Steve's sandbox

Author: Steve Evans

  • Lucas Evans: Lyon, une ville verte? – February 2024

    Pendant mon séjour à Lyon, je me suis souvent posé la question, Lyon est-il une ville verte? C’est vrai que le maire de la ville Grégory Doucet est membre du parti vert, les Écologistes, et à première vue, il y a beaucoup d’initiatives vertes en place, cependant il me semble qu’il y a plein de contradictions dans son statut de ville verte.

    Du coup, on va parler des transports en commun. 70% des déplacements en ville se font en véhicules électriques qui appartiennent au réseau TCL (Transports Communs Lyonnais), que ce soit en métro, en tramway ou en trolleybus. Les transports en commun sont, en général, accessibles, pas chers (surtout pour moi après avoir étudié à Londres pendant deux ans!) – 25€ par mois pour les étudiants. À Lyon, il y a de bonnes motivations pour les cyclistes avec des vélos gratuits offerts aux étudiants, et il y actuellement un plan en place pour un réseau des pistes cyclables avec 12 nouveaux voies cyclables à compléter d’ici 2026. Cependant, il ne semble pas y a avoir autant de cyclistes que dans d’autres villes européennes. De plus, l’année dernière 1300 bornes à compost ont été installés à Lyon (un par 150 mètres) pour encourager le tri des déchets. Cela dépend bien sûr des gens qui prennent le temps de trier leurs déchets et d’aller à la borne la plus proche, alors je ne suis pas certain de l’incidence de ce changement.

    La Vallée de la chimie au sud de la ville est l’une des zones les plus polluées de France, et j’ai remarqué que de grandes routes à plusieurs voies dissèquent encore sur les rives du Rhône qui endommagent la qualité de l’air de la ville. Dans le sud de la ville se trouve l’éco-quartier moderne de la Confluence. C’est le premier quartier en Europe qui produit plus d’énergie qu’il n’en consomme. Cependant, les appartements dans ce quartier sont parmi les plus chers de Lyon.

    Pour conclure, Lyon n’est pas une ville parfaitement verte mais j’ai été impressionné par les projects et l’ambition de devenir une ville plus durable. Je crois qu’il a les bonnes intentions pour permettre à ses citoyens de vivre une vie plus durable.

     

    L’éco-quartier de la Confluence : the Confluence eco-neighbourhood

    Lyon, a green city?

    Over my six months in Lyon, I have often asked myself the question, is Lyon a green city? Yes, the city mayor Grégory Doucet is a member of the French green party, Les Écologistes, and on face value, there are lots of green initiatives in place, however there seem to be many contradictions in its status as a green city.

    We will begin by talking about public transport. 70% of journeys in the city are made on electric vehicles belonging to the TCL (Transports Communs Lyonnais) public transport network, be it on metro, tram, or trolleybus. Public transport in Lyon is generally accessible and affordable (at least for me after having studied in London for two years!) – €25/month for a student. In Lyon, there are good incentives for cyclists with free bikes offered to students, and there is currently a plan in place for 12 routes exclusively for bicycles to be completed by 2026 called Les Voies Lyonnaises. However it does not seem that there are as many cyclists on the road as in other European cities. Furthermore, last year 1300 compost bins were installed in Lyon (that is one for every 150 metres) to encourage rubbish sorting. This does of course depend on people taking the time to separate their rubbish and take a trip to their nearest bin so I am not certain of the impact of this change.

    Recycler ton sapin : Recycle your Christmas tree!

    La Vallée de la chimie (the Chemical Valley) to the south of the city is still one of the most polluted areas in France, and I have noticed that large multi-lane roads still dissect the city particularly on the banks of the Rhône which damage the city’s air quality. On the other hand, in the South of the city, lies the modern eco-neighbourhood of la Confluence. It is the first positive-energy development in Europe, meaning that it will produce more energy than it consumes. However, the apartments in this area are among some of the most expensive in Lyon.

    In conclusion, Lyon is not a perfectly green city but I have been impressed by its projects and its ambition to become a more sustainable city. I believe it has the right intentions in enabling its citizens to live more environmentally conscious lives.

  • Case Study – Maria Christian Jordan 2022

    My time in Jordan! A country full of life, chaotic joy, shisha smoke, cats and gorgeous food.

