Study & work in the UK: A talk with my English student about her journey!

- Hello, I'm Gill at www.engvid.com and a slightly different experience today, as we're

not in the studio at the moment, but you may have seen a previous interview that we did

awhile ago.

And we've decided to do another interview today, partly because we're currently, here

in the UK, still under partial lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, I thought it would be good opportunity to invite someone to be interviewed, and Hara

has very kindly agreed.

So, welcome Hara, thank you for coming.

- Thank you for having me, Gill.

- Digitally.

And thank you for being here, wherever "here" is.

And so, so let's, let's start and - would you like to tell us something about yourself,

where you're from, your profession?

How things have been going recently?

- Yes.

So, my name is Hara.

I'm from Greece.

My hometown is Saloniki in the north of Greece, and currently, I live in London.

I'm working for NHS.

I am one of the NHS researchers, and I specialize in dementia studies at the moment.

And as you said, we are still currently in lockdown, so I don't have - there are not

a lot of things going on at the moment, so I try to enjoy some time with my dog.

I try to take the time to do some things around the house.

So, yes.

- Okay, okay.

That's great.

So, I would imagine that, as you speak English very fluently, you must have been in the UK

for quite some time already.

So, how long have you been in the UK?

- It's going to be seven years this September.

I moved into the UK in 2013 to do my Masters Degree.

So, it's been a long time.

- Okay, wow.

That's quite some time.

- Yes.

- And gone through a lot of changes.

- Yes.

- Of course, in that time.

- Yes.

- And did you learn English in Greece?

Maybe at school originally?

- Yes, yes.

English is taught as compulsory subject in public schools, and I started having English

classes in primary school.

I think second or third grade.

And, at the same time, it's very common, people in Greece, to have additional English classes

in private teaching centers.

So, I did the same as well.

So, yes.

I think during my - all my education, English was one of the subjects that I had to do.

- Yes, and was it a subject that you enjoyed, or did you find it difficult?

Did you feel, you know, just it came naturally?

- Unfortunately, the English language classes in Greece are very based on textbooks and

they're very focused on the grammatical rules and the vocabulary.

So, it was more - it wasn't that easy, in a way that you have to memorize so many grammatical

rules.

But - and they're very focused on English grammar and spelling rather than be fluent.

But the thing is, it was a very interesting subject, because you know, of the music and

the movies, it was really nice to be able to understand English as a second language.

- Yes, oh, that's great, yes.

And I think that's true in a lot of countries where they teach English, but it's mostly

done from books, you know.

It's a lot of reading and writing and not so much speaking and listening.

- Exactly.

- So, okay.

So, did you ever visit the UK, sort of on holiday or anything like that before you came

to actually live and work here?

Did you come for a holiday just to, you know, just to see what it was like?

- Yes, I visited London, I think, two years before I moved in.

So, I think it was around 2011.

And yeah, I just came as a tourist to see London and visit London.

- Okay.

And what did you think of it?

Your first impressions?

- Oh, I think I found it really busy, really crowded.

Everything was in a very fast pace and I was really impressed from a - ethnical diversity

I could see around me.

People from all over the world, just walking around and I found it fascinating.

But I just - I think coming from a Mediterranean country that it's more everything's more slow.

Everything's more relaxed.

I just found it very, very busy, crowded and a bit like, chaotic.

Especially in very popular places like outside Buckingham Palace and all these tourists attractions.

So, but it was very - it was a very nice experience because, after two years, I moved in, so...

- Yes, great.

And I also - because I'm not from London originally, so when I first came to London from the north,

I noticed immediately how people seemed to be walking more quickly, traffic seemed to

be moving more quickly.

I thought, "Oh my goodness, I need to speed up to keep up."

- Yes.

- So, I think that's my impression, I think.

Okay, so, when you first came here to live and to study initially, was there a culture

shock?

What was it like when you first arrived to actually live here?

- Um, I think arriving to the airport I was really overwhelmed.

I felt exposed to so many different information and new information that I have to learn really

quickly.

I just felt that I'm really slow for this city, to be honest.

But because I have travelled before, I was - and I had been here in the UK and in London

before, I think it was a bit easier to adjust.

And also, because I travelled in the past in different countries.

So, I think it was fine, but I felt a lot of pressure to catch up with all these things

around me, but yes.

- Yes, I can imagine a lot of, sort of, I suppose, documents and things.

- Oh my god, yes.

It was - yes.

Now, it sounds really funny because I use these things every day in my life.

Like, even just, you know, apply for an Oyster card.

It seemed such a big thing, but now I'm just like, I can't believe I'm using an Oyster

card every day.

- Yes, so the Oyster card that people use for travelling through -

- Yes, they are the student card that you just tap so you can go inside the underground

station, yes.

So, even that, it was on my list that I have to do.

- Yes, it must have felt a bit overwhelming, having a long list of practical -

- Documents and tasks, yes, that I have to do, yes.

- Able to function each day, and get places and do things.

So, yeah, wow.

So, okay.

And then, are there things that you like about the UK that maybe you don't have in Greece?

Different things?

- Oh yes, of course.

I think I really appreciate the fact that, in the UK, there's so many career opportunities

and you can do whatever you want to do, even if you want to do it was a hobby, you can

always find classes.

You can always find new things to try, and there are - you have access to so many museums,

art.

You have access to festivals and also, I think people in the UK, given that it's a multicultural

country, they are more open-minded and you can be yourself.

And I think that this is something that maybe, in Greece, given that we don't have so many

people from other countries.

We're so used to seeing just Greek people around the city.

