Moving to Spain to start my first job has been the most challenging experience of my life so far however it has also been the most rewarding. Since starting university almost three years ago now, my degree has been building up to this point. Being awarded a scholarship by the John Speak Language Trust has helped to alleviate some of the stress and financial burden that comes with being at such a pinnacle point of my degree. The scholarship has allowed me to make the most of my time in Granada and seize every opportunity with both hands.
Anya and I hiking in the Sierra Nevada.
With regards to my internship, it was very enlightening to be out of education and I have learnt a lot from it. I gained an insight into sectors such as Sales, Business Development and Software Engineering. Moreover I also enhanced my professional development by learning more about myself and how I operate in a professional setting. Working in such a rapidly growing startup forced me to adapt to and tackle new challenges with greater confidence and professionalism, both inside and out of the office. Whether it was combating the language barrier or dealing with new scenarios with customers. The combination of working and living abroad has trained me to be able to deal with almost any obstacle that I face.
Avenida de la Constitución 12: my home for 6 months.
Languages have opened up so many opportunities for me. This is just the start.
I am extremely proud to say that I lived in Granada. It is a remarkable city with a rich cultural and historical background that I would not have been able to appreciate if I had not lived there myself. These six months have been an unforgettable journey which I have been able to share with friends from all over the world.
If you ever have the chance to do a year or even a semester abroad, I highly recommend it. The skills, experiences and memories on offer are priceless and will stay with you for life.
The river spot where my colleagues and good friends Will, Nora and Mart used to take to our lunch breaks.
I would like to thank the John Speak Language Trust for their financial support during my time in Spain. My year abroad would not have been the same without it. It has been a catalyst for my immersion into Spanish language and culture and for that I will always be grateful.
Trip to the thermal springs in Santa Fe.
Español:
Mudarme a España para empezar mi primer trabajo ha sido la experiencia más desafiante de mi vida hasta ahora, pero también la más gratificante. Desde que empecé la universidad hace casi tres años, mi título ha ido creciendo hasta este punto. Recibir una beca del John Speak Language Trust me ha ayudado a aliviar parte del estrés y la carga financiera que conlleva el estar en un punto tan alto de mi carrera. La beca me ha permitido aprovechar al máximo mí tiempo en Granada y aprovechar cada oportunidad con ambas manos.
At the top of the tower at the Alcazaba Fortress during my visit to the Alhambra.
Con respecto a mi pasantía, fue muy esclarecedor estar fuera de la educación y le he aprendido mucho. He adquirido una visión de sectores como las ventas, el desarrollo de negocios y la ingeniería de software. Además, también mejoré mi desarrollo profesional aprendiendo más sobre mí mismo y sobre cómo actúo en un entorno profesional. Trabajar en una empresa de tan rápido crecimiento me obligó a adaptarme y a afrontar nuevos retos con mayor confianza y profesionalidad, tanto dentro como fuera de la oficina. Ya fuera combatiendo la barrera del idioma o tratando nuevos escenarios con los clientes. La combinación de trabajar y vivir en el extranjero me ha entrenado para ser capaz de lidiar con casi cualquier obstáculo que enfrente.
“Granada is the perfect dream and fantasy, forever ineffable… Granada will always be more malleable than philosophical, more lyric than dramatic.” Federico García Lorca
Adam and I in our element at Chupiteria 69, our second home.
Estoy muy orgulloso de decir que viví en Granada. Es una ciudad extraordinaria, con un rico bagaje cultural e histórico que no hubiera podido apreciar si no hubiera vivido allí yo mismo. Estos seis meses han sido un viaje inolvidable que he podido compartir con amigos de todo el mundo. Si alguna vez tienes la oportunidad de hacer un año o incluso un semestre en el extranjero, te lo recomiendo encarecidamente. Las habilidades, experiencias y recuerdos que se ofrecen no tienen precio y se quedarán contigo de por vida.
Me gustaría agradecer al John Speak Language Trust por su apoyo financiero durante mi estancia en España. Mi año en el extranjero no habría sido el mismo sin él. Ha sido un catalizador para mi inmersión en la lengua y la cultura españolas y por eso siempre estaré agradecido.
Dale limosna, mujer. Que no hay en la vida nada como la pena de ser ciego en Granada.
View of the Alhmabra from the Mirador de San Nicolás.
Este mes fue muy emociónate ya que pude marcar dos ciudades peruanas icónicas en mi lista de cosas que quiero hacer antes de morir: Iquitos y Cusco. Como país, Perú es conocido por sus paisajes distintos, desde la costa, selva, sierra y finalmente, el desierto. Mi estancia aquí no habría sido completa sin aventurarme en estos lugares extraordinarios y encantadores.
