Exceptional England Experience
England is always placed among the top list of my favorite countries. Being awarded with Chevening Scholarship provides me with an opportunity to live in a country that I love. I believe that life should not be limited only to the sphere of academic. Outside classroom experience is also important. Therefore, my friends and I have arranged several trips together to explore the UK life.
My first trip was exclusive. What can be more special than visiting one of the world seven wonders, Stonehenge. It was a school trip arranged for the University of London students to Stonehenge and Bath. Stonehenge is an amazing creation. It is such a mystery how our ancestors manage to carry those heavy stones using only primitive tools. Later that day, I went to Bath, UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was a magnificent city with a longstanding history. To me, this first trip was an unforgettable day out. My friends and I also arranged our very own day trip to many famous places in UK, including Warwick, Leeds, and Canterbury. After we finished the first term, we also organized a road trip to Cornwall. We visited many beautiful cities, such as Penzance, Newquay, Fowey, Plymouth, and St.Ives. Cornwall is not only famous for beautiful scenery and beaches, but its landscape also depicts English countryside and traditional way of life. During the trip, we also had a chance to visit a famous landmark, Land’s End. It is the most southwesterly point of mainland Britain, simply where the land ends and the sea begins. It is truly a natural splendor. The trip was enjoyable and it was such an exciting experience as this is my first time driving in the UK!
Apart from those trips, in January 2012, I attended a welcome reception for the 2011/2012 Chevening scholars organized by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). To me, the event was so special for many reasons. It was held at Grand Locarno Suite, FCO. It gave me a chance to meet with FCO senior policy officials, Chevening alumni, as well as current Chevening scholars. They were amazing people with diverse backgrounds from across the world. It was a great night making new friends, sharing thoughts and experience with these talented people. Most importantly, this event was hosted by Jeremy Browne MP, Minister of State. The Minister gave us a warm welcome and encouraged us not only to study hard but also to balance our lives. He said that learning can be done beyond the curriculum and he wishes that we would maintain this Chevening community long after our graduation. I feel really special and honored to be a part of this community. Thanks to British government for giving me this unparalleled experience.
