Life is full of experiences and adventures. Just as it is known that no man is born an Island, so also are the realities of life.
As humans continue to grow and advance in age, the quest to try new things keeps creeping in. To some, it can be the quest to get married, some the quest to learn how to drive, while some will choose on how to acquire new skills in any particular field.
To me, one of the things that caught my fancy so early in life is the urge to explore new countries and new environments. As one who is versatile in nature, I have watched and researched on the various countries that are blessed with good amenities of life such as electricity, internet connection, good road networks, good leadership, and good educational system.
One of the countries that gave me a pass mark on the list of all that I needed is the United Kingdom. And to achieve this, I planned to go through the education route.
So in this article, I will discuss extensively how I relocated from my country to the United Kingdom in order to pursue my Master’s Degree Programme.
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This will help people who are looking for a way to relocate, and also provide vital information they need to know about relocating to the United Kingdom for further education.
My Background and Experience in Nigeria
As a Nigerian and student who wishes to become a scholar one day, it is expected of you to pass through the four walls of education. The education system ranges from Nursery, Primary, Secondary and then Tertiary stage.
While the Nursery is just 3 years, the Primary and Secondary is 6 years maximum each, while the tertiary/university lasts for a minimum of 4 years and above depending on the choice of course one chooses to study.
After the first degree, one who wants to study further can apply for a second degree or alternatively apply for a Master’s Degree program. I choose the latter as I have already gotten my first degree.
For the sake of exploring more opportunities and countries, I decided to study in the United Kingdom. But before I go further, it is important to note why people migrate to other countries for studies.
Why People Migrate to other Countries for Studies
After much research, it was found that one of the major reasons people travel to foreign countries for further studies is because of poor infrastructural facilities in their countries of origin.
These facilities range from apparatus needed for learning especially those in the STEM courses. When these tools and equipment are unavailable, it makes learning uninteresting and can lead to failure among students.
Also, students always have in mind to involve themselves in good-paying jobs immediately after their college education. Knowing that these jobs are unavailable most times leads them to start pursuing a way to migrate to a new country where there is security of jobs and good payment.
Quality of education and duration of courses is also one of the reasons why many choose to study in a foreign country other than their own. When we talk about quality of education, we mean the level of the lecturers, their academic qualifications, their years of experience etc. Students love it when a lecturer who is very versatile in education and well experienced takes them in the course of their choice.
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My Experience in the United Kingdom as a Student
I have always had this thought of what I am going to meet when I join my colleagues in the academic field once I get over there. So many questions will keep popping up in my head such as what would be the nature of classes there, will I still have free time for myself if I sojourn in this country, am I going to experience all that I have envisaged all this while in mind?
As a choice, I choose the United Kingdom as a country to continue my education because I believe it will open up my eyes to have a better view of most of the world’s issues, I will also have the opportunity to meet new people who happen to come from different countries and cultures. Having all these in mind will help me learn about diverse cultures and also how to respect other people’s culture.
Interestingly, when I applied, I got admitted into Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales Capital City to study Business Management. This was one of the best news I got so far, it was like a dream come true as I have always looked forward to it.
At first, there were challenges ranging from visa application approval from the United Kingdom Embassy in my country, to documentations of various kinds. Then the issue of Covid-19 protocols because it was so serious during my application.
Reason being that all Covid-19 rules must be strictly adhered to and most of the countries placed a travel ban on international flight.
These challenges delayed me a bit, but in the end all were relaxed and I was able to book my ticket for my journey to the United Kingdom.
The Challenges I faced When I got to the United Kingdom
One thing I discovered on my first time in Cardiff University is the difference in their mood of doing things. Their academic time table is quite flexible unlike what we have in Nigeria. Although I will say that it is very beneficial as it helped me in being more organized.
On the other hand, I was faced with the challenge of their cold weather. As one who wasn’t used to cold weather as what we usually have in Nigeria is sunny and hot weather almost throughout the year.
Interestingly, the fireplace helped a lot, but then I have days to go out and meet up with family, friends and colleagues. To curb this, I have to always dress up in full strong clothes.
I was also faced with a language and diction barrier which affected my understanding of lectures during the first few weeks.
I’ve had the problem of not understanding what lecturers were talking about during lectures on various times. This prompted me to conduct more in-depth personal research and self-study, ensuring that I am on track by reading additional resources and textbooks relevant to my subject.
Despite the fact that it was more of an added job on my part, it ultimately proved to be more helpful to me as I gained a more in-depth understanding of the subject. With practice, I was able to adapt to the diction and converse smoothly with my classmates while also understanding what my professors were saying.
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