La ciudad de Cusco
Antes de irme a Iquitos, estaba un poco nerviosa porque nunca había ido a una selva tropical y me preguntaba lo que vería allí, a quien encontraría y, sobre todo, ¡con cuantas picaduras de mosquito terminaría! Armada con repelente y crema solar, me dirigí hacia el norte, cambiando la selva urbana de Lima por una experiencia salvaje y autentica. Es seguro decir que me enamoré con el lugar, y además con buenas razones. Mientras estuve allí, visité a un santuario de monos, donde los residentes habían sido rescatados del mercado negro y necesitaban rehabilitación antes de volver a su hábitat natural. Los monos eran afectuosos y lúdicos, incluso tenían distintas personalidades que me pareció fascinante.
Mono-manía!
Otro hito fue pasar una noche en el corazón profundo de la selva, durmiendo en la tierra suave y escuchando la nana de la naturaleza. Sin embargo, esta noche hubo una lluvia torrencial, ¡lo cual significó que estaba empapada! Esto se compensó el siguiente día cuando pescamos pirañas y las comimos para nuestro desayuno con plátano recién cosechado. Para reflexionar, estoy contenta de que pude visitar una parte del mundo tan única, pero en algunos momentos me encontré notando el impacto que el turismo tuvo en la región. A parte de la contaminación, había algunos centros de visita de animales donde el enfoque era más en la experiencia del turista en lugar del bienestar y las necesidades de los animales. Es muy triste; como seres humanos somos atraídos por la maravilla y el misterio, aunque tenemos que aprender como dejar una menor huella cuando consentimos estos deseos.
Un arco iris en la selva
Poco después, llegó el momento por la visita monumental a Cusco: el corazón del antiguo imperio Inca. Estaba emocionada de poder finalmente visitar a Machu Picchu, una de las maravillas del mundo que había visto repleto en todas las guías turísticas y tarjetas postales tanto dentro como fuera del Perú. Antes de llegar a este famoso lugar emblemático, pase un tiempo explorando a la ciudad de Cusco, que tiene calles empedradas encantadoras y edificios imponentes. Visité también a una cooperativa local de textiles, donde producían productos de alpaca artesanales utilizando procesos tradicionales. Aprendí como usaban tintas naturales de la flora y fauna de la región, por ejemplo, la cochinea que es un parasito que, una vez presionado, secreta un color rojo carmesí. Luego, estuve en el Valle Sagrado, transitando por Maras, famosa por sus salineras, y Moray, un sito arqueológico donde es posible apreciar las terrazas agrícolas desarrolladas por los Incas.
Salineras de Maras
Finalmente era la hora más anticipada del mi viaje, mirando a Machu Picchu por la primera fue más allá de lo que pueda imaginar. La mera magnitud del lugar, la complejidad de los edificios y la imposibilidad de la ubicación encima de una montaña eran captadoras, ¡tuve que pellizcarme para asegurarme de que estaba realmente allí! A lo largo de los años, se han propuesto varias teorías que explican la razón por la cual existe esta ciudad sagrada y me sorprendió aprender que podría haber sido una universidad un lugar donde la nobleza podía aprender y perfeccionar habilidades en agricultura e ingeniería. Me asombró la importancia de los elementos naturales para los Incas; en particular, su adoración de Inti (el Dios del Sol) significó que los edificios y diseño de Machu Picchu eran construidos en armonía con el amanecer, el atardecer y el solsticio como un acto de devoción.
La vista desde Machu Picchu!
Sin duda, este fue un mes especial durante mi intercambio. Estoy agradecida de haber tenido la oportunidad de visitar lugares tan destacables y entender como sus historias han moldeado al Perú moderno de hoy. Por ejemplo, la selva todavía presenta un reto en cuanto a la provisión de acceso a recursos básicos. Estuve anonada por la variedad de paisajes y espero de haberlos capturado para compartir en este blog.
English:
This month was very exciting as I got to check off two iconic Peruvian cities from my Bucket list: Iquitos and Cusco. As a county, Peru is known for its diverse landscapes, which range from coast, jungle, mountain and finally, to desert. My stay here wouldn’t have been complete without venturing to these enchanting and extraordinary locations.
