Spain | Una Comunidad Increíble

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BY NINA CHIKANOV

The first few weeks of study abroad were pretty rough for me. Besides losing my luggage and arriving a week later than others in my program, I struggled to adjust to my new lifestyle on campus. Since my classes were held at the ACCENT Study Center instead of a Spanish university, I found myself missing the hustle and bustle of campus and all my various clubs at UCLA. 

I consciously knew I was giving up all commitments for one quarter by going abroad, but I didn’t realize how hard it would hit me to not have these established communities to fall back on in Madrid. 

At first, I wished that we could take classes on a more integrated campus with a mix of different students outside of the UC-system, even though my Spanish proficiency was not nearly high enough to take my GEs completely in Spanish. Soon, though, I was able to find communities to fill this unexpected void. 

  1. Meetup Pickup Soccer Games 

One of the things I missed most from home was playing soccer regularly. A couple of others in the program would opt to go play pickup at Parque Santander close to the apartments, but these matches were usually organized spontaneously and were played on any random space we could find – dirt, sand, grass, etc. (Protip: if you don’t find an open field, don’t assume that every nice-looking patch of grass is fair game…we had a great time telling local police that we ended up inside private office facilities because we wanted a space to play #ballislife) 

Anyway…these games were a ton of fun but I missed out on a lot of them if I had already planned things for the afternoons before the games were organized. The fields were also closer to the apartments than my homestay, so it made it harder for me to spontaneously go out and play. 

I also really wanted to break out my cleats. After all, I lugged them all the way from the States for a reason! (No regrets) 

Someone suggested I try out the app called “Meetup” to find more organized pickup games. For some reason I had this idealized vision that I could just walk outside and find Spaniards playing fútbol – this might’ve been the case in some regions of the city but I guess I didn’t know where to look or what the good times were to look – or I just watched too much TV where every Spaniard was born with a soccer ball attached to their foot. So clearly this expectation was not my reality. 

Action shot of me going into a tackle during a pickup game.

By searching for pickup soccer games on Meetup, I at least gained validation that such games existed and happened weekly. These particular matches were co-ed, bilingual, and happened every Sunday from 5-6 PM or 6-7 PM. Each game was 7 versus 7 on a short-sided turf field and cost €5 for the hour. The group even went out to a cafe after the later match to eat, drink, and relax.

Group photo after one of our games 🙂

Getting out and playing at least once a week whenever I was in Madrid for the weekend allowed me to meet so many cool people from all over the world. Students, teachers, locals – all united by love for the game. I even picked up on some soccer terms in Spanish that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise (e.g. atrás tells someone to watch their back, sube tells someone to advance up the field, etc.) 

Leila and I at Sukkot reception at CJM

  1. CJM Dinners & Holidays 

The next community I found gave me an outlet for Friday night dinners and annual holidays. Through an organization called Kahal, I was connected to CJM (Comunidad Judeo de Madrid) for the high holy days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, as well as Sukkot and Hanukkah. 

 I always love connecting with other Jews around the world because I feel like we have an immediate sense of connection by virtue of our religion and our culture. 

Spanish Jewry has an especially complicated history because of years of persecution and complete expulsion in 1492 by the Edict of Expulsion signed by monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. As a result, the community is a lot more traditional than mine at home and is not nearly as big or diverse as the American Jewish community, even though it is once again starting to grow. 

Regardless, after going to a few dinners and meeting other Jewish students studying abroad in Madrid, as well as other native Madrileños and many who came from Latin America and other countries, I felt completely comfortable. After the main dinners, we would join in song; it was really comforting to listen to these tunes even though the melodies were not completely familiar. 

A panoramic of the guests at dinner!

One woman I met through the Jewish community invited me over to her apartment for a potluck with her friends one weekend, and that was also a real pleasure to meet people in a relaxed setting revolving around food, friends, and conversation.

In fact, because of her hospitality, I made friends with one of her pals who later taught me how to snowboard in an indoor snow zone in Madrid! 

It was an awesome experience, and if not for these communities I would not have had as many opportunities to learn about cool places in Madrid or fun activities to try. 

. . . 

Community exists everywhere. I definitely crave it and I think finding those two groups enhanced my Spanish experience exponentially. Not only did I meet people outside of my immediate program, but I also got to connect around a common interest and integrate myself better into Spanish life, if even for a little bit 🙂 

So – if you’re feeling a bit lonely abroad, I assure you that community is the key. For me, I tapped into my love for soccer and my connection to Judaism, but there’s so many other groups out there waiting to welcome travelers with open arms. 

Con un abrazo,
Nina 

Nina Chikanov studied abroad in Madrid, Spain in fall 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/spain/Pages/contemporary_spain_madrid.aspx

England | First Days

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By Michelle Lin

After months of anticipation, saving money, and reading all about Meghan Markle, I’m finally here in the beautiful city of London! It’s still hard for me to believe, but I will be spending the next four months here in the UC Center London Arts, Politics, Society & Space program. This program consists entirely of UC students, and is coordinated by the ACCENT London Study Center.  

