Steve's sandbox

Tag: food

  • 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!

  • Cosmo de Bono – Final Month in Taiwan, June 2024

    在台灣最後一個月
    這是我在台灣的最後一個月。我從八月底就來了，所以我覺得我已經看到了這個國家的許多東西和文化。由於最近我沒有旅行，我想在這最後一份報告中談一談我對台灣美食的體驗。
    兩週前，我去參加了一個台灣烹飪課。我的一個朋友參加過這個烹飪課，向我推薦了它。我們做了雞湯麵、珍珠奶茶和小籠包。我收到了每個菜的食譜，可以帶回英國。課堂上的人大多數是日本遊客，也有一些台灣本地人。用我的語言技能討論美食真的很有趣，我還學到了一些有用的詞彙！
    這個月我還去了我在台灣去過的最奇怪的地方–一家以廁所為主題的餐廳。所有的椅子都是馬桶，每個菜都是在一個小馬桶上的。我在社交媒體上聽說過這家餐廳，覺得和同學一起去會是個有趣的地方。食物和服務都糟糕，但也許這就是廁所主題體驗的一部分？最有趣的是在小廁所裡吃巧克力冰淇淋……這樣的體驗真的很奇怪，但很難忘。離開台灣以後，我會懷念這麼奇怪的地方。
    昨晚，我和同學一起去了海底撈火鍋店。這是台灣一家很有名的火鍋店，不過價格不便宜，所以不能常去！雖然在台灣生活了近 10 個月，這還是我第一次去專業火鍋店。首先要選擇火鍋口味，然後用 iPad 點肉和蔬菜。用餐期間還有舞蹈表演，非常有趣。
    美食是我在台灣生活的最重要部分之一。在餐廳吃飯往往比自己做飯便宜多了，所以我在國外期間享受到了很多美食。這可能是我離開台灣時最懷念的事情之一。
    在台灣的日子即將結束，我開始反思在這裡的時光。我會在我的旅行結束報告中詳述這一點，但我沒想到離開台灣時會如此興奮。我意識到我在這裡有多少美好的回憶。
    陈白宇

    Last Month in Taiwan
    This was my last month in Taiwan. I’ve been here since the end of August so I feel like I’ve seen a lot of the country and culture now. As I haven’t done any travelling recently, I wanted to discuss y experiences with Taiwanese food in this last report.
    Two weeks ago I went to a Taiwanese cooking class. A friend of mine had been to this class and recommended it to me. We made chicken noodle soup, bubble tea and Taiwanese soup dumplings. I received a recipe for each dish that I can take home with me to England. The class was mainly Japanese tourists but also some local Taiwanese people. It was really fun to use my language skills to discuss food and I learnt some useful vocab!
    This month I also visited the strangest place I have been to in Taiwan – a toilet-themed restaurant. All of the chairs are toilets and every dish is served in a miniature toilet. I had heard about this restaurant through social media and thought it would be a funny place to visit with my classmate. The food and service was not great but maybe this is part of the toilet themed experience? The funniest part was eating chocolate ice cream inside a small toilet… Experiences like this are really strange but are extremely memorable. I will miss strange places like this when I leave Taiwan.
    Last night I want to HaiDiLau hotpot restaurant with my classmates. This is a well-known hotpot restaurant in Taiwan, although it isn’t cheap so you can’t go there too often! Despite living in Taiwan for nearly 10 months, this was my first time going to a specialist hotpot restaurant. You first choose your hotpot flavour, then you use an iPad to order meats and vegetables. There was also a dance performance during our meal which was fun to watch.
    Food has been such an important part of my experience in Taiwan. It’s often cheaper to eat at a restaurant than to cook your own food so I’ve enjoyed some amazing meals during my time abroad. This is probably one of the things I will miss most when leaving Taiwan.
    As my time in Taiwan is nearly over, I’m starting to reflect on my time here. I will write about this fully in my end-of-trip report, but I wasn’t expecting to feel so emotional about leaving Taiwan. I’m realising how many wonderful memories I have here.
    Cosmo

  • Harry Nellis: Noch einen Monat im Lockdown: noch mehr Chancen, meine Sprach- und Kulturkenntnisse erweitern zu können!

