*Christmas*time*

{ December 2, 2011 @ 6:57 pm } · { Trips inside the Granite City }
{ Comments (1) }

Merry Christmas everyone! It is December, it is cold, but the wind brings lots of Christmas mood. Everyone is looking for presents for themselves or for family and friends!

Best places to do your shopping, in my view, are the following shops:

1. ARGOS – you can order online on the website ARGOS UK or you can go to Trinity Center (which is on Union street just next to PRIMARK) and choose your present. Most of the stuff in there are on reasonable prices. They also have “Hot Deals” which are products on clearance or with a discount. Even if you do not have any idea what you are going to buy, you will definitely find something in the shop!

2. DEBENHAMS – this shop is also in the Trinity Center and I would recommend it because it is mixed and you can pick a present among clothes, accessories, cosmetics, jewellery and perfumes for both women and men. They also have some Christmas discounds on different products. You can find some Christmas packages instead of wondering what exactly to buy and how to match 2 or more stuff together.

3. Boots – Boots can be found on a few places, the 2 biggest shops are in Bon Accord Centre and the other one is on Garthdee road just opposite the 24 hour ASDA. It is mostly about cosmetics and accessories if this is what are you looking for. Expensive brands like L`Oreal and Maybelline have great gift packs at the moment! I already bought one for a friend and I deffinitely like it!

4. Bhs – This is a shop on Union street just opposite to T-mobile, O2 and Vodafone mobile shops. If you are looking for an original and interesting present you can find it in there. My favourites are stuff like ashtray in the form of a car, “Me to You” cosy presents, there also was a small decorative sofa with a bottle of beer standing on it (like a bottle holder) 😀 it is very cute! They have lots of stuff for big and small, for male and female…something for anyone. They have clothes, shoes and accessories as well.

5. Juniper – if you are looking for an expensive, luxury present, this is one of the places you can go! It is on Belmont street on the right-handed side of Priory night club. Jewellery, home decorations and various santimental and keeping your memories (like photo holders) presents are waiting for you to choose them! I already bought from there a small ceremic figure “Mr Perfect” in a very good packaging – an interesting present for a close person. 🙂 I think you will enjoy it!

6. Snapfish – this is an online shop for any photography stuff! You can print photos, make personal cards for any occasion, make a calendar with your own photos, give a collage to your best friend, create a mug for your mum and dad or make an original mousepad for yourself… You can do anything creative you want! I personally use this website for the last year ans I am very pleased with their service and quality! I made a card for Father`s day, I made a birhday card for my best friens, I create an amazing 2012 calendar for my family and so on! It is fun! Try it!

7. Groupon – Groupon is my favourite website for the last few months! (Which is NOT very good cuz I am spending lots of money on it :S ) This website is with dayly deals for different products normaly discounted more than 50%!!! Sounds great, isn`t it! You start buying stuff you never thought you gonna buy because they are too expensive for you…imagine that – I even bought a Laser Hair Removal System! It is such an expensive thing! But with Groupon deals you get it with 75% or even 90% discount! You can deffinitely buy a present from there. Buy a chrismas present for yourself by yourself 🙂

Well, I think these are my winners. You can have a look at the shops, or you may don`t…it is up to you. I wish you lots of patience with buying presents – you will need it! Do not spent too much money! No-one expects from you to buy them the most expensive product on the market…what is the most important is the gesture!

Merry Christmas! Enjoy!

Charity Shops in Aberdeen

{ October 20, 2011 @ 6:17 pm } · { Trips inside the Granite City }
{ Comments (2) }

Hi everybody, here is the long-expected post for the charity shops in Aberdeen. 🙂

Basicly these are second hand shops where you can find lots of absolutely new stuff as well! You can find clothes, shoes, beddings, cosmetics, accessories, books, DVDs, utensils and cutlery, even furniture in there. You do not need to pay high prices for something when you can find it cheaper. For example instead of buying new bedding for 20 pounds you can find one for 8/10… Just give it a try and see what you will discover…there is a little bit of everything for everyone 🙂

Ok, lets get is started 🙂  I apologise I will not give you exact addess of every shop but I will explain you where to find them 🙂

1.

This is Sue Ryder Care shop. You can find it at the very beginning of Holburn Street just on the junction with Union Street. This shop make their oun brand guitars which can be found only in their shops. Can`t remember price but it was around 40 pounds.  Just next to it is:

2.

This is For Pets in Need of Vets shop.

3.

This is Shelter charity shop. If you start walking up Union street (As if you are haeding from Holburn street to King street) on the left handed sided this is the first charity shop you will see.  Keep going on Union street and search for a small street turning into your left  called Chapel Street. There you will find the following 3 charity shops:

4.

