Welcome to the 3rd edition of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Newsletter for International Students in Academic year 23/24!

We would like to keep you informed on what is happening in the University throughout the rest of December and in January. We also wanted to remind you of the services available during the Festive Break when most of the University will be shut. As usualy, we would like to hear from you. If you have comments or suggestions, you can reply directly to this email –  we take pride in responding to your queries, and enjoy co-creating solutions with you.

Christmas Opening Hours

The Student Christmas break will start from Monday 18 December 2023 and you will return on Monday 8 January 2024. 

Most University offices will be closed for the Christmas period from the afternoon of Friday 22 December until 08.30am on Tuesday 2 January. However, essential services and support for students in halls of residence will continue over the festive period. 

If you have a non-life threatening emergency, please contact the University Security Lodge: +44 (0) 23 9284 3418 and ask for the Chaplaincy or Res Life team.

Social and Cultural Events

Events and Support over the Christmas Break

For those of you who are staying in Portsmouth during the Winter vacation period, there are still events and opportunities for you to meet fellow students.

For example, the Global Office is hosting two socials where you can join felow international students for different social acitvities. The dates of these socials are Wednesday 27th December 2023 and Thursday 28th December 2023. You can find out more about these two socials as well as all the other acitvities when you click on the button below.

There are aslo events happening in and around Portsmouth during that period and you can find out more on the Visit Portsmouth page.

Careers and Employability

Events

Presentations in job applications - aiming for positive impact! - Monday 15th January 2024, 12.00pm-1.00pm, Careers and Employability Centre

Looking For Part-time Work while You Study? - Tuesday 16th January - Wednesday 24th January 2024, various times, Careers and Employability Centre

Jobs and working in the UK with UoP Global  - Thursday 18th January, 1.00pm-2.00pm, Richmond Building, LT2

Volunteer to enhance your career  - Wednesday 24th January 2024, 11.00am-11.30am, Careers and Employability Centre

Please note that you need to log in/create your MyCareer account in order to access some of these events and register for them.

Opportunities for Research Students

Junior Research Assistantship (JRA)

This year we have a host of projects from Bangladesh and Sweden, covering the breath of subject areas in the Humanities and Social Sciences. These are available for postgraduate taught and final year undergraduate students. A call for applications is available here. To apply please click on the button below.

Postgraduate Research Mobility Awards

Opportunities for postgraduate research students (including MRes). We have four spaces spread across the Czech Republic, Spain (x 2) and Sweden. The description of the scheme is available here. To apply please click on the button below.

The deadline to apply to both schemes is midnight on Friday the 5th of January 2024. Questions should be sent to fhss-internationalstudents@port.ac.uk by the 18th of December 2023.

Additional Support 

The University has a bank of resources and information on Cost of Living Support available through the University website. On there you will find a wealth of tips and resources as well as information on support available at the University and in Portsmouth. 

International Student Advice

The International Student Advisers can be contacted via email at international.student.adviser@port.ac.uk or come and see the team in UoP Global, University House, Monday–Friday 10am–3pm.
Keep up to date with all the UoP Global news on UoP Global Community 
Book onto Global social events.
Find out more about events happening in the community/city
Key dates academic year 2023/24
What are my options for working after my studies?

International Student Voice

In light with the upcoming Festive period, UKCISA has published the most recent international students blog on the topic "Spending Christmas in the UK as an international student". It shares the experience of three international students who are currently based in different parts of the UK. You can read the article on UKCISA's website or through this link.

International Events

Birago Day 

Monday 11th December marked the birth of the Senegalese poet and storyteller Birago Diop. This day also celebrates the African folktales and storytelling.  One of our local storytellers Natty Mark Samuels has provided two literary pieces to mark the occassion:

The Jackfruit Monologue

Singing, singing,
''Tata, Tata:''
Giving thanks for Tata Duende.
''Watch over us,
Through night and through day:''
Giving thanks for Tata Duende.

If you take a walk through the field, the one embellished by river, to where the white butterfly leads the dance, accompanied by a troupe of blue dragonflies, you'll see him there, surrounded by birdsong and shade; the red-hatted one, watching over the green serenity. Everything green sings of him; the orange, magenta and yellow also. Everything that is raised from the soil, chants his name, including Palm, Irish Potato, Golden Trumpet and Water Lily.
He's looking older now, as he's been watchman of aeons. His bead, long-time grey, embedded with twigs and responsibility. We support each other here; moss on trunk, vineon branch. We know the value of harmony, those of us born in green serenity. I am Jackfruit; and when I sing of Tata Duende, I give thanks for the Creator. After all, I could have been born amongst concrete, a place of hard surfaces, without apology. But I have been raised in his cocoon, where softness meanders through colour.
It doesn't matter that his hands are thumbless; sometimes a branch or two falls off my home, it matters not. An old man, living alone in the forest, so they label him a ''bogeyman.'' But we know better, because he lives amongst us. He is Tata Duende and we love him. He is far too busy looking after us, to have time to go sneaking around, snatching children! I've never heard a kidnapped child, wailing in the forest! And anyway, his nature is to care, nurture: carrying the personality of a sentinel. He watches over the larger ones like me and the smaller ones like cherry. 
We the green are fortunate. So many live without embrace and here we are, residents of a cocoon. I have heard humanity yearning for a haven and here we are, enjoying green serenity. We do not harass or bully here, for there is space enough for all; for the orange tree and for me. We know we are all significant parts of a beautiful whole. Gladdened by the thought, that God loves green as much as we do. I live in Maya Forest, hanging out with my long time companion, called Contentment. Mentioning the name of my neighbourhood, I wonder if Tata took special care of the Silk Cotton Tree, as I know it was sacred to the Maya people.
While Mahogany chanted the Tata Mantra, Palm wrote a ballad. Verses by Papaya and Cashew; rhythm supplied by Mango, with a Pineapple Melody. Oregano, Lemon, Black Orchid and Avocado, are all members of the grand choir of gratitude. We intermingle, adding something to the spangle, of green and its kaleidoscope. Humanity will sing of whoever it wants to: we shall sing of our guardian.

Singing, singing,
''Tata, Tata:''
Giving thanks for Tata Duende.
''Watch over us,
Through night and through day:''
Giving thanks for Tata Duende.

In the folklore of Belize, Tata Duende is the guardian of the forest.

Verses for Ireecha

Elder says a prayer,
We chant together,
Dancing in gratitude.
By the sacred water,
Carrying handfulls of grass,
Giving thanks for the blessings of soil.
For sesame and taro,
We the Oromo;
For teff and sweet potato,
We the Oromo:
Give thanks by Lake Harsadi.

Ireecha is the annual thanksgiving festival of the Oromo people of Ethiopia.
©Natty Mark Samuels, 2023. African School. Rootical Folklore.

This is also a great opportunity to let you know that we will be running a Rootical Folklore workshop during Global Week in March 2024 where this topic will be explored further. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please keep following our newsletter for further announcements in the new year.

See you in 2024 and keep in touch!

We would like to wish you an enjoyable and restful winter vacation and we look forward to seeing you in 2024! Please see below links to our Social Media channels where we will post updates once we are back in the New Year.