    Wanderungen im Schnee, gemeinsames Kochen, Rezeptbücher und Zeitungen – eine kurze Zusammenfassung der Ereignisse im letzten Monat. Während ich momentan meine Kommunikationsstunden für die Schule in ‚Home-Office‘ anbiete, habe ich versucht, so viele Wanderungen und Sport wie möglich zu machen. Seit mehr als 2 Monaten liegt Schnee hier, mit häufigem Schneesturm. Solches Wetter habe ich nie in meinem Leben erfahren, mit Temperaturen so niedrig wie -12 Grad! Einmal war mein Bart sogar steif gefroren… Dies hat zu magischen Szenen geführt, mit schneebedecktem Wald, Sichtungen von Rehen, Bussarden und roten Eichhörnchen. Einfach krass!

    In dieser Zeit haben ich und meine MitbewohnerInnen auch oft zusammen gekocht, mit Gerichten aus aller Welt: Deutschland, Libanon, Großbritannien, Syrien und Schwaben (natürlich)! Ich möchte über ein besonders einflussreiches Ereignis berichten, nämlich einen Kochkurs mit einem Koch, der von Syrien nach England geflüchtet ist.

    Obwohl der Kochkurs von Migrateful, eine in England basierten Organisation, veranstaltet wurde, war es ein sehr bereicherndes Ereignis für meine Sprachfähigkeiten und auch für mein interkulturelles Verständnis. Durch den Verlauf des Kurses erzählte Yusuf, der Koch, über seine lebensgefährliche und unglaublich schwierige Reise von kriegsgebeuteltem Syrien, durch Europa bis England. In England hat die staatliche Uterstützung gefehlt und das Home Office des Vereinigten Königreichs hat Yusuf total im Stich gelassen. Leute haben diese Leere gefüllt und haben ihm geholfen, ein neues Leben aufzubauen, in dem er jetzt Kochkurse bei Migrateful leitet.

    Diese Geschichte hat mich und meine MitbewohnerInnen sehr getroffen. Es war nicht nur total berührend, sondern auch ein großes Privileg, so eine wunderbare Person wie Yusuf kennenzulernen. Dabei (im Zoomcall!) waren auch 20 andere Menschen, die alle irgendwo im vereinigten Königreich waren – es gab getrennte Familien, Paare und Freunde.

    Die Stimmung war super, total entspannt, und das Essen war auch unglaublich lecker. Es ist auch extrem wichtig zu erwähnen, dass zu oft Leute im öffentlichen Diskurs total falsch dargestellt und eigentlich nur ausgebeutet werden, als ob diese Menschen einfach nur Statistiken oder Belastungen wären. Mich an Yusuf und den Kochkurs zu erinnern, bekomme ich immer noch Gänsehaut!

    Das reicht fur jetzt. Bleib gesund und danke fürs Lesen!

     

    Another month in lockdown: more chances to develop my language and cultural skills!

    Hikes in the snow, cooking together, recipe books and newspapers – a short summary of the events of the last month. Whilst I’m offering communication sessions for school in Home office at the minute, I’ve tried to get out for walks and exercise as much as possible. For more than two months there’s been snow here, with regular snow storms. I’ve never experienced weather like it, with temperatures dropping as low as -12 degrees! One time, my beard even froze stiff… All of this has led to magical scenes, with snow-covered forest and sightings of deer, buzzards and red squirrels. So cool!

    My flatmates and I have also cooked a lot together, with dishes from all over the world: Germany, Lebanon, Great Britain, Syria and, of course, Swabia. I’d like to write about a particularly influential experiences, namely a cooking course with a chef who fled Syria.

    Although the cooking course was put on by Migrateful, an organisation based in England, it was still a very enriching experience for my language skills and also for my intercultural understanding. Throughout the running of the course, Yusuf, the chef, talked about his perilous
    and extremely difficult journey from war-torn Syria, throgh Europe and to England. In England, state support was lacking and the Home Office completely abandoned Yusuf. People filled this void and helped him to build a new life, in which he now leads cooking courses for Migrateful.

    This story really hit me and my flatmates. It wasn’t just moving, but also a complete privilege to get to know such an amazing person like Yusuf. There were also 20 others (in the zoom call!), who were all somewhere in the UK – there were separated families, couples and friends.

    The atmosphere was fantastic, really relaxed and the food was so tasty, too! It’s also really important to mention, that people are too often falsely portrayed in public discourse and ultimately just exploited, as if these people were just statistics or burdens. Remembering Yusuf and the cooking class still gives me goose bumps!

    That’s enough for now. Stay healthy and thanks for reading!

     

  • Réunion lé la ! Réunion is Here!

