would be the right one, because it would be based on my own deep consideration of the options. My eventual decision to follow the recommendation of choosing International Human Resource Management did indeed support me in my career development; I’m now the HR Director at a startup company, and often repeat Mike’s message to my own colleagues: the decision you make will be the right one. Because of such guidance, I feel very lucky to have met Mike in the UK. I liked the way the programme was carried out at UWE. Rather than learning everything directly from books, we had lots of practical face-to-face training, which also helped me and my classmates to become closer. The class was diverse, with students from Cambodia, Vietnam, and other countries. I liked the atmosphere that existed from sharing the class with people from so many backgrounds. Everyone seemed willing to share and take part in the teamwork activities, which made it easier to understand important features of the course like communication and how to change people’s minds. We could also learn about more international communication skills by having classmates from a range of nationalities and cultures. Another feature I appreciated was job shadowing, in which we were sent to a UK company for one day at a time on three different occasions. With job shadowing we were able to join the employees and observe how their work and responsibilities were carried out throughout the day. Overall, I think there was a good blend of lectures, book study and practical training. Most of my close friends there were Chinese, as it was nice to have a common language through which we could help clarify things for each other when we were having difficulties. We still stay in touch to this day, and some of them live up in Beijing. Having friends helped to absolve me of much home sickness, as did knowing that I’d only be in the UK for one and a half years in total. The time went by quickly. I completed my studies in 2015 and returned to China almost immediately, already set to start my first job, so I celebrated my graduation virtually in July of that year. I guess my overseas study experience might be a good point for a global company, as I was hired at Lenovo, with my major being an exact match with what they were looking for. It was a great company to be with and I stayed with them for five years, after which I joined the technology startup company Kankan as HR Director, which provides end-to-end full-stack optical imaging solutions and products. The systematical knowledge that I gained from the International Human Resource Management programme has been so important for what I do now. One part of my team’s job is the recruitment of new employees, and I’ve always remembered the phrase from one of my textbooks in this regard: The right people in the right position. It’s hard to summarize all the knowledge I gained at UWE, but there are stories and key statements and sentences that stuck with me strongly that really have a positive impact on my work. As I look to the future, I hope that I can help make the company continually more successful. I hope my professional skills will continue to develop in tandem with its growth. I also want to visit some universities, to share some of my working experience with students there. Theory and practice are very different, and a challenge that people in roles such as mine will face is that work life in a real job doesn’t go “by the book.” To anyone embarking on such a journey as I did, my recommendation would be to keep an open mind, and to strive to make friends with your foreign classmates; with the time and money you are using to study in another country, having a unique and different experience from what you would in your home country is of great importance for the value you’ll get from making that choice. In my opinion it’s better to take on challenges in life such as this and gain the benefits that come from it. The systematical knowledge that I gained from the International Human Resource Management programme has been so important for what I do now. 49
I was motivated to gain a bigger picture of the world. Yashi Wu BA (Hons) Business and China 50
I t had been a dream of mine since childhood to spend time abroad one day, ever since I’d begun studying English and learning about foreign countries and cultures at a young age. I began studying Business English in China at Guangdong University of Technology, and as the school has a partnership with UWE, I learned it was possible for me to do a top up year at UWE Bristol in Business and Management. I thought it would be a perfect choice, with the chance to go to the UK opening a window for me that would lead to my exploration of a different culture, providing a more colourful life experience. Even though there were nearly 200 other students at my school that were eligible for the programme, I was the only one in 2019 that decided to grasp this amazing opportunity presented to me. I had some hesitation about the undertaking. For one thing, it seemed that UWE was not so broadly known in China, so I didn’t have a picture of what life would look like there for me when I went there alone. I wondered if the students and teachers would be nice to a Chinese student, including whether they’d be patient or accommodating with my level of English language ability at the time. As a Chinese saying goes, a frog in a well can only see a small part of the sky. I was motivated to gain a bigger picture of the world. As I embarked on the application process, UWE provided a lot of support. I was even given a £3000 scholarship after submitting my application, in which I’d written about my goals and expectations for what I’d get from attending the university. My parents were quite surprised when I announced my plans, as they’d expected I’d go abroad for my master’s degree rather than doing it as part of my undergrad. I thought, though, that starting a master’s degree in a whole new country and academic system might be quite challenging, so it was preferable to learn and get accustomed to everything through the top up programme first. 51
Those wonderful teachers I encountered at UWE inspired me a lot a nd contributed significantly to my academic journey. I didn’t end up flying alone. Before leaving, I reached out on social media to students at other universities in China would be going to UWE at the same time, and we worked it out so that we’d be on the same flight to the UK. Even though we were still strangers at that time, I thought it was better than being alone to travel all the way to Bristol and find accommodation. Nevertheless, my parents have always said I’m the adventurous type, and beyond that coordination of travel plans I was still bravely heading out on a huge journey with the intent of seeing what would happen next and persevering through what challenges awaited. This would be only the second foreign country I’d visited in my life, and the first Western country. I was so excited when I first arrived. I’d come a bit earlier than the beginning of the new school year in order to study a pre-sessional course that would help familiarize me with UWE, meet new classmates and make some friends. I had some lingering anxiousness about my English ability, as despite having studied for a long time I’d had very few opportunities to use it with native speakers in real-life situation in Guangdong. What if I couldn’t understand what people were saying? I wondered. What if I couldn’t figure out certain accents or respond correctly? I was worried I’d find myself in such awkward English-related situations. I came up with tricks and techniques to help get me through this early stage in Bristol. For one thing, I quickly learned from meeting other international students that just because someone had a foreign face, it didn’t necessarily mean that their mother tongue was English either — keeping this in mind helped me build up my confidence to people when speaking: many of them were fellow learners. The second thing that helped me was going to ASDA (supermarket) and asking the employees for help, such as where to find certain things — since I was a customer, I knew that they would always be polite and help me, so it gave me a chance to practice my English more. I also discovered an international student centre in Bristol through an advertisement I saw during my pre-sessional course. I went to their website and joined, finding that the students in it were from all over the world and attending other universities in Bristol as well. On top of meeting other students through it, the website also provided a local host link, which allocated a local family to me once I signed up. To this day I still have a wonderful relationship with my previous host family, and last month I stayed with them for over a week when I went back to Bristol for my graduation ceremony. The first time I met my host family was to have dinner with them at their home. As we got closer, we continually had more meals together, and I also invited them to my accommodation to cook Chinese cuisine for them. During the Covid lockdown, as we couldn’t spend time together indoors, we went to the green space close to UWE to check it out and spend time together. I spent Christmas with them as well, which was unforgettable; I got to try Christmas pudding for the first time, among other traditional foods, had a full Christmas dinner they prepared, and we exchanged gifts together. It’s been an amazing experience with them. 52