This is the firsh shop to be seen into your right. If you keep going the same side of the road you will see the next one:

5.

After that if you just go to the opposite side of the road and go back to Union street you will see the following charity shop:

6.

This is the last one on Chapel street. Now go back to Union street and keep going on the same side of the road, again heading to King street. The next charity shop you will find is:

7.

Keep going untill you pass by Co-operative shop and just next to it is:

8.

Next to it you will see:

9.

Ok, now cross the road and go on the opposite side on Union street.  Go ahead until you pass by Poundland, First Buses office and some other shops, if you keep looking at your right handed side you have to see British Heart Foundation charity shop:

10.

This is the last shop on Union street. There are 2 more on Castle Gate, which is the square just before you in you look straight ahead.  There is a statue on that square. Go to the bottom of the square and on your left you have to see:

11.

This is Barnardo`s charity shop.When you see that shop you have to look to the opposite side of the small street in front of you and you have to see big pink shop:

12.

This is the second and the last charity shop on Castle Gate. Your next destination is King Street 🙂 So just go back to the beginning of the square and do not cross the road just pass by the Italian restaurant on the corner and keep going forward up on King street. The first charity shop to be seen is a little bit before reachig Morrisons supermarket just before Gala bingo. Keep looking around you and at your right handed side you have to find:

13.

The next one just on the Morrisons` traffic lights is:

14.

We are done with King street 🙂 Next ones that you will see are close to Woolmanhill Halls. They are on George street which is the long street leading to Bon Acord Shopping centre. I am talking about the entrance which is closer to Woolmanhill Halls, not the other one on Schoolhill which is opposite St Nikolas Shopping centre.  So if you stand with your back to Bon Acord centre you will be facing George street. Start walking on the left side by Co-operative shop. After a while you will see this charity shop:

15.

Next one is:

16.

And the next one 😀

17.

Ok, now cross the street and go to the opposite side of the road. It is a little bit further but soon you will reach the last one of the charity shops on George street:

18.

This is the cheapes charity shop, where you can find books for 20 pence or clothes and shoes for a pound, and most of the stuff are per 50 pence 🙂

Lets move to the last row of charity shops. 🙂 This one is near Woolmanhill and Rosemount Halls. I am talking about the street Rosemount Viaduct. It is next to Denburn Health centre. Or if you are walking on Schoolhill and pass by the Theatre, after that the Cathedral and after that The Central Library, just keep going on that same big road by taking slightly right turn. If Union Terrace Gardens are beside you so you are facing Rosemount Viaduct start walking on the left pavement. You will pass by some hairdressers and soon you will see the first charity shop:

19.

There are 3 one next to another, so the next one is:

20.

And the following:

21.

There is one more on that row:

22.

Now keep going up the same big street and a little bit further you will find one more. Just look for it on your left handed side:

23.

This one is the othetr very cheap charity shop where most of the stuff are just a pound. 🙂

Now it`s even further…but it is a big one. You have to go straight until you reach a junction with traffic lights. You do not need to cross anywhere just stay on the same side of the road and turn left when you reach the crossroad. I think that the street is called Rosemount Place. You have to go ahead and I think it is the second smal sross-street that on the corner you will see that charity shop:

24.

This was the last charity shop 🙂

Well, there is one or two more in Torry neighbourhood but it is too far and it is across the river so I didn`t go there to take pictures and post it as well, I think that no one will go there unless you are not living in Torry.

I`ve tried to explain you the easiest ways to reach those shops so I don`t think it wil be a problem forr you to find them 🙂 If there is any missed charity shop I apologise for that. If I find anything else I will post it or if you find something just tell me 🙂 If you have any gurther questions don`t hesitate to ask me. I am always here 🙂

Ok, guys enjoy your shopping, don`t spend too much and don`t get tempted too easily. I wish you one great weekend!!!

See you soon! xxx

{ October 15, 2011 @ 4:50 pm } · { About me }
{ Leave a Comment }

Hello to everyone again!!!
Sorry for being away for so long…I had some technical difficulties with the blog but I am back! 🙂

Hopefully you had a great Freshers Week and you like University!!!

For those who are still panicked about the language and the lectures…DO NOT worry! you just need time, it will be fine!

If there are any requires or questions or ideas for next post please tell me and I will post whatever you want and need to know!

Lists of all charity shops in Aberdeen is coming soon, this is my next task! I have already took pictures of most of them, I have just 4/5 left and I will post all of them, picture and address where you can find them!

