By Samantha Riley, a 3rd year French and Spanish student

Hello from Barcelona! I am Samantha Riley, a French and Spanish student at the University of Manchester, currently on my incredible year abroad in Spain.

A cultural awakening, and new home.

I opted to do a year of study in the Autonomous University of Barcelona, which lies in the outskirts of the city, near Bellaterra, in the mountains, and it was the best decision of my life. At first, I was overwhelmed by the immense list of options for modules at the university, as I could study anything from Catalan linguistics to the history of cinema and choose extra modules in sport and culture too! After an indecisive deliberation, I decided to study comparative French linguistics and a range of Spanish literature and cinema modules. They are all extremely interesting and satisfying, and little by little I am understanding everything the teacher says!
My student life here in Barcelona is definitely not limited to the classroom. I am currently playing for a football team, who I go hiking with every weekend. For example, just before writing up this blog, I went hiking through the incredible mountains of Montserrat, 50 kilometres northwest of Barcelona! I share a flat with 3 Mallorcan friends, allowing me to experience the different Catalan dialects and the various cultures in each region of Catalunya. My housemates have shown me all the wonders of Catalan and Spanish culture in an authentic way, some of which include:

• Los torres humanos – people who climb up each other’s shoulders, whilst nervously waiting for the smallest member to rise to the top of the tower.
• La mercé – the patron day of Barcelona, which hosts incredible music performances.
• El día de los reyes magos – my personal favourite. A religious festival celebrated on the 6th of January, containing a breath-taking street parade and delicious traditional cake.

My favourite thing about Barcelona is its vibrant and eclectic art scene. This city truly is an inspiring place for a humanities student. The copious number of museums, theatres, music events, festivals, and cinemas make every weekend an exciting one! One of my favourite museums in Barcelona, which I recently visited, is called MACBA. Honestly, it changed my perspective on modern art, and made me question its significance and form. As you can probably guess, I am feeling extremely culturally enriched here in the capital of Catalunya.

From Catalunya to l’hexagone, (France).

As I am studying French and Spanish, I must go to both a Hispanic and francophone country. I am currently planning my next adventure in France! For my next escapade, I hope to attend an intensive summer course in Lyon for 4 weeks, followed by a month as an intern at a language school in the rural village of Vazerac (the Occitan region of France). I am very excited for the next step of my year abroad, although I obviously do not want to leave this incredible city.

Not only have I gained a life-altering and culturally enriching experience, but I have also gained practical skills, lifelong friendships and established and nurtured a new home. I am already planning my next opportunity to come back to Spain, despite not having left yet!
Signing off here, from (sometimes) sunny Barcelona.

 

By Keisha Lam, a 3rd year MLBM Chinese student

Life in Taiwan

As a Modern Language and Business Management student studying Chinese, my third year is to be completed abroad in a Chinese speaking country. That way we can fully immerse ourselves in the language and culture. My time in Taiwan has definitely been the most interesting and adventurous year of my life having had such amazing experiences, making connections for life and being able to immerse myself in the Taiwanese lifestyle.

I am currently studying at Taiwan’s leading university, National Taiwan University (NTU) located in the capital of Taipei. On the academic side, I spend 10 hours a week taking Chinese classes leaving lots of free time to take other classes or spend that time travelling! Aside from Chinese classes I had free range to take a variety of other classes such as Language Philosophy, Agricultural Business and Taiwanese Hokkien which I would not have had the opportunity to do otherwise.

Being an exchange student at NTU has been enriching and exciting. The best part of it was being able to interact with the local students and truly get a feel for Taiwan’s culture. I joined some of the international society events including mahjong night where we could learn how to play the game which originated from China. I also joined day trips with local students to the cities of Taoyuan and Yilan visiting old streets and cultural sites such as a traditional spring onion farm as well as making our own Taiwanese pizzas. Taiwan’s International Companions for Learning (ICL) program which matches international students with children from countryside schools in Taiwan has also been a great way to exchange cultures. We have weekly Skype sessions on various topics to get to know the children and soon I will be visiting Kaohsiung City to meet the children in person!

Being abroad also means having the chance to explore all around the country. I have travelled the west and south coasts as well as some parts of the east. Compared to other countries, Taiwan is relatively small making it very travelable. Some highlights of my trips have included snorkelling and seeing sea turtles in Xiaoliuqiu Island, riding motorcycles whilst sightseeing in Taiwan’s southernmost point, hiking in Yangmingshan national park, doing calligraphy at Fo Guang Shan Monastery, sunsets on the beach and eating all the various street foods at the night markets. The variety of activities you can do in Taiwan and travelling to all of these destinations which have its own unique sceneries has probably been the best part of my time here so far.

Finally, being thousands of miles away from home may have been challenging at times but my memories in Taiwan will become one of my favourite memories of my entire university experience. My year abroad pushed me out of my Manchester bubble, putting in perspective my goals for the future and changed the way I see the rest of my time in Manchester. Having lived in an entirely new environment with different cultures and practices, really is a character-building experience that gives you great freedom and independence. Improving my Chinese was my main goal; from writing to speaking and ordering my dinner, I now feel more confident in going on to complete my fourth year. I have also made connections from all over the world and friends who I can communicate with in Chinese! Overall, the year has been a character-building experience which will be beneficial for the rest of my degree.

