Our Story

like walking, and it’s a plus that it’s not as hot as in Kuala Lumpur. The teachers at UWE are great. The first time I came to class, my tutors Laura Parke and Abbie Vickress brought in coffee and biscuits for everyone. I was so surprised at how they had went out of their way and bought snacks out of their own pockets just so students would be more awake and prepared for their classes. I texted my friends to exclaim about how unexpected this was and how nice our teachers were. Not only that, but the critique and feedback sessions we have with the tutors are so enjoyable; I feel inspired after each of them, rather than feeling anxiety about even having to attend such a session, as I used to feel during my studies in the past. As mentioned before, the pacing of the course really works for me. In the first semester we had one full day of studio time per week, during which we had lectures and were briefed on any upcoming tutorials and activities, and following that we had the rest of the week to focus on our projects and pursuits, as well as rest up and prepare for the next week. I like both the lectures and tutorials equally, but my favourite are probably the class activities, which give me a chance to interact with other students. It can be difficult to pop into an established social group under regular circumstances, but class activities break those groups up and give me a chance to meet new people. My main group of friends so far is the international Erasmus student group, as four Malaysian students all came in from my school to UWE as direct transfers. One place we enjoy going is the Harbourside to chill and soak up the sun. We’re very close, but as we near the end the current semester most of them are returning home. In the next academic year I hope to hang out more with my classmates as we’ll be spending more time with each other on the course. I’m continually figuring out where my real passions and aspirations lay with graphic design. I’ve been steadily gravitating away from advertising, having worked in that area of design for three years during my diploma. I’m looking more to the mundane everyday objects in our presence, interested in how graphic design has the power to highlight specific aspects of such things that people don’t typically pay attention to, though there is no one single medium or technique that I’m focused on. I do really like editorial work with text for printing, and since I love drawing, I’m trying to figure out how to integrate my illustration style in graphic design. It’s been a smooth ride at UWE overall and I’m really happy. There are small challenges that crop up, like the specialty printing needs that graphic design students tend to have, or what can feel like limited opening hours of services compared to what I’m used to back home, but nothing I can’t cope with. I’m looking to apply for the post-grad study visa after completing my course, and I’ll ideally be applying to jobs in the creative field. I’ve been asked whether I’d like to stay in Bristol or go to another city in the UK to work, and I do hope to stay here in Bristol if I can. In my view, you can only be as prepared as possible during an undertaking like moving abroad to study, but you’ll never be at a point where you’re so 100% prepared that you feel totally confident that you can go. You just need to do your best to get ready and then take the plunge. I’m really lucky to have close friends here, one of whom I even share accommodation with, as it would be a different experience without them. As a golden rule, I’d say it’s best to try to connect with as many people as you can, as it will help you get to know a place better when you’re heading into a big unfamiliar country that you’ve never stayed in before. It’s always nice to have someone to rely on. For me everything worked out wonderfully; in fact, I’ve been having the time of my life! 149

I’ve been asked whether I’d like to stay in Bristol or go to another city in the UK to work, and I do hope to stay here in Bristol if I can. 150

I like both the lectures and tutorials equally, but my favourite are probably the class activities. 151

One of the great things about Bristol is the di!erent areas of the city and unique character and charm you’ll find in each one. It’s all waiting for you to discover, so where will you explore first? Bristol. The city of opportunities Picture credit: Kirby Lai

Malaysia Besides the programme itself at UWE, studying in the UK helped me understand much more about diversity among people. Pang Kang Shin BSc (Hons) Psychology, 2020 153

It really helped to maintain a close friend group that possessed similar values to myself. F rom a young age I found myself interested in human behaviour, and at 12 I already knew that I wanted to study in the UK one day, as even then I’d heard about its renown as a destination for learning. Between that time and my actual journey abroad, I completed my A levels and found myself focusing more and more on psychology. I wanted to combine this interest with my desire to go to the UK, and began looking at universities there. During my research I looked at the UWE Bristol website and saw the psychology course available, after which I applied with the encouragement of my mom. I was put in touch with the UWE Asia Pacific team in Malaysia, who guided me through the full process of applying, including securing my accommodation and getting my CAS. With that taken care of, I was off to begin three years of undergraduate study in Bristol. My mom accompanied me on the trip from Malaysia to Bristol, so thankfully I didn’t face any loneliness on the journey and getting settled in. I definitely encountered some culture shock in adapting to my new life there. First and foremost was probably the nightlife and drinking culture, as this is not common where I’m from, and I myself don’t have that kind of lifestyle. I was really thankful for the exposure to different ways of living, though, as it allowed me to see so much of what was beyond my own little bubble in Malaysia. It was valuable to gain new awareness and learn so much. At the same time, I also made friends from many different cultures, and though we often had different backgrounds, they tended to be similar to me in terms of our proclivity for avoiding the nightlife scene. I honestly found my classes to be more relaxed than what I had experienced with my A levels. For one thing, it was nice that I was able to just walk to campus each day, and I felt the assignment load wasn’t too much, so I could focus on each individual project for about two weeks or a similarly adequate period of time. The lectures always had a large number of students in attendance, but we’d split into multiple seminars in which we’d be working in classes of about 20 students. In seminars we’d often look at real-world measurements and assessments, or apply the skills we were learning to practical tasks in the lab. Each lecturer had their individual styles of carrying out classes, but they were really nice across the board and made themselves approachable, so I felt comfortable asking them questions. They tended to have a patient attitude and didn’t rush through their lectures, always giving us opportunities to ask questions. They were also willing to take the time to repeat things that were misunderstood by the students. Living and studying for three years in another country, of course, doesn’t come without challenges. One difficulty I faced at times was in encountering those whose actions simply didn’t match my own values, as part of the aforementioned culture shock. My fear was that I might become like them, thus compromising my values. For example, even though people can often be heard swearing while speaking, this is something I don’t do as a matter of principle, so I needed to learn to control my emotional reaction and simply remain firm in my own convictions when I heard people openly swearing. Thankfully, it really helped to maintain a close friend group that possessed similar values to myself. Such friends didn’t come only from university, but also from church, through which I was provided with great support whenever I was having a difficult time. On the flip side, one of the best parts of life in Bristol was opening my mind and having fun with the many friends I made. We enjoyed going out to explore Bristol and visiting many different places. My mom would also come to visit me from time to time, which was always heartwarming and 154

