- Week Eleven - This weekend, we took a trip to the capital of Greece! Athens is a city filled with ancient Greek history, with many landmarks that date back to the 5th century. Greece greeted us with sun and warm weather, which reminded me a lot of home. Being the first time in 3 months being able to wear a T-shirt outside, it was truly a nice escape from the cold weather of London! THE TRANSPORTATION We booked a flight with easyJet out of Gatwick Airport. Greece is quite far from London compared to other European countries, so the flight took around 3 hours. Note: Expect plane tickets to be more expensive. Athens itself is a very walkable city, with most of the ancient landmarks being very close to one another. As a result, the only time you would really need to take the metro is to and from the airport. THE ACCOMMODATION Our Airbnb was located near Acropolis Museum. The apartment was in a perfect location, being only 5 minutes away from Acropoli station. It’s also in walking distance from sites like the Acropolis (8 mins), Temple of Olympian Zeus (10 mins), Plaka (12 mins), Roman Agora (15 mins), Ancient Agora (20 mins) and Keramikos (20 mins). There was also a luggage storage store one block away from the apartment where we stored our bags because our departure flight was in the evening. THE ITINERARY Athens is an incredibly beautiful city, surrounded by a ton of historical landmarks. Something to be aware of is that there are a lot of pick-pocketers and gypsies in Greece. Be sure to always have an eye on your belongings and never leave them on the ground or unattended. Here are some fun things to do and places to see while in Athens: (Note #2-4 can all be accessed through buying an Acropolis entrance package) 1. PLAKA Plaka is a neighborhood that runs through Acropolis and its ancient temples. The narrow streets are filled with stores, restaurants, bars and boutiques. Since this was my first time trying authentic Greek food, I was happily surprised at how delicious each dish was! 2. ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS The main attraction of Athens is definitely the Acropolis, an ancient citadel located on a large rock overlooking the city. In the Acropolis, there are a ton of ancient remains from architectures built back in the 5th century. You can purchase an Acropolis combination ticket that will give you access to a variety of ancient Greek sites like the Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Athena Nike and Temple of Olympian Zeus to name a few. 3. ROMAN AGORA The Roman Agora is located to the north of the Acropolis and can be accessed with the combination package. 4. TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS This attraction houses one of the largest ancient structures dedicated to the Greek god Zeus. The colossal temple was the most grand of all the other structure we had seen in Athens. 5. ACROPOLIS MUSEUM The Acropolis Museum contains the findings from the Acropolis of Athens. They also offer free admission to students and is located right next to the Acropolis. 6. NAFPLIO & EPIDAURUS Ammon Express offers day trips from Athens to other cities or areas in Greece. Nafplio is a seaport town outside of Athens, while Epidaurus is a small city created in ancient Greece. The tour had a very small amount of people (6 of us), which made the experience more personalized and meaningful. Athens was very different from any other European country we've visited before! If you want a unique and cultural experience, I would definitely recommend visiting Greece!
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- Week Ten -
Studying abroad in London also means you have a plethora of musicals available to watch on the West End. Similar to its Broadway counterpart in New York City, the West End is known to have some of the best commercial theatre in the world. You can purchase theatre tickets online directly at each show's UK website. I would also suggest using SeatPlan to look at reviews of the seating chart for each theatre, so you're guaranteed the optimal seats for the price. I have always loved listening to soundtracks of various musicals and was so excited to be able to see them in person. Here are short reviews on the five musicals I had the opportunity to watch while abroad: THE BOOK OF MORMON - Rating: 4.5/5 The Book of Mormon is a musical comedy that satirically scrutinizes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints'. The plot follows two Latter-Day Saints missionaries, Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, who are sent to Uganda to convert people to their Mormon faith. Out of all the musicals I've watched, this was definitely the most comedy-focused one. Although I personally enjoyed this musical, I can also see how it can come off as offensive since the jokes are very explicit and derogatory. If you are open to satire, I would definitely recommend watching this musical. I found myself constantly laughing at the ridiculous dialogues and catchy songs! Favorite songs from the musical: Hello, Turn It Off, Two By Two You can purchase tickets for The Book of Mormon here. WICKED - Rating: 4/5 Wicked is based off the 1996 novel titled Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The plot of the musical switches from before and after Dorothy arrives in