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.

Last Day in Daegu

The time is now getting to the end. One more sleep and I will sit on the bus to Seoul. Today I also need to move into my new room or old room on which I stay before when coming to Daegu. I have moved all my belongings from top floor to the other top floor. I was lucky to meet few of my friends who quickly helped me to move my stuff and I could give them some left overs such as all the cloth hangers. Otherwise they may end up in the bin or so.

I had a few appointments with friends, to say good bye and wish them luck for the their future. I hope I will be able to meet them again somewhere on this planet. As they also needed to move there belongings and moved back home and it was only me left on campus I decided to go into the town to say good bye. In some strange reason also thought of visiting the cinema and later two other friends joined me who come extra back to Daegu to help me tomorrow to bring me to the bus terminal in the morning. These friends I don't need to say good bye as I am confident I will manage to see them in Europe. As they will join two university, one which is where I am from, Northumbria and the other is Pecs (Hungary) closer to Krakow which would be my next stop after Seoul.

On the way back to the campus we walked into our other friend, who is just on the way to Taiwan. So we decided to go for a coffee at late at night, which was not easy to find one open. Its a bit strange for Korea, but I guess due now all students are gone and only a few are left. There was one still open which served cold coffee only. Why not at night time and close to end of December to have a cold coffee in the first coffee shop we went together in the beginning and to find our drawings in the archives of the store.