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dispelled any lingering loneliness. I have wonderful memories of strolling through Bristol with her or visiting places like Birmingham to visit family friends. I realized while living in Bristol that I liked cooking. It was never something I’d done much before, but once I was there I was sort of forced by circumstances to take up preparing my own food—albeit simple dishes. My favourite thing to cook was initially just instant noodles, like udon, but as I got better at it I began to prepare chicken and experiment with different dishes like kimchi pancakes or things that I missed from home. As I got into my second year, I found I was adapting to UK foods and ingredients. My tastes changed from enjoying mainly Malaysian food to liking much of the local fare, as well as many of the other cuisines available in Bristol, such as Greek, Jamaican, and others. My favourite meal from the UK was the Sunday roast and all the desserts that come with it. I ended up returning to Malaysia several months earlier than expected due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and then had a virtual graduation in July 2020. I didn’t mind coming home early, as I was missing my family a lot by that point. After years abroad, it was nice to return to what was familiar. In seminars we’d o!en look at real-world measurements and assessments, or apply the skills we were learning to practical tasks in the lab In the time since then, I’ve studied for a diploma in psychotherapy, as I’m considering moving into the counseling field. In 2021, following that diploma, I spent a few months teaching a little girl, and then began a master’s in counseling with a local university in September. My master’s course has been extremely busy so far, and in fact right now I have two assignment deadlines coming up! It’s fulfilling study, because I can see myself becoming a licensed counselor after finishing it. While studying psychology at UWE, I was exposed to lots of different ideas as we looked at different branches in the field. There are many different theories about what causes human behaviour, as well as plenty of historical cases that can be applied to the real world. At that time, I was considering whether I wanted to go into clinical psychology or counseling, and I’ve settled on the latter. I want to empathize with people, especially when they are suffering, and I also firmly believe that everyone has a voice and deserves to be heard. In addition, I’m the kind of person who likes talking with people, and I always appreciate when people share things with me. I specifically want to be a counselor to children and families, and I’d be happy if I could do some teaching in the future as well. Besides the programme itself at UWE, studying in the UK helped me understand much more about diversity among people. If I had stayed in Malaysia to complete my undergrad, I wouldn’t have come to know about how many different faces and ways of thinking there are in the world. Rather, I would still be confined to my limited view of people, not understanding how many cultures, foods, and behaviours are out there, or how many struggles that people deal with and the various ways in which they react to such adversity. Living in the UK granted me so much more awareness of all these things. I feel that people who have the means to study abroad should stay mindful of the fact that the studies themselves are not the only factor of the experience to take into account. One must be mindful of the culture and be prepared to miss their friends and other things from home. If a person has good friends, though, this can form part of a support system that will make the experience a more pleasant one. I am thankful to Jesus that I was able to make friends like these both at UWE and elsewhere in Bristol, including locals, Jamaicans, people from other European countries, and still others from different parts of Asia. The church I went to had people from a wealth of locations and backgrounds, and forming good relationships with them really enriched my years in Bristol. As someone with a psychology background and on my way to becoming a counselor, gaining a richer understanding of people and becoming more aware about the different ways of being in the world are some of the valuable things I was able to acquire from my years abroad. 156

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Choosing where to live is as exciting as it is nerve-wracking – especially if it’s your first time away from home. But we’ll help you put any nerves to rest. Finding the right accommodation will help you feel at home from the moment you arrive. UWE Accommodation

I’d recommend anyone to consider UWE for their tertiary education. Steven Ramesh LLB(Law) 2019 BPTC 2020 159 Malaysia

B y my mid-teens, the need was growing for me to consider my future path. I’d found throughout school that the sciences just didn’t click for me, whereas my abilities in English and history were always my strong suit. I started thinking seriously about where my predilection in these areas could lead me. Some friends of mine, a few years my senior, had gone into law following high school, and encouraged me by telling me it was interesting — that it was cool to go to court, argue, and to potentially make your mark on history. It struck me that the subject of law could feature a combination of English and history, and I came to feel that by studying it I would be making sure to pursue sometime that would keep me interested, and which I had a foundational grounding in already through my academic strengths. Upon starting my law degree in Malaysia at INTI International University, I noticed that some of my senior peers were deciding to go overseas to study as part of transfer programs. I started seeing their photos and hearing about their experiences, and thought that this was something I should do myself to experience a new country and culture. I figured that putting myself out there into the world — not to mention getting some traveling accomplished — could lead to a really memorable year or two. Once I made that decision, I started looking at possible universities I could study at. As a huge fan of Liverpool FC, it seemed like living in that city would be written in the stars for me, but my mind changed when I met the UWE team in Malaysia, who were so nice and genuine. Comparatively, I didn’t find the same warmth from staff representing Liverpool that I spoke with; they gave the impression that I’d mostly be on my own until I was actually enrolled and at their campus, whereas the UWE team were clearly willing to help me with my application and guide me every step of the way. I looked into the city of Bristol, which seemed really nice, and researched Winter in Bristol was the first time in my life I’d ever seen and touched real snow. some of UWE’s programs, all of which led me more and more to lean in the direction of studying there. My decision was swayed when in August 2018 I was contacted by the UWE team and offered a 50% scholarship. Combined with my positive experiences with the representatives I’d interacted with, and the sense of being welcomed by UWE Bristol, the scholarship was a bonus that indicated this was the university for me. I had traveled internationally in the Asia Pacific region, but had never been as far abroad as Europe. My friends all thought it was awesome that I was doing this, expressing that I should enjoy myself as much as possible, while my parents were all for it as well, having always had an ambition to try living overseas themselves and wanting me to get a taste of the UK to see what I thought of life there. was almost like being enveloped in perpetual air conditioning! The air was clean and clear in Bristol as well, and the environment was calm and peaceful, making it a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of KL. While I’m on the topic of weather, I’ll mention that winter in Bristol was the first time in my life I’d ever seen and touched real snow. I remember the night it fell for the first time: it had been especially cold that day, and somewhere around midnight or 1:00 am my housemates woke up to tell me that it was starting to snow outside. I went back to sleep, but the next day when I opened the door I found the world completely shrouded in a blanket of white, as though a miniature avalanche had rumbled through the city while I slept. I was amazed at how much had accumulated in only a matter of hours. The snow lasted on the ground for three days, and my housemates and I had snowball fights and made a tiny snowman before it disappeared. At the same time, it was lovely seeing all the Christmas decorations around the city, experiencing first-hand what the holiday season is like in Western countries. I managed to attend some Christmas parties as well, which were a lot of fun. Surprisingly, the LLB course was on the whole easier than I thought it would be, but certainly interesting and fun, with the way we learned being different than I’d expected. The lecturers taught in a way that made things easy to understand; I felt they had a deep understanding of the material, and knew how to break it down in the simplest way possible to help students grasp the fundamentals and critical information. In contrast, during my first two years of the LLB in Malaysia, my teachers taught from the book, seemingly whether they fully understood the material or not themselves. Defying my expectations, the lecturers treated the students as equals, or like peers, rather than maintaining what I’d considered until then to be a typical lecturer-student relationship, wherein you’re meant to listen and absorb There was a good deal of necessary paperwork, particularly for the visa process, but after getting my visa everything went very smoothly in terms of travel to the UK and Bristol. Having registered late, on-campus accommodation was full, so I found private lodgings about ten minutes away instead. I honestly didn’t mind this at all, not least because it was so easy and enjoyable to get around on foot there. Compared to Kuala Lumpur, where we usually dread needing to go out into the heat and sun, the temperate climate of the UK made walking outdoors more pleasurable. Having grown up in a hot and humid country, from my perspective it 160

rather than express ideas of your own. They remained open for discussion and debate about what we were covering in the classes, which was a culture shock for me. They were perceptive to their students’ points of view rather than expecting a more passive audience. All of that helped me to grow and come into my own. Not only the lecturers, but I remember everyone being really helpful at UWE. I traveled to a few other universities over time, where staff could come across as a bit cold, indirectly conveying the notion that they were helping me because it was their job and not necessarily because it was something they wanted to do. I was continually struck by how different UWE was compared to them, as at UWE I always had the impression that the faculty and other staff genuinely wanted to help me and see me succeed. That, along with being treated as an equal inside and outside the classroom, is my big takeaway from UWE. I started the Bar course in September 2019. The lecturers, like those on the LLB, were every bit as open. I was surprised, as some of them were former lawyers, while others were still practicing part-time — I would’ve thought, therefore, that they’d be firmly entrenched in their ways, becoming strict and rigid in their educational approach. Rather than that, I received from them the same level of respect as I had from the LLB lecturers, and they were kind in the way they strived to get their points across to students. Sometimes a person can be extremely knowledgeable about a subject, while being able to convey or translate that knowledge in a way that makes it graspable for others is another matter entirely. This is where UWE truly shines: the lecturers are not only able to convey to you their own experiences and practical advice, but they’re also able to connect all of that to the particular material they’re teaching. Though the years were busy with coursework, I made sure to travel around and see new things in my free time, whether in Bristol, 161