Oz, as you probably know from The Wizard of Oz. I had the opportunity to watch Wicked through the Social Programme at the University of Roehampton. While I honestly wasn't expecting much from the show, I was so incredibly surprised at how well the set was designed and how talented each cast member was. The actress playing Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West (protagonist), was an amazing singer and even gave me goosebumps with her rendition of Defying Gravity. Although the soundtrack isn't one my favorites, the execution of the storyline made Wicked very entertaining to watch. Favorite songs from the musical: Defying Gravity, Popular You can purchase tickets for Wicked here. MATILDA - Rating: 4/5 Matilda the Musical is originally based off the 1988 children's novel depicting the life of a brilliant young girl named Matilda and her destiny to stand up to her school's headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. This was the most interactive musical out of all the ones I've watched, primarily because the show is enjoyable for people of all ages (the audience was filled children, teenagers and adults!). It was particularly amazing to see such talented child actors showcase their singing and dancing skills on stage. Although there were subtle mistakes in reciting certain lines, the musical was overall very entertaining and fun to watch! Favorite songs from the musical: Revolting Children, Naughty, School Song You can purchase tickets for Matilda here. WAITRESS - Rating: 5/5 Waitress is based off the 2007 film of the same name, with the soundtrack created by Sara Bareilles. The story follows a waitress and pie-maker named Jenna, who ends up getting pregnant with her emotionally-abusive husband's child. I was first introduced to the Waitress soundtrack by my sister with the song She Used To Be Mine (to this day, it's still one of the most emotional songs I've listened to). Being my all-time favorite musical soundtrack, I was so excited to finally be able to watch Waitress in person. I'm happy to say the musical did not disappoint and is definitely one of my favorites to date. The storyline was a perfect balance between comedy, romance and emotion. Although this musical is not as well-known as its other broadway counterparts, it's unquestionably a must-watch when in London or New York! Favorite songs from the musical (yes, there's a lot): She Used To Be Mine, When He Sees Me, It Only Takes A Taste, What Baking Can Do, Bad Idea, I Love You Like A Table You can purchase tickets for Waitress here. HAMILTON - Rating: 5/5 Hamilton tells a story of American Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton. Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the music is heavily influenced by hip hop, R&B and pop tunes. The musical uses a modern take on storytelling and even incorporates diverse casting of people from various races. Being another soundtrack that I have followed for years, Hamilton was one of my most anticipated musicals to watch. I was a bit afraid the UK cast would not meet my (very high) expectations for the show, but am proud to say they did an amazing job! Each song gave me goosebumps and the cast did superb in executing American accents. In the end, I went home with a newfound appreciation for Hamilton and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in delving into musicals! Favorite songs from the musical: Alexander Hamilton, My Shot, Wait For It, Non-Stop, The Room Where It Happens You can purchase tickets for Hamilton here. - Week Nine - Our last stop in this Reading Week trip is Nice, France! Located on the French Riviera, Nice is the perfect place to go for a beautiful beach getaway. It was my first time seeing bright blue waters since I left Hawaii, which really reminded me of home. Interestingly, Nice had a lot of influence from Italy which makes the city buzzing with both French and Italian cultures! Although the city is not as popular as other areas in France, it is definitely worth visiting to if you have time on your European itinerary. THE TRANSPORTATION Our flight out of Barcelona Airport was with easyJet. Once arriving in Nice, we purchased a 24hr public transportation card that gave us unlimited use of the tramway and bus system. Nice is an extremely walkable city, but transportation is useful if you want to go to farther places or don't feel like walking as much. THE ACCOMMODATION Our Airbnb was located near Port de Nice, which also meant it was in walking distance to Vieux Nice (the most popping area of Nice). The location was in walking distance to a ton of attractions like Nice Cathedral (12 mins), Cours Saleya (15 mins), Castle Hill (20 mins) and of course, the beach! Since we weren't in a busy area of the city, it was nice to be able to sleep in a quiet neighborhood (even though it was only for a night). THE ITINERARY While we only had 24 hours to spend in Nice, the city is actually very small and compact so it was easy to visit multiple attractions in a short amount of time. Instead of rushing to visit a ton of places, we decided to enjoy the amazing weather, beach and views by taking the day slowly. 