Would you like to live and study in London? Meet Amarat, a Thai girl who was working in Australia and decided to follow her dream on UK`s capital: study Human Resources in one of the best universities of the world.
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Live, Learn and Love in London I arrived in London in the early morning on Monday, the 15th of September, 2014, to start a new journey. My life has never been the same since then. I travelled on the tube for the first time with a jumbo-sized suitcase and a backpack, weighing close to 40 kilos in total and blocking everyone’s way. I looked like an immigrant fresh off the boat. But it took me only a matter of hours to feel settled and totally comfortable in this new city. It has all the comforts and everything that you need: a reliable public transport system with wide coverage and an amazing variety of food and products from nearly all over the world. My excitement also overcame my feeling of jetlag when I saw awe-inspiring historic buildings and monuments. I personally love museums, galleries, art exhibitions, theatres and musicals and London has an endless list of them. I cannot recall how many times I have felt lost in the wonders of ancient civilizations or the beauty of fascinating artwork and music. Exploring a World of Knowledge Moving on from my spellbinding experience in the world of historical and cultural wonders, I am also here on a quest for new knowledge in my area of academic and professional interest, which is the main purpose of my stay here. I am studying towards a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management because I am fascinated by the complexities of managing people with different personalities and from different backgrounds, be they social, professional or cultural, in a particular work environment. London is home to top-notch education institutions, recognized worldwide for their teaching and research strengths. My program is composed of lectures from leading professors in the field and highly experienced guest speakers from some of the world’s top multinational organizations, as well as seminars which are intellectually inspiring and workshops which equip students with practical skills. Overall, I am pleased with the quality of the program. For me, the profound knowledge and useful skills that I have gained are a real stepping stone into a career in HR. I Live to Learn It is common to feel out of your comfort zone when you are in a new country. However, I take it as a welcoming challenge and an opportunity to learn and grow. One of main concerns of students in London seems to be about how to survive financially in this expensive city. In my own experience, slightly more than half of my monthly bursary goes to my flat rental. International students in the UK are allowed to work 20 hours during the term time and full-time outside of the term time. Yet, given loads of assignments and exam revisions, you may find it hard to balance your work and study life, not to mention your personal life. Looking at the bright side of it, though, my experience working during my studies has helped me to become more organized and develop my multi-tasking skill. Being away from your family and friends may make you feel lonely as well. I must admit that I barely feel so. London is a multicultural city, with people from everywhere in the world. I find it very interesting to get to know people from a diversity of backgrounds and have exposures to different cultures and perspectives. I have become good friends with some of them. My familiarity with this wide variety of people would be useful for my HR career as well, as I would have to get people with different personalities and from diverse backgrounds working together in harmony and effectively towards valuable goals. I Found My Love Here I am generally happy with my life here. I have obtained a comprehensive set of knowledge in HR from my program. Being in London also means Europe is at your doorsteps. I can easily satisfy my travel needs as there are numerous low-cost flights from here. London is also a place for you to grow professionally as it is one of main business centres of the world and if you possess the right skills and attitudes. Competitions may be more intense than in many other parts of the world but you should let them motivate you to keep on improving yourself. I feel grateful for the opportunity to live and pursue studies in my area of interest here. I love this city because it is vibrant and full of inspirations. I got a chance to explore the history of the world from two million years ago, see the world’s most beautiful paintings with my own eyes, and engage myself in thought-provoking in-class discussions at one of the best universities in the world. I found my good friends and my loved ones here. My thanks go to everyone who has made all these amazing experiences possible! Amarat Chai, London |