I figured that putting myself out there into the world — not to mention getting some travelling accomplished — could lead to a really memorable year or two. 162

the surrounding towns, or elsewhere in the UK. We had classes four days a week, so my friends and I liked to fit in some weekend trips, where we’d usually pick out a random town as our destination, and over time I explored locales lying in all directions of the compass. My favorite place of all was Edinburgh, Scotland, which I visited during the Christmas holidays one year. It was such a phenomenal city, where history has been woven beautifully into the present day, and a perfect mix of classic and modern architecture can be found. As it was the holiday season, there was an abundance of things to see and do there. It was absolutely a highlight of my time in the UK. I had no shortage of excursions around Bristol as well. My favorite place there was the Clifton Suspension Bridge. It’s popular, but not overrated in the least, and I would I recommend it to anyone who goes to Bristol. I visited it five or six times, lucking out with brilliant weather on every occasion, and upon each visit I was able to see a new part of the city from up high. Cabot Tower is really cool as well, so it deserves an honourable mention. Covid caused some delays in the yearly schedule, so while normally I would have graduated in June, I did so a couple months later in August 2020. As much as I’d enjoyed my time in the UK, I was starting to look forward to going home and beginning my job search. I briefly considered staying on and working in the UK, but the legal field is very competitive there, so I felt it would be quite tough to make a go of it—not to mention all the disruptions in society caused by the pandemic during that period. It would be best, I resolved, to go home and start fresh on my quest for employment, perhaps to work there for two or three years before going back to the UK with some experience under my belt. When going into law in Malaysia, we need to complete a kind of nine-month trainee period called pupillage before we get called to the Bar and get our practicing certificate. After getting back to Kuala Lumpur, I took three months off and then started work at the oldest firm in Malaysia — Shook Lin & Bok (est. 1918), which is renowned for its banking law practice — staying there until September 2021. Calls to the Bar were postponed due to the Covid situation, so I took some time off to await my turn, getting my call at last in November 2021. With that complete, I’m currently exploring some different job options, and once I start my next one I’ll officially be a qualified practicing lawyer. My interest has always lay primarily in commercial and banking law, hence my work at Shook Lin & Bok, and I anticipate continuing in this direction with corporate work. My studies in Bristol have provided a strong foundation and background to serve my career. I think that if any student is looking for a university that treats you like family and gives you a chance to succeed in life, attending UWE is an amazing option — if not the best decision they can make. More often than not, students travel there from their own countries seeking a sense of belonging, and UWE has an amazing support system to foster that. Their ways of teaching and moulding you are brilliant, and they’re there to guide you in any field you might be studying in. For all those reasons, I’d recommend anyone to consider UWE for their tertiary education. 163

The students’ Union At UWE Our commitment ‰ Facilitating a strong and inclusive student representative system ‰ Providing pertinent information and guidance through the Advice Centre ‰ Ensuring that you are treated equally and fairly. ‰ Keeping you aware of your rights and responsibilities. ‰ Giving you a voice on local and national issues. ‰ Facilitating part-time employment opportunities. ‰ Providing a wide range of opportunities and events for personal and professional development. ‰ Promoting widespread good relations.

165 SINGAPORE

Singapore Bristol itself was as beautiful as it had appeared during my research; it’s a vibrant and artsy city, while being smaller than London, and for where I was in my life at the time it was perfect. Kezia Khomasurya BA (Hons) Animation 2012 166

Don’t be afraid to break that box and jump out of your comfort zone. I loved drawing when I was younger. I was that kind of kid that people think of as the “artsy one” in a class or school. I harboured a sort of distant understanding even from a young age that animation was something I wanted to do, although back then I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. My dad sent me to art school to learn fine art, but I figured out early on that the fine art route wasn’t for me; I didn’t want to just paint all day long or simply be taught “how to art” in what I felt was a limited way — I knew there had to be more to it all than that. There was something out there that would fit me, beyond the confinements of form and technique that I was coming up against, but I hadn’t grasped it yet. As I got a bit older, I became more aware of movies and other visual storytelling mediums, which left me increasingly in wonder about this fascinating world, and I gathered at last that animation was what I really wanted to do. I was still living in Indonesia at that time, where, being a Chinese Indonesian, I’d spent my whole life so far. I was actually born in Singapore, however, and was interested in going there for my secondary education (I’m also a Canadian citizen thanks to my father, but I suppose that’s another story!). I started looking around at colleges in Singapore and found a really convincing lecturer that heard me out and further confirmed that studying animation would be a fit for me, emphasizing how it serves as a meeting point between movies and the form my love of art had always taken in creative drawing. In the end I decided to attend Temasek Polytechnic and found myself there before long. This was in the early 2000s and Pixar had been winning at the Oscars for Best Animated Feature, with Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille all receiving the award, so that style of digital animation was huge both in the film industry and the education sphere. With that said, my penchant had always been for drawing by hand, so at first I actually ended up being a bit of snob at Poly toward people who only did digital art, considering some of them didn’t even seem capable of traditional drawing on paper. My uppity traditionalist perspective wasn’t to last, though, as the convenience, even practical necessity, of simple features like the undo button soon made me realize that digital art was actually amazing. Study at Poly involved a process that approached the animation world from different angles — we were introduced to digital film and video, studying it with the objective of learning how to preserve the beauty of traditional handdrawn animation in the new digital era. While it’s true that many people want to preserve hand-drawn animation to this day, the reality is that it costs a lot of money and time compared to digital, leaving it unfeasible for studios to maintain. Nowadays audiences have come to expect flashy digital or CGI spectacles; case in point, Disney has been rebooting their animated classics as CGI-drenched live action feature films in recent years, because the company believes that this is necessary for holding contemporary children’s attention in a world increasingly saturated with distractions. Poly takes a more hands-on approach than it 167

does academic, and this was where I started animation — specifically media, video and animation all together. My lecturer, who I got along well with, was from Manchester; when he found out that I was considering further studies beyond Temasek, he suggested that I look into UWE, as Temasek’s ties with the university would make it possible for me to carry my credits over and complete an animation degree there in one and a half years. This was a welcome idea to me, as I was already a couple years older than most of my peers at Poly, and figured that if I could cut down the time for the rest of my schooling by half, I’d take it. I started looking into UWE and thought the program looked really good. Not only that, but I felt the UK calling me, even though I’d never been there before, and Bristol itself looked like a beautiful place. It was more than enough to sway my decision. I graduated from Temasek in 2010 and arrived in the UK the following February. I was the only student from Singapore on my way to UWE at that time, so the UWE Asia Pacific team suggested that I come to Malaysia before departing, as there were seven other students bound for the university that I could travel with. I had family in Malaysia anyway, so I took them up on the idea, as it would be a good way to see some family and then fly to the UK together with a new set of Asian peeps. I loved the experience of studying in the UK. I’d wanted to be in a new place, where no one knew me and fresh opportunities abounded. As someone just starting out in their adult life, it was the right time for such an endeavor. I’d attended international school when I was younger, so I was already accustomed to being around people with various backgrounds, but the British culture still captivated me. I loved the accents, which are different from the one I acquired during my international school education, and I discovered that most of the stereotypes I had heard about British people were more or less true — all of them positive, of course! Bristol itself was as beautiful as it had appeared during my research; it’s a vibrant and artsy city, while being smaller than London, and for where I was in my life at the time it was perfect. As a result of Singaporean culture, students work diligently toward academic success, striving for A’s, but the arts tend to suffer because of this. At Poly I felt a lack of passion for the subject by many of my peers, a pervasive general sentiment of just being there to get a diploma and/or fulfill their parents’ expectations. Only about half of my classmates were genuinely into film and animation, as opposed to passing the time until they could receive their parchment. The attitude in Bristol around academics was so different in 168

