Merry Christmas

A 'scheduled' blog just to say Merry Christmas!

 

I'll be spending the day with my wonderful other half and his family.

 

 

Here are some of my favourite Christmas things this year:

Christmas Dessert Freedom Cookbook is full of loads of free-from and tasty Christmas treats! I've already made some of the ginger biscuits and they were delicious!

My favourite Christmas song every year is Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone.

 

 

 

 



Social Media, Coffee shops and Avon

I haven't updated recently as I am currently swamped with university work and research for my Independent Study. However, I decided that as I can't sleep I would update you with some of the things I've discovered/experienced over the past few days.

 

Social Media

Last Friday was my birthday, and I turned 23 on Friday 13th December 2013 without a glitch! My only 'bad luck' was when my kitten went missing for three whole days. I discovered that he had been a cheeky little monkey and followed some parents into the school which is just next door, and they were concerned as he appeared hungry (he always is!) and without a collar, so they took him home over the weekend and waited for someone to get in touch about him. He is now home after I contacted the lady through B31 Voices, and he is happily tucked up on my lap again.

 

A fantastic use of social media in my eyes!

 

Another successful use of social media has been me finding a paid marketing and communications internship at the end of my degree, as well as searching for part-time jobs via Twitter. There is a new coffee shop opening up in Longbridge, Birmingham and I was so excited when I found out. I not only love coffee shops for the atmosphere, taste and smells but I finally have a study area for when the house is driving me insane! I have applied for a part-time barista job there too, so fingers crossed as it really would be my ideal job.

 

I am going to be using social media platforms soon to help kick off my mom's Avon campaign as she is a newby to the whole advertising and selling via the internet. She's been a representative now for a couple of months and already receives a number of orders from regular customers (including myself), and she also bakes cakes and she is a carer at a new residential home in the West Heath area. So, seeing as she is so busy lately I have decided to be her Communications assistant via social platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and blogger. I'm really excited about it and it's giving me the buzz to be an Avon representative myself once I have finished university.

 

This leads me to a nice point too. I have recently found some awesome products which have really helped to protect and nourish my skin against the harsh winds of winter.

 

Firstly, the Solutions Truly Radiant Tint Release Moisturiser, a gentle moisturiser which adds a soft glow to your skin. The thing I love about it is my skin looks and feels so much healthier, but it is the lightest moisturiser I have ever had. I have the type of skin which can't ever make up its mind, and as a result of using Solutions, I feel so much more confident with my skin.

 

Secondly, Cucumber and Apple Revising Face Masque is a product that my friend introduced me too when she gave it to me for my birthday. I love the smell of cucumber, and it's a face masque which has really cleared my pours and enabled my skin to breathe. It's gluten-free too, which I know might seem irrelevant because I don't actually eat it, but it's comforting to know I'm not putting anything onto my skin which might trigger any of the reactions my skin has from time to time. Not an Avon product, but I love it so much I've decided to chuck it in anyway!

 

Thirdly, I'm not much of a make-up girl but I do love to paint my nails, and my favourite colour from Avon recently has definitely been the Watermelon Glow Nailwear Pro+ Nail Enamel. I have loads of colours I absolutely love, but the Pro+ range really help my nails to remain firm and healthy. The shimmer from the Watermelon colour as well is perfect during the Christmas season, and it's a nice girly touch for me at a time where I am overwhelmed with essays.

 

These are just a few things over the past week or so I have fallen in love with, and I do think at times where I might be overwhelmed and stressed, my skin always bares the brunt of it all. I've disciplined myself into drinking plenty of water, not wearing any makeup if I can help it and just replenish, nourish and hydrate my skin as much as possible. My diet change has definitely helped with the look and feel of my body overall, and so these are just a few more adjustments and additions I have added to my routine.

 

That's all for now. When I have a spare moment to myself, I will finally write an article about my sweet-potato and kidney bean curry. I may also write about my ginger biscuits, or I might keep that to myself as a home baking secret.

 

Thank you for reading this if you have. I look forward to any suggestions you have for a new blog in the future :)

 

Sunday update

A bit of a random post today I am currently busy with my essays at the moment, but thought I would just let you know that my blog Changes is now on the Grads.co.uk blog, and you can read it here!
My healthy eating blog was also retweeted by a number of people, and so I will definitely keep testing and exploring new foods to blog about.

Today I am writing an essay for my Material Culture module. I'm focusing on war memorials, emotional theory and the commemoration of the Great War throughout the 20th century. It's really interesting and links to my Independent Study quite nicely too which helps me keep on top of my workload.

Just to let you know, my partner also has a blog, and his Christmas blog is a nice heart-warming post to read.

