Ireland | UCEAP Tour: Edinburgh and the Highlands

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BY ALEXIS HARMON

UCEAP plans occasional trips for students so we can stay connected and explore the regions we’re in. One such trip was a weekend trip to Edinburgh, where the UK/Ireland UCEAP headquarters is, and the Highlands. 

On Friday and Sunday we were given freedom to explore the city, but Saturday was packed with a fantastic bus tour that took us all over the southwestern Highlands. UCEAP covered the cost of the bus tour, a hostel on Friday and Saturday night which included breakfast (rooms where shared only by UCEAP students), and our flights. Friday was a quiet evening for most students as we had an early morning ahead. 

Saturday Tour 

We ate together at 8 AM and left at 9 in a large, comfortable coach. There were 28 students in total, plus 3 lovely UCEAP staff members. 

We generally traveled no more than 1.5 hours at a time, and our tour guide was an endless fount of information whenever we were in motion. As much as I loved this, my favorite part was probably exploring the sites we stopped at. 

Dunkeld 

Our first stop was Dunkeld, a small town about an hour and a half outside of Edinburgh. The town itself looked like most small UK towns, but was distinguished by its situation upon River Tay and its crumbling cathedral. Construction of the imposing cathedral began in 1260, but over time it has been rendered eerie and even more striking by its disrepair. Large portions of the roof have fallen in, but the bell tower is intact and the bell-ringer played music almost the whole time we were there. I opted to hike the grounds around the church instead of exploring the church itself, and I immersed myself in the woods with beautiful glimpses of the river and this little peek of the bell tower behind me. 

Dunkeld Cathedral

Dunkeld Hermitage 

Only 10 minutes away was The Hermitage, an expanse of woods containing Ossian’s Hut, an old hermitage over a waterfall. The riverside hike was beautiful and the hut looked interesting as we approached. 

Top: River Tay. Bottom: Ossian’s Hut

But my goodness! Once you got inside the hut and viewed the waterfall, it was stunning. This site may have been the highlight of the tour and the picture below will show you why. It’s three times as big as it looks in the picture and the roar is immense. 

Pitlochry 

Another notable stop was Pitlochry, a town on a dam where we ate lunch. Many students went to the cute cafes along the main boulevard, but as we had only 1.5 hours here I just grabbed snacks from Co-op and headed to the loch to wander its banks. This tranquil spot is where I enjoyed my picnic. 

Loch Tummel

Queen’s View 

Only 20 minutes away was an incredible vista of a gorgeous loch and a glen, an iconic Scottish highlands view. 

Queen’s View

Driving Home

We had an afternoon appointment at Glenturret Distillery, the oldest continuously working distillery in Scotland, where we learned how whiskey was made. Finally, we headed home and were treated to a lovely rainbow. 

Edinburgh

On Sunday we had breakfast together then checked out the hostel, setting out to explore the city. The Old Town is quite compact, but rich with beauty. It inspired Hogwarts and the buildings clearly show why. First of all, their university literally looks like a castle. 

University of Edinburgh 

Secondly, they have an actual giant castle on top of a huge hill that the old town sprawls out from. 

1,100 year old Edinburgh Castle 

Victoria Street directly inspired Diagon Alley. The picture’s colors look dull, but the shops are vibrant in person. 

Vibrant Victoria Street 

And of course there is Tom Riddle’s grave. Turns out J.K. Rowling stole the name. 

Tom Riddle’s Grave, ft. casual product placement

Chancellor’s Visit 

A few weekends prior I had actually been flown out to Edinburgh with two other students to meet UCLA Chancellor Block. We had lunch and talked for several hours about how we thought the program could improve, especially regarding accessibility of study abroad programs. He was warm and receptive, making us feel like we were truly heard. 

Chancellor Block with other UCEAP students and me

Conclusion 

UCEAP gave me the opportunity to explore one of my new favorite European cities, see the Highlands (a part of the country that is often inaccessible to young travelers on a budget), and even offer my opinion to leadership on the program itself. I am extremely grateful to have been privileged with two separate UCEAP trips to Edinburgh. All I can say is that if UCEAP is having a group trip, definitely go! 