    Réunion lé la! Réunion is here! For those who are unaware that was Réunionais Creole. Apart from French, Réunion Island also has another language spoken throughout the Island which one calls Creole. Creole has a proximity to French, and one can find different versions of Creole spoken in the Antilles, Mauritius and other French Overseas Territories. It would be quite simplistic of me to call Creole a variation of French, particularly as it takes on its own body and history, nevertheless it’s foundations do derive from the French language and France’s colonial history is also intertwined with the birth of Creole. I remember I was asked about the utility of learning creole. WhRéunion lé la! Réunion is here! For those who are unaware that was Réunionais Creole. Apart from French, Réunion Island also has another language spoken throughout the Island which one calls Creole. Creole has a proximity to French, and one can find different versions of Creole spoken in that is the point of learning a language that is so specific to one place? My answer was about the human need to relate. We all respond better to people we can relate to. I think it’s crucial, in terms of building long-lasting relationships through this exchange that one sees the effort made to be relatable. I find that people in general really appreciate the little things.

    On the topic of Creole culture, I’ve learned how to cook two cultural dishes! The first cultural dish I made is called Rougail Saucisse. It’s a dish that consists of sausages and tomato sauce and the second dish is called Cari Poulet, which is a chicken curry. Both dishes are usually served with lentils and piment (a spicy accompagnement – usually consists of onions and peppers). I followed recipes online and cooked it for my Réunionnais friends and they were pretty impressed! I can’t wait to cook it for my family and friends back home.

    They call Réunion Island a ‘melting pot of culture’ and for the first time ever I had the opportunity to experience the festival of Diwali and it was absolutely STUNNING. The lights, the floats, the music, the food, the ambience. It was truly amazing. Us ERASMUS students along with local students went to a city called Saint-Andre which has a high population of Tamil people, and hence Saint-Andre had the biggest Diwali celebration on the whole of the island. It was something truly breathtaking, truly magnificent. I had witnessed the biggest firework display I have ever seen in my life and I’m so glad that I witnessed it here.

    The world’s most active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise, erupted for 5th time this year, but sadly I wasn’t able to go. The photos my friends took have been absolutely incredible. I’ve made more friends with Réunionais students and I couldn’t have asked to meet better people honestly. Their kindness and openness is appreciated so much! The cultural exchange has been very rewarding. I’m very sad though, I feel like time is running out. We’ve been having exams for a while now and the novelty of being a new international student has worn off! I’m not ready for this year abroad to end. Nonetheless, I’m surrounded by amazing people, learning an amazing language and making amazing memories. I’ll be eternally grateful for this experience. 

    Réunion lé la ! (La Réunion est là !) Pour ceux qui ne savent pas cela est le créole Réunionnais. Hormis du français, la Réunion possède également une autre langue parlée dans toute l’île que l’on appelle le créole. Le créole est proche du français, et on peut trouver différentes versions du créole parlé aux Antilles, à Maurice et dans d’autres territoires français d’outre-mer. Il serait simpliste de ma part d’appeler le créole une variante du français, d’autant plus qu’il prend en charge son propre corps et son histoire, mais qu’il n’en demeure pas moins que ses fondements proviennent de la langue française et que l’histoire coloniale de la France est également entrelacée avec la naissance du créole. Je me souviens qu’on m’a interrogé sur l’utilité d’apprendre le créole. Qu’est-ce que l’intérêt d’apprendre une langue si spécifique à un lieu ? Ma réponse est le besoin humain d’établir des relations. Nous répondons mieux aux gens auxquels nous pouvons nous identifier. Je pense qu’il est crucial, en termes de construction de relations durables à travers cet échange, que l’on voit l’effort fait pour être fiable. Je trouve que les gens en général apprécient vraiment les petites détails.

     

    Sur le thème de la culture créole, j’ai appris à cuisiner deux plats culturels ! Le premier plat culturel que j’ai fait s’appelle Rougail Saucisse. C’est un plat composé de saucisses et de sauce tomate et le deuxième plat s’appelle Cari Poulet, qui est un curry de poulet. Les deux plats sont généralement servis avec des lentilles et du piment (un accompagnement épicé – généralement composé d’oignons et de poivrons). J’ai suivi des recettes en ligne et je les ai préparées pour mes amis Réunionnais et ils ont été très impressionnés ! J’ai hâte de le cuisiner pour ma famille et mes amis à la maison.

     

    Ils appellent La Réunion un ” melting-pot de culture ” et pour la première fois, j’ai eu l’occasion de voir le festival de Diwali et c’était absolument INCROYABLE. Les lumières, les chars, la musique, la nourriture, l’ambiance. C’était vraiment incroyable. Nous, les étudiants ERASMUS et les étudiants locaux, nous sommes allés dans une ville appelée Saint-André qui a une forte population tamoule, et donc, Saint-André a la plus grande fête Diwali de l’île. C’était quelque chose de vraiment époustouflant, vraiment magnifique. J’ai vu le plus grand feu d’artifice que j’aie jamais vu dans ma vie et je suis très contente d’avoir été témoin de cela ici.