Look  forward for it!

Freshers Week

{ September 6, 2011 @ 2:49 am } · { About me }
{ Comments (1) }

Well, well, less than 2 weeks untill Freshers Week! Are you excited? Are you looking forward to it? Are you impatient? Are you interested what exactly this Freshers Week means?….ok then you can read everything just right here:

Aberdeen University Freshers Week: http://issuu.com/rosscob/docs/ents_guide11_online#download 

Robert Gordon University Freshers Week: http://www.freshers-week.com/Robert-Gordon-University.htm

For those who are wondering if it is mandatory to go to Freshers Week – no, it is not, but it would be better if you make it for this week because you will see the town, you will meet your flatmates, you will have time to party every night without worrying for courseworks, exams or early getting up on the next day. It is the week when you realise where the hell you are 😀
It is not mandatory to buy those Freshers Week wristbands 😉 you can just enter clubs that are with free entry so you are not spending much money.
During that week you get lots of discounts, free meals, free filming in VUE cinema, free entries in some clubs, discounts from clothes, cool deals like buy 1 get 1 free and so on.
What are those strange parties? – Well, you will see that there are parties like: Toga party or Foam party…You will be witness to lots of new things for you like people dressed in their pyjamas going to a club like that and rambling all the streets at 3 am…this is pyjama party; Toga party means that you have to be dressed like a greek person with white toga and do not bother to go out like that because this is normal here. People keep going to clubs dressed in various costumes all over the year not just during Freshers Week. Foam party….hm I didn`t miss mine but I wish I missed it 😀 This is…too foamy 😀 you go to a club and at some point while you are dancing a guy poures foam all over the pople on the dancefloor…you are covered with REAL foam, you are literally swiming in foam,…be ready to get WET….I run away when the foam pouring started 😀 well, couldn`t hide from it but at least I stayed dry…partly dry while everyone else was totaly wet!

It will be fun, believe me! Come here and find your place, your friends and your way of doing things! Good luck! 🙂

Documents which you need!

{ September 2, 2011 @ 7:52 pm } · { Documents needed }
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After couple of question what documents are required for enrolling for your course, signing up for GP or opening a bank account, today I had a tour asking for everything and here are the answers I got:

1. Enrolling for Uni: The documents you need are letter of confirmation from university, that you are accepted + passport/ID card + letter from SAAS (normally it is an automatic system between SAAS and all the Universities, but take your letter with you just in case!)

2. Signing up for a GP: For everyone, from any country, you need just 2 documents: Passport/ID card + letter of confirmation from Uni, which states that you are accepted and where is written your address (proof of address is required!!!) And you DO NOT need any immunisation cards/passports or that stuff, you DO NOT need to translate your local health card!!! The 2 documents stated above ARE ENOUGH.

3.Opening a bank account: As a new person to UK you need to make an appointment with a bank advisor of a bank of your choice where will be offered couple accounts to choose inbetween. For the opening of the account itself you need: Passport/ID card/Driving license +  student ID + PROOF of ADDRESS which can be both confirmation lettel from Uni, which states your accommodation or for those who are renting a flat, just bring a document where it is stated that you are the tenant of the property!

Additional information
Freshers week wristband: RGU freshers week wristband is 15 pounds and gives you free entry ONLY for 1 club – Liquid!!!

Aberdeen Uni freshers week wristband is 35 pounds and gives you free entry for ONLY 2 clubs.
You`d better preorder your wristband because there will be just limited numbers available if you try to buy it on place during the freshers week and you may end up without a wristband.

Take couple of passport-sezed photos as you will need them at some point. For example you will need one if you are buying a bus pass. 🙂 As fas as I mentioned the bus pass the prices for it are: Student 4 weeks (1 month) – 45 pounds; Student 12 weeks (3 months)  – 120 pounds and Student academic term – 350 pounds. With your bus pass you can travel with any of the bus numbers anytime during the day and as much as you want!

