holland has to offer. I am sure I will enjoy this trip much more now that I have friends here to share it with. To brighten up my week even further – this weekend I am going to London!

Next week my studies will shift up a gear and really get going. I have learned some amazing new skills which I am so excited about and I will be proud to take them back to my home university and encourage others. However, I am struggling slightly being away from my Flinders supervisors because I cant just knock on their door whenever I like for a chat like I used to. Another difficulty is using programmes which very few other students surrounding me are using. This makes it very difficult when I run into problems because there is less than a handful of people I can ask for assistance, and as such, things are moving pretty slowly. But that’s all a part of the learning experience and I’m sure I will be a much more independent student because of it.

That’s enough for now… I’ll blog again when I have more to fill you in on (e.g. London!)

Amy

Hello all! My name is Sally and I am a third year BA Honours Archaeology student from University College London on a one year exchange to Flinders University of South Australia.

The main attraction of coming to Adelaide to study has been the vastly different selection of courses available here at Flinders. I have always had a keen interest in Australian Indigenous Archaeology, something which Flinders University provides through courses and fieldwork to a very high standard. So, when it came to selecting my exchange university, there was very little competition when Flinders popped up!

Over the past few years I have been shaped into a hardened Londoner and learned to love it. In a concrete wonderland where pollution is ‘eau de parfum’ and our wildlife has antisocial behavioural issues, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from South Australia. If you say ‘Adelaide’ to anyone in the UK, most will immediately think of that strange little place where Neighbours characters go and never return…

Well, the reality is quite different. From the minute I stepped off the plane (with a healthy dose of Ikea and optimism), I was welcomed by the International Student Services Unit (ISSU) with open arms and enough leaflets to roof a yurt. While I was a little late to participate in some of the activities run by the ISSU, I heard all about it from my new found companions. They had an amazing time on some of the tours, petting (and probably attempting to steal a few) kangaroos and koalas. Over the past few weeks I have made some incredible friends, from all corners of the globe. Tim-tam and hot chocolate nights are a regular occurrence, as well as being taught ‘Singlish’ by my Singaporean housemates.

The campus is really quite stunning, and I’m still getting used to seeing colours other than ‘really grey’, ‘off-white-grey’ and ‘…the sun is grey?’ which I have become accustomed to in the UK. In the Deirdre Jordan Village accommodation, the sea and city views are a bit of a luxury for all of us international folk, and being surrounded by trees and birds is lovely, even if the persistent magpies do seem a little Hitchcock at times.

After a few weeks of study, I can safely say I love the Flinders experience. The lecturers are enthusiastic and very active in their fields of research. I have already been given the opportunity to tutor school children as part of the Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation and take part in fieldwork in the Northern Territory, so the next few months are going to be really exciting.

What can I say? A lovely campus, wonderful people and a lot of fun. The negative points? Well…the bar shuts at 6pm. Until next time,

Sally

9th of August is Singapore’s National Day. This is the second year I’m celebrating National Day away from Singapore – this year in Adelaide, Australia. All I can say is thank goodness for the invention of the internet. Through the internet I was able to watch the live telecast of the parade and feel a part of my country. Singing along to the National Day songs, national anthem and saying the pledge in the same moment as the everyone else in Singapore made me feel back home.

Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I know
There’s a place that will stay within me
Wherever I may choose to go

I particularly liked this song ‘”Home” by Kit Chan. I never used to appreciate the lyrics truly until I was away from Singapore and could really feel myself pining away from home. Hearing it again brought a jolt to my heart. True, the memories I had in Singapore will never leave me. In the first year, I took an elective in Indonesian language. My teacher was an Indonesian Chinese who lived in Australia for years. When I asked her if she misses home, she replied saying ‘home is where the heart is’. And I agree as although I love living and studying in Australia, my heart lies in Singapore.

Studying overseas has made me realise the importance of my home in my heart. Yet, it is fortunate and I feel very blessed that I am not alone and have huge amounts of support from the Flinders community and student bodies. The presence of the Flinders University Singapore Student Association (FUSSA) has been amazing. They have acted as a platform for the Singaporean students in Flinders to gather and get to know one another. It is strangely comforting to be able to mingle with Singaporeans and immerse in the sounds of authentic Singlish (Singaporean English). I had always taken it for granted and even once thought that Singlish was an uncouth manner of speaking English. Now, I treasure everything that shows my link to the place I call home.

P.S. coincidentally 9th August is also the census day in Australia!

Yes, good times fly by and we are in what? Week three of semester two now? I don’t know about you guys but I personally am still in holiday mood, particularly Christmas mood because of the cold weather and well, sometimes I look around and imagine there is snow (I’m not going crazy I swear) – call it a ‘snow hangover’ in the aftermath of too much snow from Mount Hotham, which was where I visited over mid-semester winter break.

I’m still not very much used to calling it winter when it’s July! The last time I experienced winter was in New York and it was during December. That’s what is unique about being down under here in Australia I guess! Coming from a tropical country, I am not complaining at all! I am just glad that there are four seasons in Australia and I don’t care the sequence of it.

Anyway where was I? That’s right – my mid-semester trip to Mount Hotham in Vic. When I landed in Melbourne, I realized that TIGER (the aeroplane line I flew with) TOOK ME TO THE WRONG AIRPORT! I swear I wasn’t lying when I say I looked like a total fool when I landed and asked people around me where I was. It was the most OMG moment of the year, without a doubt. I was supposed to land in Avalon airport in Melbourne but they took me to Tullamarine instead. But at least they took me to the correct Australian state, right? I counted my blessings they didn’t take me to Darwin – I would have a cardiac arrest.

After I told my cousins of my changed arrival destination, they changed their driving route and collected me. We then headed straight to Mount Hotham. The near five hour drive with the turns and the mountainous route reminded of the bumpy five-tonne lorry during my army days. My nieces and I felt a little bit nauseous from the constant swaying, humps and bumps.

It is as though I stepped into a freezer when I opened the doors of the car. The extreme cold air filled my lungs (I would say it was the equivalent to swallowing ten popsicles at once). It was all worth it though; the scenery was absolutely gobsmacking and breathtaking. The motel that we stayed in was this little wooden house with three levels fully furnished with a country styled wooden everything and fluffy cushions. All of that was accompanied by warm and cosy orange lights that lit the living room giving it a wonderful ambiance. I don’t care that its July – it definitely felt like Christmas time for me!

During my stay in Mount Hotham, I skied, snowboarded, and played like a kid; I even made a snowman with my nieces and the other kids travelling with us, something I never have gotten to do before! Well, I was just trying to blend in! It fascinates me how snow can bring out the child in almost every grown up. I had a blast and would love to go back next year!

One lesson learnt though: PAD yourself because I have countless bruises from falls during snowboarding that make me look like I have tattoos all over my body.

I will be going to an Adelaide winery this Saturday and should be blogging about that next – so stay tuned for more from me!

Cheers,
Chad

What was supposed to be four weeks holidays, ended as if they were just two days. I can still remember the final minutes of sitting for my final paper in the finals. The exhilarating feeling that holiday is approaching, but now… its overrrrr… oh well – back to school! =D

With halfway more to go in my degree, I’ve been visiting career advice sites online in order to build a more comprehensive and totally-took-your-breath-out-of-you kind of curriculum vitae. Well, it’s not like I haven’t got my CV to begin with, just that, I felt it was somewhat lacking. Looks like I’ll just have to worry about this in a year’s time, in which, it’s my turn to get out into the industry and do “big things”! Or will I just, quoting one of my friends, get a degree and add to the national unemployment count >.< It was kinda funny when I heard that for the first time, but after a little while, you begin to think, maybe he’s got a point… Hmm, the future is indeed full of mysteries…

So back to the present, new semester new challenges, eh? It’s finally in this semester that we (bunch of us engineering undergrads) are given the opportunity to work on real life engineering problems. We’re somewhat given the task to design a new pedelec (electric assisted bicycle) and this is the first time ever that we’re required to start from scratch, literally, from doing market research etc. Well, it’s not like we’re not given any projects to work on before, we’re given at least a few projects to work on every year, but none of them requires market research and stuff. So yeah, suffering… a little =)

Besides, for one reason or the other, lecturers in the University of Adelaide, or my course at least, have all started posting lectures online, called webinars, and we students are suppose to watch them before lectures, which have somewhat turned into a Q&A and supplement sessions. Well, all I can say is, it’s a new system =) This system might give more value for money to students, especially international students like me for whom tuition fees are about five times higher than any ordinary local students around.

Oh, by the way, really love the Australian television channels these days. Keeps me glued to the TV set every night. Well, before coming over to Australia, I was never a TV person. But once I’m here, TV programmes like Masterchef and lately, The Renovators and Can of Worms all have hypnotic effects that just will not let me go do my work. Coupled with Facebook games like Empire & Allies, Zuma Blitz etc., there goes all of my time at home T.T

My newest discovery, Plumet 2, some kinda Facebook game which is rather addictive but is fun at the same time. Discovered it during my “study week” leading to final examinations last semester =)

Last but not least, happy Ramadan to all Muslims in Malaysia and around the world. And yeah, am a little homesick at the moment =). During Ramadan, in Malaysia, it is common to see little stalls spring up everywhere selling yummy foods in preparation for Muslims breaking fast. By thinking about it is enough to make me drool and now, already reminiscing on all the food that I’ve been missing out back home. Things… I meant to say… foods, are just not the same here… sigh.

Before I forget, Anime and Video Games Convention (AVCON) was hitting the town again last week! And me, being a great fan of animes and mangas myself (just a very thin line separating me from being a full fledge otaku), of course, was there. Well, this year, glad to see that there are more sponsors and stalls set up in Adelaide Convention Centre, but still, the number of cosplayers seem to have dwindled a little. Perhaps, it was the lack of animes or mangas being released this year that’s causing people to slowly lose interest, or could it be… that all cosplayers are now adult that this wonderful culture just hit a standstill??

And next up, the Royal Adelaide Show! Can’t wait for it.

Hi, my name is Shannon Pash, and I have been studying at Flinders Uni for two and a half years. I have lived in the Onkaparinga region of South Australia all my life. I work at the local bakery, which is about five minutes walk away from my house. I still live with my parents, but we get along so well that it does not bother me. I am a massive History nerd, I play the bagpipes, love my friends and family, and spend most of summer at the beach. I went straight into Uni from high school, studying International Studies. I major in History and minor in International Relations. Studying has had its ups and downs; partway through my first year I felt like I had had enough, and was considering chucking it in. Thankfully I stuck with it, mainly because I am stubborn and I do not like the feeling that something has beaten me. Now I love it; I even get bored in the holidays without an essay to worry about!

One of the main reasons I am glad I kept at it is the chance to go on exchange. I have always wanted the chance to travel, and I have been saving up to study overseas since early high school. Travel has always appealed to me, and the idea of being a part of another society is highly attractive. An exchange allows you to do both of these things whilst you continue to work towards completing your degree.

My main passion is modern European History, and I wanted to have the chance to study this at close quarters and visit the sights of some of the major events. Because of this I decided to do my exchange to England, as it is close to the greater European continent, and they speak the same language! This also has the bonus for me of being where one of my cousins lives. I will be staying with her and husband for the time I am studying, and can use their apartment as a base whilst I travel around the region. The Uni that I am going to is called the Royal Holloway, which is a University of London and so allows me access to the libraries of all of the other Unis in that institution. I will be there for their Autumn semester, which runs from September to December. I intend to spend some time travelling on either side of the term, so that I can really get a taste of
European life.

The application process for the exchange has been a long and, at times, frustrating venture. There are so many different forms to complete and requirements to fill that it can start to feel like an impossible task. But, at the end of the day, these are all in place to make sure you are fully prepared for the exchange. The most important thing has been to keep at it, and to not be afraid to ask questions. Everyone from the people at Flinders and the Royal Holloway to the staff at the British Embassy have been more than willing to go out of their way to provide help at every step of the way. Now that my trip is looming so near, I really know that it is all going to be worth it.

I leave Australia on August 19th, and am going to start my trip by getting used to life in London and doing a tour of Scotland. I am currently furiously running around making sure I have filled all of the visa requirements, cancelling my phone plan, arranging banking for while I am overseas, getting travel insurance, looking up tours and buying warmer clothes appropriate for the climate. I have downloaded Skype because it is going to be the cheapest and easiest way to keep in contact with everyone at home.

Until my next blog, I will be madly packing, re-packing and generally getting very nervous and excited.

Shannon

Hi all! It’s been busy these days as I have recently started another clinical placement. This is my final semester and with my university studies coming to an end, an exciting yet terrifying journey lays ahead and I must venture out into the ‘real world’. This placement will continue till mid November and I am spending my time in the respiratory, dermatology and infectious disease ward for 18 weeks. I am excited, but also anxious about this placement. Why am I anxious? Because it’s been a while I was placed in a medical ward, and I hope I can live up to my own and the hospitals expectations of me.

The first day in the ward, I was on late shift; the shift started at 1pm and ended at 9.30pm. Because it was my first shift, I did not have any patients, I just followed the nurses and helped them with some routine work, such as observations, putting people in bed, stuff like that. The first shift was more like an induction session, to familiarise myself with the ward routines and practices, and for them to inform me of what I would be doing and when to do them! As I mentioned, this is a respiratory ward, so a critical component is monitoring the oxygen level of the patients. Imagine you have insufficient air to breathe in, you’re probably not feeling so good! Therefore, I paid attention to the observation results, and looked at the patients physically, and the patients were all okay. I didn’t do much during that shift, but I look forward to getting more involved in my
upcoming shifts.

It is understandable that the first day is always messy, unfamiliar with the environment, people, the way it works, everyone needs time to get used to it, so, I am trying hard to immerse myself into this new ward!

As you all can see in the picture, these are the objects that I bring with me to work on my shifts, name badge, pen, torch and watch.

These days I am trying to get myself ‘job ready’. I am busily preparing and fine-tuning my CV and other documents for job applications. When the applications open for some of the major health providers graduate nursing programmes I know it is going to be very competitive. There is going to be a huge amount of students competing for jobs this year, so fingers crossed someone hires me! I have just begun to send out applications to the hospitals. HAHA! Pray for me!

I’ve been thinking that I may consider doing some other study when I graduate from my Nursing degree at Flinders. I think a course that would compliment my nursing degree would help set me apart from other graduates and also widen my career options. A course like funeral service or embalming after the completion of my Nursing degree would be a perfect stepping stone with the knowledge I got in Nursing. This would enable me to be qualified in other areas that are related to health service. Anyway, it’s just a plan at this stage, we will see what happens! HAHA!

At this stage next week I am doing two early shifts, from 7am to 3.30pm, I am going to share all these things with you all next time! Let’s hope I have good shifts and lots to share about my placements! See you all next time!

In June, Wales International Consortium launched a promotional film about Wales higher education at the University of Wales Newport city centre campus.

The film follows Liana Stewart, a University of Wales Newport graduate as she journeys through Wales to discover why over 13,000 students from outside Europe have chosen to study in Wales, UK, this year.

The journey takes her through Fashion Design courses at University of Wales Newport, Music at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University, Motorbike Engineering at Swansea Metropolitan University, Environmental & Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University and Cognitive Neuroscience at Bangor University.

Along the way she sees some of the best cityscapes and landscapes in Wales including the breathtaking view from the top of Snowdon, as well as being taken gorge walking by a student from University of Wales Institute Cardiff.

Virginia West, Director, Wales international Consortium said, “When we commissioned On-Par productions we wanted to go beyond the usual promotional film. In choosing to let international students talk about why they love Wales we have created a very simple and very effective film. Combined with stunning landscapes, we’ve simply let international students and Wales talk for itself.”

Dr. Peter Noyes, University of Wales Newport Vice Chancellor and WIC Board Chairman said, “The film is quite touching. Some of the views literally take your breath away but in addition the international students are so clearly very happy in their studies and delighted that they chose to study in Wales. We couldn’t have better ambassadors for higher education in Wales. ”

“Which country are you going to exchange to?”
“Australia.”
“Which part of Australia? Melbourne?”
“ No, Adelaide”.
“Adelaide? Never heard of it!”

This is the conversation between me and my friend before I departed to Adelaide. I was very anxious during that time and was worried about how I would make new friends with Australian people since English is not my first language and I am totally not fluent in English.

Anyway, I need not have feared. As I write this post, I am in my third week in Adelaide. Everything is just fine here. I am living in on-campus accommodation with two lovely housemates, have met many new friends and exchange students as well and have been busy exploring the city of Adelaide with mates, attending classes etc. Things are getting smoother.

Oops, sorry everyone – I still haven’t introduced myself!

Hello everyone, I am Hooi Theng from Malaysia and I am an exchange student, currently doing a Bachelor’s in Applied Linguistics at Flinders University.

My first day in Adelaide was a daunting experience and I felt somewhat overwhelmed. When I reached my accommodation, my housemate wasn’t there. I cried, because I felt lost, and unsure how I would cope with my new life. But now, the only word I can describe about my new life at Flinders is “AWESOME”! You know why? I am already in love with this university and this quiet city.

I feel so grateful that I have chance to stay in the on-campus accommodation, thanks to the officers in Flinders housing. A lot of activities have been organized by committee members of the village houses such as dinner together with residents, Red Hot Chili winter party, quiz night, pub night, coffee crawl, day tour, etc. Hmm… sounds great right? Yeah, it is, they feel like my extended family already. But, the main problem that I am facing left on my own to defend in a new city is I DON’T KNOW HOW TO COOK! Fortunately for me, my housemate is a good chef, I have learned a lot from her. She teaches me how to cut veggies, how to buy ingredients, how to bake cakes and how to cook! Every day I feel like I am attending free cooking classes, and you can’t imagine how exciting I am feeling about my time in Adelaide. Anyway, I still have a lot to learn.

The officers from the International Office, ISSU (International Student Services Unit) are super helpful and supportive. I attended the orientation sessions, briefing, and even tea time session with other international students! There are cafes, bars, shops, post office, bank, book shop, fitness centre all on Flinders campus. Moreover, the bus services are very convenient; I went to the city, shopping mall, Chinatown, central market, Glenelg, and Hahndorf all by bus. Just remember that if you are thinking of coming to Adelaide – you don’t have to worry about transportation in Adelaide. Just hold on to the bus timetable, and you can travel the whole of Adelaide. And also, don’t worry about foods! You can find Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese foods here. Marion, Rundle Mall, Woolworths, K-mart, BigW, Harbour town, you can get your groceries everywhere.

I think it’s time to stop my first post here. Stay tuned and I’ll talk to you all soon!

Hi everyone, my name’s Natalie, and I’m an exchange student from the UK. At home I study at the University of Leicester, where I am studying for a Bachelors of Law.

My home university has links with Flinders University, so I was lucky enough to be able to come to Australia for the year as part of the exchange programme! Over here I have chosen to study three topics; International Criminal Law, International Protection of Human Rights and the History of Legal Ideas. It is interesting that none of these subjects are offered at Leicester; therefore by coming to Australia, not only do I get to study in a new country, but I can also undertake topics that I would not have access to back home.

I have been here now for three weeks, and I am still thoroughly enjoying every aspect of the Flinders’ way of life! My highlights so far have all been organised by the ISSU (International Students Services Unit) here at Flinders.

Within a week of arriving, I had signed up to two trips; the first to Port Adelaide, where the day included a two hour boat trip spotting dolphins, as well as visits to local museums in the area; in particular the Maritime Museum. The weather wasn’t the best on this trip, however I still managed to spot three dolphins, and have photographic evidence to prove this! The second trip however was by far the most enjoyable though.

The ISSU organised a trip to the Cleland Wildlife Park and Granite Island. At Cleland, we were immersed in the wildlife, including koalas, kangaroos and wallabies! The park was structured so that visitors can walk around, with few enclosures, meaning that native animals are very inquisitive and are not at all fazed by us. This meant that we were able to feed the kangaroos, wallabies and emus. They definitely had no qualms about eating from our hands, they were very friendly indeed! The park also offered the facility to come up close and personal with koalas. This meant that we could stand next to the koala, stroke and feed it, as well as the additional cost to having your photo taken holding the koala, which I of course took!

Following our trip to Cleland, we moved on to Granite Island, located just off the coast of Victor Harbour. Here we were treated to a tour of the island at nightfall, including seeing the penguins that habituated there!

All in all, I can safely say that this year is shaping up to be the best year of my life!

My name is Roman. I am studying Computer Science at the University of Stirling in Scotland. Luckily, Stirling has exchange agreements with universities all over the world including Flinders, so I had lots of chances to meet people from countries like USA, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Spain, etc.

I think anybody who studies abroad can say that it is a great experience and they would do it again with pleasure. I myself can afford to be sure that is true, because my education in Scotland itself is abroad. Also, I was lucky enough to have teachers from Canada and Australia (the one from Australia is actually a Flinders graduate), so I could get the inside view of both countries, a lot of universities and living conditions. I wanted to go somewhere warm, dry, not big place (not like Sydney or Toronto) and somewhere exotic and hard to get to without help from university. Adelaide was a perfect place that satisfied all of those points. The only odd thing about the place was that summer and winter were the other way around.

After applying for an exchange programme, I got my visa all sorted and applied for university accommodation at Flinders, as I wanted to be sure that I was going to live in a good place with students just like me. Also, Flinders ensures that everybody can find the university by providing free meeting service for people coming to Adelaide airport or train station. Now I live in great new village units on campus, only five minutes away from university main buildings and walk through beautiful Flinders campus to get there. In case you need anything urgently, there is a shop, a post office, a book store, a travel agency, a healthy food store, a bank and a hairdresser available on campus. There are some sport clubs, societies and student help facilities available for students.

One of the challenges of studying abroad is meeting new people, adjusting to a new culture and getting used to new lecturers and coordinators. The latter one might be the most difficult, especially if you have exceptional grades in home university and want the same when going on exchange. I am sure everybody is afraid of these challenges, and so was I, but “we live once” is probably something everyone has heard before. (and it is a great fun too!

During the two years I spent in Scotland, I have fallen in love with the country, and feel like it is my second home. I truly hope that by the end of my year at Flinders University I will be able to say the same about Adelaide and Australia.

Sorry I haven’t blogged in a while!

The homesickness has started to subside and I am beginning to find a routine and enjoy life here (don’t get me wrong, I still miss home like crazy!).

I have been very busy and the days/weeks are going MUCH faster now. I have been here for over a month already! This actually makes me panic a bit because I have barely even started my research!

A couple of weekends ago I went on a sailing trip with the water management faculty at TU Delft, organised by the student association. It was so much fun and a great way to make friends and ‘break the ice’. We sailed the boats all day and soaked up the beautiful sunny weather and finished it off with a few beers and a huge BBQ feast.

I have been getting out and about a lot more during the week. Last Wednesday I went to a Jazz club with one of my friends (the Dutch are crazy about Jazz music, it seems; there are Jazz clubs just about on every corner). I’ve been to the movies, out for coffee, to Ikea for a cheap dinner, sight seeing at Scheveningen Beach and The Hague… there are plenty of things to keep students busy! It is festival season here in Holland at the moment, so every weekend there is something (free) to do! Next weekend there is a music festival held by the TU, so I’ll drag a few new friends along to that with me.

Although I am starting to adjust to life here, the “Dutch-ness” is still very obvious to me and there are some things that just take getting used to. I cannot believe how much bread these people consume! The thing I find most disturbing is that they eat bread (NOT TOAST!!) for breakfast. They will eat bread with jam. Bread with cheese. Bread with cold meat. Kroket and mayo in bread. Bread dipped in soup. Bread with chocolate
sprinkles. Boiled egg on bread. Bread with peanut butter. Bread for ‘tosti… Bread with every single meal! And this isn’t any ordinary bread – the stuff they eat has a much higher density than Aussie bread – I reckon one slice is about the equivalent of two of our lovely soft and fluffy slices. And for a meal, they’ll have up to six slices! I think the “Atkins low-carb” fad completely skipped The Netherlands. They actually have never heard the term ‘low carb’ before. My uni friends look at me with very strange expressions when I pull out my tuna salad at lunch time! And don’t even get me started on the mayonnaise! The Dutch have it with EVERYTHING.

My point is, expect me to come home slightly rounder as I succumb to the Dutch way.

The great benefit of riding my bike to uni everyday and not really knowing the town very well yet is that I quite often get lost and my fifteen minute journey ends up being anywhere up to 45 minutes – so there’s no need for the gym!

One of the hardest parts about being in a foreign country is going to the supermarket. It is seriously daunting and can be very challenging but it’s a great way to pick up some of the language. What should be a five minute shop always turns into quite an adventure, sometimes ending badly… Last week I went to the shops to get some face moisturiser and walked the aisles for ages trying to find what I thought would be the most suitable product. When I got home, I lathered it on my face, and it felt very different – it was unusually slippery and soapy. I asked my housemate to read the label for me and as it turns out, I had applied makeup removing cleanser! So that was a total waste of my precious euros!

Something else to get used to here is the unfriendliness of most checkout chicks; it’s not like it is back home where you always get greeted with a smile and a ‘how has your day been?’ (even if you know it is not sincere). Here, you barely get acknowledged, and without fail, I ALWAYS have something wrong with my payment method, and they are never ever ever helpful!

The last few days I have been very sick with food poisoning and have been trapped in my room watching back to back episodes of various TV series. I’m sick of the four walls of my room! It was very tough being sick away from home with no one to look after me and that made me quite sad.

Anyway, this weekend I am off to Paris to meet one of my closest friends from Australia who happens to be visiting Europe with her family to celebrate her Mum’s 50th. I cant wait to see her, and Paris of course!

So, next time I blog, expect some spectacular photos of Paris!

“My time at Baan Unrak was nothing but a positive experience for me. I found the people who live and work at Baan Unrak to be amazing, generous and selfless people. Being part of a team that was contributing to a community of people in such dire need with their whole heart, mind and soul was one of the most uplifting experiences I have had,” Lauren says.

Lauren Moore (pictured above), a 22-year-old teaching student from Perth travelled to Thailand in November last year to complete two weeks of volunteer work at the Baan Unrak Children’s Home alongside nine other volunteers. She is one of many students who volunteered her time to give back to a community in need. The orphanage, located in the western Thai province of Sangkhlaburi, cares for over 130 children and welcomes many volunteers both in groups and as individuals all year round. There is no mistaking the incredibly welcoming atmosphere surrounding the community that demonstrates and celebrates the goodness of humanity on a daily basis.

Voluntourism

‘Voluntourism’ is a growing international trend whereby individuals are presented with a life changing opportunity to reconnect with their humanity in locations around the world. There are volunteering projects to suit every need. Environmental research and conservation projects allow you to reconnect with nature and contribute to protecting our planet.

In many cases you are also able to witness the good that you do by volunteering your time to help communities build infrastructure, farm crops and care for children in orphanages.

By making the decision to take part you are able to directly experience the people and culture of your host country while assisting a community or nurturing the environment.

Luke Garbett, a first time volunteering participant with volunteering organisation International Student Volunteers (ISV) travelled to Thailand last year to volunteer in an orphanage for two weeks. “It was fascinating to step into someone else’s shoes and get a bit of understanding of a situation and culture so different from our own,” he says.

“With the volunteering it is just a great feeling that we are able to give something to those who have so little.”

Through volunteering individuals are afforded the ability to make a difference in the lives of others and experience a different way of life. For many volunteers this leads to a greater appreciation of their own lifestyles. An ISV tour leader for three years, Metreeya Jaidee lists one of the greatest benefits of volunteering as “inspiration or a brand new attitude to life”.

“Participants often begin to appreciate what they’ve got in life. It’s a great way to meet friends and try new things and challenges that you wouldn’t normally do at home,” she says.

Choosing the right project

With a plethora of volunteering organisations offering similar experiences it is essential that you select the organisation and the project that is right for you. ISV International Marketing Director Simon Costain suggests that the most important aspect when preparing to volunteer is to do your research and pay attention to the amount of in-country support the organisation offers.

“Talk to other people who have been on the programme that you’re looking at. Look for independent reviews. Do independent research on the organisation. There are plenty of amazing companies out there that offer various types of programmes at various prices,”

Don’t always assume that just because a programme is cheaper that it is better for you or just because it is more expensive that it is better for you. You need to look at what is it that this programme offers that you can identify with and that you’re willing to pay for,” he says.

“I think the number one thing for students is to look at what is your level of in-country support? You might have the most amazing programme in the world in the jungles of Thailand but if something goes wrong, what’s going to happen to you?”

Both pre-departure contacts and in-country connections with your volunteer organisations are vital elements to ensure that your ‘life changing experience’ doesn’t quickly turn into a horror story. When travelling overseas, particularly for the first time, a strong support network with the volunteering organisation is a comforting factor. The level of support and ease of communication with the organisation will be a welcome expense when things go wrong in a foreign country.

When volunteering your time to offer your services it is reassuring to know that the work you do is necessary and helps to make a difference in the lives of others. There are three key elements that can be applied to almost any project and organisation to determine whether they are providing the amazing experience that they promise. Projects should be meaningful, sustainable and welcomed by the community. There are plenty of amazing experiences on offer which aren’t necessarily meaningful or sustainable in the long term. ISV guarantees the long term sustainability of their projects by investing money into training.

“We put a lot of money into training the host organisations so that they can continue the work that they’re doing after our volunteers leave,” Costain says.

Since its humble beginnings in 2002 with only 100 participants ISV has seen an increase to over 4,000 volunteers in 2010. With participants from all over the globe, ‘voluntourism’ is fast becoming an international trend.

ISV works with organisations and communities around the world to ensure they maintain the quality of their projects.

“We work with more than 100 local and international organizations on six continents to offer volunteer experiences that truly make a difference,” Metreeya Jaidee says.

Volunteer and Adventure

As well as co-ordinating volunteering projects, ISV offers a combined package of two weeks of volunteer work followed by two weeks of adventure travel in the host country. It is this combination that Simon Costain describes as “one of [ISV’s] really defining factors”.

“It combines two of the greatest interests of what students are looking for. They really want to give back and get to know that local community but also they want to party and go a bit crazy at the same time. We want to facilitate that for them,” he says.

The adventure tour component provides an opportunity to develop new friendships and explore the many delights the host country has to offer, including destinations off the beaten tourist track. This combined package is also offered by other organisations that have recognised its appeal to potential participants.

The goodness of humanity

Not only does an opportunity such as this provide a chance to reconnect with your humanity through serving others, it also allows for personal discovery and the opportunity to connect with other like-minded individuals. We are often so caught up in the fast paced action of our own lives it is easy to forget the basic human kindness extended to us by strangers every day. Volunteering is a great opportunity to be involved in a project that fosters love and generosity and reminds individuals of the strength and goodness of the human spirit.

“To be able to work alongside these people for the benefit of the children reminded me that there are good people in the world, and of course there was the kids themselves. Beautiful, happy and completely generous children, who after experiencing some of the most horrific things that are happening in our world are still able to be happy. This, to me, showed such an amazing strength of spirit that benefits and strengthens everybody they meet,” says Lauren.

Lauren graduated as a primary school teacher in June this year and ‘cannot wait’ to return to Baan Unrak in December to begin her 12 months of volunteering work. “This trip helped me to figure out what I want in my life. After one day I felt completely at home there,” she says.

“One of the driving forces that is making me aspire to go back for a longer period of time is the thought of living a lifestyle where things are a lot simpler; and being surrounded by like minded people whose focus is on providing love, peace and respect to people and the environment.”

Regardless of which project, organisation and destination you choose, remember to let go of your worries and allow the unforgettable experience to take you on a life changing journey.

Hi, everyone! My name is Nugroho Kristianto. My friends here in Adelaide call me Kris. I am an exchange student from Indonesia. In Indonesia, I study in Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, majoring in Industrial Engineering. Here at Flinders University, I will be studying the Business Program. This is because in Industrial Engineering it is good to learn some subjects from management or business field.

As I write this post, I am in my second week in Adelaide. It still fresh in my mind how my family and my best friends took me to the airport. It is so hard to leave my family, and my friends.

The first week was really hard for me. Back in Indonesia I live in a boarding house so I have experienced feeling homesick from my family before. Since arriving in Australia I have found the hardest part is to be far away from my best friends that usually live with my at the boarding house and go everywhere with me. I miss them so much immediately from my first night in Adelaide but am looking forward to making new friends in Adelaide at Flinders. At the moment it is winter in Adelaide so it is quite cold and perhaps not improved my feelings of being away from my family and friends.

But, as the time flies, things have gotten better, and better. In the second week, I have attended the International Student Support Services orientation sessions at Flinders University which has helped me to settle in a lot. It really has helped me find new friends to chat with and introduced me to my new university. Using English in daily conversation has never been my usual preferred language of communication, so it has been pretty challenging for me to speak English the whole day but I am beginning to adjust. As for the cold weather, I think I have got used to it (although it should get warmer soon as Spring approaches!)

It is now still the holiday season for university students in Adelaide, so I have quite a lot of free time. With my housemates, I go to Chinatown, Glenelg, Marion, and Rundle Mall. And in summary after those trips, I think I love Adelaide. It is a nice, clean, and peaceful city. In this second week, I have tried my best to get used to the new lifestyle, such as bus routes, and the food which is quite different from my home in Indonesia.

I almost forget to mention! I have been amazed by the campus of Flinders University. Especially the library, café, and the gym (I am planning to use the gym later on). And it also has a beautiful view which stretches to Adelaides CBD and beaches, because the campus was built in a hill.

In short, it has been unforgettable weeks for me. And I start to enjoy it here. I just cannot wait until next week when the semester will begin. Speak to you all then!

When I signed on the dotted line for university accommodation the first question that crossed my mind was not about my actual accommodation, but rather, who will be my housemates? Who will I be sharing my journey in Australia with for the next 6 months to a year?

When I first entered the house at the beginning of this semester, it was only me, myself and I. The housing coordinator told me that my housemates were not in yet. My French housemate was still in Sydney surfing and my other housemate (unknown then) hadn’t moved in yet. I was so curious and started imagining what kind of a nationality he would be. If he’s Asian like me, would we share chopsticks? If he’s Indian, would he be cooking curry often? If he’s a party animal would my house constantly reek of alcohol?

Suspense, suspense, suspense…..

So finally, one day, he arrived. His bag of groceries lying in the living room preceded actually meeting him in person. Okay, I know I breached the privacy contract but I figured a bag of groceries can tell you a lot about a person! From the contents I made the (correct) assumption that my new housemate was a vegan.

So in the following weeks, and after I has met my housemate, Isaac (my housemate) decorated the house. It turned out Isaac was actually an Australian and from the country. Isaac is a member of the AYCC, (the Australia Youth Council C-something I can’t remember), meaning he is active in community stuff such as environmental issues, which is pretty incredible because he was only 17 when I first met him. I still recall the resident coordinator warning me not to give him any alcohol and to watch over him. Can you imagine? For the first time, I have to watch over some one younger but ironically, about 4 heads taller than me. Okay, I’m not going to blame my Asian genes but Caucasians generally DO have bigger bones!

Despite Isaac’s country Australian roots his tastebuds are more Asian than mine! He cooks Chinese Yellow noodles, makes Malaysian dishes such as Laksa, when I was eating pasta. Isaac once brought two SUPER DUPER wooden Asian ornaments of a toad and a dragon, which symbolises good fortune or something. Who would have thought I’d be learning about my own culture from an Australian?

Over the semester, we have laughed, talked, and gotten to know each other. It has been AWESOME. It’s hard being away from family and sometimes you just want to off-load some stuff which means developing a close friendship with your housemate is great. It’s nice to know you have someone to confide in and rely upon.

As the beginning of next semester dawns a new housemate from Scotland will be joining Isaac and myself. Once again the suspense is killing us! What I love about living on campus is the fact that even though I am living in Australia, I have the whole world living with me here at the Flinders University village.

Surprisingly, it took me less than a week to find a place to live once I arrived in Delft, but don’t let that fool you – it was no easy feat. During my search I saw some very interesting living arrangements indeed. I began my search looking for cheap student houses, where the facilities are shared amongst a large group of students, and the houses are not really houses, but more like a whole floor of a large apartment building. If you apply for a student house, you get invited along to what the Dutch call an “instemming”, which is like a job interview for the position of “full time housemate”. I went to one of these on the second night I was here and they told me that as far as instemmings go, theirs was tame and rather unofficial. However, I thought differently. There were about 20 other people that came to view and apply for the room. Each of us wore a name tag and the group got split into two. The existing housemates (about 10 of them!) divided themselves between the groups and lead a discussion amongst the other applicants asking strange questions like ‘If you were a fruit what would you be and why?”. I was thinking to myself “Is this really relevant!?” Apparently I should consider myself lucky, because I made it through to the second round where we had a more intimate general “get-to-know-you” session. The whole process took about 2 hours and I went away an unsuccessful applicant but rather happy that I wasn’t selected.

I went to view a number of other rooms but most of the time I was disappointed. The photos given in the online advertisement did not paint an accurate picture of what they were really like. Unfortunately most of them were very messy and dirty places. One girl even told me they had mice but proceeded to tell me she really hoped everything worked out and that I would move in ASAP. I politely declined.

After a handful of negative experiences while searching for shared student accommodation, I decided to change my search to look for something a bit different. Luckily for me, my Couchsurfing hosts offered their spare bedroom for as long as I needed to find my feet which was overwhelmingly comforting. By a pure stroke of luck, I came across my current home! I like to think it was meant to be, because as a rule, I decided during my search not to apply for houses that did not display any photos (its just too risky!). For some reason I decided to apply for this place even though there was only a very short description and not a single photo (probably because I was scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to find something quickly). As it turns out, I found a perfect typical Dutch house located in a quiet neighbourhood of Delft, sharing with an Italian lady and her 13 year old daughter. My room is upstairs and my window overlooks a beautiful canal with trees and ducks and the true Delft surroundings.

I had to purchase some of the furniture, so that put a bit of a dent in the scholarship money. Also, it is quite common here to have to pay a bond of an equal amount to a months rent, which I was required to do. So the next 2 months will be tight!

I have stayed in my new home for 2 nights now and I am slowly adjusting to life with another family. It is a very strange experience but I can tell that these people will become as close to me as my own family by the end of my stay.

As far as life in Delft goes, I am still getting lost on occasion, but getting lost here is not such a bad thing – on every corner there is something new to see – small cafes, specialty shops, pretty canals.. and so much more! I am still missing home very much, but each day gets a little better and the new challenges I face with study keep me occupied enough through the day not to think about the homesickness. The late afternoons and nights are the hardest time, because my loved ones at home are all sleeping and I am unable to contact them. That’s when I feel the most alone. I have found the best way to fix those lonely times is to send a long email to them and get everything off of my mind, then have a cup of tea and read my novel.

The next time you hear from me I would have dived head first into my research at TU Delft and I will be up to my neck in work. By then, hopefully I will have made some new friends and experienced a little bit more of what Delft and Holland has to offer.

Until then, goodnight Adelaide!

Amy

Hello everybody, how are you? These days I’ve been working very hard at the hospital. I am having a 5 week clinical placement at a rehabilitation hospital as part of my study at Flinders University. It is a great experience, and I enjoy the time there so much. I will write more about this in my next blog when I have been there a little longer and have more to share!

At the same time, I am still doing a part time job, delivering advertising materials and newspapers. Last week was an extremely busy week; my friends and I were helping the other areas. Normally we deliver to two districts, and last week, we did five. We spent three days delivering the newspaper in the districts, and I really loved exploring this particular area of Adelaide.

We walked a lot during the delivery, and at the same time, we got to see lots of luxurious houses along the coast and beautiful beach views all the way down to the city, it was breathtaking.

When I was at high school, I wanted to be an interior designer. I drew pictures about my dream house, collected the pictures and information catalogue from real estate agents. My perfect dream house is very similar to those I saw in the past three days here in Adelaide! Since I haven’t got any money to buy those houses, I have put my energy (when I’m not on my clinical placement or working) into constructing my dream house with Lego. Everyone knows Lego right? I am planning to build my dream house, using the Lego blocks (even though I won’t be able to live in it).

Above is a picture I took when I was delivering the newspaper. I was standing in front of a house; that’s the view of one of Adelaide’s many beaches. It’s beautiful isn’t it? Adelaide is a good place to relax, there is a conservation park nearby to the beach area I was delivering in which is really good for relaxation. When I was giving out the papers, I just wanted to lay down and take a nap! Haha!

By the way, how’s my photographing technique? Haha! I like taking photos with my cell phone, this is a great cell phone; the name starts with an ‘S’, you know it. Haha!

Here you see the other photo in the same area. It was raining that day, it was all grey as you see. We were all wet when we got back home!

At the moment it is winter in Adelaide. Sometimes it has been raining so loudly during the night that it has woken me up! It is also quite chilly at the moment (especially in the mornings) so gotta bundle up!

Hope you all like the photos, I will be uploading more in the future ~ c u!

Dear diary -

It is now winter,
Everywhere is just a plain sight of white,
Snow is falling softly,
Cascading in the winter breeze,
Frosties are already springing up everywhere,
Rudolphs are galloping,
Leaving hooves prints everywhere,
And the snow that fell last night,
Has already accumulated,
Forming inches of solid ice right in front of my doorstep,
Ahhhh… such is winter…

…is what I like to say… Well, well, well, this coming winter spells my third winter here in Adelaide, Australia. It’s not deep into Autumn, but yet, its already really really cold, winter-like. This autumn is allegedly one of the coldest autumns ever experienced in the past 25 years or so and yeah, it wasn’t this cold last year.

One thing about South Australian weather, it wouldn’t snow regardless of how cold or chilly it gets! But it does snow in selected places though, in the past and the closest thing to snow that fell are hail stones but nobody would like to run around in the cold into the midst of a hail storm. Well, when solid blobs of football sized ice cubes start falling from the sky… you’ll get what I mean

Anyway, while waiting for the last leaf of autumn to fall off its branch, finals seems to be drawing closer than ever. With just a little more than 2 weeks to revise on what seems like an eternity collection of notes, references, and text books, 8 modules, 4 subjects… seems its going to be an unforgiving winter.

My ideal winter would be to just sit beside a fireplace, revising for exams, with a dog (preferably a Siberian Husky) resting its head on my lap, in a dimly lit room. But well, seeing my current situation, all that I could manage is sitting next to an imaginary fireplace (my loyal induction heater), with messy piles of paper scattered all over my bed, and a Totoro plush toy resting on my lap =) .

It seems like winter chills doesn’t go well with examination stress after all. Some acquaintances of mine are already on the verge of breaking down, while some others start having insomnia and stocking up on energy drinks whenever possible in order to gear up in case they start burning midnight oil.

Two weeks later…

Right, so, finals are finally here, the exam venue is just swarming with people from both the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia. with people cramming left right and front, people shrieking of frustration in the exam hall, and of course, not forgetting about people losing their mind once out of the exam hall. Well me myself, since I haven’t been able to revise as much as I would like due to an extremely crammed exam timetable, was awarded with insufficient time with 3 out of 4 of my exams (hence leaving out at least 1 huge question each T.T ). And sadly, my exams ended with a whimper – just like blowing off a candle – *fizzle fizzle*… well, kinda hard ending exams with a bang can you? ^^

After the exams…

First and foremost, Happy Birthday to all June babies out there! Have been celebrating tonnes of birthdays lately, all being carried forward due to the exam weeks =S and for 1 reason or the other, there really are loads of people who are born in June aren’t there? In comparison to the other months =)

Next, Happy Holiday to all students in Adelaide! The 1 month holiday commences now! And ever since the holiday started, have been feeling a little bored. In the past few days, have done nothing except for attending a barbie by the lake, which is kinda cool. The food was great, fellowship was great, and even the weather was great!

For the rest of the holidays, I’m expecting a dear friend that’ll come visiting from Melbourne. A dear friend whom I’ve not met for close to 2 years. But due to Tiger Airways (one of the budget airliners servicing the Adelaide-Melbourne route) being grounded by the aviation authority, my plans have being thrown into turmoil and everything is just so messed up and I’m betting that many other travellers out there are gonna suffer as much, if not more.

Just keeping my fingers crossed that my flight to Sydney will not be affected. *sigh~*

And yeah.. SYDNEY! HERE I COME! =) can’t wait any longer…

It had been such a long arduous month. Many a time I simply felt that my brain had turned into stone and blatantly refused to take in any new information. On certain days, I contemplated dissolving the ink on my notes into water and drinking it. Or better yet, brewing tea or reducing them to ashes. Maybe, my body would absorb all the information I was feeding it better that way! It was like being released into the wild when I handed in my paper on Monday. The air was sweet. The sky was blue. The grass was green. Everything seemed prettier. I guess this is what freedom feels like.

With five days in between the day I leave for Singapore and domestic air tickets on sale, we decided to pop by Melbourne for a few days. After all, what’s studying in Australia without visiting all the other states? I love taking domestic flights. It was so cool that domestic planes functioned like bigger buses and I can travel without my passport. It was like taking a bus to the city, only that your bus flew. This doesn’t happen in Singapore, where one to two hours is all it takes to travel from one end to another.

Arriving in Melbourne was like arriving in another country. Everyone seemed to move faster and buildings seemed to have grown taller. The thing is, you’ll never miss big cities when you’ve never left one. Adelaide is a relatively quiet and quaint place. Having grown up in the bustling Singapore, it felt like home when I was in Melbourne. High rise buildings were everywhere. Bright lights from lampposts, signboards and shops were everywhere, the landscape was much more similar to my home country. Shops in the Melbourne CBD were open all hours of the weekday; at 9pm there were still many eateries and restaurants to have supper or a late dinner. It was awesome!

Shopping is a must to girls and food is a necessity to Singaporeans. Satisfying the above two conditions, it was three days of food scouting and crazy shopping for us. I swear we eat about five meals a day. What I loved most was the chocolate coffee beans they sell in Queen Victoria market! The flavour and the aroma of the crunchy coffee beans, along with the sweet chocolate flooding your mouth was just heavenly. Lygon Street is a must visit place for koko black’s hot chocolate and the Italian restaurants there. it is known to be one of the greatest food precincts in Melbourne. My mouth still waters at the thought of the yummy calamari and pasta we had at Il Gambero. I had the crazy impulse to uproot Lygon Street and plant it in Adelaide. That being said, there are lots of delicious eateries and places for foodies to enjoy in Adelaide.

Melbourne certainly lived up to its reputation of having four seasons in a day except summer didn’t seem to want to show up when we were there. Adelaide welcomed me back with a warmer touch when we returned which I thoroughly enjoyed. And it’s time for Singapore, where it is home truly!

Photo credit: Exlene ler

People who study in Australia – if you have not noticed, the Aussies love to drink. Baileys, Muscato, Shiraz, Heineken, and even the really, really affordable west end draught beer and passion pop! I guess I really tried a lot of different drinks here down under! It’s part of the laid back culture and I simply embraced it without second thoughts. LOL! Who wouldn’t?

Unlike Singapore where students go clubbing in our Clarke Quay, Australian universities have this thing called the “PUB CRAWL” So you buy a t-shirt from the club organising it and you follow the group pub hopping on a Friday night.

For example, I bought a t-shirt from the international students society for $20 and for the whole night I got discounted drinks at the designated pubs we went to. Then for the DJ village which is organised by my uni hostel living. I paid $25 for a totally awesomely “please grow up” t-shirt that says Pokebeer? Pokemon? Seriously? LOL.

But that is absolutely not the point. Lame t-shirt aside, words cannot describe how AWESOME an AWESOME AWESOME pub crawl is (especially those with transport provided.)

Before the actual pub crawl, villagers would get together in each others cribs and have a “pre-drinks”, sort of like drinking your own wines first. Due to the fact that the t-shirts were quite large in size, almost all the girls re-designed their t-shirts by cutting them, and re-tying them, drawing them; almost like a Project Runway’s Tim Gunn’s “make it work” moment. The results were amazing. They were ready to step out into Adelaide nightlife!

The guys mostly just rolled up our sleeves to show off some biceps even though it was a bit cold that night. HAHA.

I went to a few pub crawls throughout this semester (international students, medical society, and DJ village). It is not only a great way to spend time with friends you have already made at uni, but also a chance to meet lots more new and exciting people! You meet GREAT people from all around the world! I’m not exaggerating because I met people from Norway, Holland, Hawaii, Oregon, New York, Japan, Korea, California (he was born in China though… hmm…), Canada, Poland, other parts of Australia, Malaysians, Indonesians, and fellow Singaporeans. Honestly speaking, I am extremely glad I chose Flinders and especially living in the school housing because its like I’m living with the entire world map!

Self-quote: A pub-crawl a semester keeps the nerdy bones away.

Pubcrawl is superfantabulousliawesomicool, period.

I am glad the semester is over, that all exams are done and every assignment handed in. I was even pleased to return my library books and to wave good bye to the university buildings from the back of bus. My time at Flinders University is due and it is time to squeeze all memories in to my backpack and fly back to Sweden. Thinking about leaving, I just want to grab on to the leg of my bed, hold on really tight, close my eyes and scream; I AM NOT GOING!

Many times have I pictured the welcome home at Stockholm airport, to see the faces of my dear ones and to fall asleep beside the one I love. But going back to Sweden also means leaving Australia, and how can I possibly get ready for that? My three housemates have become the closest to sisters I ever had, I found a new best friend, and how I can possibly face not showing up for Muay Thai training on Tuesday night?

I have had five amazing months in Adelaide, and I have not for a second regretted my decision to go overseas. While studies only made up part of the experience, new friends and a new found love for Thai boxing have contributed to a wonderful semester that I will never forget. Five months is a short time, but under the extreme conditions of turning up alone in a foreign country, this time is enough time to make friends for life. I have laughed, cried, sweated, screamed and danced with these people. I have shared this chapter of my life with them, and it is sad indeed to turn to the next page.

Not only did I make new friends; equally important is the new friendship I made with myself. Leaving home I pictured doing things differently here, starting over new. I wanted to be less serious, drink more coffee, talk more rubbish, and party harder. My new life lasted for about a week, and then I realised I had missed out on nothing. I signed up for Thai boxing, I put effort in to my studies and I kept on dancing to Britney Spears on the kitchen table. Sometimes you just have to get the opportunity to do things differently, to realize that you already got it all right!

It is like being trapped in the middle. Neither do I want to leave, nor stay. It feels like I can no longer be whole, because I can not have it all. I would like to take the massive trees and the beautiful beaches, the finest wineries and the relaxed lifestyle with me. I would like to pack all my new friends, Flinders Muay Thai, and Sunday nights at the Grand in a huge bag and ship it to Sweden. My time is up, my glass is empty and it is time to return to reality.

I will dream about you Australia, and I will always keep you in my heart.

This entry could be an in-depth review of each and every single assessment I undertook in my just-past second year of university but, to be honest, that would bore the lot of us. Instead, I thought it might be nice to gloss over things in general terms before sharing two pieces of work that I’m really quite proud of. A little academic review if you will, module by module.

Analysing and Working in the Media Industries: This was a theory module looking at the media as an industry and what it can be like to work in it. I botched up the first part, but did decent enough in the second – and tried not too hard in both. All with a tutor renowned for being overly harsh with his marking, and the standard 2:1 that I’m pretty sure I got is fine by me. Theory, as you may well know, isn’t my favourite area anyway. It’s for the birds.

Media Research – Methods and Proposal Design: Another set of theory assessments, this time concentrated on preparing us for our dissertation. We looked at things like industry research, audience research, proposals. All sorts of probably useful stuff. I didn’t like it one bit and, again, I had the tough tutor. I think I did well though; should be a first(ish) for everything once it’s all checked, double checked and externally verified.

New Media Cultures: This was an interesting module conducted via fourteen sets of several weekly blogs, all looking at issues related to, of course, new media cultures (the internet and stuff). Some topics were interesting, some really weren’t. Overall, I enjoyed the unconventional assessment methods and think I did pretty well. Half-way through my tutor told me I was heading for a strong first so, obviously, I’m hoping that my work didn’t take a nosedive thereafter.

Television and New Media Entertainment: The final theory based module, this time looking at aspects of society and culture in TV and new media. Or something. I don’t know, there was a whole lot to take in, and I really lost interest in it all. Thankfully, I nailed the essay, which I choose to do on the differences between ‘celebrity’ and ‘personality’ as created by the medium of TV. I really wanted to do well in this module because, frankly, I ended up hating it. And, crazy as it seems, I wanted to show myself that I could totally destroy an assessment even if I hated it and didn’t really like the content at all. I did just that, much to my delight.

Script and Screenwriting: What’s this – a practical module!? Yes, media production at the University of Lincoln does offer ample practice, it just comes concentrated within fewer areas. Lots of tiny theory thorns, a few big wonderful branches of practice. Here, we worked slowly towards penning a short script (which I thoroughly enjoyed), and then looked at outlines and proposals. I won’t be taking it forward into my final year, but I’m very glad I choose to study it.

Single Camera: After a slightly dubious start, I teamed up with Adrian Samarra and Nicholas Leer to create two pieces of work that, beyond doubt, I like more than anything else I’ve ever done in my academic life. I could say more, but I’d rather just let you watch them. The first is pure short fiction, the second an experimental piece. I really am quite pleased with them, and I’d love to know yours thoughts. Either way, they’re my highlights of the second year. When I look back, I won’t remember the essays even if I did get decent grades. I’ll remember the films I made with my friends. So here they are.

Antisocial Networking

Slack

I’ll be working with the same guys in the third year, hopefully with the addition of another sharp tool to our box of… well, tools. I hope you enjoyed them; regardless, any and all comments are appreciated.

Here’s to the second year. T’was good. Very good indeed.

If there’s one thing at university that crushes my spirit, it’s media theory. If there’s one thing that makes me pull the pillow over my head and pray to the God I don’t believe in that the day would simply go away, it’s media theory. If there’s one thing that has me tearing my hair out, complaining and questioning how much commitment I really have for everything I’ve been working towards so far, it’s media theory. If there’s only one thing, with a passion, that I hate… it’s media theory.

Don’t get me wrong, I do know that it does have a place and, if you genuinely enjoy it, then good for you. But I find it excruciatingly painful. For me, it’s a self-serving exercise where everything is overblown, twenty words are used when one would do, and you spend countless hours analysing every stinking detail only to come to a conclusion that everybody with half a brain cell switched on already knew.

It’s a complete distraction to me, an obsolete form of ‘intelligent’ expression that brings me nothing but anger, unhappiness and undue stress. I can’t work properly within my beloved world of scriptwriting and film if I have to write up so many thousand words on the semiotic analysis of representations and notions of new media cultures etc. Whatever it is, all those books, all those journals – it just feels like a bunch of stuffy failures straining to remind the world that they exist but, ironically, the material they produce will only be enjoyed by their own kind because, elsewhere, nobody cares. I remember once on Facebook I described media theorists as the group of losers in the corner at a party, while the rest of us real practitioners do something useful.

This isn’t really bitterness – far from it – I get good grades. But it doesn’t diminish the fact that I don’t care one iota for media theory. I could have done zero media theory throughout my academic life and I wager my practical output would be nigh on identical. In fact, if anything, it would be better because I wouldn’t have had to waste hours pretending to care about theory. And it is me pretending to care. When I dance cheerfully through the subject of an essay, I’m actually sat stern faced over the laptop, cursing my course for insisting on shovelling theoretical waffle down my throat. Same goes for the lessons themselves; when I appear to be diligently taking notes in a seminar, I’m most likely doodling.

My dissertation is going to be hell because there isn’t a subject on the planet I care to write ten thousand words about. I get that it shows how I can successfully research to a high level and all that but, man… it’s going to kill me. Unless a report comes out tomorrow demonstrating that employment in the industry is impossible without having written a first class, quality dissertation – then I will hate it. Even when it’s done and I get a good grade for it, I’ll hate it. I’ll never look back at it and think “yeah, that was good.” I’ll always see it on the shelf, tut, sigh, and change the subject. It will be a good standard, and leather bound with a high quality, imprinted title on the front because that’s just how I roll… but I’ll still hate it. No matter what, I’m telling you now – tutors who believe I will see it as an achievement – I will hate it. If you make me do something I don’t want to do, then I will feel zero sense of accomplishment at the end no matter how good it is.

If I wanted to do theory, I’d have taken media studies. But I didn’t, did I? No, I took production because I actually like to do things instead of sitting in a pompous chair, stroking my chin and pondering the globalisation and convergence of mass media and how it all relates to audience satisfaction and some old guy’s theory of ‘notions of the self’ from the 70′s. I cannot stand having to suck up to any and every media theorist we’re introduced to. They’re all horribly boring, tedious and self-serving. If I end up like one of them I will consider myself a failure. A horrendous, worthless failure.

Next year we have more theory than practice, or so it seems. The dissertation runs throughout, and research and development modules accompany a couple of practical lessons. I’m not looking forward to it, really. Strange as it may seem, I feel university is now the biggest threat to my future. That’s because, as I don’t consider myself to be naturally talented in any aspect of film making, my enthusiasm and spirit is absolutely key for my development and success. And if there’s one thing that can crush all that in an instant… well, you should know what it is by now.