    Before talking about wonderful Jordanian quirks I’d like to thank the John Speak Trust, first for their financial support, without which I would not have been able to travel to Jordan and hugely improve my Arabic. And secondly, for their belief and patience in me as a language student, for which I am immensely grateful.

    I will summarise my four months in Jordan through talking about the small quirks I appreciated the most and how it helped me with my Arabic.

    1. Jabal al-Hussein – my neighbourhood

    I ended up living on the border between Jabal al-Weibdeh (the area where most of the foreign students live) and Jabal al-Hussein, a 1950s refugee camp which is now built up as a residential part of Amman. I hit the jackpot with my lively landlady and housemates, who encouraged me to always speak in Arabic. I lived on top of one of the tallest hills, fantastic for views of the city and fantastic for enforced exercise.

    1. Arab hospitality

    The second thing that is a cliche but is something I can attest to was the friendliness and welcoming hospitality of the people I met. Starting with my landlady, who invited me every Friday to her house for traditional Syrian breakfast, and brought us along to weddings she went to, and took me to the doctors when I was ill. These are not things that a landlord in the UK would generally do, but she explained to me that it was inbuilt in her very fabric, Arabic culture dictates that you should invite people for food into your house. Another thing that I enjoyed and found very wholesome was that no one needed alcohol to have fun, dance and be in each other’s company. I practised a lot of Arabic at her house and with her family, and for that I am grateful.

    I was also invited to many other homes, my Arabic teachers family, where I had the best rice and chicken, two Syrian families I met on the Citadel and through my landlady, who were very generous and invited us into their homes and made beautiful meals. I am very grateful for these experiences as many other foreign students didn’t have these opportunities to meet locals, see how real Arab families live, experience delicious food and practise Arabic.

    One particular story that stood out to me was when my friends and I were driving along the Jordan Valley Highway up the Dead Sea and we pulled over to look at the fantastic view, and proceeded to get stuck in the sand and couldn’t drive off. Luckily some Jordanian army soldiers patrolling the road saw our situation and tried to help us. A random stranger also helped us and along with the army blokes, towed us to his house nearby and blew up our tire with air again, since we had to let the air out of the tire to get out of the sand. He then offered us tea and food, we unfortunately had to get on our way but again, the absolute kindness and willingness from strangers to drop everything and inconvenience their own lives to help others was very inspiring. Communicating all of these experiences in my beginner Arabic was also very entertaining to witness I’m sure.

    Lots of people have told me they didn’t like Amman, especially east Amman, and I always reply the same thing, which is that they didn’t understand the city for what it is, a place of many stories, often families who’ve gone through a lot of suffering and ended up in Amman, but who emit a chaotic and friendly joy that is hard to find elsewhere.

  • Lorna Simpson – Case Study, Germany 2022-2023

    Moving to Germany for 6 months with the help and support of The John Speak Trust, didn’t have a huge impact on my life. It changed its direction completely.

    My mum was born and raised in Germany, but moved to England when she was in her early twenties. My parents for various reasons, raised me in a solely English-speaking household, which left later in my life, what can only best be described as a ‘jigsaw puzzle piece’ missing from my identity. I attempted many times over the course of my teens and young adult life to learn German, but it became quite clear that in order to reach the level of fluency I desired, I had to immerse myself in the country, its culture and its people.

    In September 2022, with the help of a bursary from The John Speak Trust, I moved to Germany with the intention of significantly improving my German before returning to England to continue my studies in Primary Education and German Language Studies. What I didn’t intend on happening, was falling in love with country, throwing myself into so many new experiences and encounters, and meeting some of the most amazing people in my life who I will treasure forever.

    The first couple of months came with its challenges, but the positives, absolutely outweighed the negatives.

    I set myself the rule from day one, that I would immerse myself as much as possible in the language. This meant only German TV, only German music (that was a struggle!), and at all costs, only German to communicate. This last point in a country such as Germany, was at times quite difficult, as Germans are known for being good English speakers and many jump at the chance to speak English when they have the opportunity. However, I stood firm, and also when it was difficult, pushed through to have myself understood.

