Steve's sandbox

Tag: monthly report

  • Lauren Maslin: Springtime in Korea and A Weekend with Friends in Suwon – April 2025

    여러분, 안녕하세요! 잘 지냈는지 궁금하다.
    드디어 벚꽃 시즌이 한국에 찾아왔다. 봄이 되면 정말 사람들이 다 벚꽃에 미쳤다는 말이 실감날 정도로, 온 나라가 벚꽃에 빠져든다. 이 현상은 벚꽃나무의 아름다운 꽃들 덕분에 생긴다. 도심에서도, 산속에서도 벚꽃을 볼 수 있어서 많은 사람들이 벚꽃 명소를 찾아 떠난다.

    벚꽃놀이는 벚꽃을 보러 나가서 즐기는 한국의 봄 전통이다. 사람들이 친구, 가족, 연인과 함께 사진을 찍고, 간식을 먹으며 나무 아래에서 여유롭게 봄을 만끽한다.

    우리 학교 캠퍼스에서도 학생들이 벚꽃놀이를 즐겼다. 캠퍼스 전체가 벚꽃 축제 분위기로 바뀌었다. 학생들은 벚꽃나무 앞에서 사진을 찍고, 친구들과 함께 피크닉을 즐겼다. 봄 축제 기간이라 푸드트럭도 운영되었고, 달콤한 간식부터 짭짤한 음식까지 다양하게 팔았다. 수업에서 만난 친구들과 캠퍼스 곳곳에서 자주 마주쳤다. 분위기는 정말 밝고 희망찼다!

    수원에서 친구들과 함께하는 주말

    수원에 사는 한 가족이 주말 동안 나를 초대해 준다. 당연히 초대를 기쁘게 받아들이고, 바로 짐을 싸고 안양역으로 가는 기차표를 예매한다.

    그 가족은 아버지, 어머니, 그리고 세 자녀로 이루어진다. 우리는 영국 요크에서 처음 만난다. 당시 그 가족은 영국에서 거주하며 일하고 있었고, 우리는 같은 교회에서 만나게 된다. 모두 기독교인이기 때문에 자연스럽게 친해지고, 그때부터 지금까지 좋은 친구로 지낸다.

    부모님께서 정말 재미있는 일정들을 준비해 주셔서 함께 여러 곳을 관광한다. 먼저 한국민속촌에 간다. 하루 종일 비가 많이 내리지만, 그래도 정말 즐겁다. 남북한의 전통 양식으로 지어진 집들을 볼 수 있는데, 나무로 만든 집도 있고, 돌로 지어진 집도 있다. 아버지는 한국 역사에 대해 아주 많이 알고 계셔서 나에게 여러 가지를 알려 준다. 아쉽게도 다 기억하지 못해서, 나중에 따로 공부해 봐야겠다.

    집들을 둘러보며 사진도 많이 찍는다. 사진 찍는 것이 내 취미라서 폴라로이드 카메라도 가져간다. 멋진 건물들뿐만 아니라 아름다운 벚꽃도 많이 찍는다. 호수와 멋진 다리도 있어서, 그 다리를 걸을 때는 마치 K-드라마 속 주인공이 된 것 같은 기분이 든다.

    걷다 보니 배가 고파져서 근처 식당에서 전통 한식을 먹는다. 정말 맛있다.

    밤이 되어 우리는 골프 리조트에서 1박 2일을 보내게 된다. 꽤 비싼 곳이지만 가족이 모두 내 숙박비를 내 준다. 정말 따뜻하고 배려심 있는 분들이다. 감사한 마음으로 나는 영국에서 가져온 초콜릿과 차를 선물한다. 선물을 아주 좋아해 준다.

    다음 날에는 화성행궁에 가서 무예 시범을 관람한다. 많은 관광객이 모여 있고, 용감한 무사들이 칼과 활을 사용해 짚으로 만든 허수아비를 쓰러뜨릴 때마다 감탄과 환호가 터진다. 정말 멋진 공연이다. 그곳에 있는 화성행궁도 둘러보는데, 정말 인상 깊다.

    그 후에는 교회 모임에 참석한다. 많은 한국 부모님들과 귀여운 아기들을 만나는데, 모두 다정하고 따뜻하게 맞아 준다. 덕분에 내 한국어 실력을 연습할 수 있는 좋은 기회가 된다.