I have finally arrived in Holland after a very stressful 2 month period of organising temporary accommodation, access to money, flights, enrolment at the host university and a million other things! The flight was a very emotional one – saying goodbye to my loved ones was extremely difficult. I had a major dilemma when I arrived in the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport – I arrived 12 hours earlier than I expected because I didn’t read my flight itinerary correctly (I blame the stress). So at 5.55am I had to figure out how to get money out of my account, buy internet access as well as phone access so I could somehow contact my hotel to let them know I would be arriving earlier. Although Holland is known to be a very good English-speaking country, it was still very daunting knowing that everyone around me was speaking Dutch and I felt terrible for not being able to communicate in their first language. Eventually I figured out how to get to my hotel, where I dropped my bags off and wandered around the city centre of Amsterdam until my room was ready. By this stage I was thoroughly exhausted and quite upset with the feeling of homesickness. I called home and cried like a baby! A tip for any new international travellers: DO NOT USE PUBLIC PHONES TO CALL HOME! I learned this the hard way – my credit card was charged over 70 dollars for a 2 minute phone call. I made a few of these, so my credit card has really been hit hard. The best thing to do is to buy a cheap mobile phone with a local sim card and call home from that.

I chose to arrive in Holland at a very exciting time – the whole country was celebrating Queensday. This is a day where the locals dress in orange (their national colour) and party from when the sun rises to when the sun goes down. I celebrated by purchasing myself a bright orange wig and t-shirt, drinking local beer, dancing to the deejays set up on every corner and wandering through the narrow streets of the city centre. I have never seen so many people in my life! It was a great day and and excellent way to see the city in full swing. Amsterdam is a very beautiful city with lots of old buildings and quirky shops and you could spend days there and still not see it all.

The next day or two was spent checking out some of the Amsterdam sights including the must see Red Light District. Amsterdam really is a place that cannot be described in a way that gives you a true perception of what it is really like – you have to see it to believe it.

After my partying weekend, I took a train to Delft where I will spend the next 5 months of my life. I thought I would be more emotional, but I was actually quite glad to finally start this journey. Delft is an incredibly pretty city, and I am enjoying it much more than Amsterdam. It is much quieter and peaceful and the bike riders are less chaotic! At the moment I am staying with members of the ‘Couchsurfing’ community (Google this if you don’t already know what it is!). They are a lovely young Dutch couple who have been so friendly and helpful to me. They took me sightseeing and even helped me purchase a second hand bicycle, so now I am a true local! Now the biggest challenge comes – finding a permanent place to live. I am searching online and I have checked out a few places, but they have all been a disappointment so far.

Until my next blog, I will be madly house hunting and trying to meet some locals and make some friends to keep me company for the next 5 months!

Amy

After another short break it’s time once again for MFO; strap yourself in. I still haven’t read any literature, which is shameful, but here’s a short review of three films I’ve watched recently.

Casablanca (1942) directed by Michael Curtiz

This was one of the first films to make my original list because it’s legendary, and regularly tops the ‘best ever’ polls. I can see why, too. The performances are great (Humphrey Bogart is the absolute man), and the story is solid to boot. Sure, it might seem a little dated now we’re in a world with 3D, 4D, Super D and high-def tit-tat or whatever but, when it comes down to it – for me at least – a film sinks or swims based on its story and the performances delivered by the cast. And here, it all works really, really well.

I’m glad I watched it and I heartily recommend it to you. Here’s a quick overview, courtesy of IMDB:

Set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II: An American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.

Special Notes: It scooped Best Picture, Director and Screenplay at the Oscars.

Fight Club (1999) directed by David Fincher

Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an “everyman” who is discontented with his white-collar job in American society. He forms a “fight club” with soap maker Tyler Durden, played by Pitt, and becomes embroiled in a relationship with him and a dissolute woman, Marla Singer, played by Bonham Carter.

I was really looking forward to this but, in the end, I wasn’t all that fussed. Whilst I can see why people study it and why it’s the cult hit that it is, I personally just wasn’t that impressed. I mean, sure, it does look good and the performances are great… but I just didn’t really care for it. Strange, but true. It’s something to do with the macho element of it, I think.

I’d still recommend you see it, though. If not just for Brad Pitt, who is far too cool when compared to the rest of us.

Special Notes: Fincher shot over 1,500 rolls of film – which is three times the average for a Hollywood picture.

Boogie Nights (1997) directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Set in Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley during the Golden Age of Porn, the screenplay focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films and slowly descends into a nightmare of drug abuse.

This was pretty decent with a lot of good performances but, in the end, I’m not sure it had enough ideas or conclusive clout to justify its running time of 155 minutes. On the plus side it does look really good, and there are a whole host of people you’ll recognise pulling their weight on screen. Actually, thinking about it now, there are TONNES of people you’ll recognise. From major to minor characters, the famous faces are all over.

I recommend it you as long as you bear in mind that everybody in it has probably shined better elsewhere – and it is pretty long. The film was a springboard for a lot of people, and you’ll probably be able to see why.

Special Notes: Burt Reynolds received particular plaudits here, with a wide range of awards and nominations helping to revitalise his career, according to some. Oscar nominations went to him, Julianne Moore, and Anderson for the script.

Final Thoughts

I need to watch more, and I need to read. But still, I probably wouldn’t have watched any of the films I’ve covered in MFO if I hadn’t taken this task on board, so it’s still all positive as far as I’m concerned. Each piece provides me with a little more knowledge and a little more inspiration, which is priceless.

Until next time…

So all too soon it’s the end of the school year. Later than most schools around the world but nevertheless, it’s just as welcoming. As much as we all look forward to it, it comes along with painful emotions too. End of the year means it’s time to say goodbye to the numerous friends and loved ones completing their studies. Here, more than anywhere else it’s especially sad and as most of you studying in schools far from home know, saying au revoir to those people who have made you smile for the past three or four years isn’t exactly easy. That is why I’d like to use this post to remind myself of all the wonderful blessings I’ve found in friends and events of this waning year.

Thinking of all the things that I’ve gone through this year brings to mind a tall list yet there are some moments that will remain significant in our individual lives forever. First I’ll miss all the wonderful Ghanaian girls who with their cooking skills refuse to let us miss home. For their wonderful friendship, company and kind words through all those difficult times I’m grateful. It’s a great feeling to have been able to make and meet so many friends and from so many different places, even South Korea. It’s wonderful to be able to have learned so much from them all, including my lifelong dream of playing the guitar. This brings to mind a quote from someone I don’t remember anymore saying our friends are the brothers and sisters we choose, and truly none could have been better friends than they.

Then I think of all my Moroccan friends completing this year, who have so kindly shared with me a life I never could have found on my own. Accepting me into a culture so unfamiliar but yet so welcoming. I think of all the times we went out to have tea, sitting around a table to share ritually our Friday couscous or the many evening walks and the times at the beach. Some have gone and many more I’ve met but each one of them has left me with a unique memory. I know it will be long before I see most of them, but someday, I’m sure our paths will cross.

Memory knocks at my door today telling me of things I thought I’d forgotten, all the parties during the year, each one different because each one was by a different nationality. Attending soirées as we call them here can be likened to a travel experience, only this time, the destinations came to you; all at once. When you meet, eat and dance with people speaking all sorts of languages and dressed in all sorts of attires, that’s a onetime experience.

Of course, the school year cannot end without talking about school itself. This year was as spectacular as a football match on a rainy day. Beginning with the annual students strike for reasons I haven’t yet figured out, we were on our way to have a blast of a year. Working with timetables that were never followed not taking into account their constant revisions. Attending school in this part of the world is quite interesting, albeit frustrating sometimes. With a hardcore bureaucracy as an administration, refusing all forms of modernization, the one comfort of schooling here is offered by a pleasant, conversely modern student body ever boldly fighting and campaigning for their rights and freedoms. Having finished with one semester and with this one almost at its end, we find ourselves in that dreadful period of the calendar meant for exams. A period no one here messes with, an obligatory initiation for all fresh students and a diehard foe continuing students have to meet with every end of term.

But at the end of road waits the much looked forward to summer holidays; a period when you forget all definitions and formulas. Then, there’s the beach and the all night partying. Indeed, it’s a pleasurable reward for all who have so arduously earned it. Then comes the end of august, when the fun must end as we prepare for yet another lap in the race to acquire knowledge but then again as we prepare sorrowfully to say our goodbyes to those who must leave to start also new chapters in their redefined lives.

In my final words, I’d like to dedicate this post to all the wonderful people I’ve met this year and just so I don’t end up with a hundred pages, I will avoid mentioning names. All the same, I know each one of you reading this will recognize that special feeling I have right now, sitting here behind my computer when I have an exam tomorrow and just thinking of how special you all are.

Peace.

Hello there!

My name is Jasly and I’m from Singapore! I’m currently in my second year of study taking a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics. Inheriting a love of food from Singapore, I thought it would be an interesting course to learn about the food we eat every day. A career in dietetics looks to be a fulfilling one that would allow me to share the knowledge I’ve gained from the course to educate and help my patients or the general patient make a better choice.

As this degree is not offered in Singapore, the only way to pursue a career in dietetics was to go overseas. I chose Flinders because of its well-recognised dietetics course.

It is my second year in Adelaide. The thing I like best is the peace and quiet Adelaide has. Interestingly, it was the quietness I disliked when I first arrived in Adelaide. It was eerily quiet compared to life in the city. Days seem to end earlier as most shops closed at 5pm instead of 9pm. There seemed to be loads of time to while away in my room in order to get to bedtime.

In the month of June, time once again becomes a precious commodity. There never seems enough of it and no money can buy it.

Stacks of paper spread across the surface of your table, books everywhere and facing the computer for hours and hours…

It was high time for a break and since a friend of mine from Singapore came visiting, we decided to head down for a day at Glenelg!

Shermain is a friend i got to know from a part-time waitressing job in Singapore. Seeing her again after we both left the job brought back fond memories of the days we worked together.

Glenelg is one of the places I love in Adelaide. Having never been a fan of crowded places, yet beautiful places tend to be crowded with lots of people. Glenelg is one of the places where I get the best of both worlds. It’s quiet and too lovely for words.

Looking at the blue skies, hearing the waves and standing in the breezy wind…

Licking ice-cream, feeding seagulls, running along the beach or even trying to get successful jumpshots…

I think this is what life is.

There’s a Chinese saying that means take a rest in order to embark on a longer journey. Instead of forcing your overworked brain to produce an essay that does not seem to be making any progress, why not spend half a day down at the beach to take a breather! =)

(Photo credit: Shermain)

From all around they came, rushing, screaming, singing and pushing each other. Each one scrambling for the best spot as nearest to the streets as the blockade will allow them. Mothers impatiently pulled their children along and fathers carrying them on their shoulders, all in attempt to see him. The waited impatiently to see him, some danced and sang along with the performing musicians while others simply talked to those around them. Some had arrived hours before and others only just now. So far as they didn’t miss the big arrival they were all in time. Whatever the age, whatever the nationality, they had all come to catch a glimpse of royalty. The arrival of the friend of the people to Oujda, His Majesty Mohammed VI, loved by all and adored by all. The one strong force uniting the people of Morocco.

We weren’t of course taken by surprise by his coming, two weeks before the royal guard had already set up shop. Security is of utmost importance, the huge refrigerated trucks and caterers had started arriving as the king’s arrival for some is a festival. We all hoped to see him when he came, maybe driving himself around in a car. An indication of how safe he feels with his people.

I just happened to be in town at the right moment, the King being ushered in with his majestic convoy of cars and trucks. As he waved at the people while passing you could literally see the look of peace and joy, a sense of having got something worthy of the long wait preceding was his arrival. I recognized the feeling from the first time I saw him, a few months ago. He had that effect on people; he was everything you saw on television and more. It’s somehow a Moroccan version of what happens in England when the Queen goes out. All elegantly dressed and treated and yet so humbly attached to his people. Rightly so, for there is no kingdom without a people and no kingdom without a king. His reign over the past decade has signaled a new period in the history of the country, one marked with development; reforms increasing freedoms and democracy. And truly for a foreigner coming from sub-Saharan Africa, he serves as a shining example to African leaders as to what true leadership should be about.

Truly, seeing the king in his entire splendor is a scene you have to witness. So the next time you make it to Morocco, ask around and you just might have a lifetime memory.

It has been some time since i-studentlife has received my (warning, narcissism coming up) grandiose narratives on the tales of a Nordic graduate. This is mainly because I have not really had time and I can only sincerely apologise for this, because this is my own fault. Time management is becoming more and more crucial in a world filled with information and systems that want your attention! How often do you get caught up in checking up on your friends on Facebook, tweeting stuff, writing blogs (guilty of sin) or just browsing YouTube for a good laugh?

So, annoyed with the time I spend on these trivial things (though friends are hardly trivial!), I sat down and started to look at where I could optimise and become more time efficient. Here are my results. The first graph shows the daily distribution and the last the weekly distribution.

You can clearly see I spend a lot of time sleeping (what a waste), though the gain in health and productivity is only decreased if you cut in this part. So find the time you need (some need more and others less) and then enjoy the time offline. The rest you can play with and rearrange for better usage and increased productivity or best utilisation of yourself.

Remember (though it may look like it) this is not rocket science. It is easy to do such a diagram in less than an hour on a train from Germany to Denmark, while writing this. So sacrifice an hour, make this colourful visualisation and learn where you need to be careful about your time to succeed in your goals.

The weekly distribution helps you further; as you see my biggest chunk in time consumption is “work”. There is one problem, which is legal commitment. Now I am committed to doing 40 hours a week and was a bit concerned about asking for rearranging the time. Nevertheless the time came (please, do not let it get that far) where I thought: “If you don’t do anything you can scrap that MSc of yours!”. So I had a quick talk with my boss, that I need to write 200 pages (slightly overestimated) and so on. So I suggested her if I could work one more hour every day and take Friday afternoon off.

She agreed and this was the best solution ever. I am now back on track, more productive for my thesis and I even got the time to write you now. This has been great and if you feel stressed too – I highly suggest that you do this exercise and look at where you can improve!

Happy productivity and, as always, be welcome to ship me your thoughts!

[Taken on a family trip. Things really are bigger in this country. Sadly, there was no lobster available on that day. Keep an eye out for the seafood in this country! It is amazing.]

Hi all, my name is RJ Lim and I am an international student from Malaysia. I am studying a Law and Accounting combined degree student at Flinders University. After advice from several working professionals that university was “the best time of your life” I aim to enjoy it as much as possible. I hope my blog will help others do the same.

This blog will aim to cover a wide range of matters pertinent to the average International Student. Please leave a comment!

Upcoming topics to look forward to are:
• Accommodation (little be aware tips)
• Places in Adelaide to relax
• Where to find food and ingredients from home
• How to cope with being away from family and friends
• Culture clash!
• Drinking with the locals (they probably can drink much more than you mate)
• General slice of life observations and musings
• What is a Drop Bear?

I hope that this blog will be helpful for the Internationals already here and those considering becoming one. And remember! The native fauna is only cute and cuddly in the wildlife parks. Outside of those places, you have a fifty percent chance they’ll be docile, or not.

Have a g’day and get some tucker into you. – RJ

Hello everyone, this is Esther. I am grateful to be one of the student bloggers; I like to share everything about my experiences at Flinders with you all. I am currently doing my last year nursing course, this is the fourth year at Flinders. I am a part time student – people wondered why I am doing the four year programme instead of three years. From my past experience and culture in my country, students tend to finish the course as soon as possible, then find a job, make great money… For me, as a part time student, I think it gives me an opportunity to experience the life in Australia. I enjoy my time at Flinders. When I first came to Flinders, I was so impressed by the atmosphere here. It’s a friendly atmosphere, friendly people, friendly environment… I feel welcomed. I remember the first week in year one; I was coming to uni for a lecture at 8am, I was so excited, because it was my first day at uni! I woke up at 6am and got to uni at 7am! The lecture building was locked because it’s too early! There are so many funny things happened, but I really enjoy my time at Flinders.

I am going to have clinical placement next month, I am so looking forward to it! I am having some free time from now on until mid June, so I am thinking I can find a job. A few weeks ago, I found a part time job, and it’s interesting. It’s a job delivering newspaper and advertising material. One thing I feel so different when I first came to Australia, I saw my home stay mom taking a bunch of papers from the mailbox every week, and they show the discount goods of the shops. I never saw these advertising materials in Hong Kong, I used to buy newspaper and magazines, and those advertisements are printed inside, so it’s so interesting when I saw these ‘junk mail’. It’s quite an experience because there is no such a job like this in Hong Kong, I enjoyed working this part time job, I walk around the suburb and deliver the materials. I always enjoy the stunning view during the walk. ^_^ If you have some free time, it’s good to find a part time job. I know most of the international students work during their leisure time, work in restaurants or boutiques, this is good because they get to practice their English, and this is so important to all of us, also it is a good experience, to make friends, and good way to learn the culture.

Hope you all will have a great holiday – see ya next time!

Hi everyone, my name is Chad. I am from a tiny red dot on the map, Singapore. I am studying a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Flinders University and am a member of the Flinders photography club, Volleyball Club and Singapore Association. I am all out to make my uni life legen…wait a minute… DARY! Join my mini adventures around and about South Australia.

Wonder what to do on a weekend in Adelaide?

You can go PAINTBALLING! Let off some steam after a week’s school work. Last Sunday, the people from Flinders Volleyball Club managed to wake up at 8am to fire paintballs at one another! Okay, sounds wrong but it was FUN, or should I say, HEAPS FUN. To think those days in BMT (basic military training) back in Singapore actually helped me today in my paintballing action!

Above is the typical group shot where we all are supposed to act like we are best friends. LOL.

Here’s the true story. Well, Dave = Mr. Popular, cuz everyone seems to be aiming at him. HAHA! Paintball is still quite affordable considering you get an army suit, paintball gun and the massive land to play!

There are different options depending on how much money you have, and how many paintballs you want to fire! The starter pack with 100 paintballs so you can get a feel of how “shiok” (singapore slang for AWESOME!) it is to feel a paint pellet splatter on your friend.

The rambo pack has 300 paintballs, for those who wanna really go for it!

Then there is the TERMINATOR PACK which basically gives you 600 paintballs!

And if you run out of the paintballs at anytime in the “forest”, you can purchase additional “ammo”.

That wraps up another “heaps good” Sunday in addition to many more to come from down under here at Flinders University!

Hi, my name is Achmad Uzair Fauzan and I am an international student from Indonesia. I have just begun my PhD at Flinders University.

Australia was the country I visited most. Before this, I have collected five pairs of Australian immigration stamps on my passport. In all of these previous visits, I came either on a tourist or business visa. But this time is different. My present status is now ‘elevated’. I am a resident with a student visa which will allow me to stay in the country for the next 3 years.

However, compared to the previous visits, my current presence here in Australia is far more demanding and yet challenging. Previously, either as a tourist or visitor, I only had to deal with something outside me, such as tourist destinations or attractions. Currently, what I have to deal with is just myself. At least, that’s what I expect to see based on what the other PhD students have told me.

As a new student enrolled at research higher degree (RHD) programme, a term commonly used by the Flinders University to refer to a postgraduate programme, I needed to learn how the previous PhD students manage their life and study. Their information and sharing would be important to help me settling down and finding my own rhythm in the first few weeks here. This is particularly important since as an RHD student, I am expected to be an independent student who is able to devote and manage their time between research and writing. I will have no classes, which is fun at some point, but is also demanding since it requires more self-responsibility to be able to assess my own academic progress. There would be academic supervisors, of course. We are the ones who control our time.

Later I learned that we are not absolutely alone. There are many support services provided by the university, if you need them. Here, we have ISSU which stands for International Student Service Unit. They offer a range of programmes supporting our enrolment, study and social life, as well as a referral service to facilities on campus and within the local community. With my own experience, I can tell that they help a lot (thanks to them, I did not pay any fees to get my student visa). Apart from this, we have also health and counselling service if we need any consultation with regards to our physical and psychological health. We have also the student learning centre, which provides assistance and training on necessary academic skills and issues. No less important, there are many chances to get various grants and scholarships whose information can be found at the office of higher degree administration and scholarship.

For sure, I see challenges. But I see also opportunities. And I guess I am ready for both.

I am Imam from Indonesia and currently doing a Master’s in Leadership and Management at Flinders South Australia. Before coming to Oz, I worked with an AusAid training program in Indonesia for three years. I feel lucky that last year I made a correct decision to come to study in Adelaide. Although (because?) it is a bit of a quiet city, most of the people here are friendly. Just ask them anything and they are usually happy to answer and explain. This makes me feel welcome and positively impacts on both my social life and studies. In my theory, for international students who have never been overseas before, it is important to feel welcome from the very beginning so that transition to new life (social and study) is smoother.

Just as (most of?) other international students who do not speak English in their home county, I was very anxious about how to make friends with Aussies and immerse myself in their culture. It was a “wished” coincidence that I bumped into a lady from Adelaide at Denpasar (Bali) airport, fifteen minutes before our flight. She visited me a week after my arrival in Oz. We are close friends now. From this I learn that in Australia I do not need to wait until I speak very good English to make friends with locals, sincerity is all that it takes. Now I learn various aspects of Aussie culture from my Aussie friends, who, while doing different jobs (truck driver, CEOs of national and multinational businesses, painter, etc.) share the same understanding of how important it is to learn from one another.

Flinders is a nice place to study. My lecturers are approachable, helpful and supportive. I can feel that Flinders is valuing cooperation rather than competition. Although I still struggle with my English most of the time, I am now on Flinders council representing postgraduate students. I work with the chancellor, vice chancellor and people from different backgrounds who are external members to council. Different perspectives that we bring to council meetings on how Flinders can be more effectively managed are another source of knowledge worth learning.

One more year is left but a lot more to experience. I have done some casual jobs to learn about Aussie work culture (while earning some money). This semester I am doing two topics at another university in Adelaide (possible thank to Flinders flexible policy). As a student member of Australian Human Resource Institute (AHRI), I have access to HR events in SA and opportunity to learn from HR practitioners. I am now looking forward to unpaid (I am happier if paid!) work opportunities in HR and training related areas (my first application was turned down – this means I need to be patient). Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed with having a bit too much to think and to do. Luckily, there is plenty ways to escape pressures. I play badminton, go fishing and boating, and visit both Indonesian and Aussie friends once in a while. This is a way for me to make the most of my time. I am hoping that when I go back to Indonesia in 2012, I will not only bring Finders qualification but also meaningful life experience. Sharing my life stories through this blog would definitely give more meaning to my experience.

It has been a while since my last post but I am finally getting round to doing this one. School is beginning to wind down now for summer which is good and bad. It is good because it is getting warmer outside and everyone is looking forward to a long summer break but at the same time it is bad because finals are almost upon us. Plus I have five papers due in the next two weeks. Normally I don’t worry too much about having lots of papers to do but I am travelling to Oregon from Tuesday through Sunday to compete in the NCAA west regional meeting for track and field. Essentially this is the qualifying meet for the NCAA national championships. It should be a really enjoyable trip. I have been fortunate to travel a lot on the east coast while on the track and field team but this is my first trip to the west coast which I am really looking forward to. I only compete on one day, which I think will be the Friday so I should have a lot of free time to hopefully go and explore the state.

However, the one thing that is slightly annoying is that it means I will have to work on some of my papers while I am in Oregon which, while I don’t have a major issue with, it is just much easier to do when I am at home and I am more comfortable as opposed to working in a hotel room.

Another good thing about it nearing summer is that I have just signed a lease on my new apartment for next year that I will move into in three weeks. I am just looking forward to moving everything and getting it all done. I plan on spending the summer in Chicago, as I am not sure if I said earlier, but I got offered an internship at the 42nd Ward Alderman’s Office which is basically a part of the Chicago government. It should hopefully be a fun and rewarding internship and if nothing else it will look good on my resume.

I do however, plan on going home to the UK for a short period during the summer to see family and also hopefully stop off in London to look at universities where I could potentially study for a master’s degree in political science.

Bye for now,

Matt

Leaves are turning red, falling… ants are scrambling to hunt for food… moths are fluttering around looking for a safe place to hide… mozzies are buzzing around looking for breeding ground… and flies are nowhere to be seen… well, these are the signs… of autumn! The southern hemisphere is now inching closer to winter and darkness falls, without fail, by just 6pm?! it gets really really dark and that made it really difficult to even walk home after classes.

The bout of chilly winter air not only brought about unpredictable weather and unsuspecting thunderstorms, but also a landslide in assignments! Not surprisingly, every lecturer seems to be itching to test the patience of their students by chucking one assignment after another but of course, kind enough to grant deadline extensions when required. ^^

Well, currently in my third year of engineering education, also the busiest of all the years that i have been through, and in what seems like just a blink of an eye, I’m already halfway through my semester. With finals already in sight somewhere on the horizon, and here I am, still slacking around trying to push myself back into studying mode, which i dare say failed miserably and will be regretting this in two months time.

Anyway, I’ve just come back from two weeks of Easter holiday. It was pretty hectic and happening in the first week. Went for strawberry picking (the final batch of the season), rock climbing, hiking, and some other. Well, in Adelaide, there is only so much we can do as it’s a really tiny place in comparison to the likes of Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Perth. So yeah, gotta look for some form of entertainment at times.

Next, its the royal wedding! It’s one of those days when we all decide to stay at home no matter what happens (which luckily, nothing bad happened) just to glue ourselves in front of the television box with a bowl of chips each. Well, it’s one of those must watch weddings that might only happen once in a lifetime. Well, our parents managed to catch the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and now their children (us) are doing the same!

Well first and foremost, congratulations to Prince William and Kate Middleton for tying the knot on such an auspicious day. I don’t know about most of you out there, but I do think that they are a match made in heaven. Just like those fairy tales that were passed down through the ages, Prince Charming and his destined princess. Well, but I guess they deserve a fairy tale of their own =) A new chapter of life, for both the monarchy and the couple, has just unfolded.

But essentially, this occasion came as a pillar of light, in the darkness surrounding the world these days. In any of these days, the odds of us witnessing auspicious events occurring is really small. All that is littered in the news are that of war, politics, murder, natural disasters, etc. So basically yeah, this came as a nice change of pace for the world.

While we, a huge chunk of the world population, watches the wedding comfortably in the security of our own house, and in the shade, feathers of some people might ruffled, especially those living in London. Though this might be a somewhat happy event, it is not denying the fact that this event, held in such a grand scale, will be causing some massive traffic congestion especially in downtown London. And yes, I’m lucky I’ve just got to witness it from the comfort of my couch.

Anyway, these coming weeks will be a lot more difficult as it’s leading up towards finals. Assignments and due dates, being as unforgiving as always, will be as tormenting as ever. But as always, I’ll be fine. This is not the first time I’ll be sitting for exams anyway =D And yes, I’ve got my exam timetable! Like, finally… well, at a glance, it all falls back to back! This… is… bad! On the 23rd, 24th, 25th, and the 27th of June… this is gonna be real bad…. wish me luck =)

Hello, my name is Adharsh Rajasekar and I’m an international student from India studying at Flinders University. I am in my final year of a Masters in Biotechnology Studies.

I came from India in July 2009, with an ambition of completing a Masters degree at Flinders University. I am having the best time of my life after coming here. I have made a lot of friends and socialising is one of my finest skills. Research and adventure is my life.

To be honest, I came from one of the many Indian families who were scared to send their kids to Australia due to the things happening during the time I was due to come to Australia, but things don’t always happen as you think!

I still remember my first day in Adelaide; it was the 22nd of July 2009, 6.30am and 13 degrees Celsius. I was in Adelaide International terminal waving my hand towards a student arranged by Flinders international student service to drop me at my friends place!

My first day at university was not delightful, to be frank, since I didn’t know anyone here except my house mates. Classes started and I got to know different people who later became my friends! It was the time I felt that this place has a diverse environment of different cultures! You can talk to your department professor about your course and future research or job opportunities just by mailing him and getting an appointment! Most of the people here are friendly and caring for each other.

During weekends and long holidays, me and my friends go for wine tasting, kayaking, bush walking, BBQ’s and watching AFL footy games which is like a festival here compared to cricket in India. Weather is the only thing I find slightly confusing in Adelaide.

In Australia and South Australia there are lots of places to see and the university are very kindhearted to arrange travel to many places. I have loved my time at Flinders University staying here in Adelaide and I’ll be staying here always!

Study break: a break to study or a break from studies? I still haven’t figured it out. Anyhow, a compromise is usually the best way to go, because as an exchange student, you are supposed to do it all. Not only should you settle in to a new country, find new friends and catch up with new study systems; there is also the pressure to see as much as you can of the country in a strictly limited time. Therefore I divided my study break in to three: first part, city holiday in Melbourne; second part, road trip in Tasmania; and the final part for catching up with assignments and eating chocolate eggs.

As an exchange student it feels almost obligatory to pack the rucksack and go exploring during the study break. Australia is huge and you can’t see it all; therefore, I had already made a ‘must-do-list’ before I left Sweden. Tasmania and Melbourne were top of the list and mid-semester break was my only chance to go! After convincing some friends that this was the way do it, we booked cheap tickets, packed a common bag, and set off for our first stop.

Melbourne is well known for its many cosy cafés, great parties and good shopping; all of which we enjoyed during a sweet city weekend. Sushi-rolls and gigantic cheesecakes made up a perfect weekend menu and our downtown hostel gave us easy access to it all!

Melbourne was a nice place for sure, but after a day in Tasmania I was in love! We only had seven days, so we knew we had to hurry. Again, with limited time and the desire to do it all! Our little yellow car soon became part of the family and with ABBA pumping through the speakers we drove zig-zag between wallabies, possums and unidentifiable creatures on the tiny country roads. Convict history in Port Arthur was soon altered by the beautiful scenery of the east coast. Despite the power of rain and wind we hiked down to the famous Wineglass Bay and spotted wild dolphins playing in the bay. The following day the weather cleared and we mounted off to the renowned Bay of Fire. After a few hours’ drive we considered ourselves lost. Best thing to do? Pull over for a coffee and enjoy the view. Halfway through the coffee, a hidden sign revealed that this was in fact the famous bay and that we had already been staring at it for half an hour!

To get a fair impression of a new place, it is always best to experience it through people that already live there. Through some friends of some friends of some friends… we had managed to arrange a farm-stay. Without any expectations we drove up to the beautiful Armidale Stud, a giant horse stud, breeding race horses and growing vegetables. Eating dinner with the owner and partying with the staff made this farm-stay the high point of our journey. Before setting off to the mainland we managed to hike to the top of Cradle Mountain and finished off with a beer tasting at the Cascade Brewery in Hobart. Tasmania – I’m definitely coming back!

Home sweet home… and back to studies. But who can complain when every day of Easter includes another Aussie family dinner. Tasting it all from stuffed turkey to creamy pavlova and homemade rocky road; I could not do anything but love Australian Easter! For now, back to uni… and I almost did it all!

My dear readers, I am sorry I haven’t written anything in a while but this quarter has been particularly hectic for me. This quarter I decided to take five classes and started an internship in William Blair & Company, an investment company based in Chicago. Even though I am exhausted and busier than ever, it is completely worth it. The more classes I take within the college of commerce the more certain I am that this is the career path I want to follow. All of my classes are extremely interesting, particularly my Business Law class where we have been discussing Constitutional Law, Contract Law, and Tort Law and how the role they play in conducting business. Plus, our professor is incredibly smart and humorous – take Professor Devience for BLW 201 if you can. The internship has given me a chance to learn directly from the field; it is unbelievable how different the work environment is from school. It is a great combination, I can put to use the concepts that I have learned in school and learn things that you won’t find in a textbook at the same time. Every time I am on my way to the office and see all the business professionals walking around the financial district I say to myself, that is going to be me in a few years. I can’t wait!

However, the downside of taking five classes and having an internship is the time constraints that come along. As my ECO 106 teacher told us, nothing is for free, there is ALWAYS a trade-off. In this case, the trade-off relates to time. The first couple of weeks I attempted to continue with all of my extra-curricular activities on top of classes and having a social life – which seems to be harder and harder to maintain. I noticed that I was feeling weak, I could barely go through the day without coffee and I felt like I was cutting slack in some aspects of my life. I decided that it was time to set my priorities in order and act accordingly. As a result of that I had to quit going to The Lab – the break dancing and hip-hop club at DePaul – and stop going to Yoga class on Saturday mornings so I could get some sleep and do my homework. This decision was very hard to make because for the first time ever I had to quit something, and if there is something that I am definitely not is a quitter. I have learned from this experience that I am not superwoman and that I can’t do everything at once because if I do, it will hurt my grades and my health. Right now I am focusing on school, my internship and going to physical therapy for my shoulder injuries. After this quarter is over I will have plenty of time to continue with my extra-curricular activities and hopefully be able to pick up windsurfing at the lake during the summer, something that I have been DYING to do since I got to Chicago. Hopefully I still remember how to windsurf, it has been a long time since I last did it.

Besos,

Anabella

It’s been quite a long wait between posts, not as a result of waning interest but rather because of a few time demanding activities that I became a part of. The past few weeks have been filled with wonderful periods of hard work, teamwork, new discoveries and new relationships. As ordinary as it might be for some, being in a country that is not your own, trust me, having something worthwhile to occupy your time helps spice up the often monotonous life we live here. The biggest of my interests happens to be a project organised entirely by a small group of students and young entrepreneurs, the first Tedxoujda programme to be held in the eastern part of Morocco, precisely Oujda. An independently organised TEDx event, it will cover issues that range from internet usage by modern teens through pharmacy to topics in nanoeconomics. Diversely educational, the event dubbed ‘The Spring of Audacity’ seeks to recognise the numerous innovative ideas brought to life within and outside Morocco and the audacity needed to carry out one’s life dream. With 18 minutes to give the speech of their lives, anyone interested could follow these wonderful achievers online at www.tedx.com.

So why “Home Away From Home”?

For a start, it’s a phrase hotels use when they claim to offer the best comfort money can buy. It also happens to be the same catchphrase we assign to those special places we come across once in a while. Full of nostalgia, a homely place appeals to us by providing us not with what we have left behind, but a parallel alternative. Unique in its own right but amazingly delightful nonetheless. Well, for two particular reasons I’ll tell you why Morocco every year is a home away from home for the hundreds of students who come here to learn.

As I said earlier a home has to have loved, experiences and wonderful memories. For each of us it will be different but just as valuable. The first reason is an event, or rather a series of events held in all the main villes or cities celebrating the culture and spirit of the African continent. The “Journee Culturelle” or cultural day is organised by students south of the Sahara annually in order to present and share their various cultures with the entire student population as well as the general public. As if the opportunity to organise the programme was not spectacular enough, the atmosphere is always heightened by the enormous support received from the Moroccan authorities both financially and logistically, not counting the performances by various Moroccan groups impeccably reiterating their inclusion and attachment to the rest of Africa. A very memorable time indeed, it serves as a constant reminder for us, those who have wandered far away from our various tribes and families, a reminder of our common past, individual differences and common destiny, a pledge to be eternally staunch in our fight for the development and enlightenment of our motherland.

A culturally open-minded people

The second reason for this love for Morocco lies also in the possibility to practice our faith in this religiously exclusive country. Being an Islamic territory, it is a welcome blessing that as Christians we have the opportunity to be accepted in the society for who we are and with respect for our obvious differences. Having the freedom to worship in our churches as we did back at home, living in Morocco sometimes appears to be no different from living in Ghana where the majority is Christian. Especially now in this period of lent when Christians all over the world practice abstinence and reflect upon the sacrifice of Christ we are drawn to reflect upon the period of Ramadan that will soon be with us. Parallels of two different religions only united within a common country.

These and many experiences often reveal to us the humanity and resemblance that lies within all of us no matter where we may find ourselves. I’m sure all of us one time or the other has closed our eyes in gentle and sober reflection on how wonderful it is to have found this special piece of soil somewhere far away from home yet undoubtedly homely, well I guess it’s definitely a rare opportunity to be home away from home.

I am Mali Carmel Terubentau, an international student from Kiribati, studying Bachelor of Health Sciences–Health Management stream here in Flinders University. This is my third and final year and hopefully will finish at the end of this year. Living and studying in Australia was a great opportunity for me to meet different groups of people from diverse cultures and making friends with them.

Learning new things that I never heard of before was such a great feeling for me. Studying here in Flinders allows me to acquire new knowledge and advance skills which I can share with my country of citizenship. Interacting with friends from here in Australia and from diverse backgrounds enables me to learn and understand different cultures.

Well, I come from Kiribati, one of the small islands in the Pacific. I am the eldest one with
four brothers and no sister, usually lived in an extended family. Being away from my family and adapting to a new culture was a challenge and it was not that easy, it took me some time to adapt to this new environment.

With respect to all of the things that I have been through all these years I learned that ‘challenge’ was a good motivation thing, allowing me to take the next step and go furthermore to explore new things with courage. Life was never that easy as I know it but once I go through it and experience the taste of it, I will understand the real world out there. I just have to learn to adapt to the change and allow myself to face it, so that it builds up that confidence, self-motivation and mostly that self-independence within me.

It has been a good few weeks since I last posted anything. In those weeks a lot has taken place. Most notably I finished all of my final exams and went on a trip to North Carolina with the track and field team. Finals were stressful; especially having three all on the same day but it was a huge relief to get them over and done with. However, once they were done I only had one day to relax before I flew down to North Carolina. It would have been nice to have had just a couple of days on my own to relax.

I arrived first in Charlotte, North Caroline on the Thursday, two days after my last final. The weather was perfect, clear skies and sun, lots of sun. We spent the first couple of days at a track meet hosted by the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. It went really well. I stepped down in distance to the 800m and 1500m so it was fun to try new things. Also there was only a small group of us so that made for a good atmosphere. On the last day, Sunday, we went out to eat at a barbeque restaurant which was amazing to say the least.

On the Monday we travelled back up north to Raleigh/Chapel Hill. There we were joined by the rest of the team. We spent the week there training at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in preparation for a track meet at the end of the week at North Carolina State University. Things were going well until the Thursday of that week when I came down with what turned out to be a stomach virus. I spent twenty-four hours being sick constantly. I ended up losing almost six pounds in weight as I just couldn’t keep any food down or bring myself to eat very much. However, on race day I was feeling slightly better and so decided to try and race. This, I soon found out, was a bad idea. After about three laps of the track I pulled out as I felt as if I was going to pass out. Later we found out that due to losing so much weight I was in no shape to race as I had lost all of my energy.

I arrived back in Chicago on Sunday and began my new classes the very next day. So far they appear to be okay but only time will tell.

Matt

Hi everyone,

I am back in sunny Adelaide after my big adventure in the United States. I spent the last leg of my trip in San Francisco which was just amazing. Even though it was only around 12 degrees Celsius, it felt like summer compared to snowy Boston and New York.

The flight was long and boring but I didn’t waste any time after my arrival and starting exploring my surroundings as soon as I dropped my luggage off at my accommodation. I could tell right away from the numerous shops that San Francisco was going to be a very dangerous place for my credit card.

The next morning I discovered how to use the BART (San Francisco’s subway system) and found it quite modern and efficient. It is very easy to work out for a newcomer. Everything in San Francisco is in close proximity; however there are very steep hills and it is a struggle walking around. I was able to visit the tourist sites where I walked through Chinatown, drove down the curvy Lombard Street, wandered through Fisherman’s Wharf and was in awe crossing the huge Golden Gate Bridge. There are plenty of interesting sights and characters to see in the Bay Area that’s for sure.

During my visit here, I was fortunate to be able to visit some Australian students from La Trobe University and UniSA who were nearing the end of their internships there. They all had great feedback of the programme and had extremely enjoyed their time there. They all came together during the programme and have developed friendships that will continue after they return home. Being located in northern California is also a great opportunity to see more of the US. Students went skiing one weekend at Lake Tahoe, visited Napa Valley, and went to Disneyland and even to Las Vegas and New York.

A couple of the students have been lucky enough to secure a job back home already, and the practical experience they have received from the internship will assist them with their performance in their new roles. This programme also allows students to gain an insight into their industry of choice and it may make them realise that it’s not a career they want to pursue, or they may have chosen an internship in an industry that is new to them and have discovered that this is what they would like to make a career of.

Whatever career path you would like to go down, receiving practical experience in a city like New York, San Francisco or Boston is invaluable. If you are a Flinders University student and are interested in pursuing this opportunity in 2012, please contact the International Office to find out how to apply.

Well, wouldn’t you know it. It’s been over two months since the previous MFO. What can I say? Other work has hounded me, scolded me and backed me into a corner until I’ve had to let various pleasures fall to the side. It’s not all bad, though. I’ve got the entire year to make it through my list, and the beauty of this is exactly that I can pick it up and let it go as needed. When things get hectic, I take a break. When things settle down, I squeeze in a few more films. Now this entry, I must admit, is a little shameful… because I only have two films to report on. And I haven’t made it a single page further in my book, so we won’t even go there this time around. This is me trying to kick-start the process, as it were. So let us begin, with the first of an almighty two.

Films

The Full Monty (1997) directed by Peter Cattaneo

I liked this. It was funny, engaging and sweet. I usually have a problem with films as English as this, but not here. Robert Carlyle is brilliant in the lead (the whole cast were great, it must be said), and helps to spearhead a really good film. All around greatness that also made me rethink the nature and notion of British films. Often when I think about the films I might like to create, I naturally conjure up a more Americanised place with Americanised people. But I don’t necessarily have to do that.

If you haven’t seen this, then you should. It’s a good laugh, and deserves the praise it gets.

Special Notes: Won the Best Film BAFTA, and received four Oscar nominations (it won only one: Best Original Music Score [Musical or Comedy]). It was adapted into a Broadway musical, albeit with the locations and characters Americanised.

Empire Records (1995) directed by Allan Moyle

This wasn’t bad. Put on the list purely because I know my friend likes it so much, it disappointed initially, but won me over as time ticked by. The soundtrack is pretty great and it’s fun to see some actresses in early roles, but there’s nothing I found particularly memorable about this film. Nice little ensemble piece, didn’t go down very well… almost too aware that it was going to be one of those cult films that mates pass on… you know. Not bad, not particularly great. I can’t really surmise anything I took from it in terms of my aspirations to make film. Other than, obviously, a great soundtrack is always good.

Special Notes: None. Unless you count early(ish) performances by Renee Zellweger and Liv Tyler. And Tobey Maguire was suppose to be in it, but all of his scenes were cut.

Final Thoughts

I need to find some time to watch more films. And get back to my book. Until then, take care of yourselves and try and watch a classic film or two. They’re classic for a reason.

Ciao

Hi all,

I think I have finally recovered from the busy few days in New York City and have been enjoying my last week in snowy Boston. My colleagues have been really kind and taken me to the Beanpot Championships to see my first ice hockey game. I was able to see Boston College, Harvard University, Boston University and Northeastern University play against each other and was very impressed with the spirit of their supporters.

Before leaving for San Francisco, my colleagues discovered a new café called KO Catering & Pies which makes meat pies. They had never heard of a meat pie so were also keen to try it. They all enjoyed the pies and also enjoyed trying lamingtons and sticky date pudding. It was great food and made me a little bit homesick.

After finishing off my duties with the EUSA Boston office I was very sad to leave. They had been a great team to work with and treated me like a full time employee. I was able to work on real projects and was given responsibilities in areas of interest to me. I have learnt so much whilst working with them and I will be able to apply these duties to my career back in Adelaide. Gaining experience in a US working culture has been valuable in learning to adapt to new situations and it is something that will assist me in the future. I am sad to be leaving beautiful Boston, however I am looking forward to some warmer weather, so San Francisco here I come!

Those of you who read my previous post will know I was battling hard with some of the other opportunities I got in from the internship seeds I planted. You will also know that I was pondering about bolting from what I had already chosen for something better. And… I did it.

I jumped on the train and went to this interview in Düsseldorf. You know, just to look, but not touch? However, I ended up having my hands all over this place. I am also still in touch with my previous internship and working remotely from Düsseldorf.

Besides that I started my thesis and must say that the science of academia is a peculiar one. Not much of what is written and researched is reviewed, read or commented on by peers. From time to time you come across academic “trolls” or “flamers”. These creatures are not like the average guy you meet on the online forums and discussions. These have put serious thought into it. They have thought so long and consistently, that it almost sounds plausible what they are arguing.

Another interesting field I have been going into in connection with my studies is that of semantics and the meaning we put into different things. Think about nuclear power. What are you thoughts? Pretty much a no go, right? Then take this into consideration: for every one human life ended by nuclear power, the same amount of power in coal costs 4,000 human lives. How did that resonate and change you semantics of nuclear power?

Also, I was reading the Anabella’s post about “What College Is Really About”. How I would have loved to sit in on that debate she had. I find it awesome that she can agree on disagreeing, that is some strength for the future. That is probably a much better skill then anything she learned about marketing, or what would you say?

I would like to make a confession. During my first visit to Australia, four years ago, I actually did not like it. Travelling from Cairns to Sydney, I was met by mostly English and Swedish men who were hardcore party animals. I have never felt as old and boring as I did that month; not even 22 years old.

So why on earth did I decide to come back? Well, after meeting numerous of people that had fallen in love with this country, I knew that I must have missed out on something. Because my philosophy of life is to never judge a person/place by the first look, I simply decided to give Australia a second chance.

Missing my boyfriend, missing rye bread, even missing snow; my first week in South Australia was tough. Settling into a new place is all about adaptation, and now, a month into my new country I feel more at home than ever. I have adapted. I no longer try to respond when people ask me how I am; it’s a waste of time, no one really cares. I manage to always bring a book when going by trains and trams – a snail moves faster! Even my semi-vegetarian lifestyle has gone out of the window; here I devour rare steaks and sausages.

So, why Adelaide? Honestly it was more a coincidence than an active choice. Ever since I started university I desperately wanted to do a semester abroad. My curiosity of people, culture and a different way of living simply demanded me to try something new. Two older students at the nutrition department back home had been to Flinders and both prized their time here as the best year of their life. Though I am lousy at making decisions I just decided to go with the flow, ticked the box on the application paper and boarded the flight to South Australia. (Oh, how I wish it had been that easy!)

A month into my exchange semester, I am ready to agree with my fellow students: this is going to be a great year. Improving my English, practising cup-cake baking in the giant school kitchen, managing innovation for new research projects and being in charge of a pilot study in sport nutrition; studying at Flinders is giving opportunities I would never expect at my home university.

Unfortunately, I must admit that the social life is a bit too inspiring here. As well as the constantly upcoming activities and events for international students, Flinders University offers everything from great Thai boxing sessions to dive adventures, every weekend, with the Under Water Club. Then there are always the wine districts, all the festivals, car races and delicious foods. My only complaint is that it is simply too much to do and to little time.

An exchange is an extraordinary way to get familiar with a country and its people. To make sure that this time I would get to know some real Australians I moved in to a sharehouse with three Aussie girls. I could simply not be more satisfied. To really fit in to my new home I also got around to buying a new bikini, a few dresses (covering at least half my butt!) and a whole semester’s stock of dark chocolate Tim Tams. I want to do this the Aussie way.

Is it the open minded people, the multicultural society or my three awesome Aussie housemates that made adaptation so easy here? It doesn’t really matter. I have fallen in love. Australia is ‘heaps good’ and life is easy…

This semester I’ve been doing more long form reporting rather than short form. This means less news packages in general, but more work goes into them. Whereas last semester we were turning in a ninety second news package every week, this semester we’re turning in three, three minute news packages.

One of the challenges is getting enough footage for the news packages. The second package I shot with my partner is about the first woman in Syracuse to bowl a score of 300, and we have over two hours of footage. Figuring out what to use out of the roughly 140 minutes of footage for a three minute package is the next challenge. And when I arrive back at school from spring break, it will be the first thing I tackle. When you think about this it can actually be utterly exhausting. How in the world do you choose three minutes from 140 minutes? Not to mention that you might use extra footage from say, YouTube, which actually cuts down the footage you need even more.

It’s incredibly important to stay focused. What are the things I definitely need in my news package? What elements do I need to tell my story? How many interview shots do I want? How many different people should be a part of this story? You can’t go through your footage thinking “this looks cool, that looks great” because you’ll end up with an hour long news package that’s boring and doesn’t make a lot of sense. You have to go for the absolute best shots and not look back – because that will drive you crazy.

My partner and I have had fun experimenting with different shots for this package. We actually had the opportunity to walk all the way to the end of a bowling lane and shoot towards the bowler. We’ve placed the camera on the ground, out of the car window, and behind bowlers for various effects. This semester I’m becoming much more comfortable using a camera.

My final story for the semester will be about the foster care system in Syracuse, NY. More updates on that soon. About five months to go until I graduate!

Well, folks. I’ve been murderously busy these past few weeks. But now it seems like I’m finally making it through to the proverbial clear skies of wonderment, joy and happiness. Partially, at least. There’s still plenty of work to do, but now far less pressure surrounding it all. I still have assessments on the go, but there’s nothing that requires quite the same excessive mental consumption experienced in film making.

As you might have guessed from the ingenious title of this entry, I recently wrapped production for our fiction piece in my single camera class. This semester I’m working with the fabulously talented Nicholas Leer, and the multi-skilled maestro known as Adrian Samarra (rumour has it that’s not his real name). A tight unit of just three people, it’s been a tough slog, but at 1:30am today we finished off the final shot and threw our cotton socks into the air. Over a three day period we commandeered a hell of a lot of quality kit to shoot a short film featuring actors Dean Fisher and Chris Hayes, and actress Natalie Hayes-Cowley. They were all great to work with and turned in more than pleasing performances that I can only hope I covered well enough in my role as director.

The film is called Antisocial Networking, and we all devised the story together as a team. I then wrote the script and directed proceedings, alongside Nick’s sound recording and design, and Adrian’s direction of photography and editing. We’re in post-production now, and it’s looking and sounding terrific. Adrian brought his own Canon 7D to the table and pulled in a 5D to go with it, so the picture quality really is top drawer. Nick operated high quality sound equipment to record audio separately, and has some great kit and software to compose a soundtrack in post – so this won’t be one of those fumbling student flicks where the sound is completely forgotten. I’m really excited to see the final product and, when it’s available, I’ll be sure to post up a new entry about it.

Elsewhere… we’re starting a new project in screen and scriptwriting. We’re now looking at devising an original outline for a television series or feature film (I’ve opted for the latter), which we must produce alongside a research and development file that shows the progression of our idea and how we’ve come up with everything, essentially. It should be good although, because I’ve been so busy, I haven’t yet given it much thought – and I have a meeting with my tutor on Thursday where I’m supposed to present what I’ve done so far. Better get to it!

Theory is still a nagging pain in the backside, but this semester it’s a little less difficult to digest. One class covers new media cultures and we have to keep a blog of our developing understanding of the world (and related issues) of new media. It’s not quite as exciting as I had hoped it would be. In fact, at times, it can be quite dry, but the informal requirements of the blog posts (as oppose to an essay) are charming enough to keep me interested. Then we’re also doing some audience research based stuff in another theory class. That’s the classic, mandatory, complete ball pain! But hey, if there wasn’t some rubbish along the way, you wouldn’t know what gold was, would you?

Outside of university I haven’t hit the gym in a very long time but, no worries, I’ve always held a trim figure. Until my metabolism changes and a couple of new chins explode onto the scene, I’m not overly fussed. I’ve also kick started some business based stuff that began last year. I am the co-director of Spyrotech, a technology company that enjoyed incorporation back in the summer of 2010. Know anybody that needs some printed memory sticks, packaging and accessories? Hit me up and we’ll sort you out nicely.

Additionally and, perhaps most shockingly of all, I’ve hardly played any Mario Kart of late. A combination of heavy work load, busted remote controls and battery related hijinks, and the solid schedule of five hours a day has fallen by the wayside. Not a problem, however. The motion of the ocean will bring it back round soon enough and then I, king of the karts, will lead Yoshi to endless victories once more.

Apart from that I’ve not kept up with My Fictional Odyssey as much I’d like but, as I’m sure I’ve explained, it’s fine because I have the whole year to dip in and out of it. And finally, I have some other great business related news which includes funding. Actual, real, legal tender funding. But we’ll save that for another time. Rest assured, good times lie ahead.

Don’t work yourselves too hard, people of the world. Fun is way more fun than work. That’s why it’s called fun.

Yeah?

As finals week approaches, students tend to feel anxious and even frustrated due to the great pressure that arises from giving such a great importance to grades. Yesterday I was coming back from the library stressing out about my Marketing final, and as I walked down the street I kept saying to myself ‘Anabella, you’re a Marketing major, you HAVE to get an A’. When I opened the door to my dorm I saw my roommate and two of her friends. We all started talking and one of them asked me what my major was. Little did I know that a simple question that tends to be just ‘small talk’ would end up initiating a fascinating debate regarding the purpose of business and its role within society.

One of my roommate’s friends described business as the root of social injustice and poverty as, according to him, business accentuates the inequalities in the distribution of wealth. My heart was pounding. I was furious that someone would refer to my profession in such manner. I understand there are some dreadful business models, but it is unfair to generalise assuming that all businesses are unethical. As a matter of fact, since I have been in DePaul there hasn’t been one business class where we don’t discuss business ethics. Nonetheless, as a curious person I decided to find out what his views were and defend mine by refuting his arguments. I began to explain what good business is to me and how I believe it contributes towards development and benefits society if done in an ethical manner. We engaged in a heated conversation that lasted about two hours regarding economics, social issues and politics. It was a challenging conversation where we both used our knowledge in our respective fields along with our own personal analysis to support our views. At the end, we agreed to disagree, as we realised that we both had valid arguments.

The stress I had regarding my Marketing final vanished, I remembered the real reason why I am in college and why I love it so much. College isn’t about simply obtaining a degree and getting good grades so a firm hires you after graduation. College regards learning about the field one is passionate about and other fields too. College is the home of intellectualism, the place where knowledge is fostered and where you develop your own views regarding subjects of interest. It is also the area for intellectual debate, where one is given the opportunity to meet fellow students that share different views in order to test the validity of one’s arguments and the information acquired within the classroom.

Perhaps I’ll get an A on my final, perhaps I won’t. What I do know is that I will become a successful marketer regardless of the grade I get. DePaul has provided me not only with knowledge in the field, but also with the necessary tools to foster ethical business that will benefit others besides making profits. I have learned to cherish my field and use my knowledge to make a contribution to business and society, acting as a leader and representative of the field I care for so much, Marketing.

Not much has been going on in my life over the past week as finals are just around the corner. All of my professors decided not to hand out the study guides until the week before the actual final, and since three of my finals are on the same day, this has made it really hard to study. I just feel as though I have so much to do and so little time to do it in.

One of the particular things that makes it that much harder is the fact that my professors will give you a guide with ten things that you have to learn. However, in the actual final they will select only five of these that you will have to write about. So essentially a lot of what I am doing is just useless busy work. One of my classes is a take home final, which even though you have to write more, it is in my opinion much easier as you don’t have the same stress and worry that you have with in-class finals.

I am finally on my break from running after a long indoor season. When I say break, however, I don’t mean that I get to sit around all day and play Xbox. I still have to go to practice but it’s just long runs that I am doing. And being in a city like Chicago, long runs are not that bad at all. It is so nice just jogging along with the skyscrapers on one side of you and Lake Michigan on the other. A few days ago the lake was quite stormy and the waves were massive. That was really exciting to watch as I ran along. Although it doesn’t compare to running along by the lake in the summer time when there are hundreds of people out running, biking, playing games on the beach etc. The atmosphere is just amazing. As much as I don’t mind the winter months I really can’t wait until summer comes again.

I am even thinking about staying in Chicago over the summer and either trying to get a job/internship or taking some summer classes. One of the advantages that I like about taking summer classes is that it allows me to then take fewer classes during my final year which hopefully would make it a less stressful experience.

Have a great week,

Matt

It has been two weeks now since my last post I think; time really does fly as you near the end of the term. In my last post I mentioned that I was competing in the Big East Championships at the weekend. Well it has been just over a week since I raced. I ended up finishing third which I was pretty pleased about as the race was packed full of top-class runners. Also, I was only ranked sixth going into the race so to come away with a medal was a bonus. The race itself was really close, there was about a second between me and first place. It really all came down to the last lap when everyone just sprinted for the line.

Aside from competing I got to see the University of Akron. It has amazing sports facilities. Supposedly last year their soccer (football) team surprised everyone by winning the national title when they were not even meant to make it past the group stages. Not surprisingly, four of the players who graduated that year were immediately drafted into the MLS (major league soccer). Anyway, as a result of them winning the national title they now have a huge soccer stadium. They have an even larger American football stadium. Their indoor track is also spectacular. It is 300m as opposed to the usual 200m and it even has another smaller 160m track upstairs above the main track.

However, away from Akron, Ohio the weather back in Chicago has been unusually warm for this time of year. After suffering one of the worst snow storms in history the past two weeks have seen temperatures of around 10C / 50F. This may not still sound too warm but it is a big step up from -20C / -4F, and so going for runs along by the lake have actually been rather enjoyable.

Classes are almost coming to an end for this quarter and soon it will be spring break. But this does mean that the next two weeks will be made up of mostly studying for exams. However, on the upside I recently found out that I am going to North Carolina over spring break for training with the track and field team. So I will at least be guaranteed warm weather in two weeks time. It’s not the first time that I have been to North Carolina for training, we went there last year and it was a lot of fun. We spent a lot of time in a place called Chapel Hill (which you can see in the photo above) which is famous for being the home to North Carolina University and also where the great Michael Jordan went to university. It reminds me of a colonial era town. It really is somewhere you have to visit before you die.

