Steve's sandbox

Author: Steve Evans

  • Bryony Heaviside: En mai, fais ce qu’il te plaît! – May 2025

    Ce mois j’ai eu la chance d’explorer la région de Rivière-du-Loup, qui est située au sud du fleuve Saint-Laurent au Québec. J’ai visité le phare de Rivière-du-Loup qui est partie du patrimoine maritime du Canada et est ouverte depuis les années 1800. L’une des grandes particularités de cette région est sa gastronomie, en particulier, j’ai décidé d’essayer une poutine proposée par un poissonnier local. La poutine était garnie de crevettes fraîches, ajoutant une touche maritime à une poutine classique.

    L’élan qui a traversé la rue

    J’ai exploré les chutes locales et fait une petite randonnée. J’ai ensuite eu l’occasion d’observer mon premier élan traverser la route. J’ai eu la chance de l’observer de loin dans mon char-ce n’est pas quelque chose que l’on voit tous les jours- surtout en Angleterre!

    Le phare
    Poutine avec les crevettes

    Récemment, au cœur des actualités, les résultats des élections générales au Canada ont été annoncés. Les Canadiens ont voté pour élire leurs représentants au gouvernement, et les résultats peuvent avoir des répercussions importantes sur différentes provinces, y compris le Québec. Il était décidé que Le Parti Libéral, dirigé par Mark Carney, serait le prochain premier ministre du Canada. Mais, c’était Québec, le plus grande province au Canada qui a aidé Le Parti Libéral à remporter la majorité.

    L’heure de voter

    Dans le contexte du Québec, c’est particulièrement intéressante. La province a souvent des priorités différentes de celles du reste du pays, mais la majorité de la province a choisi Le Parti Libéral au lieu de Le Bloc Québecois. Pour de nombreux électeurs québécois, ces changements représentent une chance de voir leurs préoccupations prennent en compte. Il va de soi que les résultats des élections générales au Canada auront des effets à long terme sur le Québec et ses citoyens. Le Parti Libéral leur a promis plus de contrôle sur leur province et une voix pour exprimer leurs préoccupations. J’espère qu’avec la victoire des libéraux, le Québec puisse prospérer et, en tant que pays, se protéger du conflit actuel avec les États-Unis.

    ————

    This month, I had the opportunity to explore the region of Rivière-du-Loup, located on south of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. I visited the Rivière de loup lighthouse which is part of Canada’s maritime heritage and has been open since the 1800s. One of the great features of this region is its gastronomy, in particular, I decided to try a poutine offered by a local fishmonger. The poutine was topped with fresh prawns, adding a maritime touch to a classic poutine. I explored a local waterfall and did a small hike . Then, I had the opportunity to witness my first moose walking across the road. I was fortunate enough to view him from afar in my car- definitely not something you see everyday- especially in England!

    Au bord du fleuve
    Les chutes à Rivière du loup

    Recently, at the heart of current affairs, the Canadian general election results were announced. Canadians voted to elect their government representatives, and the results could have significant repercussions for various provinces, including Quebec. It was decided that the Liberal Party, led by Mark Carney, would be the next Prime Minister of Canada. But, it was Quebec, Canada’s largest province, that helped the Liberal Party win majority.

    In the context of Quebec, it is particularly interesting. The province often has different priorities than the rest of the country, yet the majority of the province chose the Liberal Party over the Bloc Québécois. For many Quebec voters, these changes represent an opportunity to have their concerns taken into account. It goes without saying that the results of the Canadian general election will have long-term effects on Quebec and its citizens. The Liberal Party promised them more control over their province and more of a voice to voice their concerns. I hope that with the Liberals’ victory, Quebec can prosper and, as a country, protect itself from the current feud with the USA.

  • Kelly Huynh: Caos, cultura y celebración – May 2025

    Este blog marca mi noveno y último mes en Madrid, y mi vida no deja de sorprenderme. Mientras intento equilibrar mis proyectos en la universidad, presentaciones y viajes, ocurrió algo completamente inesperado, pero de alguna manera, la ciudad supo transformar el caos en una experiencia compartida.

    A finales de abril, la Península Ibérica perdió contacto con el resto del mundo, ya que hubo un apagón que afectó a Madrid. Ese día tenía dos clases por la mañana y estaba esperando el autobús, como cualquier otro día, cuando mi cobertura y los datos del móvil empezaron a fallar, y al preguntar a la gente, todos estaban teniendo los mismos problemas de conexión. Mi campus está a unos 20 minutos en autobús y vivo a unos 8 kilómetros, pero el trayecto se sintió como si hubiera durado diez años.. Tuve suerte de llegar al centro de la ciudad sana y salva porque solo me quedaba un 20% de batería en mi móvil, los semáforos también habían dejado de funcionar y poco después la ciudad quedó totalmente colapsada. Durante el apagón, visité a una amiga que vive cerca y pasamos un rato juntas antes de salir a hacer unos recados y comprar algunas cosas por si no se resolvía el apagón antes del final del día. Al volver a casa caminando, vi a la gente reunida en la calle, socializando y disfrutando de la vida sin tecnología, aprovechando la pausa obligatoria. Fue una locura ver cómo un apagón se convirtió en un evento social, y me recordó cómo en España se valora mucho la comunidad y el compartir momentos y experiencias, incluso cuando algo inesperado interrumpe la rutina diaria.

    En un tono más tranquilo, hice una excursión de un día a El Escorial en tren, que fue gratuita gracias a la tarjeta joven (una de las muchas cosas que voy a echar de menos de Madrid), y el trayecto fue precioso. Hacía buen tiempo, así que caminé desde la estación hasta el pueblo, que está a unos 30 minutos, y ser recibida por el monasterio fue todo un espectáculo. Pasé un par de horas admirando la arquitectura, aprendiendo sobre su historia y paseando por los jardines con la Sierra de Guadarrama como telón de fondo.

