My experience working for a garment and fabric company in Prato, Italy! At the first MEL meeting to discuss what we could do during our year abroad we were told we had three options; to study, work or be a British council languages assistant. I had always wanted to work on my year abroad, in…
Seoul Part Two
For the second part of my exchange I moved North across the Han River to visit Yonsei University (Yonsei). Despite being in the very heart of the city, Yonsei also has a stunningly beautiful campus. While slightly more level than SNU, it is built again into the side of a mountain, and even boasts its…
Seoul – Part One
The first part of my staff exchange in Seoul was at Seoul National University (SNU), which is based in the south of the city. I’m not sure what mental image you have of Seoul, maybe tall skyscrapers and neon lights, or perhaps pagodas and traditional wooden buildings, I certainly wasn’t expecting how green and beautiful…
Time to practice what I preach
So I thought it was time to practice what I preach. For the last 6 years I’ve worked for Edinburgh Global and during that time I’ve lost track of how many pre-departure sessions I have provided for students and staff members. Now, en-route to my staff exchange in South Korea, I thought it might be…
This is not goodbye
With less than a month left in Canada’s capital, the inevitable goodbyes are fast approaching. The snow from the long winter is melting away and the sun is shyly coming out of hiding. Summer is returning, and there is a buzz in the air, yet our hearts are heavy. Being so far away from home…
A Semester studying in Florence, Italy
In September, I moved to Florence to start my year abroad as part of my Italian and English Literature degree. Moving to Florence not knowing anyone was extremely daunting but from the first week my experience was nothing like I expected. One thing I was worried about was meeting people, as the University does not…
Skiing through the winter blues
Currently, the news is dominated by stories of the “big freeze” occurring across North America. Niagara Falls is frozen, thousands of flights have been cancelled and many people have been severely injured and even killed by the crazy temperatures. In the midst of the hysteria, my host city of Ottawa has been forgotten despite being…
Fall Canoe Trip – the ultimate Canadian experience
I started my exchange year with a fierce determination to blog regularly, eager to jot down memories of my time in Canada before they faded into patchy memories. However, as the first semester flew by, blogging quickly fell down my list of priorities beneath weekend getaways and continuous deadlines. So, to make up for it…
My First Semester at UConn – USA
It was a year ago I decided to apply for a year abroad – almost right before the deadline. It is surreal to think that my first semester at The University of Connecticut is almost over. Looking back, I have managed to fit in a lot. From going to my first tailgate and American football…
Go Abroad!
Hello! Apologies for the lack of blog posts – now that I have a substantial number of deadlines looming it seems like an appropriate time to fill in the gaps of the long silence. It feels surreal that it’s already November, but the rapidly plummeting temperatures (it’s currently around minus 9 Celsius, save me) are…
The first month in Okayama, Japan
So I’ve been in Okayama, Japan for 1 month! It’s been a whirlwind few weeks of paperwork, rules, important letters which I cannot read, and frustratingly inefficient procedures which you might not expect from Japan. Yet: I have emerged from the tunnel of tests – medical and Japanese – and I can’t tell you how…
Thoughts before a year abroad in Hong Kong
My name is Hannah, and I am a law student about to embark on a year abroad at the University of Hong Kong. I am currently up to my ears in preparations for heading out to Hong Kong (i.e. visa applications, learning agreements, figuring out just how many pairs of socks will be required…). As…