Until next time,

Matt

Nowadays my life is surrounded by my laptop, books and a full-time job. There is no difference between weekends and weekdays. I am getting ready for my finals, and I think this is a perfect time to share my struggles, excitements and achievement of how life is in the US as a student.

Let me introduce myself before I go on and on. Hello everyone, my name is Mursal Faiz Mohammad. I am an undergraduate student at the University of Phoenix, California. I am pursuing my Bachelor Degree in Health Administration. I have an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts and a Diploma in Medical Assisting. I am originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, and came to the United States to live the American dream and achieve my educational goals. Today I am able to write and present myself because I am living the American dream and getting the most out of it.

Coming to the US was one of the important steps toward continuing my education. As we all know, it is a country where you can achieve all your goals and become whatever you want based on your hard work and dedication. Living in the US is a great experience so far that has helped me to learn from all the aspects of life such as going to school and earning a living, from balancing social life to taking care of all my needs, and from going to school full-time and working full-time. It feels like home away from home.

After finishing high school, I started a totally new chapter in my life. It was the time to decide what I wanted to do in life. Since I was still undecided, I started going to Chabot College at Hayward, CA for general education classes. I always like to work with my hands and help people around me, so I decided to be in the medical field. It was a big step for me because I knew it would require tremendous efforts because of English as a second language. I decided to do a Medical Assistant course but unfortunately I could not get into the programme because I was a new student. I did not want to compromise a year of my life waiting, so I attended Unitek College in Fremont, CA and became a Medical Assistant. The journey of working for living and going to school at two different locations ended after three years, with the prayers of my mother Razia.

Long story short, after a struggle of a year, I was able to go back to school and achieve my dream of seeing a higher degree in my hands with the support of my husband, Farhad, who went out of his ways to help me achieve my goal. I am graduating with my BS degree on March 31, 2011. It has been a great experience to study at the University of Phoenix. I had started at UoP in January, 2010, and since then I have gained the richest and most valuable knowledge about health care. For someone like me who is working full-time, it was one of the best schools because it offered campus class as well as online classes. The programmes are well structured and provide you with depth of knowledge. It is the conclusion of my BS degree but a beginning to prove myself for my family and enrich my community. I believe education is a way out from poverty, unemployment and a route towards a prosperous professional and social life.

First of all I have to say that my work in search of an internship is still bringing in lucrative prospects. Such interesting prospects that I am starting to track small amounts of remorse in my mind. Nevertheless, I am content to see that the hours I put in are still providing me food for thought.

Secondly I managed to get cracking on the internship I am at now and am astonished to see the tools of my studies at work. All those doubts that once were present seem to become insignificant. So far the internship has taken me to a lecture from the CEO of Lego and on a field trip to Berlin for a Cradle to Cradle venue. More interesting venues are coming up and I have managed to be working remotely so far. This is how I want to conduct my voyage through an interesting and thought-provoking life.

On Tuesday I am meeting some peers of mine also engaged in the same company. I will be helping them on a problem of communication. They chose to conduct research in a country where they lack the necessary language skills. So I will see if I can be of any help to the task. This might bring me further trips into the Germanic field.

Another interesting aspect is that I have been able to justify these trips by funding them my self. Since the internship is unpaid they are automatically green-lighted and I can spend my time working, studying and seeing friends as I want. Great times at the moment and I hope it will prevail for sometime to come.

Thirdly I am having administrative issues with my thesis. These issues were supposed to have been cleared before Christmas. However, since the end of February seems to be near I am feeling slightly annoyed. So the way I work is that I look into solutions for my problems. Like all good business students I seem to recognise a problem and start looking for the money.

In this case I recognise the problem being administrative burdens on the road to the degree. I also recognise that some politicians in my home country have argued about students being held back by conventional education systems. Furthermore they add that valuable time is being squandered away for the sake of administrative burdens.

Now my Masters cost me just short of €17,000 and I remember a one years bachelor in the UK being £3,000 (which by now has quadrupled by my understanding). So all this potential money is enough for the mind of the business student to start brainstorming. This is what I came up with.

Education systems are outdated. The theoretical degrees and programs should put online and remote teachers should be governing the learning groups. As a student you should all start on one team, after some weeks you will automatically be divided into Slow-, middle and fast-learning track. Teachers would be required to freelance and work out the modules online. Students would then browse through modules and pick the ones they would like to study, based on curriculum, based references, teacher profile, etc. Modules, teachers and students would then be governed by market forces.

This leaves back two problems. First being the final Diploma. How do you accredit a diploma with modules from, let say, 13 countries on 4 different continents? Secondly How do you get this specific idea accepted by all the European (not to say the world’s) Educational Ministries?

Anyway educational concepts seems to be big at the moment. Especially in the US, several prominent bloggers have started to attack the static US education system. I am interested to hear: Is the system in you country also outdated and in what way?

Hi all!

Well I made it back to Boston safe and sound from the crazy city of New York. I was only there for a few days but I saw so much and fell in love with the place very quickly. I had to quickly accustom myself to the New York fast-paced working lifestyle with long days and very sore feet!

My colleagues were kind enough to give me a food tour of NYC where I got to sample a bagel at H & H Bagels in the Upper West Side, and for all you Sex and the City fans that is where Carrie and Miranda get the “good bagels”. They also took me to get a cupcake in the Upper East Side, a tour of the Chelsea Markets and finish off with a slice of New York pizza at Bleecker Street Pizza in Greenwich Village. They have won the award for best pizza in NYC for 3 years running and it is easy to see why. I have never had such an amazing slice of pizza, and judging by all the photos of celebrities on the wall it is also a popular spot for the rich and famous.

I quickly had to learn how to navigate my way around Manhattan using the subway system as it is the easiest and cheapest method of getting around the city. I found it a little bit more difficult than using Boston’s “T” subway, but it is a lot quicker and I found there are plenty of people willing to help you out.

During my time here, I was able to tour different student residences in two different neighbourhoods in Manhattan where students potentially will be staying whilst undertaking their internship here. They are both in great locations and are successful in creating a community atmosphere for their students whilst they are in their home away from home.

The shops here are open much later than in Australia, so once my work was finished for the day I got to look around. Times Square, Midtown and SoHo are excellent for shopping and exploring and it was very easy to fall in love with an item of clothing that was well out of my price range. But there are plenty of other less expensive shopping options with great buys as well.

A tip for those on a budget is the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has free entry on Friday evenings. It is a huge gallery with interesting exhibits and was really fascinating to see for myself the paintings that I had only ever seen in books or magazines.

It was great to be able to meet with some students who are from a college in Massachusetts and are midway through their internships here. Unlike Australian students, there are many US students who have never worked through high school, so an internship is their first experience in a professional work environment. This, coupled with interning in a big city like Manhattan is a huge learning curve and life experience and these students have really grown from that. It just shows how interning abroad can assist not only in your career and tertiary development, but also in your development as a person as well.

For all you Flinders University students, this program is going to be offered in New York City in January 2012. If this is something of interest to you, start thinking about it and keep your ear out as we will be presenting further details to students in the next couple of months.

Well, taking into consideration the fact that St. Valentine just had his day, this post does well to share with you the love, beauty and heart of the friendships that marked my one year stay in the capital city, Rabat. As the second and last part to my introduction to i-studentlife, this part of the journey to land of the setting sun leads us through my integration into the society (at least the foreign student community) as well as the acquaintances that will lead to some of the most wonderful friendships you can imagine.

Taking my mind back to my very first day at the international students’ hostel in Souissi, Rabat, there was a host of other new students and all of them speaking different languages; Francophone, Lusophone and those who spoke… well, let’s just say some other kind of language. Somehow, among all this diversity, difference and uniqueness laid a different strata of love, one that enabled us to forge friendships and acquaintances that with time will come to represent family. With a closeness and bond not based on blood relation but on a strangely unique but nonetheless familiar sense of belonging, these are the relationships that have carried us through our days here as foreign students. My first year was fairly easy going and not so stressful. Of course I didn’t see it that way then, I had three or four classes a week that lasted a maximum of four hours but somehow I thought it was the height of being busy; I do know better now. During all those French lessons and not so enjoyable Saturday morning Arabic classes, it really would have been unbearable if not for the frequent soirées and events we had. It’s pretty interesting how much fun you can have if you end up with a bunch of people your age and no parents for reminders. That’s so long as everything is in order and there are no money problems. But on a more serious note, we sometimes overlook the effect of the people we meet while we live abroad on our lives. I mean just think of how different it would have been if we never had all those friends who to us are as close to siblings and parents as they can get. Break-ups will suddenly be more painful, disappointments will be more saddening and school will just be more stressful. Luckily though, in that one year where all of us Ghanaians lived in one city, there was always someone to talk to, a friend to make you smile and a something to take your mind of those bad times. I know each and every one of us has experienced that time when we felt it could never get any worse or better for that matter.

My first summer came after months of impatient waiting and as every old student will tell you, it’s the only time you’d have to enjoy yourself in Morocco. They weren’t exaggerating. The school year here is nothing like in the US or in Britain; breaks are much later and semesters are much longer, not forgetting the exam delays and unfinished programmes. There are no Christmas breaks and spring break is way too short to do anything worthwhile, so summer is a blessing and a furnace of unabating heat in Morocco. I decided to make the best possible use of my vacation and luckily too, July 2009 was a good year for finances (a muffled thank you to the powers that be). So I started off from Rabat and then to Tangier where I had a wonderful two weeks staying with a friend. This beautiful, ancient city overlooks the straits of Gibraltar and is so famed that Captain John Smith of Pocahontas fame visited it. Apparently he liked it so much he named an island he discovered off the coast of Maryland, Tangier Island. I went on to visit Tetouan and its beautiful beaches before I headed back to Rabat. After spending a few weeks enjoying the various activities organised by the different student groups here I set off for Agadir, a city that is rarely without sunshine. With centuries’ worth of history, it is technically new as a result of the reconstruction that took place after an earthquake that took more than 15,000 lives in February 1960. It was just splendid to gaze upon the picturesque landscape and the marvellous attractions that it offered. I could go on and on about the beauty and sheer pleasure of the travels I did but that is not the essence of this post. The most remarkable thing about Morocco for foreign students is an aspect of our lives that often goes unmentioned. With students in almost every city that has a university, the cost of travel and the size of the country seemingly reduces. Without friends around, moving from place to place to sight-see would have been more tedious, another blessing endowed us by the wonderful relationships we build in our new home.

Soon enough our university placements and courses came in. Needless to talk about the associated whoops and shouts for the joy of triumph but then also for the tears and disappointment that came with not receiving the schools or courses we chose. In all those times true friendships held their ground and provided the supports they were supposed to. Some, like me ended up in places we never chose doing what we never thought of but in the days to come these misplaced thoughts of dismay were to be shoved away, giving way to the brilliance of opportunity and successes to follow. These events and many others that continually occur seem to me to strengthen my belief that there is a higher purpose and destiny for each one of us and sometimes in the journey to their fulfillment, shorter wins need to be sacrificed for later but greater glories. In the days that preceded and followed our dispersal to all the corners of the kingdom, we were often sad to be leaving each other. But in the days that came, we learnt as usual to adapt to our new cities, creating new bonds and forming new relationships. Relationships that will see us through these times, while feeding our constant need for love and belonging as we go through this chapter of our stay here as foreigners.

It would be extremely difficult for me to write a post naming all the wonderful people I have met so far here in Morocco but our stories and times together will forever be a part of my life, this in some sense offers a meaning to friendship; an opportunity to write a part of someone else’s life story. There are some who have written theirs and others who are still writing but yet still some more that haven’t yet picked up their pens or found their ink. Whatever your story of friendship might be in that foreign country, I’m pretty sure it puts a smile on your face and what could be a better sign telling you never to let them go. And oh, if you were wondering what the title of the post was saying, its French for “My Family Abroad”.

So as I mentioned last week I did indeed go paintballing with my friends over the weekend. As expected all of the better venues (mainly outdoor) were closed for winter so we had to settle for an indoor paintballing experience. However, it was still a lot of fun nonetheless.

Essentially it was like a huge aircraft hanger type of building with Astroturf grass. As obstacles there were huge big inflatables that reminded me of the anti tank structures used in the D-Day landings that I saw on a trip to Dunkirk. To be honest we really just ran around for thirty minutes firing aimlessly at each other. Any pre-made strategies soon went out of the window once we got going.

The only downside is that when you are playing your adrenaline is so high that you don’t really feel the hits. But afterwards they hurt and bruise really bad. But it was all worth it. At times it was terrifying as we tried to stay together but sometimes you would run aimlessly at the opposing side not realising that your teammates did not follow you. Not surprisingly you soon found yourself bombarded with paintballs as you dramatically ran and dived for cover.

It was quite funny though as there are people who take it really seriously and have all their own equipment and go there every weekend to “practice”. Why they don’t just join the army I don’t know, as they certainly had all the necessary kit for it.

We plan on going again come spring but this time to an outdoor one. We have found one that looks amazing. What they have done is built an entire “prop” town. Or rather it’s a square surrounded with buildings but impressive nonetheless. It would be like playing Call of Duty in real life.

On a more serious note, school has been rather boring this week. I am just getting over that period right after midterms when you can’t really be bothered doing anything because you have just spent the past week working towards them. But I am travelling to Akron, Ohio for the Big East Indoor Track and Field championships this weekend. Hopefully I can run a fast time as I am in the shape to do it. Also, I am really determined as my friend at Tulsa recently ran 3:56 for the mile which is unbelievably good and so I feel like I need to better him as we used to have a really good rivalry back in Scotland when we raced each other.

Cya next week,

Matt

It was 11:00am on Tuesday February 1st when all DePaul students received what I called the ‘lifesaver notice’ from DPU announcing that classes were suspended due to the blizzard. Let’s face it, even though we love our school it is always nice to have some extra days off, and in this case a five and a half day weekend. Coming from a country with tropical weather, this was the first time I had a ‘snow day’ off. I did not understand why people were making such a big deal about the blizzard since I naively thought it was just like a storm, but with snow instead of rain. Yet, I was feeling a little anxious. I was curious why people were acting as if we were on The Day After Tomorrow movie. That day the supermarket was packed with people buying provisions for a week, businesses were closing early, cabs weren’t working and the most common phrase among Chicagoans was “do not go out during the blizzard, unless you have no other option”. The only time I saw that kind of attitude was during Venezuela’s oil strike back in 2002, I found it interesting that the weather could cause the same overwhelming response on the population as a socio-political event.

Nonetheless, it only took me a couple of hours to realize what the big deal was about. As many other DePaul students, I decided to go outside regardless of what people said to join the massive snowball fight held at the Quad at 6:00pm. I prepared myself for the battle and left to the Quad. I think I’ve never been happier about living on campus because even though I only had to walk three blocks, I felt as if I was climbing Mount Everest. I had never seen so much snow in my life! There was snow everywhere, you couldn’t even open your eyes without getting snow on them and could not walk without having the feeling that you were going to be blown away by the wind. At the end it was totally worth it though, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. The vibe at the Quad was awesome! We were all running around throwing snowballs at each other, pulling pranks on friends and avoiding getting hit in the face – something I managed to fail at. I also saw for the first time a thunderstorm while it snowed, which I found breathtaking.

The next morning you could not even walk on the sidewalks, pedestrians were walking on the middle of the almost empty roads and car owners were shoveling about two feet of snow just to move their cars. Then I understood why the best course of action was to stay in; there was no point in going out because it was almost impossible to go anywhere. I learned that if it weren’t for the warnings, news coverage and the logistics that were implemented by the local government to deal with the snow days, the city would have completely collapsed. I may have not learned anything inside a classroom during those days, but I did have an intensive Winter 101 lesson.

“Il Ue Na! (Wake up!)” This is the first sentence in Korean that I hear almost every morning. After taking a shower, I eat a Korean breakfast, which mainly includes rice, soup, and kimchi. This is my Korean world: everything I do, everything I eat, everything I hear is Korean. However, after I go out the door, I am in a world that is totally different: China. I get into a taxi, say “Ni Hao,” and ask the driver to go to my school. I hear Chinese music from the radio, see people passing by speaking Chinese, and the driver asks me in Chinese: “Where are you from? Are you Korean? Wow, your Chinese is so good!” Once I arrive at school, I have stepped into an American world. As I walk down the hallway, I say “Good morning, Mrs. Bell,” in English. I learn American literature, physics, and calculus, all in English. Once my classes end for the day, I exit this American world, travel back home through a Chinese one, and finally reenter my Korean world.

This is my life as a Third Culture Kid (TCK). Whereas some people live in environments dominated by one culture, religion, or nationality, my life is a kaleidoscope of three distinct yet related worlds. I first set foot in the world of a TCK when I was ten years old. I remember myself boarding a huge, blue plane (I still remember the model: KE 862), clinging to my mom’s hand. When I first arrived at Tianjin airport, I was shocked. Looking around, I saw people speaking in a language I had never heard of; staring out the window, I noticed a desolate brown field covered by thick grey smog; driving down the road, I remember seeing a strange blue car with three wheels whizzing along on the highway and wondering to myself, “Where am I?”

I still considered Korea as my home, however. My first visit back, when I stepped into Incheon Airport, I felt like I was free from an invisible culture chain that had been restricting me. I loved that I could fully understand people who were conversing next to me and that I could eat the familiar street food that I had craved. However, I started to notice that people treated me differently. When I visited my relatives, it was as if I were an alien from a distant planet, constantly being asked to say various words in Chinese and English. Whenever I was having a conversation with my old Korean friends, they sometimes excluded me, saying, “Oh, you don’t know this because you don’t live in Korea.” As a child, this transition was baffling and sometimes hurtful.

As time passed by, I realized I also had changed. I started to notice that I had more similarities with my friends in China than those in Korea; I viewed Korean news with a more objective perspective than did people living in Korea; I started to embrace individualism in contrast to the Korean culture that emphasizes unity and homogeneity. Moreover, encountering various cultures both inside and outside of school, I also came to value diversity, learning that one culture is not superior to another. This change came to me slowly and gradually. Some parts of me did not want to accept this fact. The truth is, I was confused and afraid of losing my identity.

What untangled my confusion and transformed it into acceptance was a presentation about TCKs (Third Culture Kids) at my school. Before listening to this speech, I did not think there were many students like me. I thought I was a cultural outlier, lost in a labyrinth of different languages, cultures and experiences. However, the speaker said people like me are called TCKs and that we have different perspectives than non-TCKs. She mentioned that TCKs appreciate diversity and are linguistically adept. Her words uncovered a truth that had been hiding in plain view: I am not lost or in limbo between worlds. I am a Third Culture Kid, who exists simultaneously in all three worlds. And I am now comfortable enough with myself to say that.

Thus, one thing I learned living in this environment is an appreciation of different cultures and worldviews. Having grown up in such a setting, I have realized there is no superior or inferior culture. I would like to share this unique viewpoint with people that I meet in my life. Moreover, as a global citizen who is not limited by a single cultural identity, I hope to build cross-cultural relationships by working and interacting with people from all parts of the globe. I want to reduce the cultural barriers between people and further broaden both my perspective and that of others. I am proud to be a TCK, and I am excited to share my outlook with others I will meet throughout my life.

Well it seems like a long time since I last wrote a blog. The reason for this was that last week Chicago experienced one of the worst snowstorms on record and the campus was closed from Tuesday afternoon to Thursday evening. In the space of about eighteen hours, twenty inches of snow fell. Most of the roads were all closed and there were abandoned cars everywhere. Some of the cars were completely buried in snow. While snow days sound fun they aren’t really, to be honest. I ended up missing three classes which I now have to catch up on and the student centre was closed at 8pm each night with less than half the food courts open. There really was nothing to do.

However, I did manage to complete my two midterms before the snow came in. And somehow I managed to get the highest mark in the class and be one of two people to receive an A for the exam. But to be fair, the class was “The European Union”, so I kind of had a small advantage over my American colleagues. However, I see it as payback for all the US government classes that I have had to take over the years. The other midterm that I took I am still waiting for the result; hopefully it will come sometime this week.

Just as I thought all my stresses concerning midterms were over I then get hit with term papers. For some reason my professors have all decided to distribute them at the same time and request that the be handed in at the same time which is proving a bit of a nightmare for me as trying to find the time to write a good paper and keep up with general class work is difficult.

On a more positive note however, myself and my friends are considering going paintballing this weekend. We aren’t yet sure if it will even be open as it is winter but we just decided in a spur of the moment decision that it would be fun. We are trying to organise a cross country team vs. sprints team competition. Either way it should hopefully be a fun weekend. I have been told to wear lots of clothes as that way it doesn’t hurt anywhere near as bad as without clothes when you get hit.

Matt

As mentioned last I was aiming at getting an internship and following some of the principles from Charlie Hoehn. I can successfully say it paid off quite well, but I must admit that I also followed the traditional path. In the end I ended up with four possible options, which is three more then I can pursue. Two of them were through the traditional path and the other two were through the spirit of the Hoehn’s principle. All the offerings were legitimate and interesting to consider. Nevertheless I ended up picking an unpaid internship at a small company, also found through the Hoehn principle.

I picked this because the company was honest enough to tell me that they were in a terrible state and struggling. So the task at hand was no less than saving the company and helping out the owner who has been struggling with the administration and future of the company. This means that I will be in charge of pursuing the wacky and half-witted ideas, or shall we call them opportunities.

It was a big decision and I thought long about the offer. I was very unsure whether I should pick such an unsure option. What if it failed? That was my number one fear and still is. I get these small panic attacks and doubt whether I am skilled or good enough for the job.

Then I remembered this picture and, though it is perhaps a joke, they are all valid options. A friend of mine even suggested adding “marry rich!” as an additional option. A further option is becoming an entrepreneur or even freelancer (the latter which I already do). There are plenty of options to go by and so I ended up jumping in. The worst thing that can happen is me failing the company and then it becomes worse for the owner. Since he is a nice guy I do not want to do that, but I want to learn as much as possible.

Having worked for over a week now in this company I am thrilled to see and mull on the ideas flying through my head. So far I have been touching on sales, marketing, strategy, IT and alliances. Already now I have possible venues to attend next weekend and at the end of the month for the company. My budget, so far, is zero – so I have to be creative. However my boss has promised me funds for the tasks ahead.

I am so thrilled that I am required and expected to pull out all knowledge and skills I have learned so far and learn equally as much. I hope you are experiencing good times and learning as much as you can? Tell me about it?

Hi everyone!

Thought I would give you an update on how my trip has been going. I have been having so much fun over here! My internship has been going great; right from my first day I have been involved in their team meetings and marketing strategy talks. I am lucky enough to have been given some really exciting projects to work on. I have developed new brochures from an Australian perspective that EUSA can use to promote their programmes to university students in Australia and have taken the lead on a presentation to promote a new programme they are developing. I feel like I am one of the team and have been given responsibilities just like any other employee.

Boston itself is such a beautiful city. It is one of the oldest cities in the United States and is stunning with its classic buildings and gas street lamps. It’s the middle of winter at the moment and although it is freezing, with the snow it is absolutely gorgeous. I am lucky enough to have the Boston Public Garden situated right across the road from where I am interning and the cold has frozen the lake and covered the grass and trees in lots of snow. This is the first time I have seen snow so, my first weekend here, I found my inner child and visited the Public Garden to make my first snowman and snow angel (very surprised at how hard they are to make!).

I had a great day sightseeing yesterday, where I rode the easy-to-use “T” subway to the East End and spent the day at the New England Aquarium and got some great purchases at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Today is Superbowl Sunday so looking forward to watching the game and getting an insight as to how Americans celebrate this day when compared with how us Aussies celebrate AFL Grand Final day.

Looking forward to my trip to New York later this week, so will keep you posted!

The plane stops, disgorging its contents and spewing weary travelers into air-conditioned expanses of gleaming steel-and-chrome. I look around, feeling utterly alone in this foreign land, this place that I visit only once a year, a country so different from my home that it might as well be another world. People march purposefully in all directions, and I search for the arrows that tell me where to go. My eyes land on the sign over one of the gates, boldly proclaiming, “Welcome to Detroit.”

—-

I am American in China and Chinese in America. This strikes me as terribly inefficient, and I have been trying to rectify the situation for years.

It began in fifth grade, when we moved to China. Up until that point, I had been American in America, a perfectly acceptable position. When I first moved to China, I was American in China, but that was understandable, as I had been American all my life and old habits die hard.

When I returned to America for the summer, however, I was horrified to find that, although my hair (black) and eyes (brown) were the same as ever, I had become Chinese while all my friends remained solidly American. I was, after all, a person of Chinese descent living in China – and 1.3 billion others with the same qualifications were Chinese. Never one to argue with statistics, I accepted my new role and life went on, until school, when I returned to China – and, abruptly – to being American.

I was not Chinese here. I was barely literate! Newspapers and road signs took extreme concentration to decipher. I spoke English and went to an American school. I was, simply put, American!

Well, needless to say, this was an awkward position, as I could hardly call myself a member of either – like the man without a nation I was without a home country. But I was not alone. Right next to me (and before and behind), I found classmates and friends suffering from the same impairments. Korean students who had grown up attending Chinese schools, Americans who had never spent more than six consecutive months in the United States, Europeans who had been all but born in the Middle Kingdom – and together, we formed our own nation.

Each summer back in the United States, though, made me realize that I was not simply a citizen of our multicultural society – I was, in fact, still American, still Chinese.

I have stock in both worlds, and pieces of myself invested in each. I love the peace and greenery of a Michigan suburb (but how convenient to be able to wave an arm and flag a Tianjin taxi at a moment’s notice). The tangle of stores and markets makes wandering down a Chinese street a pleasure and an adventure (but what wouldn’t I give to get my hands on a Mars Bar, or a box of Cocoa Pebbles). A sunset in Detroit is stunning, breathtaking – while the rice terraces of Guilin are awe-inspiring in a different way.

My life stretches across the world, attached to opposite sides – East and West. I understand Chinese traditions and American culture; I view the world with both perspectives. My friends and I are a generation of global citizens and nomads, and we truly make the Earth our home country.

I am American in China and Chinese in America, and, perhaps, this is the perfect position in which to be.

During my one and half year stay at university I’ve always been comforted by my place of accommodation. The Pavilions, a tidy student village next door to the University’s sports centre, has been my humble home and introduced me to a lot of great people. So imagine my surprise when they suddenly announced that everything was booked out and taken for next year, flinging myself and hundreds of thousands (or at least a good few hundred) of students out into the cold, dark streets of Lincoln. We now need to find a house, at a time when the majority of properties have already been taken. Thanks a lot!

I can only imagine that due to the future rise in tuition fees, a greater number of people have applied this year. Consequently, the university, in line with their “all first years guaranteed accommodation!” policy, bought up a whole bunch of flats, vastly reducing the amount available to the rest of us. They did this at all the student places, not just Pavs, then telling them not to ‘worry’ us students by telling us of the situation. Simply put, we didn’t know we had mere days to sort everything out. So time passes and, suddenly, we’re all slapped in the face.

It’s quite surprising, and somewhat annoying, as I wasn’t planning on having to go for a house. But it is what it is. I was halfway through the application process, tenancy agreement a day or so away from being posted, no less, but there’s nothing I can do. The door has very much been slammed in our faces, spitting on our loyalty and established relationship. In an effort to meet their policies and please the incoming first years, with their super important first year and all, they’ve decided to punch the rest of us in the gut, throwing us into disarray before we enter our completely unimportant and meaningless final year. It’s all very lovely, isn’t it?

Thankfully, it seems that there are still some places available, and one property in particular that we’re front runners for due to a social connection. Finally, he who was thrown proves himself useful. The moral here is that you should get things sorted out as early as possible. Even though in this case it wasn’t really our fault because we weren’t given proper warning, we would have been fine if we’d gotten around to it sooner. But hey, we’re students. If we don’t have to get out of bed before the afternoon rolls around than you can bet every penny you’ve got that we won’t. What’s the chances of us putting something frivolous like housing at the top of the list unless we’re given a proper boot up the backside?

So that’s that. But not to worry, from the ashes of our relationship with The Pavilions will rise a glorious year in a house somewhere. We may not have en-suites and hundreds of students and all their distracting activities mere inches away, but we’ll have a roof over our heads… and we’ll be together. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

Well, partly. I will miss my en-suite. Knowing that I have a place to myself without having to give any thought to anybody else is fantastic peace of mind. And on that note, I’ll be seeing you later.

Hi everyone and welcome to my blog!

Over the next six weeks I will be sharing with you all my travel experiences as I take on the States as a part of the 2011 EUSA Academic Internship Program.

A little about me; my name is Callie and I am currently studying a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) at Flinders University, South Australia.

I have been fortunate enough to be selected into the 2011 EUSA Academic Internship Program. The programme will see me travel to Boston, New York and San Francisco, gain experience in the marketing industry and assist me in further developing my career.

I am excited at the prospect of working on marketing projects and presentations during my placement with EUSA and picking up new skills and ideas. I also hope to be given the opportunity to visit some of Boston’s universities as well as participate in cultural activities in and around Boston with other interns like myself.

I will be travelling to EUSA offices in both New York and San Francisco where I look forward to experiencing and sharing with you my perceptions of these cities as I explore them.

Stay tuned and follow my adventures around the USA by reading my blog.

Speak to you all soon,

Callie

So in a chain of seemingly unrelated but direction changing events, I had gone from being a regular Ghanaian boy who just about knew how things were going to be for a while to a downright stranger in a foreign land without the slightest idea as to what my days ahead held in store for me. Why I had to end up in Morocco of all places, only God knows but I guess an account of some of the incidents that led to me leaving my own secular, fun-loving sunny country to this relatively conservative but nonetheless beautiful Arab state I now call home will be a nice introduction to my life and experiences as a student from this part of the world.

Early Days

Born and raised for the most part of my life in Ghana, a relatively small country of about twenty-four million people on the West Coast of Africa, I lived quite a normal life and went about my business just as most people my age did. With the country’s educational system fashioned in resemblance to the British system (obviously another remnant of the old colonial days), I went through primary and middle school quite uneventfully; falling in love with subjects like English and Social Studies while my dislike for subjects like Math and French… well, let’s just say came effortlessly. I have worn glasses for the better part of my life so sports didn’t interest me much as the cost of annoying my father with a tale of broken lenses much outweighed the advantages of rubbing around in dirt with friends playing football or running around. However, I did enjoy playing basketball, partly because I thought it was cooler than most other sports and also due to my height.

Growing up

In October 2004 I got accepted into an all boys Senior Secondary School, Adisadel College, built by the first English missionaries in 1910. Indeed, with all the excitement and anxiety associated with boarding school and rightly so too, it would be those three years that would define my passion and commitments to social responsibility, leadership and my perspective in general. Throughout the various adventurous yet rule-breaking escapades into the Cape Coast township where the school was located, my days as Head Prefect and the many marvelous and the sometimes not so pleasurable encounters with housemasters and teachers. Adisadel was home to a wonderful education, beautiful friendships  and acquaintances and unforgettable experiences that will stay with me forever.

Now, while I studied Science in Secondary School, I have been intrigued my whole life by the world of Business and Economics; weird huh? Well, I decided to take a shot at my dreams in 2007 when I was applying to universities for a place in the fall of 2008. I wrote to two schools, one to study economics and the other chemistry. Yeah, I know… they’re not exactly bedfellows, are they? As it turned out, both schools unsurprisingly offered me places to take science courses since in a country with quite a few universities, tolerance for undecided prospects is not quite an option.

Twists and Turns

In an interesting turn of events, however, I received a call a few days later from the scholarships secretariat informing me that I had been awarded a scholarship to study in Morocco (I had quite forgotten I had applied for a place some months earlier). Now do you remember that cliché that talks about doors closing and new ones opening? This was my experience. In a matter of a few days I had to tell my then girlfriend and friends that I wasn’t going to be able to attend college with them as we planned but instead I was travelling abroad to study. As saddening as the pronouncement was, they always followed with the most obvious question, where to? And then after solemn contemplation I would answer, Morocco. Four out of five people either repeated the question where or asked why. Now ignoring the fact that we all had to do world geography as part of social studies which in turn was compulsory basic education, I almost always had to explain where Morocco was in Africa and why I would choose to leave one African country for another one. Honestly, back then I didn’t quite think I knew exactly why but after two years here, I believe the reason is becoming much clearer. So with the conviction that there was a part of my life’s story waiting to be written in one of the last few remaining monarchies of the world, I would set off to seek my destinies on the dunes of the Sahara.

A New Chapter

So on the 5th of October, 2008, in a quest to seek knowledge in a foreign land, in a foreign tongue but with an excited spirit, I bade goodbye to Accra as the lights faded and the Royal Air Maroc plane I was travelling on rose higher into the clouds till my past life disappeared behind me. As I sat through the four hour and forty-five minute flight, it’s difficult to put into words the thoughts and images that ran through my head. With all the chit-chat going back and forth amongst the other forty-one students I was travelling with, there was one feeling that was so strong that it vividly comes to me now like it was yesterday; that of eagerness. Eagerness to pull out stories and experiences from the closet of opportunities staring in our faces as we made our way out of the Mohammed V Airport into the streets of Casablanca. There, standing tall, were the beautiful buildings, blaring loudly were the calls to prayer from the minarets of the many mosques that surrounded us but most engulfing were the many different smells, the beautiful display of colours and indecipherable language of Arabic that confronted us. All, as if the country’s own way of welcoming us into this new, shared story of our lives.

So this week has been extremely hectic as Mid-term exams are just around the corner and they seem to have snuck up on me this term. I was completely taken by surprise when I found that they were so soon. And, in my panic to start studying for them, I unintentionally started to study for my history class only to find out last night in class that there was no mid-term in the class. So after learning of this I now only have two midterms and for one, my European politics class, we are allowed to bring in one sheet of notes for the exam which removes a lot of stress and worry.

However, this morning I have been rather stressed and frustrated. To make a long story short one of my friends posted a video from Fox News saying that not even Obama’s supporters could name one of his accomplishments. Even though I can’t vote, being a political science major I can get very involved in what appear to be simple discussions. I mean really, everyone knows that Fox has the most right-wing conservative bias in American media. They most probably just chose people to be on the show who they knew would not be able to answer the questions correctly, as for starters they aren’t political scientists like the people asking the questions. I know that this isn’t the place to be bombarding you with politics but it’s something that really frustrates me when Republicans attack anything Obama does simply because he is a Democrat. I mean, come on people, grow up. Regardless of who this man represents he has taken the hugely courageous step towards making sure that every person, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, sex or financial standing has the right to the greatest gift of all; life. And to be honest if people, whether they be Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, liberals, communists or whatever cannot see the benefits to this then I really do fear for the future of the human race.

I almost forgot about the race that I ran at the weekend, Well, I won but I didn’t run the time that I wanted. This was mainly because Butler University didn’t turn up and so there were only eight people in the race and even though there was a pace maker for the first 2000m of 3000m he wasn’t going at the pace I wanted to go at. But a win is a win whatever way you look at it so I am happy.

Matt.

Hello there dearest reader, how are you? Welcome to the second edition of My Fictional Odyssey; thanks for joining me. Last time around I tackled Tom Sawyer and a small collection of films – mostly modern, I’m ashamed to say. This time around, though, I’m happy to report that the majority of flicks were made before I was even popped out, let alone knew what films were. So let’s get to it and see what I’ve gotten through this time. Starting with…

Literature

Crime and Punishment (1866) written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

From a light-hearted children’s tale to an epic Russian piece about prisons, crazy men and landlord troubles. At least, that’s what I’ve gathered from the first thirty-odd pages. It’s certainly not a fair amount to gather a true opinion of the book, but it’s all I’ve managed in and amongst the busy days of late. Instead of curling up in bed for a few chapters I have, instead, just curled up in bed. And nothing else… for around seven to eight hours.

Believe you me I will find the time, or steal the time, or somewhere acquire the time to pick my literary duties back up. I’ve heard great things about this book and I want to find out if they’re true or not, and that won’t happen if it only collects dust on my bedside table.

Films

Save the Tiger (1973) directed by John G. Avildsen

Perhaps not the most well-known film, but one I very much wanted to address as I’m such a fan of Jack Lemmon, who won an Oscar for this. It’s a great, understated piece that follows Lemmon’s Harry Stoner, a clothing company executive who struggles with the complexities of modern day life versus the simplicity of his youth. He yearns for the past with it’s wonderful jazz, baseball pitchers that wound up before each throw and the American flag when it actually meant something.

I can see why they struggled to get the film made, because it really does lack commercial flair in almost every way. It’s slow and considered, and not much seems to happen. But watching Stoner go through his days with his thoughts and feelings, and Lemmon’s masterful acting… it’s just great. I really enjoyed it, and I think you should check it out too. It won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, mind, but I really bought into the ‘art’ of this film.

Special Notes: In addition to Lemmon’s Best Actor win at the Oscars, Save the Tiger was nominated for Best Motion Picture in the drama category of the Golden Globes, where it lost to The Exorcist. Go figure.

Fargo (1996) directed by Joel Coen

Fargo follows Jerry Lundergaard (played by William H. Macy) as he tries to lie his way to a free ransom payment by hiring two hit men to ‘kidnap’ his wife and conning her rich father to pay them off. Meanwhile, polite and smart police officer Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) negotiates the situation (and her large, heavily pregnant belly), and tries to solve the crime.

I’d heard quite a lot about this before hand, expected great things and, for the most part, it delivered. Although the accents grate on occasion, Macy’s in particular, I found the whole film to be intriguing and enjoyable. Steve Buscemi is great as the scheming Carl Showalter, and in some ways I wish he’d had more screen time. His death also wasn’t as interesting as I’d been told, but overall he helped to make it a really good film, and one I’m glad I finally got around to watching. Although, I must admit, I don’t think it’s quite as good as some people will have you believe. It’s not perfect, and it’s not masterful. Just very, very good. And a great advert for not hiring hit men to kidnap your own wife.

Special Notes: Frances McDormand won Best Actress at the Oscars for her role, and the Coen brothers scooped the screenplay award at the same ceremony where they also had five further nominations. The film was inducted into the US National Film Registry in 2006, and is the most recently made feature length film in there.

Dr. Strangelove (1964) directed by Stanley Kubrick

What do you think would happen if a rogue US military man knocked down the first domino on the way to total and utter annihilation of the human race? Well it might go a little like this. When General Jack D. Ripper initiates a plan to attack the Soviet Union, a panicked war room assembles and puzzles over what can be done to prevent the end of mankind, with nuclear warfare sure to follow unless they conjure up a sufficiently cunning plan. George C. Scott plays the fantastic General Buck Turgidson who briefs, whilst often finding himself at odds with President Merkin Muffley, one of the many roles performed by Peter Sellers.

From what I’ve learned of Kubrick, I’d love to be able to dislike him and his films. I would, because everything I’ve ever read paints him as a bit of a pretentious prat but, here, he crafted a corker of a film. It’s funny, sharp, interesting, the characters are great, the acting is spot on and, if it hadn’t been for my over-eager ex-college tutor spoiling the ending, I would’ve been hooked right until the very brilliant end. I still was, mind, but the impact is always lessened after someone spoils it, of course. Thank you very much, Gareth! The only thing I could say I didn’t really like was the titular Dr. Strangelove himself, who I found ever so slightly annoying. But it’s okay, because he’s not there for the most part. Additionally, I’d also love to know the amount of people who watch this nowadays for the first time, and have a good old laugh at the bit they recognise for being lampooned by the The Simpsons. If you’ve seen it, then I’m sure you know what I mean.

It’s an absolute classic and if you’re looking to school yourself on film history, you absolutely must add this to your list.

Special Notes: Although nominated for four Oscars it failed to win a single one, losing out on Best Picture to My Fair Lady. In 1989 it was rightly inducted to the US National Film Registry.

The Graduate (1967) directed by Mike Nichols

We’ve all seen the parodies, haven’t we? The young buck and old cougar joyously shack up as here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson plays out on the soundtrack. Well here’s the film that started it all, where a young Dustin Hoffman plays a conflicted college graduate who’s unsure about his future. While his parents coo over his academic success to their friends and push him to go to graduate school, he lays by the pool and avoids his future in between shacking up with the wife of his father’s business partner and, later, her daughter.

I was hoping for an entirely different movie, I think, and therefore it’s probably a little unfair on the film itself that I didn’t like it more. Whereas I wanted a heart-warming piece where two lost souls validate each other and enjoy a meaningful and therapeutic relationship, I instead got quite a bleak story where nobody remotely likable exists. An annoying college boy shacks up with a snappy old broad, then falls all too quickly in love with her daughter (who, ludicrously, falls in love even quicker) and things go a bit pear-shaped when, inevitably, the scoop gets out.

Whilst Anne Bancroft (as the famous Mrs. Robinson) plays the most interesting character, she actually gets a disappointingly little amount of screen time in the big scheme of things. The whole film was a little too bleak, and lacked a single element that could be considered ‘nice’ and, for me, this placed it on the wrong side of medium. I think, in all fairness, it’s more a product of its time than other classics, and so it suffers a little in retrospect, with parental pressure not as common in modern times as it was back then. Still, for the soundtrack (which is, in places, quite affecting) and the sheer experience of watching a classic film that has been parodied endlessly, you should still check it out.

Special Notes: Bancroft and Hoffman both received Oscar nominations for their parts while Mike Nichols scooped the director’s award, and it is preserved in the US National Film Registry.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) directed by Adam McKay

Well, this was awful. I can’t really think of much else to say. Apart from the small joy of seeing so many famous faces appear in one film (and even that gets a little too nepotistic at times), I can’t think of any redeeming qualities here. Some people like it – hell – go crazy over it, and quote all the lines day in, day out, but I didn’t find it funny at all. Will Ferrell does his one and only film character, spouting rubbish dialogue in an intentionally terrible acting style which, I’m told, makes everything he says instantly hilarious. Steve Carell plays the obvious loser with the obvious, freaky, out of touch things to say, and Paul Rudd also does things and stuff at various points. I’m not a fan of the ultra, unrelenting insincerity of these kinds of films where it’s like one constant in-joke that is supposed to be totally, absolutely hilarious, maaaaan! Did you hear that!? It’s so funny what he said, and how he said it; I can’t believe it. Oh my God that’s funny. I literally just peed my pants over how he said what he said when he said that thing back there. I’m gonna repeat that over and over again because it was so funny!!!

It brings a lot of happiness to some people which, although I could consider worrying if I fancy being a snob, I suppose is a good thing. All I can conclude is that, in terms of my own writing and potential professional career, I don’t think I could ever go down this route of insincere comedy. I don’t really respect it. But hey, if it’s your bag then by all means, enjoy it.

Final Thoughts

There we have it, some really good films this week. There’s more to come, and hopefully I’ll have done some reading by next time. If I haven’t then it’s time to start hassling me about it because classic literature is just as important as film, here. Absolutely.

So that’s it for this entry; leave comments below if you agree, disagree or just have something to say. Start a conversation! All the best, and tune in again to find out what I’m watching, reading and, hopefully, enjoying.

Ciao

A couple of days ago I found myself standing in the middle of a sidewalk in the Loop observing people passing by. To be quite honest I am not sure what particular thing caught my attention, all I know is that I stood there for a little over forty-five minutes – regardless of the cold weather – just watching and thinking. Then it hit me; I had just found the missing piece of a puzzle that I had been trying to solve for quite some time already.

While growing up I would always hear phrases such as “America, land of opportunity” and wonder to what extent was it an idealisation of the nation and, furthermore, if this was true, what was the real meaning of the phrase? Now that I have been living in the US for a little over a year, I can finally tell you what that phrase means to me. That day I saw all sorts of people from different occupations, ethnic groups, religious beliefs, backgrounds and tastes, yet they all seemed to have something in common. I tried to include the people I’ve recently met into the equation and tried to figure out what was the common factor between them. After thinking for a while I found my answer. Mobility is the common factor among people, and moreover what makes this country so unique, from my personal perspective.

Now, what does mobility have to do with the phrase “America, land of opportunity”? Well, it is very simple. What I draw from my personal experience is that the vast majority of the people I know have either moved from one place to another in their lives, or at least their relatives have. Thousands of people have migrated into the US, thousands of Americans have moved from suburbs to cities, from one state to another and so on; however, the mobility I refer to involves more than a moving truck and a bunch of boxes. It is social, economic and professional mobility. The ability to obtain an education or job regardless of which district you live in, to drink water from the tap no matter where you go, to find fresh food 24/7 in stores throughout the country, electricity in every building and to have the certainty that when you grow old you will be able to see and enjoy the product of your work. This is what “America, land of opportunity” means to me; it is a place where you can grow, a place where the standards of quality of life remain the same regardless of your zip code. I am not saying that it is easy, nor that anybody can do it, but if you work with dedication, respecting the social and legal order you might succeed.

Happy 2011 people! May all of you out there enjoy a full year with abundances of sugar, spice and everything nice.

First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to all individuals affected by the devastating flood crisis in Queensland. If I am ever offered the chance to volunteer in any flood relief operation, I will of course jump at the chance. But, sigh – by the time I get back to Australia, the mess will already have disappeared and the city of Brisbane will be restored to its former glory! Well, that’s how efficient they are =)

Oh yeah, have i mentioned that I am back in Kuala Lumpur for my summer break? Well, my main intention of coming back is to get my ‘work experience attachment programme’, which is a prerequisite of graduating for my degree, done.

But initially, due to the mundane responses that I’ve gotten from countless local (for me) companies which have some awesomely consistent replies of “we will get back to you in a week or two regarding your application”, which sort of lead me to forgetting about it all together and started getting my holiday ‘mood’ up.

And just when I was about to start my eating trip (food is one of the only reasons why Malaysia is worth visiting), an email came in saying that I’m offered a place in a local aerospace company as an intern… geez… just how annoying can things get? Just when you needed something desperately, you can never get it, and once you don’t need it, it came to you by itself… ironic isn’t it?

Anyway, that spells the end of my summer break and the start of the life of an intern in a multinational company! But yeah, I hate to say this, but I did learn loads of things that I haven’t had the chance to encounter in a classroom environment. Everything was so new to me that I felt as if I haven’t learned anything from university at all! And yeah… the exhilaration of being in a new, alien, but altogether a rather challenging environment – being able to contain my excitement remains the biggest challenge.

But well, the biggest let down, being an intern, is that my supervisors wouldn’t let me touch anything! What’s more, in this highly regulated aviation field where even a simple carelessness from any of the technicians will result in the loss of countless precious lives.

Anyway, enough about stories on my internship. Think that’s all for today =) Have a great year everyone!

So nothing much exciting has happened in the past week. I have been starting to feel really lazy as everyone that I talk to is telling me how they have so many papers that they have to write and yet I don’t appear to have any papers due for a while. So essentially my past week has been spent constantly checking my various syllabi to see if I have any papers due. However, while I do not have any papers I am swamped with reading. Being a political science major I get a lot of reading to do. In the past I tended to start out with good intentions to read but then after a few weeks I ended up not doing much reading at all and just reading whenever I had a paper to write or a test coming up. However this year my goal is to be more committed to completing all my assigned reading on a weekly basis. And so far I have managed to do this, albeit at the expense of my weekend.

In my last blog I said how Homecoming was coming up. Well I recently found out that this year it is being held in the Drake Hotel which is conveniently only about four miles from campus on the edge of Lake Michigan but still considered downtown. The hotel itself is a five star and quite famous, both for the fact that it is extremely nice inside but also because I believe it was featured in the last Batman movie. But it turns out that I won’t be able to go this year as it is on a Friday night and I have a race on the Saturday at Notre Dame, against Notre Dame obviously and Michigan State, which would mean I couldn’t stay out too late and homecoming tends to run rather late. However, to make up for missing out this year my girlfriend and I are going to still dress up but go to Maggianos. This is a really nice Italian restaurant. This restaurant is not only well known for its good food but also for the fact that they will give you an entire extra meal to take home with you. So if you got spaghetti bolognese for example then they would give you an extra portion to take away.

Well I think I have well and truly exhausted my mind today in writing this. Hopefully this coming week will be a bit more exiting!

Matt

Welcome to My Fictional Odyssey. Since the New Year I’ve gathered together a massive collection of novels and films, ready to indulge myself in culturally significant, important and hopefully sometimes quite brilliant fiction. Even though my list of literature is far outweighed by the obscene collection of films I’ve got, I still feel this will be the most challenging area for me. Films are easy; you just sit there for two hours or so, scratch your bum and watch people do things on the screen. A book requires a lot more than that because you have to invest hours in deciphering sometimes difficult prose and, even then, you might not get it. Ho-hum.

Enough chatter; let’s get the show on the road and find out what I started my journey with.

Literature

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) written by Mark Twain

Classic fiction, obviously. Much lampooned on television and a child’s tale that I thought would prove an easy start. Nice and light-hearted, I figured. And you know what? It is. But still, it’s difficult at times. It’s overly wordy in places, and there’s some troubling phonetic speech but, once you get past that, it is actually a really nice story. I’m getting towards the end of it now and heartily recommend it to others, if not just for the wonderful (and wonderfully written) insights into the mind of a mischievous child.

Films

Toy Story 3 (2010) directed by Lee Unkrich

I know, I know – classic works of fiction and I start with a film from last year. I’m not pulling your extremities, folks, I just shared a night with my lady and we fancied checking this out. It’s the final chapter of one of the greatest trilogies of all time, and so certainly a worthy piece. It’s a great end to the series and, yes, I had tears in my eyes near the end. I was fine throughout, determined not to toot but, as I feared, the ending was brilliantly heartbreaking and a single tear fell. Thoroughly enjoyable.

High Noon (1952) directed by Fred Zinnemann

I love me a good western picture, even when not a lot happens which, coincidentally, is the case with High Noon. Gary Cooper plays the sheriff who takes it upon himself to deal with a fear inducing criminal by the name of Frank Miller who’s due back on the train at, you guessed it, noon. The slow pace and lack of conventional western set pieces make this an interesting film, with the focus on Cooper’s Will Kane as he tries to round up some deputies to help him fight. Problem is, nobody’s biting so, come noon, it looks like he’s going to be all alone when the shit storm comes to town. I really liked this film, although it did take me a little while to settle into its alternative groove. Important to note: this film is preserved in the National Film Registry, and Cooper won Best Actor.

A Serbian Film (2010) directed by Srdjan Spasojevic

Okay, again, not a classic – but I simply couldn’t wait to watch this any longer. I’ve seen reviews piling in about how horrifically shocking, disgusting and mind-bendingly raw it is. And for most people, that probably is the case. For me, though, I’d go as far as to say that I was nonplussed by it and, before anybody asks, I did watch the uncut version. I should state that it looks really good, the acting is great (as much as I can make out, it being Serbian and all), the shocks are shocking in content (plenty of things I’d never seen before) and there is some legitimately sick stuff in there. But, I don’t know. I guess I’m just sicker? Still, if you’ve got a strong stomach and love to be challenged I definitely think you need to check this out. Not one to watch with your girlfriend, though. No, no.

Battle Royale (2000) directed by Kinji Fukasaku

Another one watched with the lady, and another I enjoyed. Although I found myself distanced from the film due to its foreign nature, I think the concept here is really, really good. I don’t quite buy how quickly everybody starts killing each other, but it’s still damn entertaining to watch. Just imagine if you were told that everyone on the island had to kill each other and you’re given a pan lid to protect yourself. Gutted. Important to note: This film was nominated for multiple honours at the Japanese Academy Awards, and Quentin Tarantino ranks it as his favourite release since 1992. Or so Wikipedia tells me.

Inception (2010) directed by Christopher Nolan

A very enjoyable film which, while it didn’t wow like I’d hoped, kept me thoroughly entertained. The ending was pretty damn obvious and, for this kind of film, entirely (if not disappointingly) standard, but that didn’t stop it from being a great movie overall. And of course, DiCaprio is the man. I’m glad it made so much money at the box office, because films like this raking in the millions can only be a good thing for the industry.

Final Thoughts

That’s all I got through this time around. A great start, I figure, and more to come. I do apologise for the amount of recent films in the mix, though. I planned to watch more classic ones but I’ve been busy finishing off essays, have other related work, and I’ve had those recent ones screaming to be watched long before I conjured up this classic fiction game. I promise MFO will feature more of what was originally promised as the weeks go by. Indeed and ‘deed I will. That’s a little Sawyer for you. Don’t get it? Read the book.

So that’s it for this entry; leave comments below if you agree, disagree or just have something to say. Start a conversation!

All the best, and tune in again to find out what I’m watching, reading and, hopefully, enjoying.

Ciao

Hello dear readers,

A very warm and happy New Year! Hope all your dreams, wishes, and resolutions come true.

It has been a while since my last post. My university (DePaul) has a nice long winter break which starts on Thanksgiving all the way to the New Years and I was lucky enough to go home to India. Holidays are always special because they are rare and they leave lasting memories, but this time it was more special. This time I got the chance to meet my entire extended family, and I was excited because I hadn’t met most of them in years; some I vaguely remembered as a child, and a few whom I just didn’t know.

We were all coming together for the first time in a very long time for a special occasion. My great grandfather had a strong desire to take the people of our community on a pilgrimage to an ancient Jain temple located in the inlands of the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh where the idols of the Gods were found submerged in the lakes of a small village and are dated back about 2000 years! His wish was finally being realised this year by his five sons, the eldest of whom is my grandfather. I was heartfelt to see five brothers come together to realise their father’s dream and it did teach me a lesson or two on the importance of family. But when three generations of a family find themselves under one roof, emotions run high and there is always that light fog of tension in the air hovering around between family members. But there is also laughter, and lively conversations, and fun, and also that one relative known for his crazy antics and it is a great potpourri of emotions.

The pilgrimage was a three day trip visiting magnificent old Jain temples which were located in the most remote and rural areas and it was beautiful. The landscape was lush green, horizon to horizon filled with rice paddies, banana plantations, and coconut trees all along the narrow road. It was fascinating to see farmers at work as we moved through the road and people sitting outside their little straw huts, with their cows tied to the side and kids fetching water from their small wells. It was beautiful to see and realise that there are so many different ways in which people lead their lives.

Visiting the temple was a wonderful spiritual experience and it felt very good to get re-connected with my roots after being abroad where it can be really easy to drift away into the travails of everyday life. And now that I am back from a very rewarding break, I feel renewed and fresh. I am fully ready for another semester of kicking ass!

I love the Internet; it’s brilliant. Endless resources, options, opportunities – the works. If I want to order free shampoo samples, learn about piracy and marvel at a chimpanzee being filthy… I can do it. And not only that, I can do it in mere seconds. It’s really up to me, and how adventurous I feel at any particular moment.

As a consequence of my love for the Internet, I’ve been involved with web design since 2005. Starting out with only Notepad and a bag full of dreams I’ve improved with each year, and am very happy to say that it’s been a paying hobby for the vast majority of that time. I’m not about to buy a Ferrari, granted, but I have been able to earn some tidy pocket money. And now, after a period of relative obscurity, I’m back with a bang and looking to take on some new work. I’ve been posting out feelers on Twitter and Facebook for a little while and, whilst I’ve had quite a number of enquiries, most of them haven’t led anywhere. But now, thankfully, it looks as though there might be a few areas where things are really going to kick off. And I’m thrilled. Web design should, hopefully, ensure that I don’t have to go back to retail and can still earn some cash – albeit perhaps not quite as much.

But that’s fine because, for me, the freedom and flexibility is invaluable. I can get up when I want, start when I want, and work it all around my university schedule to boot. There’s no 8am clock-in time to worry about. And that’s not knocking retail and those who choose to go down that route, I just really enjoy the perks of freelance web design. It suits me quite well.

So yes, I have some secured work already, have future work lined up, and a very, very promising lead swimming in the pool too. It seems to be coming up trumps and,  if all goes well, will bring in some tidy moolah. Exciting times! I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for a few individuals, however, so I’d like to take a moment to offer my thanks to the following people for giving me opportunities, guidance, and support: Garry Charles, Steven Dean, Christopher J. Hall, Stephen Ashfield and Fred Normandale. All top guys who’ve helped me along the way.

In other news I’ve recently handed in an essay and have one more to go before I’m done, I’m back at the university digs and loving it, I had a business meeting today which went okay (but I won’t hear the good/bad news for a short while yet – will let you know), I’m looking forward to starting semester B (commencing January 24th) and tackling my New Media Cultures class or whatever it’s called, and I had a great tea tonight. Chicken fillets with chips and a side salad, doused in vinegar and splattered with mint sauce. Easy, scrumptious and filling. All is well.

Bye for now. I’ll be checking in soon with the first proper chapter of My Fictional Odyssey. If you haven’t checked that out already then you should; I’ve set myself a pretty cool challenge for this year. Come along for the ride!

See you later, folks.

My December was filled with anticipation and, towards the end, somewhat loaded with relief. I was coming to terms with the end of my third semester and its requirements. On top of that I was stressing to make the last points on my to-do list in Paris. One of these has become the most memorable of my life so far. A friend of mine from Berlin told me to seek out this French guy called J and hit the catacombs with him.