    In terms of meeting new people and making friends, I 100% landed in the perfect setting. Landau is a university town and although there are also many families and older people living there, the town is for the majority, populated by students. My WG (flat share) was a mixture between working young people and students, and this absolutely worked to my advantage as there was always someone around who had free time to share with me. This mix also allowed me to meet new friends of all different age ranges and backgrounds.

    Over the course of my 6 months in Germany, I experienced so many firsts. My first ever German Birthday celebration, a pumpkin carving party, Eintopf (Typical German casserole/soup) in a Palatinate Hut in the woods, my first ever ‘real’ German Christmas Market, fireworks in the street on New Year, and Carnival (or Fasching as it is known here), are just to name a few.

    Saying goodbye to Germany after 6 months was really hard for me, as I truly believe that I found myself there, and the boost it gave me in my German knowledge and speaking was phenomenal. After some hard decision making, and reflecting on what I really wanted in my life, I made the decision to return to Germany to continue my studies here at Landau University, with a focus on English Language teaching in German secondary schools, along side improving and perfecting my own German.

    My intention is to encourage and inspire more young people to go down the route of foreign language in their careers, in the hope that in particular, Germany and England can remain fiercely united in working together.  

    Words almost seem not enough to describe how beyond thankful I am for this experience.

    The bursary itself helped enormously, but apart from that, The John Speak provided me with the guidance and improvements I required through my monthly reports, and even down to my first initial interaction and conversation with Mark Green at The John Speak Trust, this is what inspired me and gave me the confidence to take this huge step in my life.

    Thank you. I will be forever grateful.

  • Maisie Palmer: Découvrir l’architecture de Paris, February 2024

    Ce semestre, j’ai commencé un cours d’architecture en parallèle de mes études. C’est un sujet que je voudrais explorer depuis longtemps, et finalement l’opportunité s’est présentée. J’apprendrai de l’histoire de l’architecture de 1850 à nos jours, avec un accent particulier sur les styles modernistes. J’ai déjà appris que pour appréhender l’évolution de l’architecture et de l’urbanisme, nous re-situerons les bâtiments dans leur contexte historique. Dans ce blog, je vais montrer (avec les images ci-joint) et décrire trois musées que je trouve intéressants dans contexte de Paris et l’architecture plus généralement. 

    Premièrement, le Centre Georges Pompidou est un musée contemporain dessiné par les deux architectes Renzo Piano et Richard Roger au cœur de Paris. Même s’il a été construit en 1977, ça reste qu’il fait souvent l’objet d’opinions polarisantes – les gens l’aiment ou le détestent souvent ! Il est composé de quatre couleurs différentes qui symbolisent différents composants appartenant au bâtiment. D’abord, le bleu pour les circulations d’air (climatisation). Puis, le jaune pour les circulations électriques et le vert pour la circulation d’eau. Enfin, le rouge pour la circulation des personnes (escalators et ascenseurs). Un exemple du modernisme à côté des rues anciennes du Marais, le Centre George Pompidou se distingue par son architecture mécanique et son usage de couleur et l’espace. 

    Ouverture au public en 2014, la Fondation Louis Vuitton (dessiné par Frank Gehry) est un autre musée d’art moderne avec un bâtiment unique. Ce bâtiment situé à l’Ouest de Paris témoigne des innovations que la technologie permet au sein de filière de l’architecture. Le bâtiment a la forme d’un iceberg en verre alors  ceux qui fréquentent le musée regardant la lumière changent de début à la fin de la journée. L’architecture représente l’évolution constante de l’art et les artistes qui restent dans les murs du musée lui-même.

    Finalement, le musée d’Orsay abrite certaines des plus grandes œuvres d’art de notre temps. Pourtant l’architecture du musée est une merveille en soi. Le bâtiment est converti d’une gare ancienne. Il est une combinaison des techniques de constructions de la 1800s et les variété de matériaux que a devient disponible à l’époque. Les horloges géantes sont présentes dans tout le musée, aidant les visiteurs à garder l’heure comme ils le faisaient autrefois en prenant les trains. Jusqu’à aujourd’hui, le toit reste recouvert d’arcs métalliques et des fenêtres verres de la gare ancienne.