1. VIEUX NICE Vieux Nice, also known as Old Nice, is the main area to visit when exploring Nice, France. The cobblestone pathways are filled with pubs, restaurants and souvenir shops. You can spend hours here just exploring the cute, narrow streets and colorful buildings. Be sure to grab some gelato while you look around! 2. NICE CATHEDRAL Located in Old Nice is the Nice Cathedral, a Roman Catholic tucked in a pedestrian alleyway. There are also eight other cathedrals scattered across Old Nice, so it could be a fun scavenger hunt trying to find all of them! 3. PLACE GARIBALDI This cute square is lined with yellow buildings and a variety of eateries (we went to a nice brunch spot called Delibo). Garibaldi station is also located here, which will take you to essentially anywhere in Nice. 4. PORT DE NICE This port is one of the key infrastructures that makes Nice a hub for the French Riviera. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even eat at a boat restaurant near the harbor to get an authentic French experience! 5. CHATEAU DE NICE The Castle of Nice sits on top of a hill at the end of Nice Beach. In the past, it was used for military purposes, but now offers breathtaking sights of the bay. You can either walk up the winding staircase to get to the top, or simply take an elevator at the bottom of the hill (we did the latter). 6. COURS SALEYA This popular market is located in Vieux Nice and right across the beach. A majority of the stands sell flowers, fruits and vegetables, but you can also grab food at the restaurants in this area. One suggestion would be to grab takeaway for lunch and have a lovely picnic on the beach! 7. NICE BEACH / PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS One of my favorite beaches so far is Nice Beach! The waters are crystal blue and the promenade extends around 7km. If you have the chance, I would highly suggest setting aside time to watch the sunset here. Being comparable to Hawaii, this beach truly reminded me of home! Our day in Nice greeted us with sunny weather and relaxing vibes. Watching the sunset on the beach was truly the most picture-perfect way to end our week-long trip!
- Week Nine - The next stop in our Reading Week trip itinerary is Barcelona, Spain! Known for their Gaudi architectures, Barcelona is a beautiful city filled with so much culture, food and sightseeing opportunities. Being the capital of the Catalonia region, this city is not one to miss on your next trip to Europe! THE TRANSPORTATION We booked a flight from Lisbon to Barcelona through Vueling Airlines. Similar to easyJet, Vueling asks customers to print their boarding passes prior to arriving at the airport. One perk Vueling has over easyJet is that they allow one cabin bag + an additional personal item on all flights. Barcelona itself is a very walkable city, so we purchased a T10 transportation card that is good for 10 intermodal trips from zones 1 to 6. Passengers have 75 minutes per trip to take as many transfers as they like to get to their destination. You can purchase this ticket at the Tobacco Shop right at the entrance of the airport. THE ACCOMMODATION We rented a comfortable Airbnb in the middle of La Rambla (a famous shopping street), located right next to Liceu station. The location was perfect as it was in walking distance from places like Boqueria Market (5 mins), Gothic Quarter (6mins), Arc de Triomf (20 mins), Casa Batllo (25 mins), and Casa Mila (30 mins). Since Barcelona is a very walkable city, you can basically see all the popular landmarks in a day or two! THE ITINERARY Barcelona has the most beautiful architectures, inspired by famous architects like Antoni Gaudi. You'll never be bored since there is so much to eat and see in this large city! (Note: this will be a long one) 1. GOTHIC QUARTER This area is surrounded by narrow, medieval streets filled with restaurants, cafes, and shops. It's a great area to grab a drink at a trendy bar or simply appreciate the gothic architectures. 2. LA RAMBLA & BOQUERIA MARKET This famous street is approximately 1.2 km long and filled with restaurants and souvenir shops. There are a ton of things to do and see in this area, so you definitely won't be bored! Located in La Rambla is the most famous market in Barcelona. Boqueria Market has a large variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seafood stands. There are also a plenty of places to eat in the area, making it a perfect place to grab breakfast, lunch or dinner. 3. CASA BATLLO Designed by Antoni Gaudi, this modernist building is now a museum. You can walk through the interior of the building for €25 and enjoy the beautiful architecture and designs. 4. SAGRADA FAMILIA Another work by Antoni Gaudi, the Sagrada Familia is one of the most iconic architectural structures in Barcelona. Although the Basilica is unfinished, it is still a marvel to look at in person. 5. LA BARCELONETA You can't go to Barcelona without visiting the beach! La Barceloneta is a seaside neighborhood surrounded by Port Vell on one side and the beach on the other. This is the perfect area to go for relaxation. 6. PARK GÜELL Park Güell, also designed by Gaudi, is a public park located on Carmel Hill. While the majority of the park is free, you can also purchase a ticket to view the monumental zone (where Cheetah Girls was shot!) and "strut like you mean it". 