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3 Markets You Should Visit in London

11/14/2019

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From Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, SAF Fall Correspondent Jungwon Choi is chronicling her experience at University of Westminster.

London has a lot of wonderful markets you can visit. Today, I will introduce three of them!

Hello everyone! Welcome to my second video! For those of you who are new to my video, I’m Maia and I’m currently studying at the University of Westminster in London. Today I want to introduce three markets you should visit in London.

The first one is the Borough Market. The Borough Market is known for its long history of 1,000 years! It is said to have existed since 1014. There are various food stalls, bakeries, and desserts to choose from and they also provide a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, so you might want to pick up some groceries here. The Borough Market is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

The other two markets, Bricklane Sunday Market and the Spitalfield Market, are quite close by, so I recommend you visit them together. There is a wide variety of food in both markets so be sure to go with an empty stomach! As you can guess from the name, the Bricklane Market opens only on the weekends, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The Spitalfield Market is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Try to aim for a weekend to enjoy them both!

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There are many famous markets in London aside from the ones I’ve introduced in today’s video, such as the Camden market or the Shepherd Market, so do check those out as well if you are visiting London! 
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Daily Vlog: Oseyo, Ocado, and Making Burrito Bowls

11/12/2019

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SAF Correspondent Jungwon Choi from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies is chronicling her life at the University of Westminster.

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my video. Today I want to give you a peek into my daily life and some tips along the way. Every Wednesday, we go to a museum or gallery for my Art and Society class. This time, it was the British Museum. Taking one of these classes is a nice way to visit museums and look around London. On the way back home, I visited the Korean mart, “Oseyo,” for the first time. They literally have everything, from food, sauces, and instants, to vegetables and meats. It’s a franchise in London, so check if there is any that’s close to where you live!

​Ocado is an online website that delivers groceries to your door in your chosen time slot. You have to order £40 to qualify for delivery, so you might want to order with your friends. They have a wide selection of products you usually wouldn’t be able to see in your local grocery store, so I think it’s worth checking out once in a while. I made a burrito bowl with the ingredients I got from Ocado. Though I went a bit overboard with my ingredients, you can basically use anything you like. It’s nice and easy to make and I just make loads of them so I don’t have to cook every day. It really helps a lot when you are busy! I hope you enjoyed this video and I’ll see you in the next one!
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Top 10 street food spots to try while studying abroad in London (part 1)

11/7/2019

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You need to study, but you also need to eat. As one of the most exciting capitals in the world, London not only offers some of the nation’s top universities, but also has thousands of restaurants, markets, food trucks and street stalls that reflect the city’s multicultural nature. When you’re ready to experience the best the city has to offer on a budget, it’s the streets you need to hit. 

We’ve selected 10 top street food stalls for you to explore, from tacos and burritos to burgers, hearty Sri Lankan street specialties to delectable paellas – here’s part 1 of 2 – make sure not to miss them when you’re studying in London. 

BBQ Dreamz

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A Filipino street food classic inside a rainbow-colored party truck, BBQ Dreamz has deservedly accumulated quite a following over the past few years at the sites of food incubator KERB and Brockley Market. Their Satay Curry comes with jasmine rice, coconut milk, fresh garden peas, coriander, spring onion and pineapple; while their signature dish of Lechon Kawali is a fragrant 24-hour cooked slice of pork belly served with mouthwatering Filipino Lechon sauce. ​

Where? Kerb King’s Cross, Kerb West India Quay, Brockley Market, John Lewis rooftop  
20 minute walk from UCL and SOAS, University of London
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More information: bbqdreamz.co.uk or @BbqDreamz 

Furness Food Hut

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This Borough Market staple serves amazing Valencia-style paella that always draws a long queue, but is well worth the wait. Their giant pan of paella features chicken, chorizo, Cornish squid rings, mussels and Madagascan tiger prawns amidst rice. Borough Market doesn’t lack in delicious offerings, but Furness’s Bomba Paella is one of the best.

Where? Borough Market
Take the tube! 10 minutes from University of the Arts, London
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More information: boroughmarket.org.uk

Luardos

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Founded in 2007, this Mexican street food joint is the place in London to try authentic Mexican food. Everything is cooked out of the owners' "food truck," a wild Citroën H Van (now two vans). They’ve fed the biggest music festivals in Britain and continue to serve up some of the best Mexican fare in London. They offer burritos, tacos, quesadillas and tortas, and all the ingredients always come fresh. Carnitas Burrito is a fat burrito stuffed with fennel and slow-cooked, orange-flavored pork, which is particularly popular.