    Antes de venir a Madrid, ya había oído hablar de las fiestas de San Isidro, que se celebran durante un par de semanas hasta el 15 de mayo, y poder vivirlas en persona, celebrarlas y aprender sobre la historia y las leyendas del santo patrón fue algo muy especial. Cada día veía a gente vestida con trajes de chulapo, llevando gorras chulapos y claveles, y bailando el chotis en la Plaza Mayor. Durante ese tiempo también había un programa cultural con música y espectáculos, y asistí al concierto de OBK (una banda pop de Barcelona) en una de las primeras noches. El ambiente era eléctrico y lleno de energía.

    El día principal de las celebraciones fui a la Pradera de San Isidro, donde había muchísima gente acampando, haciendo picnics y barbacoas en el parque. Luego empezó a llover con muchísima fuerza (aquí nunca escapamos del mal tiempo), así que la gente buscó refugio y yo aproveché para pasear un poco y ver algunas de las actuaciones más pequeñas que no estaban en el escenario principal. Más tarde me fui al centro para ver actuar a Olga María Ramos, una cantante y actriz muy reconocida, antes de volver al parque a medianoche para no perderme los fuegos artificiales que lanzaron en honor a San Isidro.

     

    Aunque los últimos días han sido muy divertidos, todavía me queda la mitad del camino para terminar todos los exámenes del semestre, así que ahora me toca ponerme las pilas y seguir estudiando. ¡Aun así, estas experiencias han sido preciosas y un alivio total del estrés!

    ˖ . ݁.୨୧ ݁₊

    This blog marks my 9th and final month in Madrid, and my life never fails to surprise me. Whilst balancing group projects, presentations and travelling, something highly unexpected happened, but somehow the city managed to find a way to make the chaos feel like a shared experience.

    At the end of April, the Iberian Peninsula lost contact with the rest of the world since there was a power outage that affected me in Madrid. I had two morning classes that day, and was at the bus stop, just like any other day when my data and signal started acting up, and when I asked around, everyone else was having similar connectivity issues. My campus is a 20 minute journey by bus and I live 5 miles away but the journey took super long. I was lucky that I made it back to the city centre safely because I had 20% battery on my phone, the traffic lights had also stopped working and the city became gridlocked shortly after. I ended up visiting one of my friends who lived nearby during the outage and we spent some time together before going outside to run some errands and grab supplies in case this was not resolved by the end of the day, and when we parted ways, walking back home I saw people gathering out on the streets, socialising and enjoying life without technology and making the most of the standstill. It was crazy witnessing how a blackout became a social event and this reminded me of how Spaniards value community and sharing moments and experiences even though there was an event that disrupted everyone’s day.

    On a calmer note, I did a day trip to El Escorial by train, which was free for those with a youth card (one of the many things I will miss about Madrid), and the journey was so scenic, the weather was pleasant so I walked from the station to the town which was about half an hour away, and being greeted by the monastery was such a sight to see. I spent a couple of hours looking at the architecture, learning about its history and walking through the gardens with the backdrop of the Sierra de Guadarrama in sight.

     

    Before coming to Madrid I had already heard about the festival of San Isidro that takes place for a couple of weeks until May 15th, and being able to actually celebrate and see the festivities happen in person as well as learn about the history and lore behind the patron saint. Every day I saw people dressed up in chulapo outfits and wearing parpusas and claveles (caps and carnations) and people dancing the chotis in Plaza Mayor. During this time, there was also a cultural programme running with music and shows, and I attended OBK’s (a pop band from Barcelona) concert set on one of the first nights, and the atmosphere was electric and full of energy. On the main day of the celebrations, I went to the Pradera de San Isidro and there were so many people camping out and setting up picnics and barbecues in the park and then it started to rain super heavily (we can never escape the bad weather here), so people took shelter and then I walked around and saw a few of the smaller performances not on the main stage. I ended up leaving to go back into the centre to watch Olga Maria Ramos, a famous singer and actress, perform, before heading back to the park for midnight to not miss the fireworks that were launched in celebration of San Isidro.

                     

    Although the last few days have been fun, I still have halfway to go until I finish all my exams for the semester, so it’s time for me to hit the books and continue studying, but these experiences were so nice and a great stress reliever!

  • Grace Dawson: Mai in Hamburg – Besuch von meinen Eltern! – May 2025

    Neulich nahme ich eine kleine Auszeit vom Rudern aus Krankheits- und Verletzungsgründen. Nichtsdestotrotz habe ich andere Arten von Sport weiter getrieben, nämlich Laufen, Schwimmen und Rennrad fahren. Dadurch hoffe ich wieder meine Leidenschaft für das Rudern zu finden. Glucklicherweise planten meine Eltern schon seit langem einen kleinen Urlaub in Hamburg, um einerseits mich zu besuchen, andererseits um die Stadt für sich selbst zu entdecken. Da ich in der Nähe von dem Polizeikommissariat wohne, wurden die riesige Panzerartig LKWs mit Wasserkanonen wegen der 1. Mai Demonstrationen auf der Straße vor meiner Wohnung geparkt. Meine Mutter fand sie ziemlich alarmierend wegen ihrer Erfahrung als Journalistin mit gewaltätigen Ausschreitungen. Allererst zeigte ich ihnen den Hamburger und Germania Ruderclub mit der geräumigen Bootshalle, dem gut beleuchteten Kraftraum und dem Steg, das leicht berg ab zum Wasser führt. Naturlich gehört eine schöne Alsterrunde dazu, danach haben wir ein köstliches Abendessen bei einem Restaurant an dem Seeufer genossen.


