An Aural Extravaganza
Today I thought about the menagerie of sounds that one hears on an average day in Pakistan. There is the ice-cream cart that plays an electronic version of ‘fur-de-lise’ on repeat, I wonder how it doesn’t drive the poor man bonkers. There are the cats and dogs. Nobody owns them (indeed, the average Pakistani is…
Read MoreMaking Light of Things…
Today has been a fairly relaxing day. The weather is changing here, slowly but surely the temperature is rising. Although fortunately the mosquitoes have launched a full-scale invasion as yet, and the ceiling fan has not been needed as yet. Every day the citizens of this country go without electricity for between 3 and 10…
Read MoreEyes of Sadness
Our Changing World
It is now drawing closer towards the final month of my scholarship, so I want to make an effort to blog more regularly. I would like to give readers an insight into what life is like here, and the potential ways to strengthen ties between the UK and Pakistan in decades to come. A couple…
Read MoreDries Van Noten expo – Les Arts Decoratifs
A visit to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, is always rather interesting, and this time to see the life and works of Dries Van Noten, especially after his recent défilé, was great. There was an obvious progression from his first collection to his most recent, notably thanks to more advanced technology becoming available. It…
Read MoreAlors, Joyeux Noel et bon reveillon en retard!!
Rentrer chez moi pour le Noel et voir toute ma famille encore était absolument incroyable! Au début quand je suis arrivé chez moi ma maman a déjà cuisiné beaucoup de mes repas favoris pour la semaine… c’est incroyable comment des chose tel qu’un ‘vrai saucis’ me manquent!! C’était sympa. Pendant les vacances nous n’avons pas…
Read MoreParma, Italia – Febbraio 2014, Esther Bokuma
Dopo una lunga pausa in Inghilterra, sono finalmente arrivata a Parma la domenica scorsa nel pomeriggio, per iniziare la seconda parte del mio anno all’estero. Il mio alloggio era 12 minuti dall’aeroporto, quindi non ci volle molto per stabilirsi nella mia nuova casa. Vivo a Carlotta e Jessica. Carlotta è Italiana, lei è una studentessa…
Read MoreMontpellier, France – Décembre 2013
C’est ma dernière semaine à Paul Valéry et comme je commence à me préparer pour retourner en Angleterre, j’ai pensé qu’il serait bien de réfléchir un peu sur mon temps ici et aussi de parler des choses que j’ai apprises pendant mon semestre à Montpellier. Pour moi, c’était difficile pour m’habituer à mon emploi du…
Read MoreFévrier 2014- Genève
Février à Genève a été un mois de brouillards, de pluies et, au moins pour moi, d’étudier. La reprise de cours est le 17 février et j’ai dû étudier pour bien être au niveau pour le deuxième semestre. Mais, heureusement j’ai profité d’une petite pause la semaine avant la reprise de cours car ma…
Read MoreRebonjour!
Alors, février est arrivé encore une fois, cependant – il fait chaud ?! C’est tellement bizarre d’être en février portant une chemise ou un tshirt, avec peu de pluie et peu de froid – l’hiver est allé où cette année ?! Bien qu’en disant ça, je me plaignes pas du tout ! Il ressemble beaucoup l’été, et…
Read MoreMadrid en enero por Hannah Phillips
Enero fue un mes muy memorable en mi aventura española – que marcó el aniversario de un año desde que me mudé a este país y cumplí 22. O los “dos patitos”, como lo llaman en español. Tuve la oportunidad de celebrar mi cumpleaños en Salamanca durante un fin de semana con mis amigos. Para…
Read MoreDécembre 2013 L'Escalade
Qu’est-ce que je peux dire du dernier mois de semestre ? Tellement de choses se sont passées que je vais me concentrer sur un évènement qui se passe chaque année à Genève : l’Escalade. L’Escalade se fait en deux parties. La première partie est la course à l’escalade. Cette année la course s’est tenue le…
Read MoreTwo Weeks in Cordoba- January 2014
I have been staying with a friend in Cordoba for two weeks in order to improve my Spanish before starting the second semester in Geneva. I could talk about the monuments in Cordoba, Granada or Seville (as we also visited these two cities), or perhaps of the prodigious amounts of food, all delicious, which my…
Read MoreTribal Women, Sindh
Royal Mosque, Lahore
Enero – un mes importante
Enero fue un mes muy memorable en mi aventura española – que marcó el aniversario de un año desde que me mudé a este país y cumplí 22. O los “dos patitos”, como lo llaman en español. Tuve la oportunidad de celebrar mi cumpleaños en Salamanca durante un fin de semana con mis amigos. Para…
Read MorePremiere Vision 2014
Premiere Vision is a textile fair just north of Paris. This is the second time I’ve visited with my school and its really a great experience, especially studying Fashion Design. Even though I’m not yet at the stage where I’m looking to buy, its a great opportunity to see whats out there and to also…
Read MoreDecorative Arches in the Alhambra
Photo taken inside the Alhambra palace capturing the intricate decoration which covers it.
Read MorePlaza de España
A view across the fantastically decorated Plaza de España
Read MoreAlhambra
the Alhambra, in Granada, with the Sierra Nevada in the background
Read MoreCordoba Skyline at Night
The view of the Mezquita from the Roman Bridge at the Entrance to the Old Town
Read MoreThank you John Speak Language Trust
In the early 1990s I was awarded a grant by the John Speak Language Trust. The grant was a turning point for me – I gained enormously in confidence as a result of getting support from an outside organisation who did not know me! After graduation, I decided to return to China in an attempt…
Read MoreBirthday Drinks
Celebrating my 20th birthday with some friends!
Read More“Madrid through the eyes of an intern”
As a 21 year old University student studying International Business with Spanish, the opportunity to spend 18 months abroad perfecting my language skills was and is an amazing opportunity. The first half of 2013 found me in the north of Spain, studying at the University of Oviedo as part of an Erasmus semester. However I…
Read More