Looking at the what the Google search showed on the catacombs I became somewhat amazed and thrilled. The exams had just finished the day before I met up with J and went into the catacombs. To top it off I was going out of Paris the following morning at 9am with the train towards Denmark. We met up in the south of Paris just next to one of the metro stops. It was a cold and snowy night, but since we where going underground I was not too concerned about the snow. We had a short chat and started walking until we came to a bench, some five minutes away from the metro. Our entrance to the catacombs was right next to the bench in the form of a manhole cover. J pulled out a crowbar and flipped open the manhole. I knew from him that it was some twenty-odd meters deep, but my fear of heights kept me from looking down with my flashlight. So off I went down the ladder into the dark abyss of the manhole. It was completely dark at the bottom and I was happy I brought my flashlight and that J had offered me a headlight for further illumination. It was rather temperate compared to what I had expected and especially in comparison with the snowy surface we left behind us. What I experienced hereafter was almost 8 kilometers of walking, crawling, worming and wriggling myself forward. We met many people who spent their Friday night walking around in the depths of the catacombs. We came across some of the six million people buried down there. We met people who looked like they had been trapped for days. We met photographers in the progress of setting up a shoot. We walked through an old air-cover bunker from the second world war. We saw a room where the floor had been flooded and the mud used to decorate the walls with faces and much more. We came out somewhere in the south of Paris and resembling someone that had been buried only to rise again. I came home in the morning covered in mud, dirt and probably even bone-dust. This trip left a great impression and a longing for more.

Less then twenty-four-hours later I was back in Denmark enjoying the commotion around the table as my family is about to enjoy their dinner. As tradition proscribes, the initial days demanded a lot of family reunions, eating and seasonal festivities. In the intermediate time I was lucky enough for a freelance job to land in my inbox. The job finished just short of New Years and once again I was caught up in happy reunions and festivities. Happy times for me and for all of you I hope…!

My last and final semester is about to commence and this time I am not required to attend any lectures or exams. I am about to commence my thesis and, like many students with their thesis coming up, I’m anxious and scared about the outcome. To add to the distress I am required to complete an internship or acquire a job position in this period as well. So I currently find much of my time spend on job hunting and reading articles for my thesis. I have had some success with the standard way of contacting companies and people based on ads. The most successful way so far, however, is the concept of Charlie Hoehn. His idea is to seek out companies you would love to work for and do it for free, but as a remote job. This way you can do what you want and be where you want.

If you have the time and will you should try it out, even if you already have a job or are studying. There is no bigger pat on the back or praise you can give yourself then a job offer, even if it is for free. You can always say no, but what if your dream company suddenly offers you your dream job, task or position? So far I have not accepted any of the offers I got through this approach, but they have given me much confidence. I have found some very good offers and have not accepted them on the pure reason that something better might be around the corner.

Other new changes has been a change in my wardrobe. I am now coming to closure with my term as a full-time student and switching to a full-time businessman. To say it short – ”I suited up”.

I hope you have had a great start to the new year and have many experiences from your last year to remember.

So it has been a while since I wrote my last blog. The reason being I have been back home in Scotland for the winter break. It was nice to get back but it did get a bit boring after a while as there is only so much visiting family that I could take. There is just something about Chicago that keeps drawing you back. It really is an amazing place to live.

While it was good to be back home and see all of my family and friends the weather was not so nice. Northern Europe and more particularly Scotland was experiencing the worst snow/winter weather in fifty years. On my way home from the airport I had to get out and push my dad’s car as it got stuck on ice while trying to go up a hill. It got so bad that they even called in the army to help clear all of the snow and ice off the streets. The trains and buses were not running, motorways were shut, food stores were not getting deliveries and airports were closed. I was meant to fly home on a Tuesday but my flight got cancelled due to the bad weather in London and so I had to wait another day before could travel and then once I had gotten to London my connecting flight was cancelled due to the weather up north in Glasgow.

Anyway, this coming quarter should hopefully be fun. I don’t have any classes on a Wednesday or Friday and for the past two weeks I have been let out early from my Tuesday night class. Next month is the homecoming dance which this year has an 80s theme to it. Homecoming is always fun. It is usually held in a really “cool” place. My freshman year it was Union Train Station (the closed off a part of the station), last year it was held at Navy Pier and this year has yet to be announced but I am sure it will be somewhere good. I just have to figure out what I am going to wear to coincide with the 80s theme. Probably something with flares and brightly colored should be appropriate I was thinking.

Well until next time which will most probably be next week I shall bid you all a farewell.

Matt

Hey you, come here for a second. Do you remember that movie everyone talked about that time? The one with that guy, you know; the Hollywood icon bloke? And the leading lady, she won the Oscar? They said it was a brilliant, insightful piece that informed and influenced films for years to come. You remember that one? Okay, how about that book by wassisface? The one they lauded as amongst the finest literary achievements of a generation or, better yet, all time? It tops all the lists, year on year. No? Geez… seems like you didn’t even make an effort. This is important stuff! In order to understand the true meaning of the present… don’t you have to know the past?

Okay, confession time; my name is Ray Wilson and there’s a seemingly endless list of great, classic and important works of fiction that I’ve either avoided or never chased up. I’m sure for some (perhaps even many?) of you it’s the same. You just… never get around to it, right? Well I’ve decided that for 2011 my New Years resolution is to stop pussyfooting around and finally embrace the mountain of supposedly brilliant produce that’s just lying there, waiting to be devoured.

In literary terms we’re talking people like Dickens, Twain, Orwell and Huxley. It’s a little wider for film, but certainly going all the way back to the black and white pictures, even the silent ones if need be. Some modern gems will pepper the lists as well but, primarily, I’m looking to take on the golden oldies.

In an effort to keep myself motivated, Exit Music has kindly offered me a platform from which to shout about my exploits. I will re-post the entries here (this being the first), but EM is the primarily and spiritual home for the series. Maybe I’ll dislike Great Expectations, fall in love with Citizen Kane and discover a previously unrealised passion for an entire genre. Who’s to say? Hopefully I might open a few eyes along the way and turn you on to a couple of things you otherwise wouldn’t give the time of day or, as is more likely in some cases, figured it far too much hassle and simply not worth the while.

This is the start of my journey through time, as it were. I have a list of films over one hundred entries strong, and more books listed than I’ll probably be able to cover. It’s somewhat daunting, I must admit. But as someone who dreams of making a career out of telling stories, I feel this is quite an important task for me to accomplish. Here’s hoping you’ll come along for the ride.

I’ll be checking in soon.

Happy New Year!

The semester has finished and, as is customary for those of us with loving folks, I have returned home. Home; where everybody knows my name. But is that quite enough to pass the time? As it turns out… no. I think only a few hours had passed before I officially declared “cabin fever”. A little over dramatic perhaps but, nevertheless, there’s definitely a hint of truth to it.

Every trip home since I started university has presented me with this odd feeling of displacement. It’s difficult to explain, but I no longer feel I belong as I once did. Nothing here is mine, as such. It’s not the family sofa any more. It’s their sofa that they’re kindly allowing me to use. Ultimately, it’s proof that I’ve very much adapted to, and come to love my independent life in Lincoln. Some students will dislike it and crave to return home, but I warmed to it incredibly quickly. And now being home is weird… almost not right. I’m ready to move out properly and wreak havoc on the world. These little pit stops are odd stretches where I’m reduced to the dependent fellow I’d rather not have to be. There is one good thing, however; I don’t have to buy my own food while I’m here. Every single, bloody cloud!

But hey, it’s the holidays, after all – enough of the moaning! I’m scouring the Internet for things to keep me busy, have scheduled a trip to town to finish my Christmas shopping and, as you might notice, have been fiddling with my site again. Rest assured, I’ll find ways to occupy my mind.

Aside from my home based mutterings, the final days of uni were fine. I ended up being pretty damn happy with my script, and will be disappointed if it doesn’t score quite highly. I still have some essays take care of but, even though they would provide quite a lot of work to take my mind off the slow going, dark days… I’m avoiding them until absolutely necessary, like a good student should.

Here’s hoping you haven’t been affected by the poor weather down south, and happy holidays!

Fall semester is complete! And I finally have a second to breathe (I exhaled as I wrote this). When I started my master’s degree back in July I had no idea what a ride I’d be in for. It’s crazy that over the summer my friends and I were nervous about interviewing people for radio stories and that now we’re practically pros (well, we’ve at least improved a lot!) at shooting b-roll, conducting interviews on camera and doing live shots. I remember thinking at the beginning of this semester that there was no way I was going to finish ten complete news packages, and now I’ve realised that as hard as it was at certain moments, it was never more than I could handle.

In college, my motto became “one thing at a time – live every moment.” I realized after my first semester that worrying about everything at once never helps. You can tell because my GPA from that year was my lowest at any point in college. I realised you have to take everything for what it is, give it the time it needs and not torture yourself over worrying about things far in advance. You also can’t become the person who says “I just have to get through today… I just have to get through this week.” What a terrible way to live. You’re basically saying “I just have to get through my life in increments.”

This motto has helped me a lot during this semester. At the beginning of the day you’re usually thinking “how am I going to come up with interviews, shoot all my footage, do my stand-up, write my story, do the voice over, throw it all into Avid, and turn it into something?” I started breaking things down during the middle of the semester. “Just find one interview,” I’d tell myself. “Now drive over here to shoot this b-roll… now that I’ve done that, let’s call a few more people to see if anyone will talk… now think of a good place for the stand-up… let’s try to get b-roll of this and that.” If you break it down it becomes simpler. It’s probably the most important thing I’ve learned this whole semester. It’s great to learn how to edit, or set up a microphone, or fix your hair in a way that’s flattering for the camera. But, if you can’t learn how to make things easier on yourself to avoid the panic attacks that at one point have probably plagued everyone in my programme, you’ll never get to a point where knowing the best way to style your hair will even matter because you haven’t gotten past the basics. Build the foundation first then worry about the extras. It has certainly helped me so far and I’m very excited to see what spring semester will bring.

In just a blink of an eye, I’m officially done with my fourth semester at the University of Adelaide a.k.a passing all of my exams! Phew, that’s one weight off my chest now… and what’s more, its already December! That marks the start of another shopping season in preparation for Christmas for those in the northern hemisphere but, unfortunately, it also marks the beginning of summer for those in Australia.

Almost a fortnight ago, a Christmas pageant took place in the city centre of Adelaide. Proceeding all the way up north towards the North Terrace of Adelaide City from the south, it certainly was an eye opener for me, who came from a place where Christmas is synonymous with shopping sprees in every major shopping centre. The Christmas pageant consists of a parade moving through the main streets of the city with participants from all walks of life which include countless NGOs, primary school kids, dance schools, bagpipe associations… well, you name it.

Halfway through, it started drizzling and progressively, it got heavier. However, it failed to hamper the heightened Christmas spirit of the spectators, who continued cheering and clapping, and yeah, I’m impressed.

Well, it’s certainly a fresh change of atmosphere in the usually quiet Adelaide city ^^.

Besides Christmas being just a stones throw away, the coming of December also signifies the season of Jacarandas. It is as if these flowers just bloom every night, one day they are just greens fresh from winter, and the next thing you know they are almost fully covered in bright vibrant purple flowers. It is really pretty especially when the wind blows, and the purple flowers start raining down, seriously, a scene not to be missed. Sigh… if only I’ve got a DSLR at this moment…

Anyway, it is already the end of my accommodation contract, so yeah, I’ll be moving to a new place next year, hoping that my new room will be larger than it is now ^^. But property hunting in the city is really a pain in the neck especially when you’ve got to deal with fussy landlords, cunning agents and the thousand and one procedures that have to be followed. Well, I’m not complaining, since it kept me occupied now that the exams are over, and even the results are out!

In less than a week’s time, I’ll be going home to Malaysia for the summer, to relish me off my craving for home cooked food, local delicacies (the only reason that Malaysia is worth visiting, food), and most importantly, to get away from this heat! Gosh, really am hoping that the weather will be better back home instead of the soaring temperatures of summer in Adelaide.

Hello November. How are you? Thanks for coming along and gracing us with your pres….. wait a minute. Why is it really cold all of a sudden? Why are my fingers numb? Why is one coat no longer satisfactory? Oh hell, I suppose you brought winter along too, right?

So yes, winter is here and now every day is cold and dreary, save for a few short spells of deceiving sunlight in the early afternoons. Sometimes the glum mornings and early nights manage to sully my mood, but I’m trying hard not to let this happen. In spite of the increasingly depressing weather I pledge to keep myself positive and upbeat – for spirits and productivity must remain high.

Things have been busy recently, but I’m handling it all well. My scriptwriting module is coming on nicely and I’m genuinely excited to write my script. I could’ve raced ahead and started it already but I wanted to follow the tutor’s process and see what it would do for me – if anything. Thankfully I think it’s worked out great because I have the whole thing mapped out in a step-by-step outline. I think in the long term because of the way I now know how to do things, I’ll complete far more pieces than I otherwise would have. Crazy, isn’t it? It’s almost like the tutors know what they’re doing.

The single camera module is also swimming along pleasantly as we’re ahead of schedule in terms of captured footage, and also pretty on the ball in terms of paperwork and things-left-to-do. Group work can be hazardous if you get stuck with a bunch of dribblers, so I’m thankful to have been put with some good folks.

The theory modules are, well, theory – so enthusiasm isn’t exactly sky high. However, Analyzing and Working in the Media Industries is still alright and I have a good idea of what I need to do for the upcoming assessments. TV and New Media Entertainment isn’t bad, but I haven’t decided on my essay question yet, which I really should do. I did some reading for it today which was about nineteen pages long. Usually I’d groan my way through the awfully bloated paragraphs, but this time it wasn’t too bad as the vast majority of it focused on Cilla Black and Alan Titchmarsh. They were being used as examples of the “TV personality” in a discussion about what it all means in terms of this, that and the other. I took away that Cilla sang a song once but nobody under sixty remembers, and Alan’s a cosy little stump who manages to throw his opinions at us whilst covering them with his boyish glee for Chrysanthemums. Which, by the way, are the birth flower of November. Or so Wikipedia tells me. Anyway, those conclusions are just for jokes. I learned proper stuff from it all, too. Honest. I did the reading, and now I know stuff: the system works.

In closing I must mention that the tutors here at the University of Lincoln really are quite nice. Whether they’re helping me juggle a few seminars so I can board my favoured train home, or simply greeting me by name as I pass and asking me how things are going – the staff are alright in my book. There probably are things wrong with the university (as is the case with all establishments, of course), but in my view the staff isn’t one of them.

In actual closing: I turned twenty recently and had a very lovely day indeed, I just tidied my room and am positively glistening with happiness about it, my work folder is now insanely organised, I can’t wait to wear my new (and printed) Liverpool shirt at our weekly football game on Sunday, I’m enduring a dastardly poor run of fortune at Mario Kart, I’ve hardly played any poker at ALL, I’ve been neglecting the gym, I went home for a few days this past weekend and saw my family, and finally… and most importantly of all… we now have 8mb broadband in our rooms and it… is… heaven.

Just thought I’d check in. Tell me, how are you?

So as I write this blog I am just recovering from a cold which for the past week has kept me up all night. Last night I managed to get about four hours of sleep before waking up to a coughing fit. It took me about another half hour to get back to sleep.

Anyway, aside from that this week has been rather good. In my Business Ethics class my professor, who is a really cool guy, informed us that he was making the final exam optional. And since I have received an A on all of my papers then I don’t have to do the final exam as it won’t alter my grade. I do still have one paper due in that class but he drops the lowest grade so I basically have to hand something in and then that is me done with that class, two weeks before the end of term.

As for my other classes I only have one take home final and that is in my Classical Political Culture class. However, luckily for me the question that the final will be based on happens to concern the one section of Plato’s Republic that I actually understood. Seriously, these philosophers were great guys and all that but they didn’t half beat about the bush; I mean, just get to the point man!

The only in class final that I have happens to be in my Middle Eastern Politics class which also happens to be my favourite class. Luckily my professor is going to give us all a very comprehensive review sheet that basically covers everything that will be on the final. So essentially all that we have to do is memorise it and we will all be fine.

My final class that I am taking this quarter is American political culture. I found this class difficult at the beginning, probably because I am not actually American. However, I am starting to get into the mix of it all now and it’s not too bad. Also, the way this class works is that we can either complete three papers and then factor in participation or we can complete two papers, participation and take the final in class exam. And so I, like the majority of the class have opted to do the three papers along with participation. That third paper I completed this morning and so once I hand it in that will be me near enough done with that class; all I have to do is turn up to receive participation.

So I shall leave you now to get on with your lives as I shall endeavor to find the strength to complete the final few assignments that I have before I go home for Christmas break.

Take care,

Matt

One of the consequences of studying abroad is that you miss being home to celebrate your favourite festival or holiday. On that particular day, you miss your family more than usual and you reminisce the good times you had with your cousins and friends. For me, this festival is Diwali; one of the biggest festivals in India celebrated with great pomp and splendor.

Diwali is celebrated across India and is an important aspect of our cultural identity. It is often called the festival of lights because Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (divas) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. Diwali is especially important to the Hindus because it commemorates the return of Lord Rama along with Sita (his wife) and Lakshman (his brother) from his fourteen year long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. The return of the king is rejoiced all over India and the whole country is lit up to welcome him. Spectacular fireworks are all over the skies and people get together to burst smaller fire crackers in open spaces. Families also get together to share sweets and snacks and everyone wears new clothes.

Given the scale of celebrations that go on in India, Diwali has been a fairly low key event for me here in the US; it’s always like just another day at school. But this year was different; my school’s Indian Student Association and the University Ministry which promotes cultural diversity and dialogue organised a Diwali celebration and it was great.

It was on a cold November afternoon that I walked into the busy student center after a really long class on professional writing. Once on the floor, I heard a faint Bollywood tune coming from a room in the far end and I swiftly made my way towards it, excited. The Diwali party had kicked off to a great start and the brightly lit room with Diwali decorations felt like a cultural oasis in the middle of a boring Tuesday. I made it just in time to devour the samosas and gulab jamun’s which vanished in minutes. I also taught my friend a few Bollywood moves as we all danced around in a circle. It was also funny to see how a bunch of my friends were trying to be DJ’s by going on YouTube to play the next hit Bollywood song.

Overall all it was a great experience. And although I would have loved to be home for Diwali, celebrating it with a diverse group of people and sharing the significance of the festival with people who showed interest gave me an opportunity to experience my traditions and culture more intimately and it was awesome!

Goodbye October, see you next year… and hello November! Here it comes again, the month where tension can be felt throughout the university compound and stress starts settling on each and every student sitting for exams in the coming weeks. Oh yes, it’s the final month in the academic calendar! And also the month where we will truly reveal what we have learnt throughout the semester.

Well for me, it’s nothing different. Like any ordinary student, I have the same fear for exams as well. Yet another exam to be passed, yet another paper to be done, and yet another semester ends.

Even though I’ve sat for many exams before this, both big and small, public and private, there is still this sickening feeling hovering somewhere in the pits of my stomach.

Right, enough about exams! I need a well deserved break from it at the moment, after all the cramming I’ve done for the past weeks.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, the School of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Adelaide had organised a Mechanical Engineering Expo! Or otherwise known as Mech Expo. An expo that allows students in the final year to showcase the project that they’ve undertaken and to show what have they learned in their four years of engineering education.

Well, for juniors like me, it’s been an eye opener. Never have I thought, in another two years or so, I will be able to build machines as sophisticated as that. A fully automated Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, a giant wheel-like vehicle codenamed EDWARD, a SEGWAY looking single wheel cycle, some automated surveillance Unmanned Ground Vehicle and tons of other weird but interesting inventions.

To be in that expo, I would say that, is the proudest moment in an engineering student’s life, second only to the graduation ceremony.

Though it’s been a really hectic week, with assignments due left, right and front, I haven’t regretted taking time off from them to throng the expo with some course mates =) . And of course, it had even gave me an idea on what I should be working on in another two year’s time!

That should be it for today; I’ve got to get back to my revision as well. Exam’s in another two sleeps time. Good luck to everyone having exams out there. Signing off at 1am in the morning.

In the summer of 2009, I flew to South Africa to work with International Student Volunteers on their Race to End Extinction project. You can learn more about ISV at www.isvonline.org.

The project was at the Wild Cheetah and African Wild Dog Rescue and Rehabilitation Center just outside Johannesburg. We spent two unforgettable weeks eradicating invasive plant species, feeding wild cheetahs and African wild dogs, building temporary enclosures for the rehabilitation of endangered vultures and so much more! We worked with the local people to reach out to the community, emphasising the importance of the protection of native species to preserving their society and resources as a whole.

The second two weeks was spent touring the entire country and was jam-packed with unbelievable adventures like hiking up and repelling down Table Mountain, bungee jumping off the world’s highest bungee bridge and seeing amazing wildlife at Kruger National Park! We did and saw so many incredible things, but I will never forget the day spent touring the cape peninsula of Cape Town…

After going to see the adorable African Penguins at Boulder Beach and voyaging out to Seal Island to see the immense populations of Cape Fur Seals, we were driving back to the city, when we suddenly stopped. As the setting sun lit the scene ahead of us a golden orange, a troop of about forty baboons appeared on the road. As they crossed, African tribal music carried out from the van, following the massive males and cautious females with playful young on their backs into the grassy field ahead. It was so surreal, and left us all speechless as we watched them disappear with the sun.

I left South Africa with not only an appreciation for the incredible beauty of its landscape and its people, but with an understanding of the diversity of the country and the struggles it has overcome. It has taught me that some of the most amazing animals thrive in seemingly the most difficult of habitats and that some of the most joyful and loving people come out of the most complicated of circumstances. It comes down to your ability to adapt to your surroundings, have eyes for the beauty around you, and have hope for the future.

So, go to South Africa with ISV with an open mind for its diversity, an open heart for the love that its people have to offer, and open eyes for all that it has to show you (because there is A LOT to see)!

Learn more at www.isvonline.org

So usually I seem to be talking constantly about running in these things and so today I have decided to limit my running talk. However, I only said limit, not eradicate. At the weekend just past I was in upstate New York to compete in the Big East Cross Country Championships. The weather was awful as it rained the entire Friday before the race and so on the Saturday the course was pretty much a mud bath. However, I persevered and ended up finishing third. While this was not what I had initially hoped for, rather I wanted to win, it was still a place on the podium so I was happy.

But the thing that has really been getting on my nerves lately is how everyone has been going on and on about how the San Francisco Giants are the WORLD champions after winning the MLB. Now I am no master geographer but I do know that there are other countries in the world outside of North America so why do the MLB insist on calling themselves the world champions. In Europe we hold the UEFA soccer cup every year where the best club in Europe is decided and yet we don’t call them the world champions, we call them the European champions. Is it just sheer arrogance on the part of the MLB or are they really that oblivious to basic geography?

Anyway, I feel that I could go on arguing on that issue for a very long time and be in risk of offending people should I continue; I think I will just end my point there.

So it is hard to believe that there are only two weeks left of school before finals and then that is the end of this quarter. It has gone by so fast that it feels like only yesterday that I was buying my books for class. Interestingly in a lot of my classes the format is such that I have four papers to complete over the course of the term but I am free to decide when I hand in those papers. However, I didn’t realise just how close to the end of term we were and so this coming weekend I will be working on completing a mountain of papers to hand in before the end of term. It is a good thing that I don’t have any races coming up this weekend!

Till next time,

Matt.

Hello all.

So, as I sit here writing this there is torrential rain outside; probably the heaviest that I have ever seen. And, even more annoyingly, it started out of nowhere just as I was reaching the end of my run this morning, completely drenching me.

Anyway, this week has been rather relaxed. For the first time in a long while I had near enough no homework to do over the weekend. The only essay that I had required me to watch three films so it wasn’t the most strenuous thing that I have ever done in my life.

So not only is this coming weekend Halloween it is also the Big East conference cross country championships.  In preparation for Halloween my friend and I decided that we would do something together. And so on Sunday night we ventured out to Target in search of costumes.  After about two minutes of dedicated searching we found the perfect outfits. Kid’s Transformers costumes, complete with plastic breastplate and mask. Granted they are rather small for us and will require some modifications with scissors to allow us to fit into them; they are still amazing. We anticipate getting a lot of laughs when we head out on Saturday night.

However, before I head out for Halloween I have a rather more important job to do in New York. Going into the race I am ranked number two so there are high expectations for me as well as a lot of pressure. Most of the pressure, however, is from me. I am flying out with the team on Thursday morning to Buffalo. From there we have a three hour drive up to Syracuse University which is where the race is being held. The race itself isn’t until the Saturday morning and so we plan on heading up to do some sightseeing at Niagara Falls on the Friday which should be good as I haven’t been there in a good five years, and when I was last there it was on the Canadian side.

The only downside is that on Sunday I am going to have to spend the entire day camped out in the library trying to catch up on all of the work that I will have missed/put off while I am away. Hopefully I don’t stay out to late on Saturday and I am able to get up early on Sunday morning rather than spend half the day in bed sleeping.

Anyway have a good week and I shall see you all soon.

Matt

So, Paris is proving to be some kind of test of my patience (or any foreign students’ patience for that matter). French students are somehow reluctant to act when things go wrong and hope someone else will fix it. This reminds me of a great speech from Seth Godin about things that are broken.

Somehow most people just seem to adopt the attitude that “It’s broken, but it’s not my job to fix it!”. Different cultures have different ways to deal with this.

However, sometimes you have problems or accidents that block your path and you cannot continue. For instance in Germany they often have ‘Stau!’ (English: highway queues) and for that reason they invented the radio-warnings live broadcasting. So in the same spirit I have started tinkering with my own little creations. I found out that teachers seem to get a heads up weeks in advance compared to us, so every now and then I ask teachers what’s new and I will get updated on the newest e-mails sent by the administration. It is a delicate game of diplomacy as you have to try not to let the teacher know that you gave up on the administration and are working around the system.

One might assume that teachers would be more than willing to help if the administration was turning in circles; however, most of our teachers hate administrative jobs or do not think that is their job, so even if your intentions are sincere they are mostly reluctant to help. Since I have had some experience with this attitude in a previous job I can fully understand that. Furthermore, it also takes away valuable time for teaching.

On the other hand it can also cause conflict. The administration turned out to have made a mistake and put fifteen students in a class that they had already completed in a previous semester. So most students went on passive mode and started scouring the internet while the teacher toiled on with the few students interested. Now, because participation is mandatory, we need the credits and telling administration is too cumbersome we just accepted the mistake. However two hours into the lecture the teacher got angry and gave us a verbal thrashing on how unthoughtful and disrespectful we were towards the teacher! Now at that time almost all of the students were surfing, reading newspapers or doing work for other classes.

The teacher continued the verbal trashing for a total of ten minutes and summed up that we were ethnocentric and not paying attention or respect to the local culture. I can only fully agree with the teacher we most likely were. However there were no French students in class and all the students were of international origin, so the same could have been argued vice versa.

So this leaves me with two conflicting problems.

1. I am a foreigner visiting as a guest in a foreign country, where the local customs and values are unknown to me.
2. I am paying for an international study taking place in three different countries.

The first one suggests I am a guest and need to be attentive to the locals. The second one suggests that I am a customer and the saying goes that the customer is always right.

Now I am not sure I have a solution for either of them. Since the latter involves a lot of fighting and complaining for what you bought (this also includes being stressed, miserable and exhausted every day) and the first one suggests you just try to assimilate and adopt to the country you’re visiting (once again stress and exhaustion), I have adopted a rather difficult approach – indifference and objectivity.

In this I assume that it will be alright and they will fix it within their own time schedule and not my time schedule. It also gives me a whole lot of time which I can allocate and this gives me much more joy then spending it on working out things. With some luck things might also get sorted faster since the administration will not have to deal with my inquiries anymore.

Have you ever come across similar experiences or do you just find people of Danish origin extremely fast and effective? How do you stay joyful and happy in such cases?

Atikokan in Ontario and the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia don’t have a whole lot in common – except for the fact that I’ve lived in both places.

Situated about halfway between the Trans-Canada Highway and Steep Rock Lake, my hometown has a population of 3,500 and is known as the Canoeing Capital of Canada. In winter, the temperature can get down to -35°C and in summer it might get up to 24°C on a good day. Cross-country skiing, ice-fishing, snow mobiling and playing hockey on the outdoor rinks are definitely the most popular sports.

The Gold Coast, on the other hand, is one of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations, with an average of 300 sunny days a year, winter temperatures of around 21°C – up to 30°C in summer – and the Bond University campus is about ten minutes’ drive from the beach.

So when people ask why I moved halfway across the world to study law on the Gold Coast, the answer is pretty obvious: palm trees, beaches and sunshine, but I wasn’t just following the sun when I chose Bond.

Being a private university, Bond has a really good reputation worldwide and the law programme is particularly well-known in Canada. Bond receives many Canadian students each year – including Alberta politician Brian Jean who did his MBA and LLB here.

I’d already completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Manitoba, so I was attracted by the fact that Bond offers a postgraduate Juris Doctor degree and not just the undergraduate Bachelor of Laws.

This means I only have to do twenty-four subjects to qualify as a lawyer instead of thirty-two and, with Bond’s three-semesters-per-year schedule, I can finish my law studies in just two years studying full-time.

Mind you, I’m not in any hurry to finish (did I mention the palm trees, beaches, sunshine…) I’m now in my third semester and am enjoying absolutely everything about Bond.

The teachers are the best of the best – I’ve never had such enthusiastic professors who are so passionate about teaching. They’re more like friends than teachers – if you aim for the moon, they’ll do everything they can to help you get there.

Within the interactive, small class sizes teaching staff put a big focus on practical skills and discussion. The professors really emphasise being able to write an exam is only one part of learning; you also have to know how to apply what you have learnt in the workplace and be able to discuss and debate your arguments.

As a Bond Law student the resources we have access to are fantastic.  In the Legal Skills Centre, we get to argue cases in a fully electronic moot court, which is modelled on the Australian High Court. There are also skills room and special areas for dispute resolution and mediation, plus one of the best university law libraries in Australia (although I have to confess that my favourite place to study is out in the sunshine!).

Another great aspect of Bond is that it’s not all work and no play. The uni places a great deal of emphasis on work/life balance – so we have an amazing sports centre right here on campus, with an Olympic-size swimming pool, gym classes and sporting facilities (I’m in the Bond Street Hockey Club), as well as social events and special interest clubs (I’m also Secretary of the Law Students’ Association and a member of the Student Ambassador Program).

I’m confident that I’ll have no problem adjusting to life in a legal firm when I graduate. The Bond Law degree differentiates you from any other graduate as being well-rounded and prepared for a career in Law.

Hello everyone… so, I have lost count of what blog number I am on now but it feels like number three or four! Anyway, I had a rather good weekend that I shall share with all of you.

School has been really hectic recently. For some reason all of my professors decided to give me a paper to do for the following week, the 18^th. So the vast majority of my weekend was spent in the library trying to complete five papers. I found that it was actually very difficult to keep my mind focused on each paper. I would often find myself writing about something I had learned in another class. So my piece of advice for you is don’t take three political science classes all at once as you only end up confusing yourself, which is never good fun.

Anyway, aside from the joys of essay writing I was running for DePaul on Friday at the 2010 Bradley Classic cross country race. This is the course where the NCAA Midwest regional is to be held and as a result it was extremely busy with some of the top teams from the Midwest competing. Not only did this make it busier but it also made it a whole lot more competitive. Going into the race I was one of the favourites to take a top five position but I did not expect in my wildest dreams what I would end up doing. The race started off and I and a runner from Iowa went straight to the front. From there we simply ran with each other and slowly pulled away from the rest of the field. Surprisingly it wasn’t hard at all and we coasted around the 8km (5 mile) course, even managing to share a few friendly words with each other as we did so. Once we reached the last 500m that was when it got exciting. The runner from Iowa took the lead and opened up a gap of about twenty meters. I held off chasing until the home straight and then with literally hundreds of people screaming as we went into the home straight I just sprinted for the line and ended up catching the Iowa runner right on the line and winning the race by four tenths of a second in a photo finish.

I knew that my time was fast but I had no idea just how fast I had ended up running. The guy that took second is a former Illinois state champion over the mile and has a best of 4:02 for the mile and so to out kick him was good enough for me. When I found out I had run 23:37 I was ecstatic. This time puts me 2^nd in the Big East rankings and 25^th in the NCAA Division 1 rankings. Now all I have to do is try and maintain my form and hopefully I will make it to the National meet. Next up is the Big East championships in less than two weeks time.

But for now I am going to go back to writing a paper for my American political culture class tonight.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Matt

Although the weather may be taking a more consistent turn for the worse as we head towards November, things here at university are as sunny as ever. I may be a tad ill, but I still realise that these are good times. There’s no Autumn blues here! So here’s a little update to let you know what’s going on in each of my classes and outside of work as well. Because, let’s face it; that’s the most important area.

Single Camera

We’ve now moved into small groups and begun pre-production for our documentaries. My group has decided to explore the world of tattoos and try to zone in on their place in society. There’s plenty of research options available and we already have a few interesting areas for it that we’re exploring. Some interviews here, prison visits there – it’s going to be great. I’m also pleased that everyone seems to be, you know, interested in single camera. This is possibly the first academic year I’ve ever had where everyone in my classes are there because they actually want to be. Only took fifteen years of education to get to this point.

Scriptwriting

We’ve come up with three ideas each and will soon select our top idea and commence with the writing. Some people have already started after conjuring up and latching on to a good idea but, as I’ve previously discussed, I’m a bit rubbish with the initial inspiration so I haven’t actually got going yet. I’m still right on schedule, though, so there’s nothing to worry about. Also, it was nice when we all had to sit around and discuss our ideas with other people, because everyone there is obviously interested in scriptwriting. This means that they all understand the kind of things that go with it. It’s just good to be there with people who are as interested as you. Much easier than talking about my ideas to someone who looks down on media production and is only interested in – building, say.

For the theory modules, Analysing and Working in the Media Industries is still going good. It’s my favourite of the two at the moment and seems to have the easiest assessment at the end which is always a plus. TV and New Media Entertainment is fine, although the subsequent reading after the initial run-through has been no less dry. I actually have some reading backlogged for it, which I need to attend to. I’ll get to it tomorrow, possibly. Or maybe further into the week. It WILL get done, don’t worry.

Outside of work… today I played football again which was good and followed it up (but not before a shower, of course) with a long session of pool with the lads. I’m also planning on starting the gym again in a few days, getting rid of my stuffy nose by tomorrow and finally getting various websites finished and crossed off the to do list. I actually wrote a list of jobs yesterday, which I intended to complete by the early evening. But then we went into town and bought Mario Kart for our newly acquired Wii and the list took a back seat. It’s not as bad as it sounds – there are no urgent jobs on the list and only one or two where’s there’s even a timeframe to consider. Writing a blog was number seven (of fourteen) and I’m doing that right now. Publishing this entry will make it seven of fourteen complete, which isn’t bad going.

Now then, I’ll finish this up and move onto number twelve; fill in and then safely store the Skillset skills forms. It’s about ten pages worth of questions all about me, my abilities and skills. Should be good. So until next time, all the best…

This is my second blog in the space of two weeks and as promised last week I went out over the weekend and tried to do as much crazy and eccentric stuff as I possibly could so that it would be all the more easy for me to write this and all the more interesting for you to read.

Every quarter as a student athlete I am required to perform one piece of community service. And for the past three years I, along with my teammates, have helped run a water aid station at the Chicago marathon. Usually you have to enter into a lucky dip to get a place but much to our convenience my coach is on the organising committee and his wife is in charge of the aid stations at mile nine so we were able to bypass much of the normal application process.

My morning started at the un-godly hour of 4am. We had to be down at the aid station by 4:30am to allow us to collect our official Chicago Marathon jacket and then to begin the monotonous process of filling about 400 cups up with water and stacking them five high on a table ready to be distributed as the runners came by.

At 8am the elite wheelchair athletes came by and it makes me tired just watching them. Shortly afterward the elite runners came flying past; I think they went through nine miles in about forty-five minutes which, if you are not too familiar with running, is very, very fast indeed. And then came everyone else, all 45,000 of them, and all desperate for water. It was fun at first but towards the end you began to get a very sore arm after holding out cups of water constantly for two hours straight.

Whenever I was finished, which was about 11am, I went straight home and slept until 5pm upon which I went to the library and finished of my midterm paper that was due the next day.

And so that was the highlight of my week. This week I have to start looking at what classes I want to take next quarter as my enrolment date is next Monday. However, one of the perks about being a student athlete is that you can enrol in your classes a week before all other students and so you don’t have to ever worry about not getting the professor that you wanted.

Matt

Hello Readers,

My name is Anabella Rojas and I am currently a sophomore international student at DePaul University. I am originally from Venezuela and came to the US to pursue a career in Business Marketing and International Business. I am also a member of the Global Ambassador Program at DePaul University; as ambassadors we are committed to help prospective international students in their application process and also contact college counselors and other institutions to recruit more international students. I love travelling, learning about other cultures and also languages. I have been learning French and Italian and I hope to speak them flawlessly before I turn 23. Some of my hobbies are jogging (when the weather is nice), going to the gym and dancing. I am also involved in other student organisations such as MAHA (Midwest Association of Hispanic Accountants), “The Lab” break dancing and hip-hop club, and recently joined the UNICEF chapter at DePaul.

I graduated from High School in Venezuela in 2008 and afterwards I decided to take a gap year because I wasn’t sure where or what I wanted to study. During that year I attended St. Stephen’s School, an international boarding school located in Rome (Italy), where I took IB courses, Italian and French classes, and most importantly where I decided to apply to American colleges.

Originally I wanted to study international relations and law in Venezuela; however, taking that gap year opened my world and made me realize that I wasn’t bound to remain in Venezuela, and that studying college away from home was indeed the best option for me. I love my country, all my family and friends are there, my life is there; however, I wouldn’t be able to receive the type of education I wanted if I’d stayed there. The American higher education system is highly recognised worldwide, not only due to the academic curriculum, but also due to the endless opportunities that colleges in the US offer to their students; the internship programmes, on-campus jobs, clubs and organisations, honors programmes and scholarships are some of the aspects that characterise the higher education system in the US from those in other countries. Going to college is more than taking classes; it is a life changing experience, an opportunity for professional and personal growth.

Looking back I am certain that I made the right decision, especially because I enjoy living in Chicago so much; after all, I am city girl and think I always will be. I chose DePaul because of its amazing location, great business programme and its strong sense of community. DePaul welcomes students from all kinds of backgrounds, traditions and beliefs into its community and encourages them to get involved. I personally love that about our school, especially because being involved in student organisations is a key part of one’s college experience; it is a great opportunity to make friends while making a valuable contribution to the DePaul community.

Student life has commenced. I’m attending lectures, avoiding seminar reading and enjoying occasional lunches at various fast food places. The workshops are nice and gentle, I get to stay up all night if I please, and I spend unhealthy amounts of time on Facebook. Life is pretty sweet right now. Here’s a little update on all of my classes and what’s going on besides.

Analyzing and Working in the Media Industries

This is the mandatory theory module for the semester, and so far it’s surprisingly interesting. In particular we had a lecture all about labour industry market trends, how ours has been steadily growing for years, and how this makes our job prospects much sunnier than most ignorant people would have us believe. Why are you doing media? That’s a waste of time – you’ll never get a job doing that. Hey, thanks for your opinion. Besides this I’ve got a good seminar tutor which I’m happy about. Some of the tutors are too easy to make fun of and feel little respect for. But this guy really knows his stuff, he doesn’t make the content boring, and he has a good insight into our points of view, for the most part. Smiles all around.

Television and New Media Entertainment

This is the optional theory module that I selected, and it’s fine for the most part. I had to do some reading for it tonight which was pretty awful, but again the seminar tutor is good. It’s the first time I’ve had him so I can’t comment too much, but he was entertaining and that’s fine by me. We’ll see how this one progresses. I think the core of the module is interesting because I am intrigued by the TV and new media entertainment culture, but some of the associated reading is really poor. Just awful articles by tiresome academics using all the big words to make themselves feel better. Referencing everybody elses work, proposing obvious arguments, long winded theories and injecting pompous opinions. I understand the importance of theory in my course, but a lot of it is indefensibly awful. And it’s ironic really that it all kind of boils down to wouldn’t everything be wonderful if everyone was an informed consumer?, but then all the reading is indigestible and boring.

Single Camera

We haven’t done much in this practical module yet, but busy times lie ahead because we’re heading into making a documentary. Additionally, we had the pleasure of a lecture on documentaries by Emmy award winning writer Robert Ray Brian Winston. He seemed like a nice and knowledgeable chap, in fairness. I’m looking forward to getting started here – let’s get going already!

Scripwriting

Again we haven’t done much here, instead laying the groundwork in our few early lecturers and workshops. Today in the workshop we had a play around with the Final Draft software and watched a quirky short film about a man running a sperm bank who, genius that he is, replaces the deposited sperm with his own and impregnates the nation’s ladies. Then he follows them around and takes pictures to put up on his wall. We had a class discussion and settled on it being a bit of a black comedy…

Our first project is to write a ten minute script, and during the process we also get to write a blog wherein we put our thoughts for the day, note any progress, discuss problems or talk about changes we’ve made etc. I’m really looking forward to it, truth be told. The whole needing to be inspired quickly thing might be an issue, but I won’t know till I get there. Fingers crossed it won’t cause problems. I don’t want to be staying up till the wee hours, banging my head on the keyboard and crying through snot and tears about how the magic just won’t happen.

…

So what’s happening outside of university? Well… I did my laundry yesterday, am hitting a pub league poker game tomorrow (my first attempt at live play), plan to get my hair cut soon, will return to the gym in the middle of the month, will be bossing the football court again this Sunday, have somehow gotten a little bit back into Eastenders and I burnt my lip on a chicken pizza earlier.

Sometimes I’m just a little bit special.

Peace!

So my plan is to start doing this blog every week which means that I am going to have to start doing more interesting stuff on a more regular basis from now on.

The past couple of weeks have been rather stressful. Midterms are this week and even though I don’t have any in-class midterms I still have take home papers, which to be honest are probably worse as most of my nights and weekends are currently spent at a computer.

When I managed to free myself from writing papers I took a break by going to State, a restaurant in Lincoln Park, about two minutes walk from the DePaul campus. Every Sunday they are famous for playing all the Chicago Bears football games. But what makes its unique is that that place is kitted out with about thirty flatscreen television monitors. Each booth even has its own private television. And so, as one can imagine, come game night the place is packed and the atmosphere is amazing. I went with three friends and even though I don’t understand the rules (and personally think football is weak compared to rugby) it was a lot of fun.

One of the other highlights of my week was when I got to see my friend’s new puppy. He had been looking after another of my friends dogs a few weeks back and basically fell in love with dogs all over again. He made some enquiries and two days ago took delivery of a tiny golden retriever. As for the name, well, that is a rather funny story. My friend has always wanted to name his firstborn son Abe, after the president Abraham Lincoln. However, he decided to name the dog Abe instead. It will be interesting, however, to see what he names his firstborn son if Abe is still alive come that time. It must also be noted that he claims to have received the cell phone numbers of four girls in the past couple of days, all while walking Abe in the park.

Well, I am now really struggling with things to talk about so I am going to go now and make sure that I accomplish some exciting things before next Tuesday so that I have more interesting things to talk about.

Till next time,

Matt

Hey everyone.

This month I thought I’d write about computer editing programmes. I’ve been learning many at school, including Audacity, which is basically a sketchpad for basic audio editing. Using Audacity was always pretty easy – I’d record my voice tracks into my recorder, hook it up to the audio mix box, and edit it through the programme.

In the past few weeks, I’ve taken this one step further with a programme called Pro Tools. With Pro Tools you can basically edit any kind of audio – voice, music, sound effects, etc. Pro Tools is much more complicated than Audacity, but a lot of fun once you learn it. The first project I edited through this programme was for my Producing Radio class – I interviewed some friends about their favorite comedies and compiled the answers into a two and a half minute piece. It was a lot of fun and I think the final product – though pretty basic – came out well for a first try. The piece I’m working on now is all sounds – no dialogue – and includes music.

The other programme I’m learning how to use is called Avid. With Avid you can edit videos and audio, pull them together, and produce a package that’s fit to run on air. I’ve done a few so far, and each time I use the programme it becomes easier and easier to use. For the last package, my partner and I went out into downtown Syracuse to work on a story about businesses regaining ground after the recession. We interviewed the director of Economic Development at the Downtown Syracuse Committee, an Economics Professor on campus, and a random guy on the street. The final project – a ninety second news package – came out really well, although we’ll see what grade I get from my professor!

All in all I can’t believe how much I’ve learned this month about editing programmes. Very important skills to have!

Perceptions in Cultures

So I have been absent from i-studentlife for a while now, which I have been regretting somewhat as I love to write. I’ve even forsaken my own blog for quite some time in the process. However, I have experienced something that has given me much time for the future.

Now the reason why I was absent is that I have moved to another city (Paris, France) and as in every change of environments there is an incubation time where you adjust. In France this time proved rather extended, which caused me some trouble in adjustment. All cultures are unique and you see that in many ways, mostly because you always use a base of experiences to which you compare.

I have been to many countries, but never would I have imagined what I presumed to be a great country and heard much good about turn out to be a little bit disappointing. I was often told that things are different in France and I can now agree. However my perception of “different” is more in the direction of another method of doing things, at least in connection to my image of France. This may also have been part of my slight disappointment when I got here. So my aim is to explain some of the odd scenarios I get/got to experience over next few posts.

Cheating/Bribery or getting things done.

My original perception of this topic was that it was not practiced in any European country (perhaps with the exception of the eastern bloc, but my perception here is that they are trying to solve the issue). This perception came crumbling down as I got to hear about the major scandal which the current administration is submerged in. Now political scandals happens all the time, but the scope of this one is on quite a different scale then the normal I-forgot-to-tell-about-that-lunch scandals in Denmark. Apparently (please correct me if I am wrong?) a lot of money was flushed to the current administration in exchange for some favours.

Another time my perception came down was on the matter of cheating, or better known as being unfaithful. For some reason it is not remarked negatively when a man in Paris has a mistress besides his wife. I know Germany and many Scandinavian countries have a strong moral code on this one, which also may have been one of the reasons for my perception to burst.

Another matter, which has most likely been the most severe thing for me, is the getting-things-done perception. Most countries have some form of tangible or intangible value which you can use to get things done faster or in the first place. Normally the tool of the trade is hard currency, knowing the right people or kindness. In France, however, nothing seems to work other then complaining and a lot of it, whereafter you still only have half the answers or things you wanted done.

However, on the later perception I am happy to have adopted the habit (from Germany due to all their bureaucracy) of bringing a good book with me wherever I go. So at least I have read a lot of good books and from time to time had good conversations with other troubled students in my situation.

Have you experienced the same in your country or countries you have visited?

What are your perceptions of France?

And most interesting of all, have you read any recommendable books lately?

No longer can I simply turn up, scratch my bum and collect a 2:1 – no; because now the second year has begun. And this time… it’s personal. Because this time… it counts. We’re being constantly reminded that this year it actually counts towards our final degree, so we have to start putting some real effort in. I plan to do exactly that and have made the obligatory promise to myself that I’ll keep right on top of everything, and nothing will be left to the last minute. Now we all know that’s tosh and won’t last two minutes but we have to believe, right? Maybe I’ll surprise myself. Unlikely, but not impossible.

I’ve been back in Lincoln a few weeks, and so it’s nice for university to actually start and bring a bit of order to my days. I’ve been getting quite used to 2am bed times and 11am wake ups… and although when I’m doing it it all seems fine and dandy, in the big scheme of things I do prefer getting up nice and early. Even if you don’t actually get more done, you at least feel like you have – and that’s the whole point. Feel good? Then all is good. Don’t question it.

This year I’m specialising in single camera (for which I had my first seminar this morning – everyone seems nice) and scriptwriting. It appears as though there’s a hefty amount of work involved in each, but that’s fine, I’m eager to get stuck in. In single camera we’re starting off with a documentary project, and in scriptwriting we’re working towards a ten minute script for the screen, if I’m not mistaken. The module guide is literally right next to me so I could look and confirm that for you right now. Right now. There it is. Right in front of me. On the desk. Right there on the desk in front of me. Anyway, shamefully, I got completely, totally and in all other ways lazy extremely busy throughout the end summer holidays and didn’t do much scriptwriting outside of my feature length piece, so it’ll be nice to revisit that area. I love writing and should do it more as I always say when I think about it. Even this blog has been neglected lately! Not good.

Outside of university I’m intending to head back to the gym in October. My membership was frozen over summer (so I wasn’t paying for months I couldn’t really use) but will kick start in the first few days of the month, so I’ll get myself kitted out and slog through some fitness sessions. I’m sure I’ll be rubbish when it comes to it, but that’s half the fun. Will my spleen fall out while I try but fail to do this bench press? Place your bets now. So that’ll be good. I’m also taking my poker as seriously as ever. To fit in with a schedule that requires flexibility I’ve decided to concentrate on cash games instead of tournaments. I’m currently trying to grind up a bankroll by multi tabling and maintaining my discipline when I play. Multi tabling I can do with ease, around six to ten tables is fine, but discipline is sometimes a problem. At the micro stakes you pretty much need to stick to a fundamentally sound game – just play it simple – but too often I want to make a move here, try a bluff there… and sometimes it works… but sometimes it doesn’t. I need to cut that out. I’ll let you know how I get on. As of now I’m enjoying cash games but need to find some sort of consistency. I’m probably robbing myself of it by trying to be too clever and smart where I needn’t be.

Additionally… business stuff is going well, I just need to finish the website for it. I have other websites on the go too and am hoping to finish those. Our flat this year has a smaller living area which is rubbish, but my room has two lovely windows which makes it seem all the more spacious. Myself and Preyesh Patel (of…. THE THROW fame) went to Toys R Us the other day just to play the demos on the PS3. I bossed the chump at FIFA 10; something embarrassing for him like four games to nothing – the poor, dumb, wimpy, Gilmore Girls watching twit. Hang on, no – that’s mean. Gilmore Girls is a quality programme. Preyesh on the other hand… well he’s never been the same since Mehr owned him at Mario Kart with that magnificent toss of the bomb. I destroyed him at poker the other night as well when we played head to head. Granted I do play more than him, and we were watching TV at the same time – but a victory is a victory. All things considered in our little competition, it’s been a lackluster start to the year for the old boy. He’s lost his touch, his spark, his… confidence? He’s like Wayne Rooney. Only, without the money, and talent, and girls and… well he’s got the looks, but that’s about it.

Awwwww, see. I love the social aspect of uni. It’s going to be a fun year. Once I get a bunch of work stuff out of the way I can fully concentrate on my studies, and poker, and going to the gym to get buff again for my gorgeous girlfriend, and beating Preyesh “pants down” Patel at every opportunity. It’s going to be a good year. Yep… a gooood year.

Note: Special focus given to Preyesh Patel by request from Preyesh Patel. Content of focus was not specified; hence the content. You know I like you really though. Right? … Right!? I think I’ll lock my door.

Charlene: Hey, when are you guys going?

Me: Going? Where?

Charlene: The Show, duh!

Me: What show? Avatar: The Last Airbender? (some movie that’s being screened in the cinema this week)

Charlene: No, it’s The Royal Adelaide Show!

(above is a private convo between me and a friend of mine)

Right, so, its the season again! Time for The Royal Adelaide Show! An event that’s only held once every year in the beginning of Spring at the Royal Adelaide Showground, which otherwise, is only being used as University of Adelaide and University of South Australia’s exam hall.

Well, still can’t believe that I could even forget about an event that important! A proof of how busy I was. Has been a really hectic week though ^^.

Anyway, like they always say, “If you ever feel like visiting Adelaide, there are chances that there might just be a festival in town”. Living up to its name, The Festival State.

Right, and about The Show, only one word could describe it… magnificent!

Everything about it is just… wow… it is like an exhibition, a funfair, a carnival, and a festival all at once!

Well, rides and activities that range from roller coaster all the way to ‘Catch the Duck’. It’s just like a second childhood. And exhibits that range from dogs to cars, or even shows that range from ‘pig show’ to motorcross.

Having the honor of attending such a magnificent event along with such great company, is not what we get to do every other day =). The turn off(s) of the day… well, we were trapped in a storm during that carnival – urgh – it’s an experience in life that I could live without. As though that’s not bad enough, we were even trapped in total darkness in the exhibition when there was a blackout (think the storm had just ripped off the power cables).

Well, but overall, had a great day winning giant soft toys in the carnival, and of course, the once in a lifetime (or maybe twice) chance of watching some really expensive pyrotechnics in action while huddled under some umbrellas in a group =) And at the same time, can’t help but smiling to myself, if only there’s someone special watching with me at the moment ^^.

And that’s not all, the highlight of the day, are… SHOWBAGS! Apparently, they’re little bags that contain goodies of all kinds that was on sale! Goodies that were suited for all age groups. With people thronging stalls of showbags, squeezing and pushing through the crowd to get their hands on them, well, we don’t get to see this everyday in Adelaide do we?

And wow, the first person who thought of the ideas of selling showbags during The Show, a marketing genius =) .

And before I start forgetting important things again, the true highlight of the day should be all the yummy food stalls centered in The Show. There’s this really cool stall selling bbq turkey leg and bbq spare ribs. Mmmmmmmmmm….

Indescribable heavenly taste flavours. And not forgetting the foot long sausages… fairy floss… a mountain of curly fries…. Wendy’s cool ice cream shakes…. *drools*

But at the end of the day, there can only be one winner for each category…

So yeah, my personal favourites:

Exhibition: The dog exhibitions (cute poodles on display)
Showbags: The Nova 91.9 showbags!
Rides: None (I’m afraid of heights!)
Shows: Motorcross!
Food: BBQ roasted turkey leg! Heavenly food… >.<

Gonna be there again next year! Just you watch! ^^



It’s official; I’m moving back to university accommodation in about two weeks. Although I’ll be sad to leave home where I’ve had endless laughs and good times over this holiday, I can’t deny that I’m looking forward to getting back to work out there. It’ll be great to see the old faces again and have a good catch up. And then there’s the work too, of course. I’m specializing in single camera and scriptwriting this year which should be good. I forget the theory modules that I took… something to do with new media (blogging, Twitter etc.) and TV entertainment I think. I’m not sure, so I’ll find out when I get there. I know I liked them at the time, so it’ll most likely be fine. If not, I’m fairly sure there’s a window during which students can swap and change around a bit if they feel they’ll made the wrong choices.

Before then, however, I still need to finish my web design stuff. I’m being pretty lazy with it, but it should still get done. The project I was getting close to in my last entry has now been completed, and it went really well. We’ve moved into post-production for that, which I’m looking forward to attending to. Should be more progress on it this weekend, actually. I’m also enjoying my poker where I’ve had a good run of form on Full Tilt. I was on a downswing (pretty major one too, actually) on PokerStars which was really lame, but then I started a new deal with a good bunch of guys who play on Full Tilt, so all is well there. I’m reading lots of material to improve my game and yesterday in particular I felt really strong, certain and confident at the tables. Fingers crossed that continues later today when I open up a few tables. But first I have to do some proper work. I must, for time is running out, and tasks remain unfinished.

Just a quick check in today, then. Hope you’re all doing well.

After finishing school in 2009, Hannah Sprake decided to take a gap year and joined Raleigh’s seven week spring expedition in Borneo.

I finished school in summer 2009 and I didn’t get the grades I wanted, so I had an unplanned gap year. I wanted to do something that would give me a sense of self worth and achievement. I knew I wanted to do something that involved charity volunteering; I also wanted to gain skills that would be attractive to future employers.

I looked at a range of volunteering options with other organisations. They looked good but did not have the long term commitments to projects that Raleigh has. My aunt did Raleigh twenty years ago and said it was great. Raleigh’s projects are well planned and are designed for the long term. The team gives you good back up and the safety is great. You know you are going to be looked after.

At Imbak Canyon I was involved in infrastructure development. I really enjoyed working as a team and seeing how the team developed. People started to input more and the group really bonded. Each day people improved how they collected materials and worked together to make tasks as efficient as possible. Imbak was magical, I loved the rangers and I loved how peaceful it was.

My best and most challenging moment happened on the same day. About half way through the trek, we had an eight hour day. My leg was bleeding from the leeches, I was covered in sweat and I sobbed my way to the top of the hill. We hadn’t reached our campsite so we had to trek without fresh water. I was feeling awful so the whole team gave me a hug. Going through such a hard and tough time makes you really bond and I’ve never felt so part of a team. The day was awful but the feeling afterwards was amazing. It was one of the proudest moments of my life, better than my exam results and better than getting into sixth form or university.

I have learned that if I can do something that I’d never thought I’d be able to do, like a trek, what else could I do that I currently don’t believe I can? For instance, get a job I don’t think I have the right skills for. The world is your oyster, there’s nothing you can’t do. I’ve learned how to be a more relaxed, confident person. It’s nice to know you can be put in a group of fifteen random people and get on with them.

My plans now are to go to university to study Economics with French. I’ve grown up so much in seven weeks and feel totally ready for the next stage of my life. Raleigh has set me up for the next four years.

To sum up my Raleigh experience: Absolutely amazing. I couldn’t recommend it more; the entire process has been inspiring. It’s been one of the best decisions of my life so far.

Find out more about Raleigh expeditions…

I’ve officially started my master’s degree in broadcast journalism. The six week “boot camp” for my degree at Newhouse School in Syracuse, New York recently concluded. I’ve learned an unbelievable amount in this short amount of time which I’m certain will prepare me for the year to come.

