WANT to know why people study in Glasgow? We've asked Ruben Asencio, an International Strategic Marketing graduate originally from Spain, what's so great (or not) about living in Glasgow.
STUDENT WORLD ONLINE: What do you love about Glasgow?
RUBEN: The people, the parks, and the places to eat and drink. People in Glasgow are some of the friendliest people that I have ever met. Besides, in Glasgow there are people from everywhere! I can say that I have met people from all five continents in Glasgow. This is due to the huge amount of foreign students in the three universities in Glasgow (University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, and Glasgow Caledonian University), and especially the first of these! My experience during my Master’s Degree in the University of Glasgow says that it is quite rare to have other Scottish people studying with you – only 2 out of the 86 in my class!
Glasgow has also many beautiful parks (Botanic Gardens, Kelvingrove Park) and a vast amount of places to eat and drink (in the West End, where I have lived for over two years, some of the best places are along Byres Road, Great Western Road and Woodlands Road).
SWO: Did you feel differently when you first arrived?
R: I felt welcomed! Everyone was trying to help me to get to know the city and how to go anywhere. Obviously, the same day I arrived the weather was awful, but I have learnt to put up with it and, when it is good, everyone is outside enjoying the sun!
SWO: Is there anything you don’t like about Glasgow?
R: The weather. Like I pointed out, I can put up with it now, but coming from a sunny and warm place like Spain, it was difficult to adapt. We are in Scotland after all, so the weather is not going to be perfect all the time!
SWO: Is it easy to get around Glasgow?
R: It is very easy to travel around Glasgow: you can use the subway, the bus, and cabs are usually cheap (especially if you call them beforehand). The subway, however, has only two lines and not many stops (only 15), but bus connections are moderately good. To travel from Glasgow to other cities or towns it is quite easy, as there is one bus station and two train stations. Besides, there are two airports just outside Glasgow (International Airport and Prestwick).
SWO: What is there to see and do in Glasgow?
R: If you come to Glasgow, I would recommend you to see, first, the West End. Here you can find the University of Glasgow, which many people compare to the Harry Potter’s castle, Hogwarts. Also, around the area you can visit the Kelvingrove Park and the Botanic Gardens. In the city centre, you can walk around Buchanan Street, you can see the Necropolis and the Cathedral, as well as the Gallery of Modern Art. And around the river, you can visit the Science Museum and the Museum of Transport, as well as contemplating the beautiful bridges across the river.
SWO: Good shops?
R: There are many good shops in Glasgow. If you like very good quality, you could visit Waitrose or Roots and Fruits, and there is even a 24-hour Tesco in the area of Maryhill! Not only there are good shops for food, but in the city centre, predominantly, you will find the major brands for, for example, clothing.
SWO: Good places to eat?
R: You can find food from anywhere in Glasgow, but mainly Italian and Indian cuisines. Paesano Pizza is probably the best pizza I have ever tried, and even Italian people living in Glasgow say it is really good! There are also many other places to eat, like Ketchup (in Ashton Lane) or Bread Meats Bread (in the city centre). If you are a vegan or a vegetarian, I would recommend you visit The 78, Mono, or Tchai Ovna, although there are many other vegan and vegetarian places in Glasgow!
SWO: Good places to drink?
R: You can also drink in many of the places mentioned earlier, but, in my opinion, Ashton Lane would be a good choice. Other favourite pubs are the Hillhead Bookclub, Coopers, and the Old Schoolhouse.
SWO: Good places to relax and hang out?
R: Tchai Ovna is a tea house where you can relax easily. If you like comedy, the Stand offers a comedy night on Tuesdays with new comedians for only 2 pounds! And if you just want to relax, the Kelvingrove Park is vast and you could walk there, sit on the grass or in the benches, and see the University of Glasgow next to it.
SWO: What is the area like?
R: The area where I live in Glasgow is called West End. It is beautiful, full of students and families and it is a safe area to live.
SWO: What is the university like?
R: The main building of the University of Glasgow, as said earlier, is a bit like the Harry Potter castle, Hogwarts. Some of the other buildings are definitely not as nice, but in general students in the university love it. It also has a 12-floor library which, believe it or not, sometimes has no free seats!
SWO: Do you live on campus?
R: I live very close to the University of Glasgow campus (around 5 minutes away), which is really big. I believe it is convenient living close to university both for going to the lectures and to visit the library in order to study and work on projects.
SWO: How much is the monthly rent?
R: The monthly rent is around £300-£400, if you are a student and you have private accommodation (not in university halls, which are more expensive). That is, usually, including bills, but it will all depend on how thorough you are looking for a room. If you are not a student anymore, you will have to pay, apart from all that, a Council Tax rate monthly, which will depend on the area and the property where you live.
SWO: How much is a cinema ticket, a two-mile cab ride, and a 1kg bag of rice?
R: A cinema ticket is around £9-£10, a two-mile cab ride could be around £5-£8, depending on the time of the day and if you called the cab beforehand or not, and a 1kg bag of rice could cost you as less as 45p.