    Der Freitag fing mit einem Besuch zum Feldstraße Bunker an, wo wir eine kleine Ausstellung oben fanden. Zu der Geschichte der Struktur, ihren Funktionen und ihrem Aufbau standen uns die informative Beschilderung zur Verfügung. Die Erzählung über die Zwangsarbeiter:innen war für meine Mutter insbesondere rührend; mein Vater hingegen interessierte sich für die Bauausführung des Gebäudes und wie die Stadt den Bunker nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg zu neuen Zwecken nutzte. Nach einer Mittagspause trafen wir uns bei den St. Pauli Landungsbrücken fur eine Hafenrundfahrt. Der Kapitän hat zwar auf Deutsch die Hafenrundfahrt durchgeführt, aber ich konnte die wichtigen Sachen hervorheben und übersetzen. Mit diesem Boot sind wir die Elbphilharmonie, den Containerterminal Tollerort und die Schwimmdocken und Schiffswerft von Blohm+Voss vorbeigefahren und bei jedem Ort erfuhren wir von den Geschichten, Besonderheiten, technischen Daten und mehr.
    Ein Höhepunkt für meinen Eltern war den Universität Botanischen Garten in Kleinflottbek, wo es sich unter anderen einen Gesteingarten und eine Vielfalt von Flora und Fauna aus unterschiedlichen Herkunftsländern befanden. Die japanische, Himalaya, chinesische und europäische Teile des Gartens liefen nahtlos ineinander mit kaum zu erkennen Grenzen dazwischen, demzufolge ist dieser Botanischen Garten nur zu empfehlen. Weniger zu empfehlen ist die Klimt Lichtschau Ausstellung bei Port des Lumiéres, denn die bewegende Bilder an die Wände hatten bei vielen Leuten die Bewegungskrankheit zu Folge. Der Tag wurde vom Abendessen gerettet, weil wir bei einem unter St. Pauli Fußball Fans beliebten Restaurant gegessen haben.


    An ihrem letzten Tag haben meine Eltern und ich das Internationales Maritimes Museum besucht. Die 9 Decke mit jeweils eigenem Schwerpunkt bietet uns eine Menge von Informationen an, wobei wir uns für unsere eigenen Interessen entschieden und die Zeit nehmen konnten, durch das ganze Stockwerk zu laufen. Mir war vor allem „Krieg und Frieden“ am interessantesten. Die Ausstellung umfasst die seit 1815 neugebauten Schlachtschiffe und ihre immer entwickelnden Technologien, Waffe- und Verteidigungsfahigkeiten sowie die wichtige Figuren in der maritimen Geschichte. Außerdem bekam ich einen kurzen Überblick von Decken 3 „Geschichte des Schiffbaus“ und 6 „Moderne Seefahrt“, aber es bleiben noch 4 Decken unentdeckt.


    Leider blieben meine Eltern nicht länger als 5 Tage, jedoch haben wir die Zeit völlig ausgenutzt mit bereichernden kulturellen Besuchen. Uns wurde die Gelegenheit gegeben, die Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg ohne Zeitdruck genau zu erkunden.

    I recently took a short break from rowing due to illness and injury. Nevertheless, I have continued to do other types of sport, namely running, swimming and cycling. I hope to find my passion for rowing again soon. Fortunately, my parents had been planning a little holiday in Hamburg for a long time, both to visit me and to discover the city for themselves. As I live near the police station, the huge tank-like lorries with water cannons were parked on the street in front of my flat because of the 1st May demonstrations. My mum found them quite alarming because of her experience as a journalist with violent riots. First of all, I showed them the Hamburg and Germania Rowing Club with its spacious boat hall, the well-lit gym and the jetty that leads slightly downhill to the water. Of course, a nice Alster round is part of it, after which we enjoyed a delicious dinner at a restaurant on the lakeshore.


    Friday started with a visit to the Feldstraße Bunker, where we found a small exhibition upstairs. We were given informative signage about the history of the structure, its functions and its construction. The story about the forced labourers was particularly touching for my mother; my father, on the other hand, was interested in the construction of the building and how the city used the bunker for new purposes after the Second World War. After a lunch break, we met at the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken for a harbour tour. The captain conducted the harbour tour in German, but I was able to point out and translate the important things. The boat took us past the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the Tollerort container terminal and the Blohm+Voss floating docks and shipyard, and at each location we learnt about the stories, special features, technical data and more.
    A highlight for my parents was the University Botanical Garden in Kleinflottbek, where there was a rock garden and a variety of flora and fauna from different countries of origin. The Japanese, Himalayan, Chinese and European parts of the garden ran seamlessly into each other with barely recognisable boundaries between them, so this botanical garden is highly recommended. Less recommended is the Klimt Lichtschau exhibition at Port des Lumiéres, as the moving pictures on the walls caused motion sickness in many people. The day was saved by dinner, as we ate at a restaurant popular with St Pauli football fans.


    On their last day, my parents and I visited the International Maritime Museum. The 9 floors, each with its own focus, offered us a lot of information and we were able to choose our own interests and take the time to walk around the whole floor. I found ‘War and Peace’ the most interesting. The exhibition covers the new battleships built since 1815 and their ever-evolving technologies, weaponry and defence capabilities, as well as the important figures in maritime history. I was also given a brief overview of Decks 3 ‘History of Shipbuilding’ and 6 ‘Modern Seafaring’, but there are still 4 decks left undiscovered.
    Unfortunately, my parents didn’t stay longer than 5 days, but we made full use of the time with enriching cultural visits. We were given the opportunity to explore the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg in detail without any time pressure.

  • Case Study: Eve Hughes – France 2024-25

    My favourite hike of the whole year

    Having come to the end of an unforgettable year abroad in Grenoble, I strongly believe that all areas of my French language have significantly improved. This is thanks to various decisions I made and people I met during my time in France, all of which I am extremely grateful for.

    My favourite evenings were at Kfée de Jeux with my friend Simon

    In terms of speaking, I can confidently say that living in a colocation (the French term for ‘flat share’) with three French natives significantly improved both my speaking confidence levels and the breadth of my vocabulary. Given that I was forced to speak French at all times of the day, no matter whether I was tired after a long day of teaching or I was wanting to engage in a niche debate around the dinner table, I found myself constantly searching for and learning new French words and expressions. For example, the phrase ‘arriver à faire quelque chose’ (‘to manage to do something’ in English) was never used in my French classes in the UK; however, this expression is now heavily embedded in my everyday language. I am very glad that the John Speak Trust required me to find accommodation with native speakers, and I can strongly attest to the benefits that living with French people brings.