    아쉽게도 그날 저녁에 집으로 돌아와야 한다. 다 함께 샤부샤부를 먹고 나서 기차역으로 가서 기차를 탄다. 피곤하지만 이번 주말 동안의 멋진 경험들 덕분에 마음은 정말 행복하다.

    여러분, 마지막으로 새로운 곳을 여행한 건 언제인가요? 그곳에서 무엇을 했는지, 어땠는지 궁금하다.

    그럼, 다음에 또 만난다!

    Hello everyone. I hope you’ve been well.

    Cherry blossom season has finally arrived in Korea. In spring, it really feels like “everyone’s gone crazy over cherry blossoms.” The whole country gets swept up in the excitement. This phenomenon is caused by the beautiful flowers of the cherry trees. You can see cherry blossoms both in the city and in the mountains, so many people travel to famous cherry blossom spots.

    Beotkkotnori (벚꽃놀이) is a spring tradition in Korea where people go out to enjoy the cherry blossoms. With friends, family, or a date, people take photos, eat snacks, and relax under the trees as they enjoy spring.

    At our university campus, students also enjoyed beotkkotnori (벚꽃놀이). The entire campus transformed into a cherry blossom festival. Students took photos in front of the trees and had picnics with their friends. Since it was a spring festival, there were food trucks, and they sold a wide variety of foods, from sweet treats to savoury snacks. I often ran into friends from class all around campus. The atmosphere was truly bright and full of hope!

    A Weekend with Friends in Suwon

    A family who live in Suwon invited me to spend the weekend with them. Of course, I accepted the invitation and immediately began packing my bags and booking a ticket to Anyang Station.

    There are five people in the family: the father, the mother, and their three children. I first met them in York, England, when they were living and working in the UK. We’re all Christians, so we got to know each other at church in York. Since then, we’ve remained good friends!

    The parents prepared a really fun schedule for me, and we did a lot of sightseeing. First, we visited the Korean Folk Museum. Even though it rained heavily all day, we still had a brilliant time. I got to see houses built in the traditional styles of both North and South Korea. Some were made of wood, and others of stone. The father was very knowledgeable and taught me a lot about Korean history. Sadly, I can’t remember everything he said—I’ll have to do some research in my own time!

    While we were walking around the museum, we took lots of photos. Photography is one of my hobbies, so I brought my Polaroid camera and took pictures of the beautiful cherry blossom as well as the unique buildings. There was also a lake with a stunning bridge. When I walked across it, I felt like I was in a K-drama!

    When we got hungry, we ate traditional Korean food at a nearby restaurant. It was absolutely delicious!

    As it was getting late, we stayed at a golf resort for two days and one night. The resort was very luxurious, but the family kindly paid for my stay. They are such generous people. In return, I gave them some chocolate and tea from the UK. They really loved the gifts!

    The next day, we visited Hwaseong Fortress to watch a martial arts performance. A large crowd of tourists cheered and gasped as fierce warriors used swords and bows to attack straw mannequins. The show was incredibly impressive! While we were there, we also looked around the temporary palace—it was so cool to see.

    Later on, we attended a church meeting where I met many kind Korean parents and their adorable babies. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I even got to practise my Korean!

    Sadly, I had to return home that evening. After we shared a lovely meal of shabu-shabu, I went to the station and took the train back. Although I was tired, I felt so happy and grateful for all the wonderful experiences I had that weekend.

    Everyone, when was the last time you visited somewhere new? What was it like, and what did you get up to?

    Until next time, goodbye!

  • Kelly Huynh: Disfrutando del clima haciendo excursiones – April 2025

    Aproveché un fin de semana libre haciendo un viaje a Barcelona, lo que significaba que tenía dos días y una noche para aprovechar al máximo el tiempo y aprender todo lo posible sobre Cataluña. Tomé el tren desde la estación de Atocha en Madrid y el trayecto duró algo menos de tres horas debido a un pequeño retraso en las vías, pero aún así tuve suficiente luz del día para explorar la ciudad cuando llegué. Personalmente, prefiero mucho más Madrid, por la cantidad de turistas que había en Barcelona y por tener que estar siempre alerta por los carteristas. Además, sentí que le faltaba ese sentido de comunidad, aunque quizás esto se deba a que estuve allí solo como turista y no viviendo realmente en la ciudad.

    Recuerdo haber estudiado a Gaudí en mis clases de cultura en los módulos de español en mi universidad, y poder ver su obra, especialmente la Sagrada Familia, en persona fue realmente un privilegio. Las fotos que tomé no le hacen justicia para nada, y definitivamente recomiendo pagar la entrada y disfrutar de la experiencia completa por dentro.

