1. Get involved with the university
Join clubs and societies that align with your interests. This is the best way to meet people and make the most of your time in the college 2. Be aware of your surroundings Be careful for pickpockets and keep updated with the news to know what's going on in the area 3. Take advantage of London's central location. It's relatively cheap and quick to fly to other countries from London. During the semester, I was able to travel to 10 different countries 4. Be comfortable with the uncomfortable Not everything will go smoothly while studying abroad. You can't prepare for everything that is going to happen, and that's okay. These are opportunities to learn to be adaptable to situations and build tenacity. 5. Be curious and open-minded Trying new things make up the best experiences. It's eye opening to realize that your norm, isn't the norm everywhere else. 6. Start your assignments early Roehampton's system gives you independence to study on your own time and work on the final assignment at your own pace. Take advantage of this to work on your assignments slowly throughout the semester so that you don't have to cram at the end of the semester. 7. Visit all the markets This is where you can get the best vintage finds and foods! 8. Explore places outside of the main city It's fun to visit the main cities when you travel to other countries, but you'd be surprised to see the places less traveled. Some of my favorite places I visited are actually areas outside of the main city. 9. Walking is the best way to get around the city I much prefer walking than taking public transportation, because you experience and observe so much more when you're outside walking around the city. Some cities like Barcelona or Paris is a relatively walk-able city. 10. Have fun!
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Exploring London and traveling around Europe has expanded my perspective on the world, and made me realize how big it really is. It made me appreciate the multicultural tight-knit community I grew up in, and how that has kept me open-minded. Another thing I like about London is how diverse it is. London is a melting pot of 8.9 million people, and is actually one if the most ethnically diverse cities in the world. Since there are so many cultures in London, there are a lot of different cuisines. London is most known for pies, roast beef, and fish & chips, but there are a lot of popular Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Arabic foods. The public transportation system is fairly advanced, and it's easy to navigate around the city. Transportation is definitely one of my main expenses. To get to and from the city from Roehampton would cost an average of £6.
The university system is also very different in the United Kingdom. Rather than being graded on attendance, participation, tests and assignments like the United States, students are graded on a final summative report. I've noticed that attendance is usually lower and there is little participation in the seminars. Although there are quite a few differences here, I've learned to become adaptable and open-minded. It helped me understand how people live in Europe, and realize that the norms I have back home aren't the same everywhere else in the world. During my time here, I am constantly pushed outside of my comfort zone and I'm grateful to have these new experiences and lessons in London. One of my favorite places I have visited in Europe by far is Barcelona. It's a beautiful city with extraordinary foods, views, and architecture. It's a walk-able city, and everywhere we walked, we're met with incredible architecture. One of my highlights was visiting Antoni Gaudi's buildings and projects. We visited the Sagrada Familia, Casa Milia, Casa Battlo, and Parc Guell. Each of these places had admission prices, and since we were on a budget, we were only able to go inside the Park Güell. It reflected a lot of his Catalan Modernistic style through stones, ceramics, and tiles. His vision and works were truly creative and unimaginable. Barcelona is such a beautiful city with so much to see and do. We could walk around the city for hours! One thing I really enjoyed was walking through the Mercado de La Boqueria and eating fresh seafood. It was a large public market with stalls selling meats, cheeses, and all types of seafood. At the market, we encountered a restaurant where I tried seafood Paella for the first time. Other foods I really enjoyed was Pulpu Gallego, a grilled octopus tapa, and Crema Catalana, a glazed custard dessert. One thing I love about traveling is trying the different cuisines the country has to offer. We only stayed in Barcelona for three days, but I would definitely consider coming back in the future.
I can't believe I'm halfway through the semester. It's my first time seeing the leaves change colors and experiencing the temperature fall to the 50s. The sun now sets at 4:30 PM, and the days feel shorter. My classes are definitely picking up the pace, and I'm nearing midterms. However, every Monday the Student Union provides free breakfast, and that's definitely a perk. At Roehampton, they have formative assessments that serve as checkpoints for our final reports. I have a formative assessment due for my global strategy class and ethics class. I was given a case study for both classes in which I have to apply the theories learned in class. For my entrepreneurship class, I'm working on a group project in which we have to create a start up and apply business models. These assignments are ungraded, but serve as a way for the professors to give us feedback on the progress of our final assignments.
