Steve's sandbox

Author: Steve Evans

  • Lauren Maslin – 한국에서의 첫 달 – 2024년 9월 My first month in Korea- September 2024

    첫 보고서

    여러분 안녕하세요! 제 이름은 렌이고, 영국에서 왔습니다. 저는 2022년부터 영국의 한 대학에서 한국어와 언어학을 공부했으며, 현재는 한국의 한 대학에서 집중적으로 한국어를 배우고 있습니다. 한국 대학에서 1년 동안 한국어와 한국 문화를 배울 계획입니다.

    첫 보고서를 시작하게 되어 정말 기쁩니다! 매달 한국에서의 경험을 여러분과 나누려고 합니다. 이 보고서를 통해 여러분도 한국에 매료되시길 바라요. 제 일상, 여행, 그리고 한국어 공부에 대한 이야기를 공유할 예정입니다. 길거리 음식부터 케이팝, 한국 문화까지, 한국에서의 하루하루는 새롭고 신나는 일들로 가득 차 있습니다. 사실 이번이 한국에 두 번째 방문인데, 2023년 여름 처음 한국에 와본 후 너무 좋아서 다시 오게 되었습니다.

    한국에 대해 잘 모르는 분들도 계시겠지만, 저 또한 한국어를 배우기 전에는 한국에 대해 잘 몰랐습니다. 이제는 많은 것을 배웠고, 이 보고서를 통해 여러분도 새로운 정보와 재미, 영감을 얻으시길 바랍니다.

    한국 음악 축제

    이번 달에는 한국의 음악 축제도 전자제품이나 음식만큼이나 인기가 있다는 것을 알게 되었습니다. “서울 버스커 페스티벌”이라는 음악 축제에 다녀왔는데, 비가 오는 날씨에도 정말 재미있었습니다. 여러 가수들이 무대에 올라 러브 발라드, 힙합, 케이팝, 그리고 유명한 OST를 불렀습니다. 관중과 재능 넘치는 아티스트들의 에너지 덕분에 정말 잊을 수 없는 경험이었습니다! 한국인은 음악과 노래에 대한 애정이 깊고, 이는 한국 문화의 중요한 부분을 차지하고 있습니다.

    케이팝의 인기

    케이팝은 저를 포함한 전 세계 외국인들 사이에서 큰 인기를 얻고 있습니다. 2012년, 한국 가수 싸이의 ‘강남스타일’이 전 세계를 강타한 이후, 케이팝은 국제적으로 널리 알려졌습니다. 방탄소년단(BTS)이나 블랙핑크 같은 그룹이 케이팝을 대표하는 사례로 자주 언급되지만, 사실 제가 가장 좋아하는 그룹은 마마무입니다. 마마무는 뛰어난 보컬 실력과 독특한 무대 매너로 많은 팬들의 사랑을 받고 있습니다. 이 그룹은 매력적인 음악 스타일과 개성 넘치는 멤버들로 케이팝의 다양한 매력을 잘 보여주고 있습니다.

    한국 음식

    지난주에 처음으로 한국 바비큐를 먹어봤다

    지난주에 처음으로 한국 바비큐를 먹어봤습니다. 한국은 활기찬 문화와 다양한 맛있는 음식을 제공합니다. 특히, 비빔밥과 한국식 바

    비큐는 제가 가장 좋아하는 음식 중 하나입니다. 비빔밥은 다양한 채소와 고기, 매운 소스를 얹은 밥 요리이고, 한국식 바비큐는 상추와 여러 가지 반찬을 곁들여 먹는 돼지고기 구이입니다. 한국인들은 보통 친구들과 함께 식사하며 이야기를 나누는 것을 좋아하기 때문에, 식사는 매우 사교적인 행사입니다. 한국 드라마에서 자주 보던 한국 바비큐를 실제로 먹어보니 꿈이 이루어진 기분이었어요. 맛있는 지글지글한 돼지고기를 생각만 해도 다시 배가 고파지네요. 아, 음식 얘기가 나왔으니, 라면이 너무 익기 전에 얼른 가봐야겠어요! 다음에 또 봐요! 안녕!

    First Report

    I’m very excited to start my first report! Every month, I will be sharing my experiences in Korea with you. I hope that through this report, you’ll also become fascinated by Korea. I’ll be sharing stories about my daily life, travels, and Korean language studies. From street food to K-pop and Korean culture, every day in Korea is filled with new and exciting things. This is actually my second visit to Korea. I first visited in the summer of 2023 and loved it so much that I decided to come back.