Be courageous and strive to get out of your comfort zone to learn about people from di!erent places and backgrounds. in the morning and come back around 6pm, so it was a full day of exercising and socializing. I traveled a bit further as well, visiting Oxford to take in its beauty and history, along with Birmingham, Bath, and Cardiff, among other locations. After finishing at UWE, I went back to Guangdong for one year, where I got a job working as an executive assistant at a listed company in my home city. Having UWE on my resume was a big help in getting an interview and the job. My boss was a Canadian-born Chinese who could speak the language but not read it well, so I helped him arrange tasks and served as his translator when necessary. I experienced reverse culture shock in that year, but I enjoyed being back home for a while and spending time with my family before heading back to the UK to start my master’s in public policy. Now that I have an understanding of business and management as it relates to the private sector, I’d like to explore more of how the public sector operates and engages with the former in this society. In the next few months, following my completion of the master’s, I intend to search for jobs in different UK cities, including Bristol. Some advice I’d give to any Chinese student coming to the UK to study would be to mix with the English world and not just people from our own culture. It is always worthwhile to invest time and efforts to improve our English. The more we practice it, the better we’ll be able to communicate and, finally, become more confident as a result. You’ll discover that local people are also curious about Chinese culture, so we are the bridge to connect the countries, build understandings, and remove misconceptions. Be courageous and strive to get out of your comfort zone to learn about people from different places and backgrounds. This is how you can gain a colourful life experience. The education system was totally different from in China. The course was divided up into lectures and tutorials, and I really appreciated the way that the tutorials placed us in small groups wherein we could discuss about the cases we were given with our classmates, as well as directly communicate with the teacher. For the lectures, we were required to prepare ourselves with theories and then used them to explain the cases. I enjoyed both kinds of class. The expectations for our written essays were certainly posed a learning curve for me, but they were an important experience. The first essay I had to write was only 1000 words (whereas now the ones I write are 3000 words and up). I got really upset, because I didn’t know how to reference properly or to link my ideas to those of the source I was referencing. I remember crying in the library out of frustration, and called my friend in China and said I just didn’t know what to do. It was like I suddenly knew nothing. I made a quick recovery from that low point though; on my second assignment I started to understand better how to compose the essay correctly and got a decent grade, which I followed up by asking questions to my teacher to understand better where my improvements lay. During the writing of my dissertation, even though we faced stringent lockdowns and could only meet online, my supervisor provided me with tremendous support and encouragement. With her great assistance, I received a satisfying mark for my work, which earned me a First-Class honours degree. Those wonderful teachers I encountered at UWE inspired me a lot and contributed significantly to my academic journey. In my free time I enjoyed going on hikes with the Hiking Club, exploring different green spaces and mountains around Bristol, as well as taking a trip to Wales once. I was happy to make lots of new friends there, mixing with people from many different countries. Typically, we’d head out for our hikes early 53
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Hong Kong Multiculturalism is another strength of the city and the prime reason for me to choose Bristol. Alco So BA (Hons) Sociology, 2015 MSc Business Management with Digital Management, 2023 56
I t had always been my dream to be a psychologist, and my initial plan was to study psychology at university. While doing my A-Levels, my tutor — who was a graduate of UWE — got me interested in sociology and explained that it would suit me more if I loved viewing things from different perspectives and critical thinking. Considering that sociology includes economics in combination with social and psychological theories, I believed that focusing on that field might lead me to new possibilities and successes. Instead of crafting a personal statement to impress the admission team, I rather expressed my interest in sociology arose from a desire to explore cultural theory and social identity, stemming from my intercultural background of having lived in the Eastern and Western countries while growing up. I still remembered the joy of receiving all five offers on UCAS and was proud to firmly select UWE for my precious undergrad years. Though I had lived in different countries before, Bristol appealed to me more as the place to settle down for education. My fondness for the city originates in the first school trip I took there, where we visited Bristol Cathedral in College Green, with its beautiful Gothic architecture style, where I am grateful to have had my graduation ceremony for my bachelor’s. Bristol is a diverse city, easy to get to anywhere around town and also to travel outside to London or other cities to visit friends and relatives. Additionally, the multiculturalism is another strength of the city and the prime reason for me to choose Bristol. There are various ethnicities and nationalities in the community. During my sociology course, I was the only Asian in the class so it was always obvious to everyone when I was absent. Nowadays I expect the network will be even stronger than in the past, as I have heard a lot more Hongkongers have moved to the city in the time since I was studying my undergrad. Similarly, the British born Chinese group has developed a wide Asia network My jobs have benefitted from some of the modules I studied at UWE, as they helped me to tailor the consumer needs to relevant societal factors. including Chinese supermarkets, restaurants and entertainment venues, serving as a great hub for Asian language support like learning Cantonese and Mandarin, or helping the new immigrants settle down. I enjoyed the teaching style at UWE. The professors are knowledgeable and helpful, so we were welcome to contact them on social platforms if we had questions before exams or when working on assignments. This was a departure in style from my previous schools wherein tutors could only be contacted in class or formally through email. Blackboard was also a useful teaching tool to back up the lecture notes and also for targeted discussions and peer support. Apart from lectures, we got to participate in seminars and tutorials that involved us completing various group projects, further allowing me to interact and collaborate with classmates as well as carry out tasks individually. During my final year, I maximised my abilities by taking an additional course to Teach English as a Foreign Language while taking part in a particularly interesting placement project about Green Capital, where I had a chance to cooperate with the University of Bristol and the Bristol Fair Trade Network. It was one of the highlights of my undergrad years because of the inspiration I few from all kinds of different experts from various sectors. After my graduation, I worked for an international luxury firm in London for two years to manage the retail marketing strategy within the region, then moved to Hong Kong. Coincidentally, I went into horology by starting work in the luxury watchmaking industry. I work in business development and brand building for a distribution company, specialising in sourcing the finest luxury watches from Switzerland, Germany and Russia (among others) to elites and high profile customers in the Asia Pacific. Most of the time I represent Swiss Independent watch brands and host press conferences with international journalists in the W&W (Watches and Wonders) SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) and Baselworld in Switzerland, which was a breakthrough in my career. Seemingly a far cry from sociology or psychology, these valuable experiences have given me an opportunity to understand the industry widely. Nonetheless, my jobs have benefitted from some of the modules I studied at UWE, as they helped me to tailor the consumer needs to relevant societal factors. This insight into society and human behaviour does in fact make sociology applicable to all kinds of industries. Additionally, having a sociology background on my resume always led to a new discussion point for the headhunters and recruitment agencies, as employers were often curious about the subject and how did it connects with my position. 57