7. CARMEL BUNKERS These bunkers are located even further up the mountain from Park Güell. Although it is a bit of a hike (15 mins from the bus stop), the Carmel Bunkers definitely have the best panoramic views of the city. If you have enough time, I would highly recommend checking this place out the next time you're in Barcelona! 8. ARENAS DE BARCELONA & MONTJUÏC MAGIC FOUNTAIN Arenas de Barcelona is a large shopping center with a roof terrace. Inside, you can find a variety of restaurants and stores to shop at. Located right next to the shopping center and underneath Monjuïc mountain is a fountain created during the Great Universal Exhibition of 1929. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday (dates vary), the fountain lights up and performs a spectacular water show with music. 9. ARC DE TRIOMF & PARC DE LA CIUTADELLA While you're probably more familiar with Paris' Arc de Triomphe, did you know Barcelona has one too? Built in 1888, the purpose of this arch was to signal the entrance to the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition which took place in Ciutadella Park. The park is the perfect place to go on a long walk, have a picnic or even ride a bike! 10. MONTSERRAT Montserrat is a mountain range in the Catalonia region. The journey from Barcelona to Montserrat took around an hour via train and funicular (alternatively you can take a cable car). When at Montserrat, there are a variety of hiking trails and landmarks to see. You can visit the Montserrat Monastery and even touch the hand of Black Madonna for good luck. The views from the top of the mountain are breathtaking and a must-see when visiting Spain! As you can see from the above list, there are an unlimited amount of things you can do in Barcelona! It was super jam-packed trip, but we had so much fun exploring the Gaudi architectures and tasting local cuisines. Being one of my favorite cities so far, I would highly recommend visiting Barcelona on your next trip in Europe!
- Week Nine - Reading Week is a week where students have no classes so they can prepare for their mid-term assignments. Since we finished our reports early, a couple of us Hawaii students decided to take a trip to three different countries. The first stop of our travels was to Lisbon, Portugal! This hilly, coastal capital greeted us with warm weather and beautiful architectures. With a lot of things to see, be prepared to a lot of walking when visiting Lisbon! THE TRANSPORTATION We booked a flight flying out of Gatwick Airport with easyJet. Once arriving in Lisbon, we purchased a Viva Viagem card and filled it with around €10. We didn't use public transportation a lot, since Lisbon itself is a very walkable city. It is nice to have, however, if you want to take short day trips outside the city or visit areas a bit further from the center. THE ACCOMMODATION We rented a spacious Airbnb in the heart of Lisbon, only a few minutes walk from Chiado (a popular shopping area). The location was around a 10-minute walk away from major train stations that virtually gave us access to the entire city. Although the area had a lot of hills and stairs, the walk was very peaceful. THE ITINERARY Lisbon is a beautiful city filled with pastel-colored building, delicious food and historical buildings. Here are some fun things to do and places to see while in Lisbon: 1. BELEM This district is located on the Tagus River and is home to a ton of popular landmarks such as Jerónimos Monastery and Tower of Belem. Pastéis de Belém, a very popular pastéis de nata place is also in walking distance from these sites. Although it's a bit farther from the center of the city, you can easily take a bus to get to Belem. 2. TIME OUT MARKET While there are branches of this market worldwide, the concept was first created by the Time Out Lisbon team. Every food stand had amazing reviews on Trip Advisor, so there is definitely something to eat for everyone! We shared some pad thai and seared tuna for only €10 a plate. 3. PRACA DO COMERCIO Near Chiado, this square is surrounded by yellow buildings containing a wide variety of bars and restaurants. The plaza is situated right next to the river, which gives great views of the water. Although we didn't stay here for long because of the rain, it would be cool to grab a bite to eat in this area! 4. CHIADO Chiado is a large area surrounding the city, filled with cafes, restaurants, bars and fashion stores. You can easily kill time in this area, as there are a lot of shops to visit during the day and nightlife to experience during the night. We grabbed food at an asian-fusion restaurant called Boa-Bao before exploring the area. 5. MIRADOURO DA GRACA This lookout has one of the best panoramic views of the city. Perched on a hill and right next to a bar, I would highly suggest visiting this are during sunset to enjoy a relaxing drink and take in the views. The trek up was exhausting, but completely worth it! 6. PENA PALACE If you have time to take a day trip outside of Lisbon, Sintra is the perfect place to go! Being only an hour train ride away, there is so much to see in Sintra. Since we were on a time constraint, we ended up only being able to visit Pena Palace, a colorful Romanticist castle surrounded by a garden. Although my legs hurt a lot after walking constantly for the past two days, Portugal was an absolutely beautiful country with delicious food. I'll definitely be back in the future!