Besides classes, Roehampton gives us a lot of opportunities to destress and get involved. The college I'm part of, Froebel College hosted a formal Welcome Dinner for the new students. The head of the college made a speech followed by a Student Union representative. It was a great way to spend time with my flatmates, and although I'm here for a very short period of time, I'm glad I was able to participate in this. They also celebrated Bonfire Night - the anniversary celebrating the safety of King James from a planned attack on the House of Parliament. Roehampton lit up fireworks in the middle of the lawn. It was a great fireworks show and the first time I've ever seen aerials so close! For the rest of the week, I'll be working on my assignments to prepare for my final paper. Getting out of the city and visiting Stonehenge and Bath made me realize how much art and history is held within this country. It's truly amazing to be able to get a glimpse of the past and see how it is represented in our present. BATH, UNITED KINGDOM We spent a day in Bath and visiting the historical Stonehenge. Bath was a cozy city about an hour from London. There, we visited the Roman Baths, a spring water bath housed within a stone structural complex which was believed to have healing waters. We went around 10 AM - which I assume was peak hour since the museum was really crowded. Despite that, it was really interesting to learn about how the Roman culture affected the United Kingdom and the history behind the spring waters. After touring the museum, we were given free time to walk around the town. You can really see Roman influence by just walking around and looking at the buildings. The honey-colored bath stones are prevalent in the town's architecture. We were able to grab a lot of delicious snacks and visit several small shops before heading to Stonehenge. STONEHENGE MONUMENT
The Stonehenge is one of the oldest structures on Earth. I learned that these 25 ton sandstones were transported 18 miles from a quarry by the Druids about 5,000 years ago. It was amazing to see this structure still preserved and standing against the test of time. The transition to living here in London was a lot easier than I expected. I've created a routine for myself on weekdays to run errands and complete my readings. On some weeks, the UH study abroad group will get together and explore a new part of the city! HIGH TEA One of the activities planned for us through the Study Abroad Program was high tea - a British tradition of drinking tea and eating small savory and sweet delicacies. In the 18th century, the concept of high tea evolved to a social event for all classes to take a break for food and tea. We were given a wide variety of tea choices ( I chose English Breakfast tea ), and platters of food organized by levels. The first level were savory foods such as avocado toast, smoked salmon, and a chicken sandwich. The second level included various sweet pastries such as tarts, cakes, and cupcakes. The third level included a denser pastry that complements the tea. There were many people who stopped by in the middle of the day to drink tea and spend hours talking with their friends. GREENWICH DAY TRIP We took a cruise on the River Thames to Greenwich as part of the Roehampton Social Programme. I didn't realize the important history within this borough until we got here. The Greenwich Mean Time was essentially created here - the time each day when the sun crosses the Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude) at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. It was the standard of time for the world during the 1800s. We were able to visit the Royal Observatory, overlook the Greenwich Park, walk through the Old Royal Navy College, and visit the Greenwich market. The market was selling an assortment of antiques and hand-made products. They also had a lot of pastries and food. I love finding markets with baked goods - they're all so delicious! ADVENTURES AROUND LONDON Some of London's best places with the best company Ireland gave me the greatest outlet towards creative heaven. Before classes began, we took a short trip to Ireland. Ireland is known for Saint Patrick, Guiness, rugby, racing, and music. We were able to appreciate all of this country's gems, plus a little more. We spent a day exploring Dublin and Howth Village, and spent another full day in Galway. DUBLIN Dublin was definitely a walk-able city. We visited the famous Temple Bar, gazed in awe at the interior of St. Patrick's Cathedral, visited Trinity College, and strolled through the Dublin National Botanical Garden. HOWTH VILLAGE Our trip took a spontaneous turn to a visit at Howth Village. It's a small fishing village east of central Dublin. They had a great view of the east coast, and amazing seafood. GALWAY
Galway was a nice getaway from the city. This harbour city was filled with so many farms, pastures, animals, and mountains. We took a tour to the breathtaking views of Cliffs of Moher. These cliffs have been formed about 300 million years ago, through the build up of washed sand and mud washed in by the sea. The sediments have been compacted to solid rock over time, and has become a top visitor destination and a site for films such as Princess Bride and Harry Potter.