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During the years of the Covid-19 pandemic, companies have been forced to change their business strategies. Whereas I used to travel at least once a month to different countries for business trips, this became nearly impossible due to Covid measures, thus business meetings needed to be conducted virtually. This sparked my interest in understanding more about the virtual market and new-age technology. When it comes to high luxury goods, offline business still play an important part, thus I was ambitious and pleased to set up a few boutiques with the artistic retail concepts in APAC such as The Landmark and The Peninsula during the pandemic. However, it is necessary to adapt to the digital business information system and big data from different perspectives, and how it impacts the traditional industries like independent watchmaking and luxury goods. The desire to learn new-age skills and strategies in this regard is what made me decide to return to UWE to study an I still remembered the joy of receiving all five o!ers on UCAS and was proud to firmly select UWE for my precious undergrad years. industries with new-age technology. I am sure I will get inspired to improve my approach through the course, and especially to learn more about systems of customer relationship management (CRM), as it is an important asset for businesses whether they are operating on or offline across all industries. Finally, I have different cuttingedge strategies in mind that I hope to bring to my company. I am looking forward to getting back to the UK. I miss a lot of my friends and family that live there, as I haven’t seen them in more than two years. I’m delighted to be able to take part in the ceremonies and celebrations. It will also be nice to go back to university after completing several milestones with the international auction houses in Asia, and also to step back slightly from my role. With new knowledge, skills and experiences on the horizon, I will further meet my personal goals and I am determined and excited to start a new chapter at UWE. MSc Business with Digital Management. I anticipate that the leadership module, for one, will be very valuable, as I’ve been managing staff at my workplace and come to release that human resources and talent acquisition are a big responsibility to cope with; it is fascinating to understand and explore the digital business to drive these 59
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Hong Kong I looked through the course modules and saw it had everything I was looking for. Jessica Wong BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, 2022 61
Perhaps my favourite experience was a tour by ship around the harbour, as I got to see much of Bristol from a di!erent perspective and learn about more of its history in the process. 62
I ’m currently in my fourth and final year at UWE. My road toward physiotherapy, though, extends back prior to my foundation year here, and stems from my history as a karate athlete in Hong Kong, through which I first encountered the practice. Years ago, during my teens, two things happened around the same time: the first was a knee injury I sustained during a karate performance, and the second was a surgery my grandfather underwent, after which he needed rehabilitation with a physiotherapist. In the former case, undergoing my own physiotherapy, I came to feel that it was quite an interesting occupation. As my interest in it progressed, I developed a desire to change the way Hongkongers often interpret physiotherapy, transitioning the typical view of it (one held by my grandfather) as mere exercises that require no professional to be involved, to a new perspective that takes into understanding the scientific and methodological basis of effective physiotherapy — and why professional physiotherapists are required for the best patient outcomes. I initially planned to study physio in Hong Kong, but there’s only one university for it there and it’s extremely competitive to get into. Unable to get entrance, I began looking further afield. I found UWE Bristol’s International College, which provided a pathway for studying at UWE in the UK, but applied for other UK universities as well. I was also accepted to Liverpool, but in the end I chose UWE because me and my family contended that the city of Bristol provided a nicer environment to live and study in. I looked through the course modules and could see that it had everything I was looking for, and another plus was how many details were provided on UWE’s website, providing information on course components such as examinations, teaching, and self-study. I arrived in the UK for my foundation year in summer of 2018. My parents traveled with me and helped me get settled in, after which I carried on by myself. Even though I’d been to the UK on trips with my family before, I was excited to begin actually living there and learning all about British culture. The language was a bit of a hurdle at first — particularly because in Hong Kong we typically learn American English, so I had to get used to British English, like “chips” rather than “fries” or “crisps” rather than “chips.” the requirements and pressure gradually increased. I imagine that’s the norm for any course one is taking, but at the same time I feel like studying physiotherapy may be at a different level of challenge above others. The first year was heavier on theory and practical techniques, along with placements that came about at the end of it. In the second and third years there’s been a heavier element of self-study, wherein we received marks for our placements and practical exams, and of An interesting component of the course is our work with what are called Multi-Disciplinary Teams, or “MDTs”, wherein we’re placed with students in other programmes that can be linked with physiotherapy. I moved into Cotswold Court at the student village, since I’d be attending classes at Frenchay Campus. There were six people in my flat, and we were all taking the foundation year, so we became fast friends and have remained so to this day. That year was really fun, though it was certainly busy as well with all my coursework. I did make time to chill and grab a drink here and there, or head down to Cabot Circus. Bristol is a cool, youthful, and colourful city. There’s a strong artistic scene, which can be seen easily in the street art that abounds, and a lot of activities available like bowling, clubbing, escape rooms, and more. Perhaps my favourite experience was a tour by ship around the harbour, as I got to see much of Bristol from a different perspective and learn about more of its history in the process. My foundation year turned out to be the least demanding year overall, but as I progressed from year one through to year three, course substantial coursework that we were evaluated on. It’s not easy to balance all these aspects enough to achieve high marks in everything! An interesting component of the course is our work with what are called Multi-Disciplinary Teams, or “MDTs”, wherein we’re placed (through the Service Improvement course module) with students in other programmes that can be linked with physiotherapy, including nurses, occupational therapists, and radiotherapists to work as a team to produce a poster. These are all the kinds of people that, as practicing professionals, we will need to communicate and cooperate with in the future during our work. Another example of the course’s interactive nature can be found in the small groups we regularly divide into for discussions, developing treatment plans, performing role plays, and similar engaging and collaborative tasks — not to mention that the lecturer knows us all by name and is very 63
