France | Paris, Paris, Paris

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BY EILEEN KIM

There are many things the city is known for, and one of them is art. And the city for sure loves it. 

Every year in early October, there is a night called “Nuit Blanche”, meaning white night. I would rather call it a sleepless night. It is an annual event in which many museums are open all night and open to public, often for free. Metro line 1 runs all night to carry people and around every museum are crowds and crowds of people at restaurants and near street food vendors. 

I started my Nuit Blanche a bit late around midnight. Yet when I got off at Metro 1 station Hotel de Ville, the city was bursting with energy and light I have yet seen in Paris. 

There were food vendors everywhere, occupying every possible space in the square. There were sausages, sandwiches, and some other food I could not even name. The smokes coming out from each cart warmed up the night and satisfied customers hurriedly yet excitedly hastened their ways to museums nearby. 

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I started my museum night with Centre Georges Pompidou, a contemporary arts museum at the center of the Paris. It is known for its exhibitions and its modern architectural structures, but it is also known for its view of Paris from its patio, which was my aim for the night. 

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The pictures unfortunately came out a bit blurry, but the view was beautiful, beautiful enough to forget how cold the night was. The Eiffel Tower was sparkling at a distance, and the distance was filled with lights and sounds of crowded squares. And yet, standing at the edge of the patio, everything seemed so far away, as if I were standing at a border of another world. The fact that I was standing at the center of Paris felt like a very surreal fairy tale.  

After the museum, I briefly dropped by a nearby church that was hosting a contemporary dance exhibition titled “Children of Light.” Series of alternating lights in blue, pink, green, and purple dominated the church and all sounds became subordinate to the light and all that different light revealed.  

It was an interesting interplay of colored lights throughout the church with a couple of dancers at the center with very abstract style of dance.  

My last stop for the night was Musee de l’Orangerie, a museum in Tuileries Garden known for Monet’s waterlilies. There, at the oval room where Monet’s waterlilies surround the guests, the museum held music concerts for free. The tickets were supposed to be picked up in advance at the site, but I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to do so, and ended up standing outside for about an hour for an extra, no-show seat. I eventually made it in for 4am show, and it was a string quartet piece by Claude Debussy. 

The night was absolutely magical. The weather was cold, the lines were long, streets were crowded, and yet the city’s love for arts kept me going throughout the night, making even the long night bus right back home enjoyable. 

Nuit Blanche is when the city of Paris truly comes to its life.  

Eileen Kim studied abroad in Paris, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/political_science_sciences_po.aspx

France | Welcome Programme!

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BY EILEEN KIM

Overall, Welcome Programme was very helpful. But that’s not where it ends either. It was packed with most amazing people and entertainments. Here are some more highlights of the fun I had this past week: 

I.                     Scavenger Hunt 

To those who participated in UCLA New Student Orientation, this scavenger hunt will be familiar. It’s basically Carpe Noctem but during day time in the heart of Paris. 

All participating students are sorted into random groups of 10, and are given tasks to do at each location marked on a map. The race is 3 hours long, and the group to make it in time with most points win. Simple, right? 

All places marked on maps were very local places that many tourists would have never heard of. It was a great way to learn about Paris. 

In addition, the tasks at each place required active participation and creativity of all members, forcing the strangers to become friends by the end of the race.  

Here are some places we visited: (These are all major landmarks. Can you guess what they are?) 

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II.                   Orsay Museum Tour  

Orsay museum is one of my favorite museums of all times, with impressive collection of impressionist works ( XD ). Fortunately for us students under 26 years old of age, it is one of many museums we can enter for free with a student ID card. 

View of Orsay Museum’s main hall

And even better for Sciences Po students, Orsay and also Louvre (which is just across the Seine River form Orsay) are only about 10-15 minutes walking distances away from school. Our student leader told us that Orsay hosts many events throughout the year in evenings and that many Sciences Po students come to enjoy them after their classes. Though Sciences Po doesn’t have a marked campus, because so it feels as if Orsay is a part of the campus. 

Though I have visited the museum couple times before, the tour was entertaining nonetheless. Like many museums, Orsay museum on its placards often only write of the artist’s name, year, and the piece’s title. For people without expertise in art like me, it is very difficult to fully appreciate art works. 