     

     

     

    This semester, I started an architecture course alongside my studies. This is a topic that I’ve wanted to explore for a long time, and finally the opportunity has presented itself. I will learn about the history of architecture from 1850 to present, with a particular emphasis on modernist styles. I have already learned that to understand the evolution of architecture and urban-planning, we have to re-situate buildings within their historical context. In this blog I will show (with attached images) and describe three museums that I find interesting in the context of Paris and architecture more generally.

    Firstly, the Center Georges Pompidou is a contemporary museum designed by the two architects Renzo Piano and Richard Roger in the heart of Paris. Even though it was built in 1977, it is still often subject to polarised opinions – people often love it or hate it! It is made up of four different colours which symbolise different components of the building. First, blue for air circulation (air conditioning). Then, yellow for electrical circulation and green for water circulation. Finally, red for the movement of people (escalators and elevators). An example of modernism alongside the ancient streets of the Marais, the George Pompidou Center stands out for its mechanical architecture and its use of colour and space.

    Opening to the public in 2014, the Louis Vuitton Foundation (designed by Frank Gehry) is another modern art museum with a unique building. Located to the west of Paris, this building demonstrates the innovations that technology allows within the architectural sector. The building is shaped like a glass iceberg so those who attend the museum watching the light change from the beginning to the end of the day. The architecture represents the constant evolution of art and the artists who remain within the walls of the museum itself.

    Finally, the Musée d’Orsay is home to some of the greatest works of art of our time. Yet the architecture of the museum is a marvel in itself. The building is converted from an old train station. It is a combination of construction techniques from the 1800s and the variety of materials that became available at the time. Giant clocks can be found throughout the museum, helping visitors keep time as they once did while riding trains. To this day, the roof remains covered with metal arches and glass windows from the old station.



  • Louis Bazalgette: Une petite partie de ma vie parisienne, February 2024

    Ce mois je voulais essayer quelque chose de diffèrent dans mon reportage. Je vais vous amener avec moi dans une route que j’aime bien dans l’onzième. Je suis presque toujours avec mon vélo quand je me bouge dans Paris, mais ces rues-là que je vais décrire sont des endroits où j’aime bien marcher.

    Donc commençons à la station du métro Voltaire. On sort directement devant la mairie, il y a quelques gens à droit et à gauche, et plein de pigeons. En effet, il y’en a partout. Un peu comme partout à Paris. En dépit des pigeons, on commence à marcher globalement direction nord-est. On passe par le café du coin, Rue Pétion. J’ai des souvenirs beaux dans ce café, ou plutôt restaurant. Et la bouffe dedans, j’aime bien. Pourtant, ce n’est pas le but de notre promenade aujourd’hui. Non, nous avons encore à marcher. Donc on continue. Au bout d’un moment, et au bout de la rue, on ne peut plus avancer tout droit. Non, il faut tourner. Bah, c’est magnifique !  La Rue Saint-Maur. Une rue qui, j’en suis sûr, garde plein des secrets pour elle-même… Pourtant j’ai déjà du taf avec l’apprentissage du français donc je ne vais pas commencer à apprendre la langue que parle La Rue Saint-Maur, donc dans cette balade au moins, on ne va pas savoir ces secrets. On a choisi de tourné à gauche, direction… ATTENDS ! Demi-tour. Il faut aller à droit. Car à droit, juste au coin, est une restaurant que j’adore avec tout mon cœur. Je suis très content de vous présenter, chères lectrices, Café Content. Je ne vous ai pas dit mais ici, ici c’est le but de notre promenade. Oh, comment j’adore cet endroit ! Quand mes parents m’ont rendu visite, on y est venu. Avec mon frère le même chose. Les vins ont toujours les meilleurs gouts, et pour leur bouffe ils combineront des différents textures et flaveurs comme je n’ai jamais vu dans tout ma vie. Juste penser à Café Content me faire sourire, ça fait sortir des émotions que je ne savais pas existent dans moi. Donc c’est ici, peut-être mon endroit préféré à Paris, où on va stopper notre balade. Moi je vais m’asseoir et, vu que c’est midi trente, me faire servir une entrée plate avec un bon verre du rouge… ou peut-être blanc. Je n’en sais rien.

    En tout cas je vous remercie pour m’avoir accompagné sur ce voyage. Ça m’a fait du plaisir. À bientôt !

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    This month I wanted to try something a little different in my report. I’m going to take you with me on a road in the 11ththat I really like. I almost always cycle to get around Paris, but the roads that I’m going to describe to you are some of the areas where I like to walk.