Alexis Harmon studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland during Spring 2019: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/ireland/Pages/immersion_ireland_universities.aspx

Ireland | Trinity College Tour

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BY ALEXIS HARMON

Hi, everyone! It’s been a few weeks now and I’m starting to feel like I actually know my way around campus. Since it was built literally 500 years ago and wasn’t intended to have so many students, the layout can be a bit confusing at times! However, the beauty of the campus more than makes up for it. In this post, I’ll show you some of the most famous spots on campus, as well as give you some tips on what places you should be aware of as a student. 

The Historical Campus 

First of all, there’s the famous entrance. The entire campus is enclosed, and the main entrance that all tourists pass through is this beautiful building with its graceful columns and imposing wooden door. There are numerous other entrances around the perimeter that allow for easier access to classes, but none compare to this one. 

Main Entrance 

Immediately, the iconic Campanile comes into view. Built in 1853, the 100-foot granite bell tower stands in the center of the historical campus and dominates the square. Beautiful as it is, be careful walking under it because campus lore says that if the bell rings while you walk under you’ll fail your exams. 

The Campanile 

After entering, on your left is the student union, several offices including the accommodation office, the old chapel, the Regent House, and the old dining hall. To your right are more offices and a building just for final exams. 

Top: Regent House and old dining hall, built in the early 1700’s. Bottom: Dining hall again and office space

A few things to note:

  • The student union sells discount transport tickets (known as the student Leap card), snacks and grocery basics (milk, bread, etc), basic school supplies, and even discounted tickets to events like music festivals.
  • Although you might expect the chapel to be stunning, I’m told it’s actually quite basic. It’s not really a tourist attraction and is supposed to simply be a place of worship so be respectful.
  • Most of the old campus buildings aren’t utilized for classes. Instead it’s mostly office space.
  • The dining hall is a great place to grab cheap, convenient lunch in a beautiful setting. Most meals range from €5-9 which is inexpensive for Dublin and a lot of the food is pretty good. We’ll talk more about food options near campus in another post.

After lunch, I walked east on campus toward where most of the classes are. Something about the afternoon light in Dublin makes the stones glow gold so I had to take one last photo of the main square.

Top: Old campus gilded in the afternoon light (On the walk between campuses, you can see the old merging with the new, like this old building of offices by the new theater and modern sculpture). Bottom: Old and new mixed

The New Campus 

The new campus isn’t nearly as pretty, but it’s where most of the action on campus takes place. All of my classes are in new buildings, which is typical. Here’s one of the prettiest modern buildings, a research center where lecture series are often held. 

Trinity Long Room Hub 

Most of my classes are in the Arts Building, a sprawling six story building where most of the humanities students hang out. There are dozens of classrooms and offices, comfy couches to hang out on, and a great coffee shop called Perch. My favorite place to work between classes is the top floor of the arts building. There are huge windows that face a busy street where you can watch all the people go by as you hurriedly try to finish your readings before your next class. 

Between the arts and the STEM side of campus is a huge stretch of grass comprised of the rugby pitch and College Park. Students crowd the grass in good weather (which is about 55 degrees in their opinion). The long path between the two sides of campus is lined with trees. One of the most beautiful parts of studying abroad in spring is watching the campus come into bloom. 

The path, lined with daffodils 

So there you have it. Trinity’s campus is just as beautiful as you’ve been told. Now you just need to explore it yourself and find all its hidden gems! 

Alexis Harmon studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland during Spring 2019: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/ireland/Pages/immersion_ireland_universities.aspx

Ireland | A Chilly Welcome: Two Orientations and a Lot of Sightseeing

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BY ALEXIS HARMON

Flying into Dublin’s airport I was immediately struck by how green it was. In one direction was the sea, gray and solemn, frothing with whitecaps as the freezing Irish wind gusted over it, and in the other the famous verdant hills of the Emerald Isle stretched endlessly. It made me more eager than ever to explore Ireland’s beautiful countryside, but for the next week I would be busy with orientations. 

UCEAP Orientation 

Orientation with UCEAP lasts 3 days, although the bulk of the content is on the middle day. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in the city center which was very comfortable and had a great buffet breakfast every morning. 

Day 1 

After a 2 PM check-in, we gathered in the lobby at 3 PM to meet with Hilary Noyce, director of UCEAP in the UK and Ireland, who was kind and welcoming. 

We immediately walked to a conference room in another hotel close by to begin with the essential information we needed for our time abroad. The meeting lasted about an hour and a half, covering information on health insurance, emergency protocols, and other essentials. 