The first few days were mainly marked by housing, academics, and life in London orientation sessions and exploring the area we live in, Bloomsbury. Although Bloomsbury is quieter and less crowded than other parts of London, its streets are brimming with coffee shops, book stores, restaurants, and clothing stores, which much to explore and see.

I had expected to feel very overwhelmed and out of place in London since I’d never been to Europe before, but the transition and assimilation has been surprisingly easy. Because there are so many American stores and since everything is in English, London isn’t as foreign and intimidating as I thought it’d be. To me, it is the perfect balance between foreign and familiar- new and unfamiliar components such as unrefrigerated eggs in grocery stores and downpours of rain that come out of nowhere, intermixed with recognizable and comforting sights such as Starbucks and Priuses.  

I had expected to feel very overwhelmed and out of place in London since I’d never been to Europe before, but the transition and assimilation has been surprisingly easy. Because there are so many American stores and since everything is in English, London isn’t as foreign and intimidating as I thought it’d be. To me, it is the perfect balance between foreign and familiar- new and unfamiliar components such as unrefrigerated eggs in grocery stores and downpours of rain that come out of nowhere, intermixed with recognizable and comforting sights such as Starbucks and Priuses.  

The fact that I was in London fully hit me when our program went on a 2 hour bus tour of the city. I didn’t realize how big and how diverse London was until I saw all of it with my own eyes on this tour, and loved seeing old historical buildings interwoven with sleek modern high rises. Seeing the House of Parliament, the London Bridge, and Westminster Abbey from the top of a double decker bus that was driving in the left lane while listening to a British tour guide was an ineffable experience.  

This feeling continued throughout the weekend as I explored more of London with my four flatmates. We were lucky enough to be met with a fair and sunny day at the London Eye, getting a clear 360 degree aerial view of the city. 

So far, some of the classic British foods I’ve been able to try are fish and chips, meat pie, and scones with clotted cream. The scones here are closer to American biscuits as opposed to the scones that we’re used to, and are absolutely delicious.

These first few days were marked with battling jetlag, relying on Google Maps, and easing into day-to-day life. Some of my favorite moments so far have come from simply wandering around the streets of Bloomsbury, taking in all of the sights of intricate architecture and the lilting sounds of British accents. The past few days have been a testament to how big and beautiful this world is, and how fortunate I am to be able to see more of it. As I think about what I’d like the next four months to entail, I hope to not only explore and experience as much as I can, but also to make London my home.  

Michelle Lin studied in London, England in 2018: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/united_kingdom_england/Pages/default.aspx

Spain | Hidden Treasures of Madrid

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BY NINA CHIKANOV

As mentioned in my general course reflection (read), the classes I took abroad gave me a unique opportunity to learn from the city. I actually think that I know more about Spanish history now than I do about American history—which may be a bit embarrassing—due to the level of cultural understanding needed to fully engage with the subject material in the courses.

In the case of my class, “Negotiating Identities in Madrid: Gender and Sexuality in Urban Space”, the most relevant event to understanding contemporary Spain is the global economic crisis of 2008 and the subsequent construction boom of the Spanish housing / project market.

In the wake of the economic crisis, Spain was in the process of rapid construction – all of which suddenly halted and resulted in abandoned housing developments, projects, unfinished roads, etc. (if you’re interested in seeing how this unfolded visually, check out this website that compares satellite images from different Spanish villages before and after the boom…pretty wild).

Basically, there was a lot of unused or abandoned space, and because of the economic crisis there was an uprising of frustrated people. The political climate was buzzing in Spain and in Madrid around the time of the crisis, and years of witnessing the unemployment rate rise under seemingly delayed governmental responses culminated in the reclaiming of public space by various citizens’ initiatives on May 15, 2011 in Sol (Madrid’s city center).

The centerpiece of Puerta del Sol

While I don’t want to focus too much on this event, 15M (wiki) is significant to Madrid’s culture and was an important turning point for how communities organize and reclaim public space today. After 15M, even more groups came out to reclaim the unused public space for their neighborhoods and communities, many of which were alive and functioning during my semester abroad.

Out of these neighborhood spaces, my favorite one to hang out in was Campo de Cebada, located conveniently close to my homestay in Barrio de La Latina. Coinciding with the beginning of 15M, Campo de Cebada opened its doors officially on May 15, 2011 and repurposed a courtyard that was originally meant to be a multi-purpose sports center before the construction halted.

A demonstration referencing the events of 15M in Sol

The neighbors who crafted this space were inspired to reclaim it after an intervention by the “La Noche en Blanco” initiative that temporarily transformed the plaza into a rainforest with an open pool. After the intervention was taken down, many wanted to continue using and enjoying the

space and wrote a series of demands requesting public right to the space until the City Council offered plans for new community facilities. This re-appropriation, therefore, stemmed from an inherently legal manner, where the neighborhood collective agreed to recreate the space as soon as construction was ready to renew.