     

     

    Le plus actif volcan du monde, le Piton de la Fournaise, a explosé pour la cinquième fois cette année, mais malheureusement je n’ai pas pu y aller. Les photos que mes amis ont prises ont été absolument incroyables. Je me suis fait plus d’amis avec des étudiants Réunionnais et je n’aurais pas pu demander à rencontrer de meilleures personnes. Leur gentillesse et leur ouverture d’esprit sont très appréciées ! L’échange culturel a été très enrichissant. Mais je suis très triste, j’ai l’impression que le temps presse. Nous avons des examens depuis un moment maintenant et la nouveauté d’être une nouvelle étudiante internationale s’est estompée ! Je ne suis pas prêt pour la fin de cette année à l’étranger. Néanmoins, je suis entouré de gens extraordinaires, j’apprends une langue incroyable et je me fais des souvenirs incroyables. Je serai éternellement reconnaissante pour cette expérience.

     

  • Chinese Food and Customs: Oliver Sale, China – March 2019

    ***中国美食和习俗***

     

    Hotpot with friends!

    我来北京以后我了解了中国的美食和习俗——因为在中国社会上，吃非常重要，所以我免不了看很多!

    在中国，每个省都有独特的美食和口味儿。譬如，四川省嗜好辣的东西，上海市嗜好甜的东西，广东省嗜好鲜的东西。北京市嗜好比较辣和比较咸的东西，我以为不太合我的胃口。此外，我其实认为中国北方的菜远不如南方的菜，因为北方菜的口味儿更重，我吃不惯。

    Eating at a large table

    因为北京是一个那么大的城市，所以有那么多的餐厅，从所有的省来的。我去过了很多，尝一尝广东菜（我最喜欢的）、新疆菜（我第二喜欢的）、四川菜、湖南菜、什么的。我吃过了几次北京最有名的一盘菜，当然是烤鸭。旅行的时候我也尝过新的东西：在香港我尝了叉烧饭和点心，在昆明我尝了云南省有名的过桥米线。

    Dim sum

    在中国，每个场合也有独特的习俗。但是在所有的场合中国人聚在一起吃饭，譬如生日、婚礼、葬礼、什么的——都有一个宴席！在这样的场合，厨师制作精致，大家吃得好，共吃一盘菜，大家帮助彼此夹菜。再说，不同场合的时候，中国人讲究吃不同的东西。比如说春节的时候吃得惯饺子，还有中秋节的时候吃得惯月饼。

    Chinese Food and Customs

    Since coming to Beijing I have discovered much about Chinese food and customs—and because food plays such a large role in Chinese society, it has been impossible not to do so!

    Lamb BBQ

    In China, every province has its own unique foods and tastes. For example, Sichuanese cuisine is spicy, Shanghainese cuisine is sweet, and Cantonese cuisine is fresh. The food from Beijing is quite spicy and quite salty, and I do not think that it suits my palette. Besides,I actually think that the food from the North of China is not as good as the food from the South. Northern food has a stronger flavour, one that I am not used to eating.

     

    Because Beijing is such a large city, it has so many restaurants from all the provinces in China. I have been to many and have sampled Cantonese cuisine (my favourite), Xinjiangese cuisine (my second favourite), as well as Sichuanese, Hunanese and so on. I have tried Beijing’s most famous dish, Peking duck, a few times. And on my travels I have also eaten different things: in Hong Kong I had char siu rice and dim sum, and in Kunming I had Yunnan’s famous going over the bridge noodles.

    More hotpot!

    In China, each occasion also has its own unique customs. However, no matter what the occasion is, Chinese people get together and eat—at birthdays, weddings, funerals and so on—each one involves a feast! At these occasions the chefs will prepare specialities, and everyone will eat well, sharing food and helping each other. Moreover, at different occasions Chinese people pay particular attention to eat different foods. For example, it is customary to eat dumplings at the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), and mooncakes at the Mid-Autumn Festival.