    También pasé un buen ratito en Parc Güell, y la cantidad de escaleras y la caminata para llegar hasta allí valieron totalmente la pena. Ver todos los colores y las increíbles estructuras de lo que originalmente iba a ser una zona residencial, transformada en un parque para que lo disfruten los locales, fue impresionante. Mi parte favorita fue observar todos los mosaicos y contemplar la vista de toda la ciudad. Pude captar la visión de Gaudí de incorporar la naturaleza en sus obras, y lo logró muy bien con la escalinata del dragón, aunque lamentablemente la fuente no estaba en funcionamiento, como muchas otras en la ciudad debido a la sequía. Me quedaron muchas cosas por ver por falta de tiempo y por el clima algo impredecible ¡pero sin duda me encantaría volver!

    Muchos de mis amigos y compañeros de piso tenían exámenes parciales antes de las vacaciones de Semana Santa, así que tuve un poco de tiempo libre y decidí hacer una pequeña excursión de un día a Aranjuez en tren. Me siento mucho más cómodo manejándome por la extensa red de transporte en Madrid, y siento que es algo en lo que el Reino Unido podría mejorar, especialmente en cuanto a la accesibilidad para estudiantes, ya que viajar allí es carísimo. Aunque puede que simplemente me haya malacostumbrado a la tarifa mensual tan económica que hay aquí. El pueblo es conocido por su palacio, que es Patrimonio de la Humanidad. La entrada es gratuita los domingos por la tarde, pero solo para ciudadanos de la UE y de América Latina. Aun así, diría que la experiencia no se la puede perder, aunque tuve que pagar, porque la cola era larguísima y además hacía bastante calor ese día. Fue un plan de fin de semana perfecto, pasear por la orilla del río Tajo y por los distintos parques que rodean el palacio. Incluso vi pavos reales presumiendo sus plumas.

    En Madrid siempre hay muchos planes y eventos nuevos, y como era el comienzo de la primavera, el jardín botánico ofrecía entrada gratuita un día a la semana por la mañana. Fui a dar un paseo con algunos amigos que hice y a ver el jardín de tulipanes y las plantas que ya habían florecido. El clima era perfecto para caminar, y además había una galería dentro del jardín para escapar un poco de las multitudes. Agradezco que haya tantos espacios bonitos y tanta naturaleza, que son el descanso perfecto de estar encerrado o enterrado entre los estudios (¡que será mi realidad el mes que viene preparando los exámenes!). Momentos así siempre me ayudan a reflexionar sobre lo lejos que he llegado y también sobre lo cerca que está el final de este intercambio, aunque será una experiencia inolvidable. Estoy seguro de que seguiré aprendiendo y apreciando la cultura española incluso después de volver.

    ˖ . ݁.୨୧ ݁₊

    Hello! I love that it finally feels like spring here in Madrid, and the change in vibe was definitely needed after months of gloom. It felt like a switch was flipped because the weather in the UK was a lot better somehow.

    I took the opportunity of a free weekend to take a trip to Barcelona, which meant I had 2 days and one night to make the most of my time and learn all about Catalonia. I took the train from Atocha station in Madrid and the journey lasted just under 3 hours because of a slight delay on the tracks, but I still had plenty of daylight to explore the city. Personally, I prefer Madrid a lot more because the amount of tourists there were and having to remain vigilant because of pickpockets in Barcelona and the overall community feel is lacking, but this might be due to the fact that I was only there as a tourist and not actually living there. I remember learning about Gaudí in my cultural modules in my degree back home, and being able to see his work, especially the Sagrada Familia in person was truly a privilege, the photos I took did not do it justice whatsoever, and I definitely recommend paying to go inside and getting the full experience. 

    I also spent a while in Parc Güell and the amount of stairs and walking up to the site was worth it. Seeing all the colours and amazing structures of what was supposed to be a residential area be turned into a park for locals to enjoy. My favourite part was looking at all the mosaic tiles and taking in the view of the entire city, I got the vision that Gaudí wanted to incorporate nature into his works and he did it really well with the dragon stairway but unfortunately the fountain was not in service, like much of the fountains in the city due to a drought. There was so much I was unable to see due to time constraints and unpredictable weather but I would definitely love to come back!