In class, I’ve learned the proper way to write wraps, voicers, and anchor actualities. I’ve also worked on practice newscasts – and explored the positions of anchor, producer, and reporter. The real fun has taken place outside of class, though. I’ve interviewed people all over Syracuse, trying to turn what they do, or their opinion, or something they’ve experienced into a news story. These interviews have included a psychologist who specialises in alternative solutions for autism, a reverend at a local church, the manager of a food co-op, a representative from a literacy organization, and countless others. It’s been rigorous, but great.

I’ve met students from all over the United States through my programme – as well as an international student from France – which has been exhilarating. It’s exciting to learn with, and from students from so many walks of life.

My experience abroad has only helped me in graduate school. Tackling difficult situations makes other situations only that much easier to handle. The workload is tough, but thinking back about my time abroad – not even being able to pronounce certain names, trying to coordinate interviews through accents I barely understood, etc. – only gives me more confidence to know I can succeed in challenging situations.

My advice to those thinking about pursuing a graduate program is simple – makes sure you really want the education. The workload is rigorous but you’re in the program to prepare yourself for a career in that field. Learn as much as you can – the harder the situation, the better preparation it is for the real world.

It’s now late August and things are moving along toward the fall. I’m making preparations to return to university in about a month, and I’m very much looking forward to it. But before I go, there’s a tonne of work to do.

I’ve been building three websites over the past few weeks, and I continue to do so. One is very near completion, another is on the way there, and the third is perhaps at the two thirds mark. So things are going good. I find the initial stepping stone of sorting out the basic template design the toughest. I’m very indecisive and can spend hours trying to decide between color #333 and #444. For those unfamiliar with hex code, let me tell you; there’s very little difference. Once that’s over, bar a few problems for which I need to seek outside advice, I pretty much rocket through to the end.

Outside of the web stuff I haven’t done much writing since I finished the first draft of my screenplay, which was a while ago now. I’ve simply been engrossed with other things, and although I have noted down a few ideas that I’d like to develop, nothing has actually happened. Bu once the websites and a few other things are out of the way, I know I’ll return to my writing, so I’m not worried.

In other news, a very exciting project is close to commencement. Can’t say too much, other than it’s going to be a lot of fun and a positive experience. In due course I’ll do a proper blog about it, I’m sure. And then there’s the poker scene, where unfortunately I haven’t been doing too well. Variance is annoying, and my bankroll is suffering because of it. No matter, I found funds I’d forgotten about on two different sites yesterday. Found $14 on one, threw it onto the biggest cash table I could get on (which was a really dumb move), and racked it up to $51. I also finished 3/990 in a super turbo tournament. Sadly for me the buy-in was only $0.02, so… you know, the prizes weren’t much.

Today… I wanted to do this entry because I haven’t checked in in a while. I also want to call the accommodation people at university to check a few things, read some poker books, play some poker, play some guitar, work on the websites a little more and I should also tidy my room a little. The floor needs vacuuming, particularly. Busy day for me then. Best get to it.

All the best…

My location is in the middle of the field on a tractor. The radio is broadcasting the local radio station while I am waiting for the harvester to make its turn so I can take the next five tons of grain back home. While waiting I think on my past trip to Dresden and the paper-clog that had been waiting for my attention since I started my masters. As I tend to always be on the move spending time in a different country I have a lot of paperwork waiting for my attention. Much of it is what a good friend of mine would call repetitive boredom and consists of tasks or information hardly worth my attention. I spent three days working everything out and I have now recycled almost everything. The few exceptions consisted of letters or postcards (I find these very motivating, even if they carry bad news, as there is something special about a handwritten note!) and a grant I was awarded.

This process also got me started on sorting out things I had in storage for years. Several times I pondered on giving everything to a second-hand shop as much of it is stuff I will not use for years, if at all. This also took days and during this a friend of mine called to hear how I am and tell me he was moving. Naturally I offered him help and met him the day after. In the moving process he asked me what I was doing with all my ‘stuff’ when I was moving around from country to country? If I brought it with me every time and if so how I did it? The answer was simple as I said ‘I have everything in two bags!’. He looked at me for a while and then towards his two car-loads, which we had just finished up packing.

It made me think on what mobility is? A few wise men have said following about it:

Birds have wings; they’re free; they can fly where they want when they want. They have the kind of mobility many people envy.

Roger Tory Peterson

There are two types of minds – the mathematical, and what might be called the intuitive. The former arrives at its views slowly, but they are firm and rigid; the latter is endowed with greater flexibility and applies itself simultaneously to the dive.

Blaise Pascal

Every new adjustment is a crisis in self-esteem.

Eric Hoffer

Though my answer to my friend came promptly I am still left somewhat dazzled about it. I used to have at least as much stuff as my friend and now I have two bags (one of which is filled with academic books, notes and the like). I also feel a little like Clooney in the movie Up In The Air. Everything suddenly has to be lean and it is almost in line with RyanAir’s maximum 15kg philosophy. Somehow I have managed to develop this eccentric need for being mobile and the freedom that comes with it. The idea of planing three weeks ahead suddenly causes distress and uneasiness.

The irony is that most people feel this way if things are not sorted out in advance or by a lack of structure. It is my belief that as an international student mobility is either a demand or gift depending on whom you ask. This made me curious on what experiences you may have had and how you deal with it and what is mobility for you?

Share a comment below or write me in person on kasse86@gmail.com. I am curious for your thoughts.

Listening to : One Winged Angel by Nobuo Uematsu

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it” is a quote by Henry D. Thoreau. Hopefully it’ll somehow turn out to be true.

Well, recently, there’s been an ‘Anime and Video Games Convention’ (AVCon) held in the Adelaide Convention Centre. What more can I say? WOW! FINALLY! I haven’t seen Adelaide being this lively for a good long year. So, being an anime fan… yeah… seriously… tried to snatch up the ‘Gold Pass’ on offer… but, I was too late, they were all sold out! Guess I’m not the only AVCon fan in Adelaide.

Even on the eve of the AVCon itself, there’re groups of people all dressed up as anime or cartoon characters thronging the city. It’s impressive how anime fans managed to dress themselves up in costumes and, surprisingly, look good in it (some of them). One thing hilarious about this is that there seem to be repetition when more than two people are dressed up as the same anime characters. Most watched anime among Adelaide-ians? I would say it’s Naruto.

The convention was a blast. Although it might be heaps smaller than Comic-Cons held in the United States or Japan, I am glad there’s a shift of atmosphere here in Adelaide.

Winter, thus far, has been harsh on me. Well, no surprise, it’s cold. But, it’s so much colder than the previous winter. My explanation for this abnormality; global warming. What’s more, there’s even been a case of tornado somewhere not far from Adelaide, or so they say. So people, please do take care of the environment or else we’ll not have any chance to laugh at the movie 2012 while watching it in 2013 =).

Anyway, its already the start of my fourth semester in Adelaide. And it is also my fourth semester living alone 4,000 miles away from the place I still call home. A whole new semester, with whole new avalanche of assignments, miserable lectures, miserable tests, miserable practical sessions… Gonna be needing tonnes of reading up on my courses.

Just like what one of my friends used to tell me, in high school: We were ‘spoon fed’ by our teachers and therefore didn’t have the need to look up materials ourselves. Well, explained using the ‘food’ analogy ^^.

Meanwhile in Pre-University courses (for I took Cambridge A Levels), the situation was like “lecturers will be cooking, and the students will be eating by themselves”.

Last but not least, at University level, it’ll be… “the lecturers will just throw you the pots and pans, and you’ll do the cooking alone”.

How true it is. Oh well, on a slightly more positive note, Royal Adelaide Show is coming to town! Hopefully it will bring more life to Adelaide =).

The days keep rolling by and always, I find myself plugging away at various jobs. From the web design of various sites, to managing business dealings and preparing for various film projects – I have a fair bit to juggle. I’m enjoying it, though. Like today, I’m sat on a comfy chair by the open patio doors, trying to negotiate my way through troublesome DIV tags and float settings in Dreamweaver. It’s pretty sweet. Especially when you consider I’ve got myself an unhealthily large bags of sweets and crisps to dig into.

I’m also still playing a lot of poker. At one point I was well above my monthly target, but then this past week I’ve experienced a bit of a downturn in fortune and have dropped just below it. Yesterday though I played damn good, very consistent – but still the luck evaded me and I managed to bubble (which means I missed out on the cash by one place) in six separate Sit-and-Go tournaments. Hoping to fare better when I hit the tables later today.

In terms of health and fitness, I guess I’m doing okay. Forgetting the aforementioned large bag of junk food, I’ve been following a fitness/strength training regime designed to get me to a level where I can perform one hundred push ups in a row. It’s going well so far, but I need to remember to eat well through the day because I had a tough last session, which I put down to not really eating much that day. Aside from this, I have a running program all ready to start. I just have to actually, you know, start the bloody thing. It’ll happen at some point.

Blogging has fallen down on my list of things to do, as I’m usually just tootling through the week without much happening. It’s cool, though. A while ago I was a little unhappy about my dwindling output, but then I changed things around a bit on my site and it’s all good again. Just checking in to say hello, but now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.

So hey, how’s your summer? What are you getting up to?

At the end of my sophomore year in college I felt a need to step out of my comfort zone and do something daring. I travelled overseas to Australia with International Student Volunteers.

I had been receiving ISV information via email and decided to research it. The more I read, the more I wanted to go to Australia. With my parents on board I began the most exciting journey of my life.

I was fortunate enough to travel with ISV in 2009. Not going into the trip with any expectations, I was overwhelmed with the overall experience. I had never travelled outside the US before so Australia was a new distant land that I didn’t know much about. Over the four weeks I spent in Australia, I came to love the people, the culture, and the land. I met some of the most amazing people and did some of the most life changing things while I was there. It really did change the way I view life and how I intend to live.

The first two weeks of my trip I stayed in a small fisherman’s town called Portland, located in the Southern most point of Australia. Along with eleven other ISV students, I worked on a conservation project protecting the Spider Orchid (an endangered orchid species) and the Orange Bellied Parrot. The satisfaction of protecting these species and meeting these remarkable people was priceless.

Moving on to the Adventure tour, I faced many of my fears and truly grew as an individual. The whole ISV group travelled the Eastern Coast exploring what Australia had to offer. Some of the activities I got to experience were; white water rafting, skydiving, rappelling down the Blue Mountains, etc.

ISV gave me the tools and experiences which has altered my direction in life. Along my four week journey, I met people who are still pillars in my life. I see the world in a different way and am more environmentally aware.

I am so enormously grateful for the life changing experience ISV gave me, and highly encourage anyone wanting a meaningful travel experience to travel with ISV – it was well organized and they pack so much into your trip. My project and tour leaders were so much fun and so knowledgeable. They helped me learn heaps about Australia and its amazing wildlife

Check out their website at www.isvonline.com and search for them on Facebook and YouTube!

Thank you ISV!

It has been a while since my last blog and in that time a lot has happened. The past three weeks have been consumed with me gaining selection for the IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships in Canada. A week before the championships I met up with the rest of the 45 strong team in London where we all boarded the flight to Halifax. After we arrived in Halifax there was a four hour drive to the University of Prince Edward Island, which was to be our training camp for the next week. The journey there was rather boring apart from when we crossed the bridge to Prince Edward Island which happens to be one of the longest bridges in the world.

It wasn’t until the team meeting that night that I really got to know the rest of team. This was my first Great Britain & Northern Island vest and as a result didn’t know many of the people on the team. This wasn’t helped by the fact that there were only two other Scottish people on the team. But after a few days I soon got to know everyone.

One of the most exiting points of my time in the training camp was when I was asked to do an interview for a Scottish national newspaper. When I wasn’t doing that or training I was usually in the swimming pool with the team. One of the highlight of the swimming pool was the diving board. It was 3m high and didn’t look that high at all but we didn’t realize that once up there our eye level would be about another 2m higher. Jumping off that board was one of the scariest things I have ever done.

After spending the week training we travelled down to Moncton, New Brunswick. This was where the over 2,000 athletes from over 150 nations would compete for the next week. The opening ceremony took place on the Monday night and was attended by the Canadian Prime Minister. However, I like the majority of the team did not attend. Rather we spent the time back at the athletes village relaxing for our upcoming races.

The athlete’s village was amazing. There was a large food canteen open from 5am to 11pm. Also there was a games room with all the latest games consoles along with table football and table tennis. During this time I met a lot of the other teams. Particularly the South Africans. Other than the Caribbean nations, South Africa was the only other English speaking country in our village. There were two athletes’ villages.

My race was on the Friday morning. And well, let’s just say it didn’t go as well as it should have. I should have made the final comfortably but just didn’t run the right race on the day. I finished 8th in my heat which also happened to be the fastest heat. The first two finishers in my race ran Olympic qualifying times! However, the experience was amazing; just the feeling of lining up on the line, in a 10,000 seated stadium, crowd roaring, and having your name called out and your picture shown on the large screen as well as on national television made it all worthwhile.

Two days later, after the closing ceremony and after party I returned home to Scotland to enjoy the next two weeks before I head back to DePaul for pre-season training. The whole experience was amazing and hopefully if you read my blog in around 12 months time I will have made the NCAA steeplechase final and made the British team for the European U23 Track & Field Championships.

Take Care,
Matt

Hi, I am Sonia Ziaee. I am just completing my Bachelors of Commerce Degree in Accounting and Finance at Flinders University in South Australia.

I was born in Afghanistan, but I spent a lot of my childhood growing up in Pakistan, due to the war in my country. Twice my family fled the country because of the war, and consequently, I completed my secondary and junior high or high school in Pakistan before returning home to Afghanistan in 2002.

In September, 2002, I was hired by the United Nations Development Program (the UNDP) as a lead instructor to teach computer skills to Afghan women. These women were especially keen to learn these skills as they had been deprived of education and there was a large gap between them and the new technologies used in today’s modern world. By 2006, we graduated over 300 students. During this time, I took computer classes from Cisco Systems and became a Certified Cisco Network Associate (CCNA). Shortly thereafter, I took additional advanced computer classes and training and I became certified as a Cisco instructor in the CCNA academic certification program. As a consequence, in late 2004 I was awarded a scholarship to travel to the United States and to receive additional advanced specialised computer training at the Cisco head quarters in San José, California.

Upon returning to Afghanistan, with the encouragement of Cisco Systems of San Jose, California and the assistance of the United Nations Development Program, the UNDP, I taught CCNA certification programs to Afghan girls, through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, (MoWA), Government of Afghanistan. It was during this time, I trained two of my students to become Cisco instructors as well and consequently run the program. My aim was to get them in a leadership position and have them act as role models for Afghan women.

Having accomplished this goal, in early 2006, I joined an Afghan-American firm called NCL as a Director of Procurement. During this time, I was the only women on the Board of Directors. After successfully establishing this department, I was promoted to establish the Budget and Cost Control Department.

During 2008, while remaining a full time employee of NCL, I started my bachelors program at the American University of Afghanistan as a full time night student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration. While attending classes I was informed of the Peace Scholarship Program at the University of Australia. I applied for the scholarship and after a competitive placement, I was the only Afghan student awarded the Peace Scholarship Program and invited to attend Flinders University as an international exchange student representing the Peace Scholarship Program for my country of Afghanistan.

During this time, and to the present time, I have remained a full time employee of NCL. Each day after classes I go back to my room and remain in contact with my company through e-mail and Skype, administering my daily duties for NCL.

This has been one of the best and richest experiences of my life. It has given me the opportunity to not only come to Australia and study, but to share my knowledge and life experiences with others, to meet new people, explore new cultures, and build up my educational level globally. With the completion of my two semester peace scholarship program, I was awarded a follow-on scholarship from the Business School at Flinders University to complete my bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance. My graduation date will be Jun 2011.

While studying here in Australia at Flinders University, it is has always been my desire to become an outstanding role model for my fellow Afghan sisters back in Afghanistan. In order to achieve this goal and desire, my goal after graduation from Flinders University is to gain admission in one of the excellent universities in the United States, Europe or Australia and pursue a combined master’s degree in Business Administration, International Law and International relations. Then through my life’s experiences, my hard work and my advanced education, I will be able to leverage my accomplishments and provide my fellow Afghan sisters with the inspiration, enthusiasm and conviction to peruse and accomplish their personal goals.

While attending Flinders University, and in order to remain grounded in my aspirations to become a better role model for my Afghan sisters, I became a member of SAWA, the Support Association for the Women of Afghanistan here in Australia. I participated in a number of fund raising programs for SAWA as a guest speaker sharing my life experiences growing as an Afghan woman in Pakistan and Afghanistan, for the SAWA members and the fund raising participants. In addition, I participated in a ZONTA International club’s annual meeting as a guest speaker to share my experiences throughout my life. ZONTA International seeks to advance the status of women worldwide by improving the status of women at the global and local levels through service and advocacy.

And in conclusion, may a say a very warm word about my adopted home of Australia?

Upon my arrival in Adelaide, I was very warmly welcomed to Australia by my “Australian sister” Helen and her Mother. I have been invited many times into their home and continue to spend time with Helen and her Mother at their home and out and about in Adelaide, as their adopted Australian daughter.

In addition, the people of Adelaide and Flinders University have gone out of their way to welcome me and make me feel a part of their community.

I have always known Australia to be a country that has always welcomed people of very different cultures and made them feel warm and wanted on their road to becoming citizens. They have shown the world that the only way to begin to bring peace to the world is to bring cultures together and work together and understand together. I am here at Flinders University on a Peace Scholarship and it is no coincidence that I feel and my personal experience here has shown, that Australia leads the world in its understanding and acceptance of people of different cultures.

Mark Skelton graduated from university in June 2009. With a graduate position lined up for a year’s time, he decided to take a gap year and joined Raleigh’s ten week spring expedition in Borneo.

I graduated from university in June 2009 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Sheffield. I had a job lined up with the graduate training programme at the Defence Engineering and Science Group (part of the MOD) but I asked for a year off. They agreed to this because Raleigh was seen by them as productive.

I was involved in charity and volunteering work in my third and fourth years at university and I wanted to continue it in my personal life. I heard about Raleigh from a presentation at university and it sounded good and well structured. The opportunities offered sounded amazing as did the support offered to me as a venturer. The infrastructure of the entire organisation including field base and the projects appealed to me as well.

During phase one of my expedition I went to Imbak Canyon to work on infrastructure development. The work was mentally challenging due to its monotony but it helped develop me physically and mentally which was one of the reasons I decided to go. From a scientific point of view, the work was very worthwhile. The camp was great; it was exciting to stay in a place built for expeditions. The environment was incredible and the chance to see what’s there and nowhere else was amazing. It’s something I never thought I’d be able to do. The team atmosphere was very laid back which suited the site. Interacting with the rangers was superb as they were friendly, accommodating and generous.

One of my best moments on expedition was washing in the river after two heavy days of trekking. It was like a Norwegian ice spa and got the adrenaline pumping again making you forget the physical exertions.

I went on expedition with goals in mind and added to those within a week of being at Imbak. I had an established attitude to people and realised I could be more accommodating of other people which is something I’m working on. You can’t switch off from people when you are in small team in the middle of nowhere.

After Raleigh I’m travelling round the Middle East for a few months and then I plan to begin work soon after that.

For me, Raleigh is all about new people from all walks of live all working towards one goal.

Find out more about Raleigh expeditions…

It was four years ago today I stepped off the plane from studying abroad in Seville. I might include that my parents were at my side, because I’d told them I wasn’t leaving Spain unless they were coming to retrieve me. While I don’t thank them for actually doing it (I sulked the entire eight hour flight home), I do thank them for instilling the heart of a lion in me.

There are a few reasons as to why I’m writing this:

• It’s an anniversary of one of the most extraordinary experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ve got time to remember.
• After waking up this morning on a friend’s couch in London, I noticed above my head a pleasant water mark that looked like someone climbed a ladder with a brown matte barrel and sketched the outline of Spain. Torture or coincidence, I’ll never know.
• I can’t get Seville, my three roommates, Angeles, my housemother who I thought could blow the roof off our apartment with her snoring, and even our ratty house dog Kiyo who I never once trusted, out of my head.
• Finally, I’m writing to urge students to study abroad, and specifically in Spain. (¡Viva España! is clearly written across my forehead.)

For those of you currently researching a university, and traveling and dipping into cultures might be your thing, check to see if it sponsors a study abroad programme. The department usually falls under “Student Life” or “Campus Life”. Programme lengths of study vary depending on the reciprocal school and country. At St. Bonaventure University where I attended, the department set everything up – from housing to classes, to my visa, to the flight and transportation. If you’re already attending a university that does not sponsor a programme or a programme that suits you, usually, they’ll be able to give you resources to find a school that does.

In addition, my university’s programme was able to offer me one of the endeavors from my long endeavor list; one semester in Spain and another minor under my belt. The whole concept seems quite juvenile now. I left with one more certificate, yes, but I left my heart at that departure gate in June.

Seville is breathtaking. Andalucians, the natives, are social butterflies and embrace their customs and culture as if it’s the only thing they have to hold onto. Their parks, museums, and art galleries are unmatchable. If you’re a night owl, welcome to the nightlife mecca complete with Flamenco dancing, festivals and botellóns (drinking in the streets). For a study abroad spotlight in my university’s newspaper, I wrote of Seville, “Students declare it a city of oranges in the south of Spain where the words “fiesta” and “siesta” have become the only words to live by.” The last time I heard, students still consider it this.

It was certainly a time I took for granted but never wanted to, and this existence I once lived I’m finally learning from. I wasn’t sure when it was going to hit me, the “all-encompassing lesson learned” of my time abroad, but it hit me today like a brick. Seville was six months of absolute absurdity, liberation, and more importantly, self-discovery.

Absurdity because language barriers are one of the funniest things I’ve ever encountered. Repeatedly, I would tell Spaniards things I didn’t mean to tell them. Once I told a 12-year-old boy during an Easter brunch in front of his parents and relatives that he was a cat (I meant to call him handsome) and that I hated his t-shirt (I actually loved it). Later when mulling over their discomfort with my remarks, I realized that I’d mistaken both an adverb and noun.

Liberation simply because I was a nineteen year-old college student, and the only care I had in the world was being able to find a seat on the city bus, and pondering that now, well, it wasn’t something that kept me up at night.

Some self-discovery came early on. After a trip to Aracena, a town built on caves, I found that I wanted to make travel an occupation. I decided I’d be a locomotive. Though I am somewhat, traveling a serious facet of my life, my career realities are at the forefront and such a lifestyle doesn’t seem all that possible yet.

The lesson at the end of all my traveling days? To wave to everything sensational I find and have to leave. I’m going to make a conscientious effort to remember to remember. To be grateful, which I guess makes this also an appreciation piece.

Thank you, Spain, for being my lotusland and somewhere I’ll always run to. Thank you, for the aleatory connections I had with the women of 14 Juan Pablo, 3 izquierda in 2006. Thank you, Angeles, for ironing my underwear and cooking tapas that tasted like Heaven, and even Kiyo, for never allowing me the pleasure of sleeping with the door open on balmy nights. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for putting up with my paltry company on that 747 you both couldn’t wait to get off. Thank you also for the meaning of unconditional!

So on my ending note, I ask you to dive into the study abroad life. It’s not a question of whether your loved ones will come get you, they’re going to have to.

All around me are the sounds of cutting-edge scientific research in action: the slow grind of a shaking water-bath keeping vials of blood from clotting, the whir of a pump mixing gases, the hum of machines to heat or cool oxygen electrodes. All around me are the tools of scientists: gloves, pipettes, tubes of various shapes and sizes, beakers, flasks, needles and syringes, liquid nitrogen. Life in the lab is driven by the beeps of two alarm clocks warning when the time to take the next sample is drawing near. And, surrounded by all this equipment, wires, giant tanks of gases, and tangles of tubes, work has slipped into a rhythm.

The end of my fourth week at the Mount Desert Island Biological Lab (MDIBL) is almost here and we’ve accomplished so much, and there’s still so much to be done. Two years ago when I learned about haemoglobin-oxygen affinity curves and heatshock proteins in my Animal Physiology class, I never thought that one day in the not-so-distant future I’d be spending hours and hours constructing them myself. I don’t suppose it’s particularly useful to go into the details of my research, but let it suffice to say that it’s involved, new, exciting, and has come to entirely occupy all my waking (and many of my sleeping) hours.

The other student I’m working with is one of my closest friends. He and I lived in the same residence for two years and have been roommates with three other people for the past year and will be next year, too. It’s both a blessing and a curse working with someone you know so well. We argue often but usually constructively and hardly ever for more than a few minutes. But we also spend a lot of time laughing and getting as much enjoyment as we can out of our work.

We have a very busy schedule that keeps us in the lab all day. Eight hour days are the norm, twelve hour days aren’t even remotely surprising, and sixteen hour days are occasional. However, the lab is a twenty minute bus ride from Bar Harbour which, despite how touristy it is, is quite a lovely town that provides much-needed respite from the campus and our lab work when we get the chance to go.

We have two weeks before we’re done and there are still many more experiments to do. Our trip has been extremely productive though. We’re getting very good data, our relationship with our professor is getting stronger every day, we’re starting to take real ownership of our projects, and we’ve learned so much. It’s really been a phenomenal experience.

In two weeks time I’ll be heading down to New York City to visit my best friend from high school who I haven’t seen since we graduated from high school four years ago. It’s going to be fantastic to see her and to be in New York, and I know the change from all this lab work is going to be much needed. I plan to spend five days there before I fly back to Sackville for the rest of the summer.

In the fall I will start my final year of university, which is guaranteed to be both intense and exciting, and I’m very much looking forward to it.

That’s all from me. Thanks for reading, folks!

The end of the year came sooner than I expected. I am back in France for the summer but I am missing Ireland and the wonderful public system.

Exam time was not a tough time for me. I think after three years studying I started to be used to the way of working. I spent most of my time in a nice and wonderful café in Dawson Street. I don’t work well in the library because there are so many people I know there and you are not supposed to talk, eat or drink anything other than water.

After the end of the 2nd semester, called Hilary term, we had two weeks off in theory to study for your exams. I said in theory because I didn’t. I am still wondering why so many people ran to the library at that time. I did not really step into the library during the whole exam period. I even spent a day in Armagh for a birthday present. The weather was very nice and it was very hard to be focused on exam study. But lucky me! As I said, when you start to know your topic you know the trick for being efficient. I think the fact that one of my subjects was the French revolution helped me a lot as my grandfather was so passionate about it. I have two pieces of advice for future Erasmus students. When your home advisor tells you that you’ve picked too many classes and you should drop some as it may cause trouble at the end of the year – do it! The second one is more for history students; Irish history is wonderful but don’t choose too many classes in Irish history, even if you don’t have a lot of other choice. I was a bit disappointed about that as most of the classes were Irish, British, American or French history. Concerning the exam, I was a bit surprised, as in France we don’t really have a choice of exam questions. Here you have a lot of choice and you have to answer more than one question, usually only two or three questions, as the exams are so short.

When I first started studying I had six hours exams, so that was a change. I think I managed well. I hope so at least! The exam procedure was a bit surprising as well. There are just a few rooms, the best one of course being the exam hall. Writing your paper while you are looking at Queen Elizabeth I is very classy! Some other are less impressive and stink a bit. My second surprise was that we had tables. In France we have tables in all our classrooms in college. I was very surprised that most of the classrooms in Trinity didn’t and was worrying about that for the exam. But apparently they found some hidden table somewhere! So the exam is in an exam room with a lot of people, not only from your class as some class can be very small (there were only two of us in my Medieval Irish history class, for example). There are invigilators in charge of the process. They are wearing a formal black dress at the beginning. Bit by bit you will see them taking those clothes off. But they are wearing something underneath so they are not getting naked during the exam! I don’t have that much to say about exams. As I said, I spent most of my time in café drink a good tea (Italian almond tea is my favourite) and attending movie nights and leaving parties. The sun did not help! I will try to write soon about my life post-Erasmus but life back in France is not that easy.

Run to the water, and find me there. Burnt to the core but not broken.

This morning I finally managed to haul my lazy butt out of bed and go for a run. It was around 6:40am when I first got up and it was quite a struggle. I meant to go yesterday but as I imagined might happen, my love for the soft, ever-loving mattress outweighed my desire to flap around the village in my trainers. Today though, no such issue. I was up and seconds later, despite myself, geared up in the clothes I’d laid out the night before. This was a tip from Mitchell Jones, and it worked pretty well.

After a few stretches and a swig of the good stuff, I set out walking to the outer village. I wasn’t sure exactly where I intended to run, so while I figured it out and fumbled with my iPod, I walked briskly as a sort of warm up to the big event. Soon enough I started running and it was great. For a majestic few minutes I ran at a great pace, backed by Thunder‘s What a Beautiful Day and it seemed that I was a natural – I should do this more – I should run a marathon – I should be a professional – wait – oh damn – I’ve got a stitch.

Ow, ow, ow. I slowed down, concentrating on my breathing and somehow managed to keep going. I made it to Barlow Common, a nature reserve that I’d decided was the best place to head to. Once in the car park (at which point I’d ran perhaps only a third of a mile, or no more than half a mile) I stopped and did some more stretching and got my breath back. I was happy to have made it there but thought that, in future, I’d like to not have to stop at all. After you stop once… the second time doesn’t seem so bad, then the third…. the fourth…. fifth…. what running?

Before you know it I’d relegated myself to doing more brisk walking than running (although I did run at set intervals, say; from here to that tree), and that’s not really what I wanted. But, realistically, I got out there and did some exercise. Hopefully today was me starting the ball rolling, and the next few times I’ll really start to get it moving.

So yes, I did more walking at the Common but then more running on the way to and from home, so I sort of sandwiched the good bits around some questionable effort. That’s okay for a first time, isn’t it? In future I need to take some water with me, because once I got to the Common I was spitting nothingness quite a lot. Needed water. Didn’t take any because I figured that taking a sloshing bottle of water would be annoying, but maybe the positives outweigh the negatives. Who knows? I also wondered why I couldn’t get the Nike+ iPod thing to work but, apparently, I need Nike shoes or a special adapter dongle or something. I don’t know if I’ll bother with it. I’m sure there’ll be some free alternatives in the App shop.

Overall I’m happy with how it went, but very much look forward to noticeable improvement in the future.

In other news, and just a brief update to bookend this entry – my writing is still going well. The finish line is in sight for my feature script. I’m still enjoying writing it and doing a healthy amount each week. I have the next few scenes plotted and noted down, so I should get onto writing those today. Business is also good; just this morning I received some important quotes and hopefully we can follow through with those. And finally, I’ve gotten back into poker this week, and have been enjoying some success with it. I’ve had a long break from the game, but feel refreshed and am able to keep a pretty level head, even when I flop the nuts but get busted by a donkey on a draw. That’s real terminology, folks.

Thanks for reading; any advice, tips or comments in regards to the running (or anything, really) are much appreciated.

As I am making my way back home to the place I was raised I find myself with plenty of time on the way to get updated on domestic matters that have seemed so far away this semester. I also happen to catch the way of Roskilde returning back to where they came from. The train is overcrowded, but with some luck I get a spot at the front of the train.

Taking in the information from the free newspapers handed out at the airport is precarious. Not much of it is actually interesting, but still it feels like getting your software updated. Though the programmes change the platform still stays mostly the same, other than the language switch. The hardware defiantly stays the same and I recognise I have neglected it some during the semester. Most likely exercising particular parts of the body.

Nevertheless it will be good to return back home and see the family, as well as taste the local cuisine. However I am not going to stay long as next semester commences in September and I need to find a place to live (though that seems to be almost sorted). Paris will be an interesting place to live and study (both being very different from each other and still connected). Most of all I cannot wait to meet the new people I will be in contact with until December, whereafter everyone will be scattered into placements around the world (or at least Europe).

Before going to Paris I have made some plans (though friends of mine would not call it anywhere close to a plan). I want to go see the south-eastern parts of Germany (Dresden, etc.) and perhaps venture into eastern Europe which is still very much a blank spot in my mental map of Europe. What are the tastes, sounds, flavours and people like in the eastern part of Europe? I hope I will get to know. Besides that, harvest season will probably draw me home end of July or early August (depending on the weather).

Before I left Dublin I went on a short trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the most enchanting weather ever and the locals were lying around and enjoying the sun in all the parks of the city. We also climbed a pre-historic volcano just outside the city (which is where the picture is from). Furthermore we got to see the Parliament of Scotland having a very emotional and passionate debate prior to voting on the legislation for ‘knife crime’. We even had victims present and watching the debate; this made everything very tense and interesting.

I’d never had the chance to see the law being made (most unnatural it had to be in Scotland – the newest of all European parliaments). Getting in is fairly easy and everyone was very helpfully guiding us through the political procedures. Best of all it is free and teaches you a lot about politics in very little time. If you have the chance to see your Parliament or that of any other country performing their duties then I highly recommend that you go!

Since I started traveling in 2002, I have only encountered one sunburn. And I vividly remember that last sunburn; April 2006, Quito, Ecuador. I had arrived a few days before my tour began and planned to do some sightseeing in this equatorial city. I followed normal protocol of applying sunscreen but then made the mistake of changing my shirt at the last minute. Unfortunately, the two tops were cut very differently and I got a very interesting sunburn that day. Since then I have adopted some practices which have kept me sun safe in dozens of countries.

1. First Things First: Before I leave my house or hotel, I apply sunscreen to my entire body (or the areas that will be exposed) and then, after it dries, get dressed as usual. This method allows for the sunscreen to absorb into your skin and allows for more even coverage since you’re not dealing with trying to avoid clothing. I use Coppertone Nutrashield with SPF 70 and love the non-greasy, pleasant smelling sun protection. I always throw the bottle in my daypack for touch-ups which I try to do every few hours if I am outside and even more frequently if I am in the water.

2. Benefits of Beauty: On most days, I use Benefit You Rebel as my foundation along with many of their other products, most of which are infused with SPF. But for travel days, I like to keep my make-up simple. I started with an oil-free moisturizer with SPF 15 (I love Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 15) and keep it simple with waterproof mascara and Softlips lip balm SPF 20. For non-greasy touch-ups, I am officially obsessed with Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30. It’s easy to bring with and reasonably priced.

3. Hat Trick: I never really liked hats. Maybe it is my head shape or something but I always thought they looked weird on me. Then, a trip to the Dominican Republic was on my radar. Wanting to be sun safe at the beach, I found a cute yet practical wide-brimmed straw hat. It helped me protect my skin while looking chic. And it even had an added bonus: I could crumple it up in my bag and it would emerge unscathed. Score! When shopping for a hat like this, look for one with a tightly-woven material to help provide maximum protection.

4. Avoid Peak Hours: The sun shines its brightest in the middle of the day. If at all possible, I try to avoid being out in direct sunlight during the midday hours. Instead, I’ll do a morning hike and a late afternoon swim opting for indoor or shady activities in between. Napping, massage, and eating are my favorite things to occupy that time!

5. Eye Candy: Be sure to invest in a pair of sunglasses before your next trip to protect your eyes from UV rays. I usually opt for a cheaper pair as I often break or lose mine! I also pack a hard plastic case (many stores give them to your with the purchase of sunglasses) which has increased the life on my glasses. And remember to also include them if you are going to a snow destination (like skiing in the Andes in July?) as the sun reflects off the snow and your eyes are vulnerable to the intense glare.

What are your sun safety tips? Share them here!

(Kristina Wegscheider is not a doctor but she is a very fair-skinned person who travels a lot. Kristina is also the co-founder of DIWYY. Email her at kristina@diwyy.com)

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel with International Student Volunteers (ISV) to the Dominican Republic and my life was changed forever.

ISV gave me a very unique experience where I was able to make a positive impact on the lives of local families by volunteering and also travel around the Dominican Republic doing a bunch of different fun adventure activities.

When I arrived I immediately fell in love with the Dominican Republic. My two favourite aspects about my ISV trip was the children that we were able to help on a daily basis, and our  amazing ISV leaders who worked non-stop to ensure our group of twenty students were going to have an incredible month-long adventure. I loved my trip because we did more than just volunteer work. After our project we toured the entire island for two weeks and ISV took us whitewater rafting, surfing, snorkeling, rappelling down waterfalls, cliff jumping, canyoning, windsurfing, and exploring the Dominican culture. The organization and number of activities that were set up for me in just two weeks far exceeded my expectations.

As fun as the adventure tour was, the biggest impact that ISV had on me was during the 2 weeks I spent on my Volunteer Project at Crossroads. I saw things I would have never imagined and the conditions that people have to live in was a very eye opening experience. I instantly fell in love with the place and people we were helping. Remembering the smiles on the kid’s faces as our bus pulled up to their village on the dirt roads, to have them greet us with hugs, climbing all over us as we arrived each morning still brings a smile to my face today. I was able to really connect with the people in the village.  The families invited me in their new homes, showed off their decorations and homes with so much pride and joy. Seeing how grateful they were for what we were doing is one of the biggest rewards I have ever felt. I can’t thank ISV enough for giving me this amazing opportunity and organizing the trip of a lifetime.

Part of our project involved trips to poor villages and distributing toiletries, food, milk, and medical treatment for the sick. This experience made me appreciate everything I have so much more.  Their smiles and the joy they shared with me will last forever.  On our project we built houses alongside the families who were to live in them and worked to build systems to allow running water and electricity – basic things I had always taken for granted. We also donated suitcases full of clothes, toys and educational materials. No matter how much we gave this community, it still felt like I was the one they were helping. This experience made me appreciate everything I have so much more and gave me a whole new outlook on life.

I have been on other volunteer trips before and nothing comes close in comparison with the experience that I had with ISV. ISV’s professionalism and organization in setting up such an amazing programme is something I would recommend to anyone who is looking to travel. The friendships I made in the Dominican Republic, the lives I helped change, and the kids hanging all over me with smiles on their faces are things that will always be with me thanks to ISV.  To join ISV, you may visit www.isvonline.com and submit an application – trust me, its amazing!

The creative spark is something that I don’t think I’ve ever naturally possessed. I’ve always had to work hard when it comes to creative expression. I’ll sit there doggedly second guessing myself and starting over and over, while some other person flies through without trouble, laying down something that’ll leave me envious for days to come. It’s something I’ve sporadically thought about all the way through my childhood and even still now occasionally devote time to. In my younger years especially it angered me that I exhibited an aptitude for academia, but showed no signs of any real…. what’s the word… talent? I considered myself as the boy who could walk through exams with absolute answers, but  would instantly fail when craft or creativity became involved.

Nowadays, of course, I’m ever-so-lightly wiser and realise that I still had a fairly good deal. I can do the straight and narrow with my eyes closed so, if all else fails, I should still be able to get somewhere. But through it all, I can’t help looking over at the truly talented kids and yearning to swap places. Maybe I’m wrong to do so? Maybe they’re looking back at me and thinking the same, and we could swap but would find that actually it’s all rubbish, the grass is greenest on neither side, and we shouldn’t have bothered. Who’s to say, really?

Cutting to the chase, inspiration is something I’ve tried hard to find over the years. If I have to be honest, I can’t think of too many times where I’ve actually found it. But lo and behold – here I sit, alone in the house, listening to The Distance to Here by Live and I feel as inspired as ever. I have it blasting quite loudly, resulting in every little nook and cranny of the craftsmanship becoming so… clear. This all started when I finally managed to break through the initial stages of a feature script; detailed in my previous entry. Since then I’ve been feeling really good, positive, and creative. I’m listening to music not just for pleasure, but with a critical eye – picking out particular bass lines, lyrics and flicks of guitar work that I find interesting. I don’t feel mentally blocked. It won’t last, I’m sure; but while it’s here I’d like to say that I’m bloody well loving it.

Over the past week I haven’t worked on my feature script as, instead, I’ve been working on another project which has been great. Working alongside another writer is an interesting experience, and one I’d love to do again in the future. There’s a healthy element of competition, and it’s great to bounce ideas off another person instead of a brick wall. Things moved along with wonderful pace, and a first draft has been finished. The second should begin in due course.

Once the writing is done there, I intend to go back to my own script and continue with that. I also have a few other ideas bobbing around in my head, and then of course I’m still very interested in heading down to London in search of work experience. As I’ve said before, the summer has only really just started but already I feel I’ve achieved a lot. There should be a lot more to come as well. As of right now I’m just vibing to some music, and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Tell me, how is your summer going?

After working for an NGO in India, Nitin Rishi decided to learn more about International development work and joined Raleigh’s ten week spring expedition in Costa Rica & Nicaragua.

I decided to join Raleigh because I wanted to learn more about developmental work, do some travelling and get a true insight into the ways different people live their lives. I liked how Raleigh was a diverse organisation in the sense that there would be people on expedition from all over the world and I was especially attracted to Raleigh’s Host Country Venturer programme.  Additionally, the projects that Raleigh runs in Costa Rica and Nicaragua looked worthwhile and very interesting.

My first project was the expedition environmental phase in Camaronal Wildlife Refuge. The aim of the project was to clear a 3km path from the Rangers station, through the grasslands that ended at the end of the beach.  Along this path, a bridge and a set of stairs also had to be completed.  Additionally, at night there would be turtle patrols, whereby smaller groups would scour the beach searching for turtles laying their eggs, turtle nests and poachers.  The eggs, once found, would be re-buried in order to protect them from the poachers.

My group for this project were one of the highlights for me because it was a project highly focused on teamwork and group activities and it made the project really enjoyable.  The turtle patrols were amazing and we were fortunate enough to see a leatherback as well as experience numerous other sightings with different species. The building of the bridge was a rewarding experience and provided a change to the path clearing, as we were able to create and design the structure. The project was incredible and I really enjoyed that phase.  It’s not every day that the opportunity arises whereby a group of strangers live on a deserted, beautiful beach and leave being the closest friends.

My second expedition phase was the Corcovado Trek. Trekking was a really unique experience and something that I found was really interesting, in terms of learning about other people and the way they react to certain things, and of course yourself. I learnt how to deal with certain situations and have the best time without anything!

The third and final expedition phase was the community project in El Tererro, Nicaragua. The project involved building a community centre and museum which was incredible. What was so important was how our presence impacted the lives of the local people living in this community. The fact that we were there and settled in such an unfamiliar environment is strange, however before long you become a big part of the community’s life and they become a big part of yours. It’s quite a special experience.

Every phase was very different; having this variety was an absolute highlight.

Find out more about Raleigh expeditions…

First of all thanks for all the good responses I have had from everyone reading. I am very grateful – Thank you.

As I wrote last we went on the Wicklow Way to test our stamina and experience the Irish nature, which has been so remote in our time spent behind the dime glasses in the library this semester. We had prepared for everything. Rain, wind, storms, water and food shortages, mountain lions, etc.

We had taken all the necessary precautions and even brought sunblock (factor 50) as we noticed the sun was shining the day before we were going to leave. That sun block came in instant use, as the sun had a clear sky to smile down from. And boy did the sun smile! At midday we had already applied two layers of sunblock and were reaching temperatures of 20-25°C, which is pretty unique for Ireland. The sun kept shining through the day and after seven hours of exposure we made our first camp destination. As we set up the tent, in the beautiful surroundings of a completely green valley with forest and trees up both sides and a river running only a few paces from our tent, we noticed that we were both quite tanned – not to say red.

During the night it became clear that we were both suffering from a minor and severe sunburn. We decided to head back to Dublin as we realized that the following day was going to be no less sunny. It was slightly disappointing to abort the trip and head back.

However as my Dad always used to say – ‘There’s nothing so bad, that it does not do any good!’

Once again he was proven right. When we got back we figured we had to spend the next coming days inside and my mind drew onto freelancing. I spent the rest of the day setting up an online account as a freelancer and made some bets for a few jobs. Three days after I landed two jobs and have already fulfilled the first milestones in the projects.

It is interesting to do these freelance tasks as they require no proof of your abilities (e.g. references or diplomas). You simply take a few online tests or bid low enough to get your first chance. Naturally you have to perform outstandingly in order to get a good reference for your future profile and biddings. What I find interesting is that most of these jobs fit perfectly for international students. Most international students are bilingual, some even trilingual or more. This gives you the ability to perform translations for online websites, product descriptions or give cross-cultural advice. Most of the international students also knows how to work Google Docs, Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Facebook or even do basic programming. These skills are also often required by small companies who do not have the capacity to hire a professional. Instead these companies offer these jobs to freelancers as a one-time job, yearly or sometimes even as monthly tasks.

For me it is not so much about the money. I appreciate that and it helps me funding my education and living costs. But most of all I like the success, being able to apply the skills that you have picked up and create something useful is quite an achievement.

While working on these tasks I also got to restart my Couchsurfing profile and start meeting up with CS’ers (Couchsurfers) again. Couchsurfing is a very interesting idea where you can offer you couch to travellers or simply just show travellers around your city and tell them local tales or listen to their stories. Often there are gatherings where CS’ers meet in a city for food and drinks. I have been to a few of these gatherings and there tend to be many people from all over the world with many stories and things to tell. As it happened I met up with a guy from L.A. (USA) and talked about his experiences in Africa, the Azores and here in Dublin. He also turned out to be a TV series writer and used to make a living writing soap operas and comedies, etc. A very interesting guy all in all.

The purpose of my website was to flex my literary muscles in the hope that, suitably greased, I’d soon start knocking the scripts out left, right and center. On the whole it hasn’t really worked, because my output has been pretty much nil. Until now.

Over the last week or so I have set about writing a feature length script. I’ve had the idea swirling around in my head for a good few months and thought I might as well have a crack at it. I’ve found that it helps to structure myself to a few scenes per day. At the end of each day I have another think about where I want the story to go, and then bullet point the next few sections. It breaks things down to a digestible level that, so far, I’ve been able to deal with.

I’m roughly halfway through and already dying to get back round to the start for a second draft. I’m trying not to stall too long on one part, as getting through a whole first draft in itself would make me happy and, I’m pretty sure, is very important in the context of understanding, accepting and becoming comfortable with the writing process.

Before this I’d often thought about starting something, but struggled to get my head around just how things would begin, or where should they develop, where should they end – and a multitude of other questions that I simply couldn’t answer in one go. This resulted in much frustration and no work getting done. Now though, things are plodding along, and I’m very satisfied with it.

In other news I’ve got a few other writing projects on the go (including some sketch based work), and business is also good. I’ve only been back home a short while, but already I feel like I’ve achieved a healthy amount. This is good. Very good. Long may it continue.

So it has been a while since my last blog. However, in that time a lot has happened making it a whole lot easier to write this for your enjoyment… I hope!

Last time I was just preparing to head down to Austin, Texas for the NCAA Regional Track and Field championships. Going into this I was feeling somewhat confident at finishing in the top twelve and gaining a place in the national championships in Oregon the following week. However, the extreme heat of Texas soon put paid to those aspirations. Had I run my PR (personal record) I would have made it to the national championships. But nonetheless I loved every minute of my time in Texas even if it was inhumanly hot.

During my time there one of the strangest things happened. The stadium was evacuated due to a lightning strike risk. When I was informed of this as I attempted to enter the stadium I remember looking up at the clear blue sky and then sarcastically at the security guard before being informed once more that, “rules are rules”. It turns out that atmospheric pressure stuff can cause lightning, so at least I learned something new on that trip.

The last week of school I spent proudly wearing my Texas Longhorns t-shirt and trying to force myself to attend what few classes remained. It was not easy I can tell you that much. But it all paid off in the end when I ended up with almost straight A’s apart from a B+. That B+ hurt a lot!

I returned home about two weeks ago only to find myself spending about five hours in Scotland before hopping back on a plane to head down to London for a race the following day. The race itself didn’t go well at all, mainly due to the jetlag which I should have guessed would have happened. But I did spend the following day in London with my sister who had travelled down with me. We decided to venture out to a place called Camden Market. In case any of you aren’t familiar with this place, it is famous for fake goods, illegal goods, and downright weird goods. This was an experience that I would recommend to anyone who visits London in the near future. The rest of the day we spent trailing up and down Oxford Street along with the other thousands of people.

However, the past week has been a period of welcome relaxation but this coming Thursday I have my sister’s graduation from St Andrews University to attend so I am almost positive I will get caught up in the stress of the big day.

Take Care,

Matt

In the blink of an eye… its autumn already? Oh gosh – see how time flies… unforgiving as always. The wind of autumn brings more than just showers and gusts (most of the time exams and sales come along) but this year, there’s a little twist – it’s World Cup season again!

Held every four years, the world’s best football teams gather and pit their skills against each other. I’ve been rooting for Argentina, South Korea and Portugal to go all the way into the quarterfinals for the tournament, but this year round, the mood isn’t the same as the previous years. Well, that’s to be expected, when my finals fall right smack in the period of the World Cup matches. *groans~*

Oh well, such is life…

And lately, I’ve just discovered something new in my life, or perhaps, a rediscovery! Well, I’ve been wondering for some time why some friends of mine spend their time shopping online. To me, shopping online is like dumping real cold hard cash into a mysterious insecure void. But still, I’ve bought some stuff over the net recently and it’s pretty convenient. Sit back in the comfort of your own room, and with just a few clicks, tah-dah, you’ve completed your transaction. Simple, fast and convenient.

What’s more, most friends of mine who’re currently studying in universities in the northern hemisphere are done with their final exams! This is so unfair… with me now watching them rejoice while having to suffer the pre-examination-stress… and the existence of social networks like Facebook doesn’t help much either >.< Seeing them posting pictures of their holidays while backpacking around Europe or even jumping over to the newly built casinos and Universal Studios in Singapore’s Sentosa Island. I’d be lying to myself to say that I’m not jealous.

Oh well, winter break is just a stones throw away. While I creep through these few days panicking over my unfinished revision, wondering if I could even get through the exams unscathed, let alone passing all of my subjects. After spending months slacking in classes, this is indeed a small price to pay for a big lesson.

Moral of the story, never leave revisions till the final hour. Till we meet again =)

The clock hits 12.45 on Monday the 24th of May and the nice lady in front of all the tables tells us to stop writing. Five minutes after chatter breaks out and the woman in front of the tables raises her voice just enough to announce that ‘the exams are now over…’. Everyone streams out the door towards the sun shining outside. The exams are now officially all over and for many that means they get to go home. Similarly, I get to go home as well and visit my family. A week after visiting the family I am enjoying the sun in Copenhagen for a few days before the trip goes back to Dublin and towards Cork and Galway.

Copenhagen was sunny and nothing was planned as the hostel was booked the night before, since I did not manage to find a couch to surf. My mum, second youngest brother and girlfriend came along on the train to visit my eldest younger brother in Copenhagen. He is serving in the Queens guard until end of August when his time is done. He showed us around town and told us about the history of the Kings and Queens, along with some anecdotes from the band-of-brothers. In the evening we dropped my mum and two brothers off at the train station for the night train back home. Hereafter I called a couchsurfer whom I stayed with last time I was in Copenhagen and we arranged to meet up at Studiestæde 15. We went there only to discover that he had left out that it was in the midst of a street festival named Distortion. Since the weather was amazingly good it seemed like the whole town had come out and the whole situation was quite similar to the 1st May Demo in Berlin (though on a slightly smaller scale).

The following day was another sunny one and we went around the city to visit Børsen, Christania, etc. The next morning we left and flew to Dublin then took the bus south the following day and arrived in Cork somewhat after noon. Cork is a very interesting place, the University is especially worth a visit. Also the Blarney Castle which contains the blarney stone that blesses the ones kissing it with eloquence is to be found there. For a more in depth info on Cork have a look at http://www.wikitravel.org/en/cork

On the third day we left for Galway and had some interesting days there. Recommendations would be the Salthill promenade or the Cathedral, also check http://www.wikitravel.org/en/galway for more.

We had some nice Irish days with rain and some amazing days with sun. The days with sun were even so good and plenty that we managed to get ourselves slightly reddish. In Galway we also bumped into a writer in the hostel. He had a lifetime of stories to tell. Most of all he was aiming to write one million words this year or, for my understanding, the equivalent of ten books! That was amazing. He started about three years ago when he and his wife departed from each other. He was 72 and had dedicated the last of his life to writing which he was very passionate about. If you see his book called O’Briens Brothers – Galway to New York in the stores a year from now flip through it, as he told me this was going to be his masterpiece!

Back in Dublin I will spend a week showing my grandmother around and the mother of my girlfriend. After that week we will walk into the wilderness of the Wicklow Mountains just south of Dublin. The walk is more than seven days long and stretches over 127km with trails sometimes over 400 meters above sea level. The trip will be in a tent and we have planned to take the first three days of the walk and then see if we will continue. You can see the trail for yourself here http://www.wicklowway.com/trail-maps/index.php

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of my internships in Dublin was at Newstalk Radio, Ireland’s national independent talk radio broadcaster. This was a far cry from the radio work I had done at the University of Rochester, which was all music related. Instead of fielding song requests from callers and keeping tabs on which songs I had played during each set, I was researching events like the Lisbon Treaty and writing briefs on international news stories that would be broadcast on air. This was obviously a huge change, but I was up to the challenge because radio and journalism in general is something I’m passionate about.

While I’m used to being in the driver’s seat during my radio shows at home, I was in a backseat role at Newstalk. This is one of the most important things to remember about interning abroad, but also in general; don’t expect to be given a ton of responsibility up front – sometimes you have to prove yourself to gain more advanced assignments. Obviously, it would have been pretty weird to hear a girl with a very American accent on an Irish news program, so I was happy to be more in the research/ coordinating interviews department. Besides, there is plenty of work in the radio business that is not on-air related. I was astounded to see the sheer number of people it takes to put on one programme from start to finish.

When I did have free time on my hands I tried to use it in a practical way by reading news stories relating to Ireland and the United Kingdom. Rather than texting with my friends or Facebooking, I knew it was important to learn as much as I could about Irish culture while immersed in the country itself. I always took opportunities to go to lunch or work meetings when invited because I knew that was also a way to learn about both political and cultural aspects of Ireland itself – from people who had actually lived and grown up there. This part of the experience included an exciting meeting with one of the broadcasters himself – Brendan O’Brien.

Although we feel more comfortable when we do something familiar, the advantage to working at an international news radio station to me, was that it broadened my understanding of the different aspects of radio. Plus, it was fun. If you’re going to do something completely out-of-the-ordinary, do it while you’re young.

I just finished my exams, the Football World Cup finally kicked off and the Chicago Blackhawks won the NHL Stanley Cup after 49 years! Talk about perfect timing. I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend. And as I start sharing my experience studying in the United States as an international student with you, I feel very excited. I hope my blogs are fun, and are able to give you some insight on what college life in the US may be like.

What better way to start than introduce myself? Well, my name is Ronak Jain. I am an undergraduate business student and I enjoy playing tennis, watching old movies, and listening to classic rock bands. I am from India and growing up I lived in two cities – Mumbai where my family still lives and where my ‘real’ home is, and Bangalore where I studied at a boarding school for six years and also where I completed my high school going through the excruciatingly rigorous IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma Program.  It paid off though; it mentally, physically and academically prepared me for college life. Also, studying at a boarding school from a very young age helped me be independent and deal with homesickness but then again, there are always times when you just miss mom’s home cooked food.

After high school, I made the decision to come to the United States for college. It was a very exciting time for me and a new chapter in my life. Fast forward almost three years and here I am in Chicago studying at DePaul University. I’m working towards earning my Bachelor’s of Science in Finance and I just finished my third year. I will be a senior in fall and I am just amazed at how fast time flies. As summer starts, I have decided to stay back in Chicago and take a few summer courses instead of going back to India. India can be a little too hot in the summer and I usually go back in the winter during the Christmas holidays. This way I am able to escape a part of the notorious Chicago weather, and at the same time enjoy the pleasant winds of Mumbai.

Studying at DePaul University has been a great experience so far. So has been living in Chicago. Chicago is home away from home now. DePaul and Chicago have given me some wonderful opportunities to grow intellectually, professionally, and personally. During my time here, I have had the opportunity to work as a research assistant helping professors on some very cool projects, intern at the headquarters of a political campaign and become a Global Ambassador to share my experience as an international student at DePaul; something that I really enjoy. As a finance student, I hope to graduate in a year and find a job as a financial analyst specializing in green investments and sustainability.

I hope this brief introduction has given you some idea of me and my background.  There are a ton of things that I am waiting share with you, from the funny stories of my first day in the US to my camping trip from two weeks ago.  I think i-studentlife is a very cool idea and a great place for some rich cultural interaction. So feel free to leave me a message.  And look out for my next post!

My name’s Christian. I am from Sønderjylland in Denmark, currently a postgraduate studying International Strategic Management. I enjoy travelling, reading, languages, cooking and baking. You are welcome to get in touch with me on Skype: viking-pet or by email: kasse86@gmail.com. I mean you no harm and I assume the same of you? I may be slow to respond, but I will respond. The reason for my slow response is that I grew up on a farm, and here things take time. Corn does not grow overnight nor without any thought, so I will be mulling over your question in order to give you the best answer.

I grew up in a region most Danes might think of as being the place that should have stayed German, or at least be considered to be sold off in the current crisis. We speak an odd dialect that is hard to understand and we tend to pace ourselves. Raised alongside three younger brothers, my parents had to see through a lot of mess that follows young boys! I was for a long time, somewhat due to my background, reluctant to travel and experience the world. Partly I was scared and partly I was too comfortable. So it was a big decision when I chose to do the last semester of my diploma in an internship abroad.