Where? Brockley Market, Whitecross Market
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More information: luardos.co.uk or @luardos

Schmaltz

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This dandelion-patterned street food van is a shining example of how affordable and highbrow can go together. The famed "unmissable" food van serves addictive French chicken sandwiches. Their menu has been developed by chef Karl Burdock (who’s spent time in Michelin-starred kitchens), and the in-house team consists of talents who previously worked in a range of well-known establishments. The famous chicken sandwiches are made with seared and roasted Label Rouge chickens. Take a field trip, enjoy a nice sandwich and discover how regular chicken sandwiches can be posh at this stop.

Where? Exchange Square
Take the tube! 25 minutes from SOAS, University of London

More information: schmaltzlondon.com or @schmaltzlondon

Kothu Kothu

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Eat your way through the world in London! Kothu Kothu (meaning "chop chop") serves a famed Sri Lankan dish called "Kothu Roti." Slices of flatbread are mixed with vegetables, eggs and curry, then chopped up to make a delicious and hearty dish. You can choose chicken, mutton or both -- and ask for more spice if you like it hot.

Where? Boxpark Croydon

More information: @Kothu_Kothu
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Skies and the Clouds

11/7/2019

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From University of Foreign Studies, SAF Fall Correspondent Zimo Wang is chronicling her experience at University of Edinburgh.

​Different pictures, the same beauty and magnificence of the sky and clouds in Edinburgh.

Oscar Wilde once said: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Well, in case you forget to look at the beautiful sky above you sometimes, let me remind you how astonishing the sky can be through these pictures. Oh, and those clouds — a poem suspended in the sky.
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The Best Bits of a British Autumn

11/1/2019

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Internationally, the UK is known for its rain, fog, and generally dismal weather. But, contrary to stereotypes, the British weather really isn’t all that bad. As the leaves change color and the temperatures drop, British fall may not have all the drama of an Asia autumn--but it also doesn’t have the threat of typhoons. Not that you’d know it for the fuss and weather talk that you’ll hear everywhere you go in the UK.

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After a moderately pleasant summer, fall means pulling out jumpers (sweaters), wrapping up in scarves, and enjoying some of the best bits of the British autumn.

Country Pubs

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Pub gardens in the summer are a special experience, but come autumn, roaring fires heat snug rooms that have welcomed guests for centuries with room-temperature beers. Many country pubs now are ‘gastropubs,’ serving local ingredients as fantastic meals for visitors from far and wide.

One of the greatest British autumn treats is to take a long country walk, heading toward your pub of choice--where you have a table reserved. At the end of your walk, you push open the pub’s heavy wooden door and walk into a room warmed by the fire, the smell of food cooking, and the smile on the bar staff’s face. 
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Bonfire Night

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“Remember, remember, the fifth of November; gunpowder, treason, and plot...,” a nursery rhyme known by every British child. One of a few remaining very-British celebrations, Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night on November 5 celebrates a failed attempt in 1605 to blow up Parliament and King James I.

Disturbingly, a core part of the celebration used to be the making of an effigy of Guy Fawkes (the man who the Kings Men found surrounded by gunpowder barrels) and then parading it through the streets before burning it on a huge bonfire.

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These days, there is less effigy burning and more fireworks, mulled wine, baked potatoes, and candy floss enjoyed by families across the country, both in small back-garden parties and large all-town bonfire and firework displays. 

Indian summer

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You’ve invested in jumpers, scarves, bobble hats, and woolly mittens, and you’re just settling in for the colder months, then all of a sudden, an Indian summer hits. Welcome to the time of year you simply can’t dress for! Leave the house in the morning wrapped up warm, and by lunchtime it’s t-shirt-and-shorts weather. The Met Office defines an Indian summer as “a warm, calm spell of weather occurring in autumn, especially in October and November.”

​And it’s this sort of weather the Brits
love to talk about. Anything unpredictable, anything to moan about, and they are as happy as children. Suddenly the parks fill again--everything is like summer; the only difference is everyone is in long pants and carrying piles of extra clothes.

Castles, estates, and houses

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The National Trust and English Heritage both work tirelessly to maintain, preserve, and share the country’s most historic buildings. Think stunning castles, grand stately mansions, homes of great Britons, and impressive abbeys, gardens, and iconic sites (Stonehenge, for example).