View of Montmarte from Orsay

The tour satisfied my urge to know more about the art works. It was in English, and our museum guide had a small mike which we could hear through our ear pieces. She told of behind stories behind Orsay’s most famous work pieces and its artists, giving us detailed contexts of each. 

 One new thing I have learned from the tour is that a bronze statue of standing ballerina by Degas is a duplicate. It was originally made in wax, and it was duplicated in bronze after Degas passed away. And all these years I thought my statue was originally made out of bronze!  

III.                 Wine & Cheese 

When I think of France, many things come in to my mind and one of them is obviously wine. It is a big part of the culture here; so big that Sciences Po held a Wine & Cheese night for us exchange students. 

We were assigned one of two sessions on a weekday night, and the event was held on the school campus.  

When I first heard of the event, I expected very little from it. May be a glass of a foul wine and some cheese that will run out by the end of the night? But to my pleasant surprise, everything was above and beyond my expectation. 

WINE WINE WINE

There was enough wine, both red and white, for all students to get second and third glasses of. The wine bottles were displayed so that students knew of what they were drinking and so that they can refer to the wine later. 

Some of prepared food for the night

Prepared foods were amazing as well. There were many kinds of finger food I never seen before, and they all tasted wonderful. Meat platters and cheese platters were very interesting as well, with kinds that I never really seen in the US. I remember that there was this one kind of cheese that looked like a flower, and no one knew of what it was – American, German, Peruvian, Swedish, Japanese…. No one knew what that cheese was but it tasted great and we all loved it! (Hindsight, I should have asked a French person…. But oh well.) There was more than enough food as well that students were welcome to go back for second and third. 

 These are but few events that were held during the Welcome Programme. Though its intense schedule may look daunting at first glance (I was appalled when I saw that events were scheduled even on Sundays) the programme overall was such a great experience. 

 I know where my classes are at, I know what to expect-ish, and I have friends to survive classes with.  

I am ready for school. 

Please wish me luck for my class tomorrow at 8 am.  I will see you all soon! 

Au Revoir 

4 Sept 17          

Eileen  

Eileen Kim studied abroad in Paris, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/political_science_sciences_po.aspx

France | Orientation

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BY EILEEN KIM

At Sciences Po, there is an orientation program available for exchange students (both undergraduate and Master’s) that is almost an equivalent of UCLA New Student Orientation. 

Welcome Programme at Main Auditaurium: Class on French Political System

Welcome Programme at Main Auditaurium: 

Class on French Political System 

It was a great way to get to know people, get into all necessary contacts, find friends, get adjusted to culture, be warned of French academic style, and in general have fun. 

Here are some highlights: 

I.                     Methodology Class 

Sciences Po by tradition puts great emphasis on oral presentation. Here, it is not about what you know and learn, but what you can present. Can you captivate people? Can you get people to participate in your dialogue? Can you stir up passionate debates? 

Due to such emphasis, most of classes at Sciences Po are not exam based. They focus more on group projects and presentations. Often, a grade for a class is determined solely based on one or two presentations. Yes, there may be midterms, depending on classes, but even those are to be written in the style of oral presentation. 

These were all from mouths of its current and past students as well as faculty members. When I heard all these, I was scared. Oral presentations and group projects were exactly what I tried to avoid at all cost during college. 

Thus, for me personally, a week-long methodology class came down as a blessing. In a group of 20 students, we were taught of the French “problématique” style by a Sciences Po professor who once used to be an undergraduate student at the institution herself.  

First two days were spent learning about the format and the structure of the French style. The second half of classes were practice rounds, getting into a group of two and presenting in front of the class an assigned topic. 

 Other than getting accustomed to the new academic style, the best part of the class was that it sometimes took its place outside. Not just outside as in the school’s courtyard, but outside as in the French National Library and the Louvre. 

Bibliothèque nationale de France

Imagine, hundreds of people passing by, maybe glancing at and listening to you as you give a 5-minute presentation at a corner of Louvre courtyard. 

View of Louvre Pyramid from where we had class at

It was such a surreal experience, forcing me out of my comfort zone but in the most awesome way. After this, I doubt I will ever grow as shy as I did at UCLA. 