My school was offering England, Germany, the USA and New Zealand as opportunities, but none of those took my interest. Instead I worked my parents network and found an internship in Singapore. Since this internship I have not been able to rest in one spot and have been to pretty much most of western Europe living in countries such as Germany, England and Ireland. The next destination on my map is Paris, France.

After returning from Singapore I decided to top-up my diploma with a UK bachelors degree and went to Coventry University. I stayed there for a year and after finishing my exams found myself with a month left and nowhere to live. Instead of going home, as perhaps most people would do, I decided to explore England. Exploring in a different way than usual, because I stayed on the couches of people I had never met before and shared food, stories, nights out, ideas, life and celebrations. I went couchsurfing and haven’t stopped yet! I went even further and started riding with people I had not met before, better known as hitchhiking or auto-stopping. There were all these kind people in the world just waiting to help you out or help you get where you’re going. Along with them came experiences, tales from the road, tastes from far away and friendships that would have normally taken decades to collect. Considering that I have been doing this for a little more than three years I would say that I have collected memories for something close to the ten-fold here of.

I got to share my own stories, in time, and the culture which I come from. I learned to be proud of certain things that were Danish and I learned to live with those that were not so impressing. I learned to cope with different attitudes to life and experience the fauna and colours existing outside of my limited world. I improved my languages and picked up pieces from other.

The Danish people are said to be among the happiest in the world, which some attribute to their low expectations of life. The famous H. C. Andersen expressed that “at rejse er at leve” or in English, “to travel is to live”!

I am travelling, living and happy or, as phrased by a community in which I lived for a year; Learn, Teach and Share.

The time to leave Lincoln has finally come. The party is over. Over the past month or so I have witnessed many of my classmates, friends and flat family depart, one by one, back to their homes across the country. Or even, indeed, to other countries around the world. Now it’s my time.

The year has gone by pretty quickly, almost scarily so, but I’m happy to say I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. From the countless late nights and even later mornings, to the plentiful days off and constant PS2 filled freedom – it’s been a lazy, blissful blast. But now with very few people still crawling around the accommodation complex, I’m looking forward to going home and kicking back with the family. It’ll be a welcome change and just the right amount of time to ensure I have plenty of fun at home, and am then ready to come back when September eventually rolls around. It’s pretty much win win all around.

I’m also actually looking forward to packing; it’s a guilty pleasure. I’ll get to spend a day folding and squishing and organizing everything I have into the smallest spaces, and then when I’ve finally done it it’ll be a wonderfully geeky but nevertheless enjoyable accomplishment. It will also be quite the challenge because, shamefully, I’ve accumulated a hell of a lot of shoes since I got here.

Tomorrow will be a brilliant day. I’ll get to watch the England match AND fit all of my jeans into a single suitcase.

Do you like packing too? Or am I the only one? In the world.

Well that’s it. Over. Done with. It all came to an abrupt and very final stop two weeks ago. I have always viewed the end of exams as a little bit of an anti-climax. I mean sure, there is that initial rush that you get as you walk out of the exam hall knowing that when you wake up tomorrow and for the foreseeable future, you have nothing to do. But this wears thin and all those lost hours of sleep from the previous weeks with the stress and study and constant worry about your level of preparedness take over. You realise you’re very tired.

Exams in Trinity are very taxing. Most assessment is based purely on exam results and although semesterised, we only sit end of year exams meaning we can be tested on anything we’ve learnt for the entire year. I started studying earlier than I ever have before, these being my finals, and while it helped with my preparedness, the stress levels remained. These were probably compounded by the fact that every year without fail, when students start converging en masse to the libraries and table space becomes a premium, the sun comes out here in Dublin and there’s no sign whatsoever of rain. The days start that little bit earlier and the sun shines brightly, as if testing our power of will in the face of looming exams. Every year without fail.

I walked from my final exam with a smile on my face. It had gone very well with some friendly questions found when I turned the paper over. I had completed 19 hours of exams in six days. My second paper had not gone well at all but I think when it comes to exams everyone is going to have a poor paper, the trick is to forget about it and move on confident in the knowledge that there are points that can be made up in the next papers. A sense of elation quickly infused me with an energy that was distant from my actual reserves. As a class we headed to the Pavilion Bar, a Trinity post exam institution.

In the Pav, with people sprawled out all across the lawn, we laughed and joked about the previous four years. Here we stood, all of us now having honours degrees. We had a few drinks and ate some lunch and enjoyed the weather which had the courtesy of staying nice and warm for us. Great plans were made for the night ahead. Looking around with a sense of achievement it began to happen; my eyelids started to feel remarkably heavy. Soon, sitting around a very subdued table, I noticed the eyelids of my classmates were faring no better in their battle against tiredness. With that, not wanting to force the issue, we finished our drinks and headed home for a well earned afternoon nap, a re-charge if you will for the night that was to follow. Done and dusted.

Hello there readers of i-studentlife, how are you doing?

My name is Ray Wilson and I study media production at the University of Lincoln. I started in 2009 and will finish in 2012, unless Hollywood calls and I have to postpone my education sometime soon. It could happen, you never know.

Starting from now I’ll be contributing here, so you can follow me on my journey through my degree. Some weeks I might be talking directly about the work, or perhaps what I’ve been getting up to in my spare time. There’s a lot to do at university and, arguably, the off-work time is more important in your personal development. So there’s likely to be a range of content. To give you an idea of what you can expect I’m interested in films, TV, music, games, poker, skateboarding, writing, reading, juggling, designing, business and much more. Hopefully I’ll be able to teach you a few things over the coming months but, if not, maybe you’ll still get a laugh or two.

—–

Visit Ray’s website here: http://www.theraywilson.com/

Since this is my first blog I guess I should begin by introducing myself. My name is Matthew Graham, and I am currently a sophomore at DePaul University. At the present moment I am a global ambassador for DePaul University. Essentially my job is to communicate with incoming students and help them in the decision making process. My home town is Glasgow, in the United Kingdom/Scotland. I started off as a marketing major but gradually realized that I really do not like maths that much and so I switched to Political Science which I find a lot more interesting.

As for the future I plan on seeing the world while I am still young. Being away from home for the past two years has really opened my eyes up to what the world has to offer. If all goes well after graduation in two years time I plan on doing one of the following three things. The first of these is to study for a masters degree hopefully in either London, Amsterdam or somewhere in France. In high school I took six years of French and would love to pick it up again.  My second plan if I do not do a masters degree is to hopefully gain a place on the Foreign and Commonwealth graduate programme where I could begin my career in diplomacy early.  My third and final option is to hopefully gain a commission as an officer in the Royal Marine commandos.  However, I am still not wholeheartedly set on either of these options. I shall just have to wait until nearer the time before I make any decisions on my life after university.

Most of the time I can either be found in the library or on the Chicago lake front training with the DePaul University track and field team.  Ever since I was 12 years old I have been running and eventually won a few sports scholarships to various universities in the US but ultimately settled on DePaul.  Although it can be hard work trying to balance school work with athletics commitments it is a lot of fun being able to travel all over the country. In the past two years I have been fortunate enough to visit, New York, Ohio, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Missouri.  This weekend I am heading of to Houston, Texas to compete in the NCAA regional championships, so I guess in my next blog I will let you all know how it went.

Take care,

Matt

South Africa is a young country. Founded in 1652 by Dutch settlers from the Dutch East India (trading) Company initially as a supply port for ocean voyages to the east, its emergence as a nation populated with European settlers amongst the predominant make-up of indigenous occupiers has given rise to local cultures rich in diversity and still potently brewing in forming any kind of unified identity.

But it’s not only this variety in culture and fluidity of identity that characterises this region, but also the corresponding mind-set of youth and adventure that informs its adolescent personality. This feature combined with the inexperience and innocence of its age provides a refreshing energy of honesty and frankness in the nature of its people and it’s scenery but it’s a characteristic, sadly, which also extends to its shortcomings.

To be more clear; there’s little beating around the bush, so to speak, in ones interaction with the environment. Spades are spades, which can either be used to help a neighbour dig a trench, or place next to the bed at night to protect oneself from unashamed intruders. It’s a place of survival – political correctness is a secondary issue, one far behind the need to just accept and deal with the environment for what it is, and taking each day as it comes.

But this is not necessarily only a bad thing – living in a place where you have to be more aware of what’s happening around you in order to deal with any unexpected occurrence, gives a certain sense of appreciation and urgency to one’s daily existence – knowing everyday should be loved individually, and creates a kind of brotherhood amongst fellow human beings, all confronted by the same daily challenges.

Then there’s the African landscape, which stands proudly in the background with its various people’s scurrying around at its bases. It is not concerned with the worries of its inhabitants, only occupied with doing what it does best – flexing its mountains, hosting the droughts in the desolate kalahari, and providing beds for its rivers to flow blissfully in its interior. The vast golden grass-fields of the savannah to the north provide the roaming grounds for its magnificent creatures – lions, giraffes, rhinos, hippo, elephants – which, having dominated the terrain for so long, are still in a form of a power-sharing relationship of this land with their human counterparts.

Stellenbosch University is located in the second oldest settlement in South Africa (after Cape Town), just 40 kilometres to the interior from the Mother city. There are no gates or barriers separating the university from the rest of the town – you could walk from an old slave house (remodelled to now provide accommodation to residents), cross the road, and step straight into the Arts and Humanities building to attend a lecture. The architecture of the university town represents that old Dutch colonial style, and almost makes you feel as if you stepped straight into an 18th century European dwelling when you attend a class, listening to the owner talking about subjects such as law, language and literature.

Stellenbosch is also famous for lying in the ‘wine district’ – the area in South Africa internationally known for its wine products. Visiting these farms nestled between the surrounding ‘Blouberge’ (Blue Mountains) from Franschoek to Somerset West is a real culture enriching experience, and perhaps does more than the classes for many students in providing them with a social education.

However, despite the diversity in the country’s characteristics, Stellenbosch is still to some extent rather excluded from that cosmopolitan nature. Its still predominantly an Afrikaans University, although the number of English students has risen drastically in the recent years, but in this way, its  a symbol of Afrikaans culture and values. As an international student you wouldn’t have a problem or be disadvantaged in your education for not understanding the language; naturally these students would be well catered for being mindful of their position, but it gives a young persons perspective of what the personality and nature of the South African and Afrikaans people is, and how it has changed, providing this insight while having fun.

Here you not only learn something about South Africa and its people from a different, often marginalised point of view but, intriguingly, because of its independent and unique set-up, it’s a place where one can discover much about oneself as well.

Summer has arrived in Sackville and this quaint little town that has been transformed. Despite how beautiful winter can be I’ve spent most of my three years in Canada wishing for green grass and blue skies. Now that I have a few solid months of warmth ahead of me, I can take a deep breath and really revel in it.

But, much has happened since the last snow and yesterday’s 20°C weather: midterms, final exams, term papers, and fairly unprecedented levels of stress. There were some pretty tough days, but in spite of it all this semester was the best of my six so far at Mount Allison. My classes were exceptional, I had some incredible professors, my schedule was perfect, and living off-campus is just getting better and better. It’s incredible to think that my third year of university is done. I’m 22 and I’ve been out of high school for four years. Pretty crazy.

Once classes were done, I had a week off before I started a two-week intensive Spring Semester course. The course was called Molecular Analyses and it was essentially a crash course in lab techniques required for molecular biology. We learned how to do things like clone a gene, extract protein, RNA, and DNA from cells, and run Western blots and immunoblots. I was not looking forward to the class after a week of lying in the sun reading books and drinking beer, but I was sold after the first day. The course was designed so that we’d have a full day (9:00 – 4:00) to do whatever we’d been assigned. When compared to the normal three-hour labs that science classes at Mount Allison have, this was absolutely glorious. The full day allowed us to be careful, work at a pace that suited us, and really focus on learning. All of that combined with a fantastic professor made it one of the best classes I’ve taken at Mount Allison. The course was only two-weeks long and now that it’s done, I’ve got two big lab reports to write. It’s been a while since I’ve written a lab report for anything other than a biology class so it’s taking me a while to get into the swing of things.

A friend of mine has taken off for a week and a half to Cuba, and so my roommate and I have been left to dog-sit. Isabella (or Izzy for short) is a mix of a border collie and something else, and she’s a beautiful, energetic, slightly out of control dog. One of my other roommates is allergic to dogs and so we’ve had to leave her here at her own house a few doors down from us, and we’ve been coming over to spend time with her here and take her out. I’ve been doing research for one of my lab reports all day and so I’ve been hanging out with Izzy at her house. As I write this, she’s fast asleep under my chair. She’s given me an excuse to start waking up early in the morning to take her out and one of these days I’ll take her for a run. It’s really nice to have an animal to spend time with. Having a pet is one of the things I miss most about being home.

Plans for the rest of the summer are starting to shape up. I’ll be starting honours research on Tuesday. We’ll be here in Sackville for about a month getting all set up to go – planning our research down to the most minute details and working out all the protocols – and then on the 20th of June we head down to Maine for six weeks. We’re going to working at a place near Bar Harbour called the Mount Desert Island Biological Lab. Friends who went there with our professor last year said that their summer there was the best they’d ever had. I’m incredibly excited to be going.

I’ll write in with another update soon, but for now it’s time to take Izzy out again.

I will tell you my secret.

The college year in Canada is over in May. It is time to start thinking about employment. The very good thing about Canada is that after graduating from a two-year programme you can get a three-year work visa. You don’t need an employer. You don’t need a job to stay here. You just need to apply and they give it to you. During these three years you have to find a job and work for at least one year before applying for a permanent residence. Once you’ve done all this and got your permanent residence in Canada you can go back to college or university. The price that you will have to pay this time will equal the one that Canadian students pay, which is almost four times less than what the international students pay.

This is my little secret that I am in a process of accomplishing now.

In general finding job in Canada is easier than is UK, for example. The country is bigger, which is why the Canadian government is attracting immigrants and international students from all over the world to come to Canada, work and pay taxes!

Being in Ottawa it is almost impossible to find the job of your dreams without any knowledge of French language, because Canada has two official languages: English and French. Since Ottawa is a capital of Canada and it is located very close to the French province called Quebec, it is very important for people to speak French here, especially if you would like a job in the government sector.

Although, in Toronto, which is 5 hours away from Ottawa in the car, nobody really cares about the French language. This makes it so much easier for people who only speak English to get a dream job there. Canada is fascinating with all of its funny things within the country, which attracts so many people each year to come here and spend the best time.

Ghana is the perfect gateway for first-time volunteers in West Africa. The welcoming people, lush jungle, and extensive travel circuit provide an ideal environment for any placement. Having lived in Ho for 3 months as a medical volunteer, I can wholeheartedly recommend the experience.

Ho’s title of largest and busiest city in the Volta Region can be somewhat misleading, but one should not let this deter them from volunteering in this hidden treasure. Ho does not boast an extravagant nightlife or tourist attractions, but the friendly people and stunning landscape easily make up for this. One could easily find a worse way to spend a day than wandering through the Asigame (market), or hiking through the vast forests and mountains surrounding Ho. Not to mention, there are always football games to play. The peacefulness that encapsulates this beautiful place has given me a deep appreciation for the bliss of simply being.

Living with a host family provides the rare opportunity to become a part of the community and really learn/embrace Ghanaian culture. This brought me more satisfaction than anything else during my stay. One could not possibly get the same insider’s perspective without living in a host family. I highly recommend socialising with co-workers, locals, and family as much as possible; invite them to a night out at White House Restaurant with other volunteers or, my favourite, sit in playing with a local band. These people made my first few weeks of adapting to unfamiliar territory quite easy as well.

If I had one word to describe work placements in Ghana I would choose laid-back. The work hours and schedules are at the doctor’s discretion and vary greatly. It is a much different approach to productivity than in the West to say the least. This can be frustrating in the first few weeks, but relax and things seem to fall into place. I am definitely more patient than ever, thank you Ghana. A suggestion I offer to future volunteers is to lay the groundwork for your goals as a volunteer before arriving. Preparation for your initial meeting with the health director ensures your time in Ghana is maximally beneficial to both you and your placement. Also, do not be afraid to ask the doctors questions as they are always more than eager to help and teach.

The relaxed style of work lends to flexible accommodation for travelling; whether I wanted to take a long weekend to enjoy the beaches along the coast, or an entire week to visit the elephants at Mole National Park in the north, my placement was always more than happy to help (provided I took pictures to share upon my return).

The health clinics that Projects Abroad organised were always a highlight of my week. We provided free health care for local villages and schools at these weekly medical outreaches. We typically spent the morning administering medication and getting to know the community; I was able to give/take much from the cultural exchanges I encountered with the inhabitants. I am forever grateful for these life-changing experiences.

Without a doubt, volunteering in Ho is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I come away from this fantastic experience excited about my new friends and the broadening of my views. I will especially miss the smiling children running to me each morning on my way to the hospital. I leave Ghana with only one question: Not if, but when will I be back?

Find out more about Projects Abroad at their website.

Jakarta might call itself a metropolis city. However, on choosing colleges, Jakartans tend to be stuck with the following solutions; go to local colleges or study abroad. Choosing an international college in Jakarta isn’t everyone’s first choice.

Upon comparing local colleges and international colleges in Jakarta I came to realize why international colleges weren’t on the top list of Jakartans’s most-wanted colleges. Besides the expensive school fee of the colleges, the location was also an issue for them.

International colleges are often located in a building where offices are found. And yes, they are usually the only school in that building. Moreover, they usually don’t have a banner or anything else that is big enough to attract people’s attention.

The difference also comes from how they accept their students. International colleges accept you through your preliminary exams or report marks and they also ask for your TOEFL / IELTS marks, whilst the local colleges usually take students through entrance exams and academic achievement.

To be accepted to a state college is everyone’s dream. Not because they provide modern facilities like the international colleges do, but because of their reputation, successful alumni and how hard it is to get into there; they only give once chance per year to get in through tests. In private colleges, they held the entrance exam more than once.

Then, why don’t people go for the academic achievements route? Isn’t it easier? Since only a lucky few people are chosen from the vast numbers of applicants, you have to depend on your luck even when your marks meet their criteria.

Another reason why the Jakartans aren’t as interested in joining international colleges in the town is because they think that it would be better if they just go abroad to where the international colleges originally came from.

As English is the Indonesian’s second language, some people, especially the elders, might not know which international colleges actually have a good reputation. And after seeing the unhelpful location, they will usually doubt their children’s choice and send them to local colleges or abroad.

Out of all the reasons given, I don’t think it’s fair to treat international colleges in town that way. As a student of an international college, I think international colleges also have some strong points. For instance, we didn’t need to study religion and character building like they did in local colleges. Moreover, it took less time to get a degree in international colleges (3 years in international colleges = 4 years in local colleges).

Fortunately, as international high schools are growing rapidly in Jakarta nowadays, international colleges can find support from them. International high schools are, unbelievably, very popular amongst the Jakartans. And yes, at least international colleges can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Written by Kristina Wegscheider, co-founder of Do It While You’re Young, a travel community for young women ages 18-35 who are interested in traveling, studying, working, or volunteering abroad.
You’ve enrolled in your study abroad programme, booked your flights, and are registered for classes. Think you’ve accounted for everything? Unfortunately, no. It is important to also consider the day-to-day costs you will incur as well as any excursions you plan on taking. With a little planning, you will be on your way to enjoying your time abroad instead of stressing over money.

The first step is to map out how long you will be gone, including any pre or post travels, to get a realistic estimate of how much you will need. To help, I like to fill in this chart to help me gauge the amount:

Some advice for each category:

Food & Drink: This category relies heavily on your dining preferences but it is important to get an estimate. Do some research to determine if your campus or home stay offer any sort of meals plans. It may be a good investment. If you are living in an apartment or house, see if you can get a place with a kitchen so you can whip up your own meals. By shopping at the grocery store or local market and cooking yourself, you can significantly cut down your food budget.

Transportation: Take a look at how you are getting to class each day since this is the primary reason why you are abroad. If you’re walking or biking, consider the “cost” a good pair of cute, comfortable shoes or the rental costs for a bike. If you are choosing to take a bus or subway, see if you can buy a monthly pass to save money. Regardless of which option above you elect, I would also pad your budget with taxi money.

Communication: If you plan on getting a mobile phone abroad, which will save you a ton with regards to local calls, consider the phone acquisition or rental fee as well as service. If you are using your mobile phone from your home country, be warned that this often comes at a premium, both for calling back to your home country and calling a local number. Your campus will likely have Internet but also include a small amount for Internet cafes. If you want to truly be frugal and fabulous, find a coffee shop or restaurant that offers free Wi-fi. Grab your afternoon latte there and enjoy hours of web surfing. Also, sign-up for a free web-calling tool like Skype or Tokbok so that you can affordably keep in touch with friends and family back home.

“Slush Fund”: Keep a designated amount of money earmarked in this category for those incidental expenses such as sending a postcard back home, picking up a few souvenirs, or attending a local event. Based on your spending habits, you can set an amount.

Another area to consider budgeting for is weekend trips and their associated costs. Depending on where you are studying, you may suddenly find yourself within a few hours of some fabulous places. I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity as you may never find yourself living abroad again (but hopefully you will!). If you are in a place like Europe with a developed rail system, consider getting a rail pass for the duration of your stay. If you find yourself somewhere more remote, such as Australia, budget for some short trips utilizing local airlines to explore domestically and venture to neighboring countries. When planning these types of excursions, consider transportation costs, Visas/entry or exit fees (if applicable), accommodations, meals, and activities.

A few more general tips before we close:

• Aim for 1-2 trips per month outside of the region you are studying in. This will keep your finances in check and allow for you to really immerse yourself in the city you are living in. Who cares if you spend the weekend reading in the park or chilling in a local coffeehouse – you are living like a local!
• Consider getting a job before you go abroad (this is why selecting a program early is so important). As you earn money, try to stock at least half of each paycheck into a savings account (like an ING Orange Account) that is accessible without a minimum balance. Before you go abroad, you can set-up monthly withdrawals into your checking account to give yourself a “budget” for that month. By paying in cash, you are avoiding the currency conversion fees associated with credit cards as well as the problem of charging more than you can afford.
• Get together with your new friends and experience the power of a group. You can share a larger room in a hostel for next to nothing or using your bargaining skills to try and get a block of rooms at a last minute deal. Same goes for tours and excursions. To maximize your potential discount, go during the off or shoulder season or on less popular days for tourists (ex. Your bargaining at a touristy hotel will probably pay off more on a Wednesday than a Saturday, depending on the location).

Hello everyone! My names Tom Smith and I run a blog called Studentspayless with the aim of helping students to save money – I graduated from university in 2009 and also run a student discount card so it’s something I believe I have got a fair bit of experience in. I hope you enjoy my first post.

I have decided to write about saving money on food at university; we all have to buy it and we probably spend too much on it so it’s a great area to focus on to save money. All of the tips are quick, extremely easy to do and can definitely save you money with just a few simple changes to your food shopping habits, so let’s get saving some money! Happy reading : )

1. Learn to cook: It’s surprising how many people at university don’t know how to cook, which can be a very expensive lack of knowledge, so a great start would be to learn a few simple recipes. It will be surprising how much money this saves you. A great website to do this is Student Recipes.

2. Buy in Bulk: Buying food in large amounts such as big bags of rice and pasta is a great way of saving money provided you don’t eat it all at once; buying in small amounts can be expensive! If you don’t think you can eat it all, share the cost with your friends.

3. Don’t buy lunch out: Take a packed lunch to University; this might sound like you’re back at school again but buying things like sandwiches and pasta out is a waste of money! It’s also more convenient meaning you don’t have to go to the supermarket to buy your lunch.

4. Shop later to find all the best bargains: typically in the early evening the supermarkets discount a lot of products going out of date, so it’s a great time to get some heavily discounted items. If for things like bread you don’t think you will eat them before they go out of date, why not freeze them?

5. Takeaways: I know everyone loves takeaways and I could never say stop having them, so if you’re going to have one make sure you get a get a good deal. There are plenty of deals around so make sure you get one! I have found the perfect website to do this – Just Eat – where you can search restaurants in your local area and see what’s on offer.

6. Loyalty cards: When food shopping it’s so important that you are benefiting from your supermarkets loyalty scheme. If it’s Sainsbury’s get a Nectar card, if it’s Tesco’s get a Club Card and so on… But most importantly make sure you use it every time, over the space of a year you could rack up quite a lot of points!

7. Look for offers: It’s really important that you take advantage of products when they are on offer, but only buy items you will definitely use! If you’re organised you can go to Supermarket.co.uk to see if any offers take your fancy, if not keep your eyes peeled when you are out shopping!

8. Share with friends: This is a perfect way of saving money because you can take advantage of offers and bigger quantities and then split the food and the money. It also means your food is less likely to go out of date and you get a bit of company shopping, so why not try sharing with friends next time you go shopping?

9. Freeze food: This basically means you can take advantage of a lot of offers that catch your eye and you don’t have to worry about the food going off.  You can freeze basically anything so the next time you see some great offers make sure you grab them. If you’re worried about freezing food visit the Food Standards Agency website for advice.

10. Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach: This is one of the worst things you can do when shopping – it means you’re much more likely to have impulsive buying habits and consequently spend more money! So make sure you have had plenty of food and drink before you go shopping. This may sound stupid, but it will help, trust me!

I hope you have found this post useful and it can help you save a bit of money. It would be great to hear if you have any money saving tips of your own when buying food. If you’re interested in more money saving tips or would just like some financial advice check out my blog Studentspayless because I am always willing to help. I will hopefully see you soon! : )

(Photo credit: Christopher Brazel)

Do you love to watch films? Do you love to make films? Whichever you prefer, or if you love to do both, then the Westbury’s monthly night dedicated to showcasing the work of talented filmmakers is definitely for you. Students, filmmakers and film lovers cheered their way through the evening – where free popcorn is always a hit!

Brain Wash was started in November 2009 by a group of film and photography students in London. The team describe their venture as “a hopeful alternative to expensive cinema prices or staying in watching TV that is both entertaining and out of the ordinary. There is a large community of young filmmakers, and Brain Wash provides a platform for their work, as well as a place to meet like-minded creatives.”

Each film is chosen for a number of reasons. “They could be technically brilliant, or simply imaginative and intelligent, regardless of whether you are an established director or a low-budget hobbyist with a camera. It’s not elitist, as some festivals can be. If your film is good, we’ll show it.”

A recent show included intrepid animations (like BAFTA-nominated Varmints, an epic from Marc Craste), a documentary (Hairytale, by Lisa Forrest) and laugh-out-loud comedies. Boxer, by Michael Latham, was voted the audience’s favourite. And that’s the greatest aspect of Brainwash; that the winner is voted for by the audience. It’s democratic, as well as being imaginative and intelligent cinema.

Scott Watson, 22, enjoyed a screening of his film Containment at the previous Brain Wash. “As a director, it’s great to get the experience of seeing an intimate audience react to your film”, he said. “The personal responses and feedback you get afterwards can be really advantageous”.

The Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn, London is hosting the next Brain Wash event on April 22nd. An exhibition of original art and illustration will also be held in the Tricycle’s gallery between April 19th and 25th.

If you’ve missed out or just fancy another viewing, clips from each line-up are available on the Brain Wash YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/brainwashlondon. Details on submitting a film and further information can be found on http://www.facebook.com/brainwashlondon. A website is coming soon.

When faced with employers claiming he lacked necessary experience, University graduate Dan Sellars decided to apply for Raleigh’s 10 week expedition in India and gain key employability skills. Dan applied as part of the charity’s Graduate Bursary Award Scheme and undertook a community and environmental project combined with an adventure phase.

Before Raleigh, I had completed a degree in Building Surveying at the University of the West of England. I initially looked for graduate positions in the construction industry but after sending out countless applications I began to consider other options. A lack of experience was mainly the reason for numerous setbacks in my job search.

While unemployed I applied for the Graduate Bursary Award with Raleigh. The opportunity to volunteer abroad with Raleigh caught my attention as it seemed the perfect balance between working and travelling which I had always wanted. This also looked like the perfect opportunity to boost my CV with a worthwhile gap year activity that potential employers may look favourably on whilst gaining a fantastic experience. This was a chance to learn new things about myself, develop new skills, mature and build more social and interpersonal skills.

Fundraising was a challenge, but nevertheless enjoyable. Having only been accepted onto the expedition a little over a month before departing, I knew I had to move quickly.

To raise the funds I held a 4 hour ‘Sparathon’ at my local Tae Kwon Do club. I arranged this as it seemed sensible to raise money doing something I enjoy. I sent flyers and emails to all the local Tae Kwon Do instructors in the South West inviting them and their students to the event and managed to get my instructor to let me use his training hall for the afternoon. The event was a success raising around £150.

I also arranged a ‘skittles night’ at the local pub inviting friends and family. I charged £5 to play which included a complementary raffle ticket. Any further raffle tickets were £1 a strip. This event was well supported raising around £200.

I also spoke to many of my father’s family business contacts and persuaded them to donate. One company was particularly generous in return for a report of my experience to be published in their company magazine. I set up a ‘Just Giving’ page online which came to good use for people I knew but was unable to meet. This raised around £100. To raise awareness of my fundraising attempts I had a message posted in the monthly parish magazine. Donations were thereafter given by neighbours and members from my local football team.

Organising so much in such a short amount of time was a really big challenge; however the satisfaction of successfully organising events and the support gained from this made me feel proud.

The adventure challenge was tough requiring endurance, tolerance and resilience. We trekked over 200km in 16 days through Kerala being totally sufficient carrying food, safety and cooking equipment. The trek included summiting the second highest peak outside the Himalayas which was amazing! The view was unbelievable with the clouds somehow beneath us. Each night we set up a new camp at our destination to gain valuable rest, nurse blisters, cook, have fun around camp and most importantly sleep after a tiring day trekking.

The sense of personal achievement when completing the trek was incomparable. We trekked through places that no tourist would see which made the experience such a privilege. When walking through villages the local people were so welcoming to us. While trekking trough towns and villages it was great to see the Indian culture and sample their life.

One of the best moments on expedition was phase three of my community project in Mutilmoola. It ended with a ceremony to open the school that had been built over the past nine weeks. The ceremony included dancing and singing by the children in the village and speeches from members of the project partner, residents of the community and project managers and venturers of Raleigh. Gifts were also exchanged to say thank you for the hard work put in.

It was not until this moment that I realised how much the school would benefit the children and their future prospects and enhance the standard of living in the community. The gratitude and appreciation shown for our help was emotional to say the least and made the hard work put in seem worthwhile. Knowing I had a part to play in potentially changing the lives of the people in Mutilmoola made me feel proud.

I have learnt to become more relaxed and easy-going about what the future may hold for me. I have also learnt that I am motivated to succeed and can maintain a positive attitude when the mood in the group is not great. This can boost the morale and help energise others.

I have learnt a lot about Indian culture and how different our life is. This has enticed me to sample and experience other cultures in the future. The tight knit environment allowed me to interact with people to form close friendships.

Since Raleigh, I plan to do more travelling and see more of the world. India was a real eye opening experience so I intend to travel independently having gained the confidence of being away from home with Raleigh.

Raleigh has definitely improved my employability skills. I was able to most importantly demonstrate good team working, leadership and interpersonal skills. I felt the use of the day leader system on each phase particularly boosted my leadership skills where I learnt to set clear goals and delegate roles to each person in the group. Each project required the leader to take responsibility and make decisions for the group.

I would advise anyone thinking about joining Raleigh not to hesitate and go for it. I was initially unsure and nervous but it was one of the best decisions I have made and would easily do another expedition if given the chance.

Without the bursary I would have been unable to have an experience like I had where I was able to help people, experience a different culture and meet new people. It most importantly helped develop me as a person.

I think Raleigh is one the best things to have happened in my life and have gained memories that will always stay with me.

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If you are a recent graduate (2009), or are about to graduate, and meet Raleigh’s essential and financial eligibility criteria, then you may be selected for their Graduate Bursary Award. There are still 300 sough-after places available. To be eligible you must have received a full Higher Education Maintenance Grant, a full Higher Education Grant (HEG) or a full Higher Education Tuition Fee Grant in your final year at university funded by an English local authority or Student Finance England. Please click here to read Raleigh’s full eligibility criteria.

It took me a long time, and yes, I’ve finally came to a realisation on why the faculty of engineering has one of the highest dropout rates in my school. Because engineering courses, unlike what I initially thought, are no stroll in the park. Escaping from the lion’s jaw, straight into the dragon’s mouth, I crawled through my first year of Bachelor of Engineering unscathed and thinking that I’d seen the worst, only to step into a year full of new challenges and a really out-of-this-world amount of assignments.

Anyway, I returned from Malaysia at the end of my summer break, only to find that the temperature in Adelaide is a little too high for my liking. 40′C or more in the day, and it’s not that much different at night. As a counter measure to the scorching heat, we went to one of Adelaide’s best “hangout” places, the Ice Arena. The experience, with awesome company, was fantastic. Falling down upon stepping onto the surface of the ice might not be fun but, regardless of what you do, as long as you’re doing it with a group of people that you adore, everything will be just fine.

Many “experienced adults” used to tell me about how enjoyable their university life was. With the amount of assignment given out by my lecturers, lab reports to be done, and the amount of reading that has to be done in less than two weeks, I guess I will not be enjoying myself for the time being.

The most interesting part of my life is meeting up and making new friends almost daily. One of the benefits of studying in a world renowned university. One of the only ways to escape from my hectic routine is to escape to the banks of River Torrens, which is conveniently located behind the university. Lying down on the green grass in the shadows of the pine trees, staring up into the deep blue sky, with sunlight reflected from the river glistening in the horizon, one of the greatest marvels of Mother Nature.

On a side note, maybe, one of these days, I will get myself to Hahndorf (a German town about 30 minutes drive from Adelaide). My craving for Hahndorf’s most famed German sausage has just kicked in and it’s driving me nuts. Perhaps I might drop by the strawberry farm to get some freshly self-picked strawberries!

German student Jennifer Iker chose to study overseas to pursue her education in human resources and found a new home in Sheffield studying at Sheffield Hallam University. Here, Jennifer talks about life and study in one of England’s largest cities.

My experience has been above expectations.

I have lived in other places in the UK and Sheffield is definitely my favourite. I felt comfortable in this city right from the start; it is very easy to find your way around it and most places are within walking distance from the University. The University offers a lot of support for foreign students. For example, drop-in study sessions and referencing guides give advice on how to write an essay, making it much easier for you to understand what is expected of you.

My course exceeded my expectations. The tutors are very professional and I find the modules very interesting and enjoy learning about the different aspects of human resource management. I have a genuine interest in HR and the course overall feels very stimulating. I especially enjoyed learning about organisational behaviour – it was a real eye-opener. I have learnt a lot about underpinning theories in the field of HR and I think that this will benefit me in my future working life. There is a lot of work to do, but it is certainly manageable.

This year the University arranged a challenging and interesting work placement for me. I am currently recruiting engineering students for a graduate scheme. As part of this I will screen CVs, conduct telephone interviews and help to prepare and run an assessment centre.

In the UK it is very difficult to pursue a career in HR without a CIPD qualification. I therefore decided to choose this course at Sheffield Hallam University because it also leads to a CIPD qualification, which is also recognised in Germany, my home country.

One of the most important parts about working abroad is being open minded. It’s important to realize that your experience working abroad won’t be exactly the same as working in your home country.

It sounds funny, but one of the hardest things for me to get used to was the number of breaks I was allowed at my internships. Is it me? It seems that the Irish are always taking time for themselves to relax with some tea or take a quick walk. I was told during my internship seminar that this attitude about the work/personal time balance tends to increase productivity. Workers in the United States seem more hesitant to take five or ten minutes for themselves and instead use this “go, go, go” mentality which can be quite exhausting by the end of the day.

In many cases in Ireland, your sick days are not numbered. Of course, never showing up for work would probably lead to a termination from the job, but the mentality seems to be “if you’re sick, you’re sick. Stay home.” My professor posed a question to us in a seminar basically stating “I don’t understand how you can number someone’s sick days in the United States. You can’t really tell how often you’ll be sick.” I sat there, with a blank expression thinking “You’re exactly right.” It made me question the policy that we use so heavily in the States.

It’s not simply technical aspects of the job that might be different. Sometimes it’s the attitude that people have, and not only can this vary from country to country but also job to job. In my own experience, it was a surprise to learn that if my work was done for the day I could leave early. This has not always been my experience in my home country. Some work places will be very strict and some more casual. In some jobs you’ll find that people joke around whereas at others, the attitude may be very serious.

The best course to take if you’re new is to simply observe people. See how they act on the job. Don’t take yourself too seriously at first. In many countries you may even find that people might make fun of you in a light manner. Unless you find this behavior to be extremely hurtful, joke around and realize it’s all in light fun. Don’t stress making mistakes – learn how to come back from them. Never be afraid to ask questions, even if it’s about something trivial like how to turn on a computer. Go with the flow and just be in it for the experience.

This Saturday was the annual SAN Banquet. SAN (the Society of All Nations) is a student group that I’ve been involved with ever since I came to Mount A. Last year I was the secretary of SAN and so, as part of the executive, I helped organise events through the year and the SAN Banquet in particular. This year there was no one else on campus who was particularly interested in taking on SAN again, and since I was on the exec last year, I agreed to do it.

Mount A students have developed the unfortunate reputation of being apathetic but what is often overlooked is the fact that there is an almost obscene wealth of things for students to do here. So while it’s occasionally difficult to find volunteers for some events, it seems that the only reason for it is because they’re involved in eight other things already. I think that’s the problem that SAN ran into this year. SAN has tagged itself as an organisation that aims to facilitate cross-cultural understanding and interaction … whatever that means. Ten years ago when SAN started, that might have been something that was needed at Mount A – today, SAN is almost obsolete. And that’s not a bad thing. There are so, so many groups on campus that in one way or another meet the needs of students who might otherwise be involved in SAN, and there just isn’t any interest.

But, people have grown accustomed to the annual Banquet and come second term, people start asking, “But who’s going to do the SAN Banquet this year?” Well … me, of course. So I rooted out two old SAN members to be on my exec and we started to plan the Banquet. The Banquet is dinner for about 300 people with food from around the world cooked by students and performances by students. It relies entirely on finding enough people who are willing and able to help. By Wednesday last week I was having kittens about how little interest we’d had from people wanting to volunteer, how few tickets we’d sold, and how late our posters had gone up. On Thursday I had a meeting for all the people who’d volunteered and an astounding 20 or 25 people showed up. These people turned out to be my angels.

On Friday I went to Jennings Hall, the university meal hall where we were going to cook all the food and hold the Banquet. I arrived just before my volunteers did at 7:00, and we started on what was to be a very, very long 28-odd hours of work verging occasionally on frenzy. From 7:00 to around 11:15 we chopped, peeled, diced, stirred, mixed, julienned… and when we left, most of the cooking for a 300 person dinner was done.

On Saturday afternoon I was back at Jennings at 2:00 and I didn’t leave till about 10:30 that night. My cooking volunteers showed up on time and while there was a short period when I was really worried things weren’t going to come together, it all worked out excellently. I haven’t ever seen such efficiency before. I guess I just lucked out and got a great group of people willing to help. They didn’t need prodding or anything further than preliminary instructions. They were totally together and organised and if it wasn’t for them, this event would have been a spectacular disaster.

Nathan and Noah, my roommates, graciously agreed to be the MCs for the night and they were great. They went with an awkward-is-funny approach to the whole thing that worked really well.

Most people had left by about 9:00, we were done cleaning at about 10:15, and I was out the door at 10:30 ish. I have never been so tired. I got home, waited for my roommates to take their excited, drunken selves out, and I went to sleep … for 12 solid hours.

It was quite the event, the SAN Banquet. Nathan kindly reminded me last night that while the memory of the stress might fade quickly, this isn’t something that I should do again. Trust me. It’s not. I think I’ve done my bit. Next year the Banquet can be someone elses problem. I can already feel the post-stress snivels coming. It’s almost like my body’s saying, “Oh, the Banquet’s over? Right. Here’s that cold you’ve been staving off for the past two weeks.”

It was definitely a good experience, though. I now know that I never want to go into logistics as a profession. I got nothing but compliments about how good the food was and how smoothly the event went. Even though we didn’t manage to publicise it as well as we usually do, we had lots of people come out. It was actually really, really good.

That’s all from me for now. Until the next post…

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He is supposed to have come to Ireland in 431 AD in order to evangelise the remaining pagans of Ireland. But I’ll stop bothering you with my history knowledge (writing an essay on an historical point of view of St Patrick is very tough believe me) and I will talk about Saint Patrick’s Day instead, or “Paddy’s Day” as you will sometimes hear. It’s supposed to be one of the most important days in Ireland. It is a bank holiday, but almost everything was open. The Irish have some trouble with having a day off!

I wanted to see the Parade. I was supposed to meet two German friends around 11am on O’Connell Street but for some reason I believed that the parade was starting at 1pm so, as a good Frenchman, I decided to leave home at a few minutes past 1pm. Since the parade had started at noon I had to settle for looking at my friends photos of the parade. I went back home a little disappointed by that but soon received a text inviting me to the funfair. I went there around 5pm with Pauline. We were very surprised that it was not a bigger one because of the population of the city, but we had fun in the big wheel. Then we went back to the southside though Pauline needed to meet a friend and I had to go to a barbecue. An Irish friend told me the previous Monday that Paddy’s Day in Dublin is “mental” and I have to watch my back. If she could only know how right she was! We listened to traditional music on Grafton Street and had fun. Around 7pm, I decided the time had come for me to go to my barbecue (it started at 5pm).

On my way to the bus stop I met Orlaith, the former welfare officer of the Trinity Student Union, who seemed sober and gave me some advice for my trip to Blackrock. One big piece of advice, if you are a country with a proper public transportation system – there is no such thing in Dublin. I mean, there are buses but you have to be very used to them because there is no map of the line inside nor outside, no name of the stop (you have to ask the bus driver where you have to get off, after you spend all the journey wondering if he forgot you or not) and the worst thing is they don’t give you change. Unless you have a season ticket you must pay the exact fare or lose money. So on Orlaith’s advice I decided to go to my barbecue by DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit). When I arrived I called Jack, the party organizer. I was very surprised that I found his house with all the directions given. But finally, I arrived! It was a good night, with a nice barbecue and not that many unknown people so I didn’t spend the whole night introducing myself, even if I had some trouble with someone who spent the night saying Loïc like ‘le week’. When they finally got it I found it nice to explain my first name to an English speaker. I finally ended up sitting on a chair discussing with my neighbour about the Order of the Garter and the education given the daughter of a knight of the Légion d’honneur in France. I hope he did not find me too boring! The main interest of the party was to play croquet drinking tea around midnight.

Christmas and the associated revelry is a distant memory and the icy blanket of winter that carpeted Ireland, a welcome one. I was down the country with Aunts and Uncles in Roscommon where nothing much happens and that’s the refreshing and best thing about the place. As a family we ate, we drank and we talked and we lounged. It sounds great and it was but I’m glad Christmas only comes once a year. That sort of concentrated effortlessness is hard work. It really is such an effort for just one or two days. Life doesn’t stop and as quickly as a blink I found myself in the car on the way back up to the ‘big smoke’ that is Dublin. I realised on the way back that time creeps steadily, stealthily and surprisingly quickly towards the ultimate end… final exams.

First day back and the only thing that I could think about as I walked through the front arch for the first time in about a month was the fact that my 10,000-word literature review was due at 5pm. No matter how well prepared you are, such an imposing deadline can only loom ominously over the shoulder and there’s nothing quite like the relief felt when the final completed document, bound and covered is taken from your hand. The only problem is that being final year, it’s a matter of handing one in and turning around to see another in the corner watching and waiting for attention. My project is coming along very nicely and importantly the results indicate interesting findings worthy of a proper paper in a science journal. My thesis is due on the 22nd of March, which will of course come too quickly. So, with this in mind, I have begun writing it with focused concentration, the likes of which isn’t really understood until final year. With effort, everything will be all right.

I’ll commit a night after that deadline to merriment but the spectre of finals will await me the morning after. Six weeks of unadulterated study with six exams in mind. It’s mad how everything comes down to three or four months of concentrated effort. I haven’t been out in Dublin in a while and I think it’s important to ensure you don’t self-impose a totally one-sided ban on fun. Everything in life as far as I can gather requires balance; an intelligent moderation and controlling of the things we need to do with the things we would rather be doing. I’ve known international students, free from the glaring eyes of parents go too far one way and not far enough the other. The line is a blurry one and it’s important to find out where it is in the sand and note which side you stand on. So with this in mind I might head out for a cheeky pint or two this evening. I think I deserve it, especially knowing what’s to come. Any takers?

Yvonne McCann studied Science at Trinity College Dublin before heading across the city to take up a job as a zookeeper. We spoke to Yvonne about life as a keeper, the challenge involved in caring for wild animals, and what students should consider before pursuing zookeeping.

Was it always your ambition to be a zookeeper?
To be honest, no it wasn’t.  I did always want to work with animals but more in a research capacity.  I came from quite an academic background and working in the zoo was originally meant to be a stop gap for a few months.  That was nearly four and a half years ago and I’m now addicted!  I couldn’t imagine doing anything else for a living.  Coming into work every day and working with some of the rarest animals on the planet brings me such satisfaction and joy.  The zoo is an amazing place to work and is constantly progressing.  Every day brings a new challenge.

What educational path did you take to achieve your position?
I studied science in Trinity College Dublin where I specialised in zoology.  I then went on to do a certificate in the management of zoo animals.  I am quite a nerd and love studying anything and everything to do with animals especially behaviour.

Are there any courses you wish you’d taken to help you prepare for being a zookeeper?
I think I was pretty well prepared!

Do you have to train as a vet to be a zookeeper?
No, veterinary is definitely something that I would like to have studied though.  I’m only 26, I have considered going back to study it but the fees are very high both in Ireland and abroad but I’d never say never…that lotto win is right around the corner!

What does a typical day at work involve?
My typical day begins at 8.30, I collect my radio and head off checking on the animals in my care.  At the moment I’m looking after the elephants and the primates.  First off we might train the elephants.  At Dublin Zoo we work them by a system known as Protective Contact (PC).  It is a totally ‘hands off’ situation whereby they are trained behind a barrier.  It is a tremendous privilege to be able to interact with them everyday.  The elephants are then washed and a senior keeper might file their nails and do some foot work.  After that they are free to roam their habitat whilst we get down to some dirty work like collecting faeces! Yes it stinks and yes it is heavy!  My next duty might be to check the primates (Macaques, gibbons, spider monkeys & lemurs) and make sure everyone is alive and well!

What should students consider before embarking on a career in zookeeping?
Being a zookeeper is hard work.  Don’t even consider it if you’re not prepared for long, unsociable hours (weekend, bank holidays, Christmas etc).  Even when the zoo is closed the animals need to be fed!  It can be very heavy work so you need to have a good level of fitness.  Most of all you need to have a love for the job.  Being a zookeeper is not just a job, it really is a lifestyle.  Most zookeepers will tell you that it’s not a 9-5.  Even when you clock out and go home it’s difficult to ‘switch off’.  It can be hard when animals you’ve cared for become sick and die.  It’s tough but the rewards far out way any negatives that might come with the job.  Also bear in mind that the money is pretty bad so you’ll never retire in style!

What advice do you wish you’d received from a professional when you were a student?
ENJOY being a student! It is such a great experience and it goes by so quick!

What are the best and worst aspects of your job?
The best aspect of my job is watching the animals grow and have babies of their own.  I also love working with the public and telling them about the animals.  The worst aspect of the job is when an animal dies.  It’s always hard.  When an animal you’ve worked with for a long time is suddenly gone it is upsetting.  Whilst we are professionals, by the very nature of the job we do invariably become attached to the animals and it can be difficult.

What is the biggest misconception people have about zookeeping?
That’s a simple one! For some reason many people have a very old, romantic view of zookeeping, that it involves cuddling animals all day! In actual fact very few of the animals in the zoo are ever handled unless they are sick or being moved to new exhibits.  Modern zoos now have adopted a much more natural, holistic approach to the way in which animals are managed.  By and large they are socialised with their own kind and human interference is kept to a minimum.  Zoo animals are still wild; yes, they are under human care, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that they are definitely not pets and can never and should never be treated as such.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a zookeeper?
Personally one of the biggest challenges has to be getting accepted by the older keepers.  Some of us newer keepers are coming from an academic background whereas in the past it was traditionally a job that was handed down through the generations, father-to-son etc.  Understandably some of the keepers that have been there 30 years or more might be intimidated by us coming in with new ideas, outlooks and opinions.  On the whole it’s great though, people buzz off each other and find compromises.  We learn from each other.

Is it difficult to avoid becoming too attached to the animals you care for?
It depends.  We are professionals and have to act accordingly but sometimes you get an animal that for whatever reason pulls at your heart strings and stands out above the rest.  It can be difficult to detach yourself emotionally.  I’ll be honest and say that I am an emotional person when it comes to the animals in my care.  I give them a 100% everyday (maybe 99% on Christmas Day!).  Zoo keeping for me has always been a vocation of sorts and by extension of that a caring profession.  For me it would be a difficult job if I didn’t become attached.  When I am, it’s easy because you want to come to work everyday and give your best to everything.  In my mind if you can’t do that you’ve no business being there.  Animals in zoos are there because of our choice, not theirs and it’s up to us to care for them accordingly.

The summer after my junior year of college I chose to intern abroad in Dublin, Ireland. I was looking for a challenging and eye-opening experience that would increase my knowledge of international journalism as well as Irish culture. Taking part in a summer programme meant I wouldn’t have to give up my position as an Editor on the school paper or my beloved music radio show for a semester as well as being certain I would graduate on time.

I spent my time abroad in typical Ireland newbie fashion. I caroused around Grafton Street with my roommates, scarfed down too many plates of fish and chips, heard traditional Irish music in County Kerry while watching my precious Euros slip away over pints of Murphy’s, Bulmer’s and Guinness, and spent every free minute trying to fit in all the touristy “can’t miss” places my guidebook advertised. The unusual part of my experience were my internships: Newstalk Radio and the Fishamble Theatre Company.

Interning can be very challenging. You’re caught in a perpetual cycle of trying to impress, making mistakes and learning how to balance five coffees on a tray only made for four. But it’s also one of the best ways to prepare for a career and interning abroad takes this incredible experience a step further.

Each of my internships provided me with different opportunities yet both fit amazingly well with my desire to pursue journalism. My assignments at Newstalk included writing briefs (the main points about news stories, questions for the anchor to consider, possible people to interview, etc.), coordinating interviews, and researching news stories. At Fishamble, my main job was to critique scripts from up and coming writers. This required me to read the script, outline it, list weaknesses and strengths of the story and any problems that would arise while trying to make it into a production, and provide an overall rating – a great experience for anyone interested in being a drama critic.

Working abroad simply isn’t about the work itself, it’s about putting yourself in an unfamiliar environment where you’re forced to manage the unexpected. Figuring out how to pronounce a name written in Gaelic or trying to find an interviewee in an unfamiliar city willing to talk on air the following day tested my usually cool exterior and ultimately gave me a greater sense of my self confidence.

One of the main benefits of working abroad, in addition to my own personal growth, is that these experiences truly enhanced my resume. While traditional study abroad programmes are also a great option, there are many exciting work opportunities available. Students can find internships in many fields; in my case, students I traveled with took part in internships at a marketing firm, art gallery, non-profit organization, bank, and auction house. Of course, opportunities for internships outside of Dublin are readily available as well and study abroad websites such as IES Abroad and CIEE have many internship programmes for students to consider.

Consider interning abroad if you’re looking for a new type of work experience. It’s one of the best ways to open your eyes to the world around you.

If you’ve ever wondered how many fresh-off-the-plane, pasty faced English people it takes to notice that their trekking buddy has a tarantula on his back, I can reveal that it’s six. But that was in week one before our jungle training, and by week four we were all bronzed, lithe jungle bushmen; perfectly in tune with the rhythm of the forest, constantly alert and aware of every one of its splendid inhabitants. In fact, three or four of my team mates weren’t in the least surprised to receive playful nips from scorpions that had lodged in their boots during the night. And I was actively expecting the troupe of bullet ants the size of small puppies that re-routed along my hammock strings just before bed time one happy evening.

But enough about the good times. This was serious conservation work and we had just 8 weeks to build a 90sqft rangers’ station completely from scratch for the Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve. With Trekforce there is no option of not completing the project and we worked hard to get it finished. And it’s still standing today, working as a vehicle checkpoint for monitoring traffic through the reserve.

I had been looking for an adventurous wildlife conservation project for my gap year. Somewhere exciting and different that was part of a real conservation effort – not just a project to keep gappers busy for 6 weeks. So when I eventually opened my inbox to an email from Trekforce, headed ‘Amazon Rainforest!’ it was a real eureka moment. It had it all; remote, exciting, unusual and jolly well in need of conserving!

It was only six months later and with a fortnight to go before D-day that I really began to consider the implications of my decision. I mean, two months with no hair straighteners. Really? Feeling my resolve weaken I tried to think what David Attenborough would do. I decided he’d probably go to the jungle and take his chances with the frizz, so that’s what I did.

And to date it’s still the best decision that I’ve ever made. In those two months I learnt from jungle experts how to live in one of the world’s most extreme and potentially hostile environments with no more than what I could carry on my back. I contributed to ground breaking international conservation efforts in one of the planets most biologically diverse regions. I went to sleep every night in a hammock under the jungle canopy to the echoing sound of howler monkey calls. I saw animals that may well never have been seen by people before. I pushed myself physically harder than I ever had. And I couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of the Trekforce leaders and guides who went above and beyond to take us where no volunteers had ever gone before!

Find out how you can embark on your own adventure at the Trekforce website.

Travel has always been of immense appeal to me so when it came to the time to choose my dissertation title for my Geography degree, my first thought was where could I go to do it. For me it was the ideal excuse to go somewhere extraordinary to carry out my field research and so the Amazon Rainforest instantly sprung to mind. Geography has always fascinated me and the opportunity provided by Projects Abroad to live in the rainforest for five weeks and carry out my fieldwork has proved only to further fuel both my passion for the subject and my love of travelling. My only regret is that I wasn’t there longer.

Instead of participating in the conservation project at Taricaya I carried out my fieldwork each day with the help of Eugenio, my cheeky expert guide and ‘soil pit digger’ who knew everything about the majority of species and creatures in the rainforest. Despite at first speaking no Spanish and him no English we somehow managed to communicate and he taught me everything from counting to 100 in Spanish to how to hold a snake so it wouldn’t bite. I also learned how to use a machete, how to get out of quicksand-type mud with wellies still intact, how to identify jaguar and puma footprints and where to look for tarantulas!

On one occasion Eugenio even hid in the bushes pretending to be a jaguar complete with very realistic growling, while my friend and I stood cold in fear with machetes drawn at the ready. We slowly started to move backwards down the trail only to have Eugenio jump out of the bushes! In between all this fun however we did somehow manage to achieve 10kms of soil sampling and vegetation analysis, working long days in the heat and often having to fight our way through dense vegetation, through shallow parts of the river and across logs. Stuart and Nando, other Projects Abroad staff, were an invaluable source of local information and did everything they could to help with my research including chauffeuring me around Puerto Maldonado on the back of a moped in search of a map! Aside from all the fun though and the incredible insight I had into the rainforest environment I could not have asked for the team at Taricaya to have been more accommodating.

Being a gifted biologist Stuart now and again gives a talk in the evening about a creature of the rainforest. I was lucky enough to hold a small caiman that had been plucked from the river to show us, the chief aim being to hold its jaw shut. The wildlife you encounter each day really makes you realise how privileged you are to be there – no typical tourist would ever get to encounter the rainforest as we did. With Daniela the tame howler monkey trying to steal your dinner or Dave the parrot squawking on your head there is never a dull moment. But once the generator goes off at 9pm it is generally bedtime (with the exception of occasional ‘jungle rum’ drinking and card-playing by candlelight!) as you can be up as early as 5.30am.

When the rainforest goes to sleep all is silent for a while apart from the exceptionally loud croaking frogs and the possums rummaging through anything they can put their hands on in your room. Make sure you sit on the bench overlooking the river at least once when it’s completely dark – the stars are amazing in a perfectly clear sky, temporarily lit by the glow of fireflies dashing about. In the mornings you’ll be woken by the obvious noise of the jungle waking up and if you’re lucky you might just be granted pancakes and chocolate sauce once in a while on a Sunday, an unbelievably fantastic treat after a week of rice, lentils and ‘Club Socials’ – the equivalent of Ritz crackers. Generally you get meat once or twice a week when the boat’s been to Puerto (there’s no fridge to store it in all week) but occasionally when chef goes fishing and has a good session, a huge catfish might be on offer. Bring lots of chocolate and hide it away from both possums and people as it is like gold dust out there and you will be craving it after a week!

Needless to say bring many bottles of deet and antihistamine too for inevitable mosquito bites and stings and don’t just cover obvious exposed areas like arms – the little devils will bite through your trousers and pants too leaving you desperately wanting to scratch your rear for at least a week! Also be prepared for cold weather, strange though that seems. I was there during a ‘friaja’ – a really cold spell where you’ll end up wishing you’d brought your fleece and thermals. I mistakenly brought no warm clothes and had to beg, steal and borrow anything I could from all the sensible people who had brought jumpers.