    So we start at the Voltaire Metro. Exiting right in front of the town hall, there are a few people here and there, and plenty of pigeons. Well, there are pigeons everywhere. All over Paris. Despite the pigeons, we start walking North-East, more or less. We pass the Café du Coin on Rue Pétion. I’ve got beautiful memories in this café, well, restaurant. And I really like the food there. However, it’s not the aim of today’s walk. No, we’ve still got some walking to do. So we carry on. After a while and at the end of the road, we can’t keep going straight. No, we’ve got to turn. But isn’t this wonderful! Rue Saint-Maur! A road that, I’m sure, keeps plenty of secrets to herself… However, I’ve enough trouble learning French as it is so I certainly won’t bother starting to learn Rue Saint-Maur’s language. So, on this walk at least, we won’t find out those secrets. We’re going to turn left, towards… WAIT! Turn around. We need to go right. Because on the right, just on the corner, is a restaurant that I love with all my heart. I’m happy to present to you, dear readers, Café Content. I hadn’t told you yet, but this where we were walking to. Oh, how I love this place! When my parents came to visit, we came to eat here. I ate here with my brother, too. Their wines always taste wonderful, they combine textures and flavours in ways I’ve never seen before in their food. Just thinking of Café Content makes me smile, it brings out emotions that I didn’t even know existed within me. So it’s here, perhaps my favourite place in Paris, that we’re going to finish our walk. I’m going to sit down, since it’s half past twelve, and have lunch with a glass of red… or maybe white. I’m not sure.

    Anyhow, thank you very much for accompanying me on this journey. It was a pleasure. See you soon!

  • Joshua Winfield: Skiing in Québec, February 2024

    Vu qu’on est au milieu de l’hiver en ce moment au Québec, ce mois, j’ai eu l’occasion d’aller faire du ski avec quelques ami.e.s. On a choisi une montagne assez petite (comparée aux autres montagnes) parce que ça fait longtemps qu’on n’a pas skié. Au début, j’avais peur, spécialement car avant au Royaume-Uni je n’avais skié que les pistes vertes ou débutantes. Mais après certaines pistes pratiques, j’échauffais et j’ai même fait des pistes bleues et une piste noire! J’étais si fier de moi-même d’avoir été capable de faire tout ça. J’ai beaucoup aimé cette journée qu’on a passée, et l’on a organisé d’aller à la Nuit Blanche à la montagne Bromont (une des plus grandes au Québec). Ceci est un « must » selon mes ami.e.s québécois.e.s, et c’est une nuit où on peut skier jusqu’à minuit sur des pistes éclairées. J’ai vraiment hâte d’y aller!

    Mon ami et moi à Mont Belle Neige

    Pendant ce mois aussi, je suis allé à Igloofest, un énorme festival situé dans le Vieux Montréal. Dans le fond, il s’agit de la nourriture gratuite (comme des guimauves qu’on pouvait griller sur des feux de camp) ainsi que des activités super divertissantes comme un toboggan qu’on descendait avec des tapis! Plus tard dans la soirée, on écoutait de la musique en direct, avec plusieurs groupes musicaux et DJs. C’était une soirée chouette et je me suis rendu compte à quel point la Ville est toujours en train d’organiser quelque chose d’intéressant qui fait que Montréal est une ville très vivante et animée.

    Le festival “Igloofest” à Montréal.

    Mes études vont bien, spécialement l’Intégration européenne, qui, pendant les deux dernières semaines, a concentré sur le commerce entre les États-Membres, quelque chose qui m’intéresse beaucoup.

    Le mois qui s’en vient, ainsi que d’autres sorties du ski, j’ai un match de hockey de l’équipe de l’université que je suis excité de regarder.

    Given that we’re in the middle of winter in Quebec at the moment, this month I had the opportunity to go skiing with a few friends. We chose a fairly small mountain (compared to the others) because we hadn’t skied in a long time. I was scared at first, especially as I’d only skied the green runs or beginners’ runs before in the UK. But after some practice runs, I warmed up and even did some blue runs and a black run! I was so proud of myself for being able to do all that. I really enjoyed the day we spent together, and we organised to go to the Nuit Blanche at Bromont mountain (one of the biggest in Quebec). This is a ‘must’ according to my Quebec friends, and it’s a night when you can ski until midnight on floodlit slopes. I can’t wait to go!