    Some of you may not be familiar with Korea, but before I started learning Korean, I didn’t know much about it either. Now, I’ve learned a lot, and I hope these reports will bring you new information, fun, and inspiration.

     

    Korean Music Festival

    This month, I found out that Korean music festivals are as popular as Korean electronics and food. I attended a festival called “Seoul Busker Festival.” Even though it rained, I had a great time. Many singers performed love ballads, hip-hop, K-pop, and famous OSTs on stage. Thanks to the energy of the audience and the talented performers, it was an unforgettable experience! Koreans have a deep love for music and singing, and it plays an important role in their culture.

    The Popularity of K-pop

    K-pop has gained immense popularity among international fans, including myself. In 2012, Korean singer Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ took the world by storm, and since then, K-pop has become globally known. Although groups like BTS and Blackpink are often mentioned as representatives of K-pop, my personal favorite group is Mamamoo. Mamamoo has won the hearts of many fans with their outstanding vocal abilities and unique stage presence. They showcase the diverse appeal of K-pop through their charming music style and distinct members.

    Korean Food

    Last week, I tried Korean BBQ for the first time. Korea offers a vibrant culture and a variety of delicious foods. Bibimbap and

    I had Korean barbecue for the first time last week

    Korean BBQ are among my favorites. Bibimbap is a rice dish topped with various vegetables, meat, and spicy sauce, while Korean BBQ consists of grilled pork, often eaten with lettuce and various side dishes. Koreans love to eat and chat with friends, so meals are a very social event. I’ve seen Korean BBQ in many dramas, so it felt like a dream come true to finally try it! Just thinking about the sizzling pork makes me hungry again. Speaking of food, I think my ramen is about to overcook. Until next time! Bye!

  • Joanna Bowman: Mes premières semaines à Lyon – September 2024

    -1-

    Après une longue journée de voyage commençant par un train annulé à cause de la tempête « Lilian », mais se terminant par un beau voyage à travers les montagnes de la frontière franco-suisse, je suis arrivée à Lyon tard le vendredi soir. J’ai réservé un airbnb pendant neuf nuits à la Guillotière, un quartier Lyonnais vif, diverse, et plein de travaux. En se levant très tôt le samedi matin pour les cours de Français comme Langue Étrangère à ENS de Lyon (mon université pendant le semestre), il n’y avait personne dans les rues ou le métro. Au fil de la semaine, la ville devenait plus animée alors que les gens locaux revenaient de vacances dans le Sud. J’ai beaucoup apprécié les cours de mes premiers jours à Lyon parce que j’ai rencontré beaucoup de gens internationaux en révisant beaucoup d’éléments grammaticaux et lexicaux, ainsi qu’ils m’ont donné un petit sens de la routine pendant un temps incertain et nouveau.

    Arriver sans logement prédéterminé n’était pas mon intention, mais j’ai trouvé tellement difficile d’en obtenir pendant les mois précédant mon arrivée. En vérifiant quotidiennement La Carte de Colocs, Studapart, Chez Nestor, et Colocatère (des sites web utiles pour trouver une location), j’ai été sur le point de conclure d’une location à plusieurs reprises, mais à cause des barrières de garant et des informations manquantes sur les colocataires, je n’ai pas réussi. Cependant, après être arrivée, c’est devenu plus facile à organiser des visites : par exemple à aller voir un appartement seulement un jour après qu’il a été rendu disponible. En moins d’une semaine, j’ai eu six visites, parmi lesquelles il y avait des appartements qui m’ont assez plu, et d’autres qui semblaient même pas habitables… Mais enfin j’ai reussi a trouver un appartement très bien situé dans le 6e arrondissement, à un prix agréable, et surtout avec trois étudiantes françaises qui sont trop gentilles. Comme moi, elles aiment l’équilibre entre passer du temps en mode chill (regarder des films, partager des dîners) et sortir dans des bars ou des boîtes de nuit. Même si c’était difficile et assez stressant de trouver une colocation, cela en valait carrément la peine.

    Ça fait trois semaines que je suis ici et j’ai rencontré plein des gens d’origines diverses, j’ai appris beaucoup des nouvelles phrases françaises, et j’ai passé des très bons moments dans cette belle ville.