Most of them have a tearoom and gift shop with far too many things to tempt locals, let alone tourists, and autumn is the perfect time to visit them. Most National Trust and English Heritage locations have a house or building to retreat to in case the weather turns, and most have gardens, walks, woodlands, or grounds you can wander around for hours should an Indian summer make an appearance.
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What the weather's like in L.A.

10/31/2019

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From Communication University of China, SAF Fall Correspondent Yiqing Liu is chronicling her experience at UCLA.

The shining sunny days.

The climate of Los Angeles is a year-round mild to hot and mostly dry climate for the L.A. metropolitan area in California. It is classified as a Mediterranean climate, which is a type of dry subtropical climate. It is characterized by seasonal changes in rainfall, with a dry summer and a rainy winter season. ​
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Autumn in London: The 5 Best Spots to Enjoy Fall Foliage

10/30/2019

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As sad as it is to see the summer slip away, the start of the fall season is always a beautiful thing to behold. It’s not the shorter days, the lower temperatures, or the pumpkin spice-everything that really makes autumn a season to remember; it’s the brilliant change of leaves, when the verdant green of spring and summer gives way to a fiery kaleidoscope of yellows, oranges and reds for a brief but memorable few months every year.  ​
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There’s no better place to witness this dramatic shift in our yearly calendar than in one of the most scenic cities on the planet: London, England. Here are a few places, from parks to picturesque pubs, to soak in the brilliant fall foliage when you’re in London this autumn. ​

Richmond Park

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Arguably London’s most popular park, Richmond Park gets all the love for being the largest park in the capital. Covering a whopping 2,500 acres, there’s no shortage of space here and that’s a good thing - because it’s also home to around 650 free-roaming deer. The park was originally created by Charles I in the 17th century as a deer park, and today it remains one of the most important and respected nature conservancy centres in the country. Naturally, there’s plenty of trees and grasslands for the deer to frolic, making this a perfect place to surround yourself with autumnal landscape.

The Spaniards Inn

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Nothing goes better with a crisp autumn day than an old-fashioned British pub. This Old World pub sits at the edge of the famous Hampstead Heath, immortalized in popular culture by many including the likes of the poet John Keats, and offers some of the most breathtaking views of this celebrated park. The pub in particular dates back to 1585, and is a celebrity in its own right; you’ll find mentions of the Spaniards Inn in Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and legend has it that Keats actually wrote his classic Ode to a Nightingale in the beer gardens here.  ​

Barbican Centre

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Part private residence, part world-famous performing arts centre, there’s simply nothing like the Barbican anywhere else in the world. Built in the Brutalist style in the 1980s, this feat of design is at the heart of London, literally, and figuratively, as an epicentre of classic and contemporary arts. What’s most interesting about the Barbican is that along with several theatres, galleries, cinemas and halls (one of which is home to the London Symphony Orchestra), it’s also home to about 4,000 residents, living in some 2,000 apartment units designed as part of the complex. It’s beautiful and fascinating to visit any time of the year, but it’s during the fall when the stark Brutalist architecture really comes into its own.  ​

Highgate Cemetery

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It might seem strange, but London’s cemeteries are some of the prettiest places to escape from the busy city. There are several Victorian-era graveyards, sometimes collectively referred to as the “Magnificent Seven,” around London, but it’s Highgate Cemetery that’s perhaps best known. It’s the final resting home of major historical figures such as Karl Marx and George Eliot, as well as more contemporary figures like Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and the singer George Michael. A place of quiet self-reflection, the cemetery is home to some of the finest funerary architecture you’ll see, as well as a profusion of trees and other wildlife. ​

Little Venice

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What would London be without its canals? This tranquil residential area is a welcome respite from busier nearby hubs like Paddington, positioned where the Grand Union and Regent’s Canal meet. Peaceful and atmospheric, this is a prime place to stroll along the walkways and marvel at adorably charming houseboats that line the waterways, a glimpse into the quirky lifestyle of canal-dwelling. Unlike its Italian namesake, Little Venice is in no danger of sinking, so don’t avoid this dazzling neighborhood during the fall, where you can wander for miles under a gorgeous autumnal canopy.  
 