Moray: and archeological wonder
Before heading off to Iquitos I was a little nervous as I’d never been to a tropical jungle before, I wondered what I would see there, who I would meet and most importantly, how many mosquito bites would I end up with! Armed with repellent and lots of sunscreen, I made my way up north, swapping the concrete jungle of Lima for a more wild and authentic experience. It’s safe to say that I fell in love with the place, and with good reason too. Whilst I was there, I visited a monkey sanctuary where the residents have been rescued from the black market and need to be rehabilitated before their release to the wild. The monkeys were affectionate and playful, they even had distinctive personalities which I found fascinating.
With my furry friends
Another highlight was spending the night deep in the heart of the jungle, sleeping on the soft earth and listening to the natural lullaby. Although, that night there was a torrential downpour which meant that I got completely soaked! This was compensated the next day however, as we went fishing for piranhas and ate them for breakfast alongside a freshly picked bunch of plantain. On reflection, I am glad that I got to visit such a unique part of the world, but at times I found myself noticing the clear impact that tourism had on the region. Aside from pollution in the form of litter, there were a couple of animal visiting centres where the focus was more on the tourist experience rather than the wellbeing and needs of the animal. It’s painful to see; as human beings we are drawn in by wonder and mystery, yet we need to learn how to leave less of a footprint when we indulge in these dreams and desires.
Deep in the jungle
Soon after, it was time for the momentous visit to Cusco: the heart of the ancient Inca empire. I was ecstatic to finally visit Machu Picchu, one of the ancient wonders of the world that I had seen plastered on every tourist magazine and fridge magnet, both inside and outside Peru. Before reaching the famous landmark, I spent some time exploring the main town of Cusco which has charming cobble-stoned streets and striking stone buildings. I also visited a local textile collective that hand-produced different products made from alpaca wool using traditional techniques. I learnt how they used natural dyes from the flora and fauna of the surrounding region, for instance the cochineal parasite which releases a crimson red colour when pressed. Next, I spent some time in the Sacred Valley stopping in the towns of Maras, known for its salt production, and Moray, an archaeological site where it’s possible to appreciate the terrace farming technique the Inca’s developed.
Traditional textile techniques
Finally, came the moment of long-awaited anticipation, setting eyes on Machu Picchu for the first time was beyond my imagination. The sheer size of the place, the intricacy of the buildings and the impossible mountain-top location were captivating, I had to pinch myself to make sure I was there! Over the years, there have been many theories as to the what purpose the Sacred city served and I was surprised to learn that it could have been considered as a university, a place where the nobility at the time could learn and perfect skills such as agriculture and engineering. I was amazed by how important the natural elements were for the Inca’s; in particular, their worship of Inti (the Sun God) meant that the buildings and layout of Machu Picchu were constructed to coincide with sunrise, sunset and the solstice as an act of devotion.
Picture Perfect Postcard
Without a doubt, this was a special month during my exchange here. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to visit such remarkable places and really understand how their history has shaped Peru as a modern nation today. For example, the jungle still presents a major obstacle in terms of providing access to basic resources. I have been blown away by the variety of scenery and hope to have captured some of the wonder to share in this post!
Es casi primavera en Lima, el aire huele a cambios y los cielos azules se ven cada vez más. Aunque se suele asociar esta estación con inicios positivos, en términos políticos ha sido un mes turbulento en el Perú por los desacuerdos entre el Presidente y el Congreso. La situación es bastante compleja y producto de tensiones históricas, pero para resumir los eventos culminaron el 30 de septiembre. El Presidente, tras repetidas frustraciones, decidió disolver el Congreso, quien tomó represalias jurando a la Vice Presidenta como dirigente del país. Escandalosamente, por 24 horas el Perú tenía 2 Presidenes ya que no estaba claro quien realmente tenía el poder. En los últimos días, se han fijado las elecciones por enero 2020 y será interesante monitorar como la situación cambia en los siguientes meses. Habiendo experimentado el contexto británico del Brexit, es revelador observar como diferentes naciones y culturas luchan con el futuro destino de sus países. Si bien los asuntos no son los mismos en ambos a casos, lo que sí queda claro es el deseo del pueblo de rendir cuentas y tener transparencia por sus representativos elegidos.
La primavera limeña
Por otro lado, al viajar más en el Perú, empiezo a apreciar la naturaleza cálida y acogedora de sus ciudadanos. Estoy fascinada por las historias detrás de la gente que encuentro en diferentes lugares del país, desde empresarios jóvenes en el espacio de yoga, hasta familias en zonas rurales que abren las puertas de su casa para acomodar turistas. Un viaje especial que hice este mes fue a Cajamarca y el pueblo cercano de Chachapoyas. La anterior cuenta con arquitectura colonial magnífica en la Plaza de Armas, con un fondo dramático de montañas verdes. La imposibilidad de la naturaleza en esa región se captura en las cataratas de Gocta, que mide 771m. Después de 7 horas de una caminata bien dura, admiré a lo que en algún momento fue considerada la tercera cascada más alta del mundo – una experiencia inolvidable!