    -2-

    My first weeks in Lyon

    After a long travel day starting with a cancelled train due to storm Lilian, but ending with a beautiful journey through the mountains on the french-swiss border, I arrived in Lyon late on Friday night. I had booked an airbnb for nine nights in Guillotiere, a lively diverse area with lots of roadworks. Waking up early on Saturday morning for my French as a foreign language course at ENS Lyon (my university for the semester), there wasn’t a soul on the streets or the metro. As the week went on, the city became more lively as the locals returned from their holidays in the south. I really appreciated these lessons in my first few days in Lyon because I met lots of international people whilst revising many grammatical and lexical elements, as well as the fact that they gave me a small sense of routine during a new and incertain time.

    I have been here three weeks now, and I’ve met plenty of people from diverse backgrounds, I’ve learnt many new french phrases, and I have had some great times in this beautiful city.

     

     

    -3-

    -4-

    Photos:

    1. Mon nouveau campus! Même s’il a l’air moderne et futuriste, il y a des jardins à l’intérieur avec des moutons et des ruches. – My new campus! Even though it seems modern and futuristic, inside there are gardens with sheep and beehives
    2. J’adore prendre un café avec des nouveaux amis. – I love having coffee with new friends.
    3. Le soleil du soir sur ma nouvelle rue. – Evening sun on my new street.
    4. Mon endroit préféré actuel pour boire un coup: les bars au quai du Rhône

     

     

  • Bryony Heaviside: Bienvenue au Québec – September 2024

    Je veux remercier John Speak pour cette opportunité et pour me fournir les moyens financiers qui me permettent d’accomplir mon année à l’étranger. Je suis très très chanceuse 🙂

    Je m’appelle Bryony, j’étudie à l’université de Sheffield Hallam, j’étudie le français, l’espagnol et le commerce international. Je vais situer au Canada pour mon année à l’étranger. Je suis récemment arrivée à Montréal. Malgré que Montréal est plus anglophone j’ai déjà remarqué les différences entre l’accent québécois et l’accent européen français. Il va de soi que les deux accents sont totalement différents. Il y a plusieurs phrases, les mots différents… J’ai déjà commencé à utiliser le mot québécois « correct » (qui signifie OK en anglais) environ cinq fois par jour.

     

    Le coucher soleil- Montréal

    J’ai aussi eu l’opportunité de découvrir Montréal et manger les nouvelles choses. J’ai goûté à la queue de castor (une spécialité québécoise), c’est un type de pâtisserie frite avec toutes des garnitures. C’était délicieux, j’ai essayé la queue de castor avec le chocolat blanc et des morceaux de Skor (chocolat canadien qui ressemble ‘Daim bars’ en Angleterre). J’ai aussi visité la biosphère, la vieille ville, puis regardé le coucher de soleil.

    La Biosphère- Montréal
    La vieille ville- Montréal

    Pour mon logement au Québec, j’ai décidé de vivre dans une petite ville pas loin de la ville de Québec. C’est extrêmement francophone et tout le monde peut certainement dire que je suis anglaise, mais ils l’apprécient quand même que je parle français. Mon propriétaire (qui est aussi mon colocataire) est heureusement très patient avec moi. Je lui demande de répéter très souvent… cependant j’ai appris beaucoup d’eux. Je vais bientôt commencer mes études et j’ai hâte d’être dans cette aventure.

    Pendant mon année à l’étranger, je vais pratiquer mon français autant que possible et de m’immerger dans la culture locale. Je suis ravie de découvrir Canada et (avec un peu de chance) comprendre le québécois.
    ———
    I want to thank John Speak for this opportunity and for providing me with the financial means to complete my year abroad. I am very very lucky 🙂

    My name is Bryony, I am studying at Sheffield Hallam University, I study French, Spanish and International Business. I will be in Canada for my year abroad. I have recently arrived in Montreal. Even though Montreal is more Anglicised, I have already noticed the differences between the Quebec accent and the European French accent. It goes without saying the two accents are totally different. There are many phrases and different words… I have already started using the Quebec word “correct” (which means OK in English) about 5 times a day.

    For my accommodation in Quebec, I decided to live in a small town not far from Quebec City. It is extremely French-speaking and everyone can certainly tell that I am English, but they appreciate it all the same when I speak French. My landlord (who is also my flatmate) is fortunately very patient with me. I ask them to repeat themselves a lot… however I have learned a lot from them. I will soon start my studies and I am looking forward to this adventure.

    During my year abroad I will practice my French as much as possible and immerse myself in the local culture. I am excited to discover Canada and (hopefully) understand Quebecois.