Just a week of the methodology class has already changed me for better. I cannot wait to see what the actual classes at Sciences Po will do for me! 

II.                   Campus Tour 

Sciences Po, Paris, does not have a campus like that of UCLA. Its classrooms are scattered in 3 different buildings, each about 5-minute walking distance from another. And each building has its own specific name and references that only students know of. 

 I am the absolute worst when it comes to directions, and my first year at UCLA I could not walk from one class to another without GPS. Had had I not been introduced to the Sciences Po campus through a tour during the Welcome Programme….. I would leave that dark imagination for Eileen in alternate universe. 

Our group leader during French Speaking Class

Our group leader, a current student at Sciences Po, gave us a campus tour of all three buildings. She taught us how each building was referred to, and which classrooms were to be found where. Also walking in between the buildings, she pointed out many other useful things around the campus. One was a police station where all lost and found ends up at.  The relocated office of Student Health Center (like Ashe Center, but everything is free) was pointed out, and also were mentioned medical services we can receive at a medical school nearby. Other information included great restaurants and food stands nearby. 

Near by pizza place with great student price

Though it was not on the same day as the campus tour, we were also given a library tour. Sciences Po’s library is one of the best in its nation, with great accessibility to hard copy resources as well as e-resources even for students. Through a very entertaining game, we learned how to utilize all different services of the library, including how to print with student ID and requesting a book for research. 

Props used for Library Tour game

Please continue onto Part II! 

Eileen Kim studied abroad in Paris, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/political_science_sciences_po.aspx

France | Paris. The City of Light! The City of Love!

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BY EILEEN KIM

Paris. The City of Light! The City of Love! Fashion! Food! La vie en rose!

Planning to go study abroad is exciting, and even dull preparations become sources of joy in anticipation. During the process, my number one goal was to find a home I can call home in Paris. I was in fact a bit scared to hear about difficulties in finding housings, but counselors and friends repeatedly ensured me, and they turned out to be right, for I have indeed found a place just for me.

A picture taken at an exhibition at Centre Georges Pompidou in July 2016.

Before I start talking about my dorm, I will have to point out this fact: you are not alone in your search. While the search for housing is indeed an individual responsibility, UCEAP does its best to help us. There was a brief meet-up session for Sciences Po, Paris, study-abroad session for UCLA students, and there our wonderful counselor Mauricio invited former students to give insights on what it’s like to be living in Paris – including housing.

There is also an UCEAP team in Paris to help and guide us as well on site. UCEAP has an extensive list of housing accommodation websites and organizations and has shared it with me with an input of which were most appreciated by former students. There are even more extra housing services one can get connected through Sciences Po as well. Add on Facebook, there are numerous options and opportunities out there.

And I have found mine in Fondation des États-Unis at Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris.

A view after entering through the main gate; front entrance of Maison Internationale, the main house.

Located in 14th arrondisement, Cité Universitaire, or Cité for short, at the most southern end of Paris, is a one big town for international students studying in the city. Cité was originally built in aftermath of World War I to create a peaceful hub of international intelligence for students, professionals, intellectuals, and researchers.

There are about 40 “houses” in this gigantic park, and each “house” is a dorm ran by its own government or its affiliate(s). Each house provides cheap housings for students of its nationality mostly, but keeping sacred the original intent of founders of Cité, each house provides 30-50% of its accommodations to students of different nationalities. Which school those students attend do not matter either so long as they all study in Paris. Though there are differences between each building, they all provide a single studio at a very low cost. For example, my room is only 500 euros, about a half the price of other apartments I was looking at.

Cité’s amazingness does not end in housing only. It is where students can truly immerse themselves in one another’s culture. People from everywhere picnic together and play sports together at an open grass area in the back of Cité, and almost every day there is at least an event organized: sports class, art classes, cultural events, tournaments, concerts, and parties. Some people even told me that Cité by the end of the year becomes a one big family. I cannot wait for it to happen to me as well.

Main Entrance of Fondation; access from Boulevard Jourdan

As I have said, there are various houses of different countries in Cité, and I happen to live at Fondation des États-Unis, the US Foundation.