Las cataratas de Gocta
Al acercarme al punto medio de mi semestre en el extranjero, estoy entusiasmada de imaginar como estos espacios desplazados se reflejan en los lugares que visito y la gente que encuentro.
El movimiento y la quietud
English:
What a stunning view!
It’s nearly Spring in Lima, the air smells of change and blue skies are a more frequent sighting. Although this season is usually associated with positive beginnings, politically speaking, it has been quite a turbulent month in Peru due to disagreements between the President and the Congress. The situation is fairly complex and a result of historical tensions, but in summary the events came to a climax on 30th September. The President, following repeated frustrations, decided to dissolve the Congress, who then retaliated by swearing in the Vice President as new leader of the country. Shockingly, for 24 hours Peru had 2 Presidents as it wasn’t clear who was actually in charge! In the days since, elections have been set for January 2020 and it will be interesting to monitor how the situation develops over the coming months. Having experienced the British context of Brexit, it’s eye-opening to see how different nations and cultures battle with the future destiny of their country. Whilst the issues may not be the same in each case, what does shine through is the people’s desire to have accountability and transparency for their elected representatives.
Soaking up some sun in el Parque del Amor, Miraflores
Elsewhere, as I travel further into Peru, I’m beginning to appreciate the welcoming and warm nature of it’s people. I am fascinated by the stories behind the diverse people who I meet in different parts of the country, from young entrepreneurs in the yoga space to families who open up their homes to tourists in rural areas. A special trip I went on this month was to Cajamarca and the nearby town of Chachapoyas. The former boasts magnificent colonial architecture in the centre with a dramatic backdrop of green mountains. The impossibility of nature in this region is captured by the Gocta waterfalls, measuring and impressive m 771m. Following a tough 7 hour hike, I marvelled at what was once believed to be the 3rd tallest waterfall in the world – an unforgettable experience!
As I approach the halfway point of my semester abroad, I’m excited to see how these shifting spaces are reflected in the places I visit and the people I meet.
Business as usualColonial architecture at its finest, Cajamarca
Antes de todo, quiero presentarme: me llamo Saher Murtaza y estudio Filología Hispánica y Gestión Empresarial en King’s College Londres. Como ya podrían haber adivinado por el título de la serie de mis reportajes mensuales, en este momento estoy en Lima, Perú. Voy a pasar un semestre haciendo un intercambio a la universidad del Pacífico como parte del año en el extranjero de mi carrera.
Soy Saher, encantada de concerte!
Apodada ‘la ciudad gris’ por los locales (¡no parece tan distante a Londres!), es increíble pensar que ya ha pasado un mes desde que llegue aquí. Desde instalándome en mi nueva casa, acostumbrándome al transporte publico caótico, adaptándome a que todas las clases sean en español y navegando por todas las atracciones, aromas y maravillas – es cierto que ha sido un mes muy ocupado.
Aquí están unos de mis momentos favoritos:
Durante la semana de bienvenida organizada por la universidad para los estudiantes de intercambio, hice un recorrido por el centro histórico de Lima y pasé la tarde admirando la icónica arquitectura amarilla, regateando por productos agrícolas en el Mercado Central y comiendo churros muy ricos rellenos de dulce de leche.
Churros!Plaza de Armas, Lima
La semana siguiente, fui en una excursión organizada por los estudiantes locales como parte del programa de Buddies de la universidad. Visitamos a la Reserva Nacional de Paracas, un ambiente ecológico protegido que es hábitat de lobos marinos, pingüinos y cientos de especies de aves. Luego, nos quedamos en Pisco y aprendemos el proceso tradicional para hacer la famosa bebida nacional del Perú. Finalmente, nuestra aventura alcanzó su pico en Huacachina, un oasis en el desierto en la cual nuestros corazones latieron desaforados por manejar los bugís y hacer surf en las dunas.
La laguna de HuacachinaAtardecer con vistas del oasis
Aprovechando la diversidad de Perú, viajé al norte, a la ciudad costera de Chiclayo. Aquí descubrí la historia del Señor de Sipán, un antiguo gobernante de la civilización Mochica cuyos restos fueron descubiertos en 1987 por un equipo de arqueólogos peruanos. Estaba asombrada por las obras de artes complejas que había en la cerámica y el excepcional trabajo de artesanía metálica – ¡artefactos que precedieron a los Incas! Una experiencia inolvidable fue nadar en las aguas turquesas de Mayascón, una pequeña aldea dos horas fuera de la ciudad principal que todavía se ha mantenido como un secreto bien guardado.