DORMING My dorm room was in Froebel College - Willow House. It's a bit far from the entrance of campus (a 15 minute walk) but it's a quiet and cozy block. The room comes with a large desk surrounded by cabinets, two shelves above the desk, a closet, a private bathroom and a queen-sized bed. The house is divided by flats, and each flat has a shared kitchen. I thought it was very thoughtful for the school to provide a kitchen set with pans, pots, utensils, and other cooking items. This is my first time dorming and living on my own, so I'm excited for what's to come. CLASSES GETTING INVOLVED
The following week after our arrival was Fresher's Week - one week where all the first-year university students arrive and before classes officially start. The student union planned a week of activities and events such as Silent Disco, Trivia Night, and Fresher's Fair. Fresher's Fair was an event held for students to learn about and join the different clubs and societies. The one thing that stood out to me in Roehampton is the school culture and tight-knit community. I figured the best way to get involved in this was to join a club - even if it was only for a semester. I decided to join two (for the purpose of the club and honestly, their witty play on words): SocieTea, an organization based on the idea of meeting new people while drinking tea and Growhampton, a sustainability program with classes and volunteer opportunities on the growing sites located right on campus. MY TAKEAWAYS 1. Be open-minded and get involved with the university. You never know who you'll meet and what you'll learn about yourself. 2. Be adaptable and optimistic - I'm in a completely different environment and as a creature of habit, it makes me uncomfortable. But change isn't always bad once you view it differently and maintain a positive outlook. 3. Explore the city! And you don't always have to get on the bus or the tube. Walking can sometimes be the best option. 4. Bring hangers and a couple of toilet paper rolls with you (they don't provide these in the rooms). 5. Bring a large reusable grocery bag with you when you go shopping. There's a Walmart-equivalent store about a 20-minute bus ride from the university with a variety of inexpensive groceries. 6. City Mapper is the most practical app for getting around London. I am so excited to be going to school in London and travel Europe - and with one of my closest friends! :) I'll definitely miss Hawaii, but I'm so excited for this journey. APPLICATION
I applied to the University of Roehampton through the Study Abroad Center in the beginning of the Spring semester. It required an application form and three references. After my application was processed, I proceeded to continue the application process on the University of Roehampton student portal, where I also registered for classes. Throughout the semester, our Roehampton cohort had training sessions and meetings facilitated by the study abroad center to prepare us for our semester abroad. FLIGHTS I've booked my flight a while ago, and I'm set to arrive to London, United Kingdom on September 11! My friend and I have been tracking the flight prices through Sky Scanner and Google Flights. I highly recommend tracking the prices once you've applied and received your offer letter. In most cases, the earlier you buy your tickets, the cheaper they will be. Most students also use Student Universe to book affordable flights. There is no need for a visa for the United Kingdom, but I need to bring my acceptance letters to prove that the purpose of my visit is for study abroad. MONEY I exchanged for Pounds - and Euros before I left just in case I would travel to other countries during the first few weeks. You can either exchange money from a bank, DFS Hawaii, or at the International Market Place. A good tip would be to get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees so that you don't incur any extra costs for your purchases. PACKING Some of my packing essentials include: packing cubes, a travel adapter, a voltage adapter (for straighteners and blow dryers), travel-sized containers and toiletries, reusable bags, a reusable bottle, and warm clothes. London becomes increasingly cold in transition from Fall to Winter, so I made sure to pack sweaters, coats, and jeans. One of the best clothing investments I've made is Uniqlo's Heattech which you wear under your clothes to keep you extra warm. |
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