UCLan graduate tours the city with his new bride to relive his student memories and good times
When most people think of ideal honeymoon destinations, it is fair to say that Preston would not be top of the list.
But, for Legend Liang it was very high on his wish list. The 33-year-old wanted to bring his new bride Carmen to the city where he studied for a year while on the international journalism degree at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).
Legend, who in 2008 was one of the first graduates of that course, said: “Preston is a very important place for me. I wanted to show my wife where I studied, where I lived in Whitendale Halls and on Fishergate, and how lucky I was to have the opportunity to live in a lovely small city which had an international perspective.”
The couple were photographed in their wedding outfits enjoying a walk through UCLan’s Preston Campus. Carmen, in her white gown, and Legend, in his suit and bow tie, posed by 10 locations including the Library, Greenbank Building and St Peter’s Arts’ Centre.
"A lot of things have changed in the past 10 years both at UCLan and in the city."
Legend said: “The Media Factory was a building site so it’s nice to see that looking so good, Fylde Building has gone and there’s others being built while in the city centre the market has changed so much."
“It’s also nice to see some things are exactly the same. The Flag Market hasn’t changed a bit, I used to like buying a jacket potato from a stall on there and I would sit on one of the benches watching people. I even took Carmen to revisit the potato man and found out the man I used to speak to had retired but his son was now happily running the business.”
They have also visited London, Brighton and Edinburgh as part of their UK break.
Legend, who has been a reporter at the Guangzhou Yangcheng Evening News for the past 10 years, said his wife had enjoyed her trip to Preston. “She thought London was a huge city, just like we have back home but Preston was really nice because she could see how UK people live and work in a small city with everything they need being close by.”
Legend studied at Guangdong University of Foreign Study, an international partner of UCLan since 1986, for two years before his move to Preston. He was taught in his home country by Matt Horn, the course leader of the international journalism franchise programme since it began in 2005.
"Legend certainly lives up to his name and has been a great friend of UCLan here in Guangzhou since he returned after graduation."
Matt said: “He always showed the natural instincts required of a good journalist and is well respected in the city.
“UCLan and GDUFS have a long and happy history together and so I was delighted when Legend introduced his bride to be as I had taught her for GDUFS a couple of years after I was Legend’s teacher.”