    Moi, vraiment content avec moi-même après avoir fait une piste noire

    Also during the month, I went to Igloofest, a huge festival in Old Montreal. Basically, it’s all about free food (like marshmallows that you can roast over campfires) and super fun activities like a slide that you ride down on mats! Later in the evening, there was live music, with several bands and DJs. It was a great evening, and I realised just how much the city is always organising something interesting to make Montreal such a lively, vibrant city.

    My studies are going well, especially European Integration, which for the last two weeks has focused on trade between Member States, something I’m very interested in.

    In the coming month, as well as other skiing outings, I have a hockey match with the university team that I’m excited to watch.

  • Case Study – Nick Aien, Italy 2023

    The past four months in Bologna has been an adventure that has transformed my relationship with the Italian language. It has been a journey that has allowed me to explore my passion for the Italian culture and to profoundly immerse myself in the language of the country.

    That journey began roughly four years ago when I threw myself into learning Italian. I enjoyed the challenge and the gratification in being able to connect with people that I would have been unable to connect with otherwise.

    As a result, I spent most of my free time listening to Italian podcasts, watching Italian films, and speaking to very supportive (and very patient) tutors and language partners online. For those four years, Italian was basically the air that I breathed and studying became just a normal part of my everyday life.

    After retraining during Covid, I found myself in my third year at university and was offered the opportunity to study abroad. There were only two options: Stuttgart or, fortuitously, Bologna. I was delighted as it was the perfect opportunity to continue both my marketing studies as well as my language learning journey. Additionally, it would give me the cultural exposure that is important for international marketing which is a particular field of interest.

    From the moment of arrival, I fell in love with Bologna. It is a city steeped in history and made distinct by the numerous towers that dot its skyline and the buildings that glow orange in the sunlight. I fondly remember the evening passeggiatas through the historic portici and I remember how the city felt so alive and yet so serene. It was there amidst the shared gelatos and the sound of laughter that I learned far more about Italian language and culture than I ever could in a classroom.

    The opportunities for immersion were profound and numerous so I quickly began to develop real fluency in the language. Upon arrival I had to navigate the famous Italian bureaucracy and I surprised myself in being able to do so entirely in Italian.

    As the days turned into months, I noticed a transformation taking place. The more I was thrust into unfamiliar situations, the more my confidence improved. I became less anxious about making mistakes and so my Italian became more fluent. Before I thought of myself as an Italian learner but now, I considered myself an Italian speaker.

    I owe a great debt of thanks to the John Speak Trust. It is without doubt that without the support of the Trust during this period I would have had less time to commit to immersing and improving my Italian. I highly encourage my fellow language students to apply for this scholarship.

    I also implore my fellow language students to be fearless in how they approach learning their target language. Take every opportunity available to immerse in the language and make the most of it. Don’t shy away from daunting conversations but rather embrace them as great opportunities to develop your language skills. Doing so you will gain the confidence and resilience necessary to be a fluent speaker of the language. Living in Bologna allowed me to do this daily and will remain a significant milestone on my Italian journey.

  • Cosmo de Bono: February in Taiwan (Feb 2024)

    二月台北

    二月在台北過得很平靜。現在我已經非常習慣台灣的新生活，所以呢時間過得很快。在遊覽了許多著名景點以後，我也開始參觀台灣的一些小地方。

    Rainy day in the Yangmingshan mountains

    兩個星期以前，我去了陽明山國家公園。這是台北北部的一個山區。雖然從市到區不很遠，但由於山路崎嶇，坐公共汽車需要兩個小時才能到達。我去的那天天氣不是很好的，但還是值得一去。我們去的第一個地方是一個古老的養牛場。由於起霧，我看不到牛，但據農場主說，牛就在那裡！這兒的景色非常綠，非常美。走出城市，來到鄉間，感覺非常好。

    我參觀的下一個地方是蔣介石的度假故居。故居的內面是西式設計。這反映了蔣介石希望被當作更西方化，也吸引外國外交官的願望。官邸的花園也很美，儘管建築本身看起來像軍事大院。