    I have also had the opportunity to discover Montreal and eat new things. I have tried a ‘Beaver Tail’ (a Quebec specialty), it is a type of fried pastry with all kinds of toppings. It was delicious, I tried it with white chocolate and pieces of Skor (Canadian chocolate similar to “Daim bars” in England). I also visited the biosphere, the old town, and watched the sunset

  • Jack Beeching: S’habituer à Paris – September 2024

    The Louvre

    Je commence à m’habituer à Paris. Les gens m’avaient prévenu que la première semaine serait difficile, mais je crois que par excès de confiance, je les avais pas vraiment cru. J’avais tort. Même si j’étudie le français depuis un moment, être ici m’a fait sentir très mal à l’aise avec ma façon de parler – je me stresse même pour commander un pain au chocolat le matin ! Ces dernières semaines depuis mon dernier rapport ont été bien remplies, mais la chose qui me frappe le plus, c’est que je veux vraiment m’améliorer en français. Flâner dans les librairies, aller au cinéma, ou m’asseoir dans les cafés me rappellent combien j’ai encore à apprendre, et à quel point je veux parler cette langue – pour vraiment faire partie de la vie parisienne.

    I’m starting to get used to Paris. People warned me that the first week would be tough, but I think out of overconfidence, I didn’t really believe them. I was wrong. Even though I’ve been studying French for a while, being here has made me feel really self-conscious about my speaking – I even get flustered trying to order a pain au chocolat in the mornings! These past few weeks since my last report have been packed, but the main thing I feel is that I really want to improve my French. Browsing through bookshops, going to the cinema, or sitting in cafes reminds me how much I still have to learn, and how much I want to speak this language – to really be a part of Parisian life.

    Bref, je m’emballe un peu. Il y a tellement de choses à raconter sur les dernières semaines que je sais pas comment tout mettre dans ce rapport. Le premier moment qui me vient à l’esprit, c’est une sortie spontanée aux Jeux paralympiques avec des amis de mon université. Nous avons vu la finale d’athlétisme au Stade de France. C’était l’une des dernières soirées chaudes de l’été, et regarder le soleil se coucher dans une ambiance festive m’a vraiment fait sentir heureux d’être à Paris. Deux jours plus tard, j’ai réussi à voir la cérémonie de clôture (pas en direct). Un ami local m’avait invité au Centre Pompidou pour voir une exposition sur le surréalisme. Il pleuvait des cordes pendant qu’on rentrait, et on est tombés sur un écran en plein air qui diffusait la cérémonie ! Depuis mon arrivée à Paris, j’ai remarqué ces « troisièmes espaces » – des endroits publics conçus pour que les communautés se rassemblent. C’est quelque chose que j’apprécie vraiment dans cette ville.

    In the rain after the Pompidou

    Anyway, I’m getting a bit ahead of myself. There’s so much to tell about the last few weeks that I don’t know how I can fit it all in this report. The first moment that comes to mind was a spontaneous trip to the Paralympics with some friends from my university. We watched the athletics final at the Stade de France. It was one of the last warm evenings of the summer, and watching the sun set in such a festive atmosphere really made me feel happy to be in Paris. Two days later, I managed to catch the closing ceremony (not in person). A local friend had invited me to the Pompidou Centre to see an exhibition about surrealism. It was pouring with rain as we walked home, and we stumbled upon an outdoor screen showing the ceremony! Since coming to Paris, I’ve noticed these “third spaces” – public areas designed for communities to come together. It’s something I really appreciate about this city.

    Je pense que, en dehors de mes cours à l’université, cette semaine a été pas mal centrée sur l’art. Jeudi, j’ai assisté à mon premier cours d’histoire de l’art à l’École du Louvre (je me suis inscrit comme auditeur, pensant que ce serait un bon moyen de m’immerger dans le français et de rencontrer des gens différents). Cette semaine, le sujet était l’art néolithique, et honnêtement, j’ai eu du mal à suivre. Mais bon, comme toujours, cette envie de comprendre m’a donné encore plus de motivation pour améliorer ma maîtrise du français.

    Pompidou

    I think that, outside of my university courses, this week has been quite focused on art. On Thursday, I attended my first art history lecture at the École du Louvre (I signed up as an auditor, thinking it would be a good way to immerse myself in French and meet different kinds of people). This week, the subject was Neolithic art, and honestly, I had trouble keeping up. But still, as always, this desire to understand made me feel even more motivated to improve my fluency in French.

    Ces dernières semaines ont été un vrai tourbillon. J’ai rencontré de nouveaux amis, vu des choses inattendues, et essayé de suivre mes devoirs. Franchement, je suis épuisé. Mais je sais que cette année va être super !

