Punting and Sneaking in Cambridge /  by Amanda Liew

Punting. Sneaking. Those two words pretty much sum up my entire adventure in Cambridge this past Saturday with Sarah M, Jose, and Matt. Originally the plan was to go to Cardiff for the day, but that fell through and we found a great deal to go to Cambridge so we took it! It’s so great being able to come up with a Plan B that fast since everything here is so close.

Right after we stepped off the train, we were already seeing such amazing history and architecture around us. This is the Catholic Church of Our Lady and The English Martyrs:

The minute we got to Cambridge, we knew what our first activity should be: punting. Yes, it sounds dirty, but it’s not. Punting is essentially a gondola ride down the Thames river except the boat is flatter and kind of box-like, and instead of oars you have a giant stick that you put on the bottom of the river to push the boat forward. It’s a lot easier than it looks. We nominated poor Matt to be our punter while the other three of us relaxed, took pictures, and admired the super good looking professional punters who made it look like a subset of the Olympics just for Beautiful People. Exhibit A:

Going punting was one of the best ideas because we got to see a ton of the Cambridge colleges from an unobstructed view. Not to mention the fall colors were beyond gorgeous:


Matt hard at work:
The famous King’s College (not my college, another King’s!):

We then went for some yummy lunch at an adorable little cafe. Jose got a full English breakfast

After, we went on a walk to try to see if we could actually sneak into some of the colleges by pretending to be students hahah. Some of them were actually free so no sneaking was necessary.
Trinity College:


Queen’s College (right next to King’s College!):
St. John’s College:
The Bridge of Sighs - it was named after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. The myth is that this is where you could hear the many sighs of students right before exams:

Yet again, can you believe people actually go to school here?:

Finally finally, Matt and I were able to get into the actual King’s College and wow was it glorious!

Overall, the trip was such a success. Before, I was really worried that I would be “wasting my weekends” since I didn’t have too many trips planned for October, but I really got such a great opportunity to travel around the UK! I think I would have really regretted it if I didn’t go to Windsor, Oxford, and Cambridge. I hope that at some point I can still make it out to Cardiff, Stonehenge, and Bath!

Identity /  by Amanda Liew

So here it is. My first real rant of being abroad. I got asked the usual question again tonight - this time by a Sainsbury’s grocer - “Where are you from?” he asked. I said, “America”, and instantly I knew I answered the wrong question. He replied, “Oh, I would have thought Vietnam. Since *gestures to my face*…you know.”

I’ve dealt with this a million times before. Ever since I started uni and had to introduce myself to new people, the question has kept popping up. I’ve been reasked the “right question” a thousand times - sometimes they are direct (No, where are you really from?) and other times it’s subtler when I see in their eyes that they think I’ve answered the wrong question. Usually, I laugh it off. Usually, it’s something funny. But for some reason, tonight made me infuriated, and I didn’t understand what broke the camel’s back. I had dealt with this for so long. Why now?

Then it hit me- it’s because I’m abroad. Despite the fact that I still find the question ignorant and rude when I’m asked in America, it’s a little more understandable because maybe, giving the asker the benefit of the doubt, they assumed that everybody’s family came from somewhere. Either that or the “San Diego” response is sufficient, along with my Californian accent, that they don’t feel the need to tell me I’m actually from a different country.

Yet, while I’m abroad - whether I’m in London or Brussels or Paris or wherever, saying “I’m from America” is not a sufficient answer to them. I realized that it’s not the question that bugs me, it’s the fact that they refuse to accept my answer. I tell them I’m from America, and they correct me - because surely, someone who looks like me can’t be American, at least not a real American. And that’s what pisses me off. Yes, I’m Chinese, I completely recognize that and while I had difficulty with that fact when I was younger, I’ve come to be happy with my heritage. But I still can’t deny the fact that I’m more American than I am Chinese. I’ve been to China maybe 3 times in my life and only remember two visits - one 5 years ago, and the other 10 years ago. I grew up with American music, American food, American TV shows. I recognize American brands, know American celebrities, and went through the American schooling system. I only know 2 years worth of Chinese and even struggle with that. It infuriates me that despite all this, I’m not “American.” Who are they to tell me that I’m wrong? That when I identify with America as my home, I’m actually incorrect? That it doesn’t matter that I was born and raised the past 20 years in America, because I look different.

It makes me frustrated because there are so many better ways to ask the question. They could ask: What’s your heritage? What’s your ethnicity? Where did your family originate? All of those are acceptable questions. Because I am Chinese and my family did originated from China. But to correct me, and tell me that I’m not from America, is wrong. I am from America.

