manchester: on the road

A study abroad journal by students, for students.

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North America, USA

Thanksgiving Travels (or the real reason I went on study abroad in the first place)

By Elizabeth Pace (Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA) So here it is. After 13 weeks, 8 midterms, 9 lab reports and countless homeworks and surprise quizzes we finally…

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December 3, 2015
Uncategorized

Letting Go of Expectations

Before I came to Guelph I have to admit I was apprehensive about what kind of experience I was going to have. I love living in Manchester for the city…

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January 24, 2018
Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong

Academic differences in Hong Kong

By Keir Burbidge, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong   I don’t think I expected studying here in Hong Kong to be so different to being in the UK. The…

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March 5, 2016
  • Europe,  Netherlands,  University of Amsterdam

    Kaneelbroodjes (Cinnamon Rolls)

    October 12, 2026 /

    (cinnamon rolls and adjacent baked goods I tried in Amsterdam and what I thought) By Chiamaka Ojigbani, Universiteit van Amsterdam I had my first cinnamon roll in Amsterdam, and immediately became addicted. Here are my recommendations to add to your rotation: Et ClaireExcessively fancy café in Zuid. 7/10. The bun had a unique shape and had some orange flavours involved. It had a jam-like filling and good dough texture. Scandinavian EmbassyCute, aesthetic café in De Pijp. I didn’t fully enjoy this (6/10) but I don’t typically enjoy Scandi-style viennoiserie. I find them too doughy, and I think this one didn’t have enough cinnamon or sugar on the inside (though it…

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    chiamaka🎀

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    Academic differences between UoM and UvA

    November 18, 2018

    Rolling in Comfort

    November 15, 2024
    "Butterfly Effect"

    Roeterseiland Campus – University of Amsterdam

    January 14, 2020
  • Canada,  McGill University,  North America,  Uncategorized

    Montreal: Pedals, Parks & Public Transport

    October 8, 2026 /

    By Katie Dolan, McGill University, Montreal, Canada From the very first day that I arrived in Montreal, the city was noticeably vibrant, clean, and well-taken care of. In the summer time, there was music on every street, and every restaurant was full of people sitting outside on terraces. But as the months passed and the weather got (A LOT) colder, the atmosphere didn’t change. People embraced the cold weather and the snow. Every frozen lake became an ice rink, and winter jackets were fashionable. Over the year, the respect and love that Montrealer’s have for their city became so obvious. Montreal is such a unique city because it is literally…

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    Katie Dolan

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    Coming to Queen’s

    January 18, 2018

    6 things you should do in your first month in Toronto

    September 28, 2022

    On the importance (and unimportance) of grades (for me) (in hindsight)

    January 16, 2020
  • Canada,  McGill University,  North America,  Uncategorized

    Merci Montreal

    October 8, 2026 /

    By Katie Dolan, McGill University, Canada After facing every challenge that comes with moving 3,000 miles away from home for almost a year by yourself, it truly is saying goodbye that is the toughest part of going on an exchange. I always thought going on an exchange would be a great experience, but I never could have imagined just how great it would be. After being home for a couple months now, I have had some time to reflect on my year in Montreal and all my favourite areas of the city, classes that I took, and trips that I went on. I feel so lucky to have lived in…

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    Katie Dolan

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    The UoC’s Solution to ‘Weather Sensitive’ Students

    November 6, 2018

    Snow, Toronto, Homesickness :( and my trip home :)

    June 1, 2023

    5 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Studying and Living in Calgary

    June 24, 2019
  • Uncategorized,  University of New South Wales

    When the Plan Doesn’t Go to Plan

    October 7, 2026 /

    By Christos Nicolaou, UNSW, Australia The start of my year-long adventure to Australia didn’t quite start as planned. It was supposed to be perfectly timed: right after my birthday, escaping the grip of the August heatwave, and landing with a day to settle in before my orientation day on campus. Instead, it began with receiving an email from the airline that my Monday night flight had been delayed to Tuesday morning subsequently meaning I would miss my connecting flight in Shanghai. From there, the panic set in. I hadn’t even left the country yet and things were already going wrong. Nobody from the airline company was answering my calls. After…