Aguas turquesas de MayascónMuseo Tumbas Reales Señor De Sipán
Aparte de estos dos viajes, he pasado mucho tiempo poniéndome al corriente de la vida local inscribiéndome en un club de yoga, viendo obras de teatro y sumergiéndome en la gastronomía peruana. Aunque haya sido un mes de bote en bote, ¡mi aventura aquí ha apenas empezado!
English:
First of all, let me introduce myself: my name is Saher Murtaza and I study Spanish and Management at King’s College London. As you may have guessed from the title of my monthly report series, I’m currently in Lima! I’m spending a semester as an exchange student at the Universidad del Pacífico as part of my degree’s year abroad.
Lima: the grey city
Nicknamed the ‘grey city’ by locals (not too different from London, it seems!), it’s incredible to think that a month has passed since I first got here. From settling into my new home, getting used to the chaotic public transport system, adjusting to all my lectures being in Spanish and navigating my way around all the sights, smells and wonders – it has definitely been a busy four weeks.
Here are some of my favourite moments:
During the university’s welcome week’ for exchange students, I toured the historic centre of Lima and spent the afternoon admiring the iconic yellow architecture, haggling for produce in the Central Market and eating exquisite churros that were filled with dulce de leche cream.
Lima’s Main SquareAbsolutely delicious!
The following weekend, I went on a trip that was organised by the local students as part of the university Buddy Program. We visited Paracas National Reserve, a protected environment which is home to sea lions, penguins and hundreds of species of birds. Next, we made a stop in Pisco and learnt about the process of making the Peruvian national drink. Finally, our adventure came to a peak in Huacachina, desert-oasis town that had our hearts racing from riding sand buggies and surfing the dunes.
Sea lions in ParacasAn exhilarating experience
Making the most of Peru’s diversity, I travelled to the northern, coastal city of Chiclayo. Here I discovered the history of El Señor de Sipán, an ancient ruler of the Mochica civilization whose lavish tomb was discovered by Peruvian archaeologists in 1987. I was amazed by the intricate artwork on their pottery and the skilled metal craftsmanship– artefacts which predated the Incas! An unforgettable experience was swimming in the turquoise lagoons in Mayascón, a little village 2 hours outside of the main city which is still a relatively well-kept secret.
A moment of tranquilityPottery from the Mochica civilisation
Aside from these two trips away, I’ve spent a lot of time getting into the swing of local life by joining a yoga club, watching local theatre shows and volunteering for beach clean ups. Although it’s been a jam-packed month, my adventure here has only just begun!
Probably the best view of Mt.Fuji I have ever seen
Bus Trip to Hakone
The Japanese language school that I go to took all the students to Hakone as a winter school trip. Hakone is a popular tourist spot near Tokyo famous for its onsen. It’s a place I’d never been to before. Because it takes 2 hours by bus to get there from school, the meeting time was 7.45am, with departure scheduled for 8am. But due to the fact that I don’t live anywhere near school, in order to be on time I had to leave home at 6.30am. For some reason I struggled to fall asleep the night before, it was tough…
On route there were traffic jams caused by accidents, and we got stuck behind an extremely slow lorry on a small mountain road (the driver was doing something on their phone while driving), so it took us around 3 hours to get there in the end. Our first plan upon arriving at Hakone was the Hakone “pirate ship”. However, being 1 hour later than planned, even the teachers didn’t know whether we could still ride it. In a lucky turn off events we arrived at the port just as the ship was pulling in, so we just managed to ride it. Rather than just being a normal ferry, this ship was built to look like an old sailboat like its name suggests. It was a little bit cheap looking, and rather touristy, but we got a really good view of the stunning scenery and Mt. Fuji while riding it. Also managed to take some nice photos.
After that we ate lunch, then split into two groups, onsen course and sightseeing course. I was in the sightseeing group. First we took the cable car up the mountain to the Ōwakudani valley. It is known as “the valley of hell” and when you arrive it is easy to see why. The yellowish green rocks everywhere, the trees and other plants covered in a white substance, thick white steam coming out the ground and the strange smell in the air. This is due to the area being an active volcano. There are lots of sulphur rich rocks, creating that smell, and steam due to the volcanic activity. It was my first time going anywhere like that. It was amazing.