    St Patrick’s Day with my French friends was a key memory

    As for my writing, my job as an English Language Assistant meant that there weren’t many times when I was required to write in French. Whilst I often had to translate the instructions on worksheets given to younger students, I still wanted to keep on top of my writing skills in a consistent and structured manner. This is why the monthly reports that I wrote for the John Speak Trust were a great way for me to accomplish this goal across the year. I really enjoyed reflecting on my experiences each month and creating a written account of my various Grenoble adventures. I also find it very helpful that I could look back on previous reports to identify which areas of my French vocabulary and grammar could be improved moving forward.

    Saying goodbye to my flatmate, Tati

    Furthermore, I really enjoyed delving into French literature during my time in Grenoble, as I admittedly hadn’t given much of my spare time to this prior to my year abroad. I was very lucky in that one of my flatmates, Tati, was a huge bookworm, meaning that she had an infinite list of book recommendations for me to work through. My favourite book that I read was called ‘La Sage-femme d’Auschwitz’, which follows the story of a Jewish woman who was tasked with delivering prisoners’ babies in the concentration camp, whilst secretly devising a way to help these babies later find their mothers after separation. I was very proud of myself after finishing this book, as it featured a significant amount of new vocabulary and was largely written in the past historic (an unusual tense that most of us French learners strongly dislike…!).

    Finally, I believe that my listening skills were positively challenged this year. As I’m mostly used to hearing French that is adapted for English learners in my university classes, the speed and informal register that I heard from native speakers was something that really struck me upon arriving in France. However, day by day, I found myself more at ease when listening to conversations, both in the staffroom at school and on public transport around Grenoble. Something that particularly demonstrated an improvement in my listening skills was when Tati said that she no longer felt the need to talk slower with me, which I was really pleased about!

    My beautiful walk to school

    Overall, I’m extremely grateful to the John Speak Trust for their support and guidance during my year abroad. The requirements of this scholarship really pushed me to fully immerse myself in the French language and culture, and this led to several incredible opportunities and friendships across the year. This scholarship added another dimension to my time in Grenoble, and I’d really recommended it to other linguists who are soon to embark on their year abroad.

  • Jules Chadderton: 留学がそろそろ終わってしまい – May 2025

    南山大学の留学プログラムの評価について書きたいと思います。南山に来て九ヶ月が経ち、南山のいいポイントや悪いポイントをわかるようになりました。

    東京駅
    tokyo station

    CJSという南山大学留学プログラムでは、半年間と一年間のコースを選択できる。半年間のコースを選んだら、秋学期の方がいいかもしれません。なぜなら、日本人の大学生がいるからです。日本の大学では、春休みが二月から四月までで、その間にCJS留学生がずっと授業があります。そのため、日本語を使う機会がかなり少ないと思います。
    次に日本語授業について話します。CJSでは、日本語の能力に応じて六つレベルに分けられています。レベル３と４はカルテットという教科書が使われています。実は、私の最初のレベルは３でした。４レベルに進んでも、同じような練習も行っています。正直に言うとめんどくさいと思ってしまいました。日本語の授業は水曜日以外、二限まであるので、毎日200分です。それは長いからこそ、チャレンジをしないとつまらなくなる可能性があります。レベル５と６は新聞や自然な日本語記事を使っているのでそちの方が上達すると思います。そのため、留学する前、しっかりカルテットを勉強して、プレイスメントテストをうまく受けて、最初から５レベルを始めることがお勧めします。
    他の重要なことは、どこで住むということです。個人的な意見ですけれども、ヤンセン国際寮に住んだ方が良い。その理由が、いくつあります。私は、ホストファミリーと住んでいる友達がいます。しかし、ホストファミリーに応じて楽しいことが異なる。ホストファミリーと住む理由は主に日本の文化を触れたいとか、日本語を話すようになりたいとか。しかしヤンセンでも日本人と交流できる。時々、ホストファミリーよりも場合もあります。後、ヤンセン国際寮は大学の隣にあるので、本当に楽だ。ホストファミリーは主に、片道１時間から２時間かけて通学しなければなりません。ただし、もっと近い場合もあります。ヤンセンに住むと比較的に自由に過ごすことができるので、自分の生活スタイルや希望をよく考えたうえで決めてください。

    月面旅行
    Interactive moon VR experience in Tokyo

    最後に、南山はたくさんサークルや部活などがあります。もし入ったら、もっと友達を作れそうと思います。入りにくい場合があるけれども、入りやすいもあります。自由に参加してみてください。
    私の留学がもうそろそろ終わりますが、もっと上手になりたい気持ちが強くなってきた。やはり、日本語能力が上手ほど、楽しくなるから諦めません。

    My thoughts of Nanzan University’s Study Abroad Program.

    東京キャラクターストリート
    pop up store in Tokyo station

    I’d like to write about my evaluation of Nanzan University’s study abroad program. After spending nine months here, I’ve come to understand both the strengths and weaknesses of Nanzan.
    The CJS program at Nanzan University offers two options: a one-semester (half-year) course or a one-year course. If you choose the one-semester option, the Autum semester might be better. This is because Nanzan university students are around during that time. In Japan, spring break typically lasts from February to April, during which CJS students still have regular classes. As a result, there are very few opportunities to interact in Japanese during that period.
    Next, I’d like to talk about the Japanese language classes. CJS divides students into six levels based on their proficiency. Levels 3 and 4 use a textbook called Quartet. I started at Level 3. Even after advancing to Level 4, we continued doing similar exercises. To be honest, it started to feel repetitive and a bit tedious. Classes are held every weekday except Wednesdays, with two periods per day — that’s 200 minutes of Japanese daily. Because it’s such a long class, without real challenges, it can become boring. Levels 5 and 6 use newspapers and more natural Japanese articles, so I think students in those levels improve more. That’s why I recommend studying Quartet thoroughly before coming, doing well on the placement test, and aiming to start at Level 5 from the beginning.


