Sense of place 2016 17 web

A SENSE OF PLACE‌

Welfare Provision and Cultural Programme for International and European Students 2016/2017 Make new friends whilst discovering the magic of Wales...

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Over the next few pages you will be introduced to locations that you might enjoy visiting as part of the International and European Cultural Programme run on our Swansea, Carmarthen and Lampeter campuses. The Cultural Programme is an important part of your time at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

The programme provides a range of excursions to various locations in Wales and England throughout the academic year. Excursions take place mainly at weekends and you are accompanied by the Senior International Student Support Officer Gruffydd Owen and Student Ambassadors who will provide historical and cultural information. This is a great way to discover both Wales and England in the company of your fellow students in a safe and friendly environment. The timetable for each semester for all campuses will be issued during Orientation Week and can also be found on the University website www.uwtsd.ac.uk.

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Contents Introduction

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Welfare

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Map of Wales

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Locations in Wales

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Locations in England

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UK map (partial map of M4 corridor)

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Cultural Celebrations

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Semester 1 itinerary

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Semester 2 itinerary

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Meet your ambassador

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Photo of the week – get involved

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Welfare We all want you to have a wonderful experience whilst here at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. We are here to ensure your safety and wellbeing and to support you throughout your studies with us. By offering confidential advice and guidance on all campuses we can help you manage a range of issues from practical to those of a personal nature that might impact on your studies. The International Office offers drop-in sessions and weekly get-together mornings on all campuses during the academic year where you can catch up with fellow international students, Student Ambassadors and the International Office staff. Information about activities will be emailed to your student email account regularly with information on welfare provisions and cultural activities.

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The Senior International Student Support Officer Gruffydd Owen is there to help and to work through any concerns you might have. You can contact him on facebook: Gruff Owen Uwtsd, by email: g.owen@uwtsd.ac.uk or by telephone: (+44) 07951 231286. Alternatively you can contact the International Office via email: internationaloffice@uwtsd.ac.uk

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Keep checking your student email account to receive up-to-date news on welfare provision and cultural activities

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Carmarthen

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Pembrokshire

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Big Pit Dinefwr Park and Newton House Dylan Thomas Boathouse Tenby Lampeter Aberaeron Llansteffan Castle Saint David’s and Whitesand Bay St Ffagan’s

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Locations in Wales Big Pit The South Wales valleys were transformed during the Industrial Revolution (1760 to 1840). Coal mines littered the landscape and Big Pit is an original coal mine which has found new life as a museum. We can appreciate the hardship endured by the miners when we visit the mining galleries, the exhibitions in the Pithead Baths and the historic colliery building. The underground tour, led by a former coal miner, takes visitors down 90 metres to the underground workings to see the coal face, engine houses and stables. The exhibitions show the changes in mining practice between 1850 and 2000. The Big Pit mine is located within an industrial landscape and was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2000. As it is cold in the underground mine be sure to bring warm clothes and flat shoes with you.

Dinefwr Park and Newton House, Llandeilo Dinefwr is a Welsh castle overlooking the Tywi valley. Lord Rhys held court here in the 12th century and it was the chief seat of the Principality of Deheubarth. There is evidence indicating that the Romans were also here.

During the 18th century the parkland surrounding the castle was landscaped and it encloses a medieval deer park. Dinefwr white park cattle, with their majestic horns, the oldest cattle breed in Britain, dating back to medieval times, freely roam the park.

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The views from Dinefwr castle up the Tywi valley towards Carreg Cennen castle and then south past Dryslwyn castle towards Carmarthen and Llansteffan are breath taking. The present tranquillity of this valley belies its standing as one of the most fortified medieval valleys in Europe. Wales boasts more castles than any other country in the world and at one time over four hundred castles dominated the land.

Newton House and the parkland are National Trust properties. The house, re-built around 1660 with a medieval core, now has a Victorian Gothic faรงade with four imposing towers. A tour of the house reveals a fascinating insight into its varied history. their cargo.

