Alright....this is supposed to be an article for the school newsletter. I'll type it here first, as I no longer have Microsoft Word on my notebook, and I suffer from brainblock (cerebral infarction?) whenever I am in the crowded Elab.
Now I know that at least half of the students here in IMU's Bukit Jalil Campus are going to Partner Medical Universities after completing Phase 1 of their medical course. I know that you guys are excited about it and can't wait to go experience and witness for yourselves how it is like living in a foreign country.
Well....as someone who has just returned from 3 years of living in the UK....let me take this opportunity to prepare you for what you might experience when you go there (for those of you who are planning to study in the UK). And maybe equip you with some survival skills as well.
Accommodation- It depends on yourself really. International 1st year students are usually given priorities for university accommodation- which usually consist of halls, each unit consisting of a few study rooms and a kitchen and each study room just a study table, a a shelf, wadrobe and bed. If you are lucky enough to have an en-suite room, there is a shower too.
If you prefer more freedom of choice, you can also opt for private accommodation, and rent a house together with a group of friends. This is a very popular option for students entering their 2nd year and beyond. You share the kitchen, bathrooms, bills, everything. It teaches you to be more tolerant towards others and cooperative as well. There are many renting agencies around.....Keylet, Pinnacle, MeadProperty, who rent out accommodation to students at affordable prices. Rent depends on the number of people sharing, the location and the agency as well.
Food- Students, especially international ones are seldom found having meals outside. This is mainly due to the fact that meals outside are very costly. A simple chicken burger can cost you 3 pounds....remember that you've to multiply by 7 to convert it to RM. A KFC family meal can cost 11 pounds, a normal dish of curry chicken which you can get for RM3-5 here, you get for 5-7 pounds over there. Buying your own groceries and cooking at home proves to be a much cheaper option.
Transportation- Yes....it's time to get off your lazy butts and start....walking! Overseas, students use their own 2 legs as their main mode of transport. They walk to university ( if they're lucky enough to find a place near the campus), walk to shopping, walk everywhere. Ocassionally, if the place isn't within walking distance, car pooling is a good idea. You can use public transport too, like the bus service and the train. Remember, the bus and train drivers don't wait for you!
If you are planning to travel to other cities or countries during the holidays, the train and coach are 2 of the most popular options. The most popular coach company in the UK is National Express. You can visit the National Express website at www.nationalexpress.com to book a coach ticket at anytime. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you might even get a cheapfare 1 pound ticket! National Express brings you to most cities in the UK.
If you're planning to travel to another country, like Spain, Italy or France, train is a better option. Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) is one of the most popular train services in Europe, offering a comfortable ride for its passengers. Another alternative is to opt for a cheapfare airline. There are many cheapfare airlines ( the AirAsia equivalent in Europe) such as RyanAir and EasyJet, which offer very cheap tickets. Like AirAsia, you can book the tickets online.
Weather- The best seasons are autumn and spring, when it is not too hot or not too cold. However, it tends to rain more often during these 2 seasons, so make sure to bring your umbrellas along! Winters in the UK (especially Scotland) tend to be rather dark, cold and dreary, it can even make you suffer from winter depression! The coldest month of the year is not December, but February, when the winter winds are blowing. Actually, during winter, it is the wind, not the ambient temperature that makes the cold weather unbearable. It tends to get very cold during the changing of seasons as well. Summers tend to be scorching hot, especially in the month of July.
Travel- Students in the UK love to take the opportunity of being in that country to travel around Europe. In the holidays, students would travel in groups to neighbouring cities or countries. Among the most popular tourist destinations in Europe are Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, Venice, Rome, Milan and Florence in Italy, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Edinburgh and Glasglow in Scotland. Make sure to plan your holidays in advance- visit the various hotel websites to book your accommodation and visit the NationalExpress, Eurostar or RyanAir websites to book your transportation.
Locals- Even though the country is called the UK, there are actually apparent divisions among the people from England, Scotland and Wales. And they are proud of which country they hail from. The English would be proud of everything English, the Welsh would be proud of everything Welsh, and so on. The English unfortunately have a reputation of being rather snobbish. The Welsh, on the other hand, are said to be friendlier people. The Scottish accent is the hardest to comprehend. But on the whole, the British are warm and welcoming people, who welcome you with open arms into their country and try to learn about your culture as well.
When I was in Cardiff, I was the only Asian student in my class- and my coursemates, who were all locals, were very helpful to me.
Sports- Oh yes....think Manchester United, think Liverpool..... Finally you can watch live matches without having to stay up late at night! Yes, soccer is among the most popular sports in the UK. So is rugby. Especially the Welsh- everytime there is a Rugby game held in the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, fans would travel from all over the country in many buses, donned in their favourite team's colours, to support their team.
Jobs- Many students ( especially those who aren't studying medicine:p) find part-time jobs especially during holidays. There are a wide range of jobs available to students- from cleaning, to office, to marketing, to cashier jobs in large retail outlets. You can just walk into a supermarket or a fast food outlet to check for vacancies and get an application form. Or alternatively, you can sign up for a service ( in Cardiff it is the Student's Union Jobshop) which would keep you notified about any incoming jobs available.
So good luck in getting into your university of choice, and may you make full use of your opportunity to study overseas!
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