Wherever you go in Japan there are meibutsu, special food or drink associated with that region or place. For example, Tokushima prefecture’s meibutsu is Sudachi (a kind of fruit similar to a Lime), Nagoya’s is Uiro (a kind of sweet not dissimilar to mochi) or Hitsumabushi (a dish with grilled eel over rice). Ōwakudani’s is Black eggs. The eggs shells turn black due to them being boiled in sulphur rich water. It is said that eating one of the black eggs will extend your life by seven years. Also, according to a leaflet in the souvenir shop, the black eggs have more flavour and nutrient value than normal eggs. They sell the black eggs in packs of five there, so I bought one with my classmates and we all tried one. But, it was just the same taste as a normal egg. I was a little disappointed. Hopefully it at least extends my life by seven years.
Lastly, we went to The Hakone Open-Air Art Museum. They had lots of sculptures outside, and the weather was good. It was really interesting. But it did make me feel like I wanted to be a kid again. There were lots of places for kids to play in, and it looked really good fun. I also wanted to play inside a sculpture, but there were various age limits (e.g. 6yrs old or under). The only thing an adult could go in was a stained glass tower. Besides the outside part, there was also a Picasso exhibit. I saw some sculptures and crockery that Picasso had done for the first time, so I learned something new. Then we got the bus back to Tokyo.
Wine event
Among one of my friends acquaintance, there is a guy that imports wine from California. He holds events to sell wine around once a month. My friend helps out at these events as a part time job, and I was invited along to see how it works for the February event. It was a really good experience.
At the event, there were 8 white wines, one rose, and around 12 red wines set out on the table. And the customers could try the wines they were interested in, then fill out an order form once they decided which to buy. I arrived in the half time break. To start with I tried all the wines, read an information sheet (really for the customers) and copied my friend’s notes on the wines. After around 15 mins, customers started arriving. Even though I know very little about wine, I was soon behind the table serving wine and answering questions. Had a lot of conversations with the customers. Obviously all in Japanese. On my name badge, I wrote that I am from Scotland so I got a lot of questions on why I can speak Japanese, why I came to Japan, and about Scotland and the Uk as well as about wine. It made me notice that my Japanese level has improved.
I still don’t feel confident answering questions about wine, but it was super interesting listening to the people working at the event talking about it. They talked with such enthusiasm, knew lots of little facts, and used words in a way that made you want to hear more. I know I still have a long way to go, but I hope that someday I will be able to talk like that.
Taking Japanese style Graduation Photos
Taking graduation photos
When graduating from University, Japanese people often wear Hakama, an item of clothing similar to a skirt worn over a Kimono to the ceremony. I think it’s an extremely beautiful thing. When I saw my friends stunning graduation photos, I hoped that one day I could also wear one. I was really fortunate to get a chance to wear one recently. My Japanese language school owns around 10 Hakama for both genders. And when students on a student visa graduate they hold an event to wear them and take graduation photos. So of course I did it.
We were able to pick our preferred colour from the kimono that school owned. I got there a little early, so I got to pick first and chose a pretty blue and purple one (which I think was the best). And a dark purple Hakama to go with it. Then two of the teachers helped everyone get dressed, tied the obi’s etc. The kind that we wore was a slightly simplified version, but even so it took a while to get changed. Normally beneath the Kimono you wear a white undershirt but we just wore the visible white collar part, and my classmates just wore it over their normal clothes. I changed into a traditional underwear because I was wearing a bulky skirt though.
When everyone had changed (there were the five of us from my class, plus two girls from the class below us), we took photos one by one in the school’s Japanese style tea room (a tatami room), then some group photos. Before heading out to a local shrine because it was good weather. It was actually really hard to walk in the Hakama. Because you can’t move your legs much, rather than normal steps you have to take lots of really small steps. It was pretty tough using stairs, or even stepping up onto the pavement from the road. Also, due to the obi being tied really tight, it was a little hard to breathe. At the shrine, we took more photos holding umbrellas. The bright colours of the Hakama and the umbrellas, with the bright red of the shrine made for eye-catching photos. Once back at school, my classmates and I took more photos on our phones and enjoyed wearing the Hakama. I’m really glad I got the chance to make this kind of memory with everyone, I had a great time.
Posing on a cliff on Okunoshima (better known as rabbit island)
I was quite worried about how my end of term exams went, because I started the class half way through the semester, but I managed to pass them and enter the N1 level class! Because I am planning to take the JLPT (Japanese language proficiency test) N1 in December, I am glad I made it into the N1 class. I will continue to do my best to improve my Japanese.
