Erasmus: Missed Goals & No Regrets
When I came to the UK last September, I made some goals which I’d like to aim for in the following ten months. With all the restrictions set in place, I was aware that I might not tick off every box. Six months later, let’s see how far I’ve come.
Finding friends
Many goals on this list have been severely obstructed by the pandemic, this one as well. I moved into a flat with five other members so that I wouldn’t be alone in case of a lockdown. This was a pretty smart move, I must say. But before the lockdown started, I was able to make a really good friend in Canterbury — Chloe — and we hung out multiple times. Now, being isolated from any human contact outside my flat, I must rely on making friends in the digital space. I hope that the restrictions will be loosened soon so that I can visit the pub more frequently and engage with more people.
6/10
Getting a job
Despite the financial support from the Erasmus programme, I had to find some work to finance my stay in the UK. The support did not even cover my rent and my mother could only provide a limited amount of extra money. I had always been working since I was 14. Naturally, without work, something would be missing from my life. At first, I looked at offers in restaurants, because I had been a supervisor at a German fast-food franchise before, but I also applied for jobs in the media industry, in which I had gathered plenty of experience too. Unfortunately, I have received about 50 rejections since September. Well, not exactly rejections, but 80% of employees didn’t even bother to answer me. After checking in with the University support, who thought my CV was really good, I came to one conclusion:
Despite my experience, my successful enrolment into the EU settlement scheme, and working permission, being German made me less attractive to UK companies.
Not only does the financial aspect of this frustrate me, but, if I could find a job in the media industry, I could extend my Erasmus stay. I’ll just keep on applying.
0/10
Improving my language
Back in Germany, my teachers said that I have to drastically improve my language skills to have any chance of becoming a Master’s graduate. Obviously, getting in touch with native speakers of English was one of the main reasons why I came to the UK. Getting a job and finding friends would have helped me a lot, but I found a way around it. I tried to talk as much as possible with my flatmates, listen to local radio stations, and used any opportunity to speak to strangers — in a coffee shop or while walking dogs. While the assignments for the University have sharpened my writing skills, I think I’ve also become more confident in spoken English too. But I bet I can work even more on this goal.
7/10
Exploring the UK
Fortunately, there weren’t many restrictions during my first month in the UK. When my mum came to visit, we went on a little road trip on the southern coast of the UK. We visited Southampton, Plymouth, and Bristol — and I was able to make a quick trip to London and Whitstable on my own. I had hoped that I could cross Northern Ireland off my travel list, but I don’t think it will be possible this year unless I can extend my stay. Maybe I’ll be able to visit other cities in the southern parts of England. That would be good enough for me.
6/10
Bonding
In January 2020, my home university’s international office said that many participants found their soulmate during a stay abroad. After getting many hurtful rejections in Germany, I guessed that I could give my own version of Love Island a try. Quickly, I matched with a girl from London, and a month later, went on my first date in an eternity. But only one hour into the date, she sent me back home. Being mildly heartbroken, I joined borrowmydoggy.com and found real love: Idie. Dogs are better than humans anyway, amirite?
Idie = 10/10
Conclusion?
While a lot of things haven’t played out as I had hoped for, I’m still happy to have made this decision. It is an experience nobody can ever take away from me. I do not regret a single second of it.