  • Things I will miss about China: Gavin Vine, June 2017

    我在中国的时间快要结束了。考虑到这一点，我最近比往常更珍惜一些普通的中国经历。第一个就是吃北京的小吃。自从我来到中国之后，晚上的时候我的公寓外面一直站着很多卖各种各样好吃食物的摊子。半夜很饿的时候，去买一个手抓并或者炒饭已经变成了我的一个习惯。我知道回英国之后没有这个买宵夜的机会让我怀念我在中国的时光。同样的，我也习惯了点‘外卖’。当然，很多国家有外卖，可是中国的外卖真的独一无二。好像中国每一家饭馆（中国的饭馆很多！）都跟一个外卖应用链接了。这样你什么时候饿都能点你最想吃的菜，难怪在北京商业地区每天中午你都能看到上班族站在办公室外面等他们的外卖。最后，飞提及微信的便利性不可。好像在中国生活你唯一需要的事情就是微信，你能来用这个app买东西，打车，组自行车，付电水气的费用, 挂一漏万。

    Chinese lanterns near my apartment

     

    English:

    My time in China is sadly coming to an end. I will be heading back to the UK at the end of the month having learnt a lot over the course of my year in China. With this in mind, I have recently been cherishing more than usual a few ordinary Chinese experiences. The first is Beijing’s street food. Eversince I came to China, every night outside my apartment there have been food stands selling all sorts of delicious food. When I’m hungry late at night, going out to get a ‘shou zhua bing’ (a kind of pancake) or fried rice has become a habit. I know that when I go back to England, not having the opportunity to quickly go and buy a delicious, cheap midnight snack will make me long to be back in China. Similarly, I have also got used to ordering take away a lot. Of course lots of countries have take away, but the system in China really is unparalleled. It’s as if every restaurant in China (there are a lot of restaurants in China!) is linked to one of the take away apps. In this way you can order absolutely anything you want, whenever you want. Its no wonder that if you go to the business district at lunch time, you’ll see hoards of office workers waiting outside their office for their takeaway to be delivered. Finally, I can’t speak about China with out mentioning Wechat. It’s as if Wechat is the only thing you need to be able to live in China. You can use it to buy things, hire a cab, rent a bike or even pay for your water and electricity bills. The list really is endless!

  • Where to eat and drink in St Petersburg: food, wine, and nightlife:

    Где пить и есть в Петербурге. Еда, вино, ночная жизнь.

    РУССУИЙ ЯЗЫК

    When I’m not studying, I’m guarding former Imperial residences.

    Когда мы (как западные люди) говорим о Петербурге некоторые люди думают о советском городе, в котором нет ресторанов и баров. Это неправда. Сейчас Санкт-Петербург – очень динамичный и современный город со множеством отличных мест, которые я нашла здесь и я хотела бы поделиться с вами! Если вы любите есть, пить и танцевать, как я, вам понравится этот отчет.

    1. Бекицер
    Замечательный и модный бар и ресторан на улице Рубинштейна. Здесь вы можете попробовать израильскую кухню в центре Петербурга, и для этого вам не нужен паспорт! Оригинальные блюда, наполненные пряными и необычными вкусами. Я рекомендую фалафели и шварму… вы не пожалеете! Что касается алкоголя то там очень вкусное израильское вино. А также дружелюбные официанты и хорошая атмосфера.

    A snow-topped Higher School of Economics.

    2. Бонч
    Большая и хипстерская гастрономичная кофейная на Большой Морской недалеко от Невском Проспекта. Красивый дизайн интерьера и отличное место, чтобы поучиться. В Бонче тихо и светло, а также вкусная еда для мотивации. У них удивительное меню с этетическим большим выбором и я рекомендую вам попробовать ваниль маффины, если вы любите сладкое, как я. Можно провести много времени в этой кофейне с друзьями. Благодаря панорамным окнам здании на улица кажется величественным вы можете хорошо отдохнуть. Также там вежливый персонал и быстрое обслуживание.

    3. Мишка бар
    Это не большой бар но размер ни так важен! Мне очень нравится этот бар, потому что музыка там всегда отличная. В Мишка мне нравится пить коктейли и шоты, потому что они вкусные и дешевые. Оно идеально подходит для встречи с друзьями, чтобы танцевать всю ночь на танцполе. По-моему мнение, этот бар очень похож на некоторые любимые бары в восточном Лондоне. Приезжаете! Вы не пожалеете!

    The 3rd April 2017 marked an absolutely heartbreaking moment in my time here in St Petersburg. The terror attack on the metro shook the whole city. We were horrified and saddened by the loss of lives in this senseless attack. An official nationwide mourning was observed for 3 days after the incident and flowers and candles decorated streets and metro stations around the city. I was close to the commotion as it happened, but I was very lucky to have not been hurt. As a foreigner and visitor to this aptly-named Hero City, I am with the Russian people in thinking about the innocent civilians who lost their lives on this tragic day.