    A lot of my friends and flatmates had midterm exams before the Easter break so I had a bit of free time and decided to take a little day trip to Aranjuez by train, I feel a lot more comfortable navigating the extensive transport network in Madrid and it is something that I feel like the UK could improve on in terms of accessibility for students, because it is super expensive to travel, but it may just be because I am spoilt with the cheap monthly tariff over here. The town is known for its palace which is a World Heritage Site, and the entry is free on Sunday afternoons but only for EU and Latin American citizens, but I would say it was a good experience regardless even though I had to pay, because the queue was insanely long and the weather was really warm that day too. It was a perfect weekend plan strolling along the river Tagus and the various parks around the palace, and I even saw peacocks doing a courtship display out in the wild.

    In Madrid there are always a lot of plans and new events, and because it was the beginning of Spring the botanical garden had free entry one day of the week in the morning, so I went to walk around with some friends I made and see the tulip garden and the plants that have bloomed. The weather was perfect for a stroll around and there was even a gallery inside to escape the crowds. I am thankful that there are nice outlets and a lot of nature which is the perfect break from being stuck inside or being buried in studies (which will be my reality next month preparing for my exams!) Small moments like this always help me reflect on how far I have come and also the finality of this exchange abroad but it will be an unforgettable experience and I am sure that I will continue learning and appreciating the Spanish culture once I return.

  • Kelly Huynh: Invierno, estudios y festividades (Dec 2024)

    Ahora que haMi grupo de Dirección de Recursos Humanos llegado el invierno, hace frío y oscurece muy temprano, pero esto no ha afectado el ambiente positivo que se siente por todas partes. Madrid sigue siendo un lugar bastante popular para los turistas, especialmente en el centro que había un mundo de gente y que generalmente trato de evitar, excepto cuando hice un camino de 30 minutos para ver todas las luces navideñas decorando las calles de Madrid en Black Friday. Fui a ver el árbol de Navidad gigantesco en la Plaza de Sol el día anterior, y ambas veces las multitudes eran insoportables, tardé una eternidad en salir de allí para regresar a piso. Lo que realmente me gusta de Madrid en invierno es que el clima sigue siendo agradable, con solo unos pocos días de lluvia, y la temperatura no es extremadamente fría. Algunos de mis amigos en el Reino Unido me contaron que han tenido nieve y que sentían temperaturas por debajo de los 0 grados.

    Diciembre también significa que los proyectos grupales y presentaciones deben entregarse, al igual que algunos de mis exámenes finales de los módulos. Encontré muy desafiante, pero también gratificante tomar mis clases en español, especialmente una vez que logré entender claramente los conceptos y pude contribuir a mis tareas. Como el fin del semestre se acerca, ya no hay tantos eventos estudiantiles, puesto que todos se toman los estudios en serio. Cuando uno de mis compañeros de clase tuvo que prepararse para un examen, me ofreció su entrada para un concierto de jazz como parte del Festival Internacional Jazz de Madrid, que se celebra todos los años durante noviembre. Personalmente, me encantan los espectáculos en vivo, y es maravilloso ver cómo las personas se conectan en todo el mundo a través de la música, lo disfruté muchísimo. Además, tengo muchas ganas de pasar el invierno en Madrid y también de disfrutar de la celebración del Año Nuevo con las personas que he conocido y que han hecho que esta experiencia sea mucho más agradable.

    Un collage de unas calles con las luces de navidad

    ˖ . ݁.୨୧ ݁₊

     

    Now that winter is here, it is cold and dark very early but this has not stopped the positive atmosphere all around. Madrid still appears to be quite a popular place for tourists especially in the centre, which I generally tried to avoid except to do the 30 minute walk to see all the Christmas lights on Black Friday decorating the streets of Madrid. I went to see the giant Christmas tree in Sol Plaza the day before and the crowds were very unbearable both times and it took forever to finally escape and get back home. What I really like about Madrid in winter is that the weather is still nice, with only a few days of rain and that the temperature is not extremely cold, as I heard from some of my friends back home that they had lots of snow and it felt like below 0 degrees.

    December also means that group projects and presentations are due as well as some of my final exams for my modules. I found it very challenging but also rewarding taking my classes in Spanish especially once I was able to understand the concepts clearly, and was able to contribute to my assignments. Since the end of the semester is approaching, there are no longer as many events hosted or student gatherings as everyone takes their studies incredibly seriously, and when one of my classmates had to prepare for an assignment, I was offered their ticket to a jazz concert as part of the Jazz festival of Madrid, which takes place every year during November. Personally, I love live shows and it is lovely seeing people connect all around the world through the medium of music and I had such a good time. I really am looking forward to spending the season in Madrid and also enjoying the New Year celebration with the people I have met that have made this experience much more enjoyable.

