London calling

The essential guide to studying in the UK

Story by Kelly May
Photograph from the British Council

Your dreams have come true � you've been accepted to a university in the UK. After the initial excitement, you start to become anxious that you won't be able to understand anyone and that they won't be able to understand you. How will you make friends? How will you survive eating Western food every day? How are you going to write projects and dissertations? And how will you survive being so far away from your friends and family?

A natural reaction

Such concerns are a natural reaction to the thought of being in a foreign country. The best way to survive such a change is to prepare yourself. Two people that can offer practical advice are the British Council's education services officer, Kowit Arayarungrot, and the council's marketing manager, Nabhassorn Srikasem, both former UK students. Kowit and Nabhassorn are involved in the British Council's pre-departure service that is organised with Thai students that have returned from their studies in the UK.

"Culture shock" is the term used to describe the emotional upheaval people may experience when they find themselves away from home in a culture very different from their own. "Students need to prepare themselves before they leave by using the Internet to see what their university and English culture is like. If they have a vague idea about what to expect they won't be so surprised when they step off the plane," Nabhassorn advised.

Once the initial excitement has worn off, people may start to feel overwhelmed by their new surroundings. "I remember stepping off the plan and everything was different. I felt there was a huge part of me missing -- everything that I was familiar with wasn't there," said Nabhassorn speaking from her experience as a marketing management student at Middlesex University.

Dealing with homesickness

After only a short while in a new country, people can start to feel lost, disorientated and irritated. This is when a feeling of homesickness may start to occur. Missing friends and family is inevitable, but it needn't stop students enjoying their experience. "After two or three weeks the feeling of sadness will gradually disappear as you make new friends and experience new things. You have to be prepared to accept and understand a completely new culture and be positive," Nabhassorn advised.

Those students that do miss family and friends should register for an email account to allow them to email home, quickly and cheaply. Kowit, a master's graduate in Analysis Design and Management of Information Systems at the London School of Economics and Politics, believes that it's important to remain in contact with people back home to avoid homesickness.

For those students that struggle to adjust, all universities will have a counsellor on hand to help. They are there to help students discuss their problems or concerns. Finding other Thai students who may be experiencing the same problems may also help students to cope with their new life in the UK (a good resource is www.thailand-uk.com).

Living with other people also takes some getting used to, said Nabhassorn. "Things would go missing from the fridge. I'd always be saying, 'Who nicked my food?' The best way to deal with this is not to buy too much food at any one time and label all your food."

A new style of English

Most universities offer a pre-English language course to international students. Lasting 1-3 months, the courses allow students to adjust to a style of English that is very different from what they are used to in a Thai classroom environment. Students will be able to hear differences in accents and learn about a new academic style of writing. Language courses are a great place to meet new friends before the term starts without the worry of university assignments.

Pheeraphon Nonthasoot studeies in the UK thanks to the British Council's Chevening Scholarship programme.

"I didn't understand what people were talking about when I first arrived, but you soon adjust by listening and asking questions. People didn't always understand me, but you just have to be patient. This is why a pre-English course is advisable," Nabhassorn said.

As well as brushing up on English skills, such courses may offer an insight into cultural differences. Students have to learn how to behave in different social situations. "Asian students have to learn how to say no. They're often too shy and don't want to appear to be impolite by refusing an offer. Learning to express your feelings is a must when in England. There's nothing wrong in disagreeing or not wanting to do something that you're not comfortable with," Nabhassorn admitted.

"Another thing to remember is that nobody forces you to attend lectures or complete your homework," Kowit added. It's up to you to manage your time and take responsibility for your own studies."

The classroom is a good place to meet people. Some assignments may be based on group work. "Don't be shy to introduce yourself to fellow students. Working with others is a great way to get to know people. Join university clubs as well and you'll have a bunch of friends in no time," Kowit commented.

For any advice regarding the UK check out www.britishcouncil.or.th.

Can you eat unspicy food?

One major difference Thai students will notice right away is the difference between Thai and Western food. Nabhassorn felt that English food is very rich and often too cheesy. Kowit, on the other hand, really missed eating rice. "Thai people love to eat rice. English people don't eat it very often and eating out at Thai restaurants is too expensive. Buying rice and noodles at a supermarket to cook at home is the best solution. Learn how to cook before you leave Thailand. Cooking and inviting people to dinner is a great way to make friends. Buy a simple cookbook and experiment by cooking different dishes."

Vocabulary

initial (adj): happening at the beginning; first
dissertation (n): long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one written for a university degree
practical (adj): connected with real situations rather than with ideas or theories
overwhelmed (adj): have such a strong emotional effect on somebody that it is difficult for them to resist or know how to react
disorientated (adj): confused
irritated (adj): annoyed or angry
inevitable (adj): hat you can't avoid or prevent
counsellor (n): person who has been trained to advise people with problems, especially personal problems
nick (informal): to steal
brush up (v): quickly improve a skill, especially when you have not used it for a time