    ENGLISH

    Where to eat and drink in St Petersburg: food, wine, and nightlife.

    Nothing is more Russian than drinking chai from a Putin mug

    When we, as Westerners, think about St Petersburg, some of us think of a Soviet city devoid of restaurants and bars. This is not the case. Nowadays, St Petersburg is a very dynamic and modern city in which I’ve discovered many great places, and I want to share them with you! If, like me, you love to eat, drink, and dance, then you will enjoy this report.

    1. Bekitzer
    In the heart of St Petersburg, you can try some Israeli cuisine in this stylish and cool restaurant and bar on Rubenstein Street. No passport required! The dishes are original, full of spices and unusual flavours. I recommend the falafel and the shawarma… you will not regret it! In terms of alcohol, they have some really delicious Israeli wine. The atmosphere is great and the waiters are friendly.

    2. Bonch
    This large, hipster gastro-coffee shop is located on Bol’shoi Morskoi, not too far from Nevsky Prospekt. The interior design is beautiful and this is a really great place in which to study. Bonch is well lit and quiet, serving delicious food too in order to motivate you. The menu is really great, with a large, aesthetically pleasing choice of dishes. I recommend that you try the vanilla muffins, if, like me, you have a sweet tooth. Thanks to the large, panoramic windows you have a view of the grandiose buildings. It’s possible that you could spend a lot of time here relaxing with friends. The staff is really polite and the service is prompt.

    I took this picture in mid February and the temperature was somewhere around the -20c mark. My hands were so so frozen in the 10 seconds I risked going gloveless to take this picture! I love the colours of this building, and standing in the Hermitage courtyard is intimidating and fascinating at the same time, due to the sheer size of it! The show looks and feels almost like a feathery carpet. For miles in the city all one would see was white.

    3. Mishka bar
    This bar is small but size does not matter! I really like this bar because the music is always great. I tend to drink cocktails and shots in Mishka because they’re cheap and they taste great. This place is perfect for meeting up with friends to dance the night away on the dance floor. This bar is really similar to some of my favourite bars in East London, in my opinion. You all should get yourselves to Mishka bar; you will not regret it!

    Mishka Bar

  • First impressions of St Petersburg and what I love here: Mercedes Jaskolka, Russia – April 2017

    Первые чувства и эмоции о Петербурге и что я люблю.

    РУССКИЙ ЯЗЫК:
    В конце концов я освоилась в Петербурге и я чувствую себя комфортно и счастливо здесь. До того, как я сюда приехала, я нервничала и волновалась. Однако, мне не о чем было волноваться. Случилось так, что люди в этом городе очень гостеприимные и отзывчивые. Я была потрясена, потому что у нас стереотип в Англии что все русские люди недружелюбные. Санкт Петербург – очень красивый город и мне повезла жить у учиться здесь. Я должна сказать, что когда я прилетела, первый день, повсюду было обилие снега. Я считала, что главный цвет города – белый! Мне было всегда холодно. Я думаю, что снег придает городу красивую атмосферу и делает город лёгким и изящным. Но, я видела людей, которые шли по реке у мне это кажется очень странным и опасным. Может быть это нормально для русских. Сейчас, погода лучше иногда светит солнце и небо ясное и лазурное без облаков. мне больше нравится, когда солнце упивается закатом солнцу. Потому что Санкт Петербург находиться в северном полушарии, его самый красивый заход солнца в мире.
    В основном, я предпочитаю вести ночной образ жизни, и смотреть на достопримечательностей ночью. Я обожаю гулять по городу с друзьями во время город спокойной и умиротворенный. В Петербург прекрасная архитектура. Зимний дворец – это моя самая любимая достопримечательность, потому что он прекрасен! Но это зависит от предпочтений. В Петербурге также много красивых храмов таких как: Спас-на-Крови и Казанский собор. Это прекрасные достопримечательности с большой историей.
    Недалеко от Невского проспекта – можно увидеть самую известную и очень старую пышечную на Большой Конюшенной, которая была открыта в 1958 году. Там можно попробовать очень вкусные Петербургские пышки.
    Есть еще масса интересных вещей, которыми я хотела бы поделиться, а еще больше, узнать много нового об этом чудесном городе. Итак, до следующего раза! Мерседес

    A beautiful Petersburg skyline

    If you look out from the Peter and Paul Fortress at sunset, this is all you can see for miles. So quiet and peaceful.