169 comparison; there you don’t go to college just because it’s something expected of you — no, students take out loans to afford their education and make darn sure that they’re there to study what they’re passionate about. At UWE it was undeniable that my classmates truly loved the artistic act of creating. I found it interesting that I arrived at UWE with a wealth of knowledge about the relevant software used for animation work, but what I lacked was skill in the realm of storytelling. Compared to my classmates, I found that I struggled with reaching down into the recesses of my imagination, to that inner child from which the spark of creativity arises. I realized that what you’re able to do from a technical standpoint is one thing, but in the field of animation so much importance derives from the ability to create stories and pluck ideas seemingly out of nowhere. Even when my classmates didn’t know how to do something on a technical level, they were undeterred, pursuing and finding ways to bring their visions to life. I feel this outside-the-box thinking is more prevalent in Western culture than in Asia, and being in an environment like that, where people shared a passion for the craft of In seminars we’d o!en look at real-world measurements and assessments, or apply the skills we were learning to practical tasks in the lab. animation, was right where I wanted to be. I did have some fellow classmates like that back in Poly, but they were always small minority, while in my UWE classes it was prevalent. As I’m a permanent resident in Singapore, I took a tuition grant from the government in order to study. This meant that I had to come back and work in Singapore for at least three years after graduation from UWE. Upon my return, I did editing while looking for an animation job, landing my first one in 2013, at the company that made the Bananas in Pyjamas animated series. I worked there for a year, until the company unfortunately closed down. After that I joined a production house, where I started producing rather than animating. I’d found during the previous animation job that it was an isolating experience, as it was essentially just me and the computer for twelve hours a day, so trying my hand as a producer was a nice change. I ended up doing that job for four years, but it was demanding and I eventually reached a point of burnout at it. That was actually when I felt the UK calling me back, so in 2018 I did just that, joining a lovely church there for a while during my stay. The coronavirus hit, however, which led me to return to Singapore in late 2020, and since then I’ve gone into working in graphic design and other digital media. By the early 2000s, art and design was essentially an up-and-coming thing in Singapore, so I was at least fortunate to be coming of age there in a time when it was gaining traction. Still, that’s a gradual process, and even here in 2021 the society hasn’t fully come around to recognizing the importance of design. In 2020, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the government didn’t even designate designers as essential workers. Ironically, the professional, eye-catching chart they put out to classify for the entire populace these essential vs. nonessential workers was — you guessed it created for them by graphic designers! The pandemic has given me lots of time to consider what I’ll be doing in the future. I’ve proven to myself that I have capabilities as an animator, as a producer, and in graphic design and digital media. Next year I plan to change things up again by going for a master’s in Business Management at a university in Arizona to open even more doors for myself. I’m now looking forward to combining all the skills I’ve gained so far, especially through my creative work, with new ones in business management. Although it might look like I’m leaving the design or media industry behind, I believe that I’ll eventually come back to it after my master’s. Media is one of the most powerful tools in today’s world — and animation, specifically, is a platform being used by increasingly more people across the globe. From new worlds, new characters, and new actions, anything imaginable can be brought to life through animation, going further than live action ever can. It’s a medium that transcends age, language, or cultural barriers. When the pandemic hit, live action production came to a halt, but animation proved unstoppable. In my ten years of work since graduating from UWE, I’ve felt that people and employers would try to box me into being “just” a creative. After trying out production work in the animation industry, I knew I possessed managerial skills, but after that I found they just kept boxing me into an identity as a creative or a manager, as though there is nothing in between. My advice to anyone would be this: Don’t be afraid to break that box — whichever one you’ve found yourself in — and jump out of your comfort zone. There’s a world of possibilities and you need to take the initiative to venture out and create for yourself a role that is meant for you. Whatever new experiences and new people you meet in life, they’re all going to add to your tool belt of knowledge and skill. I’m always up for going against the grain or what other people are doing, and I encourage everyone to do the same.

SRI LANKA 170

Sri Lanka In terms of the study experience, we have all the information we need at our disposal and the lecturers are very helpful, making the classes interactive and encouraging us to talk and share our experience. Chathushka Kiriella MSc International Human Resource Management, 2022 171

A fter completing my A levels, I decided that I wanted to specialize in human resource management, so I joined the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka, the nation’s leader in HRM. I always liked working with people in my school days and am known as someone who’s very prosocial, so I figured that being in a leadership role and focusing on management in this area would be the right thing for me. I followed that by doing my undergrad in Commerce and Management at the University In India I pursued my first master’s, and having achieved it I returned to Sri Lanka and became a lecturer, meaning I’d gone from being a practitioner of HR to the academic side. I decided that I wanted to become an HR trainer and went on to acquire another Higher National Diploma. In 2015 I was teaching International Human Resource Management at Northshore College, which was a UWE partner at the time, and from then on I was sure that if I were to go on to further studies, including a PhD, I would focus on the International HRM spectrum, them. Completing the application and gathering my reference letters and other necessary documents took a few days, but it was successful, and the time came where I was ready to begin my new journey. There was no loneliness is going to Bristol, as my partner and my daughter both moved with me in March 2021. I wouldn’t have been able to make it here so long without them. After three weeks of rooming with a friend, we were able to move into our own accommodation, which we are still living in now. of Sri Jayewardenepura, and then joined a leading Sri Lankan company as an HR executive working in employee relations in a garment factory. I helped to solve the workers’ problems there without involving higher management, so that the production process experienced minimal interruptions. Nowhere near halting my trajectory, I resigned upon getting an opportunity to study in India, and bid a sad farewell to the garment factory staff. When the employees there implored me to stay, expressing how much care I’d given them in my time there, I knew for certain that HR was my calling. Even today a number of those workers stay in touch and send me greetings on my birthday. and training in particular. My personal life had continued to develop alongside my studies and work, and around the time my baby reached two years of age I decided to try for my PhD. I sent out proposal with little success for quite some time, but then determined that it would be better to do an MSc first; that’s what ultimately what led me to UWE, where I would be able to get to know the right professors better before taking the step to my doctorate. Having had experience with UWE through my work at Northshore College, I was familiar with the university and knew that if I were to go to the UK it would be with I settled into my studies while my partner looked for a job. We discovered that Bristol is always active, even during last year’s Covid lockdowns, and he didn’t have much a struggle securing employment. Finding our feet, we’ve been able to enjoy getting out and about around the city. We love visiting the Harbourside, and I often take my daughter there on the weekends to feed the seagulls. We’ve had nice times sightseeing at Clifton Suspension Bridge, London tour, and visiting the zoo. My partner and I often have conversations about how the UK and Bristol have treated us so well since our arrival. When I started my course, it was still fully 172

We love visiting the Harbourside, and I o!en take my daughter there on the weekends to feed the seagulls. 173