In the meantime, they installed a public garden, made places for people to sit out of recycled wood and materials, championed a rotating leadership system led by general assembly, and avoided any exchange of money or formulation of a commercial space (meaning that most contributions to the space were material or service-based instead of monetary).

The inside walls of the plaza are covered by constantly changing murals and large artworks. There is a basketball/soccer court in the middle of the space and a central wooden barrack that slightly resembles a treehouse. While there were no theatre performances in the Fall, the plaza also hosted makeshift outdoor performances for the community in the past and even held TEDx Madrid within the space.

Over the past four months, the plaza served as a casual hangout spot for me and my friends, fostering a care-free, welcoming, cheerful atmosphere. It was comforting to know that for the short amount of time that I was in the Madrid community, there was an alternative space for me to exist and explore outside the hustle and bustle of the center.

Unfortunately, Campo de Cebada reached the end of its lifespan towards the end of my semester abroad in December of 2017 to make way for the newly planned sports pavilion in the same space. They invited those who could to take a plant from the community garden home with them as a way to keep a little piece of the movement with them. Although I could not physically keep a plant, this plaza forever has a place in my heart and in my Madrid experience.

Another favorite neighborhood space is called Esta es una Plaza! (EEUP for short). Their history is a bit more militant than Campo de Cebada, as they seized the empty plot of land before requesting a temporary permit to the space. They were actually forcibly evicted many times over their lifespan before finally reaching an agreement with the city, who initially did not want anything to do with them. With a bit of struggle, they pushed through to create the space in existence today, which previously was an empty dirty path in between apartments. Effectively empty space.

EEUP differs from Campo de Cebada in the fact that it is less defined by the murals on the internal walls (even though these are also present and pleasantly interactive) and focuses more on the gardening aspects and the family spaces. There are multiple swing sets set up, a space for donated books and trays, and a large center table with an overhang that provides shade. The demographic at EEUP is definitely more family-based whereas Campo de Cebada is a wider mix with many young people.

Top: Non-commissioned art on the walls of the warehouse. Bottom: An exhibit from the commissioned section of La Tabacalera

For activity-based hangouts, I frequented La Tabacalera, an old tobacco factory repurposed into a self-cultural center and a managed government-sponsored promotion of art. I could probably go on forever about all these spaces, but my favorite aspects of all of them is the intent behind them.

They were created with the intent of reclaiming the right to the city – or taking back use of public space from higher authorities (such as the city government) and giving it back to the local communities – and governed by a rotating, democratic assembly that promotes an even distribution of power, to keep with the open nature of each space.

These projects created pockets within the city that have a unique personality. They are welcoming, comfortable, innovative. They spark discussion and bring people together from all walks of life. They exist for the enjoyment of the community and they are upheld by the passion of its members – and I think that is something so beautiful that should be present everywhere.

Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in the “UCLA bubble” for the past two years that I cannot bring to mind any similar collective or projects in Los Angeles. I have never experienced anything like this before coming to Madrid, so I am unsure if these collectives are unique to the crisis or unique to large metropolitan cities in general. However, if these collectives exist anywhere near me, I would love to learn more and get involved.

I do not feel at all well-integrated into the larger LA community as of now – my life is on campus. But lacking the campus in Madrid gave me the opportunity to explore the city without a real home base, and as a result, I stumbled across beautiful displays of collaboration and community stemming from a place of desire to craft the city from a grassroots perspective.

I want to go out and explore LA for many reasons, but Madrid’s neighborhood collectives and its overall spread of “hidden gems” have given me one more important reason to explore. It also

makes me wonder which spaces in my life could be repurposed into something else. Where is the dead space, and how can I make it better?

The Negotiating Identities class in general has given me a lot to think about in terms of the roles of public and private space, diversity within groups of people, and overall accessibility to spaces and events. These neighborhood initiatives are a perfect example to show that beauty is born out of crisis. The power of the collective is strong and unique — and as long as there is a group of committed individuals with a shared goal, these initiatives will continue to pop up again and again.

Looking forward, I think I’ll return to LA with a heightened awareness of the urban environment and a coupled ambition to make the city my learning space and my playground.

Gracias por su atención!

Hasta la próxima, Nina

Nina Chikanov studied abroad in Madrid, Spain in fall 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/spain/Pages/contemporary_spain_madrid.aspx

England | Favorite Restaurants in London

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By Michelle Lin

I always thought that California had the most diverse array of food, but it pales in comparison to London. This city is filled with so many amazing restaurants with many different types of food, from traditional English to Lao to Scandinavian. Here are some of my favorite restaurants that I’ve tried in London.  

Regency Cafe 

This is a classic British greasy spoon spot, which is a must-go to experience a classic full English breakfast. It’s pretty cheap- around 7 euros for a full English breakfast, which includes British bacon, sausage, tomatoes, black pudding, mushrooms, beans, toast, and coffee or tea. It’s also pretty popular, so you may need to wait, but service is super quick. Part of the experience is seeing the workers multi-task. It truly is an amazing feat to take orders, make toast, and make mugs of tea at the same time, and there is one lady who yells out the order in the loudest voice that I have ever heard. Two important pieces of information to know is that this is a cash only restaurant, and also does not have a toilet.  

