UEA International Student Ambassadors

  As a research post-graduate student, I am required to conduct my fieldwork research over the summer. It was really nice experience travelling to three Southeast Asian countries learning about the regional security cooperation and identity. I just thought it would be interesting to share with  you guys some archives I have collected during my fieldwork about ASEAN, which stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) including 10 member states: Brunei Darussalam, Lap DPR, Malaysia , Myanmar , Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Vietnam .       This is a survey supported by the ASEAN Foundation on how are university students throughout the regional universities aware of their own organization. By targeting the university students, it is taking the measure of the ideas and feeling of the most highly educated members and future generation of ASEAN citizens . The objective is to gauge their knowledge about and orientations toward ASEAN.   Of all the

Hello Everyone, I am South Asia Ambassador and am studying medicine! I went to ArtSoc Mental Health Awareness last week which was very interesting as it talked about how art can be helpful in mental health. Art has been linked with mental disorders such as bipolar disorders, schizophrenia for many years. It also has been established that creative expression is very essential to not only for the healthy development but also recovery from mental distress. There are various art therapies where the art is used in a therapeutic environment with a trained therapist. In this way, the therapist helps you to express yourself in various ways such as by a piece of music, painting or even a play! Ranu South Asia Ambassador

I am a really big fan of musicals and being so close to London, I couldn’t let go of the idea of going to the theatre with some friends. So this last weekend weekend we decided on going there for the day to watch the musical “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” This novel by Roald Dahl is just a story that truly melts your heart. I just can’t get tired of it! The play is full of magic, sweets and Oompa Loompas, what more do you need? Really, there’s lots of surprises, and I can guarantee you will laugh until your stomach hurts! During the intermission, they even sell these Willy Wonka chocolates, we just had to lay our hands in one of these. You just never know when a golden ticket might decide to make an appearance!!! “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is shown at Theatre Royal Drury Lan e, you can’t miss it!!! - Claudia  Mexican Student Ambassador

Sadly, this is not a post about cakes. King Alfred's Cakes -  Daldinia concentrica Whilst walking through the trees lining the lake on the UEA Campus I spotted a black clump clinging to a dead tree trunk. Fungus! But what kind I had no clue.. So began the legend of King Alfred. Apparently, King Alfred was asked to look after some cakes in the oven and make sure they wouldn't burn. He failed. The resultant black lumps of goodness resembled the fungus clinging to trees and were so nicknamed. Carried around in men’s pockets, it was also believed to cure cramps and so were called cramp balls. Any outdoorsy people will be glad to know it was additionally called coal balls for it’s fire starting magic. Because of it’s dense nature, once dried, the inner flesh will catch sparks from flint and burn slowly. Camping time? One last thing… Though they are so aptly named, don’t eat these burnt buns! Regards, Elleni - East African Student Ambassador

My dad came to visit me last week, so I set out to find somewhere nice to go during the weekend. I decided to visit the Norfolk coast again, as I have been to the lovely town of Cromer a couple of times and loved it--and decided on Sheringham! This small town is just a few miles West of Cromer. It has a very cute high street with lots of shops, most of which are independent; and cafes, and the Sheringham Promenade is just breathtaking, especially when you get to see the cliffs! There is also an old ship wreckage very close to the coast, which makes it all the more interesting even though you can't really see it! We also went to a couple of markets, one next to the railway station (which happens every Saturday) and another arts and crafts fair which happens monthly, so we were quite lucky to catch it! (The next one will happen on the 5th and 6th of December- more information here) . For more information, http://www.tournorfolk.co.uk/sheringham.html . Esther Spa

I am Elleni Stephanou from Kenya! I am an Undergraduate studying a BSc in Ecology, and loving it!  In late July 2012 I went for a short road trip through central Kenya. I started in Samburu National Reserve and went through Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Aberdare National Park and Lake Naivasha before returning home. The wildlife was unbelievable! From African wild dogs to Verreaux eagle-owls, African elephants to chimpanzee - I was spoilt for choice! In Naivasha I was lucky enough to get up close to a young African wood owl. Barely bigger than a bag of flour, it perched motionless, beautiful big brown eyes endlessly staring. African wood owl - Strix woodfordii The colour of their iris is a tell-tale sign to when they prefer to hunt; black/brown are nocturnal, orange are crepuscular and yellow are diurnal but, like in most areas of life, there are a few exceptions to this rule. I learnt this cool fact on a Wednesday evening as I embarked on a bat walk around the lake at t