Homesickness

Homesickness is one of the most common problems for international students as Andrew Nichol found out when writing his article for Nulife’s January edition of the magazine. So how has homesickness affected you? And how do you reccommend to get over it? And should you stop doing what you want to do just because your scared of leaving home? Below is Andrew’s article, let us know what you think

Katie

That’s why they call it the blues…..

 

Andres Rivera moved to the UK from Spain in July 2007. At first he found it extremely difficult to adjust to the lifestyle as a student in the UK and suffered severe homesickness, however, just over a year on there is light at the end of the tunnel for the 21 year old student.

 

Andres moved from the capital of Spain, Madrid, just over a year ago, he says at first it was very difficult to adjust to life in another country “It’s a different culture over here, a different way of life from what I was used to in Spain and at times I did feel very isolated and homesick. I felt isolated because in Spain people are a lot easier to approach and talk to, over here people aren’t like that as much, so its very different”.

 

Rivera, was educated in Spain until the age of 18. He then left school and worked for two years in order to fund his trip to the UK “I have to pay just over £9000 for my tuition fees and I had to fund it myself so to be able to do that I had to work for two years back in Madrid”.

 

Even though the 21 year old missed his mum and his mum’s cooking, he threw himself into his studies and limited contact with his family to one phone call a week and a few face book posts.

 

Andres, who left his Mum, Dad, 3 sisters and 2 brothers back in Spain, thought it was a great idea to come over to the UK to study “The UK is not so far from Spain and from what I had heard the standard of University education over here was good and the course content suited me, it also gave me a chance to improve my English”.

 

Andres, who studies English at Birmingham City University said despite moving away from his parents they were still very proud of him “My parents were very proud of me as I was studying in another country and becoming more independent, but at the same time they were still upset as they wouldn’t get to see me that often”.

 

Asked if he still enjoyed he said “I do enjoy the course, it’s really taught me a lot, but I don’t enjoy other aspects, it’s a different culture and it’s been tough adjusting to that”.

 

Even though Andres lives in student accommodation with other international students he still feels isolated sometimes especially when he is struggling and needs emotional support.

 

When he finishes his English degree Andres plans to go back to Spain and teach English to children over there at a local school. By achieving this he feels that studying in Birmingham will be worth all the heartache he suffered when he first moved here.

 

When asked what his advice would be for other international students out there considering coming to the UK to study he said “My advice would be that if you are someone who can’t live away from your home country and culture, don’t do it.

 

Written by Andrew Nichol

Studying abroad or staying at home… which is better?

Hi guys! I hope you are all settling back into the new semester after a nice Christmas break. Here is a taster of the January issue of Nu-Life, an investigation by Samantha Thodhlana into which is better, studying abroad or staying at home?

 

Travelling abroad to newer heights has become nothing unusual, as many international students set their hearts on studying in the UK.  There are many respected Universities here and while International students are taking advantage of them, so many UK students are now looking to explore new shores by enrolling on international courses or applying for degrees which offer a ‘one year study abroad experience’. Why is it so appealing for people to study abroad? I took is as my mission to find this out, as well as whether English Universities offer more benefits than International ones, in terms of finance and on a personal basis.

 

The students that I spoke to gave me the honest truth and proved that like many experiences, studying abroad can be good or bad.

 

First of all, the credit crunch has caused a stir; more of us are saving our money, hoping for a better day.  It is becoming difficult for students to survive at University, more so now more than ever before.

 

Young adults are looking for new adventures, fun and more fun but the credit crunch is not only taking its toile on students in the UK but on potential international students too.  UCAS state that there are 1.6 million full-time undergraduates studying in the UK, with 99,000 of those being international students.  That’s a large number but in the Guardian newspaper, they claim this number may soon drop, due to the economical situation. 

 

That is not to say that studying abroad is the cheap alternative however. To study at Harvard University, which in North America it’s compared to Oxford or Cambridge University; can cost between £20,000-30,000 per year, without covering the costs of living accommodation.

 

Most potential university graduates in the UK no longer see University as an option because of the costs. Tuition fees have nearly doubled and this leaves international students in a dilemma as International student fees have double the amount of last year. It is hard to justify the pros and cons of studying anywhere right now, especially in the western world.