    ENGLISH:

    I’m finally settled here in St Petersburg and I’m feeling comfortable and happy in my surroundings. Before I arrived, I was nervous and anxious. However, I had nothing to worry about. It turned out that people in this city are really welcoming and happy to help you out. I was quite shocked, because there is a stereotype in England that all Russian people are unfriendly.
    I have to say that when I arrived, on the very first day, there was snow absolutely everywhere. I thought to myself that the only colour in this city is white! I was always so cold. I do think that the snow gives the city a beautiful atmosphere, making the city seem light and elegant. I did see people walking along on the (frozen) river, which seemed really weird and dangerous to me. Perhaps this is just everyday Russian life! These days the weather is much better and sometimes the sun is shining and the sky a clear azure colour, and not a cloud in sight.
    I much prefer watching the sunsets here. Because St Petersburg is in the northern hemisphere, we get some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
    I actually prefer to do a lot of things at night, like going sightseeing. I adore walking around the city with friends during the calm and peaceful nights. St Petersburg has some beautiful architecture. The Winter Palace is my favourite sight to see, because it is just so stunning. But, it all depends on your preferences. In St Peterburg, there are also many beautiful churches such as The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, and the Kazan Cathedral. These are wonderful sights with a lot of history.
    Not too far from Nevskiy Prospekt* you can go and see the most famous and oldest piishki** shop on Bol’shoi Konushennoi street that has been open since 1958. There you can tuck into some delicious Petersburg piishki.
    There are so many more interesting things that I’d like to share with you so that you can learn more about this wonderful city. So, until the next time! Mercedes

    * Nevskiy Prospekt is the main street in the city centre. Everything you want you will find on Nevskiy.
    ** piishki/пышки translates to a donut.  However, they’re not any old donuts, they’re made from a traditional recipe and are a native delicacy to St Petersburg: a must-try! I wanted to emphasise how special and unique they are so I transliterated the original Russian word into English.

  • Charlotte McGarry: China – December 2016

    中国饮食习惯

    搬到中国之后我最先注意到的文化区别之一就是在饮食习惯方面。吃饭是日常生活中很重要的一部分所以我一定要好好注意！

    我第一注意到的事情是中国便利店的广泛小吃选择。中国的便利店卖各种各样的在英国从来没看过的食品。比方说在711要买什么都能买, 从标准的小吃 （巧克力，薯片之类的）到中国比较特色的食品,包括煮豆腐 ，烤红薯，于片儿等。

    提及小吃我发现中国人好喜欢吃小吃！北京到处都有小吃店。这种饭馆儿供应既便宜又有方便的家常便饭。我万没有想到中国普遍的菜包括这么多种类的菜! 幸亏大部分的菜单有照片给人
    们看看。这是个天大的好处：中国地道菜都有很特别的名字，没有图片的话，我根本不知道每种菜到底是什么！

    另外一个有幸的区别是在中国食物比英国便宜多了。比方说在北大餐厅，午餐花费多则20人民币少则8人民币（大概一到两英镑）。在剑桥，付两英镑连一杯咖啡也买不起。

    在中国每天去饭店儿吃饭是司空见惯的事情。我在英国时只偶尔去饭店儿 （比方说，庆祝朋友生日什么的) 但在这儿几乎每天出去吃饭。其实我在中国的三个月之内，我只做了一顿饭！

    但对我而言这并不是件坏事。在中国吃饭是个社会活动。 跟朋友们儿一起吃饭，享受美味的菜和彼此的陪伴是人生中最令人开心的事情之一。通过分享好吃的菜，人们能把他们之间的友谊拉更近。这不是菜真正的欢乐呢？

    top-10-chinese-street-food-crepe-1

    ENGLISH:

    Eating habits in China

    One of the biggest differences I noticed since moving to China was the differences in people’s daily food and drink habits. Eating is a very important part of daily life, so I had to pay close attention to it.

    The first difference I noticed the vast range of snacks in Chinese convenience shops. Chinese convenience shops sell all types of products that I’ve never seen before in England. For example, go into 711 and you can buy anything you could possibly want, from the standard snack items (chocolate, crisps etc) to China’s specialities, including boiled tofu, mantou, dried fish and the like

    On the subject of snacks, I’ve discovered that Chinese people really like to snack! In Beijing, there are little restaurants (xiaochidian) everywhere you look. This type of restaurant serves both cheap and convenient common fare. I could never have guessed what a wide range of dishes is included in China’s ‘common fare’! Luckily most of the restaurants put pictures next to the dishes. This is a huge help – Chinese local dishes all have very confusing names, and without pictures I would have no idea what they are!

