Friday 5 December 2008

Computer Repairs - Highly Recommended.

Jarrold Stationers & Computing.

All makes and models of pc and notebook serviced and repaired
Straight forward, no nonsense advice
Great value components and accessories stocked
Wide range of inks, stationery and notebooks in stock.


Directions:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?rl=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=jarrolds&near=Norwich,+Norfolk&fb=1&cid=0,0,3267468830832891426&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=3&ct=image
Address: Jarrolds Department Store is on the corner of London Street & Exchange Street. The address of Jarrold Stationers & Computing is 25 - 27, Exchange Street, Norwich:

Phone Number: 01603 660661.

Website: http://www.jarrold.co.uk/

Tuesday 9 September 2008

Welcome to Bob's Tips!

Welcome! Please allow me to introduce myself and the purpose of this blog. My name is Bob Parsons and I have been working for over eighteen years with international students studying in the UK. During this time I have helped many students and answered many questions on a wide range of topics. If you have any tips, comments or advice to help international students or students from your country, please post them to my blog. Your experience, suggestions and advice may help many international students in the future. Best wishes, Bob.

How to search this blog? Please use the search bar to quickly find information listed in subject order. For example, if you are looking for tips on travel, please type travel into the search bar and all the relevant postings will be listed. By clicking on the arrows next to the month, i.e. August, you can find a full list of all the postings for that month.

Germany - Travelling in Europe.

Germany is worth a trip. There are many different things to see and to discover:

Northern Germany:

The key feature of “Norddeutschland” are the geestland and the marshes along the coastline of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
The most northern point of Germany is the island Sylt. The island is one of the Frisian Islands and offers cylists, hikers, beach and nature enthusiasts a world of activities in a very relaxed environment. Naturally, you can fly into Sylt on one of the small carriers or on select flights from Lufthansa, but most people take the train over the Hindeburgdamm. You can catch the train in Niebuell and it is a short 30 minutes to the island.
http://en.sylt.de/
Germany’s largest island is Rügen. It is located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Rügen is known for its white chalk cliffs and its fine sandy beaches. Its shape is distinguished by the neighboring islands Hiddensee and Ummanz and also by many smaller peninsulas. Rügen is located in one of the most popular holiday and recreation areas within Germany, comprising such seaside resorts as Binz and Sellin and has more tourists per resident than any other location in Germany. www.m-vp.de/english/
Very special for the german islands is to do a “Wattwanderung” when the tide is out. In guided tours you can examine the seabed and the animals living in it.

The largest cities:
Germany’s capital and largest city is Berlin. It is best known for its historical associations for its lively nightlife, for its many cafes, clubs, and bars, and for its numerous museums, palaces, and other sites of historic interest.
On the following websites you can find cheap hotels, the over 160 museums in Berlin, castles like Schloss Charlottenburg, Schloss and Park Sanssouci and the numerous sights in Berlin like Brandenburgertor, Siegessaule, Reichstag or the Berlin Wall.
www.berlin.de/english/
www.visitberlin.de/index.en.php

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany. It has architecturally significant buildings in a wide range of styles. The many canals in Hamburg are crossed by over 2500 bridges, more than
Amsterdam and Venice combined. Hamburg has more bridges inside its city limits than any other city or town on Earth. The many parks of Hamburg are distributed over the whole city, which makes Hamburg a very green city. Hamburg offers more than 40 theatres, 60 museums and 100 music venues and clubs.
english.hamburg.de/

Dresden, the capital of the State of Saxony in Germany is one of the most ancient cities of the country.
Dresden claims to be one of the greenest cities in Europe, with 63% of the city being green areas and forests. Although Dresden is often said to be a Baroque city, its architecture is influenced by more than one style. The royal buildings are among the most impressive buildings in Dresden.
Sightseeing in Dresden implies a visit to its numerous palaces, ancient monuments, natural wonders as well as the beautiful parks and gardens. Some of the major palaces that are worth taking a look are the Schloss Pillnitz, the Royal Palace, the Dresdner Frauenkirche, Schloss Weesenstein, Schloss Moritzburg and others.
www.dresden.de/dwt/en/index.php

