From Seoul National University of Science and Technology, SAF Spring Correspondent Dabin Seo is reporting from the University of Edinburgh. ​

Over the weekend, students can go for a short trip with a tour guide who is registered in the International Student Society. The Highlands of Scotland is a historic region famous for being the site of the Harry Potter movies. As you can see in the pictures below, the area is filled with bridges, lakes and mountains. Even though it’s always raining in Scotland, you will enjoy a great field trip when you pick the right day.​

Corned beef and cabbage is one of the most popular dishes to eat on St. Patrick's Day, and it's easy to see why. It's super juicy, packed with flavor, and is sure to leave you with a full belly. 

This dish is another St. Patrick's Day staple. With creamy mashed potatoes, flavorful ground meat and vegetables, it'll fill you up and stick to your ribs. 

Although it's less commonly enjoyed by Americans, this baked good is super tasty and super easy to make, as it contains no yeast and doesn't need to rise. 

Besides all the popular St. Patrick’s Day foods, it’s very common for Americans to add green food dye to their everyday food as a creative way of celebrating. Cookies, cakes, breads and even sauces are among the foods some people dye green.  

How does the tournament work? 
March Madness is what’s known as a single elimination tournament. This means that if a team gets defeated, they are out of the tournament for good, and so the field becomes narrower as the tournament progresses. The tournament begins with 68 different teams. After the first two rounds of matches, there will be 16 teams remaining. These teams are known as the “Sweet 16.” After the Sweet 16 teams play and 8 are eliminated, the remaining 8 are referred to as the “Elite 8.” After the Elite 8 round, there are only 4 teams left, fittingly referred to as the Final Four. These four teams play to determine who ends up in the final Championship match.  

Who plays in the tournament? 
The teams that play in March Madness are from Division 1 colleges, home to some of the best college basketball talent in the nation. The teams chosen to play in the tournament are announced on Selection Sunday, which is usually the Sunday before the first game. This year, Selection Sunday takes place on March 15. On this day, the teams’ seedings are also determined. A seeding is a team’s rank from 1-16 based on how good they are, and it determines the order they play in and which teams they play against.  
SAF schools that played in last year’s tournament included: 

• University of Minnesota
• Michigan State
• Arizona State
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of Mississippi 

Michigan State ended up going the furthest, making it all the way to the Final Four.   ​

Nothing enriches you more than travel. Learning about new countries and cultures is one of the quickest ways to gain life experience, test your limits, and develop your worldview. But as much as we’d all love to endlessly travel the world, the sad reality is that most of our bank balances just won’t allow it.  

Luckily, there are a few cities on Earth where you can globetrot to your heart’s content without ever leaving the city limits! London is famous for being the epicentre of British culture, but it’s also home to more than 270 nationalities and 300 languages. London is so multicultural, more than a third of its residents are actually foreign-born. Here are a few unique cultural enclaves in the city to explore next time you’re feeling a sense of wanderlust. 

Located right smack in the action of central London, you’ll find the bold red streets of Chinatown. This bustling downtown hotspot is your best for authentic Chinese restaurants, as well as a feast for the eyes with dazzling Chinese gates, lanterns, and stone lions. This neighborhood is also perfectly situated close to major London attractions like the National Gallery, Leicester Square and the West End, so you can catch a play or art exhibition once you’ve filled up on yum cha.

​If you’re after a taste of the tropics, head on down to the southern district of Brixton. This is the historical home to Britain’s many generations of Afro-Caribbeans, who immigrated to London throughout the 1940’s and 50’s from countries like Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago. You’ll find Caribbean culture on full display here, from reggae bars to restaurants serving up delicious goat curry and beef patties. Be sure to check out the famed Brixton Market, or learn more about Britain’s Afro-Caribbean community at the Black Cultural Archives. 

​London can be a hectic place, so why not get a little peace and quiet in a garden of zen? Holland Park, located in the upscale borough of Kensington & Chelsea, is a city park famous for its live peacocks and gardens. It’s also home to Kyoto Gardens, a meticulously maintained Japanese garden complete with waterfall and pond, that was donated to London by the people of Kyoto in the 1990’s. Pick up some sushi beforehand to enjoy while you kick back here and dream of Japan for the afternoon. 

​Did you know chicken tikka masala is the national dish of Britain? Huge immigrant communities from South Asian countries like Bangladesh and India have led to a serious curry-loving culture in the UK. The heart of London’s Bangladeshi community is Brick Lane, located in the once-notorious East End where Jack the Ripper once roamed back in the Victorian age. Swing by this lively and trendy area for an authentic (and eye-wateringly spicy) curry, and stay for a Jack the Ripper walking tour through the narrow, cobbled streets. 

Home to scores of both North and South Koreans, New Malden is London’s unofficial Koreatown. This far flung suburb in the southwest of London might require some traveling to reach, but if you do, you’ll be rewarded with bona fide bulgogi, Korean fried chicken and noraebang stocked with your fave K-pop tracks. Try and catch the K-Music Festival (October - November) or the Korean Film Festival (November) if you can. ​

​London is home to a large Jewish population, and there are actually several neighborhoods where you can soak up some Jewish culture. It’s Golders Green that boasts some of the city’s best kosher cuisine, though, serving up deliciously doughy bagels and crisp falafel so good you’ll kvell. Just a short tube ride away in nearby Camden, you’ll find the Jewish Museum London, which showcases the vibrancy of Jewish culture as well as its extensive history in the city. 

This district in south London’s Southwark borough is affectionately named “Little Lagos,” after Nigeria’s capital city. The streets here are lined with Nigerian-owned businesses boasting Yoruba culture, from stores selling brightly colored African fabrics to shops overflowing with Nigerian staples, like yams, jollof rice, and cassava. Sample some traditional fare, before moving on to Peckham Levels. This uber-trendy multipurpose complex is home to cafes, street food kiosks, and a rolling programme of exhibitions and events from local creatives and artists.

After finishing my second midterm at UCSB, I went on a trip to San Francisco with my friend I met in Santa Barbara. I got to see all the beautiful places I'd seen in movies and pictures. I also met lots of nice people there.

After traveling in San Francisco, we took a train to Paloalto where Stanford University is located - it took only 40 minutes to get there. Living up to its reputation, the campus was incredibly huge and beautiful. I'd never seen such a big campus in my whole life. I think this trip will have a significant meaning in my study abroad experience since it was my first-time visiting San Francisco and my first trip after coming to Santa Barbara.