The experience of living in the rainforest, the most diverse and fascinating ecosystem on earth, is a memory I will never forget. From the moment I first flew over it and took sight of the vast forest intersected by meandering coffee-coloured rivers, I was in awe. Driving the wooden canoe boat myself from Puerto Maldonado to Taricaya down the Madre de Dios, a wide Amazon tributary is just one of the many amazing memories I will keep with me forever. The same goes for swimming in Lake Sandoval, and swimming in the river outside the lodge, dancing the night away in ‘Wititis’ to classic Peruvian disco tunes in Puerto and sharing my room with several toe-biting possums (they will eat everything from paracetemol to mozzy nets)!

I went on to teach English in Urubamba and after my placements travelled round Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, both of which were brilliant – but my time at Taricaya will always remain with me as an experience of a lifetime and one day I hope to go back and do it all again. If you have the chance to go, do it and cherish every moment because you’ll soon be faced with taking your last boat trip up the river and saying goodbye to a magical place that strangely felt like home.

Visit Projects Abroad here.

Getting Started: One of the most important steps, obviously, is deciding to study abroad.  Studying abroad is truly a unique opportunity for young adults to expand their horizons and explore the world before entering into the “real world”… I think anyone who is able should study abroad.  So, once you’ve decided to study abroad, it’s important to tell your academic counselor as soon as possible.  Even if you decide freshman year that you want to study abroad as a junior, you can form your schedule so that you have a lot of flexibility to take interesting classes abroad, even if they don’t count for your major.  Also, the semester before you leave, many schools have mandatory meetings with important information about study abroad.

How Emily chose Italy: Today, American colleges make it possible to study abroad virtually anywhere in the world, if you’re willing to find the right programme.  Your school might only offer programmes in certain cities, but universities are almost always willing to accommodate other programmes.  Obviously, choosing where to study abroad is a huge decision.  You should of course look at the classes offered by a particular programme, and whether these classes relate to your major (although I know many people who took no classes for their major while studying abroad).  But I think more important than this is whether you’d want to spend a significant amount of time in the city of your choice.  Wherever you go, you will be there for a long time, so you should be sure that you’ll have the time of your life there.  Important factors to consider are whether you like the food (if you don’t like Asian food, Beijing might not be a good option), whether you can travel to other desirable destinations, and how well you will be able to adapt to the culture.

That said, I chose to study abroad in Rome.  I have never been to Italy, and I don’t speak any Italian.  In fact, I am actually a double major in History and French.  However, I’ve always wanted to learn Italian, and I can’t think of a better way than immersing myself in the culture.  I was able to find a programme taught in English, so applicants don’t have to have taken any Italian classes, although we do have to take an Italian class when we’re there.  Since I already know French, I’m hoping Italian will be easier for me to learn.  Additionally, I have been obsessed with Italian food since I first tasted spaghetti, and I am a complete coffee freak.  Also, although studying in Rome may not be conducive to my French major, I can afford to take a semester break from French, and I’m getting two really interesting History credits while I’m here.  So, although there are several factors that should be considered when choosing a location to study abroad in, the fact of the matter is that you have to choose where you want to go – you can almost always make it work with your major.

Applying to a Programme: Colleges generally want their students to study abroad, so the programmes are not super competitive to get into.  However, it is important to pay attention to deadlines for applications, as these are not flexible.  You can almost always apply early, and usually you will be accepted earlier if you submit your application earlier.  So try to submit your application as soon as you can after deciding what programme you want to go through.  After you get accepted, there are a ton of preparations and no time to waste!

Preparing for departure: Usually, you will get a checklist about things to do while studying abroad from either your study abroad department or the programme you are going through.  I used the checklist that Saint Louis University provided me, and it was basically my bible for getting ready to go abroad. I can’t stress enough how important it is to start early on this stuff.  I put it off because I was busy with school work, and I ended up having to pay a fortune to overnight tons of documents to the Italian Consulate.  There are also other details that should be dealt with before you leave, such as international health insurance, which you will definitely want to consider.  You’ll need passport pictures for just about everything, so it’s probably smart just to get a package of 10 and be done with it. You’re probably going to have to get a visa from the country you’re traveling to, and that needs to be done at least a few months before you leave.

Some programmes offer group flights to your destination. These flights are usually fairly cheap, and offer transportation from the airport to your campus, which is good if you don’t want to deal with a taxi your first day.  Also, some of these flights offer perks such as a free change of departure date from the city you’re studying in, if you decide last minute that you want to stay longer.  However, these flights sometimes don’t leave from your hometown, which could be inconvenient.  If you decide to travel on a group flight, be sure to pay attention to the due dates for those materials as well.

Typically, you will register for your classes before going abroad.  Try to sign up for classes the minute registration opens, because study abroad classes fill up really fast.  I am going through a programme at another school, so when I registered, I went through the steps a few times before registration opened, so that I would be familiar with the process and be able to do it quickly.

Packing for your study abroad adventure: This step is pretty fresh in my mind because I’m actually writing this on the plane to Rome!!  So I just finished all my packing.  Packing for study abroad is kind of like the hardest parts of packing to go to college and packing for a trip combined.  You’re going to be abroad for months on end, so you need to bring enough clothes to last you that long, and you need to account for the changes in season and weather.  You also need to bring enough toiletries for several months.  Items such as laundry detergent, shampoo, makeup, etc. can be hard to find, depending on your location, or way more expensive than at home.  It’s easiest just to pack enough to last.  Don’t forget necessities such as adapters, laundry bags, etc.  Depending on where you are going, you might want to leave your straighteners and hairdryers at home, because the electric currency is stronger in Europe and it will fry your appliances (unless you have a converter, which is a pain).  You can find cheap European hair appliances once you arrive. Also keep in mind that wherever you’re going, you will probably accumulate some new purchases while you’re there.  I actually packed an empty small duffel in one of my checked bags, for things that I buy while I’m in Rome.

My name is Alizeh Imtiaz. I was born and brought up in Karachi, Pakistan. After completing my A levels from Karachi, I headed off to London to complete my undergraduate in English and Film and TV from Brunel University. Currently I am living in Karachi.

From being a student to being a director in such a short span was something I never expected, but it was something that gave me immense confidence, and an outlet to the many ideas that I store in my mind. Living in Karachi has a lot to do with the person that I am and the ideas that I have. Of course, studying in London and traveling and meeting people from around the world broadens ones horizons as well. I have been working on and off on different projects since I was in University, mostly on commercial projects for channels. I have written several concepts and ideas for future scripts as well.

However lately i have stopped working in order to find opportunities to help the betterment of the welfare of my country. I’ve always felt the need to contribute towards the state of affairs in Pakistan, and I had told myself that no matter what direction I take in life, be it film making, education, social welfare or civil service I would add to what thousands of selfless Pakistanis across the globe already have. At this point in life, I know that directing and writing is something I hold very close to my heart and I will always have the chance to resume it, but right now is the time to branch out and grasp other things while I can.

What educational path did you take to reach your career?

I studied English and Film and TV at Brunel University, London.

Was it always your ambition to be a director?

No, I didn’t realise I wanted to get into directing until I was in University and I managed to make a short film called Shades of Black, which being my first attempt gained a lot of acclaim through wining the award for best film at the London Filmmakers Convention in 2007, and was also screened at the Portobello Film Festival 08 in London.

What does a typical working day involve?

Well in production, you need to be part of a team, so the day revolves around organizing, administrating and dealing with everyone from people from your crew to people on the road! It’s a lot of creativity plus practicality.

What should students consider before embarking on the path to a film career?

In the UK it is very difficult to get into the film business, whether you have a degree related to film or not. In other markets such as Pakistan, there is a lot of room still. So I think students need to know realistically how and where they plan to get after their degree.

What advice do you wish you’d received from a professional when you were a student?

Something that’s helped me a lot recently is the idea that there is no failure. Every single unsuccessful attempt in your career takes you one step forward. If I’d known that sooner I wouldn’t have spent time being disappointed about not getting a particular part or a show.

What are the best and worst aspects of your job?

Being a producer or director, the best is definitely being able to interact with people, being able to deliver your idea through whatever you’re shooting and reach out to an audience all the while being appreciated. There arent really any worse aspects, but I guess budget restraints limiting your grandeur or falling into a cliche with your work or maybe being different and not accepted could be some setbacks.

What advice do you wish you’d received from a professional when you were a student?

At times I feel that I should have known that it is important to be technically aware of everything that goes into filmmaking, so that you can actually monitor your own crew which is far more experienced than you (well they are to me!) But at the same time I am very technically weak still, but I get my work done easily.

What skills do you look for when hiring production crew members?

Punctuality, Creativity, Experience.

What is the biggest misconception that people have about film directors?

That they know each and every thing about the technicalities of filmmaking, some of us really dont! We just designate tasks and with a little bit of guidance manage to get through.

What was your proudest career moment?

When ‘Shades of Black’ won at the London Filmmakers Convention.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a director?

None!

How do you think living and studying abroad has benefited your career?

As far as living abroad is concerned, I wrote my concept for ‘Shades of Black’ one day while I was on the Tube, so I guess it did contribute. However,I don’t think my degree in Film and TV helped me much to be honest, mostly because it wasnt a hands-on filmmakers degree, it was just to get an idea of how things work.

I had the incredible opportunity to travel and volunteer in Costa Rica with International Student Volunteers – www.isvonline.org

As a country girl it was the first time I had ever travelled out of Australia and it was an amazing experience I will never forget. One of the greatest things about ISV was that I got to travel with a group of amazing people from around the world that have become some of my closest friends today.

The ISV programme was so well organised, on arrival in San Jose my volunteer group of 8 people travelled south to the small little village of Quizzara which we called home for the next two weeks. During the day we volunteered in the Los Cusingos Reserve – one of the most ecologically bio diverse parts of the world. We also spent our time working within the village to improve the environmental awareness and education of the children within the community. It was a very meaningful project with wonderful long term goals.

One of my most favorite parts about my ISV experience is that I got to spend it living with a Costa Rican family. I got to completely immerse myself in a brand new culture and way of life learning so many new things every single day. Not knowing a word of Spanish before leaving Australia, I came out with an understanding and appreciation for a whole new language and culture, nothing like I could have ever learnt in a classroom.

After my volunteer experience I got to participate in the two week educational adventure tour doing crazy adrenaline filled activities like water water rafting the Pacuare river, horseback riding, zip lining through the cloud forests of Monteverde and my personal favorite, relaxing on a beautiful tropical beach in the Caribbean to help unwind after the adventure activities.

As I was a student at the time and had never travelled before ISV was the perfect opportunity to experience something incredible that I could have never organized on my own.  All my accommodation was organized for me as well as my meals. I had the luxury of not having to organize any activities or transport myself. I love  ISV as the entire trip was  organized for me before I left my home town and I was able to have the most incredible experience with an awesome group of people.

ISV is a USA based non-profit organization with offices in 12 different countries. ISV operates volunteer programs in 8 different regions: Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Ecuador, Eastern Europe and South Africa. The ISV program incorporates two weeks of volunteer work and two weeks of adventure travel. Academic credit is available to students as well as sponsorship donations so that everyone can afford to go. If I had the chance to travel again I would definitely travel and volunteer my time again with ISV! Thank you!

Check them out at www.isvonline.org

It’s been so long since I last blogged that it’s almost funny. Every time I tell my roommates I’m going to blog they laugh at me because they’re sure that I won’t. They’ve been right so far, but not any more. I am turning a new cyber leaf and I will start to blog again regularly. I promise!

Much has happened since the last time I wrote. The first semester of my third year at Mt A ended, I decided to stay on another year at Mt A to do research with a prof in the Biology department, my living situation with my roommates has grown better and better with every passing week, and I am now in the middle of what might be the best of my six semesters at university.

What spurred me to blog today of all days was the fact that I have had one of the most typically “university” weekends of my time at Mt A. One of my roommates is visiting her sister in Montreal so it’s just the four of us: Nathan, Noah, Rhiana, and me. Spring break started on Friday and we’ve been making the most of it so far.

On Friday night we started the night off by having a bunch of friends over at our place, we eventually moved to Ducky’s (a bar) downtown, and then a few of us moved from there to the university Pub later in the night. We ended the night back at our apartment playing guitar until 3:00 am.

On Saturday afternoon when we had finally dragged ourselves out of bed, we started an epic Lord of the Rings movie marathon. We were a quarter of the way through the third movie (‘The Return of the King’) by about 9:00 that night when we went to Ducky’s again for a few beers with friends. We ended up being ‘that’ table. You know, the ones that are loud and are clearly having the most fun of anyone in the bar. We spent our entire time there making fun of each other, telling stories, and for a few very special minutes, listening to Nathan and Noah make gibbon noises at Rhiana. At about midnight we headed home via a pizza place and watched another quarter of ‘the Return of the King’ until various people fell asleep.

On Sunday morning (well, to be fair it was more like afternoon), we watched the last half of ‘The Return of the King’ and spent the rest of the day streaming live coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics streaming off the internet. One of my roommates and I went down to a cute little cafe we have in town to read for a couple of hours before we came back to watch what was apparently the single biggest sporting program in Canadian history: a Canada vs. USA Olympic hockey game. We had three Canadians (Nathan, Rhiana, and our buddy Mark), an American (Noah), and an Indian (me) watching and it was an interesting dynamic. I figured I could look at the game as either, “I don’t care” or, “I get to win no matter what”, and I picked the latter. Canada lost 3 to 5 and I am certain there were many Canadian hearts broken. It was a great game.

This morning (Monday) we decided to rent a car for the day. Because none of us have cars or easy access to cars, a lot of things get put off because they’re a pain to do without transportation. But with the rented car (which we haven’t been old enough to get until this year) it was easy and we were able to make a day-trip of it. The first thing on our list was taking all our empty alcohol and pop cans and bottles up to the recycling place they have in town. We’ve been accumulating these for a few months now and we had a rather impressive stash. There were: 16 dozen beer bottles, a multitude of wine bottles, and a substantial number of cans, and we ended up getting $26.30 back for all of it. The next thing was a trip to Moncton, the biggest city near by. The trip was largely for my roommate Nathan’s benefit because he is 6″8′ and has a very hard time finding clothes his size at normal stores. Rhiana and I also made an appointment to get tattoos which was pretty exciting. It was Rhiana’s first and my second and I think we took it like champs. We ended our trip to Moncton with dinner at an Indian restaurant and then headed home.

Rhiana and I just watched Mulan and, despite the fact that it’s only 10:40, it feels more like 2:00. So I think I’m going to head to bed and actually wake up early and start getting some work done tomorrow.

If you will be graduating from high school or college in 2010, it is time to start planning your post-grad adventure. At this point in time, you have sufficient time to save up money and secure deals on airfare and tours. So, grab a friend or two, or travel solo, and get out there and explore this awesome planet. DIWYY has done some research and has suggestions for you that meet people’s travel preferences and won’t break the bank!

All prices are land only unless otherwise indicated. See our recommendations below for ways to save on flights.

If you’re looking for:

Adventure: You just finished school, why don’t you step out of the classroom and into a new place with exciting adventure? Take a look at Gecko’s Adventures Safari & Spice that ventures to Kenya and Tanzania. Head out on safari to Serengeti National Park and within the impressive Ngorongoro Crater. After, head to the beautiful spice island of Zanzibar. Explore the intricate streets of Stone Town and then venture north to the beaches Nungwi. While you are on the island, try snorkeling or scuba diving in the pristine waters. Trip cost is $1,995.

For the girl who loves to hike, consider exploring Peru and Machu Picchu on GAP Adventure’s The Inca Trail, starting at just $749 for a 7-day trip. Join the tour in Cuzco and then trek 82 kilometers to Sun Gate where you will catch your first glimpse of this historic site.

Cultural Immersion: Head to Oaxaca, Mexico and spent some time at the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca to practice your Spanish language skills and also learn about Mexican culture. Two weeks in their Main Program, which consists of seven hours of instruction and interaction daily, will run you less than $300. The institute can also arrange for accommodations ranging from homestays to apartments.

Giving Back: Why not combine travel and volunteerism by venturing to a foreign country with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village Program? Global Village trips allow travelers to spend the working day building houses for local residents while the evenings and weekends are allocated for excursions, cultural events and free time. Next summer has trips to countries like Mongolia, Portugal and El Salvador; see the complete schedule for all trips.

Nightlife: Check out Contiki’s European Horizon, a 12-day budget trip that will run you $1,349. With stops in European hotspots like Amsterdam, Paris and Munich, you can explore the history and culture of these magnificent places and spend the nights check out the local scene.

Contiki also offers a 15-day trip called Spanish Spree that stops in Barcelona, Madrid and the Mediterranean island of Ibiza. Spend your days lounging by the beach and your nights staying out until the sun comes up. This trip is priced at $2,235 and has Sunday departures throughout summer.

Rest & Relaxation: If you are burnt out from final exams, papers and endless reading, check out Intrepid’s Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Thailand and Malta and their Yoga by the Sea trip to Sri Lanka. Enjoy twice daily yoga classes on all three trips and spend your free time enjoying local activities, savoring the cuisines or just relaxing! The trip cost ranges from $405 to $910 per person for the week depending on the location. The 2010 dates are not on the website but Intrepid has assured us that the trips are running next year. Email them at boulder@intrepidtravel.com for more info.

Financing Your Trip: Once you have a dream trip in mind, start saving so you can make that trip a reality. Some tips:

-Most trips only require a small deposit (usually somewhere between $200-500). This holds your spot. You can then make payments each month to help spread the cost out.

-Ask about any available discounts. Most tour companies have specials for people who pay for the whole trip at time of booking, pay cash or book with other travelers at the same time.

-Also inquire with the tour operator about flight specials. Many of them partner with airlines and can offer deals.

-Have a close friend or family member who travels frequently for business? Perhaps they would like to off-load some of their frequent flyer miles to help subsidize your trip. Do note that frequent flyer tickets usually sell out quickly so advanced planning and travel flexibility is required.

-Have an upcoming birthday? Sending out graduation announcements? Instead of gifts that will just clutter your room, consider starting a Travel Registry (check out Contiki’s program) or travel savings account to finance your trip. Friends and family who have experienced the joys of exploring the world are likely to happily contribute to your dream trip in honor of your special day or lifetime milestone.

- Lastly, consider picking up a part-time job in town or offer to babysit. From every paycheck, put half away for travel and keep the other half for everyday expenses. Before you know it, you will have enough to put a deposit down.

Nowadays, it’s expected that anyone applying for any job position should have a well written cover letter. A cover letter ultimately serves as your “pitch”. Why should the employer read your resume? What skills/qualities/experience do you bring that will benefit the company you are applying for? What job are you applying for? These are some of the questions that your cover letter should answer.

DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE COVER LETTER HERE

Cover Letter Format

I will first briefly summarize what needs to be in a cover letter, and then discuss these items in further detail. If you cannot concentrate for too long, just read the opening section of this post and that should give you some basic information on what is needed in a cover letter. For those who need a bit more help, the latter portion of this article should help in that regard.

With that being said, most cover letters contain these following elements:

Hey everyone!

It is known that thousands of people go to New York each year to find love. It is a huge city with millions and millions of people, which would obviously increase your chances of finding a perfect match.

For me, Ottawa became the city of love.

It turns out that it is not a matter of which city or country you move to; it is a question of moving on with your life, going to another country or another city, or province. Changing the direction of your life increases the chances of finding your true love and destiny forever.

Some people are lucky to find their destiny right away. Others, like me, wait for longer.

It has been almost two years since I made my way to Canada. I came here to find my love. At first it was love for this gorgeous city. Then I discovered love for my new friends here in Canada. All of them are from different countries and from various backgrounds, but they are all wonderful people.  I waited for weeks and months, but real love never appeared.

However, it is impossible to feel sadness or despair in a city such as Ottawa – the city of snow in winter, and sun in summer. It is always sunny here. It makes you want to smile no matter what.

I met my love eventually. It was the summer full of sunshine for me. I am proud to say that he is from England. The fact that he is also European helps our relationship more and more every day.

Ottawa definitely became the next New York for me.

It is a new year! It is a year of love despite college life and lots of homework.

Thank you.

Have a great year, guys!

Katerina got more than she bargained for when, as an international student a few short years ago, she left Cyprus to enrol at Sheffield Hallam. Having earned a Masters in Education from the University of Sheffield, she decided to study for an MBA at Hallam. “I found the course very interesting – particularly the fact that everyone involved was extremely enthusiastic. Even though as a teacher I had no background in this field of study, I graduated in 2001 with the Don Earl Award for the best performance on the course.”

It was in Sheffield where Katerina met and fell in love with Christian from Germany. They graduated together – both from Hallam with an MBA – but once the course had finished, the time came to say goodbye. “I moved back to Cyprus (cue heartbreaking scenes at Manchester airport!) to resume my job as a primary school teacher. Christian returned home to Germany where he worked at Dow Chemicals as a key account manager. For the next two years we both travelled back and forth across Europe to be together.”

“I like to think that luck was on my side as Christian decided to take the plunge and quit his job in Germany. He moved to Cyprus where he quickly secured a job with Marcus Evans Europe as a summit producer. Two years later we were married – first in Germany at the City Hall, Fulda and then in Cyprus at Nicosia’s Greek Orthodox Church. Our happiest day came just fourteen months later when I gave birth to our beautiful son Philippos.”

Today Katerina still works as a primary school teacher and Christian is now director of production at German Summits. “We love living in Cyprus; we did a diving course recently and we also go sailing whenever we get the chance either here in Cyprus or on holiday overseas. Some day we hope to buy our own sailing boat. On the weekends we go to our nearby beach, go for camping trips into the mountains or simply stay at home with friends. We fly to Germany and Switzerland very often to visit the Christian’s family (and also to do some snowboarding and skiing)! We hope one day to return to Sheffield as it brought us together – only next time there will be three of us!”

French Version

“The person you have dialed is busy. Your call has been put in waiting. Please wait.” Then I have a normal calling ring meaning that the previous conversation is over but she doesn’t want to answer the phone.

So I tried another number.

“Hello, welcome to the crous of Paris, if you want to talk with hotline for new grants and accommodation office please call this number 0123, if not please wait until someone answer.’

So I waited for almost fifteen minutes.

“Crous de Paris, Bonjour.”

“Bonjour, My name is Loïc. I am currently in Erasmus at Trinity College Dublin from Paris VII Denis Diderot. I was rewarded the Minister of National Education grant for mobility but I haven’t got it since October. I am wondering what’s happened?”

“Are you a French citizen?”

“Yes!”

“Let me transfer you to someone who can help.”

(Silly waiting music for one minute)

“Crous de Paris, Bonjour.”

“Bonjour, My name is Loïc. I am currently in Erasmus at Trinity College Dublin from Paris VII Denis Diderot. I was rewarded the Minister of National Education grant for mobility but I never got it since October. I am wondering what’s happened?”

“Can you tell me your name again please?”

“Loïc REDER.”

“Well, I can see that everything is OK here. The transfer will be made tomorrow and you will have your money one week later.”

“Thank you very much, bye.”

“Bye.”

It so happens that they told me exactly the same thing the week before and I never got my money.

Irish Version

(Loïc pops in the International office of Trinity.)

Loïc : Hello!

Rowena : Oh hi! How are you? (With a beautiful smile from ear to ear)

L: Fine and you?

R: Not so bad! How can I help you?

L: I am really enjoying my experience here so I want to stay next year and make a transfer.

R: Oh! For that you will have to go to Admission and Transfer office on the other side of this building. (She shows me on a map where to go.)

L: Like in France. You are transferring me to another place.

But in fact, it was not like in France. Because the other place was actually the right place so I did not have to get transferred to a third one.

Then we have a little chat about what part of France I am from, about my family spread all around the world. And she ended the conversation with “So, if you get transferred, we will able to see you more next year”. Again with her brand new smile that she never lost.

The day after, the same girl was closing her office (at the right time) but took time to answer a quick question whereas a French one will tell you, even if you come a quarter before closing time, “Sorry, we are about to close in ten minutes. Please come back tomorrow!” without any motivation or smile.

To put it in a nutshell, come to Trinity and you will have the legendary Irish welcome. I remember at the very beginning of the year when me and a French friend used to pop up in groups at the international office to support each other. When we explain that to them she answered “Am I so terrifying?” but they are totally not. They are not terrifying and are there for you. You can ring them even in August and they will answer. You can email right now, I am sure they will answer you. (But please don’t they will hate me for giving them more work than they already have!)

Slán

One aspect of being an international student studying abroad is the legal issues that we encounter. Initially, the only thing to worry about is visas, immunizations, and school documents. However, the longer you live in a foreign country, you discover those little nuances that relate to legal issues which can be quite difficult to deal with.

First and foremost, I must apologize for not writing as of late. I’ve been rather busy with schoolwork and professional work (which can be a difficult thing to balance and I don’t recommend anyone to do it if you want to make the most of your international experience!).

You might be wondering what kind of legal issues might concern us international scholars. The answer is taxes, contracts, and legal documents. Yes, if you come to the United States, you will have to file taxes even if you are not American and are currently not making any money. For many of us who came to the US directly from high school, we had little to no experience with filing taxes – and the learning process can be rather tedious.

When I discuss contracts, I refer to the fact that your school will only assist you with a limited number of living needs. Usually they help you the most in your initial year (with housing and accommodations), but as you can probably predict – the price is steep and illogical. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you if you move out on your own after some period of time. However, that is when your problem starts since you have no credit in the U.S. and also lack a social security card for identification purposes. Thus signing contracts usually requires large down payments (which you have no choice but to pay). You will also be rejected from many special offers because of your status so be prepared!

Finally, we get to legal documents. Studying abroad in the US requires you to constantly update and let the government know (usually through your school) where you are and what you are doing (especially if you have a job). Hence, you must always consult your international advisor if you want to do anything to change your legal status outside that of “student”. Please do things in advance, since many things require a long drawn out process.

Thanks for your time! I’ll write more when I get the chance.

Jenny is a Lecturer in Sports Therapy at the University of Hertfordshire and is also the Sports Therapist for the England U18 Mens basketball team.

What path did you take to become a Sports Therapist?

I studied the 3 year degree at what was then University College Chichester which is now Chichester University. Whist at Uni I made every effort to gain as much work experience as possible to maximise my chances of employment after graduating. Once I had graduated in 2004 I starting work part time with a semi professional football club and in two sports injury clinics, one physiotherapy and one chiropractic clinic.

After 6 months working I decided I wanted to gain more experience in sport so decided to spend a month in a University in America where I worked in the Athletic Training room giving me access to athletes from a large variety of sports. Whilst here I spent quite some time with the Men’s basketball team where my love for the game increased even more. This led to me making the decision that I wanted to work full time in basketball if possible. On return to the UK I managed to secure a full time job with a professional team in the British Basketball League. Unfortunately the club folded in 2006 so I moved on to begin lecturing at the University of Hertfordshire. Whilst taking a slight detour from full time practice I was very keen to maintain my hands-on sports therapy, since joining the University of Hertfordshire I have worked with Saracens Rugby and Arsenal Ladies Academies as well as UK athletics. Throughout my career so far I have maintained my passion for basketball and for the past 3 years have been the Sports Therapist for the England U18 Men’s team.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

There are many best parts about being a Sports Therapist, I truly love the job. It can be very rewarding when players return to full fitness and can play again. Being part of a very close team experiencing the highs and lows together is something else that makes the job really enjoyable.

There are obviously negative aspects to the job as with everything. One of the main points I would consider negative is when working full time in sport it is extremely time consuming and hours are not predictable. Working at the crack of dawn and into the night as well as every weekend can be very demanding on your time but not only on you but it also has a knock on effect on your family at home. This is by far the biggest disadvantage of working in sport. I find the best way to get round this though is to work in a sport your family like and can therefore come and watch, it keeps them happy too!

What is the best advice you can give people wanting a career in sports therapy?

The key to success in this profession is motivation, determination and love of sports. If you are considering entering into the profession I would recommend getting as much experience in as many sports as possible. Get yourself a first aid certificate and volunteer yourself at Saturday league games or help out with a local sports or physiotherapist. The Society of Sports Therapists website is a key source of information for anyone interested in the profession.

What would a normal day be like for a Sports Therapist?

My current career is slightly different to a full time sports therapist as I lecture at the University of Hertfordshire as well but I have recently returned from a European Basketball Championships in Bosnia so I will give you an example of a day there.

On a game day we would wake early and have breakfast as a team. Following this we would have a short break before training which I would use to treat any injured players or get on with all the pre-training preparation such as taping and massage to the players which required it. Any new injuries that had occurred in the game the previous night would also be assessed in this time. A decision on whether they could train and/or play would be made. The team would then all go to training where I would be available for any players that got injured during this time. If there were any injured players, the training time would often be used to run rehabilitation sessions using the spare courts. After training I would take all the players to the swimming pool to run a cool down session. Following lunch the players had a team meeting which I would also attend. The management team would meet immediately before this when my role as a Sports Therapist was to provide details of any injured players and whether they could play or not. Depending on the time of the game there may be an hour or so break for some rest but if the game was early I would begin pre-match preparation after lunch and then travel to the game. At the game I would sit on the bench and be prepared to treat any injuries that occurred, which in this tournament was many!

Following the game my role would be to organise a cool down and then assess any injuries and treat any acute injuries immediately. I also had responsibility for the players’ nutrition and rehydration. After treating the players and having dinner I was then free to relax which depending on game time could be very late in the day. This is an example of a tournament scenario, every day would be similar but less hectic, just a slightly scaled down version.

What are the different types of organizations and workplaces that hire sports therapists?

When I first graduated in 2004 the employability of a Sports Therapist was limited and it took a lot of motivation and perseverance to get a job. Fortunately this is no longer the case. Sports Therapy is becoming widely recognised and there is currently employment in professional sports clubs, various types of sports injury clinics, working with disabled athletes, in organised events such as marathons and much more. The degree also allows people to go on to further study, a number of students go on to become teachers or study Masters programmes.

What made you want to become a Sports Therapist?

I have always had a real love of all sports and have participated in athletics and basketball since a young age. It was whilst competing for the South of England in athletics that I damaged my knee which resulted in two years of various treatment to no avail and led to a Doctor telling me I could no longer participate in athletics. It was heart breaking. Being very persistent, I did not like being told I couldn’t do something so I decided I would get educated so that I could fix myself and not let others go through the same experience I had. It was then that I found out about the Sports Therapy degree and it sounded perfect. Two years later I started at Chichester.

What action can university students take to establish themselves as an attractive candidate to future employers?

Since taking on the Lecturing job at the University of Hertfordshire I have made it a priority to help make our students highly employable. We run events on CV writing and covering letters as well as implementing clinical experience into the degree and providing the option of a sandwich year placement. In my opinion there are many things students can do whilst studying but the key is gaining as much experience as possible. This will often mean volunteering at local sports clubs or events, generally getting out and experiencing the working world. It is also important for student so have the academic skills to communicate effectively.

Thierry Levy graduated from Thames Valley University in 2005 with a BMus in Popular Music Performance. After 3 years of working on TV in Switzerland as a presenter, he moved to the UK to further pursue his passion for performing. He also completed courses at Vocaltech, LAMDA and the New York Film Academy and recently found his way back into presenting for new media entertainment formats.

What educational path did you take to reach your career?

My path to becoming a presenter was unconventional. I was cast as a presenter in Switzerland when I was 18 and jumped straight into the role without formal training. It was a steep learning curve, but fun. After three years, I decided to move to London. I completed a bachelor degree in Popular Music Performance at Thames Valley University in conjunction with Vocaltech, a contemporary music school here. The course was fantastic and soon after beginning to study I started gigging, which helped me develop as a musician and build my stage technique, gaining skills I still use today as a presenter.

Was it always your ambition to be a presenter?

Not at all! I sort of fell into it. During my teens I spent my spare time rehearsing plays and gigs. Sometimes life throws opportunities at you that you just can’t miss out on. My career ambitions changed drastically after taking the first TV job and I never looked back.

What does a typical working day involve?

It depends what kind of show or video I’m working on. When you have a studio shoot, you spend the first hours of the day learning your script. It always has to seem improvised and natural even if every word is scripted. Of course there’s a bit of styling before the shoot and, once you’re in the studio, there are light and sound tests. Recording the show often requires several takes until the producer – and the presenter – are happy with it.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

The best thing without a question is the versatility. It never gets boring. Each shoot is different and brings new challenges and opportunities. It makes the job interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard as during the recording of certain shows. The worst thing might be the long hours. You work until everything is in the can.

What advice do you wish you’d received from a professional when you were a student?

Something that’s helped me a lot recently is the idea that there is no failure. Every single unsuccessful attempt in your career takes you one step forward. If I’d known that sooner I wouldn’t have spent time being disappointed about not getting a particular part or a show.

What is the biggest misconception people have about presenting?

“It’s all just fun, you hang out with celebs and you get paid a fortune.” This might be true for a select few in the industry but most presenting is a job like other jobs.

Is there any degree or course you wish you’d studied to help with your chosen career?

I sometimes look back and wish I had done a media or production course of some sort. It definitely helps to have more than one hat on when it comes to producing a show for TV or the internet. But when working you get the chance to pick up a lot of those skills along the way.

What was your proudest career moment?

Ah, without a doubt my interview with Alanis Morissette. I was always a big fan and got to interview her for a show on Swiss Music Television. I met her backstage at a summer festival and had a 15 minute slot to interview her but we ended up chatting for 40 minutes and once the cameraman stopped filming, she just hung out with us for another half hour.

How do you think living and studying abroad has benefited your career?

The wealth of knowledge I acquired here in the UK is immeasurable. I don’t believe that Switzerland offers the same variety of career paths and opportunities in the music and media industries. Since living in the UK I’ve gained two new languages which helped me get additional presenting work. Living and learning abroad was without a doubt the best decision I could take for my career.

The end of my first semester at Trinity just came, but it’s been such a pleasure that I didn’t realise it had been twelve weeks already. My year is structured into two semesters with three terms; Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity. A very Anglo-Saxon way of naming things!

The two first terms are composed of twelve teaching weeks without a break but a reading week at week seven. For nearly everybody it’s a week without class but some students have exams. Normally, you don’t have exam before Trinity term (i.e. May) but some essay writing before and some homework to submit. In History I don’t really have a lot of class scheduled, around 12 hours a week mostly in the afternoon (with the exception of a very painful 9am tutorial!) which means you have to put in a lot of personal work on your own time.

It was hard for me to become familiar with Irish history without previous knowledge. It was not that hard to understand my teachers and fellow students, but when I did not understand, I only had myself to blame because I was chatting with my neighbour. At the beginning of the semester I was given a list of all my assignment with the date of submissions. You are supposed to submit on time but if you are not a native English speaker you can always play this card for an extension. Don’t forget to ask for a extension or you can be in big trouble, but your coordinator will be there to help you in any case. As I said I had my schedule of homework since the beginning of the term, so I am the only one to be blame for the late submission.

Luckily, some parts of the college are open throughout the night. We have a 24hours computer room and study and for the lucky postgrad a very beautiful building with restroom (that’s not a silly remark when you are an undergrad and it’s 2am and you want to pee!). The library is huge and closes at 10pm, but I wouldn’t advise working in the Berkley section because it’s too cold. You can find nearly everything you need and I am always surprised by the number of books in French. But as a true Frenchman it was hard for me to work in the library but even harder to find a good café in Dublin. The result, therefore, is that it’s very hard to find a table and a chair for work. All the theater and seminar rooms are filled with chairs with a tiny table incorporated. Sometime you can barely put a piece of paper on it. I am still wondering why there are so few tables in this university.

However, studying isn’t the only thing to do at Trinity. You will have a lot of partying to do! The student union organizes a party nearly every week (through the Ents Crew) and if you join societies you will have other opportunities for fun and socialising. For example, one week, I had activities every night (sometimes twice a night!). Unfortunately, I had a lot of work due that week as well. Before I go, my advice would be to take the plunge even if you have an exam the next day. I did, and ended up on a bus tour of two nightclubs. It was great fun in the club and in the bus…

Dia Dhive, Hello everybody!

Today I will speak about Freshers’ week. Freshers’ week is the first week of the year but no lecture this week. It’s an amazing week. For international student two orientation meeting were hold the first one for introduce us with the college and the second for introduce with Ireland. We learn a lot of stuff such as the Irish drive on the wrong side of the street (that’s an evidence), they are commonly late (hopefully for me, me as well) and the difference of use in English. It was very helpful. After that, we have a wine reception, I win the immense privilege to broke a glass and become famous.

During Freshers’ week, you can join all the society available on the campus and they are a lot!!

According to the college advertisement they are suppose to be 150, they are very various from the Classical society with its Toga party to the Phil and the Hist two very famous debate societies. But there is also a society for yoga, swimming, law student, christian or a choir. There is a society for international student DUISS, they organize a lot of good trip and movie night each week. If you want to discover the real Ireland I will advice to join other society such as An Cuman Gaelech, the group of Irish speaker in Irish. They organize a lot of funny event such as a Fake wake for Halloween (In a later post) and weekly meeting at Club Mahindra a traditional Irish pub with Irish music all the night. They are normal, friendly and speak English as well.

Freshers’ week is also the registration week. Be aware they take a new picture so be prepare for that. You will have to choose your course. Depending to the department in which you want to study. The most awful might be the history but every time you will deal with teacher. From a French point of view that’s awesome. You will have a coordinator generally speaking your mother tongue. Be in the office of mine was a very strange experience « Am I still in Ireland? ». Your coordinator will help you for nearly everything.
But Freshers’ week is as well a week of partying. Each night you will have a wide choice of clubbing opportunity depending of the society you join. I met another Irish and he told me” God invented alcohol to prevent us from invading other countries ” night trying to explain me why Ireland has never built Empires. I think now you will agree with the idea that Irish people are funny and it’s an amazing country.

Slan

Bye everybody.

Hello!

My name is Loïc. I am 23 years old. I am a French Erasmus student at Trinity College Dublin.

Dublin (or Baile Átha Cliath in Irish) for those who don’t know is the capital city of the republic of Ireland. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Dublin is an amazing city quite small but very interesting with a lot of good places to have fun or “craic” are Irish say.

I guess you want to know how a French guy like me chooses to study one year in Dublin.

For my last Christmas of high school I decided to have fun alone and choose to go to Dublin. I had a lot of fun in the City, the museum and temple bar. One day, I decided to visit Trinity College the most famous university of the city. You won’t believe me, but trust me it was that kind of day with a blue sky without cloud. I fell in love with the beautiful architecture of the university. I swore one day I would come back.

Two years on, as a student at Paris 7 Denis Diderot University, I decided to go for one year abroad to escape the stress and the Madness of the biggest city in the world. I was very glad to see that I could choose Trinity College for my study abroad year and I was happier when I discover that I had been accepted. Back to Dublin and the green garden of Trinity College but like a student.

When you are an Erasmus student, you receive your letter of acceptance in the third week of July. With my letter of acceptance I receive twenty-four pages of explanation about life in Ireland and how to find a place to live. Finding a home in Ireland is very easy (or at least more simple than in France). I came in August and it took me one day to find the perfect place. Now, I home sharing a flat with three Brazilians girls on Bolton Street in the north side. I am in the city centre for €500 per month. In Paris, I paid the same but was in the suburbs.

Now let’s talk about the people in Dublin. They have a great sense of humour, for example in the bus station I said “I want to go to Phoenix Park.” And they answer me “Well, we won’t detain you!” but after that they were very helpful and explained everything to me.

Dublin is a very small city and people are very friendly. If you are lost, fell free to ask your way they will they will explain it to you. Better still, if you look lost people will come to you and help you find where you want to go.

Since arriving in Dublin I have made good friends. I met a guy in fourth year pharmacy who invited me to his place to meet his friends. It was difficult at first being surrounded by seven fluent English speakers but it was “good craic”!

Slán! (That’s goodbye in Irish)

The first question you are asked after returning home from college, whether it’s a friend, family or even an acquaintance. How is college life going for you? I will share with you some important things learned during my first year in college. I might sound a bit solemn. Let’s face it, life in college is very different from high school/grade school in many ways. One major difference is the need to form positive relationships with other people. It is helpful to lower our “Who cares? “ attitude before entering college life. This helps you meeting many people that could help you towards a successful career, one of whom is your advisor.

A college advisor can help you in various ways including your course planning and selection and at the same time provide you with some valuable advice in progressing towards your degree and a successful career. Before the beginning of each quarter you choose courses that you will be studying next quarter. A wide range of classes are available which apply in different ways towards your degree. There are also deadlines and regulations that need to be followed. Most of the information is available on the university’s website and it very easy to navigate by our own self. However meeting with your advisor will help guide you towards the right direction. You can also plan your classes and get advice on what classes to take on what year of college. Some classes for coming quarters also have pre-requisite classes which you need to take before registering other class. It takes a lot of planning and co-ordination to make your course load even, advisors help to make all this very easy. Another important thing I noticed is it is useful to stick to an advisor who you are most comfortable with and who understands your situation well. By doing this, you will build a relationship with someone who is familiar with your course history, and save time by leading you in the right direction.

During the beginning of each quarter advisors are busy and it is better to make an appointment in advance. Since there is limited time to meet with an advisor it is always beneficial to make a list of all the issues and questions you want to discuss. Ask people what they did when they faced a similar situation. You will get really interesting stories. It is usually helpful to start exploring your options and interests a bit early. This allows your more time for planning and broadens more options for you. A piece of advice, it is better to be rational and make the best use of the resources available, best of luck!

This semester is just rolling along and the days and weeks are passing in a blur. The only way to mark time is to keep track of the many due dates that are guiding me towards the end of this semester and the brief two weeks we get off for Christmas. Just a few weeks ago I was holed up in Bridge Street Cafe (our quaint, and only, cafe in Sackville) studying from open to close and pumping myself full of that great drink of champions, peppermint tea. I wrote three midterms in two days, had just enough time to catch up on lost sleep, and I was back with my nose to the grindstone churning out the next set of papers and assignments. I feel like things are falling out of my head as fast as I can force them in and I can barely remember the theory I studied for a test a day after I’ve written it. And I’m not the only one. This seems to be a problem that plagues most students I’ve spoken to. I know this is what we’re here for, but surely there’s a better way?

Luckily I have some semblance of a life outside of school. I was on a softball team for the first part of the semester and we ended up winning the intramurals tournament. I’m now on a volleyball team that looks extremely promising and I look forward to the distraction that our games provide.

Every Thursday my roommate and I meet and go over to our friends’ place to take their puppy out for a walk. There is no single greater joy than having a puppy shower unconditional love on you after a long and tiring week and this puppy is by far the biggest ray of sunshine in my life right now.

My roommates and I have redecorated our apartment to make it look like much more of a home. There are plants in the living room, the furniture has been rearranged, and we found paintings and photographs for the walls. We also just signed a lease to stay on in this apartment for next year. For the first time in the three years that I’ve been at Mt A I feel like I finally have a home. My two rooms in residence and even this room so far this year have been fine, and I’ve definitely made them my own space, but there was always an air of impermanence to the whole thing. Now I know that I’m going to be here in this apartment till April 2011, I can really put roots down. It’s a good feeling. I think people sometimes underestimate the bizarre situation that university students are in where they are always in limbo, always waiting for the next thing to come along, never really settling down.

Halloween was last weekend and I finally bit the bullet and let my friends dress me up as Princess Jasmine from Aladdin. Halloween isn’t something we do in India and so I’ve always felt like a bit of an idiot having to dress up for it. The last two years I’ve put absolutely no effort into it, had awful or non-existent costumes, and managed to get by without too much trouble. This year one of my roommates is all about costumes and I was almost doing her a favour by letting her work on mine. What I feel about it comes down to the fact that I don’t care enough to put time into working on a costume when I have so many other more important things to be doing. But hey, if someone wants to make a costume for me, that’s great! And that’s exactly what happened. My roommate made the perfect hair band, worked out a pretty fantastic hair piece, I put on some voluminous ‘hippie’ pants and matching top (acquired years apart those two pieces of clothing are made of exactly the same material and the serendipity of it all bewilders me), and got all Jas(min)ed up. Once my roommates and I were all decked out I ended up feeling really good about it and I have a feeling the whole incident will make me much less negative about Halloween next year. Yay for cultural assimilation!

In other news, it appears that the plague (the dreaded Swine Flu) has hit Mt A. I’m surprised it’s taken so long and I’m sure we’ll come through it fine. I was talking to someone today about it and we decided it’s good that it has a fancy name because it means that professors are being far more considerate about students having to miss class than usual. One just has to say the words and profs are practically begging students not to come to class and are going out of their way to make sure students don’t miss anything. So far, I’ve seen a few friends go down with the flu and my classes are slowly losing people, but it’s not looking too bad. In fact, I had a class canceled today and I’m completely fine with that. I did stay up half the night to write a paper for his class, but class being canceled meant that I took a sweet nap this afternoon which made everything better. And the best part of this whole thing is that I haven’t been hit by the plague yet. I have a bit of a cough that bothers me most when I’m out in the cold, but that’s about it.

Stay well, good readers. Remember to wash your hands and don’t forget the awesome arm-sneeze/cough (as opposed to the hand-sneeze/cough) that Mt A is rocking so hard.

Dublin in November. The clocks have gone back and the afternoons are a mere blink in a dark day. The weather is indifferent to all considerations of human comfort and everywhere people talk of the winter blues. You would think that Dublin would slow down a little bit, given the early darkness and endless cold fronts that bombard it. You would think that people would retreat inwards and stay in their warm homes. You would be wrong.

I’ve mentioned before that Dublin, although small, has the heart of a city several times its size. People jumped excitedly and full bolt into Halloween celebrations and it seemed just about every restaurant and pub were running special nights to help aid the festivities. The Christmas decorations are being prepared for Grafton St and each and every year they never fail to do a good job. With the arrival of the rugby international season and the Irish football team about to face France in decisive world cup qualifiers the city and the Irish have, if anything, upped the ante in the face of the cold spectre of Winter. They walk around seemingly ignoring the weather with smiles on their faces. That’s one of the reasons I like it here so much.

This being my final year, I expected it to be busy. And about this I was not wrong. I have lectures every morning and after a ten-minute coffee break, I head straight into my final year project lab and set about my work under the guidance of my supervisor. We’re investigating how subunits of proteins co-evolve and what affects such co-evolution has on the proteins function. We’re concentrating mainly on Haemoglobins but there are others we will investigate also. It’s interesting work and if our hypothesis is proved correct, our findings should warrant publication in a prominent scientific paper, which is always nice. My supervisor is really helpful and as always here in Trinity, my lecturers are always willing to lend a hand or give some experienced input when stubborn roadblocks are encountered. During this reading week, I have worked on research for my review on the regulatory logic of neural differentiation during development. Again it’s a lot of work but because it’s interesting, the task at hand is made somewhat easier. Interest is the key to success in most academic spheres I’ve come to realise.

Between college project and review work, and working in the pub I’ve been really busy. I didn’t get to dress up for Halloween but last Saturday I headed out with friends and enjoyed a few well earned drinks in Dublin town. We ended up in a nightclub despite my promise to myself that this eventuality would not happen. The craic was mighty! Rather than catch a taxi home, I stayed at a friend’s place. Come midday Sunday, nothing but a full Irish breakfast was on our minds.

This past summer vacation was awesome.  First I went to Swansea, the second largest city in Wales, on a student teaching program through my university, SUNY Fredonia, and then I traveled around to North Wales, Scotland and England. It was one of the best trips I have ever been on.

When you encounter a new culture, it is impossible not to experience new ideas, foods and ways of thinking. Sometimes this can be a big shock, but, even though I am Chinese, living near New York for a while made adjusting to life in Britain easier than I expected. However, it did not prepare me for the British accent, which made me feel like I was living in a complete different world. For example in London, I joined a cruise tour on the Thames River, and I was almost melted by the local accent of the male tourist guide. I stayed on the cruise for one hour and enjoyed his lovely accent and smart humor so much.

When I started to learn English, I always dreamed of talking like an English person, however, I never managed to perfect the accent. However, since working with my first-year students at an infant school in Swansea, I found that I was beginning to acquire the accent was becoming a natural. In my class, eighty percent of students were native speakers and I tried my best to talk to them in an English accent and as I did I could feel my identification with Britain growing.

One of the main differences I noticed between American English and British English is the vocabulary usages. It is difficult to imagine how huge different they are from each other. For example, British tend to use toilet instead of bathroom, and chips instead of fires, bump instead of hump. The most interesting was the slang, like “wearing the pants”. If I say I am wearing the pants in my class, and it means I am in charge in my class. When I say this to British friends, they seemed confused. In the UK, they tend to say “wearing the trousers ”.

Food is also another big difference.  The UK has more varieties than American. Curry is one of the things I love about UK, no matter where you go, you always could order curry food in the restaurant, and, apart from India, they are better than anywhere else. All my American friends who have been to UK are so impressed about how great Mark & Spencers was. Not only is it Britain’s most famous department store, it is also one of its best super markets. I found a lot of healthy and lovely food with much better quality than any of the grocery shops in America. I also tried some bizarre food during the trip, including Scottish Haggis, sheep and cow organs mixed with oatmeal and wrapped in a sheep’s intestine, Walsh faggots, which were like meatballs, and lava bread, made from seaweed.

Overall the trip was a great chance to observe the education system differences between US and UK, and also being exposed to another western country made me think deeper about the west and the east.

A typical day at Mt A for me would start around 7:15 in the morning. I have a single room in a residence of about 70 people. As soon as I’m up, I’d turn on my computer, check my email, and then hop into the shower. While I’m getting ready for class, I’d make a pot of coffee to take with me to class. Needless to say, coffee is an important part of my life at university.

Most days I don’t bother with breakfast but that’s because I often don’t give myself enough time in the mornings; it’s not healthy at all and I shouldn’t do it. The earliest class at Mt A starts at 8:30 and as a science student, I often have 8:30 classes. The last class of the day ends at 5:30 and again, as a science student, I often have labs that go to 5:30. If I happen to have free time during the day in between classes, I either run errands like checking my mail at the student centre or returning library books. If the break is long enough I sometimes manage to get homework done. I generally have time for lunch at Jennings, our meal hall, or if my classes go through the lunch period, I make a sandwich to take with me to class.

Depending on the day and how tired I am, I either eat dinner at Jennings, or I cook for myself in residence. I much prefer to cook, but it can be time consuming. If I’m eating at Jennings, I often go back to residence after my last class and meet up with my friends so that we can head over together. Eating at the meal hall is a really good way to socialise and meet new people. We often get so caught up in work and other activities that the only truly free time we give ourselves is to eat and sleep, and so meal times are often the only time we can relax and spend time with friends.

After dinner I often have meetings to attend. These are usually for the various student groups that I’m a part of: Eco Action (an environmental group), the Society of All Nations (SAN – an international student group), the Students’ Administrative Council (SAC – our student government), etc. There are a huge number of student groups on campus that offer a wide range of activities and opportunities. Being part of extracurricular activities is a great way to meet people and do things outside the normal scope of classes. My meetings don’t usually go later than 7:30, at which time I’d head back to residence.

Ideally, I get all my homework done either during the day or as soon as I get back to residence, but procrastination is a disease that affects everyone at university and one just has to do the best one can. If I don’t have much to do when I’m back in residence, I either visit friends in their rooms, or I read or watch movies in my room. I find I get very burnt out if I don’t get time to myself to relax. I try to be in bed by 11:00 or 11:30, but it often gets later than that.

In 2005, I was recently graduated and putting off reality. I applied with a programme called ISTplus teaching English in Thailand. I had few expectations: sun, beaches, palm trees, elephants, delicious food, fruit, cocktails…

I had never: taught; been to the Far East; met a Thai person; heard the thud of a coconut dropping onto the sand; swum with the fishes; been told not to go out due to a military coup. The list of things I’d never done, but now have, is endless.

I lived and worked in Chonburi, which a popular travel guidebook denounced as worth visiting only for the annual buffalo run. All advice seemed to be don’t go there. I stayed for two years, so it had something (and it wasn’t the buffalo run). It was an hour from Bangkok. The capital city can be compared to standing in the exhaust of a bus whilst watching an exciting, historical, fashionable, culture show. The city is huge and sky scrapers litter the horizon. It’s surreal; the gulf between rich and poor is enormous. You party with the moneyed as street urchins charm you for your change.

Weekend trips were an indispensable part of life. Parties in luxury Bangkok night clubs outdid the Chonburi nightlife. In the other direction I found another indispensable part of the Thai experience: the beach. On longer trips, I could travel to the more famous islands, Samui, Pan Ngan, Phi Phi, Krabi… You know them from stress relieving posters that read ‘tranquility’ or ‘harmony’. The places you imagine in moments of turmoil as your ‘special place’.

When I was bored of the beach, I could head to Thailand’s national attractions; the splendid Grand Palace, the ruins of Ayuthya, Lopburi and Sukhothai; the origins of Thai culture.  I spent time in the north of Thailand, enjoying the mountains and spectacular scenery. Each part of Thailand proudly asserts its own individual and colourful culture and traditions. These blend to create a diverse and fascinating national identity.

The greatest experiences I had in Thailand were those I had teaching English. It was a tremendous experience, which has furnished me with enough anecdotes and heart warming moments to maintain conversation for life. I learned to speak Thai, which allowed me to really become a part of the school. I loved the classroom and every day was a treat. It was a pleasure to walk to school to be greeted by smiling faces. It was a genuinely rewarding experience.

Today, employers look at it positively. I’m really proud of everything I achieved and it shows. So many of the qualities that should be exhibited in job interviews come from my time in Thailand. To employers, it shows resilience, endurance and an interesting person, keen to get experience out of their comfort zone. I returned in 2007 and trained as a teacher in the UK. I love teaching and I can always return to it, but at the moment I am on the brink of a move to London to work in production. I have done lots of freelance work: teaching, editing, proofreading, writing. And now I am trying something else. I have an unquenchable thirst to be out of my comfort zone! Without my time in Thailand, I might be less confident that the world is out there and to take great leaps. I made great friends, have amazing memories, travelled Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Australia and found a job I loved.

My expectations were exceptionally exceeded.

www.istplus.com

I would like to congratulate everyone with the beginning of the new studying year and wish the greatest luck to all of you with your assignments, tests and exams!

The first day is always the hardest.

I remember my first day in Canada. To my greatest luck it was raining in Ottawa. I went to the Orientation day for all the international students who came to study in Canada. Back then I didn’t know anyone neither in college nor in Ottawa besides the homestay family I met the night before.

Algonquin College is huge!  I was in love with it first time I saw it.  I think the college absolutely “loved” me back, considering the fact that it took my almost an hour to figure out how to exit the main building once the Orientation was finished.

I took the bus I was told to take – 174. Although I had no idea where to get off, the bus driver was very friendly and concerned. He helped me to get off the buss on the right bus stop once I shouted so loud: “ This is it! This is my bus stop! Yes, yes, yes.” I hope he didn’t think I went mental, even though I looked like I did.

I had two days until the beginning of my studies. So, it was a nice and sunny Sunday morning. I decided not to sit at home. And after I few hours of online searing, I decide to go investigate the downtown area.  Before coming to Ottawa, I saw so many beautiful pictures of Ottawa in the Internet and I couldn’t wait until I would have had such an opportunity to see all this beauty in real life.

I took the right bus. But again, I had no idea where and when to get off. So, as soon as I saw the Parliament building I realized – that’s where I need to be.  So I spent the whole day walking around the downtown area, taking pictures and enjoying the breathtaking architectural diversity of Ottawa.

I was alone in this area and for the first time in my life. But it felt so familiar and so friendly. It made me realize that there is a lot more I need to know about this city as well as there was definitely a lot more to look forward to.

Thank you,

Julia

Lucy Fish graduated from Bournemouth University in 2006 with a BA (Hons) in Interactive Media Production. Initially she hoped to become a Designer after graduating but after securing her first job as a Content Manager for a graphics company she discovered her passion for management.

What path did you take to become a project manager?

I started at a company called Graphico as a contract Content Manager for three months to help localise a site into Arabic. While working there, the Project Manager of the site I was working on walked out. I then worked closely with the Account Director to deliver the project, as there wasn’t time to get another PM in. While being a Content Manager I worked with the whole team, creative, technical, QA and learnt a lot. As my contract was coming to an end, I started looking for a new job, I got offered one in Bristol and accepted. Then, the Account Director at Graphico offered me a job as permanent Junior Account Executive, which I accepted as I liked the company and the team. After working as JAE for three months, I then said I wanted to change to Junior Project Manager, so they changed my job title and I became a PM. It went on from there and in six months I was working on projects worth half a million, well above the weight of a junior.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

The best thing is, I guess being able to work with lots of different skill sets and learning the industry by doing little bits of everything. While working with creative and technical teams you learn things from them without really knowing it.

There are lots of negative things about being a PM to be honest. It’s stressful and very hard work. If a project goes wrong, it is usually the PM who is blamed. PM’s have to have thick skins, you get on people’s nerves and when a tech or creative hates working on the project, you usually hear about it. PM’s are always the people in the office who are criticised off the most. ‘PM-ing’ is not for the faint hearted but this is based on working on big corporation projects with big budgets and big risks. Some projects are fun to work on, which changes the whole mood of the team.

What is a typical day in the life of a project manager?

