Asia
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My Average Week in Singapore…
By Micha Raja, Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore When people think about a year abroad in Singapore, they often imagine either constant working or constant travelling/ weekends away. As much as I loved travelling however, some of my best memories were made in Singapore as a student living there and creating a routine. A typical day would start with me heading into university for classes and meeting up with friends. One of my favourite parts of studying at SMU was how social campus life felt. We’d usually have lunch together between classes, spend time sitting outside catching up or head to the library to get some work done before going…
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Finding Accommodation in Singapore for SMU
By Micha Raja, Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore One of the things I was worried about before moving to Singapore was accommodation. Unlike many universities, SMU doesn’t offer student accommodation or halls and there was not really any support from SMU regarding finding somewhere to live. This means that all exchange students need to arrange private accommodation themselves before arriving. At first, this felt quite daunting. Finding a place to live in a completely different country and having to sign contracts without even viewing the property in person first was scary. It also did take quite a bit of time so this is something that should be prepared for. Most…
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Expectations vs Reality – Travelling Across Southeast Asia During My Year Abroad
By Micha Raja, Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore Before leaving for Singapore, I assumed I’d probably get the chance to travel during the university holidays. What I didn’t expect was just how much time I’d actually have. By the end of the year, I found myself taking trips almost every other week. Of course, there were periods where I had to fully focus on university (especially during the exam seasons) but overall, there was far more opportunity to travel than I had anticipated. Being based in Singapore made exploring SE Asia incredibly accessible and over the year I managed to visit almost every country in that region and some more! Looking back, those experiences…
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my solo trip to Japan 🇯🇵
By Yun, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Business School – Hong Kong I’ve always heard how good Japan is for solo travelers, and I can confirm that it is!! I spent 9 days in this beautiful country and I managed to visit 6 cities in total! Tokyo • Food ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Public Transport ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Things to do ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Favourite thing about the city: Hopping on the sightseeing bus and seeing the city in the night Mount Fuji (Yamanashi & Shizuoka) • Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Public Transport: ⭐️⭐️ • Things to do: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ • Favourite thing about the city: Watching the sunrise by Mount Fuji Kyoto •…
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my trip to bali <3
By Yun, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Business School – Hong Kong I went on an amazing trip with my friends to Bali, Indonesia in December 2025. It’s around a 5-hour flight from Hong Kong and one of the cheapest destinations in South East Asia! Our first half was spent in Uluwatu, and second half we spent it in Canggu (the more crowded and touristy area). Amazing beaches Tasty food Breathtaking sunsets Other places we recommend! Villas in Bali are cheap, so if you’re going with a group of friends, the final cost per person is quite little (we paid US$100 pp for 6 nights in total) Some…
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finally here in HK
By Yun, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Business School – Hong Kong I flew from my hometown back in mainland China, about a 2-hr flight from HK and I was lucky enought to see HKUST from the sky. What a beautiful university. My first impression of HK from the sky was how tall of a city it is. I had never seen such a big cluster of tall buildings all around the city. (27/08/2025) After landing, I was immediately hit with the humid and hot weather that Hong Kong summers are known for. A nice lady came to pick me up from the airport, and she barely spoke…
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food recs in HK :)
By Yun, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Business School – Hong Kong Hong Kong is known for the amazing food it has and as someone who has lived here for several months already, I have to agree. Below are some of the best food spots I’ve been so far. Waso Café (Kwun Tong) It’s a very popular Cha Can Teng chain in HK, and we went to their Kwun Tong store (relatively less crowded than their other locations) NOC Café (Tseung Kwan O) This is a great brunch spot if you’re looking for healthy and yummy options. My all-time favourite is their beef bowl. Calle Ocho (Causeway Bay)…
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A day in my life as a Osaka University student
By Gloria Zheng, Osaka University, Japan I normally start my day by 9:15 on weekdays with an easy breakfast of a pasta pot with rice alongside a cup of green tea. Breakfast (~179 yen) Most of my classes start at 10:30, with this semester being much lighter than my previous one as I’m taking 12 credits now compared to 18 I took last semester (I would really not recommend taking this many and to split them 15/15 so you fufill the 30 credit requirement to pass the year). Study spot on campus I usually leave my dorm at 10:21 because even though the dorm is located next door to Minoh…
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Reasons to choose Osaka University
By Gloria Zheng, Osaka University, Japan As a Japanese Studies student, choosing the university I would spend a whole year at was intially overwhelming. Manchester Uni had 26 partner universities at the time when I applied, ranging from universities in Hokkaido to Kyushu. Prestige Osaka University is considered one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It is one of the former Imperial Universities of Japan, which include the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Tohoku University, Kyushu University, Hokkaido University, Osaka University, and Nagoya University. Additionally, Professor Shimon Sakaguchi from the Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC) at Osaka University was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine of…
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Guide to Osaka University Minoh Campus
By Gloria Zheng, Osaka University, Japan Choosing Osaka University as my study abroad choice was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Osaka University comprises of the Toyonaka, Suita, and Minoh campuses of which foreign languages students study at the Minoh Campus. In 2021, the campus was completed comprising of 10 floors adding up to a total 24,896 square metres. The facilities are very new and shiny so you can look forward to that if you decide to come to Osaka Uni. Places to eat Around campus there is a wide range of restaurants you can choose from when you get tired of cooking. My favourites are the curry…
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Hiking Mt. Ashigara: from Tokyo
By YiPin Wu, (University of Tokyo, Japan) If you’re looking for a day trip from Tokyo that actually gets you into nature, Mt. Ashigara is one to put on the list. It’s about two hours from central Tokyo, the hike is doable, and on a clear day you get one of the best views of Mt. Fuji you can find. Getting There Take the Odakyu Line to Odawara Station, then head to the east exit to catch a bus to the Kintoki-tozanguchi stop, which is about 50 minutes on the bus. One thing to note: buses aren’t that frequent, so check the timetable before you go. The Trail Mt. Kintoki sits at…
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Setting Up in Japan: Shopping Guide
By YiPin Wu, University of Tokyo, Japan Moving to Tokyo? Here are the shops you actually need to know about. Daiso (ダイソー) — Your First Stop Seriously, go here first. Daiso is Japan’s famous 100-yen shop, and it’s so much better than it sounds. Plates, bowls, chopsticks, hangers, storage boxes, cleaning supplies, stationery, kitchen stuff, all ¥110 (about 70p) each. Whatever you think you need, just check Daiso first. I managed to tick off most of my moving-in list for under ¥3,000 (roughly £15). I’d recommend doing a big Daiso sweep in your first few days before spending money anywhere else. Nitori (ニトリ) — Japan’s IKEA For the bigger stuff,…