    Another important aspect is where you live. Personally, I think living in the Jansen International Dormitory is the better option. I have friends who stayed with host families, and while that can be a good experience, how enjoyable it is really depends on the family. Many students choose host families to experience Japanese culture or improve their Japanese

    生花
    my flowers from flower arrangement class

    speaking skills. But you can also interact with Japanese students at Jansen — sometimes even more than with host families. Also, Jansen is located right next to the university, which makes daily life much easier. Host families often live 1 to 2 hours away by train, though there are some exceptions. Living at Jansen gives you more freedom, so I encourage you to carefully consider your lifestyle and goals before deciding where to live.
    Lastly, Nanzan offers many clubs and societies. If you join one, it’s a great way to make more Japanese friends. While some clubs are harder to get into, others are very welcoming. Try joining — it’s worth a shot.
    My study abroad experience is coming to an end, but my motivation to improve my Japanese has only grown stronger. After all, the better your Japanese becomes, the more enjoyable everything becomes — so I won’t give up.

  • Lauren Maslin – June 2025 대학 축제와 깜짝 게스트: 우리 학교 140주년 기념 음악 축제

    대학 축제와 깜짝 게스트: 우리 학교 140주년 기념 음악 축제

    날씨가 따뜻해지기 시작하면, 한국의 여러 대학교 캠퍼스에서는 다양한 축제가 열립니다. 길거리 음식, 동아리 활동, 테마 부스, 그리고 라이브 콘서트까지 더해진 이 축제들은 많은 대학생들에게 중간고사 기간의 지루함을 잠시나마 잊게 해주는 소중한 시간이다.

    보통 각 대학교의 총학생회가 축제를 주관하고 준비하는데, 말 그대로 ‘학생들이 직접 만드는, 학생들을 위한’ 행사라고 할 수 있다. 또 이 시기는 학생들만을 위한 연예인 공연을 볼 수 있는 최고의 기회이기도 하다.

    특히 올해는 우리 학교에게 특별한 해였다. 2025년은 학교가 설립된 지 140주년이 되는 해였기 때문이다. 이를 기념하여 학장님 중 한 분과 학교 채플린, 총학생회가 나와 축하 연설을 했고, 한국식 축제 분위기에 빠질 수 없는 MC도 함께했다.

    MC는 ‘마스터 오브 세레모니(Master of Ceremonies)’의 줄임말로, 공연을 소개하고 무대와 관객 사이를 이어주는 역할을 한다. 박수 타이밍을 유도하거나 관객과 소통하고, 퍼포머와 인터뷰하는 등 축제의 분위기를 끌어올리는 중요한 존재다.

    한국의 음악 축제를 떠올릴 때 빠질 수 없는 특징 중 하나는 공연 사이사이에 오가는 많은 이야기들이다. MC는 관객에게 소소한 미션을 주고 상품을 나눠주거나, 방금 본 무대에 대해 이야기하기도 하고, 무대에 오른 댄서, 래퍼, 밴드, 가수들과 인터뷰를 하며 그들의 전공, 음악을 좋아하게 된 계기 등에 대해 묻는다. 기다리는 시간이 조금 길게 느껴질 때도 있었지만, 원어민들이 자연스럽게 대화하는 모습을 들으며 재미있게 한국어 듣기 연습을 할 수 있는 좋은 기회였다.

    이번 축제에는 정말 다양한 장르의 공연이 있었다. 힙합부터 케이팝, 발라드, 록까지 다채롭게 이어졌고, 학생들과 프로 가수들이 함께 무대를 꾸몄다. 나는 친구들을 초대해서 함께 즐겼는데, 공연 하나하나가 너무 신나고 에너지가 넘쳐서 정말 좋은 시간이었다.

    예상치 못한 재미도 있었다. 일정한 간격으로 물총에서 시원한 물줄기가 뿜어져 나왔고, 모두가 젖은 채로 노래를 따라 부르며 춤을 추었다. 마치 여름밤의 축제를 온몸으로 즐기는 느낌이었다.

    그리고 축제의 진짜 하이라이트는 마지막 날 저녁에 찾아왔다. 갑자기 무대 위로 걸어나온 사람은… 바로 세계적인 레전드 싸이였다! 무대 조명이 화려하게 터지고, 하늘에서 물이 쏟아지는 가운데 관객들은 열광했고, 나는 그 순간을 믿을 수가 없었다. 싸이는 내가 처음 알게 된 한국 가수였는데, 이제는 진짜 한국 땅에서, 그것도 한국 대학생들과 함께 싸이의 노래를 부르고, 춤추고, 소리 지르며 그 무대를 직접 보고 있다니 꿈만 같았다.

    혹시 이름이 익숙하지 않더라도, 그의 세계적인 히트곡 ‘강남스타일’을 모르는 사람은 없을 것이다. 방탄소년단 팬이라면 슈가와 함께한 ‘That That’도 알 것이다. 내 인생에서 잊을 수 없는 음악적 경험이었다고 말해도 절대 과장이 아니다.

    돌이켜보면, 이런 축제는 한국에서의 교환학생 생활 중 가장 기억에 남는 순간 중 하나였다. 학생들이 힘을 합치면 이렇게 멋진 행사를 만들 수 있다는 걸 느꼈고, 캠퍼스 생활이 얼마나 즐거울 수 있는지도 새삼 깨달았다. 물에 흠뻑 젖으면서 춤을 추던 순간도, 친구들과 길거리 음식을 먹으며 수다를 떨던 시간도, 싸이와 함께 노래를 부르던 감동의 순간도, 모두가 함께 만들어낸 소중한 추억이었다. 한국 학생들과 외국인 학생들이 함께 어우러졌던 그 분위기가 정말 인상 깊었다.

    이런 경험이 바로 교환학생 생활의 진짜 매력인 것 같다. 수업과 시험도 물론 중요하지만, 예고 없이 찾아오는 즐거운 저녁들이야말로 오래오래 기억에 남을 순간이다.

     

    University Music Festivals and a Surprise Guest: My University’s 140th Anniversary Celebration

    As the weather warms up in South Korea, a variety of festivals are held on university campuses across the country. These lively events—featuring street food, club-led activities, themed booths, and live concerts—are the highlight of many Korean university students’ social calendars. They offer a much-welcomed break from the monotony of midterm exam preparation, revision, and lectures.