friendly. I really like the overall practical nature of the studies. The lecturers are very supportive. One thing they’ve always told us is that there are no stupid questions, not least because physio is a difficult course. They repeat this consistently, wanting us to ask questions any time we don’t understand, because it’s better to solve any misunderstanding early and construct a strong and accurate base of knowledge from the outset on which to further build. Furthermore, international students are taken care of very well, and lecturers will frequently check in with me to make sure I’m managing okay or if I need any extra assistance. Unfortunately, during my study in Physiotherapy, I did fail one of my neurology placements. Neurology is known as one of the most difficult areas in physio, and with COVID pressure on the ground it was a real struggle. On the positive side, around the same time I managed to find a part-time job in a Chinese supermarket, and while juggling my placement, part-time work and studying was difficult, I realized that the job actually provided me a chance to relax — I can see my friends at work and speak my own language, which feels like a comfortable connection to home. International students are taken care of very well, and lecturers will frequently check in with me to make sure I’m managing okay or if I need any extra assistance. Hong Kong is in the midst of some pretty heavy Covid issues currently, so I’d prefer to find a job here in Bristol post-graduation. What’s more, my younger brother is planning to study at UWE as well next year, so it’d be nice to be here when he comes over. It’s so worth it to step out from your comfort zone and seek studies abroad, just like my brother is now planning to do. It’s often said that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and leaving home with that spirit can enrich your life. With my athlete status as a member of the Hong Kong karate team, I did have the benefit in the past of traveling abroad to a number of countries, so I learned to adapt to new places quickly in order to compete successfully in foreign environments. Coming to the UK to live involved another level of adaptation, which I took willingly, and while different international students will inevitably face different challenges in getting along in a new nation, it is definitely worth it. International students become more independent, for example, such as through cooking for themselves and performing necessary housework — something I’d say is not so commonly done by many members of my generation. As I complete this final year of my undergrad, it’s clear to me that I did a lot more growing up in this way than I would have had I stayed in Hong Kong for university, and it’s indeed made me all the stronger. Joining clubs has also been nice for me. I’m in the Hong Kong Society and the Karate Club, both of which I’m on the committee for. I’d absolutely recommend for international students at UWE to not be afraid to join clubs and societies. I’ve found that these are a great way to build a circle of friends, and doing so has given me people to lean on and to always know that there are others going through the same things as me, whichever aspect of the experience that may be at a given time. With graduation gradually approaching, I’m thinking about staying in the UK afterward. 64
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Our vibrant community of creators and artists will immerse students in Bristol’s dynamic arts and cultural scene, while our partnerships with media, local museums and artistic venues o!ers a wealth of practical opportunities. Believing that creativity powers a brighter future, we work with agile industry leaders to develop a range of digital and immersive technologies through our research. School of Culture and Media OUR SUBJECT AREAS: - Drama and Acting - English, History and Writing - Filmmaking, Animation and Photography - Journalism and Media
Hong Kong My dream to pursue photography, marking a major shi! in my life direction, was taking me to live in Bristol. Kirby Po Lai MSc Photography, 2023 67
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I n Hong Kong I frequently photographed natural scenery and city scenes, but eventually I found this quite boring. I’d never taken photographs of people, and wanted to take a step forward and make progress in my photography by learning this skill, seeking ways to help me express though this medium how I feel and the way I see things. As I began searching for universities to study at, my uncle suggested UWE Bristol; a friend of his in Hong Kong had met a member of the local British Council who said that UWE was the ideal place for anyone looking to study an Arts programme. Following this suggestion, I looked up the university’s ranking in the Guardian and discovered the highly ranked Photography course, which looked interesting to me. I had only been abroad in the past for travel and for business trips, with Germany being the closest the latter took to me to the UK during my decade-long career as an engineer. Now my dream to pursue photography, marking a major shift in my life direction, was taking me to live in Bristol. It was a big decision to make, but with the political situation quickly changing domestically, a desire to have a change of pace and environment added to my motivation for the undertaking. I didn’t feel any nervousness before leaving for England, but once I arrived I encountered a number of unexpected challenges. For instance, on my first night in Bristol I had no electricity in my room, simply because I hadn’t been informed how to turn on the electricity there! It was already late at night by the time I realized the issue, so the landlord wasn’t available to help. It later turned out that the electricity was pay-asyou-go, which I figured out by experimenting with the meter. I was glad to at least solve the problem on my own. Bristolians have been very nice and the weather is fine. Surprisingly, it can be sweltering sometimes, and right now, in the middle of summer, I think it’s even hotter than Hong Kong. Despite the heat, I always feel comfortable walking around the city, and I’ve been up to Clifton Suspension Bridge and the observatory, which are lovely places. Before coming, I’d read that the crime rate in England is quite high, but I’ve never encountered any in Bristol; I feel safe here, even when walking home after midnight. My classes are at the City Campus at Arnolfini, and I live close to there, so it’s been a convenient arrangement. I’ve been enjoying my course. I’ve found that the tutors are good for me, as they’re leading me to take up new areas of photography that I hadn’t attempted before. My interests have broadened while studying so far, and I’ve come to enjoy doing portraits rather than my previous tendency toward nature and city photography. All my photos now feature people, and I’ve learned how to use artificial lighting in my work, which was a new technique for me. I’ve taken in valuable tips, like to limit the amount of information in a photograph, and to avoid written messages or too much text in our photos. Additionally, I appreciate how the university has numerous resources available for photography students. Though I’ve been using a digital camera, I always seek out getting to know more people, both local and foreign, and doing so has already brought me a diverse group of friends. 69
I’m looking to use a film camera this year instead so that I can make use of some of these resources while I’m here, such as the darkroom. We are also free to present our work in any way that we choose, whether through an exhibition, a book, or even just printing our photos. My classmates are all friendly people, and consist of a mix of British students and three international students, including me. As a small class of around ten people, we’ve become close and even go out for drinks after class sometimes, visiting a variety of different venues. Outside of class, I also play volleyball on a team in the Bristol Volleyball Club. As an avid volleyball player, I initially found the club on Facebook and contacted them before even flying to England. I’d already joined the club by the time I arrived in Bristol, and soon had tryouts to become part of the team. We practice every Monday during volleyball season and have games against other teams from across Bristol, winning every match we played in Division 2 during the last season. I made some good friends through the club, so between that and my classmates I’ve developed a good social circle. I always seek out getting to know more people, both local and foreign, and doing so has already brought me a diverse group of friends. It’s in my nature to try to solve any problem when I’m faced with one — such as having no electricity that first night — but until a problem arises I let things unfold as they may. Therefore, when I consider my future plans after completing the course, I’ve left myself open to anything, as I’m focusing on what I’m learning and am not yet faced with pressure to make a decision. Though I don’t yet have a clear picture of what I’ll pursue after graduation, it would be great if photography could be a part of what I do, and at any rate I’m committed to the idea of staying in the UK. In fact, I even brought my pets with me to Bristol, including turtles and a parrot! There is a world of opportunity on the horizon. I’ve found that the tutors are good for me, as they’re leading me to take up new areas of photography that I hadn’t attempted before. 70
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India With its blend of art, design, architecture and its creativity-centric culture, Bristol was perfect for me. Ajay Boga MA Graphic Arts, 2022 73