    我參觀的下一個地方是蔣介石的度假故居。故居的內部是西式設計。這反映了蔣介石希望被視為更西方化並吸引外國外交官的願望。官邸的花園也很美，儘管建築本身看起來像軍事大院。

    我此行的最後一個目的地是美麗的陽明山花圃。那裡有很多櫻花樹和其他種類的植物。雖然天氣不是很好的，但是還非常漂亮！附上一張我在花圃旁小溪旁的照片。

    我寫這篇報告的時候，正因為值春節假期，所以我很享受學習之餘的休息時間。我打算在下次報告中介紹春節期間的慶祝活動！

    陳白宇


    February has been a calm month in Taipei. Now that I’m very used to my new life in Taiwan, time is going by quickly. I’ve also started to explore smaller places in Taiwan as I’ve visited lots of the most famous destinations.

    visiting the cherry blossom gardens of Yangmingshan National Park

    Two weeks ago I visited Yangmingshan national park. This is a mountainous area north of Taipei. Although it isn’t very far from the city, because of the mountains it takes 2 hour by bus to get there. The weather wasn’t amazing on the day I visited but it was still worth a visit. The first place we went to was an old cattle farm. I couldn’t see any cows because of the fog but according to the farmer they were there! The scenery was very green and beautiful. It was lovely to be outside the city and in the countryside.

    The next place I visited was the former holiday residence of Chiang Kaishek. The interior of the residence is western in design. This is meant to reflect Chiang’s desire to be seen as more western and to appeal to foreign diplomats. The gardens of the residence were also beautiful although the building itself looks like a military compound.

    The final destination on my trip were beautiful flower gardens in Yangminshan. There were lots of cherry blossom trees and other types of plants. Even though the weather wasn’t that good it was still really pretty! I’ve attached a photo of me near a stream by the flower gardens.

    As I write this report I’m currently in the middle of the Chinese New Year holiday so I’m enjoying my time resting from studying. I’ll explain more about the celebrations in my next report!

    Cosmo

  • Jenna O’Flynn: Case Study – Paris 2023-2024

    Words cannot describe how amazing my past 5 months in Paris were.

    It was more incredible than I ever thought it would be and it will be an experience that I will never forget. I would like to thank the John Speak Trust for their generosity in providing me with funding throughout my time there. This funding allowed me to be able to immerse myself fully in Parisian culture by visiting places, museums and partaking in other activities which I might have not been able to without it. Furthermore, when living in a place like Paris, the increased cost of living is very noticeable in terms of things such as rent but also daily expenditures such as food and transport, therefore any extra funding is highly appreciated.

    L’Arc de Triomphe

    So, my Paris adventure started at the start of September when I started my internship at an advertising company in Boulogne-Billancourt, a suburb about 2 metro stops outside of Paris. This internship really gave me an insight into an authentic French office and also the working world, which is one of the reasons why I chose to do an internship instead of studying. By working in an environment where only French was spoken, by Christmas I had noticed a big improvement in my confidence in my spoken French but also my listening from being surrounded by it all the time. Right from the start, all my training was in French, due to a lack of English-speaking people, so if I wanted to understand things properly and immerse myself in the company, I had to speak French. Obviously, this was hard at the start and there was a bit of miscommunication and not understanding everything but as I got used to it, I found myself thinking in French and being able to put together coherent sentences a lot faster. From studying languages, you often find that you know the vocabulary and grammar etc. but when it comes to using it and recalling it from your brain, it takes a bit of time and practice. But as I started to use the same expressions over and over again, they became much more natural and I didn’t have to think about them as much.
    The great part about working too was that after work or at the weekends I was able to explore Paris and local areas without having to worry about doing any studying. I found that Paris is the most beautiful city, and I would love going on runs or just walking along the Seine past all the sites – it really never got boring. After having visited all the sites numerous times with friends and family when they came to visit, it quickly became clear that although the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night is incredible, for me my favorite monument was L´Arc de Triomphe. I found the architecture stunning, and it such a striking landmark especially being situated in the center of the Champs-Élysées round about.