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online, but in the second term we began our face to face classes on campus, and that’s when we actually got to know UWE much better. In terms of the study experience, we have all the information we need at our disposal and the lecturers are very helpful, making the classes interactive and encouraging us to talk and share our experience; it is possible to achieve distinction if you are prepared to put in the effort and go above and beyond. Though I did achieve distinction with my dissertation and final grades, half of the credit should go to the information availability on Blackboard and UWE’s website, the study skills sessions, and the support that that I’ve received from the university and my lecturers. Last but not least, I owe a lot of my supervisor, Dr Hilary Drew, who helped me learn how to develop a proper dissertation, for which I received the exceptionally high mark of 87 points — a fact that I’m still digesting! My classmates also deserve some credit for my academic success, as they were mature, insightful, and shared their perspectives on how different practices would work in their own country. One student from Nigeria, for example, often said to us that she would be able to apply her new understandings back in her country. I really enjoyed that module, as we could get practical experience with consultancy and provide real strategies for our client. Another aspect of the study experience I appreciated was my elective subject, Management Consultancy. Through this module I participated in a group project in which we functioned as consultants. The lecturer supported us in meeting our client to identify their problems and develop solutions. I really enjoyed that module, as we could get practical experience with consultancy and provide real strategies for our client. Even now I can see that our solutions in this case, which involved reaching out to a younger customer base through the use of social media, have benefitted the company, as they became extremely active on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms. It made me really happy to know that we were so successful in our work. The consultancy practice doubled our employability as well, as we can refer to that project in discussion with prospective employers, explaining how we gained practical experience even while studying. The practical application of knowledge is a thing that makes UWE stand apart from my former study experiences. In India, for example, my master’s studies were highly theoretical. When I started studying at UWE, I wondered what I had been doing all those prior years! Even when the professors at UWE are of a mature age, they’re up to date with all the latest technology and new research findings, always updating their materials to fit new developments rather than recycling old ones. I’ve been impressed and appreciative of this, since I haven’t been accustomed to this from my professors in the past. I embarked on a job search earlier this year, and it was suggested to me to seek an Associate Lecturer position at UWE. I saw a vacancy on the ‘work for UWE’ webpage and applied, getting an interview. The interview as an hour long and I wasn’t sure how I did, but the next day I was elated to learn that I’d passed and got the position as a lecturer of Human Resource Management. I couldn’t believe it! My previous experience as a lecturer and my knowledge of UWE’s teaching structure really helped me a lot in getting the position. In my interview feedback and I was also told that what they liked most was my attitude and passion toward the profession, and they could see from my academic performance that I was the right choice. I was so proud to achieve this prestigious appointment. What’s more, with this job I can now send remittances back to my parents in Sri Lanka and help look after them into the future, which is something even more important now with the present Sri Lankan economic crisis. Sending money to my parents also helps the country by adding to the national foreign reserves. I’m really happy that I’m strong enough to be able to take care of my parents like this and do my part in helping our country. Ever since entering academia, I’ve wanted to be a professor. I’m getting there step by step and it’s my next goal to focus on. I have a strong feeling that I can make this dream come true, especially now that I’m a part of UWE and have its support. I feel strongly that the university is always helping their employees and supporting them in their ambitions. With this job I was able to transition from a student visa to a Tier 2 visa for skilled workers, so now my life in the UK is stable. I’ll be able to apply for Permanent Resident status in the future and truly settle here. 175

When I started my course, it was still fully online, but in the second term we began our face to face classes on campus, and that’s when we actually got to know UWE much better. In addition to all this, I’ve been engaged with other activities on campus, which I often bring my daughter along to. I learned about all kind of societies that exist here for other countries, but when I looked into the UWE Sri Lankan Society I found that it had become essentially inactive after Covid, so I spoke around to some people and revitalized it. I didn’t intend to become the president of it, but that’s what happened. When we held a meet and greet it gave an opportunity for Sri Lankans at UWE to get to know each other and share information, getting active and engaged with one another. We worked closely with the student union and our society was nominated for six awards, which included me being nominated for the “Destined for Success” award. We won two of the six awards, including Committee of the Year. With the student union we also made blankets for dementia patient, paintings, held picnics, and participated in a cultural exchange session where we shared our traditional dancing with students from around the world. Life at UWE, therefore, need not just involve the academic side of things, but also a vibrant and rewarding campus life rich in extracurricular activities. I still go back to the My UWE portal just to check my results for the master’s course again, giving myself a pat on the back for what I’ve been able to do. As further affirmation, I recently received an email telling me that I’ve been nominated and shortlisted for the UWE Hall of Fame, which is part of UWE’s 2022-2023 celebration and recognition of students and staff from minoritized ethnic backgrounds that have achieved exceptional academic success in their fields whilst having a positive impact on society and overcoming racial biases. My husband and I often talk about all the challenges we’ve overcome in our journey, not only between study and work, but also with our responsibilities as parents and building up our lives here in a new country. All the hard work paid off and we often say that if you work hard in the UK you will be paid back for your efforts. UWE itself will always help a hard worker too, and their support is a defining factor in the life I’ve built with my family in this country. 176

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Taiwan A!er about three years here in total, I feel quite at home. Yu-Ching Huang BA(Hons) Interior Design, 2022 178

I ’ve been interested in interior design for a long time. My interest first stemmed out of an attraction to furniture displays at stores and factories — where I loved to see the texture, different fabrics, and all the materials used to make furniture. My family’s business is also based in interior design, and the more I learned about it as I got older, it became more and more of an adventure of discovery for me. During high school, I went to the US as an exchange student for a year, and then returned to my hometown of Kaohsiung to study a year of interior design at a vocational high school. I found that it was initially a tough subject, particularly because of the technical drawings and models we needed to make — though this is a fundamental part of the study. I started to find progressively more joy in every project I was involved with and especially enjoyed the latter part of the year. After finishing high school, I went to study a foundation year at Oxford in the UK. While there, I started searching by university rankings to choose a place to do my undergrad at, and that’s how I first came across UWE. I visited Bristol to attend an open day at UWE, which gave me a better impression of all the practical support for students there, especially at Bower Ashton campus where I saw how many facilities there were for this purpose. Realizing that UWE offered so many forms of practical support rather than just theory made me decide to choose it for my studies. I was excited to stay in England, as its charm, architecture and rich culture all interested me greatly. I like the way that we are taught at UWE. Compared to in Taiwan, we are given more freedom and independence in our design process, rather than being told explicitly what we need to do. Being able to choose our own designs and approach comes with an atmosphere through my designs that is customized to suit the desires and needs of individuals, as I believe this can benefit them psychologically and in terms of mood. The way people experience and interact with a space is an area of intensive interest for me and something I continue to look into. The most interesting interior design project I’ve worked on was in my first year at UWE. This was the six-week Martian house project, the nature of which I never imagined I’d have a chance to be a part of. Our professor invited in specialists from outside UWE who were working on a NASA project involving human habitation on Mars. Their goal was to work with first year Interior Design students to get some creative ideas for a greater degree of challenge, of course, but it also gives me a greater sense of responsibility for my work in the long run. At the same time, I feel that this method results in students putting more of their own character and personality into their designs, helping us realize for ourselves what kind of designers we want to be in our professional careers. One assignment can result in 20 different designs from 20 different students. Personally, my passion is in looking for connections between people and space in order to take a very human-centered approach. I aim to create 179