    These last few weeks have been a real whirlwind. I’ve made new friends, seen unexpected things, and tried to keep up with my assignments. Honestly, I’m exhausted. But I know this year is going to be great!

  • Jules Chadderton: やっと日本に来ました – September 2024

    登別の地獄谷
    Noboribetsu’s hell’s valley

    やっと日本に来ました
    ９月の三日、ロンドンから日本の札幌に行きました。そこで彼女と小旅行に北海道でしました。色々なことができ、特別のエベントは、まず登別という有名な温泉がある町に泊まり、彼女が旅館を予約しておいてくれました。温泉のルールが分かったけど、登別温泉は初めての温泉の経験でしたので、一人で温泉に入るのは結構怖いと思いました。ちょっと温泉のルールを説明します。まず全部の持ち物をかごに入れます。そして公共のシャワーに行き、体の全てを洗うことが必要です。洗った後で温泉に入れます。行った温泉の中でお風呂の種類がいっぱいありました。そこで会ったおじさんは屋外のお風呂場の滑り台をさせて、横浜に案内してくれると言いました。とても楽しかったです。ぜひ登別に行ってみて下さい。その後で札幌から名古屋までpeachという飛行機会社で乗りました。日本に行ったことがあったけど、名古屋に行ったことがないです。名古屋に行き、飛行機の窓から名古屋を見たんですが、思ったよりずっと大きいでした。今南山大学のオリエンテーション中があって忙しくなりました。色々な友達を作ったり、大学の近くに観光したりしています。南山大学に留学する間、ヤンセン国際寮に住んでいます、ヤンセンはとても新しい建物で、２０２２年に建てられていた。部屋も良いし、台所が大きいし、良い所だと思います。今、授業がまだ始めません。来週、普通の授業が始めるので時々緊張していますが、日本での授業を楽しみしています。それで、またレポート南山大学の生活をご案内します、またね

    2. 窓から名古屋の環境
    View of Nagoya from the window

    On the 3rd of September, I went from London to Sapporo. There I had a small trip with my girlfriend around Hokkaido. We did lots of things however a particularly special moment was going to the famous onsen village called Noboribetsu. There we stayed in a ryokan which my girlfriend kindly booked for us. Although I knew the bathing rules of the onsen, it was my first experience using an onsen so at first, I thought it would a bit scary to use. Now I shall give a short explanation of the bathing rules of the onsen. First put all your belongings in one of the baskets, then head over to the public showers. There it’s important that you wash your whole body thoroughly. After you’ve washed your body, you can enter the onsen. When I entered the onsen I found lots of different types and there I met an old man who made me go on one of the water slides in the outdoor section of the onsen place and said he would show me round Yokohama . It was an enjoyable time. I’d recommend everyone to go to Noboribetsu. After that, I went from Sapporo to Nagoya using the airline company Peach. I

    3. 登別のロビーで撮った写真
    Photo taken in a noboribetsu hotel lobby

    have been to Japan before, but I had never properly visited Nagoya so when I was on the plane, looking from the window, Nagoya looked a lot bigger than I had imagined. Currently I am in the middle of Nanzan Universities orientations and have become busy. I am making lots of new friends and exploring the places near the university. While studying abroad at Nanzan University, I will be staying in the Jassen International student’s dormitory. The dorm is really new and was built in 2022. The rooms are nice as are the kitchens in my opinion.
    At the moment, classes have not started, however from next week normal classes will start, so I am a little nervous for the start but overall, I’m looking forward to starting classes in Japan. In the next report I shall talk about the university student life at Nanzan university.

  • Jack Beeching: The first week in Paris – August 2024

    Cette dernière semaine a semblé durer une éternité. Après un dîner d’adieu rapide à la gare de King’s Cross à Londres avec mes parents, j’ai pris un Eurostar tardif avec deux énormes valises – tout ce dont j’aurais besoin pour mon année d’études à Paris.

    Je suis arrivé en ville tard et j’ai traîné mes bagages jusqu’à mon appartement à Belleville. Mon quartier est merveilleux : chaque mur a du street art et chaque rue est remplie de restaurants du monde entier. J’ai fini ma première soirée à Paris assis dehors dans un café, lisant et regardant les gens dans la chaleur d’août.