- Week Eight - During the weekend, we had the opportunity to visit Wales through our Social Programme. Wales is a country in the southeast region of Great Britain. They are known for their famous Welsh Dragon and medieval castles. On our overnight visit, we got to see a variety of gorgeous landmarks in Caerleon and Cardiff. Although we were greeted with wind and rain our first night, the next day was bright and perfect for exploring. CAERLEON The town of Caerleon is located on the northern outskirts of Newport, Wales. There are many notable archaeological sites, some of which include the Roman Amphitheater, Roman Legion Museum and Roman Barracks. Although the Roman Amphitheater was closed due to muddy terrains, we had a chance to visit the other two sites which were in a short walking distance from one another. CARDIFF We took a short lunch stop in Cardiff, giving us some time to try Welsh cakes and buy souvenirs. Cardiff is the largest city and capital of Wales. Cardiff Castle and Cardiff Bay are some popular landmarks to visit when in the area. CAERPHILLY CASTLE This castle is a medieval fortress located in South Wales. It is the largest castle in Wales and was known for its large gatehouses and defense system. Doctor Who, a popular BBC sci-fi show, even shot a couple of episodes here! BIG PIT MINING MUSEUM This museum is an industrial heritage museum that was a real working mine in 1880 to 1980. We had the opportunity to dress up as miners and participate in an underground tour. The experience took us through the same footsteps of coal miners and taught us the history behind the mine. TINTERN ABBEY This abbey was probably the highlight of our trip! Being a national icon, Tintern Abbey is known to be the greatest monastic ruins in all of Wales. Founded in 1131 by Lord of Chepstow, the abbey served as a home for the community of monks and monastic servants. Being able to walk through the ruins was a surreal and educating experience that I would highly recommend to anyone that visits Wales! Our short trip to Wales was a fun experience that helped expand my knowledge of Great Britain. The country has so many cultural landmarks that served as a real-life glance into history. I hope to spend more time in Wales the next time I visit the UK!
- Week Eight -
We have finally reached the middle of the semester! Our mid-term season is a lot different from back at home, so I thought it'd be a good time to talk about the types of assignments we have to complete throughout the semester and my reaction to the British lifestyle. ASSIGNMENTS If you're planning on taking business classes at the University of Roehampton, most (if not all) courses have two major assignments called the formative (mid-term) and summative (final). Your entire grade is based off your summative, which will usually be a 2000-3000 word paper on a specific topic relating to your course studies. The formative is typically due during Reading Week and will either be an outline or shortened version of your summative paper. Although it's not graded, it'll help you gather feedback from your TAs to make improvements for your final paper. While there are no graded assignments throughout the semester, it's important to be present and engaged in lectures/seminars because all the topics taught in class will need to be applied to your final paper. Here is a list of the types of formative/summative assessments I had for each class: Business Ethics and Responsible Management Formative: Outline of summative Summative: Apply ethical decision making to a case study (3,000 words) Entrepreneurial Development Formative: Pitch a lean start-up business idea (group presentation) Summative: Create a business report/development plan (3,000 words) Global and International Business Strategy Formative: Outline of summative Summative: Analyze an organization involved in an international strategic development (2,500 words) TIME MANAGEMENT Classes in England are structured very differently from Hawaii, where each class is split up into a lecture and seminar session. This gives students a lot more time for independent studying. As a result, I spend most of my weekdays preparing for classes so I have more free-time to explore Europe on the weekends. While it's easy to get caught up in all the fun of being abroad, it's especially important to time-manage and remember that your studies are also a vital part of the study abroad experience. Personally, I've struggled a bit with adjusting to the student lifestyle in England because there aren't consistent assignments to keep me accountable throughout the semester. As a result, I've been trying to manage my time more efficiently by working on parts of my summative papers in advance. This will help lessen the burden at the end of the semester when all papers are due. CULTURE SHOCK Aside from academics, I haven't had major culture shock since living in England. While there are some nuances in language and culture that are different, being open-minded and willing to try new things has really helped me adjust faster to this new lifestyle. Here are some tips I have to help combat culture shock:
Studying abroad is a continuous adventure of new and exciting experiences. Make the most of this opportunity by engaging with your classes and social surroundings! |
AKI'm truly grateful for this opportunity to study abroad and would like to share my experiences with all of you! Ranging from pre-departure tips to recommended travel destinations, I hope this blog will serve as a inspiration and reminder to always explore. Archives
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