    One of the best parts about living in another place, instead of just visiting it for travel, is that you get to experience real local life in the city. For me one thing which was interesting before I went was how accurate were the stereotypes of Parisians. You hear all these stereotypes about such as ‘French people don´t like foreigners’, one of the most searched when I typed it in on Google. Sadly, I did have some negative experiences when speaking French but as everywhere there are encouraging and kind people and also ones that aren’t so much. However, I would say that this pushed me more because I was determined to not let any negative comments knock my confidence at trying to improve my French – ultimately this was what I was here for so I was going to make sure that I got the most out of it. So even though there were some not so pleasant experiences, this is what I found to be the most character-building experience as it teaches you to not care about how others react to you and to do the best to help yourself progress. These are important skills that will be useful to take forward into the workplace, along with others that I developed from carrying out an internship.
    Living in a capital city as well always attracts a variety of nationalities s and gives you an opportunity to work and meet some many different people from all walks of life. I met several people in Paris who are now friends for life and it’s so exciting to have international friends all over the world. Not only does it give you a chance to visit other places but also you learn so much about a culture from being with a native.

    I would like to thank the trust again for kindly offering me a scholarship and that thanks to them enabling me to experience Paris to the full, I now know that after I graduate I would 100% want to move and live there permanently.

    This furthermore is great motivation to keep my French language at a high level so I can use it further down the line.

  • Khalida Choudhury – Oman: The Interior, January 2024

    Oman: The interior

    My first few weeks in Oman have been fascinating. Language immersion brings so many more insights than visiting a country on holiday.

    I’ve travelled to Oman before, however this is my first time in what is called the interior. There are 11 governates in Oman and I am located in Ad-dakiliyah or in English, the interior. This governate is located inland, away from the coast, and includes provinces such as Manah and Nizwa.

    The beauty of Oman lies in the skyline. The mountains can be seen in the horizon, both in Muscat – the capital, and in the interior. I began my time in Oman by visiting a former lecturer at Sultan Qaboos University who spoke to me about the culture and traditions of the country. For example I didn’t know about the different types of head dress, one for everyday wear called the kummah, and a more official head dress called the mussar.

    The teachers at the Sultan Al Qaboos Language Centre also spoke to me about the Omani economy. Oman has a budget deficit. It also has policies such as the Omanisation programme which aim to protect jobs for locals. And a historic felaj system which helps with agriculture.

    On my arrival I was keen to explore the interior right away. I set off for Birkat Al Mouz, some ruins near Nizwa which the 3,000 year old felaj system runs through.

    The attraction reminded me of Petra, but on a smaller scale. I climbed to the top of a small village of ruins. It felt calm and peaceful to be visiting the sight alone and liberating. I hope to have many more adventures like this one during my stay.

    عمان: الداخلية

    أسابيعي الأولى في عمان كانت ساحرة. تعلم اللغة العربية مفيد أكثر مقارنة بتعلمها عند زيارة البلاد للسياحة.
    سافرت إلى عمان مرتين من قبل لكن هذه أول مرة في محافظة الداخلية. يوجد ١١ محافظة في عمان وأنا في محافظة الداخلية. الداخلية في شمال البلاد لكن لا يوجد شاطئ بجانبها. يوجد ولايات في المحافظة مثل ولاية منح وولاية نزوى.

    جمال عمان في الجبل والطبيعة والسماء. أنا بدأت وقتي في عمان بالاستماع إلى محاضرة تعمل في جامعة السلطان قابوس. تعطيني المعرفة بالعادات والثقافة عن البلاد.

    تعلمت عن أنواع الملابس المختلفة في عمان، مناسبة واحد لي كل يوم (كمة), و واحد للمناسبة الرسمية (مصر).

    المعلومات في معهد السلطان قابوس يعملون عن الاقتصادية في عمان. عمان كان عندها عجر في الميزانية و عندها برنامج التعمين الذي يحفظ العامل للمواطنين. و في عمان نظام الأفلاج الذي للمزارع والاستحمام و غسيل الملابس.

    بعد أن وصلت, بدأت اكتشاف الداخلية على الفور. زرت بركة الموز, و تنوف و هي قرية صغيرة في نزوى و هناك كان فلج قديم. المكان ذكرني بالبتراء في الأردن لكنه أصغر.

    أنا أشعر دائما بالسلام و الأمان حتى عندما أكون وحدي. أتمنى مغامرات أكثر مثل هذه التي أعيشها هنا.