    Each university’s student council typically organises and prepares the festival, making it a student-led initiative – by the students, for the students. It’s also one of the best chances to see a celebrity performance, often arranged just for the student community.

    This year was especially remarkable for our university, as 2025 marks the 140th anniversary of its founding. To celebrate the occasion, there were speeches from one of the deans, the university chaplain, and the student council. In true Korean festival style, the event also featured an MC – short for “Master of Ceremonies”. In Korea, the MC introduces the performers, interviews them, interacts with the audience, and brings the energy up with clapping cues, commentary, and plenty of engagement.

    One distinctive aspect of Korean music festivals is the amount of conversation that happens between performances. The MC chats with the audience, gives out challenges with prizes, and reflects on the performances. They also talk to the performers – be they dancers, rappers, bands, or singers – asking them to introduce themselves, share their major, and speak about why they enjoy music. At times, the waiting could feel a little long, but listening to the natural conversations between native Korean speakers was undeniably beneficial and gave me the chance to practise my Korean listening skills in a fun and immersive way.

    The festival featured a wide variety of performances – from hip-hop to K-pop, ballads to rock. Both students and professional artists took the stage, and it was a joy to watch. I invited some friends to come along, and we spent the evening enjoying the exciting and energetic atmosphere together.

    Unexpectedly, there was also a water gun that sprayed a shower of cold water at intervals. Everyone danced in the “rain” and sang along to our favourite songs—it felt like the perfect blend of chaos and joy!

    The true climax of the festival came on the final evening. Suddenly, stepping out onto the stage, was none other than a global legend – the one and only PSY. The crowd erupted in cheers as pyrotechnic lights lit up the sky and water rained down over us. I was absolutely starstruck – I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. PSY was the first Korean artist I had ever heard of, and now I was standing in South Korea, surrounded by university students, singing, dancing, and screaming along to one of the most iconic artists in the world.

    You might not recognise his name immediately, but you’ll definitely know his record-breaking hit, Gangnam Style. And fans of BTS will also know That That, a popular collaboration between PSY and SUGA. To say this was an unforgettable musical experience would be an understatement.

    I think these festivals will one of the best parts of my time studying abroad in Korea. They have showed me how much students can do when they work together and how fun campus life can be. Whether it was becoming soaked by surprise water sprays, eating street food with friends, or singing along with PSY, it was amazing to share those moments with both Korean and international students.

    These are the kinds of experiences that make studying abroad special. The lectures and exams matter, but it’s the fun, unexpected evenings like this that I will remember most fondly!

  • Case Study: Gabriel Anderson – Croatia 2024 – 2025

    My time in Zagreb has come to an end and what an amazing time I have had during this 6 month period.

    When I first received the news that I would be able to study Croatian language at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, I was overjoyed. After attending language classes at University College London for the past three years and taking modules in the history of the Balkans, I was very excited to immerse myself into the world of Zagreb and get to know my own identity better as a half Croatian.

    I lived in a student accommodation with both Croatian and international students, not only was I able to meet people from around the world but I could practice my language skills with locals who had the answers to a million questions I had about grammar, popular idioms and culture. Although I was apprehensive at the thought of sharing a room, I soon adapted. I learned that it was pretty much unheard of for student accommodation rooms to be for only one person in Zagreb so if everyone else can do it, so could I. Another thing about student accommodation in Zagreb is that unlike the UK, most students live in halls during the whole of their five year degree.

    Outside our room in student accommodation

    My language class was every morning Monday to Friday starting at 8am, this meant no sleeping in late until the weekends which was a blessing and a curse. I was enrolled in the B1-B2 class which had around 15 people from all over the world learning Croatian language: my classmates were from Italy, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Germany, Colombia, Georgia, Nigeria, the US and Australia. It was a very nice mix of people, all learning Croatian for different reasons, some wanted to live and work in Croatia, some had Croatian ancestry and others attended as part of their university courses.

    Croatian Class B1-B2 2024/5

    I really enjoyed the language classes, Croatian is a very difficult language with grammar rules a native english speaker would find very hard to grasp. For example, in Croatian there are grammatical cases which we used to have in the old english language but the concept was very unfamiliar when I first learned about it. It means that a noun can have seven different word endings depending on the context of the sentence. If one wanted to say the word “grad” (meaning city) the word would change depending on the grammatical case e.g. “radim s gradom” (I work with the city). Exams proved difficult  but I am proud to say that I completed the diploma with a top grade.

    The National Theatre during the Festival of Lights Zagreb

    I think the biggest way my Croatian language improved was by abandoning any ideas of speaking English and only conversing in Croatian, no matter how imperfect I sounded at first. This was the quickest way to pick up the language because any mistakes I made became very memorable due to the social act of trying to speak a foreign language. By the end of my 6 months, my Croatian was greatly strengthened and I spoke with so much more confidence which, in turn, cultivated better fluency.

    During my time in Zagreb, I was able to travel around the region, this was an amazing opportunity that the John Speak Language Trust helped make possible for me. Discovering parts of former Yugoslavia such as Belgrade, Sarajevo and Mostar was eye-opening as I was able to speak and converse with locals there using my Croatian language skills.

    Učim hrvatski – I’m learning Croatian

    I would like to say a massive thank you to John Speak Language Trust for helping to develop my Croatian written and verbal skills and for all the support they provided during my time abroad.Writing reports and sound files each on different topics every month was an extremely useful way for me to keep account and reflect on both my language learning journey and my experience of living in another country. I could not recommend this scholarship enough!

     

  • Bryony Heaviside: Explorer une prison canadienne – April 2025

    Ce mois au Québec, a été très pluvieux et frette, l’hiver touche enfin à sa fin. J’ai eu la chance de voir mon deuxième spectacle d’aurores boréales, les couleurs étaient plus vives que le dernière spectacle! Ce mois, j’ai également pu expérimenter le système de santé dentaire du Québec, à cause d’avoir des problèmes avec ma dent de sagesse. Même si c’était douloureux, cela m’a permis d’apprendre quelques nouveaux mots liés aux dents pour communiquer mon problème. Malheureusement les soins dentaires sont tellement chers au Canada, mais heureusement j’ai pu guérir mon infection de dent et naviguer dans la situation facilement.

