Travel teaches you a lot more than probably you would learn in a class. Cliched right? ironically enough, many of us these days are travelling to learn. I joined the scores of students moving from India to another country for higher studies recently. Whatever the reason may be, I got a chance to travel, which is always an experience to cherish for me. It was something I had been wanting to do for years and it finally happened in September this year. As much as exciting and thrilling it seems, travelling overseas for higher education comes with an array of challenges – right from weather to routine things involved with settling in. Even the smallest of things might seem huge. Since I am in the thick of all that and more, I thought I would share some basic things about moving overseas with reference to UK and more specifically, Derby.
Get it Done on Weekdays
This applies to UK in general too – just get whatever you need to get done on weekdays. Whether it is shopping for grocery, getting your car looked at or buying something specific, just do it on weekdays. Weekends are strictly no work. Sorry you got to wait till Monday to get things moving!
Be prepared to Own it Up
If you are used to pampering at home, which may happen for some of those from India, then you might be in for a rude shock. One needs to do almost everything on his or her own. Right from keeping the garbage bags to laundry to even returning something you had ordered from e-commerce sites – Yes mostly they will not come back to your residential address if you want to return a product. So, it is a good idea to be mentally prepared to do all these things and maybe more once you are here.
University is a Major Entity
If you are a student (graduate and above) in Derby, you would most probably be studying at the University of Derby. Make use of all the resources the uni has to offer. It is actually the key to making your life simple. A lot of things revolve around the University. It is really the key to getting help and support with settling in. From sports to cultural clubs to various societies, just get involved with whatever piques your interest. Making connections will help you feel more at home, away from home.
Lot of History, Theatre & Art
Once I settled, I found out that Derby has a lot of history to it. Add a dash of art and theatre and you have a perfect combination for connoisseurs of fine arts, performing arts and history. Again, University website can be a good starting point to know more about all these things which make the city unique.
Just the Right Size
London is huge as compared to Derby. Having said that though, Derby as a city is just about right size. It is neither too big nor small. You have everything here, as mentioned earlier. It is easy to find your way around things. It might not seem initially that it is large enough, but as you stay here for a while, like I am doing, it becomes evident that it is.
Last, but not the least, no matter what, help will always be a phone call away. Or you can just talk to your peers from your course or speak to the customer assistant at the convenience store. You are sure to get help. Being on our own can be really scary for many of us, including me. But we all have one person we can count on, travelling or not, and that is ourselves. You are most definitely not going to let yourself down and that is another journey of self-realization we all embark on, without consciously knowing!
Till next time, keep travelling, learning and growing!
My Travel Confessions 