    Cette détente n’a pas duré. Je me suis réveillé tôt lundi et j’ai commencé à cocher ma liste de choses à faire avant que ma vie ici puisse vraiment commencer. J’avais besoin d’une carte SIM, mais je ne pouvais pas en acheter une sans compte bancaire français. Pour ouvrir un compte, j’avais besoin d’un numéro français – mon premier goût de la fameuse bureaucratie française. Après le déjeuner, j’ai rendu visite à un ami étudiant qui logeait à la CIUP. Nous nous sommes retrouvés et avons marché dans le beau parc. À la fin de cette première journée, je commençais à me sentir chez moi.

    Mercredi a été le plus grand défi de tous : le début de mon stage à l’OCDE (que je fais à temps partiel en parallèle de mes études). Bien sûr, j’étais nerveux à l’idée de commencer dans un environnement de travail français, mais mon anxiété a disparu quand j’ai vu le bureau : le Château de la Muette, un château près du Bois de Boulogne, est un bâtiment incroyable. Mon équipe m’a fait visiter et ensuite nous avons déjeuné dans la cour sous le soleil. J’étais ravi d’apprendre que l’Organisation propose des cours de français pour les stagiaires !

    Les deux derniers jours ont été flous entre les rencontres, les cours et les crêpes. J’ai eu la chance de voir la fin du festival de jazz de Paris, donc ma semaine s’est terminée par un concert avec de nouveaux amis au Parc Floral de Paris.

    Saying goodbye at King’s Cross

    This past week has felt like a lifetime. After a hurried farewell dinner at King’s Cross station in London with my parents, I boarded a late Eurostar train with two enormous suitcases – everything I would need for my year in studying in Paris.

    I arrived in the city late, and dragged my bags to my apartment in Belleville. My neighbourhood is wonderful: every wall has street art and every street is filled with restaurants from all over the world. I finished my first evening in Paris sitting outside a cafe, reading and watching people in August warmth.

    This relaxation did not last. I woke early on Monday, and set out to complete my growing to-do list before my life here could really begin. I needed a SIM card, but couldn’t buy one without a French bank account. To open an account, I needed a French number – my first taste of the infamous French bureaucracy. After lunch, I visited another student friend who was staying at the CIUP. We caught up, walking around the beautiful park. By the end of the first day I was starting to feel at home.

    Wednesday was the biggest challenge of all: the beginning of my internship at the OECD (which I am doing part-time alongside my studies). Of course, I was nervous about starting in a French workplace, but my anxiety disappeared once I saw the office: Château de la Muette, a castle near Bois de Boulogne, is an incredible building. My team gave me a tour then we had lunch in the courtyard under the sun. I was delighted to learn the Organisation provides French classes for interns!

    The last two days were a blur of meeting people, lectures, and crepes. I was lucky to catch the end of the Paris jazz festival, so my week ended with a concert among new friends in the Parc Floral de Paris.

  • La plus belle soirée au Québec

    J’apprécie ma soirée en flânant au vieux port. Je me suis assis pour profiter du magnifique coucher de soleil!

  • Gus Freeman – Case study Lisbon

    My time in Lisbon has come to an end, and what an amazing 3 months in turned out to be. Firstly, I cannot thank the John Speak Trust enough for the scholarship I received. It was a big part of why my time in Lisbon was so successful. The money I received allowed me to really make the most of my time by fully throwing my heart into the Portuguese culture and experiences, as well as the chance to travel around Portugal to experience the different sides.

    I had never visited Portugal before and went in with little to no preconceptions. Lisbon was an amazing city with the most incredible infrastructure and buildings. My route to work every morning was filled with different churches and castles along the way, and the view of the Belém Tower every morning was very special. I was very lucky to be able to get away most weekends to surrounding villages and regions for example Cascais and Sintra.

    A big part of developing my Portuguese language skills was down to my living situation in Lisbon. Living with native speakers, but also sharing the host family with a friend from Angola meant I got the chance to experience a different style of Portuguese. I was able to pick up such important learning points at different moments. For example, the Portuguese radio that would play all day long, and the heated dinner discussions helped me understand a part of Portuguese that I do not believe I would have got by reading a book.

     

    Moving abroad to work in another country was a scary experience to begin with, however I instantly felt at home in Lisbon. I was able to build up my confidence with speaking Portuguese and after a few weeks, was starting to interact confidently in most situations.

    To anyone reading this I hope you get a chance to visit Lisbon and experience the widely underrepresented Portuguese culture. I could not have asked for a better experience and look forward to hopefully one day return.