    La ville de Trois Rivières

    De plus, pour approfondir mes connaissances culturelles, je suis allée à Trois-Rivières, une grande ville dans la province. J’ai eu l’occasion d’explorer la ville et j’ai fait une visite guidée en français de la vieille prison, où j’ai pu découvrir l’histoire et la culture de la région. La prison a été ouverte pendant 164 ans, la prison la plus ancienne du Canada. À mon avis, ce n’étaient pas les conditions et la taille de la prison, la chose la plus frappante était que les prisonniers étaient condamnés pour des délits mineurs, comme un excès de vitesse ou le non-paiement d’une amende. Puis ils étaient enchaînés en détention jusqu’à 30 jours avec un seul repas par jour (pain et eau).

    La vieille prison

    L’une de mes anecdotes préférées, racontée par le guide, concernait l’un des nombreux plans d’évasion inventifs d’un détenu qui tentait de s’évader en faisant signe à un hélicoptère. Il aurait utilisé un dispositif de signalisation improvisé pour attirer l’aide d’un pilote. Bien qu’il ait été capturé et sans succès, j’ai trouvé son plan d’évasion des plus insolites et originaux.

    Même si ce mois n’a pas été le meilleur en termes de santé, j’attends avec impatience le mois prochain, où j’espère être en meilleure santé et pouvoir explorer davantage la culture canadienne.

    This month in Quebec has been very rainy and cold, winter is finally coming to an end. I had the chance to see my second show of The Northern lights, the colours were more vibrant than the last show! This month, I also got to experience the Quebec dental health system due to having problems with my wisdom tooth. Although it was painful, it allowed me to learn some new tooth-related words to communicate my problem. Unfortunately, dental care is so expensive in Canada, but fortunately, I was able to cure my tooth infection and navigate the situation easily.

    In addition, to further my cultural knowledge, I went to Trois-Rivières, a large city in the province. I had the opportunity to explore the city and took a guided tour in French of the old prison, where I learned about the history and culture of the region. The prison was open for 164 years, making it the oldest prison in Canada. In my opinion, it wasn’t the conditions and the size of the prison, the most shocking thing was that prisoners were sentenced for minor offenses, such as speeding or not paying a fine. They were then chained up for up to 30 days with only one meal a day (bread and water).

    A dogs life/life’s a b*tch

    One of my favourite stories, told by the guide, was one of the many creative escape plans, which involved an inmate who tried to escape by signalling a helicopter. He used a makeshift signal device to attract help from a pilot. While he was caught, and very unsuccessful, I found his escape plan to be the most unusual and original.

    Trois rivières

    Whilst this month hasn’t been the best in regards to health, I look forward to next month, where I will hopefully be in better health and able to explore more canadian culture.

  • Jack Beeching: Marathon de Paris – April 2025

    Beaucoup de choses s’est passées ce mois-ci, mais vraiment, il y a un weekend que je vais me rappeler. Le 13 avril était marqué dans mon calendrier depuis des mois, même avant mon arrivée à Paris. D’une façon, cette année a été construite jusqu’à ce moment-là.

    A lot happened this month, but really, there’s one weekend that I’ll remember. 13 April had been marked in my calendar for months, before even arriving in Paris. In a way, this year has been building up to it.

    Ce dimanche-là, j’ai couru le Marathon de Paris – mon premier. Je vais décrire la journée.

    On that Sunday I ran the Paris Marathon – my first. I’ll describe the day.

    Je me suis réveillé tôt, pas très reposé. La veille, j’avais accepté de visiter la Normandie avec des amis, en pensant naïvement que je pourrais me reposer là-bas. Je ne l’ai pas fait, et j’ai même attrapé un mauvais rhume. J’ai passé la nuit de samedi à essayer de me forcer de dormir malgré les nerfs, en regrettant que je n’avais pas pris mieux soin de moi.

    I woke up early, not very rested. The day before, I had agreed to visit Normandy with some friends, naively thinking I would be able to rest there. I didn’t, and even managed to pick up a bad cold. I spent Saturday night trying to force myself to sleep despite the nerves, regretting that I had not taken better care of myself.

    Mais dimanche matin, il était trop tard pour des regrets – je devais me préparer. Au début, j’étais le seul dans le métro jusqu’à l’Arc de Triomphe, où la course allait commencer. Mais en s’approchant, il y avait de plus en plus de coureurs qui sont montés, échangeant des sourires et des mots gentils. La ligne de départ était déjà remplie quand je suis arrivé. À travers la foule, j’ai trouvé mon chemin jusqu’à la ligne de départ.

    But on Sunday morning it was too late for regret – I had to get ready. At first, I was the only one on the metro to the Arc de Triomphe, where the race would start. But as I approached more and more runners got on, exchanging smiles and kind words. The start line was packed by the time I arrived. Through the crowds, I made my way to the start line.

    Pour à peu près les vingt premiers kilomètres, je me suis senti super. C’était pour ça que je m’entraînais : chaque weekend, je faisais des tours sans fin dans le parc Montsouris. J’avais cette sensation irréelle que je le faisais vraiment, quelque chose que j’attendais depuis longtemps.

    For about the first 20 kilometres, I felt great. It’s what I had been training for: every weekend, doing endless laps of the Montsouris park. I had this surreal feeling that I was really doing it, something I’d been excited for for so long.

    Mais le bon sentiment ne restait pas. En courant de retour le long de la Seine, quand la course entrait dans sa deuxième moitié, c’était assez horrible. J’étais épuisé, chaque partie de mon corps semblait faire mal. Et je pense que les médicaments que j’avais pris avec le petit déjeuner commençaient à ne plus faire effet, parce que j’avais un mal de tête terrible. Ces kilomètres semblaient durer pour toujours.

    The good feeling didn’t last. Running back along the Seine, as the race entered its second half, was fairly horrible. I was exhausted, every part of my body seemed to hurt. And I think the cold medication I’d taken with breakfast had started to wear off as I had a terrible headache. These kilometres seemed to stretch on forever.