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Dylan Thomas Boathouse and Tenby coastal town Dylan Thomas is the most renowned of the Anglo-Welsh writers of the 20th century. He was born in Swansea but his family roots were in Carmarthenshire and his inspiration came from the Welsh people of this county.

Located in the little village of Laugharne, the Boathouse, now a heritage centre is set in a cliff overlooking the glorious, ‘heron priested’ Taf Estuary. Dylan lived here with his wife Caitlin and their three children from 1949 until his death in New York in 1953. This is how, in his book ‘Quite Early One Morning’, Dylan explains why he stayed in Laugharne, ‘And some, like myself, just came, one day, for the day, and never left; got off the bus, and forgot to get on again.’

It was the Boathouse ‘sea shaken on a breakneck of rocks’ and the unique character of Laugharne itself that inspired some of his most celebrated works. His widow, Caitlin, in her autobiography, confirmed that the fictitious Llareggub of ‘Under Milk Wood’ is based on the town itself.

Dinbych y Pysgod (little town of fishes) was the original Welsh name for Tenby.

Most of the original walls of this Norman fortified town, which enclose a medieval array of houses and cobbled streets, are still standing. Tenby developed as a popular seaside resort during the Georgian (17141837) and Victorian (1837-1901) periods and remains so today. Pembrokeshire Coastal Park designated Tenby a conservation area in 1972. The Tudor Merchant’s House is open to visitors and depicts life in 15th century Tenby.

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Llansteffan Castle Eight miles from Carmarthen towards the estuary of the river Tywi is the small village of Llansteffan. Overlooking the bay is the 12th century Norman Castle from where one can appreciate breath-taking views of the Gower and surrounding countryside. Its most remarkable building is the late 13th century Great Gatehouse. At the front of the castle are the remains of Iron Age earthworks, an indication of Llansteffan’s strategic position.

In the past a ferry took people across the

estuary to the fishing village of Ferryside on the opposite shore. Both beaches are regarded as prime locations for cockle picking. This shell fish is a Welsh delicacy, usually served with larva bread which is made from seaweed. You can taste both on the trip. You will have to taste both whilst here.

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Lampeter and Aberaeron The University town of Lampeter lies in the county of Ceredigion. It is a quintessential Welsh market town with a number of family run businesses and a strong artistic community of music, poetry and the visual arts. This trip is an opportunity to visit the third oldest University campus in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. Lampeter campus, founded in 1822, and modelled on Jesus College, Oxford, is an inspiring location. A tour of the impressive Roderic Bowen library and archive gives us a glimpse of not only British but world history, with manuscripts dating back to the 12th century.

Aberaeron is a picturesque Georgian seaside town on Cardigan Bay coastline. With its pretty multi-coloured rows of houses surrounding the harbour full of fishing and pleasure boats it is an ideal holiday location for lazy summer afternoons. Aberaeron is also famous for its fish and chips and honey ice cream; all of which you will have an opportunity to sample in your time there.

Saint David’s and Whitesands Bay The spectacular west coast of Pembrokeshire is home to the smallest city in Britain, Saint David’s. Tŷ Ddewi (Saint David’s Welsh name) was given city status in the 16th century which it still holds today. The tenth century cathedral is the final resting place of Dewi Sant, the patron saint of Wales, and as such Tŷ Ddewi is considered the de facto ecclesiastical capital of Wales. The cathedral is set in the valley of Glyn Rhosyn where Dewi founded a monastery in the 6th century. The original cathedral was

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plundered on many occasions by the Vikings and it was burnt to the ground in 1087. The present cathedral was built by the Normans and it is said that two pilgrimages to Saint David’s are equivalent to one to Rome. The ruined 13th century Bishop’s Palace is situated next to the cathedral and the 14th century Tower Gate and the Celtic Cross are within walking distance.