     

     

     

  • Case Study: Joshua Hillis , Amman, Jordan – 2018-2019

    I had studied Arabic as an extracurricular course, during my undergraduate degree at Oxford University. These weekly classes had given me a good grounding in Arabic grammar but I knew my spoken Arabic needed some work.

    The support of The John Speak Trust enabled me to devote three months to improving my Arabic, through an intensive course in Jordan.

    I had previously lived in Cairo and so I was interested in living in another Arab country. The reputation of the Qasid Institute in Amman attracted me to Jordan and that reputation was quickly confirmed once I had arrived. The tutors took no prisoners and I was straight into daily classes of three hours, entirely in Arabic. I had to brush up quickly on my knowledge of grammatical terms in Arabic!

    The scholarship from the John Speak Trust also enabled me to sign up for an additional evening course focusing on the Jordanian dialect. Sentences in regional dialects can have a different structure, and even different words, to a sentence with the same meaning in Modern Standard Arabic. Modern Standard is the language of newspapers, official documents and professional work but dialects are the language of everyday life. My morning classes focused on Modern Standard, developing my knowledge of complex grammatical structures and my ability to read, write and speak about academic, political and professional topics. Meanwhile this additional evening course introduced me to the Jordanian dialect. I may have been able to have a conversation in Modern Standard about the history of Arabic newspapers but at last I was learning how to direct a taxi driver to turn left, or how to buy a kettle!

    The most satisfying aspect of my time in Jordan was the development of my Arabic. I was surprised at how quickly my confidence and knowledge improved. Studying Arabic in an immersive environment provided limitless opportunities to practise whilst enjoying memorable experiences. Floating in the Dead Sea, visiting a Roman city almost entirely still standing, wandering around desert palaces and castles from the Crusades, camping out in the desert, and of course marvelling at Petra, made famous by Indiana Jones, were all fantastic experiences.

    The John Speak Trust gave me the opportunity to improve my Arabic considerably and I am grateful to the Trust for their support.

  • Jonathan Saad: Erster Monat in Deutschland – September 2018

    Solche Skulpturen gibt es überall in Darmstadt. Zumteil auch in der Uni

    Willkommen bei meinem ersten Bericht aus Deutschland! Ich bin schon seit vier Wochen in Darmstadt, wo ich jetzt ein ganzes Jahr bei der Technischen Universität Darmstadt System Ingenieurwissenschaften studieren werde. Darmstadt ist eine mittelgroße Stadt (150,000 Einwohner) die südlich von Frankfurt liegt. Die Stadt ist eine schöne Mischung von neu und alt, das Darmstadtium liegt zum Beispiel fast neben dem Darmstadt Landesmuseum. Obwohl ich dem Ingenieurwissenschaftenstudium in Darmstadt noch nicht angefangen habe, bin ich schon jeden Tag in der Uni. Wir machen nämlich vier Wochen lang einen Deutsch Intensivkurs. Der Kurs soll alle fördern, diejenigen die noch nichts gelernt haben und diejenigen, die fast fliessend sind ebenso. Der Kurs läuft nur Morgens, also gibt es allen auch genügend Zeit um das was man beim Umzug und studieren in ein fremdes Land sortieren muss zu erledigen. Ich habe schon viele tolle International Studenten kennengelernt und habe mit denen schon viel in Darmstadt unternommen. Zum Beispiel, hat die Uni eine Schatzsuche organisiert, durch den man Darmstadt ein bisschen explorieren mussten.

    Das Landesmuseum und Darmstadtium sind fast neben einander

    Ein wichtiger Grund, warum ich im Ausland studieren wollte war, dass ich Studenten mit ganz andere Erfahrungen kennenlernen wollte. Die Erfahrungen die jede Person hat bestimmen viel davon wie sie die Welt sehen und bei knapp hundert internationale Studenten gibt es viele Ausblicke, die ich noch nie gehört habe. In dem Deutschkurs haben wir Diskussionen über Kontroverse Themen geführt und da finde ich immer sehr interessant die Meinungen anderer Studenten zu hören.

    Also insgesamt, war dieser Monat ziemlich hektisch. Jetzt das aber fast aller Papierkram gemacht ist, gibt es schön Pläne für die nächste Wochenende… Nächsten Monat nämlich… Oktoberfest! Bis nächsten Monat!