I had a 2 week break before the new semester started, so I went to Tokushima-ken (in Shikoku). One of my friends from the last time I was in Japan is currently working there, so I went to visit her. By leaving Tokyo and going to the countryside, I was able to relax. I am very much a countryside girl, maybe because I grew up in the countryside, so no matter how much I enjoy my life in Tokyo, I feel like the countryside always suits me better. In the city everyone is always busy, and no one chats with each other. However, people in the countryside have a different attitude, life moves at a slower pace, and people are happy to talk to strangers. Also, I like how easy it is to walk in nature with no people around. When I am worrying about something, or unable to decide about something, I find going for a walk in nature helps me clear my mind. Therefore, being able to go there and talk walks, see fireworks and visit the rabbit island was great. I had so much fun!
Another photo of the fireworks,
Mt.Fuji
I also went on a 2 day, 1 night trip with my host family to the Mt. Fuji area. We went in a rental car that could fit 10 people, it was super fun!
On Saturday, first we went to Fuji Q Highland, a theme park, and rode the fujiyama roller-coaster. The weather that day was really reminiscent of Scotland, so it was pretty cold on the ride. Even so, we all got very excited and had a good time.
Then we went to the nearby Narusawa ice cave. We wore helmets to enter the cave, and once inside it was really tight, the ceiling was often really low and we had to climb over lots of rocks, so it really seemed like an adventure. There was an ice pond in the cave that was lit up with blue lights so it sparkled prettily.
A small part of the room we stayed in, looking out over the lake
Despite this, the highlight of the trip was the hotel we stayed at. The “room” was a tatami suite and was bigger than I thought it would be. The hotel provided Yukata (a kind of thin Kimono type Japanese style of clothing). And there was an Onsen inside the hotel. Onsen is a Japanese style of Bath. You have to shower before entering, and unlike a swimming pool, everyone enters naked (the sexes are separated though) which often surprises foreigners. While it’s a little embarrassing at first, you get used to it quickly. This hotel had two inside baths, and one outside bath. It was my first outside bath! It was the best! The hot bath and the cool air, felt really good. I went in it three times, before dinner, before sleeping and before heading out in the morning, each time I never wanted to get out.
Houtou, a speciality of Yamanashi Prefecture, it was a kind of thick flat noodle with vegetables and chicken in a miso broth.
Saying that, the food was also amazing! Dinner was a Japanese style course meal, lots of different foods came out and I got to try lots of delicious foods. There was a little bit too much food, but because it was so good I tried my best to eat it all, and gained a food baby. Breakfast was buffet style, and again everything looked so good that I ate too much and made another food baby.
On Sunday, because we had specially come to the Mt. Fuji we climbed up to the fifth step (in the car). We went above some of the clouds, and saw some beautiful autumn leaves, but due to the clouds we couldn’t ever clearly see Mt. Fuji. At the fifth step we ate Yamanashi-ken’s houtou for lunch, then went to a shrine. There we did Omikuji. I quite like Omikuji. It’s similar to a lottery, where you receive a piece of paper with various things about your future, love life, job and lucky item, among other others. There’s both good ones and bad ones. If you get a bad fortune you have to tie it to a special place at the shrine so you don’t take the bad luck with you. I don’t really believe that the future will happen as it’s written, but I think it is fun to see what is written.
The fireworks here were different from the usual kind, rather than being fired into the air they fell down like rain. The one looked like an apocalypse to me,
Now I have returned to Tokyo, and am going to class as normal.
Travelling in China
In order to celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic of China, every year on October 1st marks China’s National Day. The government lets every person have 7 days of holiday, so this holiday is also called ‘Golden Week’. There are lots of activities organised for this week and lots of people make the most of the holiday to go travelling to places in China and abroad. When I was thinking about where to go travelling with my classmates, lots of Chinese people warned us that all the main tourist attractions in China would be too busy. Also, all the hotels and train tickets would be booked out ages in advance – it would be truly unbearable for a Westerner! So, in order to avoid the crowds of Chinese tourists, we decided to visit somewhere that is usually a summer destination – Qingdao. In many aspects, Beijing and Qingdao are completely different. For example, the atmosphere in Qingdao is a lot more relaxed and the air quality is better! Qingdao is also a coastal city and is famous throughout China for its sea and mountains. When we first arrived in Qingdao, we particularly enjoyed breathing the fresh air by the sea and watching locals exercising outside. This is something that people would never do in Beijing!
On our first day in Qingdao, we wandered around the old city and enjoyed the German style architecture of the city. Because Qingdao was a German colony between 1891 and 1949, the city has been greatly influenced by Germany. In the evening, we went to a restaurant to try out Qingdao’s famous seafood. On our second day we decided to go climb a mountain. When we climbed to the top we had a bird’s eye view of the city – the view was amazing!