Though it is one of the oldest buildings in the town of Cité, it is conveniently located at the very front, dominating over all other houses with its grandeur. At Fondation, kitchens, restrooms, and showers are shared among small group of people, and a student’ room is a single studio for everyone. My only complaint would be an absence of a mini-fridges in each room, but it is not such a big deal as well, given that a kitchen (which has a big fridge) is right around the corner of my hall.

And as I have pointed out, the Foundation is situated at the most convenient location. Cité is bigger than what many people imagine it to be, and it takes about 20-25 minutes to walk from one side of Cité to another. For security purposes, the gates to outside are limited and often locked, causing extra inconveniences during morning rushes. Yet the US Foundation is the only building at Cité with its own doors leading directly to the street, and even better, it is right across Tram 3 and RER B (both are forms of public transportations: trolley and local train respectively). For bikers, city’s public bicycle system called Vélib has its station right outside as well.

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Cheap, safe, friendly and family-like, AND most know English. What better could I have hoped for?

To me Cité was the perfect fit and I knew it right away. Perhaps, and I hope, it can be so for others too. The application I believe was accepted in rolling basis, so early the better. I myself applied in February and only heard back in May. Many of students who were rejected from Cité often applied too late in their time and missed their opportunities.

Yet it’s not like Cité is the only good housing for students. There are many beautiful apartments around the city, some situated closer to school at the heart of Paris, some located high up near skies, etc. etc. Yes, there were still some students who were panicking about not securing a permanent housing, but the number (as far as I could tell from Facebook frenzy) has gone down drastically in last few days, and I am sure the remaining few will soon find places for them as well.

Well, honestly though, all I am saying is, I am super happy with my housing accommodation, and, yes, I am bragging .

If this sounds like a housing you would want to live in, check this link out for an application: https://bienvenue.ciup.fr/questionnaire/?lang=en. Remember, it’s earlier the better. I applied in February and got admitted in May; many of rejected students applied too late in the process, around May or June. Good luck! Or as French say, Merde!

I will see you next with a post on Welcome Programme!

Good bye until then!

26.8.17

Eileen

Eileen Kim studied abroad in Paris, France in 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/france/Pages/political_science_sciences_po.aspx

UK | Cheap Chap’s Checklist

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By Chelly Jin

A TRAVELERS GUIDE : CHEAP CHAP’S CHECKLIST 

It’s undeniable as college students that financial concerns can have effects on stress and mental energy. It can definitely be overwhelming. But after being in London for a while, I’ve compiled my top tips on how to tackle London in a budget-friendly fashion !

FOOD 

The cheapest way to eat in London is to just cook in your accommodation.
Here’s an example of a breakdown: ​ 

At Brick House (a lovely, lovely cafe near Brixton), I love to get the 2 eggs over easy, 1/2 avocado, toast which totals to £8.
But if you were to make the exact same dish with Sainsbury’s groceries, 6 eggs= 80p, 1 avocado = £2, 1 loaf = £1 : with the same single-size portion totaling £1.70
Even things like stirfry noodles are super cheap for £5 plates! But, making a simple stirfry noodle with pre chopped veggies and pre-made sauce (a simple chuck and cook) is still £3 total! And it’s bound to last for at least 3 meals.

However, if you are feeling a little lazy, here are some places to eat under budget:
just keep in mind, a lot of these place are to-go foods, so they make cheap&quick alternatives to late lunches or dinners :  

  1. Senate House Library/ Seoul Bakery : cheapest Korean food £3.50 bibimbap but cash only!! 
  1. Gino’s my pasta bar: 50% after 3:30pm / salad & paninis 
  1. itsu sushi : 15% off after 3pm (student discount) and 50% off 30 min before closing  (M-F 7:30-8p in one location, most are 8:30-9p) 
  1. Pod : 50% off 30 minute before closing (M-F 7:30-8p) // curry, pho, rice, dope salads 
  1. Abokado : 25% sushi and salads after 5p 
  1. Sacred : gourmet tea and coffee  
  • 50% after 5pm on sandwiches and salads 
  1. CHINATOWN : it’s pretty affordable, and for the price, you get huge portion sizes <3  

CLOTHES 

PRIMARK IS MY BABY.
Definitely some of the cheapest, with proper quality items. I bought most of my sweaters here since I  didn’t own any good turtlenecks in LA. 