He mentions how we went house shopping, which was so much fun! I'm excited to go again in the new year! We went around all the charity shops to find some quirky bargains, and I can't wait to use some of the little things we found. We also did some festive activities yesterday which included lots of present wrapping, admiring Christmas decorations and listening to cheery Christmas music ♥

Will update again soon! Have a lovely Sunday evening :)

Travels to South Korea, 2010

After reading a recent article in the Guardian on the popularity of Soju, a traditional South Korean alcoholic drink, I was reminded of the amazing experience I had back in August 2010. I attended the Global Student Leadership programme along with student ambassadors from across the world.

 

 

My first time abroad and I was the only student ambassador from the United Kingdom. On my own, I was thrown into a completely new culture with a variety of languages I did not know, and at first it was a huge shock. Little things like taking your shoes off at every meal was new to me, but eventually I found myself falling in love with the traditions, culture and beauty of South Korea.

 

The first day I arrived in Seoul where I ate fish and chips in a wicker basket. Unusual, but it tasted so much better than traditional English fish and chips! I stayed at the Hyatt hotel and I had a fantastic view of the city. The shops were busy and thriving, open until late which was brilliant for me as I craved an ice cream to try and cool myself down in the new heat.

 

(The ice cream melted in the heat but still!)

 

The day after we arrived we travelled to Daegu Health College via the Subway. The college itself is situated in the heart of the busy city. Daegu (or Taegu) is situated in the South East of South Korea, and is surrounded by various mountains and high landscapes. I travelled in the middle of monsoon season, and so the heat was something I had never encountered before.

 

Overtime I forgot all about the heat and I was becoming more involved with learning and exploring the traditions of South Korea. My favourite moments were travelling to a Buddhist temple, a well-known film production strip which has the same reputation as Hollywood in South Korea. I also loved the rain in South Korea - it was never cold but the refreshing feel on my skin as well as the smell of the wet mountains. I wish it was something I could take home in a bottle because it really is a refreshing smell which I most likely will never have the opportunity to experience again.  

The beauty of the rain can be seen in the picture where the raindrops created tears on the face of the Buddha statue. Absolutely beautiful.

The seminars and lectures were also fantastic. I learnt a lot about the 'ugly' traits of Western society s well as the 'ugly' behaviour in South Korea. For example, it is incredibly rude to lick your fingers over in South Korea, and South Koreans will never apologise if they bump into you by accident. Other things included the fascination that South Koreans have with Western society, particularly the British. I was quite confused when everyone used to stare at me, or little children would run up to me just to say hello. It was quite a surreal experience at first, but it was also quite sweet, especially as I have recently started to understand the impact of British Imperialism and the ignorance I had to other cultures whilst living in my own little bubble. I also found that whenever I went into a shop, because I was British I would be offered gifts all the time. I declined simply because I was embarrassed from the attention, but the hospitality and friendliness in Daegu was phenomenal. I felt safe and welcomed throughout the whole experience, and even when I became homesick the rest of the group were always there to help me out.

 

The language barrier and the difference in food were my biggest obstacles. South Korean food tends to be quite spicy in a peppery way, and I found out the hard way why that is.

The pepper and spices helps to deter mosquitos and insect bites, and as I was unable to eat the food because I am far too used to the bland diet in Britain, I became a walking piece of steak for nippy insects. Thankfully my roommate, Dayoung, had various remedies and things to put on the bites to stop them from being so itchy.

The best thing about my experience in South Korea was the people I shared it with. I made so many lifelong friends, and I have so many memories which will last me until my last days. The friendship I experience, the way we came together as a neat little community and the lessons we learnt from each other are things I cherish even today, 3 years later.

I learnt a lot about myself and what it is to be British in a growing global network, and the opportunities which were presented to me after I returned are still happening. I would definitely recommend travelling abroad, especially in modern society where there is emphasis on having experience of international relations and taking the risk to be taken way out of your comfort zone and learn new things.

Some interesting articles about travelling abroad:
My school friend Alyshia is currently working and travelling around Australia. She keep a vlogging account of all the things she's been up to on YouTube, which you can find here: PsychoTraveller.

What do employers say about travelling?

The World's Best Travelling Blogs

British Watercolours 1750-1900: Travels in Europe and the Middle East


 

Students can eat healthy too: Bananas and almonds.

A cheap, healthy and tasty snack which has become my saviour over the last few weeks. Not only does it release energy gradually throughout the day, but it's super healthy and you can mix it up with some other ingredients.

 

It's a gluten-free meal, so for me this is perfect and so quick to make as well for when I need a short break from my studies.

 

 

You can always add other ingredients, for example dried fruit or for the days where I feel like I need a sweet pick-me-up, I drizzle some natural honey over with some natural yoghurt and ground cinnamon.

 

Whilst the initial cost of things like cinnamon and natural honey may seem a bit steep, they're cupboard ingredients which do last quite a long time. A medium pot of natural yoghurt only costs on average 65p depending where you shop. I always buy mine from Tesco as they have a medium pot which only costs me 50p, and I tend to get 3/4 servings from it.

 

If you don't like the taste of natural yoghurt or if you find it a bit hard to get used to like I did, then adding things like cinnamon really does help. Cinnamon is nice and festive too, so I don't feel like I'm missing out on any of the Christmas fun!