    Ich wollte mich wieder bein der John Speak Trust bedanken, dass sie mir helfen Deutschland richtig erfahren zu können!

    ENGLISH:

    Welcome to my first report from Germany! I’ve been in Germany for four weeks so far, and will be studying Systems Engineering at TU Darmstadt for the next year. Darmstadt is a middle-sized city of 150,000 residents, and is a little south of Frankfurt. The town has a mix of old and new, for example the Darmstadtium and the Landesmusem are almost next to each other. I haven’t actually started my course yet, however I am at the university every day. The reason is that we are all doing a four week long intensive German course. The course should challenge everyone, from the students who have never studied German before, to those who are almost fluent. Since the course only runs during the mornings, there is plenty of time to sort out all the admin that comes with moving and studying in a foreign country. I’ve already met many great international students, and have been able to experience Darmstadt with them. One activity was a treasure hunt organised by the university, which gave us a great opportunity to explore Darmstadt.

    One important reason for me for studying abroad was meeting students with completely different life experiences. With close to a hundred international students, there is an incredible range of experiences and ways of thinking that I haven’t experienced yet. As part of the German course, we’ve been discussing some controversial issues. With so many different opinions and experiences, I find these discussions incredibly interesting.

    So, overall this month has been quite hectic. However, now that all the admin has been completed, we’ve already started planning how we’ll experience Germany in the coming weeks… next month… Oktoberfest! Until next month!

    I wanted to thank the John Speak Trust again, for their support in enabling me to experience Germany!

     

  • Jacob Lloyd: Germany, September 2018

    Vor ca. 2 Wochen, bin ich Jena verlassen, aber als ich noch da gelebt, habe ich ein Wochenende in Köln mit meiner Freundin verbracht, weil wir da nie gewesen haben. Wir haben den berühmten Dom und ein paar die anderen Sehenswürdigkeiten gesehen z.B. Wir haben auch der Zoo besucht, der viel Spaβ war. Ich habe sogar eine kleine Antiquitätengeschäft in der Nähe von dem Hotel besucht und ein schönes Kristallglas gekauft um nach Hause zu nehmen. Es ist immer eine gute Idee, die Nebenstraβen zu erkunden, weil man eine andere Seite der Stadt sehen kann und am besten neuen Orten entdecken.

    Jetzt bin ich in meiner neuen Wohnung in Stuttgart eingezogen und am Montag fange ich mein Praktikum bei Bosch an. Es war viel schwieriger als ich gedacht habe, eine Wohnung in Stuttgart zu finden, weil es so viel Leute in der gleichen Position gibt und Wohnungen sind so beschränkt. Eventuelle habe ich eine 10- Zimmer Wohnung gefunden, nach ca. eine Woche in einem Airbnb, das Ihrer bester Freund in eine neue Stadt kann sein. Mein Zimmer ist wirklich schön, der glücklich ist, weil ich hier das ganze Jahr bleiben muss! Ich habe nur fünf meine Mitbewohner getroffen, aber sind sie so weit super nett und sozial. Einer von Ihnen macht auch ein Praktikum bei Bosch und er lebt hier seit 3 Monaten also er hat mir viel über die Firma und Stuttgart erzählt.

    Ich habe keine Zweifel, dass die nächste 12 Monaten Eine Herausforderung wird sein aber wird es gleichzeitig viele Gelegenheiten anbieten. Der John Speak Trust hat überlebenswichtig für meine Reise gewesen und es war mir eine Freude, meinen monatlichen Berichten für der Website zu schreiben.

    I left Jena two weeks ago, but while I was still living there I spent a weekend in Cologne with my girlfriend, as we had never been there. We saw the famous Cathedral along with a few of the other sights, eg. we also visited the zoo, which was great fun. I even visited a little antique shop nearby to the hotel and bought a lovely crystal glass to take home. It is always a good idea to explore the side streets, as you can see the city in a different way and discover the best new places.

    I have now moved into my new flat in Stuttgart and I start my Placement with Bosch on Monday. It was a lot harder than I thought to find a flat in Stuttgart, because so many people are in the same position as me and housing is limited. I eventually found a 10-room flat after around a week in an Airbnb, which can be your best friend in a new city. My room is really nice, which is lucky as I have to stay here for the full year! I have only met two of my flatmates but so far they are very nice and social. One is also doing a placement with Bosch and has been living here for 3 months so has told me much about the company and Stuttgart.