Dishoom 

Dishoom is an Indian restaurant in London, and arguably one of the most famous restaurants in the city, where two hour waits for dinner is normal. There’s multiple locations throughout London. I’ve tried both lunch and breakfast here, and breakfast is most definitely worth it- Dishoom’s breakfast is one of the best breakfasts that I’ve ever had in my entire life. Breakfast is served until 11:45, which makes it the perfect brunch option as well. In addition, it’s less crowded during breakfast, and you will probably never encounter a wait in the morning. Dishoom’s breakfast is more fusion, with their famous naans filled with bacon, sweet chili jam, and cream cheese. This is an absolutely amazing combination, and super filling as well. One of my other favorite dishes are the spiced eggs that come with Iranian buns. Dishoom also serves the best chai tea that has free refills!  

 

Punjab 

While Dishoom is the best Indian breakfast/brunch spot, Punjab is the best place for traditional Indian dishes for lunch and dinner. It is the oldest Northern Indian restaurant in the UK, and its dishes reflect the amount of technique, work, care, and love that goes into cooking them. Their chicken tikka masala is absolutely amazing, with a very flavorful and balanced sauce. I also love their garlic naan, and their pumpkin curry, which is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and salty. Punjab has the best Indian food that I’ve ever tasted, and while it’s a bit on the pricier side, it’s definitely worth it! London is famous for its Indian food, and it doesn’t really get better than Punjab.

Four Seasons  

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Chinatown, which is right next to Soho. Four Seasons has really good Cantonese food, and is known for their barbecued meat of duck, chasu, pork belly, and spare ribs. The one, two, or three barbecued meats on rice is a pretty good deal at 8, 9, or 10 pounds respectively. This restaurant is so popular that even though they now have 3 different locations in Chinatown, they still have lines. However, there never seems to be a line if you get there at 5:00 pm. My favorites are the duck and the pork belly; although the pork belly looks super fatty, it actually is really delicious with a crunchy sugar crusted top.  

Cafe de Nata 

Cafe de Nata bakes Portuguese egg tarts of many different flavors: original, coconut, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, and chocolate. My personal favorites are blueberry and chocolate. Portuguese egg tarts are creamier and more custard-like than Chinese egg tarts. While a lot of coffee shops and restaurants including Nando’s sells these, this cafe has the best Portuguese tarts, especially considering the fact that these tarts are a bit on the expensive side. You can smell these tarts before you can even see the store, and is a must if you’re in the Soho area!  

Michelle Lin studied in London, England in 2018: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/united_kingdom_england/Pages/default.aspx

England | Dining and Shopping

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By Michelle Lin

Things to know about living in London: chains for shopping and eating: While there are many one-of-a-kind restaurants and shops in London, knowing more about the chains in this city are definitely helpful if you’re studying abroad here. These chains are where you’ll find yourself shopping and eating in your daily lives, and also offer an illuminating look into British life. Here’s some more information on where you should buy shampoo and eggs, and where to kick your sushi craving.  

SHOPPING 

Drugstores: Superdrug and Boots 

Superdrug is better for beauty and body care products, while Boots is better for medicine, as their pharmacists will give you really helpful medical advice based on your situtation, and which medicines you should take. In addition, you can get your flu shot at Boots, which costs 12 pounds. Both are also great to explore skincare products that aren’t available in the United States. Some interesting things that I’ve learned is that the British word for acetametaphin is paracetomal, and drugstores here do not sell facial washes with benzoyl peroxide.  

Supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer  

Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, and Marks & Spencer are the major chain grocery stores. Waitrose and Marks & Spencer are more expensive than Tesco and Sainsbury, but has a larger selection of products and fresher produce. There is also Tesco Metro and Sainsbury’s Local, which are smaller versions of the grocery stores. These are good for buying snacks, drinks, or non-perishables, but not as great for fresh produce. All of these stores have meal deals, where you get a sandwich, drink, and either chips or candy for a fixed price of around 3 to 4 pounds. These are widely popular in England, and worth trying for the British experience. Marks & Spencer has a lot of unique products, including many food items that are great to give as gifts, and a lot of ingredients that are great for cooking. While it is more expensive and specialized, I’d definitely recommend checking out their products in order to try items that aren’t available in the US.  

EATING  

While I love many restaurants and chains in London, some of the best places to get great food for cheaper is markets and farmers’ markets. These markets offer a large variety of ethnic food, are great for trying new foods. My favorites have been the duck burger in Brick Lane Market, and the Indian food at Bloomsbury’s farmers market.  

Food: Nando’s, Wasabi, Leon, Pret a Manger 

Nando’s is probably the most famous British chain, and for a good reason- they’re known for their legendary peri-peri flame grilled chicken, with delicious sides, for a reasonable price. My go-to order is a fourth chicken with two sides, which costs 7.45 pounds. You can choose the sauce for your chicken to be cooked in (my favorite is medium), and my favorite sides are corn on the cob and mashed potatos. Nando’s is famous for their numerous delicious sauces that you can dip your chicken and sides in, and you can grab the bottles of sauces to bring to your table. One of my favorite things about Nando’s is that it’s the only restaurant I’ve seen in London with an ice machine.  