 

 

My shopping list

Natural Honey:

Rowse Natural Blossom Honey, 340g from Sainsburys, £2.59.

I use this because it's a squeeze-bottle, which means I have less mess in my cupboard and it's easy to take with you if you want to take this to work/lectures.

 

Almonds:

You can buy most dried fruit and nuts from local markets really cheap. I usually buy mine from the Birmingham Indoor markets and I normally end up with a big bag for a couple of pounds. However, out of all the large supermarkets I find Sainsbury's again are best. Flaked Almonds are best as they're not so chunky.

 

Natural Yoghurt:

I live quite far away from major supermarkets, and so I buy my natural yoghurt from a Tesco Express just around the corner. It costs 45p for a medium pot, and as I said earlier I normally end up with a few servings.

 

Bananas:

I love it when my bananas are a bit softer with the black spotted skin because they taste best, and so I always buy my bananas from the Birmingham Indoor Market. Even in supermarkets, you can buy a bunch for £1, so they're very cheap and student-budget friendly!

 

If you don't want to eat bananas, you can always try apples or just mixed fruit with almonds with natural yoghurt. If at the end of the week you find yourself with fruit leftover, then you could always make a fruit salad or even freeze them. I always freeze grapes and pop them into my drinks - lemons, apples, grapes etc. are all brilliant for this!

 

Next week: Sweet potato curry with brown rice.

 

I will eventually be transferring all of these tips to a new blog, but for now I will be posting them here just so I can get a feel for what works and doesn't work.

 

Also, if you have any recommendations or some ideas, let me know and I can always test them out for you :)

Changes.

As a BA History Undergraduate in my 3rd and final year (sob sob!), I have a number of thoughts and questions about what the next step in life will entail. At the age of 22, I am faced with a tough economic climate where I am competing against the rest of the unemployed population when it comes to job applications.

 

Researching into what I want to actually do when I finish is quite hard too, because there are so many options and so many things I want to try my hand at. I have always grown up with the philosophy that as long as I am happy, I don't mind what job I do in the end. I want to work in an environment that brings out the passion and life in me, and so I have narrowed it down to a few possibilities: Human Resources, Personnel, Administration, Research or teaching. (I also have a pipedream to become a wedding planner, but that's more for the romantic in me).

 

I used a number of tools to find out what I want to possibly do once I graduate, but I will recommend Prospects as this is what I used initially. It not only helped me narrow down my skills and match them with my interests, but it also lists numerous graduate schemes and opportunities available which start half way through next year. A great place to start!

 

The fact that I have decided to commute from home (which is in Birmingham) means I am able to set up my foundations here whilst also engaging in my studies, which I absolutely love, in Derby. The segregation has really helped, more so because I have recently been diagnosed with a condition which affects my health long-term.

 

The support which I have experienced at home with my family, partner and friends means I am able to keep the emotional attachments and distress at a bay when it comes to my studies - keeping them both in their own little 'boxes' has provided me with a great coping mechanism. I am now on a gluten/sugar/carb free diet, and I have found that this sort of diet is not really accommodated for with a student budget. Therefore, I am currently planning a few long-term projects to complete once I have finished my studies. The one I am most excited about is my own cookbook and blog - an online platform which I am currently putting together and collaborating with a very dear friend of mine to provide a healthy, student-friendly network and forum for those who just want to live a healthy lifestyle, or have medical/cultural conditions.

 

All of these changes have meant that I am now looking at my life and my future in a very different light. I am now feeling a lot healthier than I was a couple of weeks ago, and whilst I am still focusing on the now (which includes my lovely pile of essays), I am also focusing on  the "what next" questions.

 

I think it is a transitional process that no one can ever really prepare you for. There are plenty of places where you can find advice and guidance, but ultimately each journey is individual, which includes all of those little and big decisions. It's a transitional process which has been made easier for me because I am fortunate to study at a very supportive and student-focused university, but it is an exciting place to be standing. Exciting and scary!

 

My advice to anyone who is in the same position of facing the "what next" questions, then it's not something to worry about or hide away from. It's a position of great promise, opportunities and the chance to move forward in a journey where you will discover so much about yourself.

 

Tutorials, careers advice services, online forums and even social media are great places where you can find some of the answers to the questions you may have, but keep in mind that your happiness comes down to the decisions you make for yourself.

 

I will end this blog with what I'm currently doing now, as well as an interesting article I think you should read.

 

Favourite things right now:

- I've just booked a holiday in the South of England with my partner in May 2014!

- I've just achieved my first 1st grade this semester on an essay I didn't think I had passed!

- I'm reading An Immigration History of Britain by Panikos Panayi which is a fascinating book. It's helping me process all of the reading I've done recently surrounding an essay I'm writing.

- It's only 2 weeks until my birthday.

- That makes it just under 4 weeks until Christmas!

 

The article:

Zenia Malmer The Pineapple: displaying status.