When I thought about studying in the United Kingdom I knew that I would be crossing paths with people from all over the world but I was so amazed when I arrived at Aston to find out that this aspect exceeded my expectations. In my first week alone I met persons from Egypt, Nigeria, Greece, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Russia, Hong Kong, Canada, India, Estonia, France – just think of a country and chances are you’ll find a national at Aston. This really provides the opportunity for international networking. I have met a lot of wonderful people from very diverse backgrounds and we’ve not only shared classes together but also worked together as teams and developed friendships. Aston also supports this multicultural environment through courses such as Intercultural Communications which challenges you to think about the way you communicate with others and helps everyone to be cognizant of the cultural differences and barriers this could potentially cause. As a result, we are motivated to explore other cultures and discuss our differences in a rather constructive way.
Outside of the classroom, particularly if you live on campus like I do, you have to interact with many culturally diverse persons. I have found that since being at Aston I have improved my intercultural awareness. It’s one thing to be aware that every country communicates differently, but it’s a totally different thing to actually experience it. Through interacting with persons from other cultures I have not only increased my knowledge of other countries, their politics and culture, but also improved the way I communicate with others.
I have also observed something which I appreciate about Aston, that is, all its initiatives are focused on developing its students. Lecturers take a genuine interest in ensuring that students are on track and understand what is being taught. I like the fact that lecturers know their students by name and class participation is always encouraged as this enhances the learning experience. Further, there are a number of support systems in place for students such as the Hub (a student advice centre) as well as student support offices for each department and an active student’s guild. Undoubtedly, these factors contributed to a productive learning environment.
Overall, the first term was an enjoyable and engaging experience. I’m definitely looking forward to what the next term has in store.