     

  • Case Study: Cosmo de Bono, Taiwan, 2023-2024

    Since my year abroad in Taiwan has drawn to a close, I’ve started reflecting on my experiences abroad and the happy times I had living in Taipei.
    I wasn’t too knowledgeable about Taiwan before moving there. Despite having learnt Chinese for a while, I hadn’t spent much time looking at Taiwan in its own right. It was only on the plane to Taipei that I realised I was moving abroad to a country I knew very little about. Whilst it would have made my initial life in Taiwan easier if I knew more about what to expect, I still consider this a blessing in disguise. Not knowing what to expect allowed me to have my own unique experience in Taiwan and slowly discover the island in a natural way.

    I arrived at the end of August 2023 and within a week was starting my language classes at National Taiwan Normal University.

    The language classes were pretty intense and it took a while to grow accustomed to the teachers only speaking in Chinese. However I started to really enjoy my daily life living in Taipei. Living with my host family so close to the university made commuting so easy, and it was always fun to go for lunch with classmates in different areas after class.


    It took me a few weeks to feel confident travelling around Taiwan and leaving Taipei. I started off with small trips to the outskirts of Taipei such a Beitou, and as my confidence grew I started to be more ambitious with my travelling, making the most of my weekends and holidays to explore different parts of the island. One of my fondest memories is travelling across Taiwan to Kenting for a few days during my November holiday. This was my first big trip and my first time taking the High Speed Rail. There were far fewer foreigners in the south and it was really encouraging to have so many locals complimenting my Chinese!

    There were of course some tough moments during my time abroad. There were moments of home sickness and times when I wanted to be back in the UK with my university friends. Cultural differences also started to wear down on you over time. For example the extreme cash culture and reluctance to use cards was irritating at times if you forgot to bring cash with you. However, there are many aspects of Taiwanese life that I really miss being back in the UK. For example, the sense of public safety and trust in strangers. If you were to drop your wallet in Taipei, you could come back a full day later and find your wallet in the same area, placed neatly on the side of the street. This culture of mutual kindness and respect is inspiring.


    Taiwanese food really made my time studying abroad. The sheer number of restaurants and cafes in Taipei is incredible. I was also able to eat at a lot of immigrant-run restaurants near where I lived. The favourites included Thai, Vietnamese, Sushi and Indian restaurants. The night markets and bubble tea both lived up to their reputation and made for some fun food trips with friends.


    Moving abroad for a year was a challenge, but I gained so much from the experience. I now have a real sense of fluency when speaking Chinese and am so much more confident in myself.
    I would like to express a great deal of thanks to the John Speak Trust. The support I received allowed me to get the most out of my time abroad. There was also something quite therapeutic about writing my monthly reports, sharing my unique experiences with others. To all the trustees and Debra – Thank you for everything.

    I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering studying abroad to go for it!

  • John Daniel: 月报二，八月：语言课程快结束了 Language school is almost over, August 2024

    再次你好！谢谢您看我第二个月的月报！我很激动跟你分享最近一个月所有的经历。

    在7月底，我必须与几个好朋友说再见。他们只是语言课程7月份的学生。我们收取成绩凭证后（见下图），我们直接开始安排一个小小的庆祝晚会来彼此告别。

    Hello again and thank you for reading my second monthly report! I am excited to share with you what has happened over the last month.

    At the end of July I had to say goodbye to a few friends who were only staying for the July section of the language course. After we received our certificates (pictured below), we got straight to organising a little celebratory evening to say farewell.

    收取我们第一个月的成绩凭证
    Collecting our first months’s certificates

    应为Aurelie是一半法国一半中国的人，而且在上海长大了，所以她有很多当地朋友，让我们在在一起度过了周五晚上。要是你在想为什么这些人并不看起来像经典中国那样，原因是他们几乎都是一半法国人！他们都在上海法租界区的一个学校读书了。

    Because Aurelie is half french, half chinese, and grew up in Shanghai, she has a lot of local friends and we spent Friday night with them. If you are wondering why most of these lovely people do not look typical Chinese, it is because nearly all of them are half french! They all went to french school in the french concession area of Shanghai.