Worried about missing out on all the fun to be had in London in fall? Check out some of the exciting study abroad programs offered by the Study Abroad Foundation - just a stone’s throw from some of these extraordinarily scenic spots.  ​
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The Weirdest British Dishes

10/29/2019

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Autumn (what the Brit’s call fall) is the time to try Britain’s more traditional and more ridiculously named dishes. I mean, fish and chips are obvious, right? But toad in the hole or bubble and squeak might puzzle even the biggest Anglophone. 
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As the rain sets in and the clouds adopt their winter grey, Brits turn to comfort food. Yes, it was once a country renowned for its nondescript, tasteless mush, but now there’s international food in the supermarkets, cooking shows on every TV channel, and it’s in the global top ten for Michelin-star restaurants. The Brits love to eat. And those traditional favorites are enjoying a renaissance, using great produce, interesting twists, and updated family recipes. ​

Bangers and mash

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Bangers and mash, at its most basic, is a plate of sausages (known as bangers because they used to split when cooked) and a pile of mashed potato. But the Brits do love to tinker (attempt to improve things) with recipes.  

So you might have bangers and mash with an onion gravy; the mash might have in it cheese, sweetcorn, mustard, cabbage, or anything else the cook can find in the fridge that might add a little interest. 
​

The bangers, though, are often a huge source of pride. Yes, you can cook bangers and mash with everyday supermarket sausages, but every local butcher has his own secret sausage recipe, and many towns and counties have sausages very specific to them (look out for Cumberland sausages, Lincolnshire sausages). Not all sausages are equal.  ​

Yorkshire pudding

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Yorkshire pudding is not a desert. Let’s clear that up immediately. The Yorkshire pudding starts out as a pancake batter (milk, flour, eggs), but instead of frying it in a pan, cook drops the batter into very hot fat in an oven dish and leaves it cook at a high temperature for about 20 minutes until it rises into little towers of delight, a little like Japanese Takoyaki. 

Yorkshire puddings are an exciting part of the famous Sunday roast, served alongside a mountain of vegetables, roast potatoes, and roast meat. ​

Toad in the hole

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Bring together Yorkshire pudding and bangers and mash and you have toad in the hole. No amphibians to be seen, though. 
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After cooking the bangers in the oven for a while, the cook adds oil to the tin, turns the heat up, then pours the batter into the tin, covering the bangers. Add a pile of mash, greens, and onion gravy, and you have a British favorite. ​

Shepard's pie and cottage pie

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A layer of minced meat, carrots, and peas in a gravy covered by (more) mashed potatoes. It’s a real winter warmer and a comfort-food favorite, and it’s one of those dishes that every family has its own recipe for—something a little special to make it their own.  
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The only fundamental difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie is the meat: lamb is the base for a shepherd’s pie, and it’s beef for cottage pie. ​

Sunday roast

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Roast meat is not a British invention, but the tradition of a Sunday roast very much is. The Sunday roast is an occasion; it gathers family and friends around a table heavy with vegetable side dishes (Yorkshire puddings, brussell sprouts, roast potatoes, roast parsnip, carrots, leeks, chipolata sausages, cauliflower in a cheeses sauce … the list goes on).  

And taking pride of place is the carving board with a joint of meat. Traditionally—we’re talking King Henry VII of the 15th century ‘traditionally’—the meat was beef, but these days it could be chicken, lamb, or pork. Some people go with goose, duck, or turkey, but that’s more around Christmas time. A nut roast is the perfect substitute for vegetarians. ​

Bubble and squeak

Possibly the most exciting sounding of the UK’s weird-named food, bubble and squeak is a hotch-potch of all the Sunday roast leftovers, cut up and squashed into a skillet and fried as a patty with a delicious crust.  

Because, with the best will in the world, the Sunday roast is about, every now and again, eating a bit too much, so there are always leftovers.  
​

The name ‘bubble and squeak’ comes from the sounds it makes when its cooking. It should be left to cook, not pushed around, so the squeaks come as the steam tries to escape from the top of the huge patty. ​
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The Most Picturesque Villages to Visit if You're Studying Abroad in the UK

10/28/2019

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Yes, major cities such as London and Edinburgh can keep you busy, with tons of things to do. But the pretty little villages dotted around the UK are equally important when it comes to understanding the culture of this land. We’ve gone deep into the countryside and dug out these hidden gems for you to explore. Why not get yourself out and about and take some walks just like the Brits do, when you are studying abroad in Britain?