Being able to choose our own designs and approach comes with a greater degree of challenge, of course, but it also gives me a greater sense of responsibility for my work in the long run. 180

how such housing on the red planet could work. To begin with, I ended up learning all about Mars and NASA’s work related with living there. As interior designers, we were tasked with thinking about what kind of housing could be developed for humans there, how the needed materials could be transported from Earth to Mars, how they could be recycled or reused, and so forth. It wasn’t only about sustainability, but about understanding the myriad factors that need to be taken into account for such a thing. It gave me a broader perspective about the requirements of the profession beyond merely drawing up plans. During the height of Covid, I applied for a gap year and returned to Taiwan. I did an internship during that time as an interior designer’s assistant. When I applied for the internship, I felt that they were impressed by the conceptual nature of my designs and my ideas on how they would work. They gave me feedback on my portfolio about how they were impressed with the details that I incorporated into my projects and the strength of my conceptual work. Even though the work world of interior design in Taiwan differs from the processes we use while studying at UWE, it was valuable for me to get this practical experience and be on-site to learn about construction and other aspects that are part of design. Having gained this experience, I returned to Bristol last year for the final year of my undergrad. I’m currently working on my degree show, which will be the final project for my major. These shows have been carried out online due to Covid, but it will return to being a physical exhibition on campus this year. We need to set up everything ourselves for the public display of our models and plans, even painting the walls. We’ll be evaluated for our work and receive a final grade following it, and in July we’ll present our designs at a second exhibition in London. Bristol itself is quite chill, especially compared to London. There are plenty of students throughout the city and I like the overall vibe of it. After about three years here in total, I feel quite at home. I’ve had lots of nice trips to London, though, especially as there are lots of design museums and exhibitions there, as well as plenty of events; it’s easy to go on the weekend if I’m not too busy with the course as the time. I’ve had a chance to travel around to many places in Europe. I loved Germany especially, because of the architecture and other classic designs in Berlin. In the UK I really love Oxford as well. It has a bit of a fairy-tale feel for me, since Lewis Carroll once worked there and met Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. There is a storytelling vibe throughout the city itself, with all novels and stories that grew out of it over the years. It feels almost like entering another world when you go. Like Bristol, it has a very chill and friendly vibe. Overall, the most challenging thing that I’ve faced as an international student is homesickness. During certain periods I’ve felt quite blue when missing family and friends from home. Fortunately I can always do a video call with them to catch up. Actually, though, the people who’ve helped me get through those low periods the most were my friends in Bristol. They’ve gone out to dinner with me, talked with me, and slept over in order to dispel my loneliness during such times, and I always get over those bouts of homesickness and bounce back. After my graduation I plan to go home to Taiwan and look for work. It’s clearer than ever for me now that I want to make interior design my career, as it’s something I love and am passionate about. I’ll seek to join a company and get to know better how the industry works I visited Bristol to attend an open day at UWE, which gave me a better impression of all the practical support for students there. in Taiwan. For one thing, not only have I been studying in another culture, but also in English, so I’ll need to deal with a bit of reverse culture shock! After a few years of getting experience there, I may move onto doing some freelancing work and set up a studio, as there are many things I anticipate I could do for clients. For the time being, I’d like to base myself in Kaohsiung to be closer to my family. I’d encourage anyone thinking about studying at UWE, or elsewhere in the UK, to have no fear and go for it. Of course there will always be some culture shock when you make such a move, and people will have different lifestyles and habits from what you’re used to, but you’ll learn so much from the experience. Through the challenges, happy moments, and the people you meet from so many different countries, you’ll be presented with more opportunities than you can imagine. I’m glad that I made this decision to continue broadening my horizons. 181

UWE Sports Facilities Our state-of-the-art sports facilities include the Centre for Sport where we house a fully equipped gym, studio spaces, a double sports hall and squash courts on the Frenchay Campus. We also run Hillside Gardens, a dedicated facility with 3G pitches for some of our sports teams to train and compete. We also provide personal training, physiotherapy and performance sport services. Our sports facilities are available for hire, and we host a variety of events ranging from sporting tournaments to corporate fun days and children’s parties.

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Thailand I gravitated toward the International Management programme because I felt that the kind of knowledge and skills to be gained therein are what’s really important in the modern business world. Juthatip Sutthisith (Ice) MSc International Management 2021 184

I had an exciting number of years leading up to my studies at UWE Bristol. I first received my undergrad degree in Business Communications, after which I became a flight attendant with Oman Air for four years. I then returned to Thailand, where I became a sales representative for a chemical company for another three years, and it was around then that I decided that it was time to make a new move to grow more in my career path by returning to school. I deliberated for a while on whether to stay in Thailand or to go abroad for such a purpose. I talked with my brother, who at the time was in the UK, and he told me about a great university he’d heard about where a friend of his was currently studying. That university was UWE. My brother felt it would be a great match for me, based on what he’d heard, so I took his advice into consideration and started doing my own research, learning in the process that the city of Bristol had the kind of environment and vibe that seemed friendly and fitting for me. I proceeded to talk to an agency about how to go about getting there, which was when I met P’ Prim and P’ Joy from the UWE Thailand office, who helped me get started with the application process. I even ended up applying for and receiving a small scholarship, as UWE Bristol has a partnership with Thammasat university in Bangkok, where I’d gotten my bachelor’s. I gravitated toward the International Management programme because I felt that the kind of knowledge and skills to be gained therein are what’s really important in the modern business world. In a way I feel it has some similarities to an MBA, though international management is more wideranging in scope and can open more avenues of opportunity for one’s future. I knew that if I wanted to run my own business one day, I’d need to learn as much as possible in this field and become familiar with all aspects of it. When I told my family that about my plans, their first response was, ‘You’re going abroad again?’ Really, though, they’d gotten used to me staying in another country during my flight attendant years, so it wasn’t a big deal. The next step was to prove that my English was up to the necessary standard. Rather than IELTS, I took the UWE English Placement Test to demonstrate my ability, and my band score was high enough for me to proceed with the application. It was great to be able to save time through this process rather than having to arrange to attend an IELTS test. I flew to the UK in January, and I distinctly remember how cold it was when I arrived in Bristol. With my previous experience staying abroad for periods of time in Oman, not to mention being from Thailand, this was to be a chilly new experience! My new housemates were all Thai as well, with our place conveniently located just five minutes from campus, and when I met them that first time they informed me that the snow had just melted the day before. Luckily I’d fully prepared by bringing along warm clothes all the way from home. That initial temperature shock aside, I really liked the mood and tone of Bristol — the whole environment, really. I made lots of friends at UWE. During my classes, we had to do frequent group work, and working intensively with others for hours at time in this way led to new friendships with students from all around the world, including India, Korea, South Africa and more. I encountered some culture shock in getting to know people from so many backgrounds, but I had no problem adapting to this over time. This kind of interaction and cooperation with a diverse group of people reflects the realities of the actual work world, especially in areas like international management, and getting used to sharing my views and listening to those of others was useful and valuable practice. In terms of skills that I improved during my studies, another thing that stands out to me is critical thinking, which was encouraged and fostered throughout our work. I also became more flexible and adaptable — overall openminded — in my thinking. If I had an opinion and could provide the reasoning to 185

