Kia Ora from Leeds!
I was battling the UK Winter in the first update, but now we are well into a beautifully warm spring!! I have settled into my life as a Uni student in Leeds, making the most of the beautiful campus, surrounding parks and Leeds city centre. I’ve experienced so much since my last blog, from finishing uni to travelling for three weeks in Europe. Now that I am over four months into my exchange, I can say that Leeds feels like home and I know how much I will miss it!
Before I get ahead of myself (and pre-nostalgic), let’s rewind a little to March. The second half of my semester has consisted of learning new content, doing workshops and deciding which questions I want to write my essays on. I’ve tried to make the most of campus, spending much time at Laidlaw and Brotherton libraries and a few trips to the famous Bakery 164. Having only one assignment for each class, it wasn’t easy to gauge how I was tracking. The great thing about my law modules (Gender & the Law LAW3116, Evidence LAW3100, and Disability Law LAW3055) is that they had us submit 500-word plans before the break. The feedback I received from these plans was constructive for understanding UoL’s grading system and what criteria they are looking for. These plans were also a great way to start researching early, which meant not only did I have over a month to write after getting my feedback, but I could also make the most of Spring Break.
After 9 weeks of lectures, we got a whole MONTH off, to study, relax and travel; all the exchange students make the most of. I was lucky enough to have my Mum and Aunt join me for a three-week trip around Europe. After a quick Uber and short flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, I found myself in Paris to start my Euro-Spring. We got to experience France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and London for the first time together! Travelling to these countries has been a dream of mine ever since I watched the Lizzie McGuire Movie and Monte Carlo when I was young. We saw everything from the Mona Lisa, the Swiss Alps, to the Colosseum, Sagrada Familia and Buckingham Palace. I am so unbelievably lucky to have done so! Juggling trains, flights, language barriers and more, I’ve become a more experienced traveller, so I’ve compiled some of my favourite spots, things I’ve learned and general advice to share with you guys!
After 9 weeks of lectures, we got a whole MONTH off, to study, relax and travel; all the exchange students make the most of. I was lucky enough to have my Mum and Aunt join me for a three-week trip around Europe. After a quick Uber and short flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, I found myself in Paris to start my Euro-Spring. We got to experience France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and London for the first time together! Travelling to these countries has been a
dream of mine ever since I watched the Lizzie McGuire Movie and Monte Carlo when I was young. We saw everything from the Mona Lisa, the Swiss Alps, to the Colosseum, Sagrada Familia and Buckingham Palace. I am so unbelievably lucky to have done so! Juggling trains, flights, language barriers and more, I’ve become a more experienced traveller, so I’ve compiled some of my favourite spots, things I’ve learned and general advice to share with you guys!My Europe Highlights
My Europe Highlights
- France (Paris): Taking a cruise on the River Seine, waving to Parisian locals, watching people laugh and dance together, and floating past the Eiffel Tower was surreal.
- Switzerland (Zurich, Zermatt, St. Moritz): Going on the train in Zermatt to the top of the Gornergrat and having the sun shine on my face whilst surrounded by snowy mountains was a dream.
- Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome): Seeing the Colosseum for the first time took my breath away.
- Spain (Barcelona, Valencia): Getting on a hop-on, hop-off bus, and never hopping off! Just sitting and witnessing Barcelona’s beautiful culture and buildings was mesmerising.
Travel Tips/Advice
#1 Transport
- We took a mix of flights, buses and trains. I learnt that navigating transport within Europe is not that difficult!
- The one thing I would say is if you’re planning on mostly training, don’t take a big suitcase. We had three big suitcases, which made our travels quite complex, having to lift them into the train quickly and find a space on the limited storage rack to put them in. I would recommend a small wheeled carry-on or, better yet, a duffle bag! And I know it isn’t enjoyable because you can take/buy less stuff, but weighing everything up, you’ll be better off (trust me).
#2 Data
- When we arrived, the University of Leeds gave exchange students a UK SIM card with one month of prepaid data. I have been using this plan since, doing monthly top-ups which provide me with 25GB monthly. The brand I use is Lebara, which has worked very well in the UK and mostly well in Europe.
- Some issues: While the data would eventually work in every place, it would take a while to connect in some areas, which made getting directions difficult.
#3 Safety
- Travelling in a group for your first trip around Europe is recommended! I felt safe with my family and thought I could enjoy without stressing.
- Paris, Italy and Spain had a lot more hustle and bustle, but I did not face any issues. However, I was very cautious of pickpockets before travelling and wary of my items while we were in transit. If you keep track of your things, you’ll be fine!
#4 Finance / Costing
- Being with my family, I was lucky that planning my finances was much easier because I had their support.
- In advance, saving is necessary, especially since London, Paris, and Switzerland are extremely expensive. Italy and Spain were much more reasonable in pricing, but still more costly than you would find in NZ.
It’s wild, but even when visiting my dream European locations, I felt a little homesick for Leeds. Although I was told to say goodbye to my family, I was happy to return to my little life in Leeds, catch up with friends and get back into my last two weeks of Uni. On return, I had about three weeks to work on my final assignments, with all my essays being due a couple of days apart in May. It was a little bit of a struggle to get back into it, after such a lovely time in Europe, but it was so nice coming back to warm weather and knowing that the assignment season finish line was just around the corner. For me, the past three weeks have been a series of writing drafts, reading cases and academic articles, and spending much time editing my work! I am grateful to have taken these courses, and now that they’re done, I can’t believe that it means that the ‘uni-exchange’ part of my semester abroad is done!
But I won’t get ahead of myself, I still have a month left and a few travel plans before I come home. Next time we talk, I’ll be packing my bags to go! Or maybe even on the plane home (tears). I’m excited for what’s to come and still so grateful for this experience and what the University of Leeds experience has given me.
But I won’t get ahead of myself, I still have a month left and a few travel plans before I come home. Next time we talk, I’ll be packing my bags to go! Or maybe even on the plane home (tears). I’m excited for what’s to come and still so grateful for this experience and what the University of Leeds experience has given me.