 

Money woes aside, I looked at studying abroad from other angles. Corinne Jones, 19, studying at The University of Birmingham, spoke to me about her overall experience of choosing a ‘sandwich degree’, where she worked abroad for her second year. She studies American and Canadian studies, so it’s a compulsory part of her degree to study in North America for a year.

 

From Corinne’s experience, she states that the pros of studying abroad are “New people and new cities, which makes for a great change”.  However, she mentions more than once how the workload in Canada is a lot more: “The workload means that exploring your new area can be a bit hard at times and you always feel like you have to sacrifice something, either work or your social life”.

 

Corinne is one of the many students studying abroad as part of their university degree.  McGill University, Montreal is Corinne’s current address for the next year.  To some this may seem like a frightening thought, leaving your family, friends behind for a year. So many international students do this every year, to study in the UK.  But is it because the Universities in the UK are better than those abroad?

 

Corinne says, “It’s hard to say! Being abroad is fun because it’s a new experience, but that’s not to say that I don’t enjoy living in the England. I got to explore a new city away from home without having to get a visa/travel insurance etc.”

 

As it was part of her degree course, not so many procedures were undertaken.  First of all, the tuition fee was already paid for, from the tuition fees the UK government pays towards the degree.  “As an exchange student the tuition fees I paid was £1500.  I usually would pay £3000 in the UK. I didn’t have to pay McGill anything as it was paid for by The University of Birmingham, so it worked out cheaper for me to study abroad than in England!”

 

Jennifer Guest, now 24, chose to study her whole degree abroad in Australia and I asked her how she found it compared to Universities in England.

 

“In Melbourne there were lots of International students, and at first I was scared because it is so far away from home but you never felt like you were on your own. You shouldn’t think that Universities overseas aren’t as good as those in England, because I believe that I couldn’t have found a better place to study where they knew what they were doing.”

 

When asked if she had any bad experiences, she replied, “Yes, but there are bad experiences wherever you go. I know some people that couldn’t take the change and went home.

 

“I knew that employers found it valuable to see that you have the experience of studying abroad because it shows I can take a challenge and succeed. But to me, the best part about it was that I got to work in the sun!”

 

Websites like www.direct.gov.uk and www.studyoverseas.com helps students aspiring to study abroad. There seems to be many arguments for and against, but what it comes down to is whether you personally are looking to take on the experience.  Corinne and Jenner are just two students out of thousands studying abroad; each student has their own experiences.  For Corinne all seems well; she says the three words that best describe her experience are “insightful, exciting and valuable”. We here at Nu-Life hope that you International students find studying in Birmingham just as valuable.

 

So… what helped YOU decide to study abroad? Share your thoughts here!

 

Posted by Natalie.

Advice and Help

Hi there,

This blog is the chance for any university student to come forward with any problems or issues they might have. We can then try and help you with the problem but chances are, someone else is going through the same thing. There is no need for anyone to worry if there is somewhere to unload your problems…and this is the place.

So start uploading!!

Jennifer

NuLife’s guide to Christmas shopping!

This month we take a handy look at Brum’s best places to grab the some great Christmas bargains for your mates and family!

The Bull Ring

Bargain crazy shoppers

Does one of Birmingham’s landmark structures offer all it promises to? How about over 160 shops, 25 restaurants and one of the only four Selfridges in the country? It certainly sounds promising! This shopping centre may be the answer to all your Christmas present worries.
The Bull Ring is one of the most exciting places in Birmingham to be. At the very heart of the city, this glamorous building provides a variety of shops all under one roof. Try visiting Game for that perfect present for your brother. Search through Marks and Spencer to find a nice dressing gown for Mum. New Look will have some great accessories for your younger sister and something from the new Disney Store will surely shut your little niece up!
If you get tired from lugging those bags around, grab a coffee at Costa, Starbucks or Café Nero. Grab something to eat at Pizza Hut, Burger King or EAT.
The best thing about The Bull Ring is that you might catch one of one of the thrilling events being hosted there such as book signings from major authors, phone demonstrations from mobile giants or even gaming tours!
Last but not least, pop into Debenhams when you’re there and find out if you have been good this year by saying hello to Santa!