    I have no doubt that the next 12 months will be a challenge, but it will simultaneously offer many opportunities.

     

    The John Speak Trust has been vital to my travels and it was a pleasure to write my monthly reports for the website.

  • Case Study: Anam Rahman, China – 2017

    During my second year of university I wrote a paper on the Chinese economy.  It was here where the magnitude of the inevitable global macroeconomic shifts, finally sunk in. Within the next 10 years China will be the biggest economy in the world. By 2050 its GDP per capita will be twice the size of USA’s.  The implications are enormous.  For the last 200 years the world has been governed by Europe and America. In this century, and in my life time we will witness the most extraordinary transition of wealth and power. As an entrepreneurial individual, I also know with great change comes great opportunity. I refused to let this enormous boat sail by. There was only one option. Go to China and learn Chinese.

    I am also one to enjoy a challenge and was determined to overcome the urban myth that Mandarin is impossible.

    After a traumatic experience with French at school, I hated the prospect of learning a language in a classroom. I was determined to prove that I could learn quicker by myself. Before I left, I read several books on memory, language learning and China. I had an exact plan on how to conquer Chinese. Everything from tools such as SRS systems to the exact vocab and grammar I wanted to learn. I built my own extensive curriculum.

    As a mentor once told me ‘Formal education will make you a living.  Self-education will make you a fortune’.

    Words cannot begin to express my gratitude to the John Speaks Foundation. Quite simply, without their help I could not have financially afforded to learn Chinese. I will forever be in debt to the trust placed in me by the committee members.

    Over 60 % of my scholarship was spent directly on my learning; private tuition, books, courses and software.  My experience was the last possible thing from fun and games. There were times I wanted to cry, becoming extremely frustrated with my brain for its inability to process the Chinese language quickly enough.  Perhaps the expectations I set myself were too high.  But looking back, the high expectations were the only reason I had learnt so much so quickly.

    It is an unbelievably satisfying feeling speaking to another person in a language which was alien only several months ago. Without the John Speak foundation, I could not have experienced this feeling.

    I do not use the word ‘alien’ lightly.  Chinese and English could not be more different if they tried.  Although initially stressful to arrange, looking back, the committees request that I live with a local was instrumental in my learning.  My flatmate Brandon was a priceless aid but now a life long friend.

    Because of this scholarship I was able to experience a fascinating ancient culture and language.  I was able to build relationships which will last a life time.  But most importantly, I was able to achieve a childhood dream. Every intellectually curious young person has at some point said ‘I would love to learn Chinese’, although I am not fluent yet, it feels remarkable to say that I have done it and I am doing it!

    I didn’t drive myself to the brink of insanity to only come this far.  My Chinese language learning journey continues until I am fluent.

    Shanghai you were amazing.  The city itself is a bubble and not representative of the rest of the country.  Large parts of China remain poor and rural. But Shanghai is representative of China’s new money and new wealth.  It offers a real glimpse into the future of Chinese development and gives us an idea what tier 2 cities will soon look like; wealthy, prosperous and cosmopolitan.

    For a long time I was jealous of multi lingual people.  Language learning is the most amazing stretch of intellectual ability, just in a completely different way to what we learn at school. Numerous studies show positive changes in neuroplasticity as a result of language learning.  My brain will never be the same as a result of this scholarship!

    Once again, thank you.  I can make a promise to the foundation that your decision to invest in me will not have been in vain.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Case Study: Rebekah Willett, Spain & France – 2016 to 2017

    After having spent over a year abroad now as part of my French and Spanish with international business studies, I can honestly say it has been one of the most incredible and unforgettable experiences of my life.

    It all began a year ago, in January 2016 when I began my studies at the University of León in the north of Spain.  It was in this beautiful city that I really improved the basis of my Spanish skills, whilst at the same time meeting people from all different cultures from around the world.  It was also the place where I gained more confidence in my Spanish skills and my ability to communicate with native speakers.  All of my classes were in Spanish and I had to carry out several business presentations in the language, which although at the time were terrifying, really helped me in my studies.

    After my time at the university in León, it was time to start my placement year.  This was split between Palma de Mallorca, Spain and Paris, France (where I am currently living and working). During my time here I worked for a tourism company as part of their reconfirmation team. This involved me contacting the hotels which the company had partnerships with and checking that they had received our reservations.  This was a whole new experience for me because I had never worked for an international tourism company and did not know that much about tourism but I learnt so much at the company that will definitely help me in later life.