Nearby Whitesands Bay is an award winning Blue Flag sandy beach and it offers the best surfing in Pembrokeshire. The large rocky outcrop of Carn Llidi (Cairn of the Gates or Cairn of Wrath) overlooks the bay. At very low tide or after a storm it is possible to see the remains of an ancient submerged forest.

Wales is the first country in the world to have a path around the whole of its coastline and a section of it crosses Whitesands Bay. It has become a popular Hollywood film location; Robin Hood, Snow White and the Huntsman and Clash of the Titans to name but a few have been filmed here.

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Saint Ffagan’s National History Museum and Cardiff Saint Ffagan’s Castle, a late 16th century manor house, is set in 100 acres of parkland where more than thirty historic buildings, from all over Wales, have been rebuilt. They include churches, chapels, farm houses, cottages, smithy, shops etc. from different eras of our history. Saint Fagan’s encapsulates the essence of Welsh identity through its heritage and culture.

Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, is one of the ten top cities to visit in Europe according to National Geographic Magazine. It developed around the thriving dockland area that was once the world’s leading coal-exporting port.

This quarter of the city houses Wales’ oldest multi ethnic community with people from more than fifty countries making Cardiff their home. With the decline of heavy industry the old port area has been transformed into Europe’s largest Waterfront Development.

The Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, and the Millennium Centre, a state of the art theatre and opera house, have been built here. The Millennium Stadium, within easy reach of the city centre, is the home of Welsh rugby.

Cardiff’s rich history dates back 2000 years with its castle dating back to Roman times, hence Cardiff’s Welsh name Caerdydd (Caer means fort). The castle was ‘recreated’ as a medieval-styled showpiece in the 19th century. The architecture of the Civic Centre is magnificent and nearby is the National Museum of Wales. The city’s Victorian arcades offer great shopping opportunities.

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Locations in England City of Bath Bath is frequently referred to as the cultural capital of the UK. The city, built around Britain’s only hot mineral springs, has been a spa since Roman times (27 BC – 476 AD).

This natural phenomenon has attracted visitors for centuries and accounts for the unique urban environment that developed around the springs. The Romans built their religious spa, Aquae Sulis here. The Roman Baths is below the modern street level and has four main features: the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman bath house and archaeological discoveries from the ancient Roman Bath house. The Georgian Pump Room is at ground level.

Museum, Tate Modern, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery as well as Abbey Road, made famous by The Beatles.

Attending a theatre production or a West End Musical is also a possibility, as is a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

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Bath was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the architectural glories of the Georgian Royal Crescent, the Circus and Pulteney Bridge should not be missed. The first king of England was crowned at Bath Abbey in 973. The novelist Jane Austen (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma) is Bath’s most famous resident and it is worth visiting the Centre dedicated to her.

London This is an opportunity for students to spend a weekend exploring London, the capital city of England, with guided tours organised by the International Office and led by Gruffydd Owen. Places visited include Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Street and Knightsbridge.

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Birmingham Cambridge

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Bristol Bath 10

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Cultural Celebrations Saint David’s Day celebration dinner (hosted by Carmarthen) Saint David’s Day, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi (in Welsh), is the feast day of our patron saint Dewi.

He lived in the 6th century and was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop at Glyn Rhosyn, Saint David’s in Pembrokeshire. He was one of many early saints who helped spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of Western Britain.

March 1st is our Saint’s day and schools and cultural societies throughout Wales and wherever Welsh people gather around the world will celebrate with concerts (particularly harp music), dinners and speeches. It is traditional to wear either a leek or a daffodil, our two national emblems, on this day.

The dinner, hosted by the University, is an opportunity for students and staff to come together to celebrate our traditional Welsh Saint’s Day.

Chinese New Year (hosted by Swansea) This is an opportunity for our Chinese students to share their cultural heritage with us through traditional food and a programme of singing and dancing prepared by them.