In terms of skills that I improved during my studies, another thing that stands out to me is critical thinking, which was encouraged and fostered throughout our work. 185

justify it, I learned that this was enough to be acceptable, and that the same held true for the thoughts of others. Thinking beyond the book and outside the box is a critical skill nowadays, especially when you compare it to the traditional alternative found in some education systems where the content of textbooks must be followed to the letter. I enjoyed getting out and about in Bristol, and especially liked visiting the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery on the weekends sometimes. I was there throughout the first semester; in the second, once classes went online due to the Covid-19 lockdown, I moved to Birmingham to begin a short internship as an HR assistant for a chemical company. My background working in sales for a chemical company in Thailand had made my CV attractive to them, and it was a very good experience working with that company for a while. Following that, I returned to Bangkok as the time approached for me to begin my dissertation. Even though I was at home, I stayed in constant touch with my professor, who was always available to answer my questions along the way. I got good results for my dissertation in the end and was happy with my grade, but with all that work behind me I can safely say that one dissertation is enough! Since finishing my studies, I’ve had lots of time to reflect on what I gained from this endeavour. One of the main things is definitely my increased powers of critical thinking. I can reason through problems step-by-step on my own and manage all the different aspects of my life with the same effectiveness. I’ve taken over running much of my family’s business in what I feel is an optimal way, and at the same time I’m preparing to launch my own business, which will involve eye-related health supplements. I got the idea for this business after I realized while driving one night that I couldn’t see clearly, and I began researching supplements that could strengthen my eyes before deciding to start marketing them myself. In a world where people spend so much time in front of screens, straining their eyes in the process, I think that my supplement business will fulfill an important niche and (hopefully) be very successful. If it works in Thailand, then I hope to utilize my international management knowledge to expand to the UK, and even beyond. I’ll be returning to Bristol this April (2022) for my graduation ceremony, and am excited to use the chance to get some more traveling done as well. I can’t wait to be back there for a while. My parents will come along with me, and even though they visited my brother while he was living in the UK, this will be their first time in Bristol. I’ll be touring them around the city for several days, and I think they’ll like it, especially for its smaller size and calmer pace of life than in London — or their usual lives in Bangkok for that matter. I think studying a master’s abroad like I did is a great idea. It can be valuable to find your feet first by completing your undergrad degree and spending some time in the work world, and then expanding outward to a place like the UK for new opportunities. Whichever path someone takes, there are many aspects of experience to be gained both at home and abroad, each with their own value. 186

During my classes, we had to do frequent group work, and working intensively with others for hours at time in this way led to new friendships with students from all around the world, including India, Korea, South Africa and more. 187

Thailand A!er more research about UWE’s Event Management programme, I was sure it was the one for me. Panida Petchai (Bim) MSc Event Management, 2022 189

My interest in event management started early in life. During special days of the year at school when I was growing up, like Christmas, we’d take part in classroom activities to celebrate. Most students would choose something performative, such as dancing in front of the class, but I always preferred to focus on putting together the props and decorations that were needed. Later, in high school, I was on the Students’ Council as the Events Organizer, in which role I was responsible for heading up all the school events for students throughout the year, as well as for proposing new event ideas to the faculty so that they could decide whether to instigate them. My most successful work in this role was for organizing prom night in my final year, in which I had to contact hotels, arrange decorations, and so on. It was a lot of fun — I was really into the whole process — so I decided to pursue studies that would take me more in that direction. I started studying communication arts for my bachelor’s, where I discovered through my membership in a club called Music Club that I had a real knack for working in a backstage capacity — for instance in contributing to concerts by working on things like the backdrop for the stage, props, and photo booths, as well as contacting the university to coordinate the productions and reaching out to external organizations for sponsorship and fundraising. All this led me to choose Performance Communication as my major, where I could study about live performances such as fashion shows, concerts, and theatrical productions. To declare that major I had to do an internship, so I joined an organization where I was able to work as a creative and account executive, meaning I got to both create events and then market them to clients. I had a lot of fun during the internship and got to work with professionals in the field from across Thailand — as well as talk to a number Thai celebrities, which was really cool! After graduation, I sought out work that involved live events. I got hired as an account executive at an international company that specialized in event organization, spending two years in the position. I met people in the creative and production industries, as well as suppliers like graphic designers and light and sound technicians from all around Thailand — but I also continued my university reality of going long sleepless stretches in order to pull off events, so I began to get worn out. It was at that point that I started wondering if I should go for my master’s, because I realized that my ultimate ambition was to one day earn a doctorate degree and teach as a professor, which of course necessitates that I achieve a master’s first. I talked to my parents about my desire I really lucked out with my classmates, all of whom have been so helpful and friendly. 190

to return to studying, and they initially suggested that I do so in Thailand. I felt, however, that I’d be able to gain a wealth of new experiences by studying abroad instead. UWE Bristol became my first choice for such a move, as my best friend already happened to be studying the Digital Management programme there; in fact, when I told her of my plan to do a master’s, she immediately suggested that I come to UWE, emphasizing how nice a place Bristol was to live, drawing comparisons between it and Chiang Mai in Thailand — the city I’d gone to high school in and where she knew I’d really enjoyed my time. I also talked to an agent, expressing my desire to study Event Management, and she directed me toward Bristol as well, since the city has year-round events and thus makes it a great fit for students in my field. After more research about UWE’s Event Management programme, I was sure it was the one for me. Not only would I earn my master’s this way, but by studying there I also anticipated that I’d enhance my opportunity to meet a diverse range of people and form a wealth of connections that would serve me well in the future. Upon completing my application, I received an unconditional offer, with P’Prim and P’Joy (from the UWE Asia Pacific Thailand office) providing further explanation to me about life at the university in detail. They mentioned to me that the majority of other students on the MSc Event Management course would be native British, and in particular that there were few fellow Thais currently on the course there. For me this was great, because I aspired to get out of my bubble and use my time at UWE to make international friendships and connections. The stars had aligned and my decision was officially set. I arrived in the UK in September 2021, which was immediately followed by a 10-day quarantine. I made it to Bristol just fine and kicked off my year of study with induction classes. The move into my accommodation in the City Centre was smooth; I had arranged 191

this room well in advance, with P’Prim and P’Joy helping again by talking with my agency about accommodation, after which I was directed to the relevant UWE page online to book the shared flat that looked best to me. I live with three undergrad students — two British and one Singaporean. I find living in the City Centre really convenient, since I’m just five minutes from Cabot Circus, and my accommodation also has a Tesco next door. There’s plenty of other Thai students living here as well, so it’s easy to meet up and hang out with them anytime I want. As for Bristol itself, one positive that really stands out to me is the absence of racism. I was surprised, because I had experienced some racism previously as an Asian exchange student in the southern US, so it was something I was worried about encountering again upon moving to the UK. Bristol is really diverse, with people from all around the world living and studying here, and I never feel judged when speaking to the locals even though I’m still not very confident with my English ability. To give one example, on the first day of induction I got lost and couldn’t find the bus station; I stopped a passerby and asked how to get to Frenchay Campus, and she took me all the way to the bus station and instructed me on which bus I needed to take. That was when I first learned how nice Bristolians are, not to mention that they tend to be quite talkative. Life is not without its challenges, though. For one thing, you need to be really responsible when living abroad (and alone) for study like this. I must manage my personal finances carefully, and have had to maintain a schedule that allows for both studying and my part-time work. The time management aspect is one of greater challenges, because on my course there are a lot of assessments that I need to prepare for. On that note, you do need to prioritize as well; I was working as a waitress in a Thai restaurant here up until recently, but gave that up once my dissertation class started. I really lucked out with my classmates, all of whom have been so helpful and friendly. We do a lot of group work on the course, which means I am constantly able to interact and collaborate with students from other countries. I get to know them in this way and learn more about how to adapt myself to work with people from diverse backgrounds, which is a practice that will benefit me in my career path. The courses are similar in some ways to what I studied as part of my undergrad, but our focus is more specific and in-depth. I’m highly considering an art exhibition centered on this idea. Whereas in Thailand such exhibitions are more likely to attract people eager to highlight their attendance on Instagram or other social media, I feel people here are more apt to really appreciate art. Looking to the future, I’m strongly considering to do my PhD here or in another foreign country. I’d like to work in the UK as well on a post-grad visa — ideally at the same time that I’m working on my PhD. I’d need to remain very disciplined with that, so it would definitely be a challenge. Beyond that, as mentioned before, I do ultimately aspire to be a university professor. I’d like to bring my passion to a new generation of students to help them learn more about what goes into the creation of events and to understand the importance of them. In Thailand people often look at events as marketing tools, so there’s a common misconception that events are easy to hold and manage, ignoring the tireless work behind them. The comprehensive planning, considerations, money, time and care that goes into such spectacles is immense, and something that I’d like to convey to future students through my teaching, inspiring them to see the great value in the profession. I’m glad I made the decision to come here to UWE. I’d recommend anyone to study abroad like this if they have the opportunity. Apart from great teachers and the quality of the programme, it necessitates that you shape yourself into a responsible person who is highly organized and can managed their time efficiently. Not only that, but you get the chance to meet other people from all around the world. Places like Bristol or the UK in general offer opportunities to meet people that can help you learn new languages and discover other cultures. I’ve made many international friends already and from them I learn all about their backgrounds. To me, it’s truly been worth the costs involved to go abroad and have these experiences that I wouldn’t be able to back home. Places like Bristol o!er opportunities to meet people that can help you learn new languages and discover other cultures. The lecturers have been really nice and helpful. Any time I have problems I can feel comfortable emailing them, and they respond very quickly. Not only that, but the class size is just around 30 students, which means that I always have a chance to talk during lessons and get to know my classmates better. In fact, we’ve gotten to know each other well enough that even when answering questions during class time we can usually just exchange eye contact to decide who will speak next. I recently had my first dissertation class, so I’m starting to think about what kind of project I’d like to do for that. As an international student, I feel that focusing on diversity and equity in some way would be one of my strengths. With that in mind, 192