The day ended with a fun dinner in an Irish pub. We were able to just relax and enjoy some traditional Irish food in the center of Dublin, although we had been warned that tomorrow would be a much busier day. 

Day 2 

Our second day began with breakfast and a return to the other conference room down the road. Today’s meeting focused more on academic and cultural differences (which I’ll explain another time), and everything we needed to know for day-to-day survival. 

After several hours of continuous information, we were given three hours to break for lunch and relax. At 3 PM we regrouped and set off on a hop-off hop-on tour bus that showed us many of Dublin’s main attractions. It gave me a great idea of what I wanted to go back and see more in depth, including the images featured below. 

Top three: St. Patricks Cathedral. (Apparently Sir Benjamin Lee didn’t just creatte Ireland’s unofficial national beer, but also invested heavily into Dublin’s devlopment, including restoring St. Patrick’s Cathedral). Middle two: Dublin Castle. Bottom two: St. Stephen’s Green

Our evening consisted of a tour of the Guinness Storehouse and a delicious meal at Pizza Milano. Afterward, most students ventured out to explore, while those still adjusting to the time difference happily went back to sleep. 

Day 3 

Our final day consisted only of check-out and our final buffet breakfast. We were given ten euro to assist with cab fare to our accommodations and reminded about the check-up meeting we would attend less than a month later. 

Trinity Orientation 

Trinity’s orientation followed a very similar format to UCEAP’s– three days with the bulk of content on the middle day. 

Day 1 

The first day there were no academic events. Instead, the evening was geared toward relationship building and included both a coffee afternoon and a game night. 

Day 2 

This was the day that was packed with information and meetings. I’ve included the itinerary below so you can see the exact agenda. 

It was a long day, but they inform you about everything from IT support to class registration to the perks of the school gym. As you can see, the orientation halls were often so packed that students lined the stairs. 

My favorite part of the orientation was the tour of the school grounds. The campus is an interesting mix of old and new since the school was founded in 1592, but has had to expand dramatically to cater to a rising student population. Below is one of Trinity’s newest buildings alongside the classic Campanile. I’ll give you a more thorough campus tour on another post. 

Day 3 

The third day was supposed to focus on any lingering questions and give us an opportunity to enroll in our classes. It was a busy, difficult day because the process of enrolling is frankly archaic at Trinity. It involves running around between departments getting staff consent for every class you want to take which. Again, I’ll write more on enrollment and academic differences later to hopefully make this process easier for you. 

In Conclusion: Dos and Don’ts 

Do:

  • Arrive a day or two early to Dublin to give yourself time to adjust. Several students that arrived the day of were just exhausted during orientation. 
  • Make an effort to make friends. Orientation is a lot and having friends makes the whole process more fun. A good way to do this is to attend the game nights, coffee mornings, etc. and not just the academic meetings. 

Don’t:

  • Stay out too late during orientation. There is plenty of time to have fun and explore the city later. Do enjoy yourself, but remember your responsibilities. Some people get a little too excited. 
  • Delay on getting classes. Get a head start even before the official enrollment day. Figure out what you want beforehand and go to office hours. 

Alexis Harmon studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland during Spring 2019: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/ireland/Pages/immersion_ireland_universities.aspx

Japan | My Favorite Things About Japan

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1. Kawaii Culture

Kawaii is the culture of general cuteness that exists in Japan that I haven’t seen anywhere else in the world. From adorable mascots for historical locations and buildings, to Hello Kitty themed shinkansens, cuteness is everywhere. While cute culture in Japan can actually be traced back to the Edo period, it’s become incredibly popular since the 1970s. Of course, the obsession with cuteness at this time began with teenage girls, but since has grown to be appreciated by people of all ages. In my opinion, the presence of cuteness in everyday life simply improves the quality of life. Passing by guardrails shaped like little frogs, or getting a napkin with designs at lunch, can make you smile just a little bit more than you would on any other normal day.

2. Train Stations

In the United States, train stations are exactly what they sound like: a place where you get the train. But in Japan, they are so much more. Train stations have entire malls, restaurants, and rest spaces attached, making them a genuinely enjoyable place to be. This is extremely convenient for when you are hungry after a long journey, since you don’t even have to leave the station to enjoy a quality meal– one of my favorite pizza restaurants in Japan is actually located in the station itself. Similarly, it is really nice to be able to run an errand, like grocery shopping, without having to even leave the station to get what you need. Like with kawaii culture, the fact that train (and subway) stations are comfortable, clean, and well-designed makes your day just that much better than it otherwise might be.

