By Luna, Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany
As you already got an overview about the city and what to do – here’s to the food lovers. You might say I like having amazing food (and you might be right with that) and Manchester offers you loads of small and independent coffee shops, restaurants and bars where you can treat yourself after working hard on your studies (or without any reason). Who needs an excuse for food?
Continue readingBy Luna Sickau, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf (Germany)
The city that never sleeps. I know that this is what people say about New York, but Manchester can compete with this (if you know the right places to go).
By Luna Sickau, Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany
When you’re going abroad, you always inform yourself about the place which is your home for a couple of month. You may google it, check the wikipedia entry or ask your friends and family. You may also visit the city before you’re even decide to apply for a university exchange. But you’ll never know if you made the right choice before you start living in the city and start to live a daily life there. If you’re reading this and already know that you will come to Manchester – CONGRATULATIONS! You made the right choice.
My name is Luna, a 21-year-old girl from Düsseldorf (Germany) and decided to come to the University of Manchester before finishing my bachelor class of Social Science at home. I fell in love with this amazing city one year ago, when I made in internship in Manchester for a month in the summer of 2017.
Now, more than a year later I am finally back and able to experience Manchester for half a year. I am living in a private flat, shared with international students (I would always recommend staying in a private house rather than living in a small and expensive student accommodation) and I want to give some insights of my daily life and the tell you how it is to be a part of this vibrating city – the city of Manchester.
Manchester is a colourful and busy city with endless opportunities and places to go. Since the day of my arrival, I felt welcome, accepted and appreciated. You’re never alone and even if you feel so, there are so many places to go (in Uni and everywhere else in the city). The people here are friendly, open and helpful (even though I was a bit confused that the bus driver called me ‘love’ on the first day).
The organisation of the University was brilliant, I already got loads of information at home and the welcome week is a must for everyone who’s coming over for their studies. Luckily, I found my two besties on the first day of the welcome week during a campus tour and we started to go to events and parties during freshers week. After spending the first days (and nights) in the city, you’ll get to know other students and the most popular places to go. Even if you experienced the freshers flu week (week 2), it is easy to catch up with your courses and the teachers and tutors are willing to help students if there are individual problems. At the beginning I was a bit confused because of my timetable (as I didn’t have as many courses as I normally have at home), but the workload might be higher than at home and before the first due dates after reading week, you’re happy to have enough time to focus on essays and catching up with readings.
Enough of first impressions – the next post will have loads of photos and tips where to go and what to do. MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN MANCHESTER!
Northern Quarter
St Peters Square
University in September
The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
All photos made by myself, please do not copy or use.
By Carine Huurman (Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Time flies when you are having fun! It’s a common saying but so true.
This is already my last blog about Manchester, as I am home already for a few days. Time is up. Continue reading
By Chiara, University “Federico II”, Italy
When I went to the airport with my friend, a couple of nights ago, I later took a taxi to go back home. It was six in the morning and not at all near dawn, and the car followed the same route of the taxi that got me home for the first time, five months ago. I remember my past self looking out of the window and wondering whether my new house would look the same as the ones I was seeing passing by, all red bricks and round edges.
A month before that, I was looking at the city on a map, trying to imagine what my life – what everything would be like. It all feels like centuries have passed, as if I were a completely different person from when I began.
To be honest, I think I am. And that’s what makes going home so scary now.
Will I be the same as I am now? Will I go back to being what I was before? Will I remember the important things this city has taught me? Will I forget?
As a child, I loved to travel at night. I loved to get up when it was dark outside and watch as the sky turned light blue then gray then pink and gold. It felt like an adventure, and as if my excitement couldn’t be contained by a normal night’s sleep.
This kind of travels were rare, but I still woke up before dawn on some other special occasions; I remember doing this on my tenth birthday, and before school trips, and after my last high school exam. Watching the sun go up would make me feel so calm and peaceful and at the same time impatient to see what the new day would bring me.
Sometimes I would not even go to sleep: I would stay awake all night until the sun rose. Some of these nights are the best memories I have in my life, moments in which time seemed to stop and the night stretch on forever, then bursting in the blinding light of a new day. I call these moments my ‘last nights on Earth’, maybe because it feels like leaving something behind, maybe because it feels like beginning anew again. Tonight is both.
Author: Michaella//University of Auckland//New Zealand
Hello lovely readers! Long time no see! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and an even better New Years. It’s crazy knowing that I’ve started 2018 in a country that isn’t New Zealand – it’s even crazier knowing that I’ve got three weeks until I have to fly home! Back to that little corner of the world to a country that some people don’t believe actually exists. However, before that happens I made sure that I got to have a good taste of the countries surrounding England, those countries being France, the Netherlands, and the Republic of Ireland.
One week from today I’m going home.
I spent 92 days in this country. In seven days I’ll be seeing my family again. Yesterday I took one of my final exams. Two days ago my roommates left our house forever.
Let it sink in: it’s Christmas in less than two weeks. I made it to week 12. Three months ago I didn’t think I would make it to week 3.
As I sit in Kro Bar, a cozy restaurant/bar that has easily become one of my favourite spots in Manchester, two men sit down at the end of the table next to me. My interest was piqued at the mention of research grants. It appears to be an interview about some type of research job. There’s a mention of biology, biophysics, gene regulation, cancer, cell behaviour. The older man starts talking about what his lab at Yale is like. I listen to their conversation, unable not to.
Author: Michaella//University of Auckland//New Zealand
Hello lovely readers! I can’t believe that I have been in the UK for almost two whole months now! The time has flown by so quickly, I’m already beginning to feel a little sad about having to leave in January. However, this time has definitely not been wasted. When I first arrived in Manchester I was introduced to the International Society, a group dedicated to sharing and learning about cultures from all around the world. Through the International Society I have been been able to explore the UK, learn about different cultures, and make friends. So, for anyone reading this who is thinking of coming to Manchester in the future, or is an international student who is already here, join the club!! Not tempted? Well maybe you will be when I tell you about the trips I’ve gone on through the society (trips that occur every weekend, so you’re spoilt for choice friends!)