The Pallasades

The Pallasades is perhaps the forgotten shopping centre after the opening of the Bull Ring, but there is still a lot to be said for this place in terms of Christmas shopping.
You can feel the complete festive atmosphere as shoppers buzz in and out of the Pallasades to get through to Birmingham New Street Station. If you use the station to get to the heart of Birmingham, shopping in the Pallasades will mean that you don’t need to brave the harsh winter weather!
The Pallasades is most handy for its shops that offer a great bargain, a student must! HMV has loads of affordable DVDs, whereas Shoe Zone offers great shoes for next to nothing.
If you want the ultimate bargain, head for Poundland. Everything in store is only, you guessed it, one pound!

The Mailbox
If top quality is what you are looking for then your first port of call for Christmas shopping should be the Mailbox. Designer brands combined with waterside restaurants make for one posh shopping experience but don’t worry – there are cheaper eating altrnatives!
This shopping arcade opened just before Christmas 2000. It is one of the newest prestige buildings to be added to Birmingham’s growing collection and it is advertised as Britain’s largest mixed use building. It is known as a landmark building in Birmingham city centre’s ongoing renaissance.
The Mailbox is home to names such as Harvey Nichols and Oliver Stretti. For us students however, perhaps this shopping experience is left for browsing and dreaming!

One Stop
One Stop is home to a variety of stores that means you can get your Christmas presents in, as the name says, one stop. This centre is handy for Birmingham City University students on the Perry Barr campus but is worth a look for everyone else for all of its handy shops.
The large Asda has everything a student could possibly need – their clothing range George is especially ideal for picking out your Christmas outfit! Need a New Years Eve outfit? Head to Dorothy Perkins and New Look, where students get 10% discount. Check out the Boots for great 3 for 2 deals on Christmas ideas.
An indoor market with independent stores has some great finds, and you’re supporting local shopkeepers at the same time.
Just remember: please do not walk on the travelator!

For more helpful articles like this be sure to check out NuLife’s December issue!

Natalie

Your thoughts

Hi,
We are a group of Media and Communication students, studiying at Birmingham City University and have recently created a new magazine for international students in Birmingham called ‘nulife’. It is part of our Magazine and Newspaper Design module and we have each produced a double-paged spread for the magazine.
As part of the distribution process this blog is here to publish the articles featured in the magazine and so people are still able to use the information without having the magazine. We would love to know your thoughts or any advice you wish to contribute, thanks.
Here are the two articles I have written for the December issue, helping international students look for accommodation in their second and third years. I hope it is some help to you! And please give any response that comes to mind when reading the article:

 

YOUR HOUSE HUNTING GUIDE

For international students, finding accommodation for their second and third year can be daunting. This article is to help advise students on how to hunt down their accommodation and things to look out for.
A good starting point is to search on the internet for student letting agents, some have accommodation specified for international students but others are for students in general.
When visiting properties, be aware of checking thoroughly for the condition and look for any maintenance problems. You need to be sure of the property because once you have signed a contract you are committed. Other things to clarify when looking at a property are an up-to-date gas certificate, safety certificate, no evidence of mould or damp and it includes the appliances you feel you would need.
The prices of student properties tend to be reasonable. Some are more expensive depending on location or the condition of the property. The weekly charge can range from £55 up to £90; this may change with the recent economic struggles.
Isabel Fernandes, an international student from Portugal, who is now in her second year, gave some advice on how she was able to find her accommodation. “I found my house through a website called Primelocation. I contacted the agency, booked a viewing, and in a week I was ready to move.”
This advice may reassure international students that it does not have to be a struggle when looking and there is plenty of help available. Do not forget that you are still able to approach your university for help.
Students should be aware of the council tax Exemption form to ensure they do not run into any trouble and get charged for council tax when you do not have to. The way to do this is to go to your department office at university and apply for a tax exemption form. It will state your course title and the date from when your course will begin and end. This is proof that you are a student and so when you move in to your new property you will need to contact the council so they can have a copy of the form and can exclude you from tax.
Now is a good time to start thinking about your accommodation for next year, with the run up to Christmas creeping up on us, it will come sooner than you think. Students normally sign contracts for their properties in January and so if you want the most choice then it is wise not to leave it too late and to get in before the rush.

Enjoy and I look forward to hearing your responses and thoughts,

Jennifer