That`s it for now, see you all in my next post 🙂

Preparing the suitcase :/

{ September 2, 2011 @ 12:25 am } · { How to prepare your suitcase }
{ Comments (6) }

Waiting impatiently for the summer to be over and go to Uni, new city, new country, new people…well, that day comes and most of you have no idea how to prepare the suitcase…
I am coming from Bulgaria which is so far away from here and the currency is completely different and everything here was double more expensive than in my own city…so I took everything I can think of! Big mistake!! Well, it is not so bad but you have certain allowance of the luggage you can take when you are travelling by plane, so people do NOT waste your 21kg with taking useless stuff!
Firs of all take both clothes for cold, really cold and for hot. You will wonder why you need clothes for warm weather, the answer is – during the winter in your accommodation you will have your heating on most of the time and because the room is too small it gets hot very fast. I used to wear just a T-shirt in my room winter time! So take something short and light with you as well.
If you are coming from a country from Europe do not forget to take an adapter with you ( the thing for the socket that you put and you can use all your EU applinces) You can also buy it from here! Don`t worry! It cost some 2/3 pounds 😉

If you are a girl I know that you would like to take all your hair stuff like hairdryer or hairstraightener or hair styler but you don`t actually need them, if you don`t have space in the suitcase leave them home and get one from here – you can find really cheap in ARGOS, ASDA or in the charity shops!

I even took with me bed sheets, pillowcase and duvet…those are things that you deffinitely DO NOT need to take with you into your suitcase! You can find cheap from ASDA, Primark or any charity shop!
Other stuff that you can find for 1 pund in poundland are toothpaste, soaps, shampoo, conditioner and so on (even for less than a pond in Pound Stretcher or in Savers).
Do not take any cutlery, pots, plates, bowls etc. you will also find them here on reasonable prices! I took that kind of stuff as well 😀

I think I mentioned most of the things but if I missed something just ask and I will tell you if it worth taking or not. If you would like to know the price of anything ask me and I will check it for you! 🙂

🙂 🙂 🙂 nice packing, freshers! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Who am I?

{ August 30, 2011 @ 11:57 pm } · { About me }
{ Comments (1) }

Hi, nice meeting you all 🙂
I am Alex, 19, from Bulgaria, Ruse. I came in Aberdeen at the end of September 2010. I was unprepared to start my fairytale but I had the will to, so here I am, going straight to the top ( I hope so) following my dreams ( well, this is a  cliche, this wasn`t exactly my dream).
My beginning: I had no idea want to study, where to go and what I am supposed to do afrerwards…I chose my course because I was a waitress for 3 years and I realised that I so like being around people and communication with customers  that I choose to study Communications with PR. 🙂
I don`t like the question: “What are you going to work when you graduate?” because I have no answer…I have 3 years to find it 😉 hopefully it is not hidden in a place where I can`t find it!
My first night here: I arrived at the airport around 9pm, took a taxi to Woolmanhill  Halls aaaaannndddd let the party begin…It was dark, rainy and GREY! Jeeez, I Bulgaria it is so colourful, everywhere is colourful…but we are in the GRANIT city, so do not expect any other colour apart from grey 😀 (it`s not that bad anyway) After I arrived at my accommodation I could see crazy students all around, drinking, shouting, singing, doing some strange things and talking various languages that I deffinitely do not understand! My first impression was: “Where am I!?! What am I doing here!?!” 😀 😀 😀 I took my suitcase and started dragging it to the second floor, flat 83, room G!!! Best place ever! Flat of 8 girls! They were all there, so lovely and helpful, I would never forget it! First thing to do – connect to the internet and tell the world that I was alive 😀 Done! Second – unpack everything and fit it somehow in the tiny room – my new home! It was ridiculously small and green 😀 I hated it in the firs week, or more, but I cried when I left it! Beleive me, at the end it is your own home, your own place, your little fort!
I remember that I was invited to go out with my flatmates but I was way too tired and shocked to do that just in the second hour after my arrival.
In teh morning everything was diffrent and I started admiring this city and  I got to know it street by street, corner by corner, place by place…it`s amazing after all that time…(apart from the fact that I got lost couple of times 😀 I am way too bad in orientation)

That was my beginning and my firs steps to Robert Gordon University (oh, and we were just 6/7 freshers from Bulgaria in my Uni….cool, while in Aberdeen Uni there were more that 80 bulgarians )

P.S.  If you need any help in accommodating, meeting at the airport, bus/train station, give me a shout…meeting at the airpost from University doesn`t always mean that they will actually guide you to your halls… 😉

Back to Uni just less in a month!

{ August 30, 2011 @ 11:18 pm } · { About me }
{ Comments (5) }

Hello, everybody! Hello Freshers and non-freshers!
Remembering my first year in Uni made me create this blog. My memories reminded me how scared I was moving into a new city in new country, hundreds miles away from home…
Sounds very brave, huh? Yeah, it is! Leaving everything and starting literally a new life.
Quite a lot questins were on my mind and I needed tons of answers…Well, with the time you will find your own answers and your unique way of doing everything; you just need little help in the very beginning to make your first steps!

I am here to help you, to tell you everything I know and find all the answers that you, freshers, need. I am here to guide you in the “thing” called “student life” 🙂