For a while, I was worried that I had no right to feel this way. That maybe this was remnants of my rejecting my culture at a younger age - I’m not going to lie, it’s hard to grow up looking “different.” But then I realized that it would be no different if I were of Jamaican heritage and grew up in Belize, or if 4 generations ago my family moved from Mexico to Ireland, or if I were German but moved to China when I was 2. I think I’m quite justified in my anger because it’s not unreasonable to become mad when someone corrects your answer as if you don’t know yourself.

I know myself, and I identify with what I consider my personal home.

On Oxford, Harry Potter, and a childhood friend /  by Amanda Liew

“So this is where Mad Eye Moody changed Draco Malfoy into a ferret…”

Ah yes, Oxford. Known across the world as one of the most prestigious universities - filled with tradition and knowledge…and Harry Potter filming scenes. Thanks to Matt’s raving of how beautiful Oxford was (and how fun it was to sneak into the colleges pretending to be a student), I decided to go up and visit one of my lifelong friends, Margaret! Margaret and I used to car pool together on our way to 1st grade. We both have specific memories - Margaret remembers how my dad would always comb his hair in the mirror at a specific stop light, and I remembered my old yellow/pink/green cassette player that would make any hipster nowadays weak at the knees. Lucky for me, Margaret who is usually a Stanford student, is studying abroad in Oxford. I found some cheap train tickets to go up on Friday (round trip only £9!) and headed up straight after class.

Her house dean was taking them on a tour of all the Harry Potter film locations and was nice enough to let me join in! They gave me the Oxford Student ID of another Asian girl so I could get into the colleges without paying (yes, isn’t that strange? You have to pay to visit most of the 38 colleges!)

We first headed to the Cloisters where a few scenes/confrontations were filmed. The minute I stepped in, I knew I recognized it-

The courtyard in the middle also happened to be where Mad Eye Moody changes Draco Malfoy into a ferret. Margaret and I decided that a demonstration was needed hahah:

We then went into the Chapel (not in the movies, but beautiful nonetheless). There was an El Greco painting and a very different styled stained glass where the glass is painted rather than formed with small different colored pieces of glass - it obviously creates a very different effect.

As we walked to our next destination, we walked past the house of the man we discovered Haley’s comet (Edmund Haley) lived. See that white box at the top right hand corner? That’s where his telescope is!

At the Divinity School, we found the place where the Hogwarts Hospital was, and also where Professor McGonagal teaches Ron to dance for the ball!

Finally we snuck into Christ Church, one of the more famous colleges (and also one of the most beautiful)!
Honestly, how is it possible to go to a school this beautiful?

My favorite part of the whole trip was seeing the Great Hall!!! I couldn’t believe that the staff were setting up dinner for students - imagine how awesome that would be, to actually eat in the same Hogwarts hall…ok, so I admit it, I love Harry Potter. Have you figured that out yet?


We also got to see the staircase where the first year students are welcomed to Hogwarts!

We then went to yet another chapel (I swear there are a million beautiful churches in Europe - I have a feeling I’m going to be seeing a lot more as I keep traveling) that was playing some of the creepiest organ music possible. It was incredibly beautiful though, and much worth the visit.
After the tour finished, Margaret and I decided to climb St. Mary’s Tower. They actually had a sign warning “anyone with severe asthma, claustrophobia, or a cardiac condition” to not go up - we thought it was pretty funny at first until we started going up these tiny tiny steps too small for my already small feet. It was definitely a good thing I’m not claustrophobic or scared of heights - the stairwell was the most narrow thing I had been in! We finally did make it to the top, and the view was worth it


We then ended our incredibly long trek down the tower (which was actually much more difficult than going up - I was constantly convinced I’d fall down 8 flight of stairs) and had afternoon tea. Ohhh man, it was beyond delicious. We got scones with butter & jam, and each got some amazing vanilla tea. I can’t believe I’ve been in the UK for over a month now, and not had an official English Afternoon Tea!

The process was somehow so relaxing. I loved how everything had an intended use- each teacup with a strainer, and a smaller silver cup to put the strainer when you were done. Delicate cubes of brown and white sugar. It was too perfect.

Finally, we headed back to Margaret’s house, but decided to take a look at the Magdalen College across the street that- get this- has a deer park in the middle. Oh you know, just some casual deer to gaze at as we study…

It’s a little difficult to actually see the deer in this picture, but I promise they are there - right under the trees! Maybe squint a little bit :)

We spent the rest of the night relaxing, getting dinner, and catching up. I still find it amazing that Margaret’s and my life keep coming back together even after all these years! Who would have thought that two little girls carpooling together to school would one day be studying abroad in England? Life is so interesting sometimes, but I couldn’t be happier with how things are now!

This next weekend: Cardiff, Wales!