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    christosnicolaou2

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    Western Australia and Ningaloo Reef

    July 30, 2014

    10 things you should know about studying abroad in New Zealand

    June 11, 2017

    All about Melbourne accommodation: where to live whilst studying on exchange

    April 2, 2026
  • Uncategorized

    Lyon: first impressions

    October 2, 2026 /

    By Zehra Kes, Université Lumiere Lyon 2, France Bienvenue à Lyon! It has been officially 1 month since I moved to Lyon and here are my first impressions. The city is super lively and there are plenty of things to do. I have so many restaurants, shops, cafés on my wish list to explore. The weather was super nice and sunny when I first arrived, it was very sunny and jolly outside — if you don’t count the bugs. Luckily, my flatmate took me to tour around Vieux Lyon and we came across a beautiful vintage market. I love the artsy aspect of Lyon. It is very likely to run…

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    zehrakes

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    Study v Abroad: How I’m balancing university and travelling

    May 5, 2023

    Returning to the UK

    September 20, 2015

    Keeping up with hobbies whilst on exchange in Melbourne

    May 8, 2026
  • National University of Singapore,  Singapore,  Uncategorized

    Why Singapore? My initial NUS experience.

    September 28, 2026 /

    By Holly Scholfield, National University of Singapore, Singapore When deciding where I wanted to spend my year abroad, I had two main considerations beyond academics: finances and travel opportunities. Both led me to put the National University of Singapore (NUS) as my first choice. After two months here, I have had the chance to experience both sides of student life in Singapore, from eating at hawker centres and navigating the huge NUS campus, to travelling around Southeast Asia. Here is why I think Singapore is the best choice for a year abroad. Finances: Is Singapore really that expensive? If you have watched Crazy Rich Asians, you might assume that Singapore…

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    hollyscholfield

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    The Phantom Menace

    August 21, 2015

    A second home

    November 5, 2014

    Moving to Singapore: Helpful extra info that’s useful to know!

    January 27, 2020
  • Application,  Asia,  Australasia,  Erasmus,  Europe,  Global Guidance Ambassador,  North America,  South America,  Summer School,  Sustainability,  Wellesley College,  Year Abroad Travel

    7 Reasons To Go Abroad

    September 28, 2026 /

    Here Amelia details 7 Reasons why YOU should go abroad!

    read more
    Amelia Brunel Vivash

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    Study Abroad Application Advice/Help/Guide

    September 30, 2021
  • Asia,  Japan,  Tokyo University

    Post-year Reflection

    September 23, 2026 /

    By YiPin Wu, University of Tokyo, Japan It’s been a month since I left Japan. I still can’t believe how fast the year went. Before the year, I was nervous and genuinely unsure if I’d made the right decision. However, I didn’t go in with any expectations, like no vision of what the year should look like. I just wanted to see where life took me and experience whatever came my way, even if it wasn’t what I’d planned. And honestly, it was just so amazing :)) !!! Sure, there were moments where I felt homesick or just a bit low. But the good stuff so massively outweighed the hard…

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    Tips for Island Hopping in the Philippines

    January 24, 2025

    Koh Samui – My most favourite place on earth

    September 5, 2024

    The Phantom Menace

    August 21, 2015
  • Australasia,  Australia,  University of Western Australia,  Year Abroad Travel

    Weekend Trip in WA

    September 23, 2026 /

    By Beth Cook, University of Western Australia Throughout the semester, it has continued to be normal to spend weekday afternoons at the beach, or have a brief lunch trip and have to race back to make it to a compulsory lecture. A Manchester study break walk around Platt Fields doesn’t quite compare! As a result of these impromptu trips, reading week was much required to prepare for some mid-semester quizzes; however, we managed to squeeze in a two day trip out of Perth. We left Perth on the Friday morning and stopped off in Lancelin for some breakfast and a wander to a beach with incredibly clear blue water, before…

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    elizabethcook3

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    The year of two summers…

    December 4, 2018

    THE EAST COAST

    December 15, 2019

    ‘O-Week’ at ANU.

