Case Study
Case Study: Gavin Vine – China 2016-2017
I began my year in China working at the British embassy in Beijing, before starting university at Peking University, one of China’s top universities, as part of my year abroad. It was at this time when my John Speak scholarship started, providing me with extra money that enabled me to make the most of my…
Read MoreCase Study: Charlotte McGarry – China, 2016 – 2017
The third year of my university degree took the form of a year abroad spent studying Mandarin in Beijing, China. Along with eight other classmates from Cambridge, I moved to Beijing’s student district of Wudaokou in September 2016, ready to embark on a ten month journey of cultural immersion and language learning. The core of…
Read MoreNathan Randerson, Case Study: Spain 2016-2017
John Speak Trust Report – 2017 Its been an incredible last 18 months, my experience in Spain has surpassed all my expectations and is something which I will never forget. I’ve spent six months studying in Córdoba and one year working in the Corporate Procurement Department of NH Hotel Group in Madrid. Both experiences have…
Read MoreSinead O’Connor: Case Study, China – 2016
I began receiving the John Speak travel grant in September 2016, when I began my third year abroad in China as part of my university degree. As there is very little in way of any other monetary help for students choosing to study abroad, especially in this part of the world, it was with great…
Read MoreMatt Hattam: Case Study – Madrid, Spain 2016
For the final four months of 2016 I worked for a translation company in Madrid. The scholarship from the John Speak Trust really enabled me to maximise the experience in the Spanish capital as well as providing me the chance to explore other cities in the region. As a city, Madrid is unique in many…
Read MoreGrace Partington: Case Study – Portugal, 2016
Case Study: Grace Partington, Portugal (2016) Receiving a John Speak Trust Scholarship was extremely helpful in easing financial pressure whilst abroad (including cost of travel, accommodation and social activities) which aided me in improving my Portuguese. In January I arrived in Portugal (in Lisbon airport to be exact) to fantastic weather. The sun was shining…
Read MoreGeorgia Dolan: Case Study – Colombia, 2016
In April this year, I was fortunate to receive a John Speak Scholarship. I initially arrived in the capital, Bogota, to begin my four month Scholarship in Colombia. Having been heavily influenced by the media and western perceptions of Colombia, and particularly that of my parents’ generation, I landed in the airport slightly terrified. The…
Read MoreJack Davies – Case Study: Liaocheng, China 2015-2016
Firstly let me start by saying ……………….. Thank you to the John Speak Language Trust for the support it offered me during the semester I spent at Liaocheng University in Shandong China. With being a recipient of the funds, I was able to focus much more on my studying of Mandarin and as a result…
Read MoreEleanor Winstanley – Case Study: Berlin, Germany 2015
My name’s Ellie Winstanley and I am a 21 year old language student in Manchester, although following my period abroad I am currently living in my home town of Worcester. For the German side of my year abroad I spent 4 months in Berlin working in a nursery. In late August I travelled to Berlin.…
Read MoreCase Study – Richard Freeman Germany 1961
In January 1961 (age 20) I boarded the train from Harwich via London followed by a short ferry journey to Holland. Another train journey took me to Breman Germany where I would stay for six months. On arrival in Bremen I was very homesick having never been away from home before. I arrived in January…
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