After visiting Qingdao, we also went to climb Mount Tai. When you mention Mount Tai, it immediately makes people think of China’s ancient history.
This is because a lot of emperors climbed Mount Tai to make sacrifices to the gods. Therefore, nowadays lots of Chinese people feel that climbing Mount Tai is of great significance. The day we went to climb there were seas of people! When I returned to Beijing and shared my experience with my Chinese friends they weren’t surprised at all.
Overall, going travelling in China was an invaluable opportunity to speak with locals and practise my Chinese and get closer to Chinese culture.
In China, the school and university terms are organized differently to in the West. Here, the year are split into two long terms, with the major holiday falling around the end of January. At Beida, the holiday is six weeks long! I wanted to make the most of this opportunity to get out of Beijing and go to Yunnan in the south of China
Yunnan is home to some of China’s most wonderful and famous places, including the Karst topography of Guilin, the rice terraces of Longji and Yuanyang, the Old Cities of Dali and Lijiang and Xishuangbanna, often referred to as ‘China’s Thailand”. When you talk about traveling in CHina, many people will think of the picturesque Yunnan scenery.
Along with two classmates， I visited all the places mentioned above. I was really impressed by the diversity of China’s geography – mountains, rivers, tropical rainforests – it’s got it all!
Speaking of mountains – we climbed a lot of them! My favorite was Laozhai Mountain in Xingping. The slope was steep and the climb was hard, but the views from the top were second to none.
Fortunately, traveling in China is cheap, particularly the cost of accommodation and food. Compared with the west, transport is relatively cheap too but because we had to take so many different busses, trains and planes, transport cost made up the brunt of our expenses.
Overall, our journey though Yunnan was a really incredible experience. That said, when the time came to return to school, I was not too sad – being on the road for that long is wonderful, but so tiring!
In January, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to Romania to work on a film. A very famous Chinese film star – Fan Bingbing – is playing the lead role of Wu Zetian, but because she could not go to Romania to shoot some scenes, I was cast to play her body double.
Wu Zetian was China’s only ever female empress, and her headstrong character was both feared and admired. I was very excited to be playing her! To research for the role, I started watching the Chinese TV series ‘The Empress of China’. Fan Bing Bing is famous for playing this role, so I wanted to model myself on her.
There were lots of Chinese extras on set. I wanted to talk to them, but previously my vocabulary about films was too limited, so I first had to learn a lot of new vocabulary about making movies! Examples (of my new vocabulary) include ‘camera angles’ and ‘wardrobe supervisor’!
The first thing I had to do was go for a costume fitting. The costume I got to wear was incredible, just like Fan Bing Bing’s! I felt honored. But one thing that made me really surprised is how uncomfortable and heavy it was. Every day, it took two hours and five people to help me get dressed. I feel very sorry for high society women of the past – I can’t even imagine how much of a pain it would be to have to get dressed this way every single day!
The locations we filmed at were so amazing they took my breath away. The only fly in the ointment was that it was absolutely freezing, and I couldn’t wear huge coats because I had to wear the costume. Luckily, the crew was very helpful and kept me warm whilst the cameraman wasn’t shooting.
All in all, it was an incredible experience that I will never forget. I can’t wait to show my friends in China the video when it comes out
Every time I ask my Chinese friends where I should go travelling in China, they all mention the same place – Yunnan.
Since we had a few weeks off class for Chinese New Year, I decided to make the most of the opportunity and go and see for myself this supposedly very special province. My first stop in Yunnan was the provincial capital, Kunming. There is a saying in Chinese that Kunming is the ‘spring city’ because no matter what time of year it is, the temperature is always warm. After spending one day in Kunming we went to Dali and Lijiang to see the world famous scenery, including Lijiang’s Jade Dragon Mountain. The beauty and fresh air of Lijiang compared to Beijing’s smog made for a refreshing change.
From here we headed south to Xishuangbanna, or ‘China’s Thailand’. The mountains of Lijiang made way for tropical rainforests, the weather became more humid and palm trees could be seen everywhere. This really was a completely different China to the one that I was used to. However, the real highlight of our trip was yet to come. From Xishuangbanna we took a 9 hour bus east towards the Yuanyang rice terraces. As soon as we saw the multicolored terraces, which amazingly stretched out as far as the eye could see, we knew that the three long bus journeys required to get there had been worth it.
I can honestly say they were amongst the most breathtaking things I have ever seen, made even more incredible by the fact they were a man made creation.