VINTAGE MARKETS or THRIFT STORES ARE AMAZING 
​ If you search on Facebook, a variety of thrift store companies in London host massive sales: £15 fill-a-bag sales, £1 each item sales, or just generally cheap thrift stores. 
At Pop Brixton, they had a £15 per kilo sale where you page by the weight — and you could have as many clothes as you’d like within that weight!  

Personally, I didn’t bring jackets to London, simply because I didn’t own any. Buying clothes here in really manageable and affordable ways allowed me to search my style in London. Afterwards, I gave myself the option to throw away/ donate my clothes after the semester is over (since each item was cheap enough to justify it’s purpose for a few months) or if I really came to love a clothing item, I could ship them back home if they don’t fit in my luggage.

TRANSPORTATION 

Just Walk It
It’s kind of self-explanatory, but walking is simply the cheapest and most affordable option. While, there are some days you just need to take the bus (due to rain) or the train (due to just being late college kids), walking provides a whole different experience. There is absolutely nothing better, for me personally, than feeling the chilly air on my cheeks and being able to just stop in my tracks to admire the beautiful city that I’m in.  

THINGS TO DO : MUSEUMS 

Oh my goodness, museums in London are free! They. Are. Free. 
There are some galleries with additional exhibitions that have an extra (but very affordable, and incredibly worthwhile fee). The Barbican Art Center has a show for  Basquiat: Boom For Real, and it was hands-down one of my favorite well-curated art shows by far. But museums like the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery are literally meters apart with whole collections free for all to see.  And don’t forget about that student discount! Most exhibitions have a cost, but they also have a discounted ‘concession‘ rate for students if you show your King’s ID.  All in all, London’s pricey ways can be daunting. But with a little extra time, effort, and searching, the world is at our smart budgeting fingertips!  

Chelly Jin studied abroad in Cambridge, England, in Summer 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/United_Kingdom_England/Pages/summer-pembroke-kings-college-university-of-cambridge.aspx

UK | Self-Care

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By Chelly Jin

Imagine a girl, pampered by the California sun, who for the past three years continued to wear shorts in the winter and knows absolutely nothing about how to dress for ‘chilly weather’. And now imagine the same child under the cloudy, gloomy skies of London. Seasons changing moods has a history of science behind it. And even as a student abroad student for a couple months, it’s easy to suddenly feel it’s effects or, I guess, the sun’s lack thereof. LATELY, I’VE FOUND MYSELF CONSISTENTLY GETTING SICK and also, finding a lot of my fellow study abroad friends catching colds or flus too.  And these physical trials can easily start to make the mental game more difficult to deal with. Homesickness becomes more real when I’m stuck in bed or anxious behavior is more prevalent when I get a bad cough that interrupts class.  Here are some tips I’ve conjured up in my time here in London in how to combat those grey clouds blues.

SLEEP 

I used to pull all nighters all the time at UCLA. All nighter as if it were a casual event. All nighters to go out with friends. All nighters to study. As a proper well-rounded UCLA student, I said why not both — why couldn’t I be a great student and a great adventurer. However, it sometimes just doesn’t work abroad. My body and mind weren’t used to all the stress that comes with a new environment and already dealing with a lot from the subconscious stresses of dealing with the things back home at the same time (i.e. apartment leases when I go back home, the clubs I’m still involved in back in UCLA, friends from home who still invite me to Facebook events knowing that I’m not in the country!)
I’ve been able to balance this out by being selective of my nights. I try to pick ONE night for fun until daylight. And if you’re not the one to hang out all night with friends playing rebel bingo, go home early. Sleep well. And pick ONE night to study all night. But I just couldn’t do both. Try to do readings during the day or right after class to get a week ahead start (heck, even right before class if you have to!) Try to start scheduling the nighttime activities a little earlier so the party ends earlier. 