    Another very fortunate difference is that food China is much cheaper than in the UK. For example. At our uni canteen, lunch costs between 20RMB and 8RMB, roughly between £1 and £3! In Cambridge, you couldn’t even buy a coffee for that!

    In China, eating out every day is a common occurrence. In England, I only eat out occasionally (for example, to celebrate a friend’s birthday etc) but here, we eat out almost every day. In fact, I’ve only cooked once in three months! But to me, this is not a bad thing. In China, food is a social pastime, and going out with friends to eat together is a very important way of sharing in each others company. Through sharing food together, it pulls friendships closer. That really is the joy of food

     

  • Struan Rutherford – China June 2015 “Coming To The End”

    我最后一个月中国期间，我努力保证我每天特别忙。对我来说，越忙越好。我这个月最后次在中国旅游。我跟几朋友去银川，宁夏省的首府。银川历史上是神秘西夏帝国的首都，西夏1227年被蒙古人毁灭了。西夏还不是中国现代边界很好了解的帝国之一。

    银川不是一个主要的旅游目的地但是这个情况提高城市对我们的吸引。 虽然我们只在银川三天，我们经验城市生活方式怎么样。气氛比北京的更安静：开阔街道的两旁都有树木，天空每天是湛蓝的。我们参观一百零八塔，从银川不太远的寺庙。还有，我们在银川市中心去看南关清真大寺。银川是大熔炉：佛教徒和穆斯林的共存特别有意思因为他们的共存是不同亚洲文化混合的象征。而且，城市有最好我在中国吃过的羊肉串和辣炒饭。

    因为我知道我在中国的时间即将结束，我去饭馆的时候，我知道那次大概是我今年最后在那家饭馆吃饭的机会。因此我现在试去所有我最喜欢的饭馆。由于我新目标，我现在比以前吃更多，更好的。比如，我上个星期去大董饭馆来吃北京烤鸭，第二天我去我最喜欢韩国拌饭饭馆，第三天我去我最喜欢新疆饭馆。几乎每一天，我吃了煎饼。回国后，我的胃一定要想中国。

    还有，我正在告别我在中国认识的朋友，包括大学的，工作的和随机见面的。一个年是足够交朋友的时间可是为了发展友谊，时间不够所以我现在感觉很居丧因为我需要尽快回国。我希望我毕业后会回来然后我可以继续交新朋友。我在中国一年非常激动，把我提供很多美好回忆。今年鼓励我更努力学习，工作所以我未来会回来。我要再次感谢John Speak因为他们支持我在中国学习。John Speak的援助被我不胜感激，帮助让我在北京学习时间非常成功。

     

    ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

    During my last month in China, I have worked hard to make sure every day is as busy as possible. This month I managed to travel within China for the last time.  I went with a few friends to Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia province. Yinchuan was once the capital of the mysterious Western Xia Empire, which was destroyed by the Mongols in 1227 AD. It is one of the least well understood kingdoms to have existed within modern day China’s borders.

    The city is not a major tourist destination but this only increased its appeal to us. Although we only had three days in Yinchuan, we experienced what life in the city was like. The atmosphere was a lot more peaceful than in Beijing; trees lined the wide open streets; the skies were a clear blue every day. We visited the 108 Dagoba, a temple complex just outside Yinchuan, as well as the Great Mosque in the city. Yinchuan was a melting pot: the coexistence between Buddhists and Muslims in the city was particularly interesting as it represented the mixing of different Asian cultures.  The city also boasted the best chuan/kebabs and spicy fried rice that I’ve had in China.

    As I am very aware of my time in China coming to an end, whenever I go to a restaurant, I know it will probably be the last time this year I eat there.  For this reason, I am now trying to visit all my favourite restaurants in Beijing. Due to this mission, I have never before eaten as well as I am doing now. Last week I went to Dadong to eat Peking Roast Duck, the next night I went to my favourite Korean bibimbap restaurant, after that my favourite Xinjiang restaurant. Almost every day I have eaten a bing. My stomach is certainly going to miss China.

    I’m also in the process of saying goodbye to all the friends I’ve made here, including friends who I’ve made through university, through work and even random encounters. A year is enough time to make connections but not enough time to develop them so it feels sad leaving so soon. Hopefully I will be able to return after graduation and pick up where I left off. It’s been an amazing year which was provided me with so many great memories. It has only served to encourage me to work harder in order to allow me to return to China in the future.

    I would like to once again thank John Speak for supporting me this year throughout my studies. The support has been greatly appreciated and helped make my year as successful as it was.