Wasabi is the most established sushi chain in London, serving both sushi and bento boxes with dishes such as yakisoba and chicken katsu curry. The sushi isn’t amazing, but good enough for the price and convenience, and fulfills my cravings for sushi.  

Leon is a healthy fast food joint, that serves the food usually right as you order it. I’m not a huge fan of their chicken burgers, but I do really like their chicken nuggets. This restaurant makes healthy food more accessible, and is a great alternative to stopping at McDonald’s when you want food quickly.  

Pret a Manger serves sandwiches, coffee, juices, soups, and pastries- it essentially has options for both a meal or a snack, and is widely popular in London. There seems to be one on each block. Some are only take-out locations, but others have eat-in options as well.  

Coffee: Pret a Manger, Nero Coffee, Costa Coffee 

The most popular and widespread coffee chains are Pret a Manger, Nero Coffee, and Costa Coffee. Although all of these chains don’t do iced coffee like the ones I’m used to in the US, they all make great flat whites and offer a variety of pastries as well. In addition, Starbucks is also widely popular here, with locations everywhere as well.  

Michelle Lin studied in London, England in 2018: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/united_kingdom_england/Pages/default.aspx

England | Best Day Trips from London

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By Michelle Lin

While I absolutely love and enjoy the city of London, I would definitely recommend taking day trips outside of London- the English countryside truly cannot be missed, and it is refreshing to get away from the hustle and bustle of London. Not only are the trains super easy to access from the King’s Cross station in London, but the train journey itself is breathtaking, because of the picturesque views of rolling green hills and so many sheep. London is not representative of the rest of England, and these day trips are easy and rewarding ways to see more of this country. England has a great transportation system, with trains that are fast, clean, and new, and I’d definitely recommend everyone to take advantage of this and travel within the UK through the trains. Train tickets can be bought on trainline.eu in advance, which is recommended in order to get a cheaper price. However, for spontaneous trips, tickets can be bought in the train stations as well.  

Brighton 

Brighton is a downright adorable little town by the seaside in southern London, and is the home of the YouTuber Zoella. I really missed the oceans of California, so seeing the ocean here was really nice, even though it was very different. Other than walking on the pier and enjoying the ocean, the city center of Brighton has a lot of really cute and unique boutique shops, selling anything from vintage silk shirts from the 1980s to handmade jewelry to quirky clocks made out of vinyls. Another cool place to go is the Royal Pavilion, a palace inspired by Indian architecture. Since it’s by the sea, Brighton has great and cheap fish and chips. Overall, Brighton has a really relaxed seaside vibe, and is cute and small enough to enjoy and explore for a day trip.  

Bath 

Bath is a beautiful English village, and looks like the English countryside straight from the movies. The city center has lovely architecture, and heralds the Roman Baths, ancient remains of the outdoor baths that the Romans used to have. Outside of the city center is a river that runs through the town admist much greenery, as well as old churchs and bridges. There are also many smaller towns nearby that are worth exploring for an hour or two- Trowbridge and Frome are around a twenty minute train ride away.  

Canterbury 

Canterbury is another quaint and cute English village that reminded me of Bath. This town is most well known for the Canterbury Cathedral and the Canterbury Tales by Chaucer. The Canterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest Christian sites in England, and historically the site for many Christian pilgrims. This church is huge, with many different sections inside, and an underground crypt. I found the crypt to be the most interesting part, because of its dark hallways and small rooms that surround a larger gathering area. Other parts to explore other than the city center of Canterbury is Westgate Parks- this is a super peaceful and large park with a river running through it, and a great place to relax and soak in all of the beauty.  

Lastly, although I have personally not been yet, Cambridge and Oxford are both great and popular destinations for day trips, especially due to their historic and prestigious universities. So far in my program, I’ve really enjoyed seeing more of England through its different towns and areas. I have learned a lot, and not just how much cheaper groceries are outside of London, and hope to explore more of the United Kingdom in the future. 

Michelle Lin studied in London, England in 2018: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/united_kingdom_england/Pages/default.aspx

England | Roommate Interview

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By Michelle Lin

Amapola Garcia-Gomez is a fourth year transfer student at UCSD, majoring in sociology, and is one of my flatmates here in London. Her are some of her thoughts on her study abroad experience in the UC Center London Program. 

Q: Why did you choose your program? 
A: I wasn’t accepted to my first program which was Ireland, so I committed to this program because I really wanted to go to London for a semester. The reason that I chose London is very cliche, but I always wanted to go to London. I see London as a stepping stone in my life, because if I can make it to London, I can make it to anywhere in the world. 