DESTRESS 

This is an equally important one. Stress can lower your immune system, much like sleep and has indubitable effects on the quality of your mental health. Even when the excitement rushes through my veins and I don’t feel tired, my body is still managing behind the scenes to keep me together. So, make sure you take time for yourself to destress! Walk around, practice gratitude, meditate. Refer to my last blogpost on Best Places to Replenish My Busy Mind. ​ 

EAT HEALTHY 

Ugh, I know — but meat and greasy potatoes are EVERYWHERE! But in the instant gratification of all the kebabs, late night cheesy chips, on the go sandwiches from Pret, I completely forget to just eat an apple every once in a while! Seriously, I actually forgot what a fruit was.
McDonalds 20 piece chicken nuggets have become a ritual meal with friends, but I try to combat that with keeping fruits and veggies in my fridge to munch on or pack as snacks during class days. Fruits on season at Sainsbury’s can be as cheap as a pound for a sack of pears or plums. The £3 meal deals at Tesco are a meal, crisps and a drink– and sometimes it’s just nice to swap out for a salad, crisps, and a green juice for the same price.

VITAMINS  

Like I said earlier, London isn’t sunny California. Feel free to invest in Vitamin D pills or daily vitamin supplements. I also have a stash of Emergen-C or Vitamin C Green Tea on hand for the days I start to get the sniffles. ​

FINDING A FRIEND GROUP 

Unless they, too, are sick. Just kidding. There is something naturally comforting about having friends who you can rely on. Luckily, my floor mates and I will make each other ginger root, honey, and lemon tea when we’re sick or buy each other hand soaps when the other forgets. It’s nice to have people who can help you when you just aren’t feeling your absolute best or even having someone to talk to when you’re head isn’t in the right space. ​ 

Chelly Jin studied abroad in Cambridge, England, in Summer 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/United_Kingdom_England/Pages/summer-pembroke-kings-college-university-of-cambridge.aspx

UK | Replenish My Busy Mind

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By Chelly Jin

And the end of the year steadily roams around the corner, pressing on my brain the impending doom of leaving this marvelous city called London. And the papers I have due that are 100% of my grade. And the things I haven’t yet done in London because I’m still trying to travel to all the cities in Europe. And the friendships that I made that I don’t want to leave. And it all stresses me out. BUT I GUESS THESE ARE GOOD THINGS TO STRESS ABOUT. My mother would always berate me that I stress when things are too good. This claim is entirely true. If I were given two awful options, I would easily choose the lesser of the two and just get it over with without much resistance. But when provided the options of the many great things to do, suddenly the choice is so much harder. Looking at it from a bigger picture, if my stresses are whether or not to continue exploring London or visiting another city, or deciding which beloved friends to spend quality time with, life is really quite great. On top of the good stress can also be bad stress: papers, homesickness, and where to buy groceries when Sainsbury’s closes at 5pm on Sundays. The point is, the end of the term is the season of winter and stress — so here are the top places that I love to go to when my brain becomes cluttered and I need a good destress. 

  1. HYDE PARK 

I went to Hyde Park with a lovely friend of mine, who I actually got to know really well on my walk to Hyde Park. As we watched a photographer pose his children by the flowers, I realized that the best part of Hyde Park is just sitting on a bench and people watching while the sun set over all the little ponds. It’s a great place to get a breathe of fresh air.  

  1. LOOK MUM, NO HANDS

Look Mum, No Hands is a cozy, bicycle themed cafe near the Barbican Centre. It was one of the first cafes I visited when I came to London and one that I’ve come consistently to. Filled with quirky bicycle decor, the back of the cafe is lined with sofa seats, comfy pillows, and outlets to charge your phone. The whole place has books on bicycles with some good food and tea.  

  1. THE ALBANY: UKULELE WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

Every Wednesday, I always look forward to the Ukulele Nights hosted at The Albany pub. There’s this cathartic nature about playing music with a group of people, alongside good food and drinks that will release any stress or resolve any busy mind. By the end of the night, I always end up walking away with more and more friends made too.  

  1. TATE MODERN + SOUTHBANK

Just walking around Southbank has always been my go-to de-stresser since the day I’ve arrived in London. With street performers around every corner, there is absolutely nothing more relieving than buying a donut or a bag of chips from a street vender and taking a seat by the Thames while listening to the world around.  