    En sortant du Bois de Boulogne, quelque chose a changé. Tout d’un coup, j’ai reconnu la rue – la station de métro à côté de mon bureau. Puis, la foule, qui avait semblé disparaître pendant la dernière heure, est revenue. Des inconnus m’ont encouragé, en criant « Allez Jack ! ».

    Leaving the Bois du Boulogne, something changed. All of a sudden, I recognised the street – the metro station next to my office. Then the crowds, which had seemed to disappear for the last hour, came back. Random strangers cheered me on, chanting “Allez Jack!”.

    Traverser la ligne d’arrivée était plus un soulagement que autre chose. Des amis étaient là, avec un bouquet et une bière. J’ai regardé mon téléphone pour voir que les amis que j’avais quittés tôt en Normandie me suivaient et m’envoyaient des messages d’encouragement.

    Crossing the finish line was more of a relief than anything. Some friends were there, holding a bouquet and a beer. I checked my phone to see that the friends I’d abandoned early in Normandy had been tracking me, and sending encouragement.

    Et maintenant, mon année à Paris est entrée dans son dénouement. Je dois encore passer mes examens finaux, mais j’ai l’impression d’une fin.

    And now, my year in Paris has entered its denouement. I still have to get through my final exams, but I have the sense of an ending.

  • Eve Hughes: Je pars de ma colocation et je suis triste ! (avril 2025)

    Je n’arrive pas à le croire, mais c’est officiellement le dernier mois de mon année à l’étranger à Grenoble. Mon séjour en France est passé extrêmement vite, et je suis vraiment triste qu’il n’y a que quelques semaines qui me restent. L’une des choses qui a rendu mon année à l’étranger si spéciale a été mon logement, ce que j’en parlerai dans ce dernier texte mensuel.

    Notre premier soir comme colocataires !

    Avant que je sois arrivée à Grenoble, j’ai décidé qu’il serait mieux de rester dans un Airbnb pendant la première semaine afin que je puisse visiter des appartements potentiels en personne. Mon université nous avons beaucoup méfié des arnaques liées au logement, j’ai pensé donc que cela serait la meilleure option. Finalement, j’ai trouvé une femme qui a publié une publication pour sa chambre d’amis sur le site web. Elle s’appelait Stéphanie, et elle était une femme super gentille ! Elle m’a vraiment aidé à m’installer à Grenoble : elle m’a accompagné pendant les visites d’appartements, elle m’a montrée où je pouvais acheter une carte de transport et elle m’a même introduite à la raclette (ma spécialité régionale préférée désormais !). J’ai fait environ cinq visites d’appartements dans une semaine et j’ai fini par choisir une colocation, située proche au centre-ville, avec trois colocataires français (deux garçons et une fille).

    Après avoir emménagé, j’ai frappé à la porte de la chambre de la fille pour me présenter le premier soir. Elle m’a dit qu’elle s’appelait Tati, elle avait vingt et un ans, et elle était à Grenoble pour faire son master de deux ans en l’édition. Elle avait fait une année à l’étranger à Édinbourg l’année précédente, elle était donc au courant avec la culture et les coutumes britanniques. Moi et Tati avons fini par discuter pendant trois heures ce soir-là, de tout ! C’était comme si on se connaissait depuis longtemps, et on a partagé beaucoup d’intérêts et d’idées pareils. Je savais tout suite qu’elle jouerait un rôle clé dans mon année à l’étranger, et que j’avais vraiment de la chance d’avoir trouvé cette colocation.

    Depuis ce moment-là, moi et Tati avons fait beaucoup de souvenirs incroyables ensemble. Je l’ai rejointe pour un week-end à Strasbourg pour fêter ses vingt-deux ans avec sa sœur et leurs amis, on a fait une journée de ski aux Sept Laux, et on a fait plusieurs soirées à notre bar préféré à Grenoble, qui s’appelle Austra Rocks. Elle va terriblement me manquer, mais on a déjà dit qu’elle va me rendre visite à Nottingham quand je rentrai pour faire ma quatrième année en septembre ! Merci d’être mon incroyable meilleure amie française Tati <3

    English translation:

    Une super soirée à Austra Rocks

    I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but I’m officially in the last month of my year abroad in Grenoble. My time in France has gone by extremely quickly, and I’m so sad that I only have a few weeks left. One of the things that has made my year abroad so special is my accommodation, of which I will talk about in this final monthly report.

    Moi, Tati et son amie à Strasbourg

    Before arriving in Grenoble, I decided that it would be best to stay in an Airbnb for the first week so that I could visit potential flats in person. My university had warned us a lot about accommodation scams, so I thought that this would be the best option. In the end, I found a woman who was advertising her spare room on the website. She was called Stéphanie, and she was such a lovely woman! She really helped me to settle into Grenoble: she accompanied me during flat visits, she showed me where to buy a transport card and she even introduced me to raclette (my now favourite regional speciality!). I did around five flat visits in a week and ended up choosing a centrally located flat share with three French roommates (two boys and one girl).

    On my first night after having moved in, I knocked on the girl’s bedroom door to introduce myself. She told me she was called Tati, she was twenty-one, and that she was in Grenoble for a 2-year master’s course in publishing. She had done a year abroad in Edinburgh the year before, so she was all up to date with British culture and customs! Tati and I ended up chatting for three hours straight that night, about everything and anything! It was as if we had known each other for ages, and we shared so many of the same interests and ideas. I knew straight away that she would be such a key person in my year abroad, and that I was really lucky to have found this flat share.

    Since then, Tati and I have made so many amazing memories together. I joined her for a weekend in Strasbourg to celebrate her twenty second birthday with her sister and their friends, we went skiing for the day at Les Sept Laux, and we have gone on many nights out at our favourite bar in Grenoble, called Austra Rocks. I’m going to miss her so incredibly much, but we have already agreed that she will come to visit me in Nottingham when I return for my fourth year in September! Thank you for being my incredible French best friend Tati <3