Week 2 During the week between move in and when class starts, myself and three other people from UH decided to take a trip up to Edinburgh. We took a train from King's Cross Station up to Edinburgh Waverly. The ride there was a little over four hours. Keep in mind when traveling, it takes time to get from campus to whatever station or airport you're departing from. It took us about 40 minutes to get from Roehampton to King's Cross Station in Central London by bus and tube. ACCOMMODATIONS Since there were four of us, we decided to stay in an Airbnb right in the middle of Old Town. All the touristy sites were within walking distance from us. To save some money and since there weren't many Scottish dishes we wanted to try, we also decided to go to the grocery store and make most of our meals at the Airbnb. OUR ITINERARY We wanted to make the most of our time in Edinburgh, so we tried to plan our days beforehand while also leaving room for free time in case someone saw something interesting along the way. Edinburgh Castle This is definitely a must see. There is an entrance fee, but I think it was worth it. Make sure to book your ticket in advance online. We went in the late afternoon right after arrived and dropped our stuff off at the Airbnb. If you really want to delve into the history, there is an audio tour you can rent. We decided to just walk around and read the signs. The views of New Town were spectacular. One of buildings is home to a memorial to the Scots who served in the Great War (WWI). In the castle's Crown room is the Stone of Destiny, an ancient symbolic stone that was used for the inauguration of Scottish kings for centuries until 1296 when it was seized by King Edward I of England and built into a throne in Westminster Abbey. Queen Elizabeth II was crowned above this stone. It was returned to Scotland in 1996 but will be brought back to London for the coronation ceremony of King Charles III. St. Giles Cathedral If you watched some of the coverage on the Queen's passing, this place might sound familiar. It was here that the Queen lied in state before returning to London. It is located along the Royal Mile, so we passed by multiple times as we wandered around Edinburgh. Portobello Beach Our second day in Edinburgh was rainy and gloomy, but that didn't stop us from heading down to the beach. Even on this gloomy day, there were people out and dogs running along the shoreline. It was definitely a different scene from back home but beautiful none-the-less. National Museum of Scotland If you're a history buff (or even if you're not), the National Museum of Scotland is a great place to visit. It's also free :) You could spend hours wandering the different floors and exhibits, which is what we did on our rainy day after our trip down to the beach. DIY Harry Potter Tour Edinburgh is known as the birthplace of Harry Potter because that's where JK Rowling originally wrote the books. There are many Harry Potter walking tours you can book (some for free!). I decided to follow one of the walking tours published on GetYourGuide. This included a stop at The Dog House, a quirky pub that serves butterbeer (actually alcoholic here), Victoria Street (aka Diagon Alley), Museum Context on Victoria St., and the Greyfriars Kirkyard which is where Rowling found inspiration for multiple character names. Mary's Milk Bar Hungry for ice cream (even in 50°F weather)? This place was recommended to us by our Airbnb host. It's a cute shop with a unique selection of favors, and from it you have a great view of Edinburgh Castle. The Alchemist I'm not a big drinker, but this bar was very cool. There's a chemistry theme to most of their drinks, making the presentation of them super fun to watch. Whiski Bar and Restaurant Looking to try whiskey while in Scotland? This place was recommended to us by our tour bus driver (more on the tour we went on in my next post). It was also conveniently a 5 min walk from where we were staying. But even if you aren't staying near this place, there are a TON of pubs and bars in Old Town, so you're sure to find a place has good whiskey. Checkout my next blog to see our day trip to the Scottish Highlands!
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It was truly an interesting time to be in London. On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away in Balmoral, Scotland and her funeral was held yesterday on September 19, 2022 at Westminster Abbey. The news channels like BBC were covering the events between her passing and the funeral along with content covering her life and work. The news filled the covers of newspapers and journals. Even the digital ad windows on storefronts, at bus stops, and in the tube commemorated the late Queen. It was inspiring to learn about her life of public service.
I did not intend to go into Central London on the day of her funeral, but curiosity got the best of me and I went down with one other person from UH. By the time we reached the Hyde Park area, all the viewing areas along the street the Procession after the service would be coming down were full. We decided to go into Hyde Park to view the funeral proceedings on the big screens that were set up all around the park. As an American, it can sometimes be difficult to understand the "point" of the monarchy and how it is still in existence today. Being there surrounded by thousands of (mostly) British citizens, I could see and feel the significance of the Queen to them. It was remarkable to witness such a historic moment. Week 1 It's certainly been a busy (almost) week! I've been getting settled into my accommodation, going to orientation events, and meeting new people. ORIENTATION Study abroad and international students move in earlier than the local Roehampton students. During the time between move-in days is orientation for international students. My three days of orientation included a dinner on move-in day, a half-day of orientation meetings covering topics such as academics, a campus tour, and finalizing our modules (courses). Usually the university has a Photo Frenzy Scavenger Hunt around central London the Saturday after you arrive, but this was canceled as the Queen was lying in state at Westminster Abbey and travel to and in central London had increased dramatically. REGISTRATION After you are accepted in UH SAC's program, you will be direct to register as a study abroad student through the University of Roehampton. In this process, you'll be asked to select your preferred modules (courses). From that list, Roehampton will assign your final modules. Make sure you check the UH course equivalences before submitting. For one of my modules, an equivalency was not listed, so I petitioned for the class. I recommend petitioning before you leave rather than after you took the course, so you know for sure if the abroad class will transfer back. Compared to previous student blogs I've read, the registration process was a bit different this semester. We didn't receive our timetables prior to arrival. Instead after our half-day of orientation meetings, we had to meet with one of the Roehampton study abroad advisors in-person to confirm our timetables (schedules). This process took a while. Although they did have different shifts students were arriving in, my friends and I ended up waiting in line for almost an hour to meet with an advisor to confirm our timetable and receive our student ID. In this one-on-one meeting, you could change your modules or ask questions about them which was helpful. There is also an add drop period during the first week.
BUS020N511 / MGT 342: Global and International Business Strategy BUS020C406 / BUS 367G: Business Psychology BUS020N514 / BUS 367I: International Business and Emerging Markets KRS 415 (UH Faculty): Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries
NEW FRIENDS
Through our study abroad cohort, I've been able to meet new people that go to UH. Prior to the pre-departure meetings, I knew no one else going up to London. In my first couple days, I also got to meet a number of people from different universities in America and around the world (Australia, Syria, France), since all the international and study abroad students move in at the same time. |
Kaylee MikiI'm a college student from Hawai‘i studying abroad in London and looking forward to traveling around Europe and sharing my experiences. Archives
January 2023
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