New Life, New Beginnings – Student in a New Country

What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain. ~ Maya Angelou

I’ve additionally experienced periods of life when I was so busy, I was unable to monitor everything, not to mention deal with myself. I needed to slow down, so I figured out how to say NO more frequently. This has become an exercise I clearly need to learn again and again – when I say no and life has more balance, I think I have a lot of time to say YES to LIFE. Thank God it’s always possible to begin over and over again!

As a travel blogger, I like to travel a lot around the world. I visited London many times and lived there a couple of months. Facing today a challenging period, I was wondering to stay in my hometown, Romania or to travel abroad. I was searching on the Internet about possibilities to study abroad and a phone call changed my all perspective. It was a great challenge and the best decision I have ever made.

I was going to start a new experience alone, for the first time. All my family and friends were currently 2500 miles away.

Exciting as it was to lead an existence with no parental warning, and getting a charge out of proper student life in a totally different culture, I was still worried about observing so numerous new faces and living in an entirely new country alone.

It is never too late for a new beginning in our life. Sometimes we start something new because we know we need a change. 

It always seems impossible until it’s done. ~ Nelson Mandela

New Life, New Beginnings – Student in a New Country

Actually, it was my new life: on the 27^th of July 2020, I moved to England. It was unbelievable to me. When I arrived at the airport, I was really excited. I was full of curiosity and my heart was like a rabbit’s. Outside it was raining so I travelled by underground and I was thinking, thinking of my new life, as a student in a new country.

I stayed a couple of days with my friend known from my childhood, living in England for a couple of years.

The next day, I got up and I couldn’t wait to go out, even though my English was not so good. I looked at my new surroundings. It was clean, quiet, and beautiful. It was very different. Everything, everywhere, everyone was new for me. I thought I couldn’t live there.

The British people are especially kind and very helpful and that they would help me to understand and be understood. Here in the UK people follow a trend of greeting every person they see. It was a great feeling and made me feel very comfortable. I perceived that I shouldn’t be afraid because I had a lot of good friends living here and we could learn from each other. These helped me make other new friends quite fast. The important thing was that I could be secure and happy to live in England and start to feel like it was my second home. 

When starting my new life in a different country, I needed to know about the culture there and how to take care of myself. This was a good chance to get my own independence.

I decided to study in a new county, outside London, in Northamptonshire. I searched a bit about Northampton and I will share with you what I have found in a few words. (More information you will get on the next blog post about What can you see in a day in Northampton soon).

 Northampton welcomes you with (socially distanced) open arms! Whether you’re a local  falling in love with Northampton all over again, a student exploring your new home or you’re enjoying a UK staycation, the men’s shoe-making capital of the world with friendly faces and culture addicts is ready to delight you with its rich cultural heritage, unique architecture, breathtaking estates and manor gardens along with vibrant shopping experiences”.(LoveNorthampton.co.uk)

And a bit about the University of Northampton.

The University of Northampton is one of the few universities to be ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework. They know that sharing knowledge, supporting creativity, and striving to make a positive difference will change the future. The University has a motivation – to help people make the changes that will transform lives- YOU can be that person.

The Future needs people like You. Hello different!”

It is one of the youngest universities in the United Kingdom, has won multiple awards for adding value to society. Students and graduates have the opportunity to make their mark on the world too. That’s why were the first university in the UK to be named as a Changemaker Campus in 2012.

In September 2018 a whole new University was build up, the Waterside Campus opened the doors welcoming students internationally, which is a great opportunity to learn from other cultures as well as meet people from your own.

Perhaps you want to study for a degree to kick-start your career or take it to the next level? Maybe you’re passionate about the subject that has grabbed your interest and wants to learn every detail you can? Maybe you want to change the world for the better? Our commitment to transforming lives and inspiring change is at the heart of all that we do. We want to ensure that your experience studying with us enables you to transform your life and those of others too, no matter how great or small this may be”. (Northampton.ac.uk)

Reading these I have decided to continue my studies abroad and definitely to move to Northampton. I have chosen to study Postgraduate level, Msc International Marketing Strategy, one year abroad.     

To know more about the University, I have participated in an Open day – Campus Tour, on the 15^th of August. It was a really great experience and well organized with the social distancing rules.

Let’s look around the Waterside Campus. I will show you some pictures that I have made inside and outside the buildings. I remained speechless. It is a really beautiful place to study. I totally recommend it. I will now let the pictures talk…

University of Northampton - Creative Hub

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As this was my first time studying in the UK and time went on, I learned many things. The university has reputable and qualified lecturers that help me integrate the Marketing field and to gain academic skills in listening, writing, and speaking British English.

For the first semester, with the new social distancing rules, we went to the Face to Face sessions two hours per week, the rest of them were kept online.

I will share with you now my first poster presentation, it was a big challenge to do it. Hope you like it as I do.

I would definitely recommend to all international future students to choose one course on Undergraduate or Postgraduate level at the University of Northampton. It means you start studying in a new country, knowing the culture and make friends for life.

I am very happy and glad that I came here. A new country, a new life, new beginnings.

Thank God I am safe and healthy, that I wish you all to be!

Best wishes,

Izabella