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Receiving (the Vice-Chancellor’s) Scholarship was above and beyond my expectations, and I therefore decided to take another step forward by embarking on an MSc Digital Marketing at UWE. Savita Kraisomsri (Bam Bam) BA (Hons) Business Management with Marketing, 2021 MSc Digital Marketing, 2022 Sept. 2021 Recipient of Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship 195

E ver since high school I’ve been interested in the marketing field, a passion that includes video editing and developing advertisements. It was only natural, then, that I decided to pursue Business Management with Marketing for my bachelor’s degree. I’d never had the chance to study abroad in the past, but when I talked to my agency about what I desired for study, they told me that UWE Bristol was a great choice for those seeking to study marketing, and also that the city itself had nice weather and nice people, making it a great place to live and study. As I started looking at the application process, the first thing I worried about was the IELTS test, as I felt my English wasn’t very good. Not to be deterred, I started doing a lot of exercises and test practice leading up to the exam, achieving an IELTS band 6 average in the end, which was the necessary score to qualify for admission. My mom and dad were so proud of me for seeking to study abroad, because it was a decision that I’d made entirely on my own and I was doing the work to make it a reality. They knew that I’ve always loved learning new things, and that even in my free time I always seek to acquire more knowledge, so it was no surprise to them that I’d resolved to improve myself by studying abroad. In 2020, following my pre-sessional course at UWE, I returned to Thailand to study online for the year in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Studying online came with its difficulties, primarily in terms of the time zone difference between Thailand and the UK. For example, when we had an exam that was to be completed and submitted in a 24- hour period, my teacher in the UK started the exam at 11 am UK time — which was 5 pm Thailand time. I stayed up all night completing it and managed to submit it the next morning. Some of my classes were also held around 1 am or 2 am Thailand time, so I needed to get used to attending at such hours. Regardless that the course was online, though, I found the quality of the teaching really good; I could freely ask questions during our sessions or meeting, as well as get in touch with the teachers through email or via Blackboard. In April 2021, just prior to finishing my undergrad, I had the opportunity to apply for the UWE Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship. I wrote an essay for my application, and was thrilled thereafter to not only find out I’d won, but also that I was the only Thai recipient to do so that year in the digital marketing field. Receiving that scholarship was above and beyond my expectations, and I therefore decided to take another step forward by embarking on an MSc Digital Marketing at UWE. With Covid beginning to ease off somewhat, in July 2021 I travelled back to Bristol to prepare for the beginning of the first term in September, moving into private accommodation in Broadmead. The post-graduate programme has allowed me to meet many more international classmates than I had during my undergrad course. I feel common ground with them, as we all share the experience of studying in a foreign country. Another difference from the undergraduate programme is that there is a large critical thinking component throughout and a lot of assignments and projects to complete, such as a group marketing project which requires lots of discussion and collaboration with my group members. As opposed to the differences, a nice aspect of the course is that some of the teachers are the same ones that I had as an undergraduate, so I’m already familiar with them and always feel comfortable asking them questions. We need to take a high degree of responsibility in the classroom, where we are consistently active participants in our ongoing study rather than passive listeners. For instance, we each need to thoroughly read assigned case studies before discussing it with classmates. There is a lot of interaction A!er trying my first presentations, I got valuable feedback on my performance from my teachers, all of which I completely agreed with, and I resolved to follow their suggestions and improve. 196

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between students and between the students and the teacher. If I haven’t prepared in advance, such as by reading one of the aforementioned case studies, I’ll be drawing a blank throughout the class and have nothing to contribute. This type of learning is changing my outlook and behaviour: when I was studying in Thailand, I didn’t even like reading, but now that I’m at UWE I find myself reading and practicing my presentation abilities every day. To expand on that last point, another powerful ability I’ve gained at UWE is public speaking. I had very little practice with public speaking and giving presentations during my After graduating, I hope to find a job in the UK and work here for a while. I think it would provide great experience to equip me for future work back home. Career-wise, I’m considering that I’d like to work in the advertising industry. The reason that I decided to focus on digital marketing in the first place is because of my interest in websites and other online platforms. Studying this course is helping me learn so much about improving websites and marketing on social media to gain people’s engagement. I’ve been learning how to use important digital tools like Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, and one of the most interesting skills I’ve gained is editing video in Premiere Pro. Putting some I have some good Chinese friends that I met during my undergrad and who I’m still in touch with. Though I’m not much for nightlife, I do really like going out to try new foods, so my friends and I visit new restaurants. I like UK food, especially fish and chips, as well as Mexican food, Mediterranean food and others. There are all kinds of options available here. I do miss Thai food a lot, but fortunately I enjoy cooking, so I make it myself at home. Right next to my accommodation is an Asian grocery, so I can get the ingredients I need there. I firmly believe that nobody is perfect, school years in Thailand, where we tend to listen to the teacher far more than speak, and so this was one of my greatest weaknesses upon arriving here for the first time. I had no confidence in talking in front of the class, but gave it a shot anyway. After trying my first presentations, I got valuable feedback on my performance from my teachers, all of which I completely agreed with, and I resolved to follow their suggestions and improve. I began practicing upcoming presentations by giving them in front of a mirror at home, and since then my public speaking skills have consistently improved. This is not only valuable in class, but in the confidence it’s given me in speaking to others in daily life. but practice can make perfect in any undertaking, and even in dealing with things like homesickness and a new climate, all you need is some time to adapt. If you have an opportunity like this, just do it, because you’ll gain experience that you could never gain in the same way in your own country. In my case, for example, I’ve been able to constantly improve my speaking skills in a way that I couldn’t back home, while there are also new foods to try and other aspects of culture to encounter and embrace. Those with the ambition and inclination to study abroad should have no fear. 198 of these new abilities to work, last December I had to complete what is called the “Hollywood Project” by creating a short movie trailer using my friends as actors. I chose to make a trailer for Jumanji, and had so much fun working on it. Outside of my studies, I’ve also joined UWE Dance (UWE’s dance club), where I attend ballet classes. I’ve met a lot of new friends there, so it was great to meet people with similar interests there. I’ve actually practiced ballet from the age of three and it’s been a big part of my life. Though I previously took a hiatus from it due to a health issue years ago, I’ve been happy to be able to get back into it again.