I ’ ve been an artist ever since my childhood. My way of learning about the world was very much done through my observations and creative activities like drawing. I went into architecture for my undergrad, where I placed a lot of focus on the presentation and communication of relevant concepts. I began to understand the importance of communication, and most of my work focused on storytelling through the objects and spaces I was dealing with, consistently using drawing and animation as tools to accomplish this. By the time I graduated, I’d become more and more certain that art — specifically graphic art — was what I really wanted to do. Coming from a family of doctors and engineers, I needed to do some convincing to help them accept that this was the direction I wanted to take my future studies, but fortunately they were aware of my passions and very supportive of me pursuing them. My family continued their supportive attitude for me when I informed them that I’d like to study in the UK. The subjects that I’d been studying until then had a Western influence rooted in Indian context. While culturally I was shaped by India, in terms of higher education I was accustomed to the Western style of learning. My curiosity towards learning — specifically the arts, design and culture — added to my family’s understanding of why going abroad for my master’s was a fitting choice. While I hadn’t yet been to the UK, I’d been to numerous countries in Europe, including a summer typography workshop in Switzerland, which was an undertaking that only further inspired me along a dedicated artistic route. Even with those prior experiences under my belt, arriving in Bristol was overwhelming at first, as there was so much going on in the city! During my first six months of study, which had been online, the Programme Leader for MA Graphic Arts, Stephen Monger, had often told me that Bristol was the place to be for someone with my interests. After Covid restrictions lifted at the end of that six months, I finally got my chance to go and discovered that Steve had been exactly right — with its blend of art, design, architecture and its creativity-centric culture, Bristol was perfect for me. The proximity to nature is one thing I love about Bristol, which is something I connect to naturally. The best part about UWE itself is that it has these three different campuses in different locations around the city, each of which is very diverse. I like to hop between the campuses based on whether I’m working on a project, studying or reflecting, selecting the environment that fits my current activity and mood. My classes are on the City Campus at Arnolfini, and though I originally lived quite close to it, I’ve moved to different accommodations a couple times to try out staying in other areas of the city. In general, I like to be living somewhere that’s not far from an escape into nature when I want it. There were fifteen or so students in my Graphic Arts class, and while all of them had formerly studied integrated design, animation and illustration, I was from a more industrial educational background. This cross-disciplinary experience helped spark some interesting conversations and exchange between the students and a provided the chance for a lot of us to learn from one another; I was intrigued by their work and they were interested as well with how I looked at things. The way other students narrated stories and conducted problem solving was very interesting to me, and I also learned more about the relevant tools and software through them as well. In addition, Steve (Stephen Monger) was really helpful in every way, making my journey easy and helping me navigate around different departments to learn how things worked. Thanks to him, by the time I was physically in the classroom I already felt familiarized with things. The course had a very good balance between how one thinks and reflects, and how one executes, and this latter part is The best part about UWE itself is that it has these three di!erent campuses in di!erent locations around the city, each of which is very diverse. 74
where software knowledge really helps. I’ve always been curious about animation and a lover of animated movies, fascinated by how Pixar movies, for example, are able to convey stories. Stemming from this, my primary interest is in hand sketching and drawing, which is something I’ve long done, experimenting with creating animated and stop motion pieces. Animation was one of the components of my class, so I got to explore this further. Keeping an open mind, as a designer I choose any tool that I need in order to tell a story. My final project was heavily research based, so I had to spend a good amount of time understanding certain cultural aspects before incorporating concepts into a narrative to convey them, and then came the experimentation using different tools and software. The idea arose from my observations of the local culture around me in Bristol. For instance, when I first went to a supermarket here I was intrigued by the graphic nature of different consumer products and their packaging design. The cultural influence on these different styles was apparent to me, and I became intrigued with what other people’s perceptions would be in this regard: how would Westerners perceive Indian objects, I wondered, and would they differentiate between Western and Indian designs? I proceeded by looking next at my own culture, which is so diverse and rich in art, and I came to feel that there is a lot to understand about the way we think and create, which led me to take cultural research as a starting point. I began to ask myself how we could bring back such visual cultural aspects into societal conversation and inspire a change in the way we see things. Why should packaging look like it does, for example, rather than there be a story found in the packaging, like how Indian temples are constructed and decorated to narrate a story as you move through the space? There are so many aspects of my own culture that could be brought to aspects of communication like product packaging. I 75
didn’t know where the project would lead me at the time I started, but I discovered a lot along the way, which eventually led to visual outputs as the fruits of my research. In terms of reception, I feel my project resulted in a lot of intrigue. I kept it openended rather than formulating a static conclusion. The way I went about the research received a lot of appreciation and comments that it was an interesting way of looking at how culture and graphic design can be brought together in new I was o!ered a Senior Graphic Designer role in a London-based design agency whose work is positioned at the cross junction of architecture and graphic communications. ways. I went on to experiment more based on the feedback and came up with some frameworks for how we could go about this combination of culture and graphic design, which I may be able to implement in the future. As a designer, I’m a problem solver. I have an analytical way of thinking and applying methodology on the one hand, while on the other I have my artistic side that I want to be able to factor in when required. My designs always include some indicator of what issue it is solving or other purpose it serves. I think of the functionality first, and by applying art and design I strive to create a memorable impact that becomes part of the storytelling I seek to achieve. My course at UWE is already influencing me a lot in the way that I look at things, and in my future practice I seek to continue looking into contextbased solutions wherein culture and context combine to influence design. I have the opportunity to stay on here in the UK on the post-study work visa, so I’m now exploring different employment options. I’ve been to a few interviews already where the employers have expressed that they see potential in my work from my architecture and graphic design background. I get a lot of offers from the wayfinding agencies, environmental design consultants, and people who deal with both architecture and graphic communications. Last week I was offered a Senior Graphic Designer role in a London-based design agency whose work is positioned at the cross junction of architecture and graphic communications. I continue to evolve my career along these lines, gaining an understanding of how things are designed and how we can contextually find solutions. I’m so glad I made the decision to study at UWE. A lot of that has to do with my interest in travelling, in discovering other cultures, and in learning itself. My curiosity led me here and this place has given me a lot, inspiring and motivating me. I’ve travelled a lot in India as well, driven by that same curiosity, and it’s something fundamental that I’ve brought with me to my life in Bristol. I think there are certain similarities between this country and my own, and that we share in an exchange of different properties, so I never felt strange about being here but rather that it’s familiar to me. Everything I do is influenced by certain 76