Munich is the capital city of
Bavaria, Germany. Munich is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. It is the third largest city in Germany. At the centre of the city is the Marienplatz - a large open square named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column in its centre - with the Old and the New Town Hall. Munich’s sight are for instance The Peterskirche close to Marienplatz as the oldest church of the inner city, the Frauenkirche as the most famous building in the city centre and two large baroque palaces in Nymphenburg and Oberschleißheim reminding of Bavaria's royal past.
Munich is a green city with numerous parks. The
Englischer Garten, close to the city centre and covering an area of 3.7 km²
www.muenchen.de/home/60093/Homepage.html

Cologne is
Germany's fourth-largest city. It lies on the River Rhine. The city's famous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. The University of Cologne is one of Europe's oldest universities. Cologne is a major cultural center of the Rhineland and has a vibrant arts scene. It is home to more than 30 museums and hundreds of galleries.
Cologne is also well-known for its celebration of
Cologne Carnival, the annual reggae summerjam, the largest of its kind in Europe, and the LGBT festival Christopher Street Day (CSD).
www.koeln.de/en/

Further cities and places worth seeing
In Münster you find everything you can wish for during an exciting short stay: A city with plenty of history as well as shopping opportunities and green spaces for cycling, inline skating or golfing. And not least, a unique supply of activities to enjoy art and culture alongside other pleasures.
www.muenster.de/stadt/tourismus/en/
Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany and is still one of the most importany cities in northern Germany. It is a port city, situated along the river Weser.
Many of the sights in Bremen are found in the Altstadt (Old Town). Bremen's Market Square is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Europe.
www.bremen-tourism.de/english/
Tübingen, a traditional university town in Baden-Württemberg. In central Tübingen, the Neckar river divides briefly into two streams. Students and tourists also come to the Neckar river in the summer to visit beer gardens or go boating in Stocherkähne, the Tübingen equivalent to Oxford and Cambridge punts, only slimmer. Tübingen's Altstadt (old town) survived the Second World War, so it is one of the few completely intact historic Altstädte in Germany. houses.
www.tuebingen.de/en/1559.html
Leipzig is the largest city in the federal state of Saxony. The beautiful and compact old centre is full of Renaissance and baroque churches, as well as street markets, one of Europe’s oldest universities and a number of ultra-modern buildings. A combination of World War II bombing and communist semi-neglect during the East German Republic days had all but relegated this city to the history books.
www.leipzig.de/int/en/
The Harz is a mountain range in central Germany. It is the highest mountain chain in northern Germany occupying parts of the German states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The Brocken is the highest point of the Harz. The effects of Germany's remarkable political change from November 1989 on a once divided region led to the re-united Harz and the opportunity to wander freely. In towns and villages of both East and West Harz one often feels to be stepping back into the Middle Ages. Many have half timbered framed houses (Fachwerkhäuser), with rich decorations of coloured rosettes and other symbols. A romanesque Harz journey begins in the episcopal city of Halberstadt, once the most powerful city in the Harz Mountains. Quedlingburg is well worth a special visit as it is a remarkable place. Once a centre of the German Empire, the town has kept much of its medieval character. It is now an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed town. Other very interesting towns are Quedlinburg, Stolberg, Schierke and many more.
http://www.harzinfo.de/pages/historic.html
Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Württemberg. It is no secret that Heidelberg is a jewel among German travel destinations. It is located in the Neckar river valley.
Over the years, Heidelberg has attracted numerous visitors, artists, intellectuals and academics from all over Europe and has sometimes been called a secret intellectual capital of Germany.
http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1088101_l2/index.html
Schloss Neuschwanstein is a 19th-century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner, the King's inspiring muse. Although public photography of the interior is not permitted,[1] it is the most photographed building in Germany[2] and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.


Travelling in Germany by train:
Deutsche Bahn AG (DB AG, DBAG or DB) is the
German national railway company.
www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml


Thursday 21 August 2008

INTO University Of East Anglia - Directions.