Q: What challenges did you consider? 
A: One of the challenges I faced was being a first-generation university student, which created more insecurity in my decision to go abroad, because no one in my family has ever gone abroad or been to Europe. I felt liberated, and I felt like I broke the chain- my family has never had the money to travel outside of the Americas. Going abroad was a way for me to break that mindset in not letting fear hold you back. 

Q: What has some of your favorite memories of studying abroad been so far? 
A: Building friendships with people would be my best memories, especially with our flatmates, because during our first weeks here, we went everywhere together. We didn’t know where we were going, but we were going together. 

Q: What do you like about London? 
A: I like European history, so I like all of the history this city has. I love the more countryside parts of London, since it reminds me of Jane Austen. I love the transportation here, especially the Underground Tube station- there’s endless possibilities of getting around. 

Q: How would you compare your classes here as opposed at UCSD? 
A: Taking classes here are more independent study versus on campus, where you’re constantly being told to do this. You have more freedom here than staying on an actual campus.

Q: What are some of the cultural differences between London and Los Angeles? 
A: The people’s attitudes towards life is different- they’re always in a rush. There’s always a need for coffee and tea. Their portion sizes are smaller, their food has a lot less sugar. They really like beans, and freshly cooked meals. They have a lot more sit down restaurants than opposed to fast food restaurants, but even fast food restaurants seem healthier and fresher.

Q: What restaurants would you recommend in London? 
A: For Indian food, I’d definitely recommend Punjab, because although it’s a bit pricey, it’s far better than Dishoom, which is another really well-known Indian restaurant. I like Wasabi for sushi, which is a chain in the UK. If you really want good quality chicken that melts off the bone, I would recommend the Chicken Shop. Another chicken restaurant is Nando’s, which is a bit cheaper and has more variety.

Q: What areas and sights would you recommend in London? 
A: I would definitely recommend Hampton Court Palace, the Soho area, Chinatown, and the touristy sites including the London Eye and the London Bridge. For museums, I like the National Gallery, the National History Museum, the British Museum, and the Soane Museum.

Q: What do you miss from America? 
A: I miss Mexican food and spices a lot, although I had some good Mexican food in Dublin. I also miss soda, since the soda here doesn’t taste exactly like the ones in America. I miss my siblings, and shows that I can’t watch in the UK.

Q: What has been the challenge of studying abroad? 
A: Money and financial stability, and communication with financial aid. I think this is a very important aspect to consider when thinking about studying abroad, especially considering how expensive London is. I’d say to make sure you have more than you need before you leave, and to figure out how much you need.

Q: What moment has really stood out during your study abroad experience? 
A: Sitting in Russell Square on the grass with my back against the tree. I sat down in a break between my classes, and I listened to a song that I always listened to when I was dreaming about being somewhere else before I knew I was going to study abroad, and realizing where I was now while I listened to it, and how I was able to accomplish my dream.

Michelle Lin studied in London, England in 2018: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/united_kingdom_england/Pages/default.aspx

Spain | A STEM Major walks into a Humanities class…

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BY NINA CHIKANOV

“I’ve never thought this critically before in my life,” I found myself saying to my friends whenever we discussed how our classes were going abroad.

As a Computer Science & Engineering major, the majority of my courses over the past two years have been highly technical and STEM based, with a sprinkle of general and management classes thrown in. This is primarily due to the unique course requirements within the engineering school, if not specifically within CSE. With no language requirement and only five mandatory General Education courses, as well as the average of 4 classes per quarter needed to graduate in 4 years, there’s not too much time to expand beyond technical classes, at least based on my own study plan and goals (e.g. not impossible expand, just not in my case).

Coming abroad, in that regard, not only presented diversity of lifestyle and all the differences that come with living in a new country, but also offered me diversity in course selection.

This semester, I took four classes:

  1. Intermediate Spanish (note: I won’t be focusing as much on this course in this particular blog post, as it is a language class that is not required for my degree)
  2. Negotiating Identities in Madrid: Gender and Sexuality in Urban Space
  3. Immigration, Ethnicity, and Nation in Contemporary Spain
  4. Contemporary Spain through Icons & Images

Although I took two general classes before coming abroad (LING 1 and AN N EA 15), my mentality towards those courses was to use GEs as a “break” from STEM-based classes. Therefore, I still found myself prioritizing my major courses and consequentially did not delve as deep into each GE as I could have.

Therefore, I think taking an entire course load of non-technical classes at the same time gave me the unique opportunity to delve into and explore all the topics with full attention, instead of having them at the back of my mind.

Given the circumstances, then, let’s return to my opening thought: “I’ve never thought this critically before in my life.”

Arguably one of the best things about an engineering degree is the lack of essays. I cannot stand writing essays. I am perfectly content working way at math problems for hours instead of worrying about sentence structure, content, and analysis. But after spending the past four months writing essays and doing readings (so…many…readings), as well as integrating study visit experiences into my writing, I realized that the engineering brain does not always touch the critical, argumentative side of the brain that sorts through information to synthesize an argument during the writing process.

Top: Exhibition at Centro Centro in Palacio de Cibeles that we visited for a Spanish study trip. Middle: Museo Sorolla – art study visit. Bottom: Library in Lavapiés – Negotiating Identities walking tour.