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touchpoints, and when they come together I produce my best work. Just to illustrate this, the company Absolut Vodka started a competition in 2018 for Absolut India, aiming to produce a limited edition bottle for both the domestic market and to be distributed internationally worldwide. I entered the competition, and all my influences, travel, and art and design experience came together into my submission. Ultimately, I was the winner of the competition, and it gave me a lot of confidence that I was going in the right direction, that all these pieces were coming together and the dots were being connected. That project brought in elements of the heart, the design process, cultural influences and the methodologies of working around packaging design — as the artwork had to fit properly onto a bottle. That project was one of the best in my career so far, creating an impact both visually and by conveying a narrative through illustration design. I feel that many art and design students who are really curious about learning new things will not be hesitant to move abroad to study like I have. It of course depends on individual personalities and whether someone truly wants to expand in all directions to gain some understanding of every aspect of design, whereas for some there may only be a single aspect that they seek to dive deeper into. I categorize myself as being of the former disposition, multidisciplinary and eager to go in every direction. I’d recommend for those who are similar to travel a lot and expose themselves widely to culture, as it will result in their production of more meaningful works and products. I’d also encourage those in other fields to incorporate art and design into what they are producing, because these qualities foster a more personalized level of communication, which is something we all need. In a globalizing world, there are many who are trying to forget the cultural aspects that influence us, but it’s my belief that these should be factored into what we create. I look forward to continuing to apply my vision to all that I design. 78
As one of the biggest creative hotspots outside London, Bristol is brimming with a huge variety of artistic organisations. We share a broad range of partnerships, from the BBC to Watershed, which are strengthened by our location. Based at City Campus, our scenic Bower Ashton site is equipped with specialist maker spaces and technical workshops. We’re also home to two international contemporary art centres, Arnolfini and Spike Island, complete with inspiring city centre studio spaces. School of Art and Design Bristol identified by Nesta as a UK creative hotspot. Fashion graduate employers include Vivienne Westwood, Victoria Beckham, H&M, and many more. Nesta
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Indonesia In my drive to succeed in that period, I definitely became more independent and mature in my approach to work. Alessandro Gontay BSc (Hons) Digital Media, 2021 81 82
My education has seen a winding path as I follow my interests where they take me. Growing up in Indonesia I’d always loved watching cartoons, both shows and movies, and was attracted to the idea of one day creating them myself. From an early age I loved to draw, and always wanted to bring those drawings to life, even if that meant adding eyes and a mouth to my sketch of a cake or other inanimate object. By the age of 17, therefore, I already knew that I wanted to study animation, so I began looking for a university that offered a major in it. I came across very few universities that specifically provided a Bachelor’s in such a course, but eventually I wound up at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), where I’d go on to study for two years. The main reason I chose to go to IVE was because they had a partnership program with UWE, and that would give me the option of doing my topup at the latter for my final year. I did have the choice of staying in Hong Kong for my final year of study, but by that time I was hesitant, as I’d found myself struggling more and more with the language barrier in daily life. I figured that an English-speaking country would be a better fit for me, and so opted to take hold of my opportunity to study at UWE. As it turned out, my move to the UK took place right in heart of the pandemic. I flew directly from Hong Kong rather than going back to Indonesia first, trying to minimize the amount of flying I’d have to do, which left me sad that I wouldn’t see my family before embarking on my new journey. I arrived there alone, excited at my new adventure, but also confronted with big changes from what was familiar to me. It was the most distant foreign country I’d ever traveled to, so it wasn’t easy at first to start out on such a big undertaking without my parents or anyone else to assist me. Despite any anxiousness I was feeling, when I arrived in Bristol I felt that it was such a cool city. I could really see myself doing a lot of growing up there in the coming years. I moved into student accommodation and started meeting fellow students from so many different countries, which was amazing. Living right there on campus was great, since I figured I’d scored big time with being able to get to class five minutes after heading out the door. Combine that with ten minutes prep time to get ready in the morning, and it was looking like I wouldn’t be too hard-pressed to keep up my attendance! It was right about then that the coronavirus came surging back, though, and classes moved online. I started wondering if I’d made a mistake in coming all the way to the UK if my course was going to be delivered online anyway. Fortunately, I ended up being grateful for the comprehensive way it was carried out and what I got from it. Studying online, as I’d already learned in Hong Kong, can potentially make it difficult to be productive. Not only that, but there’s a feeling of isolation that can come attached to it. In my drive to succeed in that period, I definitely became more independent and mature in my approach to work. I know that in the future I’ll face much harder challenges, and this is really just the beginning of my adult life, so any obstacles I face are valuable learning and development opportunities for me. In Hong Kong my studies had been strictly centered around animation, but now, as I worked toward my degree in digital media, I realized that animation would not necessarily have a prominent place in my future. As much as I enjoyed watching animation, actually making it was quite a different story, and at UWE I was exploring different dimensions of digital design that broadened my horizons in the field. I became particularly interested in user interface (UI) design and user experience (UX) for things like mobile applications and websites. I’ve asked myself three things along my journey when choosing what to study: what are my hobbies, what are my passions, and what holds the most prospects for a future career? 82
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UI/UX appealed to me so much, in fact, that for my final project I created a novel mobile app that I was really proud of, designed to help deaf people in the UK who face accessibility issues. I’d learned that, statistically, deaf people in the UK are not as healthy as people with regular hearing ability, because they don’t have the same ease of access to certain areas of the health service. From my perspective, for maximum effectiveness my app needed to be both as visually pleasing and simple to use as possible, so I made this my goal during its creation. To give an idea of what the app did, one of its side features was a notification “bell” for hospital queues. Take, for instance, a trip to the hospital for a medical checkup; you have to visit the receptionist or other administration, and wait to be called by them or the nurses for your turn. This is typically done by someone announcing names to the room or broadcasting them through loudspeakers, which means that a deaf person will face difficulty in such a situation. My app allowed hospital staff to send an alert when it was the deaf person’s turn, which caused their phone to vibrate (rather than produce a sound through the speakers). Even though it wasn’t perfect in my opinion, I was really thankful to be able to create such a thing with the assistance of my professors and classmates. The project was well-received, and five months ago I was elated to graduate with a First-Class BSc Digital Media degree. UI/UX appealed to me so much, in fact, that for my final project I created a novel mobile app that I was really proud of, designed to help deaf people in the UK who face accessibility issues. Another great success I had was through a part of the Digital Media Programme called Design Enterprise Studio. In this course we explored real-world information pertaining to professional work in the digital media industry. We began there by developing new CVs for ourselves that would lend us competitiveness in the industry, as a way to get us prepared for truly jumping into it. In the following semester we were placed in groups, with each group then being partnered with a real company and given tasks to complete with them. My group was assigned to work with a company called Thinkfully, which in part aims to help students improve their overall thinking process, and our responsibility was to manage their social media accounts. To that end, we 84
