Here’s what Trent’s internationals think of you

It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to move to a different country for university, let alone a whole new continent. In Nottingham alone, there are an estimated 10,000 international students. But what’s it really like to move here from America, Hong Kong or Sydney? Is the UK all it’s made out to be?

We caught up with some of NTU’s international students to see what they really thought about Britain.

 Candice Fernandez

Course : Broadcast Journalism, Third Year

Home Country : Australia (Sydney)

What did you find the most shocking about moving to the UK? – When I moved to the UK I was expecting to be dating guys that looked and sounded like Prince William, drinking a lot of tea & hanging out around fancy landmarks in London!

Did that happen? No, not at all! Instead I got taken to a lot of basement parties in these old brown houses that are all stuck together and look exactly the same, hanging out with guys who were either ‘skanking’ to drum and bass or mcing in someone’s bedroom. I felt like I had gone from a very luxurious lifestyle of cocktail bars, big mansion pool parties, drinking on the beach till sunset in Sydney to a world that looks like that show ‘Skins’ (which I watched when I was in Aus and thought England looked so cool).

What has the UK taught you? – To down pints! In Aus we don’t even buy pints, we get ‘skooners’ which are half the size.

What would we find shocking about Aus? – Probably how expensive it is! But then again you wouldn’t ever want to come back, your summer here is barely our winter.

 Omar Kamal

Course : Marketing, Third Year

Home Country : Egypt (Cairo)

What do you love / hate the most about the UK? – I hate the weather! It’s horrible having to go on nights out in just jeans and a t-shirt and to freeze my ass off! I do like how easy it is to get around though. The public transport system in Egypt isn’t the best, and the fact that I can be in London in the space of 2 hours makes me so happy.

What did/didn’t you expect? 

I thought every single person with an English accent would be hot as fuck, but as soon as I heard Northern and Midlands accents I knew I was wrong.

If a British person went to Cairo, what would surprise them most? 

The traffic. Nobody understands just how many people and cars there are, it’s crazy and chaotic. Just google ‘Cairo traffic’ and you’ll get an idea of what it’s like!

“The only good food you can get here, is the food that isn’t English”

Jess Armstrong

Course : Broadcast Journalism, Third Year

Home Country : Switzerland (Basel) / Japan (Tokyo)

What do you love most about the UK? –

I love how easy it is to get into the countryside! In Tokyo you would have to drive at least an hour to get anywhere remotely green, whereas here it’s so close by! Another thing I love is how easy it is to strike up random chats with people. Once when my bus was delayed I ended up talking to a lady who was also waiting for about an hour. Will very likely never see her again but for that hour we became good friends.

What do you hate?

What I hate? How loud people are in public! Even though Tokyo is a massive city, the Japanese are generally very quiet, and it was shocking to see people screaming at their kids or having arguments in public.

Chris Stone

Course : Law, Third Year

Home Country : The USA

What do you love/hate about the UK? – There wasn’t one really, I also wouldn’t say there’s things I particularly dislike about British culture, except maybe the lack of refillable drinks and the small food portions! There’s a few things I really love about England though; like pubs, the accents, the cheap travel to other countries, and of course the ‘banter’!

I also love London. Even though I’m here in Nottingham, London is hands down my favourite city. The size of it, the businesses, the endless amounts of things to do.

Also I think it’s a shame there isn’t the institutionalisation of university sports here like we have back home.

Karen Lam

Course : Broadcast Journalism, Third Year

Home Country : China  (Hong Kong)

Tell us something you love about Britain?

Things I find positive about the UK: Boots! Superdrug! Primark! Urban Outfitters! We don’t have Rimmel or Barry M in Hong Kong so it’s really exciting to see beauty products that aren’t available in China. Because we can’t do online shopping using debit cards back at home , I love being able to do online shopping without having to borrow someone’s credit card. Also, I love the variety of gigs here in Nottingham – Haim or Jesus and Mary Chain would have never come to HK in a million years!

What’s something you hate?

I hate the rain. And the wind. And the fact that shops close early. We have 24 hour convenience stores and shops that close at 11pm back at home! I tried to buy food at 2pm once but the shop wouldn’t let me buy anything since they were closing .

Is there anything you found really shocking?

The drinking culture and accents! People are so used to going out and drinking whereas going out for a drink back at home is pretty expensive ! I wouldn’t be able to afford going out 3 times a week back at home. Also I find some accents really hard to understand – I once had a flatmate who I literally could not hear what he was talking about. Every time I tried to understand what he was saying , he’d laugh at me.

Charlotte Dugdale

Course : English Literature, Second Year 

Home Country : Fiji

What do you love / hate most about the UK?

I love the nightlife and drinking culture. I love the British TV dramas. I love the seasons, in Fiji we just have cyclone season and a never ending summer, I know you guys think that sounds amazing but you can get so sick of it. I love Scottish accents. Public transport is amazing. I also love that lots of people my age have dressing gowns and slippers – I find that sweet.

I hate having to carry ID with me, it’s just not something I’m used to and it can be so annoying when you forget it by accident! I have a love/hate relationship with British TV – There are so many reality shows on TV. I don’t even understand how there can be that many episodes of “Come Dine With Me”!

What’s one thing you’ve learned since moving here?

I’ve learnt how to roll cigarettes. Well I’m still learning, I’m crap.

If a British person moved to Fiji what would they find the most shocking?

I think people from the UK would be shocked with our lack of organization in Fiji. We are completely chilled out about everything so inevitably we are always late. People from Britain would have to get used to how we dress – It’s almost looked down upon if you try too hard. We are either in a pair of flip flops or barefoot. NO ONE wears make up during the day – makeup is reserved for Friday nights. People in the UK have their own style whereas in Fiji it’s more throwing on a T-shirt and a pair of shorts, whoever you are, wherever you’re going.

Emily Duperrier

Course : Business Management, third year exchange student

Home Country : France

What’s something you love about the UK?

I love how laid back people are, and the atmosphere that’s about – going out, shopping, even in the parks in summer it’s so chilled.

What’s something you hate?

The weather.

If a British person moved to France what would they find the most shocking?

How much people over there smoke, and also how precise the eating times are!