Over The Fence: Leeds
For Sara Herrera Arteaga, 28, moving to Leeds from Tenerife was quite a culture shock. Thanks to local girl Siobhan Mangan, 22, she soon felt at home
SARA
THE NEW GIRL
What do you do for a living?
I’m a Spanish language assistant working at Leeds Metropolitan University.
How long have you been here?
Since October 2007.
Can you tell us what you love most about Leeds?
The cultural diversity.
So it was a bit of a culture shock?
Yes! I was 18 years old and I could not understand why people were so cold and unfriendly. I was also wondering why people were shopping all the time and drinking beer at 11am on the weekends.
What were your first impressions of the city?
I saw Leeds as a cold, ugly and small town. Now, I love walking everywhere and finding new places. Here you can try different international foods, whereas in Spain it is expensive to go to international restaurants.
Favourite hang-outs?
Roundhay Park offers some peace and quiet. I also enjoy shopping in the Victorian Quarter centre where you’ll find all the best designer brands. Sum up your life in Leeds for us Obviously there are negative sides – being away from my friends and family, and the weather is very cold! Being close to Leeds Bradford airport gives me the chance to visit other countries and the flights are well priced. It’s good to go out on Sunday and find everything open. In Spain everything closes on Sundays; here you can enjoy a roast!
SIOBHAN
THE LOCAL
What do you do?
I am a language student at Leeds Metropolitan University.
Where do you live?
I live in east Leeds, an area that most people don’t know. Tourists mainly stick to the city centre, but as a local I know there are many attractions on the outskirts of the city – there’s a beautiful park and mansion called Temple Newsam, for example.
Where do you like to hang out?
My favourite spots are in the centre of Leeds. I love Debenhams, Harvey Nichols and clothing boutiques such as Ark on the Headrow.
What would you miss about Leeds if you had to move?
If I had to move away from Leeds I would definitely miss nightclubs like Oceana. I love the fact that there is always something to do, whether it’s a live band at Leeds Metropolitan Student Union bar, a show at the Grand Theatre (the last one I saw there was Jimmy Carr) or simply a trip to the cinema – there’s always something different to keep you entertained!
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