Directions to INTO: INTO University of East Anglia, INTO Building, University Of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ (Campus Map reference C15 ), is located between The Main Car Park (Campus Map reference P1 ) & The Medical Centre (Campus Map reference C16 ) on University Drive. The INTO office number is: 01603 592977 (9am-5.30pm). The INTO emergency number for use outside office hours is: 07986 957047. Campus maps can be viewed or downloaded from

http://ueaconferences.com/docs/Campus_Map.pdf

Directions to UEA:
http://www.uea.ac.uk/about/visiting-staying/getting-here

Friday 8 August 2008

Computer Repairs.

Triangle Computer Systems.

Opening Times:
Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 5.30pm.

Saturday: 10:00am - 4:00pm.
Sunday: Closed.

www.trianglecomputers.co.uk


Address: 40 Wellington Road, Norwich, NR2 3H.
Telephone: 01603 667 232.

From UEA:
Take bus number 35 and ask for The Mitre Pub on Earlham Road. Wellington Road is on the opposite site of the road.


For directions:
Please see

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&dq=triangle+computers+norwich&daddr=40+Wellington+Road,+Norwich,+NR2+3HT&geocode=17395662485992311670,52.628989,1.273523&ll=52.628989,1.273523&iwstate1=dir:to&iwloc=A&f=d

Wednesday 25 June 2008

Travelling to UEA from Stansted Airport.

By Train:Trains depart at least every hour from Stansted train station located below the main terminal. Not all trains are direct to Norwich and one or two changes may be required. The typical journey time is 2 hours 15 minutes. The website for rail timetables is http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

By Bus (Coach):
The National Express bus number 727 departs every hour from the Stansted Coach station. The bus will stop at the University of East Anglia outside the Zicer Building (please see below). When you get on the bus tell the driver you wish to go to the University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich. Tickets for the bus can be bought on the bus or you can book your ticket on the internet www.nationalexpress.com. The website will also show you the bus timetables.
N.B. The National Express bus stop is outside The Zuckerman Institute for Connective Environmental Research (ZICER) Building http://www.ueaconferences.com/docs/Campus_Map.pdf (map reference S7).

Directions to INTO: INTO University of East Anglia, INTO Building (Campus Map reference C15 ), is located between The Main Car Park (Campus Map reference P1 ) & The Medical Centre (Campus Map reference C16 ) on University Drive. The INTO office number is: 01603 592977 (9am-5.30pm). The INTO emergency number for use outside office hours is: 07986 957047. Campus maps can be viewed or downloaded from http://www.ueaconferences.com/docs/Campus_Map.pdf 



Travelling to UEA from Gatwick Airport.

By Bus (Coach):
Bus travel is the easiest way to travel from Gatwick to Norwich especially if you have a lot of luggage to carry. The National Express bus to Norwich departs regularly from Gatwick airport. The bus number is either 727 to Norwich or the 797 to Stansted airport and then change to the 727 bus to Norwich. The bus will stop at the University of East Anglia outside the Zicer Building (please see below). When you get on the bus tell the driver you wish to go to the University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich. Tickets for the bus can be bought on the bus or you can book your ticket on the internet
www.nationalexpress.com The website will also show you the bus timetables.
N.B. The National Express bus stop is outside The Zuckerman Institute for Connective Environmental Research (ZICER) Building

http://www.ueaconferences.com/docs/Campus_Map.pdf(map reference S7).

By Train (via London Liverpool Street Station):
The Gatwick Express, departing every 10 minutes, provides a regular rail link between Gatwick Airport and Victoria Station in central London. Once at Victoria Station you can take the Circle Line on the London Underground direct to London Liverpool Street Station. The average journey time from Gatwick to Liverpool Street is about 1 hour. From Liverpool Street, direct trains to Norwich depart every 30 minutes, with an average journey time of 1 hour 45 minutes.
www.gatwickexpress.co.uk www.thetube.com www.nationalrail.co.uk

Directions to INTO: INTO University of East Anglia, INTO Building (Campus Map reference C15 ), is located between The Main Car Park (Campus Map reference P1 ) & The Medical Centre (Campus Map reference C16 ) on University Drive. The INTO office number is: 01603 592977 (9am-5.30pm). The INTO emergency number for use outside office hours is: 07986 957047. Campus maps can be viewed or downloaded from
http://www.ueaconferences.com/docs/Campus_Map.pdf

Thursday 12 June 2008

Sending Parcels over 30KG.