 

By Dana Diakova, a 3rd year MLBM German student

Why Berlin?

I chose the Humboldt University of Berlin for my study abroad because I wanted a challenge. Berlin is an interesting city to say the least. Crazy nightlife, vibrant culture and people, incredible art, an overwhelming amount of food options, rich history, strong political opinions, impossible housing market and cheap plane, train or bus tickets to just about anywhere in Europe.

 

What has Berlin done for me?

As someone who does not thrive off of thrift stores and techno, I did have a love-hate relationship with the city at first. However, as time went by, I started to like it more by the day. I can confidently say that being vegan has never been easier and more fun, going out has never been so eventful, and walking down the street is just like a history textbook. Berlin also taught me the importance of cherishing already existing friendships both back home and in Manchester, while focusing on establishing new connections. Academically speaking, I quite enjoyed taking a Berlin tourism class. It is still crazy to me that I got to play tourist on a weekly basis while receiving credits for it. 

 

What challenges have I faced and what have I learned?

People say that there is a place for everyone in Berlin. However, in a city of this scale, the searching process can be overwhelming. It is quite easy to keep to yourself in a place where you know no one, and you don’t fully speak the language. These past few months have put me in uncomfortable and embarrassing situations (both socially and language-wise) so many times that I learned that people really don’t care about you messing up. As much of a cliche this is, Berlin is the one place where you can be unapologetically yourself, so have fun with it, experiment and see where it is going to take you. 

 

What will I do differently next semester?

Every time someone asks me how I ended up in Berlin, I tell them that I am there to learn German. They always giggle and tell me that I have gone to the wrong place. Berlin is an international hub. You would be surprised how many people don’t know a word of German, which makes it quite tempting to stick to English. My goal for next semester is to put myself out there more and focus on what I went to Germany for – learn German. In addition, I would like to further see what Berlin has to offer. Weekend getaways are tempting and absolutely essential during your year abroad, but it is easy to forget to enjoy the city that you are in. 

 

What would I advise you on doing?

Embrace your time alone. You may never get the chance to pick up your things and move to another country by yourself ever again, so cherish every second of it. I have learned so much about myself through going to events, exploring the city and starting new hobbies alone. However, as important it is to use your year abroad as an opportunity to get to know yourself better, it is just as important to put yourself out there. Join all the Erasmus Facebook and WhatsApp groups, go to all orientation events and talk to the random people at the bar. Everyone is in the same boat and is trying to fit in so trust me – you are not weird for making conversation! Chances are you are going to hear some crazy stories and end the night at a random club on the other side of town. In other words, act like no one is watching and go with the flow every chance you get, except for when you’re looking for accommodation. Start looking for a flat as early as you possibly can. Couch-surfing in your “homeless in Berlin” era is not worth the stress. Speaking from experience. :))

 

By Julia Tam, a 3rd year MLBM Japanese student

Hi, my name is Julia! I am a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Manchester, studying Modern Language and Business & Management (Japanese). As a current exchange student at the University of Tokyo (Utokyo), the most selective and prestigious university in Japan, I have the opportunity to study with the most talented students in Japan and gain valuable career experience.

One of the biggest advantages of studying in Japan is the chance to participate in the career development course that can help you learn how to apply for a job in Japan, write a Japanese CV and prepare for an interview.
You might think it is possible to learn these skills without being in Japan. However, what you can’t do is attend a career event or internship and experience the working culture of Japan.

During my stay in Japan, I participated in several short-term internships and company information sessions, usually conducted from January to March and can be joined freely. These events and internships not just gave me a deep insight into different companies’ job roles and working lives but also helped me develop essential skills that Japanese companies highly value. For example, I had a chance to attend a 1-day internship with Nippon Ham Food Group; one of Japan’s leading food manufacturing companies. The internship included a group task that challenged us to develop a new product proposal and present it to the managers. This challenging experience has developed my Japanese business communication skills, which I would never be able to learn in a class.

Apart from joining the career events, I also participated in different clubs in Utokyo, such as the Tea ceremony club and Kyudo club, to experience Japanese culture and integrate myself into the local community. Through these clubs, my Japanese communication skills improved significantly, and I became more confident in speaking to local people.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of studying abroad is having time to explore the country during holidays. If you go on abroad for a full year, you will have two months of spring holiday to explore the country. During my holiday, I was travelling around the country, relaxing in the hot springs and enjoying the cultural festivals. These unforgettable experiences helped me to decide that Japan is the place where I want to live and work in the future.

The host university has provided tons of opportunities for students to explore, experience and grow. It has given us both hard and soft skills to be competitive in the global labour market. However, working and living in a culturally and socially different country can be challenging and stressful. Therefore, it is important to just simply experience life in Japan before you decide whether to work aboard or not.

In conclusion, studying abroad in Japan can help you kickstart your career and achieve your dreams. Take advantage of the opportunities provided by your host university to explore the country, gain valuable experience, and improve your language and cultural skills. With hard work and determination, you can succeed in Japan and make your dreams come true.

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