Semesters in Uppsala and Barcelona end early, so we always get three to four months of summer vacation. This is an excellent opportunity for us to engage in different activities such as traveling, visiting families, doing internships, and so on. We would like to share with you the summer stories of 10 of us.
Anlii
I went back to Okinawa – my hometown, and here, I had the best American-origin Okinawan soul food and visited many sites. I walked around the Ou-island and was astonished by the beautiful scenery of it. I also went to the commercialized district at the waterfront of Chatan (this is considered to be one of the best revitalizations of US base land). The most memorable visit was to the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman City. This place had the most intense battle and tons of deaths were counted. There was a memorial plate with every name and every nationality of those who died in the battle of Okinawa. My condolences to everyone involved in the Battle of Okinawa.
Bella
I started an internship in my home country (Taiwan) in the summer. During my free time, I would hang out with my friends and have some of my favorite Taiwanese food. Also, the highlight of this summer was Mister Donut’s collaboration with a famous spicy hotpot brand in Taiwan. I just had to try!
Clara
With the semester in Uppsala finishing in early June and studies in Göttingen not starting until October, I decided not to give myself a break! Instead, I am working on my journalism skills during an internship at “Bayerischer Rundfunk”, one of the major broadcasting companies in Germany. Specifically, I work on a radio show together with other journalism trainees and interns.
Diorj
During this summer vacation, I was just chilling in my hometown with my family and our beloved dog, Moana! Here is us at the Hundred Islands National Park, my hometown’s famous tourist destination. Besides getting ready for my next mobility by researching housing and visas, I took the time to rediscover my country’s beauty and revisit its history while looking around some visiting friends. I enjoyed it through and through!
Francisco
This summer, I got married! All throughout my first and second semesters in Glasgow and Uppsala, I worked full-time to save up for my wedding in Mexico, and it was absolutely worth it. We had a secular ceremony in my hometown, Colima, with a handful of our friends and family (a small wedding by Mexican standards), followed by our favorite food, drinks, and music—which we hand-picked ourselves, one by one.
Helen
I went on a Buddhist cultural study tour to the Shanxi Province of China this summer. The Fokuang Temple （佛光寺）. No matter your worries, you will feel very refreshed and relieved when you are there. If there is a chance you come to visit China, this is a place you definitely should stop by!!
Laura
This summer, I was mostly working at my old job cleaning until I went to summer school in Kyoto. Besides that, I also spent time with friends and family and prepared for my next mobility in Bogota! Although I was busy preparing for the next semester, I made sure to spend time relaxing, e.g. going on walks to the beach near me, painting pottery with my mum, etc
Louna
After an enriching semester in Barcelona, I first went back home to France. Although my stay was very short, it was nice to be back home before heading to Japan for my summer internship and my second year at Kyoto University. In Japan, I first stayed in Osaka for two days, followed by a week in Nagoya to spend some quality time with my family. Then, I headed to Tokyo, where I stayed until the end of September. I am currently doing an internship (in Project Management and Acquisitions) and I really enjoy what I am doing. Life in Tokyo is vibrant and fast-paced. Although getting used to the crowd is not easy, there are always many activities to do, places to visit, people to meet, and plenty of opportunities to uncover.
Maarten
After coming back from Barcelona, I worked at the airport to get some savings for my next mobility while catching up with family and friends. Of course, I also enjoyed the incredible Gentse Feesten.
Nadine
I spent my summer creating sculptures and teaching ceramics courses. I also prepared for and participated in a nature-related art exhibition in London. I was also working on Pollinator Ambassadors giving several workshops.
We hope you enjoyed our recap of GLOCAL students’ summer. Stay tuned for more updates from us!