did a lot of research, promotion and design connected with their social media presence, and they were immensely pleased with our performance. It was enjoyable throughout and we grew really close to the company staff, with everyone happy at the end of the project. Outside of academics, I’ve developed a rewarding social life here in Bristol. Following the Covid lockdown, I joined the Acts church here and became part of that community. We’ve ended up hanging out a lot and going to different spots in Bristol. My favourite of these outings was a trip we made to Cheddar Gorge. The scenery was unreal, and hiking there amidst the stunning geography was wonderful. Just spending time with people like that after a long lockdown was a real breath of fresh air, especially as I’m quite extroverted by nature. Another thing I’ve loved is going on picnics around Bristol. Some of the parks here are so beautiful that they’re honestly mindblowing; I almost feel like I’m in spending time in some otherworldly paradise rather than on Earth when I’m taking in some of the sights. Those picnics are a perfect time to relax and spend time enjoying the company of others. Photography has always been a hobby of mine, and in high school I spent time working as a freelance photographer, videographer and video editor. Just as my general passion for animation and digital media led me first to study animation nd then move into digital design with a focus on UI/UX, this long-term culmination of interests is now leading me to shift my focus to film and television, in which I’m seeking my master’s. I’ve asked myself three things along my journey when choosing what to study: what are my hobbies, what are my passions, and what holds the most prospects for a future career? Keeping that in mind, in terms of my career I think I’ll find the most joy working in film and video production. My biggest dream is to one day work in a Hollywood setting. I’m a huge fan of Hollywood movies, so working on such films is something I really aspire to. In the near future I’d like to find a job as either a video editor, producer or a director in some fashion. In particular, there’s a role in filmmaking called Director of Photography which I would ultimately love to do. There aren’t many openings in the industry for such a position — it’s not one you typically see cropping up on job boards — so this is an area where making connections through networking will greatly assist me. I’ll likely seek to secure employment in London next year and start there. I’m just getting started and there’s a whole world out there waiting for me to make my mark in it. 85
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Indonesia Two of my favorite things so far have been visiting Bristol Cathedral and walking around Millennium Square, with the square being especially lovely a!er sundown when the nightlife picks up. Audric Aurellio Simadi Putra BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance, 2022 87
My story starts kind of ironically, because I wasn’t even thinking about studying in the UK at first. I actually wanted to go to the USA — Los Angeles to be exact. My dad realized, however, that my inclinations at the time might not have been based on my best academic interests, and so he asked me to consider carefully where I really wanted to study at university. He told me that I could choose between the US and UK, but that I should think about it wisely. Things in the US started looking a bit chaotic to me due to civil unrest that was flaring up, and I decided, in the end, that it would be better to choose the UK. I researched many different universities, and was even offered a scholarship for one of them. I heard that UWE Bristol had a good reputation for its student services, and soon realized that many universities don’t offer such a resource. This kind of support was something I knew I would need, because I anticipated that I’d be struggling a lot in my first year and would benefit greatly from it. It swayed my decision, and I ultimately ended up applying to UWE Bristol for the International Year One Plus course, which I would take online due to the Covid situation. That turned out to be really good move. It was indeed a challenge for me, since I was essentially doing a foundation year plus my freshman year of university combined, but it turned into a rewarding experience. The teachers were always ready to assist me in any way they could when I was having difficulties, and they helped me succeed despite the challenge of completing all the work that was required. Though the foundation year component was similar enough to high school for me to have no problem with the work, the freshman year studies that followed were where I started to struggle, because it was so different from anything I had experienced before academically. As I’ve mentioned, it was online, so I had to cope with the UK Indonesia time difference, and I even missed some of my classes when I got confused over my schedule, putting me behind. I contacted student services and told them about what I was going through. They helped me to catch up on what I’d missed, step-bystep, and gave me guidance for how I could do better in the classes I was having problems with. They offered to help me further anytime I needed it. Another difficulty I had at first was learning to cope with the university’s academic standards, which were so different from what I used to in high school. Learning to reference properly when doing essays and other assignments, avoiding plagiarism in all forms, and other such criteria were all a bit overwhelming at first. Since that initial hurdle in adapting to these levels of academic rigour, I’ve become increasingly adept at producing essays and other written assignments that are fully up to standard. I’m much more at ease now when tackling such work than I was previously. My second year is about to get underway, and I’ve quite recently arrived in Bristol for it. I wasn’t nervous about the trip to get here from Jakarta at all — in fact, I was really happy about the whole thing. I travelled with a friend who is now attending Nottingham University, so having company helped make it a better journey. We only ran into a bit of an issue when transiting through Abu Dhabi on the way to London; we weren’t aware that we’d have to do a short quarantine in a government hotel in Abu Dhabi, and so we couldn’t get on our London-bound flight as planned. Fortunately the airline staff were helpful and changed the time of our outgoing flight free of charge. After that, besides a long queue, passing through UK immigration was a breeze. I’m liking Bristol a lot so far. It’s very calm compared to the hectic streets of London. I’m living in studio student accommodation in the The teachers were always ready to assist me any way they could when I was having di!culties, and they helped me succeed despite the challenge of completing all the work that was required. 88
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city centre, but have gotten out and about to explore. I’ve been to the UWE campus already, which took me about 15-20 minutes by bus. I’ve also been to Cabot Circus and the area around the University of Bristol. Two of my favorite things so far have been visiting Bristol Cathedral and walking around Millennium Square, with the square being especially lovely after sundown when the nightlife picks up. That said, I’m still quite lost and have a lot more exploring to do before I figure out the locations of everything! I have a deep interest in financial technology. This is an emerging field, so it’s rare to find courses on it, and the ones that do exist are usually for master’s degrees. Therefore, I’m starting out by I’m studying Accounting and Finance, with an ambition to move into FinTech later. Looking to the future, I’m not yet sure exactly what I’ll do career-wise. After graduation I’ll probably try to work in the UK for a year or two, and if I decide to continue my studies I anticipate going for my master’s before moving back to Jakarta. Further down the road, I may work on expanding my father’s real estate business by applying the financial knowledge that I’m gaining now, but I’ll see what doors are open to me after I’ve completed further studies and gained more work experience. For now, my focus is on my BA here at UWE and all the experiences that will come along with it. I’ve become increasingly adept at producing essays and other written assignments that are fully up to standard. 90
We believe that Engineering is where change begins. Study with us and be challenged to think creatively, push boundaries and influence innovation. Through placements, live projects and volunteering opportunities you’ll gain real-world engineering experience, enhancing your employability on graduation. And because Bristol is home to a booming aerospace and engineering industry, you’re ideally located to bring change to life. School of Engineering OUR COURSES INCLUDE: Our courses include: Mechanical Engineering, Engineering, Electronics, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechatronics and more.