If the Post Office is unable to accept your parcel because it is too heavy, please see http://www.parcelforce.com/portal/pw/finder;jsessionid=NKX5QTBIH15G2FB2IGVEOSQUHRA0WQ2K?catId=7500082

The post code at UEA is NR4 7TJ

Tuesday 20 May 2008

New Japanese Restaurant in Norwich.

There is a new Japanese Barbecue Restaurant, Sakura, that has just opened in White Lion Street – please see Bob if you need directions or visit
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=japanese+restaurants&near=Norwich,+Norfolk&fb=1&view=text&latlng=10653064519866699016
Message from the owner:
" New & exciting Japanese BBQ restaurant located on 5 White Lion Street, Norwich, offers the opportunity to students every Tuesday evening to eat cheaply. There will be a 10% discount for groups of 5 or more students. You will be asked to show your student card to qualify for this discount. Students will also need to book in advance."

The restaurant is open from 12 noon to 2:30pm and from 6.00pm - 10.00pm Tuesdays to Saturdays. On Sunday 12 noon to 2:30 pm. The phone numbers are 01603 663838 / 07877746598.

Friday 2 May 2008

Receiving parcels from your home country!

Please note if you are receiving parcels from your home country, please make sure that the person sending the parcel informs the post office/courier that you are a student and the length of time you are studying in the UK (this information can be found in your passport on your visa).

The Greenhouse Restaurant - Volunteering.


The Greenhouse is a registered charity that promotes sustainability. We encourage people to make sustainable lifestyle choices. Our biggest resource is our building itself. Located on Bethel Street, between the Forum and City Hall, we have lovingly restored and reconditioned an old Victorian building to meet the energy demands of this century. Key features include an array of solar panels, a variety of natural materials for insulation and extensive rainwater harvesting.
Within the building you will find a fair trade and organic shop and café. The shop sells a wide range of ethical produce, from greetings cards printed on recycled paper, to organic and vegan wine; from a range of fair trade chocolate to environmentally friendly cleaning products. You are welcome to pop in and explore.
When you do, take time to enjoy some fairtrade tea and our organic, home made cakes. Or between 12 and 4pm, you can treat yourself to one of our exceptional value lunches, all made using organic produce, sourced from local suppliers wherever possible. If it’s a sunny day, you can sit outside in our quiet courtyard. At quiet times, you are welcome to bring some work, as our restful atmosphere can aid study.
If you are a keen reader, you’ll be interested to know that we have second hand book sales upstairs on Fridays and Saturdays. Thousands of donated books cover a wide range of subjects. All are reasonably priced, and all money goes towards The Greenhouse Trust – and it’s much better for the environment (and cheaper!) to recycle old books than buy new!
The Greenhouse is run mainly by volunteers, and we are always looking for help in our café. Shifts are divided into morning and afternoon stints, and café volunteers work under the close supervision of two paid members of staff to help prepare and serve organic food, serve customers, make drinks, wash up and maintain a clean kitchen. If you would like to volunteer in our café, please ask to speak to Tom or Penny. We are often looking for help in our shop, too. The shop volunteer works either morning or afternoon shifts in this more tranquil environment, serving customers, operating the till, pricing stock and cleaning and replenishing shelves. If you would like to volunteer in the shop, then speak to Maddie.
The Greenhouse is a unique and friendly place, and it is open between 10am and 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

The Greenhouse, 42- 46 Bethel Street, Norwich NR1 1NR
01603 631007
www.greenhousetrust.co.uk

Working & Studying In The UK - Work Experience.

If you are looking for work experience whilst studying in the UK, please see the link below:
http://www.educationuk.org/pls/hot_bc/page_pls_user_advice?d=work_in_uk
This is a great way to improve your CV and future career prospects.

Friday 25 April 2008

Wednesday 2 April 2008

UEA Volunteers.

If you would like to:

Improve your English
Meet local people
Improve your curriculum vitae
Increase your work experience

then why not join the UEA Volunteers?

For more information, please see http://volunteers.uea.ac.uk