Lacock, Wiltshire

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Lacock Abbey of Lacock
This small but picturesque English village may look familiar - it has appeared in the famous TV show Downton Abbey, the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice, as well as in movies such as Harry Potter and Wolfman among many others. Wandering through the village, you’ll find pretty Cotswold stone houses, little atmospheric teahouses, and the nearly 800-year old Abbey. 

Directions: getting to Lacock takes about 40 mins if you’re driving from Bristol, just over an hour from Oxford, and 2 hours from London.

Castle Combe, Wiltshire

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castle combe river
Often referred to as one of the prettiest villages in England, this hidden gem looks like a piece of medieval history right out of a folktale. Nestled in a wooded Cotswold valley, this traditional English village has been featured in films such as Stardust and Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse. Important landmarks include the 14th century market cross, a water pump that dates back to the medieval period, and the 14th century church of St. Andrew.

Directions: Castle Combe is located about 30 mins from Bristol by car, just over an hour from Oxford, and around 2 hours from London.

Bilbury, Gloucestershire

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Arlington Row of Bibury
Once described as “the most beautiful village in England” by the famous English poet William Morris and depicted on the inside cover of all British passports as a nationally notable architectural conservation area, Bibury definitely has its own charm. Arlington Row, consisting of a row of weavers houses, is the place that gets photographed the most - and deservedly so. 

Directions: it takes around 1 hour by car from Bristol to Bibury, around 40 mins from Oxford, and just under 2 hours from London.

Edensor, Derbyshire

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Edensor village
Located next to the beautiful grounds of stunning stately home Chatsworth House, the village of Edensor is made up of an interesting mixture of different but charming architectural styles, from Swiss-style cottage to Italian-style villas, from Tudor cottage to Norman house. The dominating feature of the village – St Peters Church - has a tall Early English tower and spire, beautifully designed windows and marvelous fittings.

Directions: Edensor is just over an hour’s drive from Manchester, and 2.5 hours from Oxford.

Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire

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The Sheepwash Bridge of Ashford in the Water
Also dubbed “one of the Peak District’s prettiest villages”, Ashford-in-the-Water is home to a low triple-arched stone bridge named “The Sheepwash Bridge”, which it’s claimed is the most photographed bridge in England. Crystal clear waters, willow trees by the river, attractive houses built with mellow stone and the surrounding hills make for a scene reminiscent of a classic English countryside painting.

Directions: from Manchester, Ashford-in-the-Water is just over an hour’s drive away; from Oxford it’s 2.5 hours by car.

Thorton-le-Dale, Yorkshire

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Beck Isle Cottage of Thornton-le-Dale
Situated in North Yorkshire, this historic market village is an authentic delight that has been featured on numerous calendars and chocolate boxes. The quaint village is filled with pretty houses, idyllic gardens, a stream that runs along the street and - most impressively - the extremely photogenic thatched Beck Isle Cottage. It’s also walking distance to the hamlet of Ellerburn, which has an ancient Saxon Church. 

Directions: it takes just over an hour by car from Leeds, and about 2 hours from Manchester, to reach Thornton-le-Dale.

Clovelly, Devon

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port of Clovelly village
Clovelly is an enchanting village sitting upon a steep cliff on the North Devonshire coast. Yet with cobbled streets, pastel and whitewashed cottages, and beautifully decorated windowsills, you may think you’re in Greece. The car free fishing port also has two museums, a number of craft workshops and gift shops, and offers a series of harbor-side activities for visitors. 

Directions: it takes just under 2.5 hours to reach Clovelly if you are driving from Bristol.

Long Melford, Suffolk

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Kentwell Hall of Long Melford
As the name suggests, this idyllic village has a very long High Street, with an array of antiques merchants, art galleries, indie shops, cute tearooms and restaurants, and typically Suffolk-style inns and pubs along the street. Made famous by artists Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable, the quintessential English village of Long Melford houses two turreted Elizabethan stately homes and a superb medieval church. 

Directions: Long Melford is 2 hours from London, and about 2.5 hours from Oxford by car.
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Study with me at the University of Edinburgh!

10/24/2019

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SAF Correspondent Zimo Wang from University of Foreign Studies is chronicling her life at the University of Edinburgh.

Amazing places to study at the University of Edinburgh

Working at the highest academic level alongside some of the most influential people in your field is one of the best things that could happen at the University of Edinburgh. I couldn't help myself from taking pictures of those meaningful moments when I fully enjoyed my studying at the UoE.
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