3. Sento and Onsen

Taking baths at home always seem like a “treat yourself” kind of activity, but I always end up uncomfortable, unable to adjust the water to quite the right temperature. Sento and onsen, however, are extremely relaxing because everything is done for you! It’s like going in a hot tub, except there are five or more different hot tubs to choose from and you can stay for an unlimited about of time. Sento is more of a bathhouse, with many different tubs to choose from, while onsen are specifically sourced from fresh mountain spring water. I’ll admit that bathhouses aren’t for everyone, but there are also many locations that offer private booking so you don’t have to be there with anyone else.

4. Conveyer Belt Sushi

Conveyer belt sushi is admittedly probably the worst sushi you’ll get in Japan. But this is Japan: the worst sushi is just as delicious as good-quality sushi at home. And the best part? It’s often only $1.50 or less per plate! Whenever I eat at conveyer belt sushi restaurants, I can have a filling meal of tons of different kinds of sushi for only $7 or $8. Because this type of restaurant is a novelty in the United States, it often ends up costing the same or more than traditional sushi restaurants. While you’re in Japan, definitely make use of the amazing conveyer belt restaurants to get your fill of Japan’s most famous dish!

https://ieo.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_3030-1.mov

5. Nature and Seasonality

My absolute favorite part about living in Japan is the abundance of greenery and the appreciation of the changing seasons. Because Japan experiences all four seasons very strongly, many traditions are rooted in these changes. So, as the seasons change, there is always something exciting to look forward to, like a special seasonal food or activity. Similarly, there is always a great appreciation for the flowers that bloom every season. I spend much of my time at different gardens and temples, appreciating the flowers in bloom. I love seeing Japanese teenagers taking photoshoots with all the different flowers, old people in large groups birdwatching with extensive camera gear, and families with babies enjoying all the colors.

Mackenzie Lorkis studied in Kyoto, Japan in the Language & Culture, Doshisha Univ. Program – Spring 2018

Japan | “Why Japan?”

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BY MACKENZIE LORKIS

When I first told people I was going to study abroad in Japan, their immediate response was a look of surprise, and then, “Why do you want to go to Japan?”. It’s fair to say that Japan isn’t the most popular study abroad destination for UC students, but there are a lot of reasons why someone would want to study in Japan. I decided to ask a few of my fellow UCEAP students why they chose Japan, and what their favorite thing about Japan has been over the past few months:  

Mika Post
UC Berkeley 
Junior 
 
“I came to Japan because I’ve always wanted to go to school in Japan. I love Japanese food and Japanese stationary, and I love the language too. It’s important to me to be here because I’m half Japanese, but my mom has never been here and doesn’t speak Japanese at all. My favorite place in Japan is Fushimi Inari, since it’s peaceful and tucked away in the woods.” 

Stephen Shelnutt 
UC Berkeley 
Junior 
 
“Initially I was interested in Japanese because I watched a lot of anime, but I think these days I’m more interested in the culture and people. Unlike newer countries like America, Japan has had thousands of years to develop its culture, and even in the modern age Japan is very “Japan”. The people are also very polite, and society is so well put together that I wanted to experience living here for awhile.” 

Jonathan Phenix 
UC Irvine 
Junior 
 
“I came [to Japan] for the art and older towns with rich history. Seeing the Standing Namabutsu Taishi and the Sakyamuni Bronze donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu 4th have been a couple highlights in art. City wise, I really enjoyed my time in Nachikatsuura and Shingū. Getting to see Porter Robinson at a basement venue in Kyoto was also quite the experience.” 

Mackie Lorkis (aka the author of this blog) 
UCLA 
Junior 
 
“I’ve always been interested in Japanese culture, and I wanted to challenge myself by studying in a country where I didn’t necessarily know the language and nobody else I know had been before. My favorite part of Japan is the appreciation for nature and the changing seasons. Seasonality is a really important part of Japanese culture, and is one of the biggest inspirations for architecture, art, food, fashion, and more. I’ve always lived in Southern California, so it’s been really exciting to be somewhere where the seasons are not only noticeable, but an important part of both art and everyday life”. 

Mackenzie Lorkis studied in Kyoto, Japan in the Language & Culture, Doshisha Univ. Program – Spring 2018