    与当地朋友们出去玩儿
    Hanging out with local friends

    我们现在在语言课程八月份期中，因此我们最近进行完我们期中演讲。我选择的话题就是抽烟遭害健康的事实。真个话题挺难让感性却的，为的是大家当然已经知道抽烟对身体健康有害。 为了让他更有趣起见，我在我的社交型抽烟的习惯集中注意力，然后为什么有些人容易地上瘾，却其他人连跑步一会儿也非抽一支烟不可。 比如说，我参考了一位优秀的中国马拉松跑者。他50岁以上，一辈子都接连不断地抽烟，甚至马拉松中不断抽烟，却还是在3个小时30分钟以内跑完了 — 这比我最近3个小时39分钟跑完的马拉松快了！

    Now we are halfway through the August section of the language school and we have just finished giving our mid-term presentations. The topic I selected was smoking and how it harms your health. This is quite a difficult topic to make interesting because we obviously all know that it damages your health. So to make it fun, I focused on my bad habit of being a social smoker and the reasons why some people become easily addicted and yet some people cannot go for a run without having a cigarette mid-way through! For example, I referenced that amazing Chinese marathon runner. He was over 50 years old, chain-smoked his entire life, even chain smoked during the marathon, and still managed to complete it in under 3hours 30 minutes – this is faster than my most recent marathon time of 3 hours 39!

    八月分的期中报告
    August term’s mid-course presentation

    在另一个晚上，我跟我的韩国朋友一起去了酒吧。始终，我们想了为什么比平常跟吸引注目，然后我们才意识到那天是七夕节日，人们有可能以为我们在约会！好像很多在中国很多人不仅对外国人感到很好奇，而且尤其是对跨种族情侣。在网络上，这个是个很火讨论的话题。 不过，一段时间后，你习惯人们的盯着。

    On a different evening, I went with my Korean friend to a Korean bar. The whole time we were wondering why we were getting more stares than usual, and then we realised it was Chinese Valentine’s Day and people probably thought we were on a date! It seems many people in China not only are curious about foreigners, but especially interracial couples. On the Chinese internet, this is a hot topic. After a while, however, you do get used to all the people staring at you.

    七夕节日在韩国酒吧
    Celebrating Chinese Valentine’s Day at a Korean bar

    跟几个语言学院和硕士课程的朋友们，我们一起成立了一个跑步组。我们每个周二周四的晚上在江湾体育场见面。这个跑组就是友好的而不是竞争的。有好多不同国籍的成员，再加来自我的硕士的中国同学在逐渐增加! 我估计，当语言课程结束时，我只会在硕士学习，几乎整个跑组都会中国人的！

    With a few language school friends and a few friends from my masters degree, I have set up a running club that meets at Jiangwan Stadium on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Its a very friendly and not at all competitive. There is a mixture of nationalities, and the amount of Chinese classmates from my masters is growing! I expect when the language school finishes and I am only studying for my masters, almost all of the participants will be Chinese!

     

    我们跑步组在江湾体育场的门口
    Our running group at the gate of Jiangwan statdium

    周一周五我都去邯郸南校区的游泳池。是个真正50米游泳池。虽然是户外的，我们在上海，所以空气和池水都非常热。在中国人们都以救生员的责任为非常重要。在欧洲的50米游泳池你一般会看到一两个救生员，在中国总是有六到八个救生员！那个平均就是一个游泳者一个救生员！一开始我觉得这有点过头了，不过我然后发觉这些救生员本身并不看起来像常常游泳的人，所以可能是合适的。在一条泳道平常只有一个人, 不过我进去游泳道一条游泳道有时候会忙起来。不管我旁边的游泳道是不是空的，有些人还是选择在我的游泳道运动，甚至我在换泳道时也跟着我。。。。。。一些这个小区的人对外国人好奇得那样做。

    On Mondays and Fridays I go to Handan Southern Campus swimming pool. It is a proper 50m swimming pool. Although it is outside, we are in Shanghai, so the air and water are really warm. People in China take their lifeguarding responsibilities very seriously, whereas in Europe you might expect to see two lifeguards for a 50m pool, here in China there are between 6 and 8 lifeguards at all times! That is 1 lifeguard per 1 swimming on average. At the beginning I thought it was quite over the top, but then I realised the lifeguards themselves don’t really look like they swim very often, so perhaps it is necessary. Usually, there is about 1 person per swimming lane, although when I enter the pool it seems that one lane becomes very busy as even when lanes besides mine are empty, some people will still choose to swim in my lane follow me when I change names… that is how fascinated with foreigners some people in this neighbourhood are.

    邯郸南校区50公尺的游泳池
    Handan southern campus’s 50m swimming pool

    总体上说，这个月过得不错。我对下个月的月报很兴奋，那个时候我会给你分享我对金融硕士的第一些个印象。在那之前，我还有很多行至工作要做。祝你这个月过得顺利！

    All in all, it has been a good month. I am excited for next month’s report, when I will tell you about my first impressions of my Finance Masters. Until then, I have a lot of admin to do regarding residency. Have a great month!