  1. WELLCOME COLLECTION READING ROOM

This is my most favorite place to come to. With bean bag chairs on the staircase, old bookcases surrounding the space, and little pieces of history floating all around the room to inspire you — there really is no place quite like this one to ease my mind. In a weird way, it has this sort of mess to it where there is so much going on at once, but it’s all in the best possible way where I feel like every corner has a little piece to discover. 

Chelly Jin studied abroad in Cambridge, England, in Summer 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/United_Kingdom_England/Pages/summer-pembroke-kings-college-university-of-cambridge.aspx

UK | Brexit Dinner

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By Chelly Jin

As a recipient of the Global Blogger Scholarship, I had the kind chance to represent UCLA at an Alumni dinner event with members of the London Parliament to discuss Brexit and eat amazing Indian food. 

But first, before I even get into the event, I would just like to point out that I ended up on Nigel Huddleston’s Twitter… sooooo, I’ve peaked. 

Everyone, this is my college career peak. 

AND BACK TO THE EVENT !  

ALUMNI NETWORKING 

One of the most impressive things I’ve come away from the event was discovering the massive alumni network UCLA has to back up our students.  I’ve met incredible women who studied at UCLA for undergraduate, moving to UCB for graduate school, making their mark in cities like New York and London in Finance. Women who’ve studied in UCLA for undergraduate years and found themselves coaching important CEOs throughout the globe, traveling the world under the pursuit of careers they are passionate about. Meeting these individuals who came from the very same UCLA roots has given me a hope that  I, too, will one day stand up alongside these powerful women. 

LONDON AFTER UCLA? 

Something I’ve been grappling with recently is this desire to move to London. I’ve genuinely come to adore London and somewhere in my heart I know I want to come back to live here. To really live here, not just ‘study abroad’. However, the reality is, is that most people I know in the US (from friends, family, and shout out to the parents…) express how they fear that by moving to London at any point in my life, I am indubitably throwing away any connection or network that I’ve worked so hard on as an out-of-state (but, now in-state) student.   

After speaking with so many distinguished alumni, I’ve realized that the network that UCLA has to offer is worldwide and not just limited to Los Angeles, or the United States, or maybe even Earth (Mars, I’m coming for you in 2020!) 

BREXIT 

Yikes, the big elephant actually leaving the room.  Despite what you may think, the main event of the night was not the study abroad kids and I getting to meet delightful alum (haha). But, this was a night to discuss the topic of Brexit, both the pros and the cons — inviting Members of Parliament to simply chat in a world that seemed to want a brawl.  

Takeaways  I gathered from the chat was two things: 

1) Pro-Brexit: ”It’s not a question of ‘do we remain, rather it’s we are doing Brexit and it’s just when. The deadline is set and the transition will take place.”   

Essentially, it was argued that Brexit will already take into affect. Change will happen, and much like winter — it is coming. The more valuable way to approach the situation is to acknowledge that Brexit is happening and developing a transition that would become beneficial. 

2) Con-Brexit : “The best thing we have about Britain is no written constitution” 

On the other hand, it was stated that the best thing about Britain is that there isn’t one rule book that all must abide by. The politics of Britain are ever-changing, molding into the newest formations of society, constantly being managed, washing away the things that don’t work in this iterative cycle towards offering the best standard of living for all. Just because Brexit is set in motion does not mean it needs to be implemented.  

As for my feelings: As an expat to this country, there was definitely a sense of self-consciousness in my reasoning to attend such an occasion. I wondered to myself, “shouldn’t true King’s students who live here get this opportunity?” However, with the context of the current American political situation, there were so many elements that aligned. All in all, it occurred to me that we, as in the whole planet, are  kind of in this mess together.  

Brexit will not just affect residents of the UK, as Trump’s presidency will not just affect solely the American people, just as every country’s politics have made tremendous domino effects onto the entire globe. Their pain and fears are much like our own. Their confusion and inability to sort of see one another eye to eye in certain political issues are much akin to us. 