We (engineers) are good at finding patterns by repetition and figuring out why things break sometimes (extraneous semicolons are the worst, am I right?) There is normally a set scientific theory or rule that should apply, there’s methodologies and algorithms that work better than others, and usually logical step-by-step process helps sort out issues.

The best way to study for STEM-based classes, in my opinion, is practice. Memorization is necessary for some things but only goes so far. I am primarily focused on finding solutions or reaching an end goal. While there are many ways to solve a problem, there is normally one optimal outcome.

This is where my classes began to mess with me. Behold: ambiguity.

First off, the number of readings presented as a supplement to lecture overwhelmed me, especially in the first few weeks. For each lecture (twice a week) there was at least one article or scholarly source assigned to read outside of class time. For Negotiating Identities with Jon, these sources directly played into class discussions. Keeping up with the reading (for the most part) was challenging for me, as I haven’t trained myself to read quickly, so time-management presented some issues. Furthermore, the guiding discussion questions were not always obvious (critical thinking!!) so a bit of synthesis was in order.

For Contemporary Spain through Icons & Images, our main sources for synthesis came from museum visits and were supplemented by readings. This was one of my favorite classes due to frequency of visits to Museo de Reina Sofia and other city museums, since we were able to contextualize the techniques and movements with prime examples alongside our professor.

Top: “The Four Dictators”, Arroyo (1937) – as seen at Museo de Reina Sofia. Bottom: “Spectator of Spectators”, Equipo Crónica (1972)

In fact, all of our classes incorporated some sort of study visit, which provided an interesting way for us to engage with our environment while exploring scholarly topics.

In Immigration, Ethnicity and Nation, for example, we visited a center called ACCEM that provides temporary housing services for migrants in Madrid and were able to peek into the lives of those struggling to make it in a new land. During a walking tour of Lavapiés, a neighborhood of Madrid with a higher concentration of immigrants (which also happened to be the neighborhood I lived in: read about my homestay experience here), we also had the opportunity to speak with people on the street about their experiences with immigration and integration in Spain.

As part of Negotiating Identities, we paid a visit to COGAM, the LGBT+ collective in Madrid that is also the main organizer of HIV/AIDS activism in the city. It was particularly neat for me to hear from the organizers in a panel, especially due to my involvement with the Pediatric AIDS Coalition at UCLA and our efforts to bring HIV/AIDS activism to campus.

COGAM at World AIDS Day at the Puerta de Alcalá next to Retiro Park in Madrid

We even had outings in Intermediate Spanish, one of which led us to explore university life in Spain at the Complutense University of Madrid, one of the top universities in Spain, and compare and contrast our own university experiences with those of native Spaniards

These sorts of interactions with the city and local organizations gave me a deeper understanding of Madrid and contextualized many of the concepts we discussed in class. This is something I wish I had in LA, as I don’t feel particularly connected to the community off-campus. 

Moreover, the study visits provided inspiration for the research I conducted for my final paper in each course. 

In Icons & Images, I chose to analyze Muros Tabacalera, a project commissioned by the city of Madrid on the walls of the Tabacalera, a cultural center and art exhibit in my neighborhood. Since its inauguration in 2014, the selection of murals in the project has changed once, in 2016. Through my research, I compared project topics, styles, and relevance to the city of Madrid. In this way, I was able to use the city as my example for my paper. 

The 2016 installation of the Muros project outside of La Tabacalera

In Negotiating Identities, I chose to focus on neighborhood initiatives and grassroots movements in Madrid, drawing inspiration from Spanish economic history and the site called Campo de Cebada in the La Latina neighborhood. Once again, the study visits acted as a source of academic inspiration. 

Campo de Cebada

Researching for three 10-page papers at once was incredibly time consuming and overwhelming, but I’m glad my classes gave me the freedom and liberty to learn from the city and look at it from different lenses. As a result, I learned so much more about Madrid and its communities. 

Overall, while the classes were challenging at times in terms of workload, they were incredibly rewarding and challenged me to view my surroundings with a critical lens, something I want to try to do more of when I return to Los Angeles. 

Study abroad was a different sort of academic challenge, and I am so extremely grateful for the passion of my professors and the challenges presented to me. I had to adapt my study habits to fit new material and I am a stronger intellectual because of it. I hope to keep stimulating the non-technical side of my brain and keep pushing myself to grow. 

Me and my professors at end of year banquet.

Nina Chikanov studied abroad in Madrid, Spain in fall 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/spain/Pages/contemporary_spain_madrid.aspx

England | Studies

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By Michelle Lin

While social media posts may not show it, studying abroad does include studying! Here’s some insights into the classes I’m taking in the Arts, Politics, Society & Space program. Because this program is a UC Center program and not affiliated with any British university, all of our classes are taken at the London ACCENT center with various lecturers. Class is only a five minute walk away from the apartments, which is absolutely lovely. Each class takes place once a week, for three hours each, so I have a total of 12 hours of class a week.  

