Welcome to Hull!

More than 10,000 students will start university in Hull this month. Hull in print looks at what the city has to offer - and what students offer the city.

If you're a student in Hull, you've made a great choice for a place to study.
How about a trip back in time in the city's historic old town, or a romantic walk across the Humber Bridge, or a visit to the KC Stadium?
The city was this year ranked in the top five per cent of places in Britain when it comes to cultural places to see and visit. Attractions include the world's only submarium -The Deep - which has more than 170 different species of fish, including more than a dozen different species of shark.
There's also a wide variety of free museums and art galleries, as well as several theatres.
Of course, there's also a great nightlife, with plenty of bars, pubs and nightclubs - along with top quality cafes and restaurants.
So what else is so good about Hull? Well, if you haven't a car, it's very easy to get around on a bike. There are more than 70 miles of cycle routes linking all corners of the city- and giving Hull the fifth highest rate of cycling among its residents than any city in the UK.
And if you like travelling further afield, Hull is a great place from which to get to Europe. Ferries regularly leave the docks on Hedon Road daily for many destinations, including Holland, Belgium and Scandinavia.
That's aside from Hull being one of the cheapest places to buy or rent property in Britain.
Oh, and it's one of only a handful of British cities to have its own giant TV screen in the city centre (called the Big Screen).
Believe it or not, more than 70 different languages are spoken in Hull.
And in case you were wondering what the cranes were in the city centre when you got off the train - that's the £200 million St Stephen's Development.
When finished in the autumn of next year, it will hold dozens of major high-street shops, as well as a cinema, theatre, hotel and around 220 brand-new homes. It's just one project in a huge programme of regeneration and renewal which is currently taking place in Hull.
If you're new to Hull, you may also notice that you've arrived in a city at the centre of a world stage.
That's because one of the city's most famous sons succeeded in achieving the first-ever triumph in international human rights - the abolition of the British slave trade - exactly 200 years ago next year.
Between now and the end of 2007, all eyes across the world will be on the city, where there's a great many events, including exhibitions, conferences and performances, to mark the anniversary. Make Hull in print your regular reading to find out what's happening. Enjoy!

So good, I'm staying another year!

Below: Vignesh (pictured second from left) with fellow University of Hull students on a trip to Amsterdam.

Vignesh Ellayah is an international student from the tropical island of Mauritius.
He is in the third year of a law degree, and is president of the university's international students' association, which has 600 members from all over the world.
When he first arrived in Hull, he quickly settled in and made friends.
Vignesh is now helping this year's new intake of overseas students feel welcome.
"My first impression of Hull was that it was a cold and rainy place, but that's to be expected, given the warmth of the climate in Mauritius," he said.
"But I was pleasantly surprised by the city. I think The Deep is great, and the city centre is a good place to explore. The campus and student areas of Hull around Newland Avenue, always have lots going on."
Vignesh (21) lives in a rented house in Cranbrook Avenue, which he shares with students from England, Greece and Pakistan.
"The university runs a free bus service from Manchester Airport to bring the new arrivals to Hull, often more than 40 at a time, and I've been volunteering on it.
"This helped me get to know the overseas students and make them feel welcome."
Vignesh is already thinking of staying an extra year in Hull to do a Masters Degree, before going home to work in law.
"There is only one university in Mauritius and its facilities are nowhere near as good as Hull.
"Hull has been great for me. I'm really glad I chose to study here; it will help my future career," he said.

Students - great for the city

Hull University generates an estimated £200 million for the local economy and employs around 2,300 people
The total student population, at both Hull University's Hull and Scarborough campuses, is 16,000.
"Many students make a significant contribution to university and community life by becoming involved in volunteering activities," says James Richardson, director of Hull University's International Office.
"For international students, these are excellent opportunities for them to gain practical experience and learn more about the country that they are studying in.
"Indeed, the presence of international students in Hull has proved immensely beneficial to both city and university. For instance, the development of the 'café culture' on Newland Avenue can, I think, be attributed in part to the influence of the international community, many of whom prefer to socialise in cafés rather than drinking establishments.
"Having students from more than 100 countries results in promoting cultural diversity and understanding in Hull.
"Our international students are also excellent ambassadors for Hull, with word of mouth alone being enough to spread our reputation in some countries! I hope that we will continue to attract students from all over the world, upholding our reputation as a truly international university."