    February 27, 2017
  • Australasia,  New Zealand,  University of Otago

    A Weekend Away: Skiing in the Southern Hemisphere

    September 21, 2026 /

    By Imogen Lewis, University of Otago, New Zealand Of all the things I wanted to do while being in New Zealand, skiing was certainly not the top of my list. But I knew I couldn’t fly all the way here and not do it at least once! Dunedin is only a 3.5-hour drive from Queenstown, so one Friday morning my flat and I packed up the car and set off. We stayed at a hostel called Black Sheep Backpackers, which was 50NZD (£21) per night and even had a hot tub, cold plunge and sauna!  On the Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early in time to get the…

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    imogenlewis2

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    Moving to Melbourne

    August 19, 2019

    Two weeks in Western Australia

    March 27, 2024

    Life back in Manchester

    September 27, 2019
  • Europe,  Netherlands,  University of Amsterdam

    The Little Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Amsterdam

    September 11, 2026 /

    By Anna Bluemel, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Moving to a new country is super exciting, but it can also be DAUNTING. I tried to research thoroughly before moving to Amsterdam to feel as prepared and connected to my future mystery life as possible, but there are always small differences that you can only ever find out about through actually living there.  For example, during my first food shop I had a bit of a wobble and ended up severely missing the trusty Fallowfield Sainsburys. I had heard that Albert Heijn was very expensive so I tried a different random shop – but my research was not very good because…

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    Food Tourism in Flogsta

    March 10, 2020

    Bored in Bergen? Why not get a tattoo?

    July 1, 2024

    A Trip to Berlin

    January 29, 2025
  • Mexico,  North America,  Uncategorized,  Universidad de las Americas (UDLAP)

    On Privilege

    September 10, 2026 /

    By Jessie Punn, Universidad de las Americas, Mexico Last weekend, I went on a trip to Puerto Escondido on the Oaxacan Coast. It was paradise – white sandy beaches, the most crystal-clear ocean, and the most spectacular sunset I had ever seen. One afternoon, after having spent hours floating in the sea and reading my book on the beach, I went for a wander with my friends where we bumped into a lady selling tamales. We bought some and sat down to eat them on the sand. About 10 minutes later, the lady came back and asked if we would mind if she sat with us for a minute in…

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    ‘It’ll be lonely this Christmas’? Reflections on a Christmas away from home and family.

    May 11, 2020

    A Mexican Manifesto

    March 12, 2019

    Life After Toronto: Where Next?

    January 28, 2020
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"We decided to spend the weekend in San Diego. Although we picked a cloudy weekend and missed the sunsets, we still had a lot of fun. ☀️" - from our Global Ambassador Ciara in LA! "Really enjoying my first months in Hong Kong. I love the balance between big city life alongside amazing beaches and hikes. I can’t wait to explore more of the city and the islands!" - from our Global Ambassador Lola in Hong Kong!🌆🌴 Meet our Global Guidance Ambassadors! Go Abroad 2026 Photo Competition! 📸 Thinking about taking your degree global? ✈️ "A weekend trip during mid-semester break in WA to visit Lancelin, The Pinnacles, Green Head, Lesueur National Park and Hangover Bay." - from our Global Ambassador Elizabeth in Australia 🦘 'During recess week at NUS, I was fortunate enough to travel to Vietnam; visiting Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Giang for the Ha Giang loop. The loop was a once in a lifetime experience, I will never forget. Studying in Singapore has given me the opportunity to travel nearby countries easily, exploring parts of the world I have never seen before. Hopefully more travelling to come!' - from our GA Florence in Singapore 🇸🇬 'My first month settling in to a new life in The Hague, consisting of a lot of exploring along beautiful canals, nearby towns, and getting used to being a student in the city of peace and justice!' - our Global Ambassador Eliza in The Netherlands! 🇳🇱 'My friends and I took a day trip to the Toronto Islands while the weather is still warm. We hired bikes and cycled around the whole island, taking regular photo breaks! (The CN Tower featuring in most photos, of course).

Go Abroad – The University of Manchester

Go Abroad – The University of Manchester

Meet our Global Ambassadors

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