Indonesia I can say for certain that my degree from the UK is one of the key factors for why I was hired as a manager in training in the first place. Bryan Samsico BA (Hons) Business Management with Marketing Graduated, 2019 92
When I was a child my house was next to an English academy, though I didn’t attend it because even when I was young I was quite confident in my English skills. I wanted to test myself, however, so I used to go by the academy to talk to other students in English and see how I stacked up. There was a small library section inside where I’d wait for the students to finish their classes and come out, and there I found myself mesmerized by books I came across about the United Kingdom, filled with fire-breathing dragons and knights and castles. My imagination went wild, and I wondered whether these things still existed in that distant country. It kindled in me a fascination with medieval knighthood and even the British Royal Family. When I got older, my parents told me to start thinking about where I wanted to study for university. It hit me that perhaps I wanted to in fact study in the UK, to see places like Buckingham Palace for myself and discover whether some of the locations I remembered from those book as a child were real. I decided to seek out this opportunity, but of course saying you’re going to do something and actually doing it are two different things. For one thing, my family is middle class, certainly not rich. I also have a little brother, who I felt might want to study abroad in the future as well, and I didn’t want to use up so much of my family’s money that it would deprive him of that chance. By the time I was 16 I was at a loss how to go about this. I was on Google all the time looking for answers and researching different programs, but I just wasn’t finding the information I needed to make a plan. Frustrated, I eventually resorted to prayer, asking to simply be shown the way to make this dream a reality, telling God that if I was at least shown a door I would run to it. Just a week after my appeal to the divine for guidance, the answer came. There was a knock on my classroom door at school, and a woman entered, explaining to the class that she was from Plymouth University and representing a student exchange program seeking to send Indonesian students there for a foundation year program. I thought, Oh my God, this is it. This must be my door. So when the woman asked if anyone wanted to apply, I shot my hand up immediately. I was given a test of my English ability, along with one of my knowledge of England, not only passing both, but winning scholarships based on my results. My parents, who had no idea what I’d been doing so far in my quest to get to the UK, were shocked when I revealed this to them. I basically walked into the room one day, told them about the scholarships I’d been awarded, and asked for the rest of the funding I needed for this endeavor. This was a sudden investment for them, but thankfully they were able to come up with an arrangement for paying in installments, and thus I lifted off from Jakarta, bound for the UK at long last. I was in the middle of my foundation year at Plymouth when a Malaysian senior student named Jane came to campus, to teach those doing their foundation degree, like me, about what attending university is like. She told me that she was currently studying at UWE and started regaling me with all her experiences there. It sounded fascinating, and I mused out loud how cool it would be to see this place for myself. Jane said to me, “Why don’t you just go then? I’m heading back there this Saturday. Come along.” This was a great idea! I packed my bags, bought a ticket, and that weekend I went to UWE myself. Once there, Jane took me all around the university while I pretended to be a student. I saw the classrooms, accommodation, and the newest buildings, while Jane told me all about her professors. I instantly fell in love with the place and with the city of Bristol itself. I loved the location of Frenchay Campus, and the prices of accommodation there seemed so reasonable. At UWE I created the weekly schedule that worked for me, alternating between study and my social life, ensuring that I was able to keep up with my school work while still spending time with my clubs. 93
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When I came back to Indonesia I told my father that I knew exactly which university I wanted to go to. One of the local colleges, UIC, had connections with UWE, so I studied with them for a year and then I was off to UWE in the next, where I moved onto Frenchay Campus. I was placed with five other guys there, all freshmen — four Brits and a Kenyan. We had some fun, but they were real party animals; as their senior I was more buckled down with my studies and couldn’t be bothered to keep up with them. There was this glassed in area next to our kitchen, and after one week of partying we wouldn’t be able to see the sun because they stacked so many beer bottles up against the glass — I mean I seriously woke up one day and didn’t know what time it was because the beer bottle wall had blocked out the daylight. All that aside, there were two main challenges I needed to face head-on at UWE. The first was teaching methodology. In Asia teaching is usually performed as a direct dispensing of information from teacher to student, wherein we’re told what to remember and then we do so, whereas in the UK teachers are more apt to provide you with the necessary resources and guide you to learn things for yourself. There’s a sense of security in Asian educational systems, in which you always know exactly what to learn and how you need to learn it, whereas in the UK you are given the freedom to discover. The uninitiated often doesn’t know what to do at first with this freedom, putting off finishing assignments, setting flimsy and everchanging deadlines for themselves, or dismissing certain areas of study as unnecessary. This was tough for me at first, and I had learn to discipline myself to use this freedom I’d been given wisely, knowing when to push myself and when to relax, deciding for myself when it was time to hit the books and go to the library rather than relying on being told to do so. To be clear, you do need to make time to relax amidst your studies. It’s all about balance, and after some time, I figured out the balance that worked best for me. The second challenge was money. When I was younger I was accustomed to being able to ask for money from my parents, but now I was quickly learning that you can’t just spend money nonstop and expect more to keep appearing in your pocket. It was critical that I learn fiscal responsibility. I had to set a budget for myself and learn what the important things to spend money on were. I started keeping track of where I was spending pounds and how many, making sure that if I overspent one week I’d underspend the next, and even building a rainy day fund for myself. I refused the temptation to simply ask for more money from my parents, driven to stand on my Homesickness in general was a reality that I dealt with, but I’m thankful that I was born into the time period that I was, where family is only a call away on the phone. own financial feet and take responsibility. When first entering UWE, I hadn’t thought to apply for a part-time job, but by my third month I discovered that most of the available positions around town had been snapped up by proactive students. I regretted not seeking one out sooner, but at the same time this was a good lesson for me, and I knew I had to make the best of my school year regardless. Earning money is one thing, I realized, but keeping money is more important. How to actually handle your money is something that you don’t learn in school. I was discovering this for myself. Even more important was the time management skills that I was developing through the freedom I’d been given. At UWE I created the weekly schedule that worked for me, alternating between study and my social life, ensuring that I was able to keep up with my school work while still spending time with my clubs — and the clubs were where I found my closest friends. Being a gamer, I joined a gaming club and a boardgame club. We had great times together, and I found that the friends I was making through these clubs were not only reliable for having fun, whether at a bar or seated around a game board, but they were also there for you when you needed help. We were all studying different courses, but I could always expect to see them at the library or otherwise keeping a healthy focus on their work. I have fond memories of different fields of study finding their way into our Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, where discussions would break out about the physics of fire and lightning in critical moments. This was much more up my alley than the dedicated partying and clubbing crowd, and it made me realize that you can make friend wherever you go, but it’s the type of friends you have that really matters. While I have great memories of laughs around the Dungeons & Dragons table, perhaps my best memory from my time in the UK 95
involves a strong element of home. The year I was there, 2019, happened to be an election year for Indonesia. I was acquainted with about 50 Indonesians in Bristol and Bath, and we came together, all of us, and decided that we were going to go vote. We all packed into a bus and headed for London to go to the Indonesian embassy and cast our ballots. When we got there we joined a tremendous line of at least a thousand people, running down the street and bending around corners. We had an 11-hour wait in the queue that day, and it turned into one of the best times of my life. It was a harmonious occasion, being there with a group of my own people, telling jokes, singing songs, speaking our own language and being silly together. After voting we went to a huge festival in a tennis court next to the embassy, where we had a feast, sang karaoke, and had simply an unforgettable time. Though previously I’d made it a point not to hang out too much with fellow Indonesians, making sure to utilize my year at UWE to branch out into friendships with students from around the world, for just those two days of the trip it was all about my country and my culture. It was invigorating. Even there, on the other side of the world, for the first time it really felt like home. Homesickness in general was a reality that I dealt with, but I’m thankful that I was born into the time period that I was, where family is only a call away on the phone. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to live in a foreign country a few generations ago where correspondence had to be done through written letters. One of my Indonesian friends in Bristol happened to be a good cook, so if I pitched it for some ingredients he would whip up some great Indonesian food for us. At the end of the day, though, I had to accept that I was an adult and get through those times where I missed home the most. When I got home to Indonesia, it took me about two months to land a job. I got a really good offer in managerial training for an insurance company in Jakarta. I was in that role for about a year and a half, and then graduated to be an assistant manager. I can say for certain that my degree from the UK is one of the key factors for why I was hired as a manager in training in the first place — in fact, every employee at my company had formerly studied abroad as a student. When Covid-19 hit my job got hectic in a hurry, but through it all I think that’s where the time management skills I’d developed at UWE really came into play! In the end, I suppose the impression that UWE made on me has rubbed off on others, because my little brother, in fact, is interested in studying there one day himself. 96
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I want to learn about the ways to optimally plan and design cities, so that one day, when I’ve returned to Tangerang, I can help make it a better place. Helmy Muhammad Yumna MSc Urban Planning, 2022 Indonesia 98