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The evening before Chinese New Year is when this festival is celebrated. It falls between 21st January and 20th February, celebrating the start of the Chinese calendar.

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Diwali (hosted by the Welsh Government) Indian students and International Office staff receive invites to celebrate Diwali at an event organised by the Welsh Government; to recognise the valuable contribution made to Welsh life by the Indian community. Guests also include Indian students and international office staff from other Wales universities and Colleges, members of the local Indian community, cultural organisations from Wales and representatives from Indian and Welsh businesses. Students in previous years have found the event not only a fun experience but an opportunity to network with many other students and professionals.

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Thanksgiving (hosted by Carmarthen)

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American Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November to give thanks for the harvest. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1623 to give thanks for the rain that ended a long drought.

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The first American President, George Washington, proclaimed the first National Thanksgiving Day on 26th November 1789. Откройте новое The Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October, to give objevit thanks for the ‘bountiful harvest by which Canada has been blessed’.

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Both Thanksgiving festivals will be celebrated with aDescubra traditional meal at the Carmarthen campus.

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Semester 1 September – December 2016 Trip 1: Friday 23rd September

Llansteffan Castle and visit to superstore to buy essentials

Trip 2: Saturday 24th September Whitesands Bay and Saint David’s Trip 3: Saturday 1st October Saint Ffagans - Museum of Welsh Life and Cardiff City Centre Trip 4: Wednesday 5th October Lampeter Campus and Aberaeron Town Trip 5: Saturday 8th October City of Bath Trip 6: Saturday 22nd October Dylan Thomas Boat House and Tenby Coastal Town Trip 7: Saturday 29th October Big Pit (Museum of Coal Mining) Trip 8: Friday 4th November to Sunday 6th November London Weekend.

Trip 9: Saturday 19th November Dinefwr Park and Newton House Trip 10: Thursday 24th November Thanksgiving Dinner

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Semester 2 January – May 2017 Trip 1: Friday 27th January

Llansteffan Castle and visit to superstore to buy essentials

Trip 2: Saturday 28th January Whitesands Bay and Saint David’s Trip 3: Thursday 2nd February Chinese New Year Celebration Trip 4: Saturday 4th February Saint Ffagans and Cardiff City Centre Trip 5: Saturday 18th February City of Bath Trip 6: Thursday 2nd March Saint David’s Day Celebration Trip 7: Saturday 4th March Big Pit (Museum of Coal Mining) Trip 8: Friday 17th March to Sunday 19th March London Weekend.

Trip 9: Saturday 29rd April Lampeter Campus and Aberaeron Town Trip 10: Saturday 13th May Dylan Thomas Boat House and Tenby Coastal Town

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Meet our International Student Ambassadors Being an international ambassador I have had the opportunity of meeting people from different cultures. There is something very unique about getting to interact with a very diverse group, learning about traditions, food, etc. In addition to welcoming new students to our campuses, we get to form friendships that if we are lucky will last a lifetime.

Stephany Aymerich

Leif Thobroe is currently a class representative and student ambassador at the UWTSD and he loves interacting and meeting new students. He is looking forward to welcoming international students to the University and accompanying them on educational and social trips around the UK. Leif Thobroe

I am extremely excited to show you this wonderful university, and hopefully making your stay the best as possible.

Erlend Brohom

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Hi everyone, I am the new international officer for the Lampeter campus and I cannot wait to welcome you to the campus! I’ll be sure to make your experience in Lampeter a brilliant one and I can hardly wait to discover different parts of Wales with you all on our weekly trips.

Victoria Bauder, International Officer in the Union, Lampeter Campus

I cannot wait to welcome international students in Swansea and I am so excited to be their buddy while settling in university and during cultural trips.

Ekka Megreh

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Every cultural trip was something new and amazing to see and experience. Every trip was a delightful, refreshing glimpse of what beauty, rich culture and history Wales has to offer.

Kenna Vecchiarelli, USA

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