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Bored in Bergen? Why not get a tattoo?
By Georgiana Marinescu, University of Bergen, Norway This may be an unusual activity to write a blog about, but if you love tattoos like I do, this post is for you.
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UoM vs. uOttawa
By Rhiann Singh, University of Ottawa, Canada I am over halfway through my first semester here at uOttawa so I thought I would share some of the differences I noticed between The University of Manchester and the University of Ottawa.
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Manly- A New Beach Spot!
By Mia Campbell, University of New South Wales, Australia Moving to the other side of the world, it is easy to become a sheep; following the tourist hot spots which Bondi and Coogee have to offer. Since I have been here, by meeting new people and becoming more integrated with the local community this has opened me up to other less typical treasures Sydney has to offer.
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The Blue Mountains
by Mia Campbell, University of New South Wales, Australia Less than a two hour train journey from Sydney Central you digress from the cosmopolitan city life to the Blue Mountains. Here lies vast tropical forests and extensive scenic views of the mountain peaks. I asked myself what gives this national park this name, when surely the leaf green and vibrant coloured birds (which on this day decided to be particularly vocal by the way) I would consider as a better fit. The Blue Mountains are renowned for its eucalyptus trees which emit a blue haze. Standing at Echo point lookout (three sisters) my presumptions concerning the name were well and…
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A bit like high school
Even though COVID-19 put an end to my experience abroad I’ve been thinking about how Arizona State University is quite different from Manchester. First of all, there is a designated week for final exams while the rest of the semester has different deadlines. For example, only in March, I had to write three papers, one poster and an oral presentation, a group project report, and an online quiz. All these assignments are worth between 5-20% of the course. This changes my time management quite significantly because rather than having one long paper that is worth 100% of my course and four months to write it, in this case, I have…
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For those away from home, studying online, or not studying at all :)
Whether you are studying abroad at a different university or on placement/ interning in a different city or country, being away from your comfort zone and in a new environment will sometimes come with its own difficulties. The effect of moving away on mental health is often not spoken about before departure, and this can potentially end up completely overshadowing what should be a year of making new friends, improving language skills and learning a new way of life. So it is important to recognise that these transitions can be challenging, and anticipating being away from home and familiar support networks can sometimes lead to worry, anxiety and stress. These…
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Before Leaving…
It’s been a while since I last thought about moving to the States. I was 17 when I decided to become an exchange student in a Canadian high school, and since then, I thought my experience abroad was over. But now, once again, I’ve been given the opportunity to travel, to discover a new culture, and to get to know myself a bit better. Isn’t this extraordinary? In eight days I’ll be on the plane. Destination? Phoenix. No turning back. Me, my luggage, and all my expectations and fears. What if I won’t like my housemates? What if I won’t like the courses? But c’mon, think about all the opportunities…
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What I Learnt During my First Week at Lund University
#1 General Lund is a beautiful small city in the South of Sweden. I think the ability to appreciate the landscape of Lund was helped through the equally beautiful weather that was received during my first week in Lund, not going below 23°C and getting as high as 31°C. This was certainly not expected nor packed for, but nevertheless greatly appreciated. The city is made up of many greenspaces and old buildings, with many having their own unique personality to them. The population of Lund is less than 100,000 people, with, on average, there being 40,000 students also in the mix. The people of Lund are very helpful and welcoming,…
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Adapting back to Manchester: life after studying abroad
While you are studying abroad, one of the last things you are thinking about is returning to Manchester to finish your degree. Whether it is a single semester, your final year or returning to do a masters, returning to academic life in Manchester offers a unique set of challenges which is not often associated with the process of studying abroad.
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Several months back into normality
Georgi Fogarty (University of Queensland) It’s been seven months since I waved goodbye to Brisbane and five months since I returned to sunny, sunny England (to clear up confusion the two-month gap was not all spent in transit, although the flight can feel that long – I spent this time working in Greece). The time has absolutely flown and the tan has definitely disappeared, but now I’ve just about had the chance to take a breathe since being home, it’s time to reflect on the ups and downs of returning from such an incredible experience of a year abroad. The down sides. Despite returning in late August when the days…
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Touching down in Oz: first things first
By Georgi Fogarty (University of Queensland, Australia) It’s obvious that when you move to the other side of the world, there are going to be some big changes. Jetlag, time differences, climatic, academic and cultural disparities had all been weighing heavily on my mind in the last few weeks approaching my 25-hour flight from Manchester to Brisbane. But strangely, what took me by surprise the most upon landing was the amount of time it took for me to adjust to the fact I was in Australia and no longer in England.
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Video Blog – The Positives and Negatives of Studying Abroad
Simon Hird  / /  Geography  / /  University of Auckland  / /  NZ So as part of year abroad we were asked to produce a series of blogs for Geography. Each had to be a on a different topic and in a variety of formats (i.e.referenced essay, diary entry, video). This particular video blog entry was reflecting on the positives and negatives that I have experienced on my year abroad – it is slightly more personal and geography related than my other posts, due to it’s initial purpose, but hopefully you guys can take something from it: Cheers, Simon 🤘 🖖 P.S. If you guys want to see a few more…
A study abroad journal by students, for students.
