student blogger

International students are an important source of income to the United Kingdom, as proven by the exceedingly high fees, which can range from £10,000 to £13,000 in London. It does not end with high tuition fees, but also with tax on money spent on renting a house, paying for the tube or merely buying some university books. VAT! VAT!

However, recently we have seen that the British government wishes to make it more difficult for international students to enter the country, through either categorizing them as high risk nationalities, or introducing a cap on the number of international student visas issued. Similarly, there is talk of the post-study work visa ceasing to exist meaning graduates must leave to go back home once they have completed their degree. But wait, there is another option to returning home.

Yes we have it. If you are able to find a job related to your field of study where you are earning £20,000 a year then... STAY! The UK seems to have a love-hate relationship with international students.

What is British Culture? The term is unclear but what is clear, is that there are many social values often frowned upon by international students. Altogether, an experience to learn from.

Some may term the culture as unacceptable whilst, others may learn to love and adopt it. I believe this is one of the main issues which many international students face- holding on to their culture in the UK during their stay or adopting that of the country so as to be better accepted. I will comment on what I found to be international students' view of the British culture.

The Shocks

Often what many international students find shocking is the ‘going Dutch' culture. This means that everyone pays for themselves. This has often been a source of laughter or snide comments. International students tend to come from societies where they are used to one person paying for the whole table, and each person would have their opportunity to pay for the bill on different occasions.

Leaving the home you grew up in, the people you will love forever and experiences to look upon from afar, being an international student is no easy task, perhaps, even more so, when you come from a small island.

Goodbyes are always hard but entering the realm of the unknown is harder. The flight is long but worsened by tears and already missing home but there is the element of excitement, curiosity as to what the future holds. Upon arrival the welcome is not exactly friendly with a fierce immigration officer questioning you to ensure your intentions are really to study here. Once you exit a different world appears before you, no longer the tall palm trees but towering skyscrapers - the land of opportunities all at your fingertips.

"A Different Life to Lead"

A chilly wind, temperatures of 7 degrees, nothing like the 31 degrees and hot sunny days of the Seychelles. No horizon in sight but the nearest thing to the sea is the River Thames. Layer upon layer, soon to wear boots and scarves, is a drastic change to the everyday flip flops and shorts. A different life to lead.

A study abroad experience is not merely an academic experience. Actually, I would dare say that my time in the United Kingdom has been more socially than academically enriching. The importance of things I learned in the classroom cannot be compared to the lessons inherent in leading an independent life away from home, surrounded by people from all around the world.

Therefore, I was not surprised to find that my most memorable moments from this past year are not associated with my experience at LSE. Instead, they reflect a wonderful period of growth, fun and self-discovery in the most wonderful city of all.

- I never thought that my first camping experience would take place in such an urban setting. Yet, the only way to experience the Royal Wedding properly was to spend a night outside of Westminster Abbey (pictured above). Aside from the extraordinary pomp and circumstance, which exceeded all of my expectations, the truly unique aspect of this experience was participating in the heart of British tradition, immersing myself in the culture of my host country and understanding the sentiments responsible for monarchical stability.

Once again I find myself looking back and deriving lessons from my past year in London. This time, I have examined my academic experience and asked myself what worked and what didn't. Here is a summary of my findings: