Scoraig

Scoraig?

 

I guess, I better show a map layout on where Scoraig is located in the Highlands of Scotland.

It is an interesting place of visit if you have enough time to spare to relax and not afraid of water otherwise there is a 5 miles walk into the village. It is only reachable by few methods of transport, bike, boat and foot. Maybe helicopter, but for sure the whole village will know somebody has arrived.

We had hired a car and drove towards the opposite village where we could park the car, and our host has picked us up with his boat to "ferry" us across the water. It was very calm, and not as I had anticipated to be rough, maybe due to the great weather we had in these days.

There is a small museum to get to know a bit more about Scoraig before asking the resident questions which may the answer is provided in the 24/7 museum with self switch on radio system.

We had been lucky on our visit to get to know some of the local resident through a "house party" and the next day through a community coffee shop to raise money for the local school. Yes! They still have a primary school - and want to raise more families here to re-open the old secondary school which now has been closed down and transformed into a community centre for local events such as parties.

If you are interested in how water and electricity reaches the house, it is a great place to come and learn or if you have experience you can play with the resources as no regulations are in the isolation - no forms to fill out just go ahead.

It is definitely worth to come there just for the weekend or a week if your journey is further away.

Wylam

How far do you must travel out the city to reach country side? When I had been in Korea on the train to Daegu for the first time I though that this must be still Seoul even so we reached soon Daejeon half across the nation already. Whereas here in Newcastle upon Tyne either get on the bus or train and in within 10minutes you are out and about somewhere in the countryside. 

I mostly do not understand why Wylam is not on the tour guide book listed, maybe its also ok for me so it stays calm and quiet rather hundreds of travellers in a small village. Other people may pass the village to fast with there cycle without knowing they just gone through Wylam as the cycle track is laid out to run outside the village, like a busy car road which is build outside the towns (bypass). The main two attractions on visit is the George Stephenson Birth house and the old railway bridge. Inside the villages there is a few coffee houses and Pubs to relax before continuing the journey onwards towards the West coast or East cost (depending from which side you came). 

It is surely a great day out by bike from Newcastle upon Tyne if you follow the cycle track 72 towards Hexham.

Travel?

The journey is over for now for a little while. As I returned back into the UK and had collected many valuable experience on the way from Korea and Poland. Now is the Olympics on in London, I followed a few sportsmen across the globe to the World Championships IAAF in Dageu, UEFA Euro Cup in Poland/Ukraine and now Olympia London 2012. I am gonna say to them "Hello again".

I am sorry that I did not continue on posting regards the experience in Poland, please therefore take a look on StudyInKrakow where there is also a few post of myself regarding the experience in Poland. It was surely much different as Korea, but also different as expected. It is well worth to spend some time there and may to choose part of exchange studies.

Please do still keep a watch out here in September for a few posts regards UK travels.

Why to study in Poland?

During mine time here in Poland - I had been always asked on why I choose to study in Poland. I guess the chances been high on why did you choose to study in France, Spain, Greece and not in any other 25 or 30 ERASMUS countries.

I guess as you only can choose one country and one city and one university in it (if multiple choices available). So did I just go with my finger on the map and pointed blank into Poland? No. It was a bit of thinking behind it on what I shall get out from it - as you notice before I spend a good time in South Korea. I really wanted to get to know a bit better our (Eastern) European neighbours. After all the impression is positive - did you actually knew that during the financial crisis Poland had still a growth rate to the real GDP and that youth unemployment is relative low to other EU member states.  Did you knew that MNE's enterprises have part of there head office in Poland or operating service industry of there company within in Poland such as the accountants for Phillip Morris. Did you knew that Poland was not a country for 150 years, but still kept most of their culture?

I guess some parts of it I could knew before coming, but I did not done any research at all on the nation I would spend my exchange semester. As in regards to South Korea - I knew fairly on what is going to happen to me Karaoke Bars every day and shopping 24 hours.

I guess we mainly know Poland for its work force which is willing to work hard and recently also aware that they are the hosts of Euro 2012. 

It was also a final reason on choosing Poland due to the Euro 2012 - to experience from the host nation itself  the atmosphere - I did not knew that Krakow is not a host city and that they would even host the English football team. I just arrived here and found everything out what will happen in the end of the semester of June. 

The first reason to choose the country and city - is due to the high standard of the university in Poland. The university is described one of the best business schools in Poland with leading graduates and professors from the nation.  What I did not knew that Krakow alone has 23~25 insitution including one of the oldest Jagiellonian. You notice my information of Poland and Krakow was really low - I guess in a kind of sense is good (and bad) as you do not have high expectation on what will occur to you in this nation. I guess those of you whom now read it will be a bit more aware of the situation in Krakow.

In the end I guess it was a wise choice to come here and learn the answers of above. 

Poland

It has been a really long time since I updated this blog. I am sorry I could not find time in posting my experience in Poland. I did a bit travel around this nation but not extensive as in S Korea. I think I will upload a few video blogs rather then writting it all down on what has happen in the time here in Krakow and around.

Here is a first vLog on the experience in Krakow.

Seoul

Today the day has come when I will move to Seoul for another month. 

I woken up early to wash my blanket and leave it in the room for the next student in case they want to use it, as its to bad to through in the bin which just had been used for a few months only.

Then I token a walk around the campus to take final snap shots and returning back to wait for my friends who will help me to get me to the bus terminal before I will set off to Seoul.

My arrival to Seoul is expected at 4pm and I notice is my first time a direct bus to Seoul as the other times I arrived by train. Train is always convinent if you don't have to carry much with you and second the host stay family lives not far of the bus terminal station.

I given them the call a bit to late as I was not aware buses had "blue lines" a lane for themselves - so I waited a bit at the station and met a student from South Africa whom just return back for the Winter break. It is great to see that S Koreans go anywhere in the world to gain a university place.

I met my guest family and settled down with them for the evening. We even had been after dinner to my new office - as my plan was just to explore by myself. Maybe they had been worried I would get lost - so they droven me along the bus route and shown where to get off. The air distance from the apartment to office is only 5km, but the bus route is 10km. I will be looking forward to join the commute early in the morning and gain this experience for future life. I think this was also a good reason to stay in Homestay family to learn getting back home for dinner time and able to commute through the dentist populated city to work and being on time.