SATURDAY 17TH JUNE- UNIVERSITIES DAY
After 3 hours of sleep, 14 km by foot and over 60 km with Public Transport…I slept like a baby, with all the noise from the street and *cough* snoring from someone…
At 9:00 we had breakfast, lots of varieties for all tastes and types: jam, scrambeled eggs, the traditional English breakfast, coffee, tea, juices, etc.
From the hotel, we walked to Euston Station (stop H) from there you can take bus 18, 30 or 205 that leaves you in front of, as seen in the picture, Westminster Business School!
We met with Irina and headed to the Reception, where we were greeted by lovely staff members and students that gifted the open day attendees a Tote Bag, a prospectus, the itinerary and a coffee thermos (which btw I use everyday now). And obviously a ticket bracelet.
There were students and staff at each table which was marked ‘Campus Tour’; ‘Finance’; ‘Accommodation’; ‘Wellbeing’; ‘Careers and Employability’ and ‘Admissions’.
We went to the Accommodations before heading on the Campus Tour. which took around 30 minutes and allowed us enough time to ask about finance and then head to the ‘Sports Management BA’ presentation with Irina, where I met a potential future professor and colleagues. It was amazing! And I was glad to see that I was not the sole female interested in Sports, as well as, international student. After the presentation, we went to the addmisions table and carreers and employability.
Did not mention my parents, as they stayed at the wonderful arranged area where they enjoyed a cup of coffee, biscuits and ice cream! Absolut amazing protocol, organisation and welcoming from the Uni of Westminster, so thank you for making it a wonderful experience! And thank you to Irina for being my guardian for the day<3
As you can see I am cutting the university part short, even though I would go on all day about this University, I would love to make a blog next year, where I am talking from a Student perspective!
TRAIN TO ROEHAMPTON
Even though the Open Day was finishing at 15, we left a little before 13 because I had another University to visit. We took the Jubilee line to Waterloo, from there we hurried to the last platform where we were supposed to take our train but…missed it! Went to another platform and took another train, okay, oh thank god we watched the train! (currently rolling my eyes)…In the train, we relax…we wait for the Barnes Station…there’s no stop at Barnes Station!!!!!!! There comes the panic! We stop at Richmond, about to cry my eyes out, not even thinking for a second and hop running after a bus…WRONG BUS…going into the ‘right direction’ the bus passes…WRONG WAY!! We finally get to the GOOD bus station…it’s not coming for another 20 minutes and poof the tour at Roehampton is finished…
DISCOVERED RICHMOND
Honestly, as we ‘WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG’ I absolutely fell in love with Richmond, the people, the crowd of people that were enjoying their Saturday.
Here’s the story I posted on my Instagram:
“[…] As we left the station, our plan to find a bus was overshadowed by the captivating charm of Richmond. We decided to forget about the university and stay there instead. The village boasted lovely shops, including bookshops, as well as numerous bakeries and cozy cafes. However, it was at Richmond Riverside where we truly discovered the hidden enchantment. People leisurely strolled around, relaxing by the water, engaging in conversations, and participating in activities like boating and paddleboarding. Even dogs were happily swimming nearby.
Behind the buildings, a game of cricket was being played, and individuals picnicked on the grass. Richmond felt like the ideal place to live.
While continuing our stroll, we happened upon the Richmond Tennis Club, where a friendly doubles match was taking place. Intrigued, we decided to pause and watch from a nearby bench. As we settled in, we were warmly greeted by Vanessa, a delightful 72-year-old young lady who had just finished her match and was enjoying a well-deserved glass of dry white wine. She had a playful sense of humor and jokingly asked us which side we were supporting. We pointed to a woman and a man on the court, and she proudly proclaimed that the woman was her best friend. We engaged in a lovely conversation, and Vanessa greeted us with a warm smile, saying, “Welcome to Richmond.”
In that moment, it felt like a scene from a movie where a chance encounter with an elderly person transforms one’s life. It was a magical moment for me. We delved into various topics, discussing Richmond, universities, and tennis. As Vanessa prepared to leave, she gracefully stood up, the sun casting a radiant halo around her head. She mentioned how fate had led us to miss our train and spend the day in Richmond. We also briefly discussed tennis in Richmond and the future British star @jackdraper . As our interaction came to a close, Vanessa bid us farewell in a manner that felt more like a see-you-soon. Her voice resonated with a lasting impression as she confidently declared, “We will meet again when you live here, and next time, bring your tennis racket,” and a reminder of our previous conversation, “(and a bottle of white wine).” “
Between the discovering, shops and meeting Mrs. Vanessa. We ate at Portofino, a small italian restaurant that had view to the street, absolutely lovely staff and the food was DELICIOUS!!!!! If you even pass through Richmond, it would be a shame not to try the pizza and pasta there!
The food disappeared before we even had time to take a picture:)))
While lunching at Portofino, one of my aunts replied to our message surprised that we are so close to her. She told us she finishes work at 9 pm, so that’s how we had plenty of time to watch the tennis match and then at 8 we headed to New Malden to meet and then headed back to our hotel around 1 am😅