How I see it, we all want the same thing: pursuit of the best life for ourselves and those we love. How we aim to do this is uncertain, may it be accepting the problem and moving forward in a different solution OR utilizing the freeform nature of society and politics to its potential in overturning and igniting change. (And certainly not made any clearer from a twenty-one-year old college student writing a blog to other college students). But, as much as Brexit is divisive just as Trump’s election, it has become more evident than ever that we must be willing to listen, to accept, and to acknowledge all in a means of working together for the one common goal of a better life. 

Special thanks to Fiona Hanson for letting me share some of the beautiful photos she took that night! Another grand thank you to Jodi Anderson, Rhiannon Yee, Monika Kraska, and Violet Del Toro for such a wonderful event and all their  help! 

Chelly Jin studied abroad in Cambridge, England, in Summer 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/United_Kingdom_England/Pages/summer-pembroke-kings-college-university-of-cambridge.aspx

UK | Finding Community

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By Chelly Jin

I remember when I first applied to UCEAP Study Abroad — I remember that the first thing I thought was how I desperately wanted to leave America and leave behind the need to be with anyone. As a fourth year, I wanted to find that place in my life where I could be comfortable in my own skin, independent and carefree. 

As I set my budgets and plans for London, I didn’t anticipate the crushing feeling of suddenly being alone. At first I wanted solitude, but when I arrived, all I wanted was a community, to join a society (which they call a club or organization), to make friends.

This blogpost is about my journey in finding a community in London, both the lows but the ultimate highs 🙂 Unfortunately, I’ve joined societies and met friends who don’t like photos of themselves being taken, so enjoy some beauty shots of King’s Strand Campus! 

The Struggles of Trying to Find your Place  
The search started with dance societies. King’s does this awesome thing at the beginning of the year, which is the Activities Fair. Go to it and sign up for EVERYTHING. Don’t be afraid of signing up for commitment, because no one expects anything from you and all you get are extra opportunities to stay in the loop (top tip: use your King’s email to sign up for all these clubs so you don’t have to deal with it on your personal email!)

I came in with preconceived notions that I would join a dance team. The reality is, as a semester student, a lot of competitive team sports won’t allow you to audition or try out because the first semester is used for training while the second semester is used for competition. Thus, I showed up to dance society auditions only to realize that I wasn’t allowed to join. 

Ukulele Society 
Luckily, I had snagged a flyer from the King’s Ukulele Society booth at the Activities Fair — and although it wasn’t my initial first though when I came to King’s to join the UkeSoc, it ended up being the best!  
I didn’t bring my ukulele from home, but for a £20 deposit, they’ll let you borrow one for as long as you need! On Mondays, they have tutorials to teach you how to play (but for the people who’ve been playing for a while like me, we use it as a socializing time). On Wednesdays, we all go out to a pub called The Albany where they host Ukulele Wednesdays — a night of ukulele jamming with ukulele players all around London. There is absolutely nothing more satisfying than screaming Purple Rain alongside 50 ukulele players, trust me.

Running A Mock 
Another serendipitous occasion was joining the comedy improv society, Running A Mock. And not only joining the society, but actually auditioning to now become one of the 6 improv troupe members. Prior to coming to London, I had never had any formal acting, theatre, nor comedy experience, but these people have been some of the most incredible (and hilarious) individuals I have ever met.  
Joining Running A Mock became the family that I didn’t realize I needed. Every week I look forward to the workshops on Tuesdays and improv rehearsals on Wednesdays, with jokes and silly games that remind me to keep my head high in London — to take everything with a grain of salt and a good chuckle.  

The most important thing I’ve learned through improv is the idea of ‘Yes, And...’ In improv, this is the first and foremost rule. We say ‘yes’ to accept the challenge, the situation, acknowledge our own ideas, respect other’s ideas. Then we say ‘and’ in an act to contribute, to be a part of the solution, to move forward in progress. And this is how I decided to treat my time here in London, to look at every opportunity with a ‘Yes, And...’ — not a ‘no’, nor a begrudging ‘yes’, but a true acknowledgement of the current situation and the willingness to add to its value. 

Improv has been one of the most formative experiences here in London and I couldn’t be more grateful to this community.  

Chelly Jin studied abroad in Cambridge, England, in Summer 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/United_Kingdom_England/Pages/summer-pembroke-kings-college-university-of-cambridge.aspx