The clocks in the UK have now gone forward by an hour which means we are officially in British Summer Time (BST is GMT+1) and that means, an extra hour of glorious sunlight to bask in each day. Yay! With that, we thought it would be good to further celebrate the lovely sunrises/sunsets that scholars will witness by looking at five more they’ve already witnessed.
We start once again in Brighton where the sunsets are vast and ever-changing. If these blogs have shown you anything, it should be the variety of sunsets you’re able to witness in Brighton.
Leysi Rubio, Cuba
‘In Brighton, it’s hard to find a McDonalds, a Costa Coffee, or a Primark because Brighton has its own personality, and it’s appreciated. Modernity is a stigma here.
But, I came to Brighton just to see you, to wet my feet on your shore like the blessing of a new year, to fill my lungs with salt and cleanse my demons of sadness. I put my hands to my mouth to prove that you are the same, no matter where you are. I opened my arms to you, as always, and I felt wrapped in the foam of the waves.
The sunset was a light show on your clean, horizontal silhouette. The windmills in the distance, the golden reflection on the water, the barking of a dog – the dreams of a return and of the future. The sea, again, filling my eyes; but with lines of happiness on the face.
Coming back, said Benedetti, is also a way to find yourself.’
There is something special about being able to witness beautiful sunrises and sunsets from the comforts of ones own home and we’re glad Abibatu lives somewhere where the sunrises so perfectly right in front of this window.
Abibatu Kamara, Sierra Leone
‘It is so beautiful to see the sky take the shade of orange during sunlight. With orange being one of my favourite colours, I am delighted by the sight of the sunrise.
Before coming to the UK, I thought that I was going to miss the beauty of the sunrises that I’ve been used to, in Africa. On the contrary I enjoy the beauty of the sunrise in the UK, with this natural phenomenon brightening up my day.
It is so pleasant looking at the sunlight through my window, amidst all the beautiful buildings and scenery.’
Three sunsets in three different locations and each with their own unique story. We’ve spoken about the variety of sunsets in the UK more than once, and these pictures from Yiwei prove our point very clearly.
Yiwei Zhang, China
‘Life is full of surprises! I had never imagined that I would encounter so many magnificent sunsets in the UK especially because rainy or cloudy days are the main trend here.
Just a few months after I had begun my learning at Swansea University, I sat in my house reading the law cases and textbooks that were on the reading list you would never able to finish. Suddenly, I looked out my window to give my eyes a break and saw the really amazing, beautiful clouds saturating the sky! I caught my camera and rushed into the street immediately despite wearing pyjamas and flip-flops, because I feared it will go dark soon. I was running in the street to find a higher place for a better viewpoint with the flip-flops on my feet! Eventually, I got a little higher and took a lot of beautiful pictures.’
‘Two weeks before Christmas, I planned a trip to Stonehenge – one of the most famous landmarks in the UK. Fortunately, I arrived there at about 3pm, so I had the opportunity to enjoy the heritage under the mild sunshine. It looked more fantastic and mysterious with the orange sunlight on it and I was just looking at this amazing scene as if time had stopped.
One day later, I encountered another beautiful sunset in Cotswolds, watching the clouds turning from orange to yellow, to red, and to pink. No words can describe the beautiful scene in front of me!’
Moving to a new place can be difficult no matter where you move to but developing new routines and taking some time to reflect will always be helpful. Sunrises and sunsets are often great at reminding you to look forwards and make the most of each new day.
Tatende Kapishe Zuze, Zimbabwe
‘Life in the UK is extremely fast. Worse still, winter has cold and short days, academic lectures are demanding, and it all requires a lot of hard work. At the same time, to make the most of your year, you need to extensively network, tour some beautiful UK locations, and watch some football matches despite the cold weather that will be incentivising you to stay indoors. Again, all this needs to be done with a limited budget.
It’s hectic and a lot to manage in one academic year. So there was a need for me to take a different approach in my daily routines.
The first few months were hectic. Settling down and getting used the unique culture and climate as a “student” took some time. So I decided to try something new to continuously reorient myself to make sure I fully maximised this valuable experience before it’s too late.
So after a day of lectures, I pass through Whitworth Park to just chill, watch the sunset, and reflect on my daily achievements and failures. The park’s atmosphere is refreshing and quiet. Therefore, I usually come to this park for at least 10 minutes a day to spend some time alone, before proceeding home.
I figured that sometimes you get lost in the timetables, essays, new environment, culture, and challenges that you don’t have the time to focus on the most fundamental issues. Your life becomes a routine and before you know it, this phase in life will pass you by without you taking the most out of it.’
Designed to mark the millennium in 2000, the London Eye has become a staple of the London skyline and one of the most recognisable British structures. Its photographed thousands of times per day but our favourites are always those shot with a setting/rising sun around it (or at night when the lights turn on).
Ahmed Marouf Saad, Egypt
‘Three years ago, in Benha, I captured this beautiful scene of the River Nile where sunsets are always flaming over its shores. Three years ago, I was a fresh graduate and I had nothing in my pockets but dreams. If I were to tell myself that three years later I will be in the United Kingdom doing what I have always been dreaming of, I simply couldn’t believe it.
Last October, right after our Chevening ceremony and right by Big Ben and in front of the London Eye, I got the opportunity to capture a similar sunset to that in Benha. Standing by River Thames, I realised that nothing has changed other than the fact I’ve been granted a valuable opportunity that I should make the most of.
Now, I see things from a different perspective and I am one step closer to my dreams.’
Thank you to all of our scholars who submitted pictures and stories to this theme.
To submit your own pictures and stories to the latest themes, please check your most recent Scholargram for submission details.
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