All of our classes point toward providing us with a greater understanding of London. Through my classes, I am broadening my horizons and learning so much more about multiple aspects of England. These are classes are extremely different from the giant lectures at UCLA that I’m used to. Because there’s around twenty-five students in each class, it feels more like a liberal arts or private university. We do a lot of group work, activities, and class participation, and attendance is mandatory. All classes are essay and presentation based, so I’m glad to get a break from midterms and exams.  

Comparative Media 

This class centers around a comparison between the UK media and the US media, and the professor is followed by Barack Obama on Twitter! It’s a very interactive class, with a lot of class discussions and debates.  

Britain and the EU  

Although this is the class I find most challenging, it is also my favorite class, since I’ve always wanted to learn more about the European Union and Brexit. Every lecture is extremely interesting, as we get more of an insight into the history of the EU and the complexity of this institution. After we learn something, we immediately do worksheets, which really ingrains the lesson into my head. In addition, we will attend two lectures at the London School of Economics in order to learn more about issues related to the European Union. This class is very timely with the upcoming date of the Brexit, and I’m grateful to be able to learn about this issue in the country that it so greatly affects.  

London Museums 

This class mostly takes place at different museums, where guest lecturers (usually past curators of the museum) teach us through a tour around the museum. This includes extremely famous museums such as the British Museum and the National Gallery, as well as lesser well-known museums, such as the Sir John Soane museum. I really enjoy being able to go to museums during class, and learning about not only art history, but the politics and logistics of museum curation.  

Society & Space 

This is the core class of the program which every student takes, where we learn about the development of the city of London through different historical periods. Half of the lectures are in the classroom, while the other half are walking tours around different areas of London. Last week, we walked around the East End of London, learning about both the history that took place and what is happening there in the present day. In addition, we occasionally visit museums for this class as well. I love how much I’ve been able to learn in these classes, and how much they contribute to a holistic understanding of London. One of the aspects of London that drew me to study abroad here was its rich history and culture, and being able to learn and explore more of this city through my classes has been truly a surreal and exceptional experience. 

Michelle Lin studied in London, England in 2018:http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/united_kingdom_england/Pages/default.aspx

Denmark | Why I Decided to Study Abroad

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By Chloe Zgorzelski 

Two flights and one long travel day later, I have made it home to Los Angeles! I still can’t believe my time studying and living in Copenhagen has come to an end and winter quarter at UCLA begins in a little less than a week. 

Since I am often asked why I decided to study abroad, in particular, why I chose the city of Copenhagen, I decided it would only be fitting to wrap up my posts about my exchange adventure reflecting on my time across the pond. I chose to study abroad because I wanted to learn from, be exposed to, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for a culture that is different from my own. When I became a UCLA Bruin almost three years ago, I knew studying abroad was one of those unique university experiences that I had to take advantage of. Not only would this opportunity enrich my educational career, but I was confident it would diversify and broaden my worldview in ways I could not even fathom.  

I started planning during my freshman year, setting up meetings with the counselors in the UCLA IEO office and researching many different programs throughout Europe. For a long time, my heart was set on completing a program in either Spain or Italy. Yet, when I discovered UCEAP’s program at University of Copenhagen in Denmark, I knew it was the perfect fit for me.  

As a student who actively pursues opportunities that encourage personal growth, I was drawn to Denmark’s excellent educational system, emphasis on living sustainably, and unique blend of tradition and modernity in architecture, art, and culture. Denmark is consistently rated one of the happiest countries in the world, a fact that I felt was compatible with my optimistic outlook and positive demeanor. I also admired the Danes focus on utilizing education as a means to create innovative, real-world solutions, an emphasis I believed would satiate my desire to be challenged academically and collaborate with others. Moreover, I discovered the program would allow me to enroll in and complete upper division coursework through the University’s renowned Psychology Department. Not only would this supplement the strong educational foundations that UCLA has fostered in me, but it would also allow me to stay on track to graduating with a double major in 2020. 

As the first UCLA student to submit an application for this program way back in October 2017, there is no doubt that I had been looking forward to this experience for a long time. The time I spent and the experiences I had in Denmark prompted immense personal growth and allowed me to foster deeper global connections. Not only have I embraced an attitude of ‘hygge’, a Danish term that embodies warmth and coziness, but I also feel I have become more mindful. I am more intentional about taking the time to slow down and appreciate, enjoy, and experience the present, a skill that often gets lost in our increasingly fast paced world. My interactions with the Danes reinforced my belief that life should be lived with authenticity and intentionality. I also feel I have become more independent, self-reliant, and confident in myself as a result of my time in Copenhagen.  

It was always my desire to share what I have learned from my experiences abroad with others and to use my newfound knowledge and cross-cultural understanding to make a positive and tangible impact within my community. Here’s hoping that 2019 brings more opportunities to travel, live well, and learn abroad! 

 

xo Chloe 

Chloe Zgorzelski studied in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2018: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/denmark/Pages/univ_of_copenhagen.aspx