Fancy that, I spent summer in Lancaster!
TAKING part in the Lancaster Summer Programme was the best decision I ever made. Unlike Malaysia where we are used to warm sunshine all year long, summer in the United Kingdom (UK) was shifty and indecisive.
Never get tricked by the soft and warm sunshine when you step out of the door because you may get hit by a chilly breeze that will run through your nerves.
First lesson learnt: Always get your coat ready.
When we first travelled from Manchester Airport to Lancaster University by bus, the greenery outside the window captured my attention.
Instead of trees, I saw a sea of green land which was laid out like a tidy green carpet complete with sheep and cows. It was beautiful.
During the first few days of the exchange, we travelled around the United Kingdom’s (UK) “jewel in the crown”, London.
Led by friendly and helpful Lancaster University students, we visited the city’s famous and fascinating attractions such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye.
We also had the pleasure of entering the UK Parliament where we were given insights into British politics by Members of Parliament.
The highlight of our time in London was the business networking event.
We were ushered into a welldesigned hall in The Royal Society building that had no chairs and just several tall tables with drinks served in a corner.
It was pretty awkward at first because it was my first time having to speak to strangers about anything at all.
Of course, they were not just any strangers; they were successful people from various multinational companies as well as the alumni of Lancaster University.
Once I got the hang of it though, it turned out brilliantly and now, I feel like I can talk to anyone.
During orientation, we were swiftly grouped into different teams named after the university colleges; County, Bowland, Fylde, Cartmel, Furness, Grizedale, Lonsdale and Pendle.
Besides us Malaysians, there were also students from China, Pakistan, Palestine and India who were part of the exchange programme. Therefore, every team consisted of students from different countries.
Despite the different English slangs, communication was surprisingly smooth. The interactive teambuilding session we had on the first day had broken the ice easily.
Throughout the programme, we were consistently challenged with various problem-solving tasks followed by the presentation of solutions.
One such challenge was the community challenge day which involved meeting the Lancaster community organisation representative to help solve real-life challenges faced by the Lancaster community.
On top of that, we were exposed to several academic topics such as British law, history and English literature.
I especially love the session where we were educated about the difference between northern and southern British accents (which were obvious during my converconversations with the UK students).
We also had the opportunity to visit industrial places and observe for ourselves the British work culture besides seeing how businesses are run in Lancaster city.
In the evening, all the shops and malls close by 5pm leaving the city silent at night, a stark difference with the rich night life we have in Malaysia.
Despite that, the optional evening activities such as learning Scottish dance steps and baking British scones which were “oh so delicious!” were a great way to immerse ourselves in the British culture.
I also enjoyed my room in Lancaster. The single occupancy hostel room that came with a private bathroom was cosy.
At the end of the day, I returned home a globalised person; blessed with invaluable friendships across the globe and skills that will take me further in life.
I highly recommend this programme to other students as it is not only fun but also comprehensive when it comes to building communication skills which is important in today’s workplace.
The writer is a Sunway University student who visited Lancaster University in UK through a student exchange summer programme.