JONAS, from the Philippines, is studying MSc Renewable Energy and Resource Management at the University of South Wales. He is currently working on his dissertation as well as being a USW Student Blogger and a University Global Assistant. We asked him all about his student life in Cardiff and Pontypridd and his tips for other international students who want to explore South Wales!
STUDENT WORLD ONLINE: What do you love about your student city?
JONAS: First of all, I live in the town of Pontypridd, 20 minutes away from Cardiff and home to the university’s main campus. However, most students go to Cardiff during special events or the weekends.
What I love about Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys is its compactness. The city is neither too small nor too big to explore, and there will always be something for any activity type. From bars, to nature walks, to concerts from Coldplay or Ed Sheeran, Cardiff is one of the great cities to be in as a student.
SWO: Did you feel differently when you first arrived?
J: I would say yes and no. When I first arrived, I thought that Cardiff was like one of the places that I had seen in documentaries about the UK. However, I discovered it was quite different after I overheard some locals speaking Welsh! (but it’s awesome as I get to listen to another language). Everyone speaks English though so it’s really not a problem!
SWO: Is there anything you don’t like about it?
J: I would say public transport after 11pm from Monday to Saturday and the whole of Sunday is a bit of a problem in the city, as the trains and buses operate slowly. To get a cab back to where I live from Cardiff would be about £25.
SWO: Is it easy to get around?
J: Barring late nights, Cardiff is a very easy place to get around in, with trains reaching major places around the city and buses and taxis covering the rest. Central Cardiff is quite easy to walk around from the Cardiff University area at Cathays to Cardiff Central Station.
SWO: What can you see and do while you’re in Cardiff?
J: Cardiff has a very good mix of places of interest. For movie lovers, Cardiff has four major cinemas in the Cardiff Central/Cardiff Bay area. For nature lovers, my suggestion would be to go to Bute Park, Roath Park, and Cardiff Bay. Cardiff Castle and the Welsh National Museum are great historical and cultural visits.
SWO: Good shops?
J: Most shops are found in the Queen Street area of Central Cardiff, especially inside St David’s Mall.
SWO: Good places to eat?
J: Cardiff has a cosmopolitan selection of places to eat, ranging from Welsh and British food to American, French, and Italian cuisines. Most of the restaurants are found in both the Queen Street and Cardiff Bay areas.
SWO: Good places to drink?
J: A lot of bars, pubs, and other places to drink are also found in both Queen Street and Cardiff Bay areas.
SWO: Good places to relax and hang out?
J: I guess it would be the same as the places of interest. However, if you want to have a good swim, the Lido in Pontypridd Town Centre is the best place for you.
SWO: What is the surrounding countryside like?
J: The South Wales Valleys is one of the greatest places in the world, in my opinion. It is where I find peace, where everywhere you see green fields, horses, cows, and best of all, sheep. Lots of sheep. Just walking around keeps you calm and comfortable.
SWO: What is the university like?
J: The university’s main campus in Pontypridd is actually divided into two parts. The bigger portion is in the village of Treforest, where most of the engineering, business, social science, and art departments are based. The smaller part is in the village of Glyntaff, where the medical, sports, and applied sciences are based. USW Cardiff Campus hosts more of the creative industry courses, while USW Newport Campus handles education and other related courses.
Though the main campus is situated on somewhat steep parts of the valley, it is quite modern-looking and forward-oriented. USW is quite diverse.
SWO: Do you live on campus?
J: I lived on campus for about nine months, but am currently settling into private accommodation.
Treforest Campus, University South Wales
SWO: How much is your monthly rent?
J: Monthly rent inside the halls of residence in the main campus can vary from around £100 - 300 per week (with bills included), while private accommodation can go for £55 per week (without bills included).
SWO: How much is a cinema ticket, a two-mile cab fare, a 1kg bag of rice?
J: Cinema ticket is around £4.50, a two-mile cab fare would be around £4-5 and a 1kg bag of rice can be around 45p - £1.
This article was created in partnership with University of South Wales. To find out more about their courses, visit their profile and contact them for more information.
You can reach Jonas via his USW Bloggers Tumblr Page, the USW Bloggers Instagram profile.
