Finding Help
Thanks to the growth of China’s economy, many Chinese students and young workers are going overseas to study, train or work full time. Many western countries have benefited from increased international...
View ArticleWhat is it like to register with the UK police?
When you receive your UK visa, it may say that you must register with the police within seven days of arrival. If you’re a student, your university may arrange for a police officer to come to the...
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American Studies Online
Apple’s iTunes U is a service which manages access to free university class lecture videos and related course materials in PDF form. The videos include course lectures, language lessons, group meetings...
View ArticleA Social Life after the Age of 21?
It’s relatively easy for young people to make friends while studying abroad. Although there are a few problems with international students associating too much with their own nationality while...
View ArticleMedia: Translating Comedy
I heard this video clip of The Daily Show (warning: swear words and sexual topics) is currently very popular in China, but I’m not sure how well American satire (讽刺) translates – especially when the...
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Academic Poster Presentations
Poster presentations are used to present research at a conference. Even if you never officially present any of your work at a conference, you will probably be assigned a poster presentation project as...
View ArticleResponding to a Roommate / Flatshare Ad
One of the hardest parts of moving overseas is finding a place to live. When I moved from China to the UK, I ended up living in a hostel (青年旅舍) for several weeks and caught an eye infection from the...
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Shopping for Clothes
No wonder stories of petite women heading to junior departments in stores, rubbing shoulders with ten-year-olds as they browse racks of sundresses and attempt to find formal pants, are not uncommon. –...
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How to Begin Writing a Research Paper
I’ve had quite a few international students and friends sheepishly ask how they should start a paper. We often say there is no such thing as a dumb question, but I know it might be embarrassing to ask...
View ArticleUK – Chinese Professional Survey and Competition
YCP Survey Young Chinese Professionals (YCP) is currently conducting a nationwide survey of which the Confucius Institute for Scotland is the main sponsor. The YCP Scotland Survey is for all Chinese...
View ArticleThe British Isles, Sheep Jokes and Monty Python Explained
An excellent video by C.G.P. Grey. International students are often confused by the different countries that make up the British Isles and it’s easy to accidentally offend others if you get it wrong....
View ArticleOn faith
In China According to a BBC report, there are at least 25 million Christians in China. There are more Chinese people in church on Sundays than in all of Europe! Major Chinese cities have international...
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Guest Post on Expat Relocations
Check out the Your New Crew blog for my guest post on relocating and interview with musician Mike Herd. Herd relocated from Glasgow to Shanghai and currently plays with Girls like Mystery and 小心翼翼 . He...
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Writing a Policy Brief
Due to the economic downturn, universities are trying to improve graduate employability skills. In response, many professors are assigning policy briefs in addition to exams and essays. Writing a...
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Australian English and Media
As I mentioned over on twitter, my Australian work visa was approved! I’m working in the UK until September and taking a Chinese proficiency exam in November, so I won’t actually relocate until...
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Asia Scotland Institute
Last night my colleague and I attended an event with the Asia Scotland Institute at The New Club. It was an enjoyable talk and Q&A with Peter Wilson, Asia Pacific Director of the Foreign and...
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Coping Strategies
Industry sponsored research rarely reflects the post-arrival experiences of international students, despite being the ‘cash cow’ of the service export industry in the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and...
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Chinese Perceptions of Australian Universities
Many Asian students do not have a desire to study in Australia, even on exchange. Asian students are obsessed with rankings and see Australian universities as a last resort if they don’t gain entry to...
View ArticleCritical Reading and Reviewing Sources
When preparing for class or writing an essay, you should be reading sources with the aim of constructing an argument. When you construct an argument, there are three potential methods: logical...
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Personal: Leaving the UK
I’m afraid this blog and my twitter account have been a bit silent lately because I’m leaving the UK in a few days. I’ve mainly been busy having anxiety attacks over shipping all my things across the...
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