Get to work, wait for the resources to come in and brief or chase them. Receive calls from the client with feedback, sign off on work. Write scopes of work, pull budgets and timelines together. Lead creative, tech and team meetings. Meet with clients, get briefs, present our work.
Constant e-mail writing.

What is the most challenging aspect of your role?

Keeping calm under pressure and dealing with problems quickly. Trying not to take your work home with you and worry.

How do you keep up to date with the industry?

I guess just by doing my work and at the company we have meetings, presentations about what’s new and people send around emails with news. I generally don’t have time to seek info about the industry; it is generally organic learning from others.

What’s the best advice you can give to people wanting a career in project management?

Get as much experience as you can. Make tea if you need to, as experience really matters. It’s scary stuff to begin with and the fear never really goes away but at least you know how to prepare for it.

I have wanted to be a pharmacist since grade 11 and even on the busy days I know I still made the right choice. I think it is a profession that I fit well in and I love what I do. My name is Robin McGuire and I am a pharmacy graduate from the University of Toronto, Ontario. I am currently a staff pharmacist at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Owen Sound. It is a small town of 22,000 people, 50% seniors. I have been a pharmacist in this store for four years this September, and time sure has flown. I have learned the names of most of the regular customers, and I am often the pharmacist they ask for. It is a proud feeling to be asked for by name, or description for that matter. I am ‘the little girl pharmacist’ if you are ever in Owen Sound and want to say hello.

What educational path did you take to become a pharmacist?

I did an undergraduate degree at Western University, in London Ontario. I feel that a great deal of my ‘educational path’ occurred in a pharmacy though. I started working in a pharmacy when I was about 15 and in the dispensary when I was 16. I had a mentor who showed me what a pharmacist could be, what they should be. It was a multidisciplinary team before that was a buzz word.

Did you always want to become a pharmacist?

By grade 11 I had decided that a pharmacist would be my career path. I decided what I wanted to do before I even knew the work involved in getting to that designation.

Describe a typical day for a pharmacist?

One thing that retail pharmacy is not, is typical. There are very few days that run the same. If anything there are seasonal patterns. For example summer is poison ivy, bug bites, lice, wound and sunburn time. The diversity of each day, though sometimes exhausting, is one of the best parts of being a community pharmacist. It keeps you on your toes and alert at all times.

What factors should students consider when choosing a pharmacy degree and institution?

I feel very strongly about being exposed to the profession before entering it.  I think that trying to work in community, hospital, industry or other areas you can find a pharmacist is important. I was lucky enough to get the chance to work in many areas which gave me a better outlook on all the directions a pharmacy degree can take you in.

Why do you think international students looking to study pharmacy should go to Canada to study?

I think that Canada is a beautiful country to start with, filled with interesting and diverse people.  While in school I was U of T’s representative on the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI) Board and this gave me the opportunity to meet with students from all over Canada. I think all the different faculties have different features to offer, just as each part of Canada has different benefits.

How do you keep up to date on developments within your industry?

I have tried to stay involved in the world of pharmacy locally by collaborating with local groups and community organizations. I have done talks on diabetes for both patients and other health care providers. I have been involved with the local health unit on safe medication disposal and reduction of drug use in teens.  Provincially I sit on the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) Board of Directors. Then I am also the New Practitioner Representative on the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) Board. I find talking directly with the people making changes is the best way to stay up to date. Conferences for these organisations are also a great way to meet people and learn how they have implemented new programs into their work environment. Sometimes all you need is a bit of direction to help you get your own programs off the ground and you can find this in many of the great pharmacists in Canada.

What is the best and worst thing about your job?

The best thing about retail pharmacy is the people, and the worst thing is the people. Being able to help someone better manage their disease state for example is a great feeling but being yelled at for not having refills of someone’s prescription is not so great a feeling. But I look for two things in my day to make me feel successful: one belly laugh and one feeling of truly helping someone, making their day better.

What advice do you wish you had received from a professional while you were still a student?

I received a lot of good advice as a student. This is where the work experience aspect of student life falls into play. It is very helpful to have a pharmacist in your life when you are a student, to talk with, bounce ideas off, and discuss current topics with. I would recommend that students get involved in their pharmacy program wholeheartedly, you will learn a lot outside of the classroom as well and make great friends along the way.

I chose to study abroad and specifically in the UK primarily because of the excellent reputation British education has across the world, providing better opportunities for my future career.  At the beginning, I was quite nervous to move to a new place where I did not know anyone, but that feeling soon faded as I was welcomed by friendly Student Ambassadors that had come to pick me and other international students up from Heathrow Airport and bring us back to Bristol.  On the coach, I met other students who had just arrived in the UK to study at undergraduate and postgraduate level.  We shared our worries, plans and backgrounds throughout journey.  Arriving at Bristol, I was helped to get to my accommodation and changed contact details with some of the other new students.  The following days included the “Welcome Week” for International students where I continued making more friends from different countries and cultures.

I have found the city of Bristol fascinating, where you can find a wide-range of activities and attractions.  It is filled with students and young friendly people.  The university also offers opportunities where you can get involved with the community: volunteer work that enhances your CV, societies depending on your interests and planned events.  I have already started gaining language skills and work experience by volunteering at a science centre and working at the university.

I am really enjoying UK education as it combines theory with creativity and practical work.  It enables you to strongly focus and research your subject independently.  Even though my course is hard work and challenging, the environment in which it is taught is easy to follow and learn.  Teaching involves discussions with tutors and peers, problem-solving, small projects working individually or in groups, computer-assisted learning and simulations.  There is always someone available to give you help, support or advice.  It also has a variety of accessible facilities making your studies easier; my favourite is the University Library where I spend hours.  I find all the resources for my projects online or in books allowing me to save some money on other things.

Living and studying abroad has made me more open-minded; it has allowed me to see the world in a new way.  Not only have I learned the UK lifestyle and culture, but I have experienced a little bit of other cultures by meeting people from different countries, like China, Canada and Poland.  My experiences so far and interaction with people from all over the world with various backgrounds, traditions and languages have broadened my views on life and what one can achieve.  Dealing with new situations and people, I feel more self-confident, open to new challenges and capable to work with diverse people.  I am sure any student who chooses to study in the UK will be amazed at what it has to offer, as most importantly it is a great opportunity to find out about other people, yourself, make new friends and gain invaluable skills for your future.

At 7am last Monday my alarm clock almost earned itself a flying visit to my front garden courtesy of a direct flight through my second story bedroom window. I had no idea what was happening when it started its grating call, and out of pure shock and disbelief (it being three months since I last saw a clock at seven am) I began reaching to send it on its way. Only the bedside sight of my new timetable saved it as my mind clicked in to a very rusty first gear and bleakly reminded me that today was the day. First day back at college.

My summer was excellent. I worked in the molecular biology lab of the Smurfit Institute of Genetics here in Trinity (my hours allowing my alarm clock to call at nine am, a much more civil hour). I learned much about my field, much more than classes can teach in a way. Oscar Wilde, himself a Trinity graduate that said “Nothing worth learning can be taught” and I would have to say this summer has led me to fall in line with his pithy witticism. The experience was invaluable and beginning the business of my big final year project, I start with legs that are already steady in a laboratory, a good advantage. Most importantly the payment I received funded a motor biking and surfing journey across the North coast of the Basque region. Santander through Bilbao and on to stunning San Sebastian, Irun and Biarritz. I spent nearly three weeks on a wicked adventure in a part of Europe I’ve never been, meeting loads of fellow students and backpackers. Good weather, good food, good drink, good conversation! What a trip!

Arriving back in Dublin and checking my emails for the first time in weeks I saw that the International office, whom I work for here, were hosting their biannual information day for enrolled international students the very next day. Myself and a few other ambassadors were sat up the front of one of three lecture theatres, each containing approximately 200 international Erasmus students. Here we answered their multifarious and extensive list of questions about life as a foreign student in Dublin. They had concerns ranging from traffic etiquette and social security numbers to the best nights to go out and the best cheap beer on offer here in the fair city of Dublin. Afterwards we all attended a wine reception hosted by the office and as I wandered around answering more questions I ran into students from America, Cuba, France, Germany, Sweden, Russia, England, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Holland and many many more. It was a great night and everyone benefited from it. By the time we finished up I could see the difference in many of the originally daunted faces of the students; they were much more relaxed and at ease which is the way it should be.

As for me, well it all begins next week. They’ve been kind and this week we’ve only had a few introductory lectures outlining what’s expected of us. But business begins next week. Monday to Friday lectures 9-11 and project work 12-??. I just hope by then I still have an alarm clock…

My name is Fan Fan Chen and before coming to the United States, I taught English at The Civil Aviation University of China. Now I am working on my masters degree at the State University of New York at Fredonia, a college town upstate of New York, which is about five hours from New York City.

During the process of deciding where and what to study, I had to think about many things. Considering my future career teaching English, I chose to study Education Science. As for the location, I chose the US, instead of UK. One reason was the living expenses were slightly cheaper, however, a much bigger pull was my dream of living in the US I am a huge fan of American culture, especially movies, so coming to the states felt like the natural choice.

I can still remember the excitement I felt during my first few days in Fredonia. I had never been outside of China before and the feeling of being completely immersed in a totally different culture was quite overwhelming. Seeing all the people who looked, spoke and thought differently, made me feel like I was living in a movie.

However, when the excitement faded and I got used to many of the differences, I was met by many difficulties, some I had expected, many I had not. Some part of every day was always a struggle. Lots of graduate pressure, surmounting the language barrier, or barriers and loneliness. The more frustrated I became, the more disappointed I felt. Life in America was not like the movie I had imagined any more and I stopped trying to live the life I had dreamed about and began to deal with the practicalities of everyday life.

Having lived in New York State for almost a year and spent two semesters in college I would love to say America was the way I had pictured it in my dreams. However, this is not true. In many ways it is far from the place I dreamed about. But this does not mean I would try and persuade people not to come. America is one of the greatest countries to visit, a place that is different from anywhere else in the world. But one of the most important things I learned in my first year here is that, while it is amazing, when you come to study here, you must still deal with all the daily chores that were in your life back home.

Even the life is not exactly like what I imagined from the movie, I have learnt and grown up a lot.

Hi all! I’ve been blogging for my university for two years and I’m really excited to have a whole new set of readers. I hope you’ll enjoy my posts as much as I enjoy writing them.

I’ll start by introducing myself. My name is Ashra Kolhatkar and I’m from India. I grew up in a town called Kodaiakanal in Tamil Nadu (India). I also attended an international high school in Kodai for 14 years and graduated in 2006 with an IB Diploma. I did the Full IB (International Baccalaureate) that is a broad, pre-university programme that equipped me with all the skills I’d need for university. Also, because of the material the IB covers, I got a full year of transfer credit to Mount Allison University (Mt A) in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. I took a gap year after high school and with the year of transfer credit, I was able to jump right into my second year when I got to Mt A in September 2007. I am a biology major and a geography minor and I hope to graduate from Mt A with a BSc in Biology in May 2010.

One must realise that college or university for international students is very expensive. That’s why my decision about where to go after high school was largely based on which institution offered me the most financial aid. I was very lucky to be a recipient of the Bell Scholarship, valued at $12,000 a year. Without this, university outside of India would have been prohibitively expensive.

I’ve absolutely loved my time at Mt A. I’ve made good friends, had lots of fantastic professors and classes and I’ve been able to take advantage of opportunities that I would never have otherwise had. I think that’s the joy of university: we are forced to leave our comfort zones of high school and home and family and move into a whole new life with all kinds of new experiences open to us.

I’m back in India for the summer now visiting friends and family and traveling with my parents and my twin brother, Arjun.

It’s nice to be at home with my family after two years in Sackville (I didn’t come home last summer and chose to stay and work in Sackville instead), but I miss my friends from Mt A and the life that I have there and I’m really looking forward to going back to Sackville on the 5th of September.

I guess that’s all for now. Let me say again that I’m very happy to have this new opportunity to share my thoughts and experiences with all of you, and I hope my stories have some impact on you.

Hey everyone!

My name is Julia Vorob’eva. I’m an international student studying at Algonquin College. I came here from Russia.

Journalism is one of the main things that brought me here.

Before coming to Canada, I spent one year studying in New Zealand. That was an absolutely unforgettable experience for me, but it seemed that there were no prospects studying journalism in such a small country, which is so remote from the entire world.

Also I’ve always been attracted to the beauty of Canadian nature, because it’s so similar to the Russian nature.

In my view, Canada is one of the most friendly countries in the world, which opens a huge variety of prospects to Canadian as well as international students from the rest of the world.

My experience in Canada has been great so far. There have been successes and failures, but despite all the tears and difficulties on my way through this year I realised how much I grew up as a person here.

Studying journalism, I have had a a great opportunity to meet as well as interview some of the Canadian politicians, such as John Baird or Dalton McGuinty. This was an awesome experience, because I learned how to overcome the fear of interviewing a celebrity.

Also, I met so many unbelievably smart and friendly Canadian people here. They eat a lot in Canada: huge portions of really unhealthy food. And their sense of humour is a bit different from the one I’m used to, but it never made me think bad of them. I love Canadians a lot.

I just stay the way I am, never pretend being someone else. They find me funny here. I think it’s because our cultures are so different. But won’t it make our experience here even more entertaining?

It has already for me and I’m 100% sure that life in Canada is going to be even more exciting year after year.

A few months ago I realised how important it is for all the international students to stay together, helping each other in a completely different environment. So, I organised the International Students’ Association (ISA) at Algonquin College created a facebook group to help all of us stay together. There were 23 members in the group only a few months ago and now I’m proud to say that there are 86 of us already. Since the beginning of this summer have we already had so much fun together. We had a BBQ day, the volleyball event, go karting day and a lot more fun activities that helped us to get to know each other. I’m sure that this association will help international students at Algonquin College. But of course I would be unbelievably happy if all the international students in Ottawa could eventually join our association, because we need each other.

I came to Dublin from Melbourne in Australia with the aim of doing nothing more than working to save so I could travel Europe. A few years later I find myself entering the final year of a degree in Genetics in Trinity College. It’s mad the way things work sometimes.

After finishing my studies in Melbourne I felt a little bit edgy, like there was more out there for me to see and experience. I had a qualification but wanted to take a year out to travel before completing an honours year and making something of it. With that in mind I skipped into a travel agents in Melbourne and five days later I hopped on to a plane and 24hours after that, I landed in Dublin.

Dublin is an amazing city and one of the main reasons I stayed after my year of work and travel were over. Despite being relatively small, it’s home to so much and there’s an amazing sense of energy and activity. Even on days where in other cities there might be a static feeling of listlessness, Dublin never quite seems like that. It’s the easiest city in the world to get talking to a stranger and as such there’s always a sense of excitement that something interesting will happen, even on the dull days. Trinity sits at the very centre of the city and as such, the capital is on your doorstep everyday. It’s a wonderful location. With Europe on the doorstep, the possibility of weekends away on the continent is never too far from the mind either.

This summer I’ve been working in the Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory of the Smurfit Institute of Genetics in the college. I applied for the position to get myself some experience for my big final year project and the experience has been revelatory. I’ve learned more in this twelve-week placement than I did in all of last year’s laboratory classes. It’s been a fun learning curve despite being testing at times and I know it is something that will stand to me greatly in the future. Working with people from all over the world and living in a city that plays host to people from all over the world has really opened my eyes. The experience has been brilliant and I cannot emphasise enough how fulfilling it has been to study abroad, however scary that first step might have been. I can’t wait to see what this final year brings!

It’s been half a year since I first set foot in Adelaide. Fresh from my A-Level days in Malaysia, I didn’t know what to expect, not even the slightest idea what it would be like to be living alone in a land 3000 miles away.

Upon arriving, it was a little scary. Although I must admit, the people around were just so… accommodating and friendly (I originated from a dog eat dog city). It’s a lot more than I had ever expected when I made my decision to pursue my dreams in Australia. Australia Is well known for its quality of education and the strength of the Group of Eight, also dubbed the ‘Ivy Leagues’ of Australia. But Adelaide, is  different from the other cities of Australia. It’s not as big as either Melbourne or Sydney, nor is it as busy, but rather, it’s peaceful, with charming tranquility, great scenery, landscapes, a river flowing through the city…

Waiting for the first month to come to pass was torturous. Spending countless hours cooped up in the library catching up with classes. The language barrier had just proven itself to be the greatest challenge and it was even more embarrassing as I spend half my life speaking English. Even when it comes to ordering food over the KFC counter… enough said… attending classes, frolicking by the Torrens River, visiting the library, making dinner, that’s all in a typical day of a university student’s life and it has turned into a routine, even now… how ironic…

I got a most ‘memorable’ warm welcome upon arrival in the airport. The temperature was skyrocketing at a whooping 50 degrees celsius. High temperature+custom checks+sleepless night in a plane=groggy and irritated. The summer temperature was really terrorising though I’m from a warm country with summer all year round.

Seriously, one should start exploring the world to uncover every secret of it before he/she could be called an adult and the world, it is like a giant classroom.

Hello everyone, my name is Yahya Younus. I am an international student from Pakistan. I am an undergraduate student at DePaul University, Chicago. I am majoring in Accounting and Business Administration. I believe that one should always do what one enjoys doing. I like playing with numbers. During all my school life, I always used to get the highest grade in mathematics and numbers is all I wanted to do. The accounting programme at DePaul is magnificent and Chicago has much to offer to accountants.

I decided to come to the US because I wanted to experience the US way of life. It is well known throughout the world how people here in the US have an independent life style. Living here in itself is a learning experience that has taught me a lot; Balancing between school and social life, working to pay for your groceries, locking you dorm room after you leave, making new fraternity friends and the list goes on.

During the summer I have had a chance to visit many places within and outside the city. It was a great chance to have fun and enjoy the true living and entertainment in the US. I have had a couple of trips with friends who are local and they have shown me around. It is great that the people are very friendly and hospitable.

The best thing about studying here is that there are a lot of resources and facilities available for students. There is so much to learn that it is breath taking. All you have to do is look around and there are people ready to help and always willing to guide you. It is only a matter of asking and you will achieve a lot that you could only have dreamed about.

Hello all!

I feel extremely honored to be one of the international students chosen to write for the i-studentlife blog. My name is Phil Kao and I am a Taiwanese student currently residing in Chicago, Illinois. I should mention that even though Taiwan is my place of origin, I grew up in Bangkok, Thailand – which to this day I still consider my second home.

WHY I DECIDED TO STUDY IN THE USA

The primary reason for leaving home and pursuing an overseas degree is very much embedded in the belief that I would experience more of the world and its intricacies. By leaving a safe environment, I was opening myself up to new possibilities and experiences that I could never have encountered at home.

A TYPICAL DAY OVERSEAS

The typical day for me is not unlike most students (which consists of waking up, grabbing breakfast etc.) However what is different is that I get to lounge around for the majority of the evening and afternoon (engaging in activities suiting a person of my age – which primarily consists of eating large amounts of food and sleeping in the library). Since this blog is rather academic in nature, I would like to say that I’m rather studious as well during my free time (but when the need arises).

The reason for the luxurious lifestyle is because most (if not all) of my classes are scheduled during the night between the hours of 6 and 9 PM. It should be noted that these times are not the only ones offered by the university (choosing morning classes is still a possibility if that’s your cup of tea). But to me, this is the time that I am most efficient and can get the most work done. So far, this schedule hasn’t failed me yet!

SUMMER PLANS

The one thing about being an international student is that you will miss home a great deal. So I guess no one should be surprised with the fact that since school has been out, I’ve been back home enjoying the things that I have missed (e.g. cheap food and entertainment in Asia!)

Esther is an international student originally from Malaysia studying in the USA. In this interview, she tells us how leaving her home country to study in America has changed her life. You can also read Esther’s blog at: www.estherchin.com

Why did you decide to move from Malaysia to the USA for your education?

Not only do I believe that the education system in the USA is better than the one in my country, but because the USA is the only place where I can experience a small amount of what every culture has to offer. It’s true when they say that the USA is the world’s melting pot, so why experience one culture when in the USA I get to experience them all? Moreover, I have always had a liking towards the USA even when I was younger. So when I had the chance to work and travel in the USA last summer, I took that opportunity to look for universities. After doing some research and survey, I decided to apply for Western Michigan University’s fall 09 intake.

In your blog you talk about the sacrifices your family have made for your future, what are the sacrifices your family has had to make and have you had to make any yourself?

With the money my parents had saved all these years, they could afford to retire early but because I wanted to study in the USA, they are willing to adjust their goals to help accomplish mine. Because of that, I’m very grateful for my parent’s sacrifice and choose to do my best in my studies.

How has the decision to study abroad changed your life?

I grew up. Back at home, I stayed with my parents and everything was taken care of by them. I did not need to do the laundry, iron the clothes, cook my meals and even transportation was provided as my mother would send me out and back most of the time. Since being in the USA, I have had to start taking care of myself. I realised how spoiled I was back at home when I have to be independent here. I’ve learn to be more thankful for the things that I have, as opposed to how I used to be unsatisfied with so many things I had back at home. I had also learned to appreciate my parents more and realize how much they love me when I see them willingly sacrifice so much for me and my future.

How have your perceptions of the world changed since you moved abroad for your education?

Living back at home, I used to think quite cynically. It was hard for me to believe that anyone was interested in more than their own needs. When I came to the USA I began to realise that this is not always true. It’s true that I’ve experienced my share of jerks since I’ve been here, but I’ve also encountered a surprising amount of help, encouragement and friendship. When I used to think about studying in the USA I would imagine a lot of things, but I never imagined that I would walk away from it all with a more selfless attitude and a somewhat less cynical perception.

What do you miss most about Malaysia?

Definitely my family. I miss my parents, sister, grandparents and my two Australian Silky Terrier dogs a lot. The saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ is very true to me because I used to take my family members for granted but now when I’m away from them for such a long period of time, I find myself appreciating them more. I even find myself talking to my grandparents more than before, now that I’m calling back home. The other day when I was done talking with my maternal grandparents, I realised that we have been talking for two hours already and I don’t think that I had ever in my life talked to them for such a long period of time face to face before, but I did it over the phone. Then again, it can be sad sometimes. I usually can not talk to my paternal grandparents for long since their hearing isn’t good anymore. I am always dehydrated after talking over the phone with them but it’s still worth it!

Why did you choose to study Mass Communication and what career path do you hope to follow?

To be honest, it’s because I prefer to be heard over listening. It’s not that I’m completely uninterested in what others have to say, it’s just that I’ve always felt as if I have a lot to say myself. I’ve always like to convey messages to broad audiences. My blog is the perfect example. So, for the most part, I chose to study Mass Communication because of two things: Firstly, because I feel I’m good at it and secondly because I’m most interested in it. As for what career path I choose to follow, I’m afraid I can’t quite answer this question yet. I do know that I would like to work here in the USA but as far as in what path… I’m going to have to wait until I’m a bit further in my studies to say for sure.

Would you recommend studying abroad to other students and why?

I highly recommend taking the opportunity to study in a foreign country to experience a new culture and broaden your horizons. I believe that studying abroad would strengthen your personality and make you come out of the comfort zone to step out into the real world.

Bournemouth University Graduate, Juliette Fleming shares her diary from her year spent studying in Canada.

31st December: I met Charlotte, Matt, James, Andy and Rick at Gatwick airport. ten hours later, but six hours back in time, we landed in Toronto. We were all a bit disappointed at the lack of snow when we got out of the airport, but we were assured that we would see snow and experience insane temperatures soon! We went to the big outdoor countdown at Nathan Philip’s Square, to see in the New Year. When we got there it was packed out and we couldn’t see much, but there was a stage with bands and a screen with the countdown and a Moose made out of fairy lights! We joined in with the countdown and then waited for the crowd to leave and reveal the ice-rink they had been stood on! We stayed and played on the ice for a bit, then we walked through the city, along with everyone else, there were lots of people in cars honking their horns and people were yelling ‘Happy New Year’ to each other. It was a very surreal but amazing experience, nothing like home!

3rd January: We had international student orientation today, which was great as we got to meet lots of other students from all over the world.

4th January: Orientation continued today with a tour of the main campus, which is huge and very different from Bournemouth, everyone is really friendly and helpful which is great as I will probably get lost a lot at first!

6th January: It snowed for the first time today! I had the Bournemouth students over to my place tonight and my roommates had some Canadian friends over too so we could all get to know each other. Then we all went to a student night at a local club called Riley’s together.

8th January: The university organised a city tour for us today and we drove around the city on a big yellow school bus. Then we went for lunch at a Caribbean restaurant.

12th January: Got tickets to go and see Razorlight, as they are a British band, lots of the people there were also from England so we had a little taste of home for the evening!

14th January: We went to Blue Mountain on the student union ski trip, got to meet a whole bunch of new people and try something I had never done before! I got a few bruises to show from this experience that’s for sure! Really enjoyed the day but was glad to get home and get warm.

18th January: The Bournemouth students, my roommates and a few of their friends joined forces and entered the university dodgeball tournament! Our team is called ‘How’d you like them apples?’ We’re not very good, but it’s so much fun!

22nd January: The student union arranged a night out for the international students at a British themed club called the Mod Club, which was fun as we got to see some familiar faces and catch up with the other international students.

29th January: My roommate, Andrea took me with her to visit her hometown and meet her family. In the evening we got all layered up and went snow tubing, which was so much fun!

30th January: We got all dressed up to go out and play in the snow again. We walked across the field to the neighbour’s house and the snow came up to my knees, so this was not an easy task! The neighbours took us out on their snowmobiles before we headed back to the city.

12th February: I went ice-skating at the harbour front with some of the other international students, which I loved but it was just too cold to stay out too long today.

16th February: My roommate Nicole had a fundraiser for her course fashion show at the C Lounge, so we went to support her and her course-mates.

19th February: Went to see Niagara Falls today. I had been before in the summer but it was amazing to see the falls in winter, as they looked so different but just as magnificent with all the snow and ice to add to the view!

Before my Erasmus year in 2007/ 2008 I was a bit anxious like most people. Not so much about the prospect of living away from home, but more the struggle I would have with my foreign language ability, which really should have been quite good as an applied languages student, but unfortunately I knew I could have ‘applied’ myself a lot more in the first two years of university!

Before starting my degree, I took a gap year and was fortunate enough to have been able to do a round-the-world trip. Therefore, my presuppositions about going to France and Germany for a term were that it could never be anywhere near the life changing experience I had whilst in Thailand and Australia.

Before departing for my first semester in Rennes, it dawned on me that my year abroad had come round very quickly and I wasn’t actually anywhere near prepared as I should be. This worried me at first, but thankfully with some help from some very good friends on my course I found myself on a plane heading to France. Upon arrival, there was no immediate culture shock, but that all too familiar feeling of being a stranger in a foreign place was definitely apparent. It wasn’t until later when I found myself in queues to fill in accommodation forms and getting keys to rooms that it really started to hit me that I was going to be staying in this place for some time. On first impressions the halls of residence we were staying in were vaguely similar to how I would imagine 1950’s social housing in Glasgow. Big, ugly and mouldy. The kitchen was very basic with only two hob rings on a timer you had to keep pushing. As you can imagine, it was a bit of a shock at first. But then it dawned on us that the rent was only £100 a month. And the view out of my window was unbelievable.

I have so many great memories of my time in Rennes. One of the best weekends was when we went to Paris to see the Rugby World Cup final, even though we lost. We woke up on the Saturday morning and just decided to go at the last minute, brilliant. There were also massive student protests and the university was actually blockaded for about two months, which was an experience I will never forget. We also managed to squeeze in a music festival at the end which was a really nice finishing touch to the term.

If asked what my personal highlight of my year abroad would be, it would definitely be having the opportunity to live in shared accommodation with other foreign students. Everybody got over the flaws in the building and soon realised that as students, we really didn’t need state of the art kitchens and walk in bathrooms that you would find in universites in the UK and could happily use the money we saved on accommodation to have a good time. Living in such close proximity to other French students enabled me to develop my French beyond my own expectations. It wasn’t until after a supermarket run with my neighbour in her car that she said to me “you know you’ve now been speaking French with me for about three hours straight” that I realised how much I had improved.

As we neared the end of the semester it became clear to me that I had had one of the best times of my life, which I never thought I could find still remaining so close to England (in comparison with places I had travelled previously). However, it had really become clear to me that it’s the people and not the place that make an experience so special.

Taken from an article published in i-studentadvisor. The Mariveraine Jolianne Loignon-Beaudoin is pursuing her adventure in Japan through AFS International Programmes and offering us her third Japanese Column.

A new perspective

I must say that the most important activity I took part in has been my school seminar. Four times a year, Seirei Gakuen organizes a special study day on a Saturday. Students are asked to participate in one of the suggested lessons. There are a large variety of lessons: initiation to the Spanish language, improvement of English, learning how to get ready for an interview, to name only a few. The members of AFS Japan who are in charge of me during my stay here are also participating and, as participants (the other two students in my region and myself), we had to act as hosts and give a presentation about our respective countries to the students of our school. This type of seminar will occur at Seirei again at the end of June and then, once more later in the year. We will also participate in another school’s seminar (Tokai Gakuen, boys school) where the AFS President is working. I managed to give my presentation in Japanese using only some English vocabulary. This presentation gave me the opportunity to share with the students from my school some of the great history of Canada and Quebec. I used flags, pictures, maps and souvenirs, all of which were very much appreciated.

That presentation gave me a new perspective on my own country and province. Until now, I had only been an external observer; I can now see the immensity and beauties of my origins. I now feel more pride in being a French Canadian living in the largest Canadian province: Quebec. When discussing with my peers, I realise more each day that Quebec has its own culture and I see how it identifies itself as part of a united Canada. The human relations with people from different nationalities as well as perceptions surrounding this cultural exchange help me discover a more serious world. I realise what role a country can play and how it can influence world history. Even though I am a beginner in this field, I find it all very interesting.

I can now tell you how I feel about all of the above. Have you ever read a book that influenced you to the point that after finishing it, you wanted to change the world? This feeling is somewhat fleeting however, because you stop thinking about it as soon as you get back to your routine. As far as I am concerned, this feeling isn’t fleeting and even seems to increase with time. I would say that a cultural exchange can have this kind of effect on us. Not only does AFS International gives us the opportunity to forge relations with people all over the world, but it also allows us to discover who we really are, what is our potential, which role is unique to our lives. It also helps us feel more valuable and, who knows, maybe even to find a career that we had never considered before.

In fact, I was able to find contacts and information that may help me start a career at the international level. Although my plans are not final yet, I can confirm that you cannot know if something will work until you’ve tried it. I will take advantage of all the opportunities given to me and will do all I can to succeed.

My studies

It is a known fact that we learn a language faster when totally immersed in it so I am using all my spare time to study Japanese (AFS has provided us with very good study books), I listen to Japanese music, I watch Japanese television and sometimes, I go to an Internet café to share news with my friends and family. An interesting cultural fact I’ve discovered lately: it isn’t customary for students to go out or to go shopping after school. Japanese studies are hard and most of my friends spend most of their time studying. However, the situation is starting to change and young people are taking their studies a little less seriously than before. As far as I am concerned, the more I learn the less I feel like a foreigner. Sometimes I even forget that I come from a different nation.

I am starting to feel more mature and more fullfilled and I wish to tell all the young people out there to hang on to their dreams and to do all that is necessary to achieve it. No matter what people say or how long it takes, once you’ve accomplished your goal you will feel so good and ready to go further in life. If you feel one day that you need to see the world, I recommend that you join AFS; they are very good guides and they provide us with a great environment to make friends and to discover our host country through numerous activities organised by them. Let’s not forget that each of us is unique and will take away something different from their own cultural exchange; one thing is for sure you will not be going home empty handed.

Click here to read the full article in i-studentadvisor

The AFS Intercultural Programmes office in Russia let us know about a special essay they received from Chiara Boni — an Italian high school student hosted by AFS in Russia this year. Chiara submitted this essay as part of a recent competition called “My Russian life.” The article was published in i-studentadvisor last year, this is an extract from that article.

RUSSIA AND ME: CONTRADICTIONS

Immediately the word “weather” comes to mind. How could it be so cold that I needed to wear boots with fur? I could not understand Russian winter! Minus ten, twenty even thirty? I ran for the shops in order to find a coat and shoes so I could be ready for the snow. I remember the first time I saw snow and how it made me forget my worries! I felt great every time I went for a walk in the snow; the white streets that I’d never seen before were enchanting and I could do a lot of things I always wanted to try. I could skate and ski with my host parents and everything looked so clean and pure, even if I came home almost frozen, it was always with a smile!

Of the Russian spring, everyone told me that they would be quite wet and at every step I would find a puddle waiting for me. But I like how nature explodes in front of you, I can feel it: seasons, trees — brown, then white and then green; I like to see how suddenly days can change and how autumn could be totally different from winter, I like the sunny days of the spring and I am happy just if the sky is blue. This is something I have never seen in Italy, all year the weather is almost the same and sometimes I just forget to look at the sky, I don’t remember that there is one world around me, as it is so silent, even monotonous.

Argh! Let’s speak about Russian food, I can just say that it surprised me! My first breakfast was some little fritters called ‘aladushki’ and a sweet, tasty cream; I immediately loved them and began to hope that everything could be so delicious. Now I am completely accustomed to Russian cooking, but it took me months.

First I had to learn to eat something different from milk and biscuits at breakfast — like I used to do in Italy. The first time I had rice and meat at eight o’clock in the morning, I was a bit shocked. If this is breakfast what will I have for lunch? When I called my family in Italy and described what I ate they didn’t believe me or maybe just couldn’t imagine. My Russian mother was also incredulous when I told her that the few times I ate soup it was because I was sick! Here we ate soup everyday for lunch and in the beginning it was weird for me to give up eating pasta. But I like our lunch here, hot soup when I came back from school and was cold. Sometimes I sit in the kitchen and watch my host mom and try to learn how to cook.

I spent some of the most funny nights of these months cooking both Russian and Italian foods with the girls of my family whether Russian or Italian foods. We tried to explain to each other something more of our cultures through cookery.

NOTHING COULD BE AS GOOD AS IT WAS WITHOUT FRIENDS

The first real friendships which I created in Russia were with AFS students; I realised that it was easier to become close to them, because they understood me more and had lived the same experience.

In the first camp in September, it was exciting to see in one room, different people from all over the world having fun together; I was happy to share anxieties and expectations with them, I felt less alone. I went to school expecting to meet my old Italian friends and teachers…I missed them so much and it made me sad. One day I decided that I could not spend my weeks remembering Italy and crying all the time. It was not right, not cool, not healthy and not in my habits! I began to greet everyone I met with the three sentences which I knew in Russian. It was difficult to find something to make conversation, I like speaking very much, but suddenly I didn’t know what to say. In a few weeks I had some friends who wanted to show me the city, their family, their traditions and they wanted me to speak Russian. I usually went out with our group of students in Nizhniy; we spent afternoons together in the centre, visiting the city and the Cremlin.

NOW I ASK MYSELF HOW I WILL COME BACK AND LEAVE

The time seems too short now, when I arrived I thought it was too much, now I always think I need just a little more, I don’t want to say goodbye. I think of my Thai lessons with my friend Pin, who lives in Nizhniy with me; I think of the lunch that she cooked for me and of our weekly appointment with the sushi bar. I remember speaking about our countries, our foods, our schools, our families, and our past and future lives for hours and never tiring. My mother in Italy knows so much about Pin that she wants to meet her although she doesn’t know which language to speak.

I think of Natasha, a girl in my school and the first time she took me to skate. I remember that I was cold and skating for the first time hurt, but there was a good song playing and I just forgot everything! I think of all the times she called me worried because she hadn’t seen me in school and the strange name that she gave me: ‘kiarka daiarka’ (and I just adore it). I think of my class; the French, Swiss, German and Thai people living with me; all the Italians also in Russia and how we tried to help each other and how we spoke of our country — 90% of our conversations were about Italian foods!

As well as the friends, I want to mention my new city: Nizhniy Novgorod. I used to live in not such a big town in Italy but I liked Nizhniy from first sight. For the first weeks I had no idea of what to do with all those buses and how to find my bearings, though I finally learned how to move. This gave me independence: I could go where I wanted, I knew the ways and the streets, the right bus number and the subway exit. It’s a beautiful city and Pin and I loved seeing the view of Volga and Oka meeting, or just walking for the main street and seeing all the monuments and shops. I feel like it is my city, like I have lived here for a long time. To have two places in the world that I can call home makes me feel free, and not being an inhabitant of just one country and one town…

Click here to read the full article in i-studentadvisor

Sarah Wordsworth, Public Relations and IT Coordinator for Australian University Sport introduces the wealth of sporting opportunities available to students studying in Australia.

Sun, sand and surf. I’m sure these are the typical images conjured up in the minds of our northern hemisphere counterparts when they think of Australia. Or perhaps it’s red dirt, open spaces and strange animals. All these are true and available in abundance. However for students considering studying at Australian universities there is much, much more to Australia than the typical tourist images. Like sport for instance.

Sport is a way of life for Australians, from children’s rugby on a Saturday morning to elite sports programmes, nurturing future Olympians and breaking records on the world stage. Australia’s forty-two universities provide an excellent platform for sport at both the participation and the elite level. Nothing embodies this more than one of the biggest multi-sport events in the country — the Australian University Games. This event brings nearly 7,000 students together each September for a week of intense competition in 29 sports, ranging from hockey, touch football and tennis to kendo, handball and surfing. There really is something for everyone and every level of ability. Many of Australia’s Olympians have Australian University Games medals in their trophy cabinets and many more can tell the story of the day they ran, swam, or played against an Olympic athlete.

University sport also encapsulates one of those other great Australian attributes – friendship. It provides the social context to build great friendships, share a common interest and enjoy experiences. It gives you balance with your studies and for international students, offers an interesting window into the lives of the locals. Australian University Games in particular has a fantastic social programme that brings students together each and every night after an intense day of sporting competition and is a great way to see the country, as events are held in a different city each year.

If you are thinking of studying at an Australian university don’t forget to take the time to consider what you might do when you haven’t got your nose in a book. Besides the Australian University Games there are also regional games and individual sport championships, held in various locations throughout each academic year. At a university level there is a thriving club sport environment, and social sport programmes at many campuses around the country. Elite athletes will find world-class sporting facilities and elite athlete programmes at selected universities. Now you just need to choose which great sporting programme suits you best.

Australian University Games, regional games and national championships are run by Australian University Sport. Further information on these events can be found at www.unigames.com.au. For information about individual university sports programmes and social university sport contact your university directly.

After graduating with a BA (Hons) in Interactive Media Production from Bournemouth University, Greg Coe worked for various design companies before going freelance. In this interview he talks about his job and offers his advice to budding designers.

What path did you take to become a designer?

I chose to do A levels in media studies, art (graphic design), English literature for the communication side of things and maths to aid with the technical side, followed by a degree a in specific area — interactive media to make sure I wasn’t studying something too vague and non-vocational. I wanted something that would lead me to a definite job.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

The best thing I think is being able to see the work I create in the public sphere — websites and adverts, knowing you created them. Also I think working for high profile clients can give you a buzz when you create something they are really enthusiastic and pleased with. Worst things are like any job; having to work in an office staring at a screen all day when the sun’s shining outside Also it can be difficult working to tight deadlines and not being able to be as creative as you might like because of time restraints and lack of budget or resources.

What is a typical day in the life of a designer?

The day in the life of a designer usually consists of getting a written brief, with storyboards to follow for a concept; the task is usually to interpret these rough storyboards and craft something refined and polished, to suit the concept and the brand you are working for. When I say it like this, it sounds quite regimented and dull; but it’s actually quite fun. The design problem solving and how you can create something visually inspiring and interesting and satisfy a brief! A tough challenge at times!

What is the most challenging aspect of your role?

I’d say working with egos — there can be many in advertising! However on a plus point there are a massive variety of people and loads of talented individuals to collaborate with, which can be really rewarding. Also challenges on a day to day basis can be the nitty gritty of getting adverts to work properly on websites and making sure your creative work is within restrictive guidelines and file sizes. Boring, but hey!

How do you keep up to date with the industry?

Usually through work, we have a ‘share’ email where new innovative and groundbreaking cool stuff gets sent round as well as checking out all the usual magazines. I’m not a big blogger or anything, but I prefer to think design can come in all sorts of shapes and forms and I like to go and visit museums exhibits, shopping and interiors to gain inspiration rather than only researching the specific realm of digital that I work in.

What’s the best advice you can give to people wanting a career in design?

If you want to get into digital design, then take courses that will help you explore which avenue of design you like doing. On my course there was a technical and creative route, and was good to be able to choose which path suited me. There are many different courses so do your research into the content the course covers to ensure you have transferrable skills when it gets to the workplace.

At university they often want you to be a jack-of-all-trades but this just doesn’t happen in the workplace — people are hired for specific disciplines, whether it be designer, technical developer, or project manager. If you are passionate about design your work will speak for itself. Go for broke with your portfolio. Only you can create something that sells you and your work…simplicity can often be the key to success and isn’t necessary to go all bells and whistles. If you have strong work, you will go far and it will be recognised and rewarded. Keep pushing yourself and pushing your work under peoples noses in industry; getting your break can be difficult, and you have to be creative to get noticed and get your foot in the door. Persistence and creativity can get you a long way and knowing the right people of course.

What made you want to become a designer?

I became a designer, mainly because I thought it would be a career that is always changing; fashions change, there is variety with the kind of work you can do and who you do it for. It’s good for someone like me with a shorter attention span, but also give you something to invest time into, being patient and spending the time to craft and refine something — having an attention to detail is a must.

Director and IT Consultant for JIT Consulting, Richard Pilton, talks to i-studentlife about his journey from studying Astro-physics in London to running a successful IT consultancy whilst studying a masters in Business Information Systems. He offers valuable advice to students considering a career in IT.

What career path did you take to become an IT consultant?

After my time at the University of London studying Astro-physics which involved an extensive amount of mathematics and logic, I then moved on to work in the IT department of a small local company. After spending a long time in training courses geared towards software engineering I moved to work as a Software Development Manager for a European software house. I then went to work as the Head of IT for a new entrepreneurial start up venture before deciding to start my own company with some similar professionals.

What is a normal day like for you?

Either, driving half way around the south east of England providing on-site consultancy services to businesses requiring my expertise or sitting in the office analysing business requirements in order to design a bespoke software solution for clients.

What skills do you look for in an employee?

In order to succeed in my industry, communication, dedication and a certain amount of drive is paramount and the simple acceptance that there is always more to learn.

What is the best advice you can offer to students who want to start their own business?

Recognise what it is that you do well and stick to it, find similar minded people who do other things well that compliment you and never stop listening to people’s advice, even if right now you think it’s wrong.

What is the biggest misconception about the IT industry?

The rest of the world thinks that people who are in IT know everything about IT, however it is more like the building industry. A plumber fits bathrooms and an electrician fits lights, so decide what part of the industry you want to go into before building your first computer, designing your first website or programming your first line of code.

How has the industry changed since you first started this job?

Considering this is the fastest changing industry in the entire world, I’ll list some of the bigger ones in my career: The adoption of the internet for both businesses and consumers in terms of information exchange, electronic commerce and social networking, the huge take up of software talking to software rather than people talking to people and it is now taken as given that not only every business, but every household have computers at the disposal.

What made you want to study a masters in Business Information Systems?

For two reasons, one to clarify my skills and two to structure my knowledge and fill in any gaps. Already this has helped bring new perspectives on the way my own business works, making it more efficient and profitable. As for the future, with growing years of experience combined with a masters level degree in what I do, this should give me an advantage over others if I apply for jobs in the future.

Two fashion writers from the United States — one from the east coast and one from the west coast — talk about the typical fashion in their areas and what makes their style so unique.

New York City Girls Reign by Following Their Own Rules

It’s no surprise to me that both Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, two TV shows famous for their fashion are set in New York. They both personify the east coast style: it can be sexy or sweet but it always focuses on quirky individuality.

The east coast represents both the urban and the urbane. New York City is a mix of cultures and just by riding the subway we are surrounded by people who are completely different from us. Inspiration is everywhere: from the colourful cap of the Serbian cab driver to the hairstyles of the Latina girls from the Bronx.

The east coast girl isn’t afraid of experimenting because living where the trends are set we have an ‘anything goes’ attitude and the challenge is finding something fresh. We’re all about buying the perfect sequined mini-skirt at the flea market and pairing it with Dad’s old oxford shirt but wearing it with heels during the day and Converse sneakers at night. We also love pieces with versatility like black liquid leggings that we wear with everything.

At night we dress to impress because we like to be prepared for anything. At a club we’re ready to have drinks with a media mogul and then dance with a graffiti artist. People don’t separate by class and race so much — if you have an edgy outfit and great attitude you’ll get in the door. We see how we dress as an extension of our voice — and we want to add more to the ‘conversation’ than jeans and flip-flops!

Article written by Katya Moorman; Katya is a fashion blogger and photographer. She is a design graduate of Cranbrook Academy of Art in Detroit, Michigan and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. For more information, visit Katya’s blog at styledefined.blogspot.com or her website www.styledefinednyc.com.

Glamorous Beach Culture Dominates in Southern California

Fashion on the west coast is an evolution of sunshine chic. When the weather is a constant seventy degrees, where you have beautiful beaches and Hollywood in your backyard, you’ll also find image-conscious locals who prefer comfort above all. What New York refers to as ‘wardrobe staples’, we call ‘work wear’. Sundresses, tank tops, sandals, and yes — the occasional flip flop — dominate the fashion scene here. Yet, where the style is basic, you’ll soon discover that glamour is all there — in the details.

West coast fashion runs the gamut from laid back dressing to high intensity glam. It’s as normal to show up for classes in loungewear one day as it is to turn up in denim the next. Even for style-conscious locals, daytime fashion is usually subtle, with lightweight tops and dresses paired with jeans or leggings and colourful accessories. At night, it’s high shine, short dresses and heels, heels, heels.

Tanned skin, perfect bodies, and beautiful faces — the west coast loves to show it off and we hardly cover up. So while we will occasionally ooh and aah over the urban layers and bundled styles of the east coast, sunny weather here on the west coast always snaps us back to a fabulous reality.

Article written by Kimberly Kong; Kimberly is a freelance fashion writer, blogger and graphic designer. She is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit Kimberly’s blog at http://fashionforeword.wordpress.com.

As an Iraqi refugee displaced for six years in a row, the vision of Iraq has become more distant every year, but the desire to go back grows stronger day after day. On a cold Damascus winter afternoon, over a hot cup of Shai Khameer, I shared with a friend my dream to go back home. “If you miss home so much,” he asked, “why don’t you go back?”

“If only it were as easy as it sounds,” I said. I sighed and my eyes filled with tears. He wondered what I meant and why a girl like me, who has nothing to do with any conflict and is not affiliated with any group, militia or party, could not simply go back home. But that is where the problem lies. Though I do not have any of these affiliations, I am a target because I am an educated Iraqi woman.

The American led invasion unleashed many hungry monsters that were competing for the biggest share of Iraq. The hatred that most of them carried towards the former regime worsened our situation. Since the first day of the invasion there has been bloodshed; lists of ‘most wanted’ people and death threats have spread everywhere. All were seeking vengeance from all and the doors were wide-open, thanks to the American forces. There was no authoritarian censorship as in previous years, but complete ‘democracy’. This chaos, interspersed with periods of extreme harshness and dreamlike calm, has continued for six years. Various methods of terror and fear have been used, such as car bombings, kidnappings and raping of women. This latter practice ends almost all the time by killing the women and throwing them in the streets like garbage. Corpses could frequently be seen in the streets of Baghdad; their faces mutilated beyond recognition, thus depriving their loved ones of a decent funeral.

Although my family and I left Iraq two months after the war started, we are consistently updated about the happenings in Iraq. A lot of what is being reported in the American news only shows the positive side of what is happening in Iraq. It started with media catchphrases ‘democracy is finally here’ and ‘freedom for everyone.’ Later, we heard babbling about how the ‘surge is working’. Most frustrating is the proposal that American Vice President, Joe Biden came up with when visiting Iraq earlier this month. Biden’s proposal offers equal rights for the three main sects of Iraq — Shia, Sunni and Kurds as “quota-sharing” or what is called “Muhasasa” in Arabic.

But what about the Christians and other minorities in Iraq? Where is their share of the quota? And how could this possibly be presented as an equal division and fair sharing of rights and resources in the new democratic Iraq? All I can see from this proposal is that it will broaden the divisions between all sects of the Iraqi society, when what truly needs to happen is to bridge what separates Iraqis.

As an Iraqi refugee who lived in three different continents for the past six years, I see Iraq from a different perspective. I see its wounds, I feel its pain, I hear its scream. I know what is happening today and I have only my prayers and my voice to tell the story of a country that is my home.

About Farah: Born and raised in Baghdad, Farah comes from a middle class family. After the American led invasion of Iraq, Farah and her family moved to Syria in 2003 and lived there for five years. She studied English Literature at Damascus University in Syria, then joined the Iraqi Student Project (ISP) in 2008. She is currently living in northern California and is studying at Dominican University of California majoring in Political Science. Farah is available for speaking engagements regarding her experiences as an Iraqi refugee. She can be reached at farahabrahim@yahoo.com.

Reprinted with permission from Voices for Creative Nonviolence Newsletter, where Farah has experienced a summer internship.

vcnv.org

Megan McGregor works as an Account Manager for Picture Production Company managing projects to produce movie trailers. In this interview she talks about the best parts of her job and how studying in Australia and the UK has had a positive impact on her career.

Did you know you wanted to work in production when you were at university?

It was something that gradually built up over my time at university yes, it was a hobby that soon became something I really enjoyed and wanted to continue into a career. I didn’t study anything related to my job so getting my role was down to my interview. I applied to several production houses and luckily had the chance to interview for one, in which my natural excitement for the role shone through.

What are the best and worst parts of your job?

My job has several perks because of the nature of the industry, I get to work with exciting material in a very real and visual way. Getting to see my efforts in public viewing and shaping perceptions of the films we work with is an amazing feeling. However on the other hand the fall out of this is I constantly work to fast deadlines and under huge pressures which often means long hours and high stress.

What has been your proudest moment of your career so far?

The proudest moment of my career so far is between two moments. One was seeing a trailer I had worked on playing in the cinema and seeing everyone watching and enjoying it. The second was having the CEO of my company tell me about a conversation he had with one of my clients on how impressed they were with my performance.

Do you think your experiences of living and studying in a foreign country has had an impact on your career?

I think studying in Melbourne gave me an edge at interviewing stage and certainly rounded my character more. I was a more confident and better speaker after the experience, so in these ways it definitely has impacted my ability to perform as well as I do.

How do you keep up to date with your industry?

Having to work so extensively within the industry and because we work so closely with even our competitors we all tend to keep each other up to speed on developments. The industry itself by its very nature is fast paced but well documented.

What would a typical day be like for you?

A typical day would most likely entail getting cuts of trailers and or TV spots over to clients on upcoming films.

What advice do you wish a professional had shared with you whilst you were at university?

Never let the fact you haven’t done a degree in what you are pursuing stop you.

Nishana Weerasooriya spent her spring break volunteering in Ghana at the New Horizon Special School for intellectually disabled children. This was part of the Social Entrepreneurship Club at Clark University in conjunction with the Alternative Spring Break. In this interview she talks about her experiences in Ghana and why it is the best way to spend a spring break.

What made you want to step away from the usual partying and socialising of the spring break and spend your time off volunteering in Ghana?

I have never actually done a typical ‘partying spring break’. And I honestly don’t think I see the point, if I had the choice of going to Ghana and volunteering or going to party I would continue to choose Ghana because that’s the kind of thing I really love to do.

What sort of activities and work did you get up to while you were in Ghana?

We worked at the New Horizon Special School in Accra, Ghana. We ended up being something akin to a teacher’s assistant while we were at the school. I was able to really get some hands on experience working with the kids. The work consisted of helping the kids through their daily routines. Because they are autistic or have other disabilities they need a structured routine which is provided by the school.

How much of a culture shock was your visit to Ghana, how is life in Ghana different to your life?

Ghana wasn’t much of a culture shock for me. My family are from Sri Lanka so I am very aware and used to developing countries and the poverty that is rampant. Life in Ghana is very different from my life here at Clark, in that there is so much noise and the traffic was something I wasn’t expecting (its worse than New York City). In addition when you are driving, people are constantly trying to sell you something, which is honestly a great way to earn your living. Who wants to get out of their car to buy a newspaper when you can just whistle over the newspaper boy who brings it right to the car.

What did you learn and what did you personally gain from your alternative spring break in Ghana?

This experience just solidified the concept of making my dreams come true. We started this trip as an idea; in fact we started collecting donations for the school without even thinking about actually going to Ghana ourselves. And then it evolved into this idea of travelling to Ghana during spring break. We fundraised and worked so hard for five months and raised $14,000. I am so proud of us and actually going to Ghana proved to me and to our school that eight women can do what they set out to do and the world truly is our oyster. (I know tacky, however true).

How important do you think it is for students to visit deprived countries and gain an international perspective?

I think its something that every student should do, If it fits into your personality and character. This isn’t for everyone, but I think that our world has become one of globalisation within the blink of an eye and to not take advantage of the opportunities to travel abroad is foolish. Many students have no idea of the poverty and the hustle these people have to endure on a daily basis. While we were in Ghana we saw people living in shanty towns, in basic huts without much to eat and what little they have sharing with everyone. This is something that everyone should experience and it only makes you more thankful for what you have.

Do you think that many students would be willing to give up their spring break to volunteer?

I think they would, if they knew the personal growth and the value of doing an alternative spring break. But I don’t think its for everyone. At my institution I think it’s the norm for students to want to do an alternative spring break and not go party in Cancun.

How do you think your studies have been influenced by your experiences in Ghana?

As a Government and International Relations major this was a great way to gain some real world experience and to see some of the things we have discussed in class actually play out while we were in Ghana. Especially with the laws in Ghana that have recently been passed for disabilities. It was really interesting to hear about the lack of reform there and how the people can really make a difference.

And finally why is volunteering during your spring break a better way to spend your time off than partying?

I would personally rather make a difference in one person’s life than get drunk and party. I think that giving back to the community even if it is local instead of international is a better use of my time. It is about personal fulfilment and personal growth.

Professional Chartered Accountant, Krista Han started preparing for her accounting career whilst at university, in this interview Krista shares valuable advice with students who want to follow a similar career path.

What path did you take to become a Chartered Accountant?

Narrowing down what I wanted to do when I “grew up” wasn’t easy, but I decided I wanted to become a Chartered Accountant (CA) near the end of high school. I chose an undergraduate degree from a university that had a strong commerce programme, which also included a cooperative education component. After four years of university and three work terms with Grant Thornton and another accounting firm, I started full-time employment at Grant Thornton. Because I completed my undergraduate degree in a different province than where I was obtaining my CA, I required some additional credits before enrolling in the CA programme. I worked full-time, while going to school part-time, completing two more university courses, after which I was eligible to start the CA programme. I studied technical materials, attended required courses and wrote my Uniform Final Exam (UFE) shortly thereafter, achieving my CA two years after I started working full-time.

What are the best and worst things about your job?

The best things about my job are the autonomy I have in my role and my colleagues and clients. I have control over the projects and engagements that are assigned to me, so I can actively manage my own schedule. I also really enjoy working in teams at client sites. The interaction with colleagues and clients makes work lots of fun every day.

The worst thing about my job is also the autonomy! With so much control over my own schedule it takes a lot of determination to stay focused and manage everything I have on the go. Just because there’s a deadline in the future, doesn’t mean I can wait to work on it — I have full responsibility for my projects and I have to keep everything moving ahead, whether it’s short-term or long-term.

What’s the best advice you can give people wanting a career in accounting?

If you want a career in accounting, then I recommend choosing an undergraduate degree that supports your career choice. A degree in business, commerce or accounting will give you the core technical knowledge you need to succeed. You may also want to choose electives or extra-curricular activities that will help develop teamwork and communication skills, which will also appeal to prospective employers.

What should students look for when choosing an accountancy degree?

There are a lot of factors to consider when making a decision about university, with one major factor being the quality of the academic programme. One feature that some accountancy programmes offer is cooperative education, which is a great opportunity to obtain work experience while completing your degree. Universities may also have information on the hiring rate of their graduates into accounting roles. Finally, each university will have information about what their programme offers. It’s worthwhile to research the differences so you can make an informed choice.

What action can university students take to establish themselves as an attractive candidate to future employers?

The job market is competitive for university graduates and it’s important for candidates to stand out from their peers. These days most university students are getting involved in a number of different activities, both on and off campus. I recommend that students show an interest in their future field of work, as well as participate in events and activities they enjoy. If you’re interested in becoming an accountant, you could join the Business Society on campus, or ask your local Chamber of Commerce about opportunities for student members — it’s never too early to start developing your network of contacts. And if you enjoy playing sports or volunteering, continue participating in these activities. It will help employers see that you’re well-rounded.

What are the different accountancy roles graduates can expect to get into?

While most students choose a traditional path at a public accounting firm to start their career and obtain their Chartered Accountant designation, there are more and more opportunities across many industries for graduates. From management accounting at an insurance company, to financial reporting at a financial institution, to consulting on process improvement, opportunities for graduates with an accounting focus are limitless.