UK student -1
Rafiq Aziz, 28, studied Information Technology at American International
University in Bangladesh before moving to the UK to study for an MBA in Project
Management. I’m now working as an International Officer at a University
New experiences
'Gazing out of the
aircraft window, I was thinking of the endless questions that almost every
international student has to cope with a new and hostile environment. Am I
going to grope into dark? Have I made the right decision? What is the new place
like? Will I be able to make friends? What will the food be like? How am
I going to accommodate with my surroundings? Am I going to intermingle my
deeply rooted cultural heritage with the alien one? And so on......
'After 12 long hours,
my flight landed at Heathrow airport. I was overwhelmed with full of hope and
excitement. I walked through the immigration gates, picked up my heavy luggage,
and found the University staff holding a ‘Welcome sign’ to greet me at
arrivals. That was one of the magnificent moments in my life, quite frankly – a
special one.
'Let me take you on board to share my personal experiences as an
international student in the UK. A new culture, new environment, new friends,
new responsibilities, and most dreadfully – ever changing weather! UK student
life has brought a whole new dimension to my learning experience I had been
starving for. It has put me outside my comfort zone, but in a very enthusiastic
and enjoyable way.
'I did my Master’s at Cardiff
Metropolitan University in Wales. Colourful and vibrant,
Cardiff has a lot to offer. More than anything, it brings you closer to
accommodating and discovering yourself and making friends with multinationals
hailing from so many corners of the world!
'The UK is full of
astonishing experiences. The more you explore, the more you learn, and the more
you discover things, the more you become excited you weren’t aware of. In my
opinion, studying in the UK is far beyond just getting a degree. From
personality development and communication skills to international exposure,
studying here is something that an overseas student-- like me-- dreamed for
life and it is also a great learning curve.
Working while
studying
'While doing my Master’s, I grabbed the opportunity to become a Student
Ambassador. This job entailed all about helping new students coming to the UK
to study. It was now my turn to welcome them at the airport,
remove their psychological strains, take them to their accommodation and assure
them that they will have a lot of fun in the coming years along with facing
harsh reality!
'The UK offers a
great avenue to accommodate you and allow you to work on your strengths. I
worked here as a graduate intern and carried out part of my Master’s
dissertation. This gave me a real strength and taste of being in a workplace,
and also helped me in understanding academic education better.
'While pursuing my
Master’s, I also worked in local restaurants, which gave me the opportunity to
understand more about UK’s indigenous culture – and most interestingly, the
food! It was incredibly weird and amazing to see how obsessed people are with
fish and chips, curry, jacket potatoes and cheese. People here love it, it is
their national heritage.
A multicultural
welcome
'My student life was more of an engaging rather than segregating! I
enjoyed my course, and never felt like I was alone and away from my home. I
made a good number of friends through social trips organised by the University,
and also got involved in various sports to meet new people.
'People in the UK are
less racial or hostile and more welcoming, and coming here taught me the
importance of understanding and appreciating people from different faiths,
cultures, and backgrounds.
The UK is also a
popular destination because of the great student support. On my graduation day,
I had full support from our International Office, and the staff came to see me
and my friends walked along the prestigious stage to receive our degrees. It
was a very glamorous and prestigious moment for me, and I needed someone to be
there to support me both physically and psychologically, as my family couldn’t
make it on the day.
New opportunities
'Opportunities I
grabbed as a student ushered in new opportunities, and today, here I am –
working at a University as an International Officer for South Asia. I work
intensively with the University to welcome our students. I tell them, ‘You will
be fine here, and the UK is a great place to study, work, and live.’
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