    My Spanish level also progressed when working here as the majority of my team were Spanish so I would try to speak Spanish with them whenever possible. I also helped to train the new members of the team towards the end of my placement which I tried to do in Spanish where I could.

    When I was living there I also had the opportunity to explore several places scattered across the island.  This included the village of Valldemossa hidden away in the mountains, Port de Sóller, an interesting seaside town and the city of Palma itself with its many historic buildings.

    Through my time spent in Spain I have grown so much more confident in my abilities and have learnt so many new skills.  I am very grateful for this amazing opportunity and I can’t wait for my next adventure.

    Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank the John Speak Language Trust for giving me the opportunity to live and work abroad and to improve on my Spanish.

    It is an amazing program and would recommend any language students wanting to live abroad to apply.

  • Living in St Petersburg – with Russian people: Mercedes, June 2017

    Doesn’t St Petersburg remind you of Venice? With its many canals and beautiful buildings, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in the European capital.

    Жить в Петербурге – с русскими людьми.

    Для моего последующего отчета я хотела бы рассказать вам о том, с кем я живу здесь в Петербурге в моем общежитие.
В моей квартире я живу с иностранными студентами, но большинство из них – из русскоязычных стран. Например, я живу с Аллой и Мадиной. 
Алла из Приднестровья и Мадина из Таджикистана. Они лучшие друзья, которые помогли мне все эти пять месяцев. С ними я всегда смеюсь, потому что они просто очень смешные девушки! Мне очень нравится болтать с ними, когда я возвращаюсь из университета, мы можем разговаривать с ними вечно. Конечно, это иногда трудно говорить, потому что я не свободно владею русским языком и они не свободно говорят по-английски. И так, мы нашли лучшее решение говорить « по-рунглийски » – это на русском и английском одновременно. Я считаю, что я улучила свой русский язык, так как я много болтать с Аллой и Мадиной. И сейчас мы с ними очень хорошие друзья. 
Алла изучает политологию. а Мадина изучает юриспруденцию. Они очень умные девушки и они много учатся. Мы говорим на разные темы: об учёбе, жизни, политике, религии, и о наших целях и мечтах. Конечно, мы не совсем согласны друг с другом, но мне нравится дружить с разными людьми из разных культур, потому что это помогает мне лучше понять наш мир. 
Я буду очень скучать по моим любимым соседям и я думаю, что я буду плакать до того, как я уеду. Я надеюсь, что мы увидимся еще раз в будущем. Я так благодарна и рада, что встретила двух отличных девушек. Я хочу вернуться скоро в Петербург, чтобы увидеть Аллу и Мадину и увидеть больше этого великого города. Алла и Мадина, спасибо большое за вашу доброту и ваши смешные моменты, которые я никогда не забуду!

    A full moon from the rooftop of Loft Etazhi Project. I recommend this place. It has everything, from clothes shops, to street food, and cocktails!

    English:

    For my final report, I’d like to talk about who I live with here in St Petersburg in my student halls.
In my flat, I live with international students, but most of them are from Russian speaking countries. For example, I live with Alla and Madina who are from Transnistria and Tajikistan respectively. They are the best of friends, and they have really helped me with everything I could ask for here over the last five months. I’m always laughing when I’m with them, simply because they’re just hilarious girls! I live to chitchat with them when I come home from university, and we always seem to talk for hours. Of course it’s sometimes difficult to communicate with one another, because I’m not fluent in Russian (yet!) and they aren’t fluent in English. And so, we have stumbled upon an easier way to speak and that is in « Runglish » – which is just Russian and English at the same time. I feel like I’ve improved my Russian, and that’s thanks to chatting away with Alla and Madina. Now we’re really good friends.

    Kazan Cathedral in the sun!

    Alla studies political science and Madina studies law. They’re incredibly intelligent and they study alot. We talk about all kinds of things: our studies, lives, politics, religion, our hopes and dreams for the future. Of course, we dont always agree with each other, but I like making friends with different people from different cultures, because that way I can better appreciate the world around me.
 I’m really going to miss my lovely neighbours and I think that I’ll cry before i leave. I hope that we’ll see each other again in the future. I’m so grateful and happy to have met two great girls! I want to come back to St Petersburg soon, to see Alla and Madina and to see more of this great city. Alla and Madina, thank you so much for your kindness and your funny moments with I’ll never ever forget!

  • 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