Cheers, Manchester!

Guest Post By: Senior studying Marketing, Catherine Zhou. Catherine went on an exchange this past fall to Manchester.

I woke up this morning at home in the US feeling incredibly bittersweet. Reflecting on my past three months in Manchester, I had truly begun to feel at home in the city. As the semester came to an end, I took my last two weeks off from traveling, and decided to dedicate all my time to the city that initially drew me in. The best part of holiday season in the city (and Europe in general) are Christmas Markets. They’re huge, festive, and full of countless types of food and warm holiday beverages! By the time I left, I had seen the Christmas Markets in Manchester, Edinburgh, Prague, and Dresden – all with their own cultural twist. If you’re in Manchester at this time, it’s almost impossible to miss, as the market quite literally lights up different parts of the city. There’s nothing else better to get you in the holiday spirit.

Another holiday-related event that I attended was the AMBS Christmas Ball at the Midland Hotel. This event is put on by the business school and involves getting dressed up and being offered a fancy three-course meal and bottles of wine – all for the price of £10. I went with some friends I had met in my courses as well as some other exchange students and had the absolute best time! It was the best way to end the semester with my fellow business school students.

As I’m now back home in the US, I’m already missing the liveliness of the city and all the friends I made while there. It’s so hard to believe that my abroad experience has come to an end, but I know for a fact that I will be back in the UK as soon as I can be. In the meantime, I should be getting started on my exam papers! See you later, Manchester!