But here in the UK, you can be yourself and you always feel welcomed.

- Oh, okay.

Well, that's nice to know.

That's good, because London is such a cosmopolitan place.

- Yes, it is.

- So, okay.

So, but is there anything that you miss about life in Greece?

- Of course I miss the weather!

- Yes!

- Yes!

I think, no matter how many years I'm going to be in London or in the UK, I think I will

always miss the weather, the Mediterranean food, and - I mean, you know, people are more

relaxed and they are more - you can feel like everyone is enjoying life a little bit more.

I think people in the UK, they're very focused in their careers.

They are very - they are very busy doing so many different things every day.

But the thing, in Greece, we're a little bit more slow and relaxed.

So, yes.

But it's, I mean, you know, two different countries and yes.

But the weather is always on the top of my list.

- Yes, yes, absolutely.

I mean, we've been having quite nice weather recently, but it feels very unusual.

- It feels weird in the UK!

I can't really enjoy it the same way I used to enjoy this warm weather in Greece.

But yes, of course, family and friends are in Greece.

I always miss them.

But yes.

- And I think you're right about people in London.

I think the word is "driven".

People feel driven.

They're always pushing themselves, you know, to achieve the next thing.

I think maybe outside London, in other places, maybe smaller towns or villages, there may

be, you know, more relaxed.

More relaxed atmosphere.

But London, being what it is, everybody's out there to, you know, get in there -

- Achieve something, to achieve something, yes.

In a rush.

- Pushed all the time.

- Yes.

- Some people like to be like that, but I think we all need a bit of a break sometimes.

We need to be able to relax occasionally, so -

- Yes.

- So, okay.

And so, would you say then that there's a difference in personality, really, between

people in the UK compared with people in Greece?

- Yes, as I said, I think people in the UK are more open-minded.

I think they're more used to be exposed to people from other countries.

And also, again, as we said, I think they're more driven to achieve things.

They are - I think they are happy to talk about their careers, money, and the next step

and what job are you doing.

So, they are very interested in these things.

I think in Greece, people are more relaxed.

Everything's moving slower and people, they enjoy having just a coffee or lunch by the

sea, and they - after work, so it's very easy to see people after work in Greece.

Just going for a coffee.

I think here, it's more different.

You have to plan it a little bit, you have to make a booking, you know.

I think everything here is a bit more - has to be more organized and plan given the distance

as well, in London.

If you want to meet someone, you need to know the time of the commuting.

Where do you live, where your friend lives.

In Greece, we don't have these problems.

So, it's easier.

- Alright, okay.

So, and then, so when you first came to the UK, you came initially to study.

You said you came to do a Masters degree.

So, did you have to first take any sort of, like an IELTS exam to get a certain level

in IELTS to be able to study at a UK university?

- Yes, exactly.

As you said, I first came to do my Masters degree in Southampton, so I lived there for

almost a year.

And then, I came to London for my PhD.

And of course, I have to pass an exam, the IELTS in Greece, because it was one of the

entry requirements to apply for my Masters degree.

And I think I did a couple of months before I submitted my application.

- Right, okay.

So, you did your IELTS in Greece rather than -

- Yes, I did my IELTS in Greece.

- Oh, okay.

- Yes.

- That's good, that's good, lovely.

So then, you came and you were at Southampton for your Masters, which is on the south coast,

isn't it?

- Yes.

- South coast of England, for anyone out there in another country who doesn't know.

So, what was it like, Southampton?

What was Southampton like as a place?

- I think it was a very nice place to start with my experience in the UK.

It was a very smooth transition for me, coming from Greece to the UK.

So, I think it was a very wise choice for me to not do my Masters in London and go to

Southampton, so I can have a more - first of all, less expensive start - starting in

the UK.

And then also, being more relaxed within a smaller city full of students from all over

the world.

And yes, I think it was a very nice - it is a very nice city.

- Okay, yes.

So, then you came to London then after the first year?

- Yes, yes.

- To do your PhD?

- Yes.

I finished my Masters and then I got a scholarship in the University in London to do my PhD,

and then I stayed.

The plan was to stay, you know, for three years to finish also my PhD, and then I got

a job in NHS, so yes.

- Okay, so had you sort of thought that far ahead about thinking you would do two post

graduate degrees and then get a job?

Or, had you planned that or is it just how it worked out?

- No, I never planned it.

I mean, I just came for a year to do my Masters and then go back to Greece.

And then I really liked the part of conducting my own research, so I really enjoyed the part

of writing up my thesis and doing my own piece of research.

So, I found out that if I do a PhD, it's three years of doing my own research.

So, I applied, I got the student residency, and I thought yes, of course, why not?

I'm just going to stay three years more.

And then, one thing led to another and then I really - I thought, okay, I'm just going

to try to apply for a job.

I really wanted to have a job in NHS, and work in research department.

And yes.

So, I never planned it, but yes.

Several years later, I'm still here!

- That's amazing!

So, it's all worked out really well, and the NHS, National Health Service, which the UK

is sort of rather famous for, because...

- Yes.

- It's a government supported health service.

It's not a private health service.

Everyone has access to it, so -

- Yeah, it's great.

- It's one of the things that the UK is very proud of.

And of course, it's been incredibly important recently during the pandemic.

You know, people have, I think, realized again just how important it is to have the NHS,

you know, service that we have and that people working, you know, doctors and nurses especially,

are on the front line.

- On the line, yes, exactly.

- Are absolute heroes, you know.

And it's great that you are also able to make your contribution as well, through research,

which will benefit people for many years to come, I'm sure.

So -

- Yes, I'm really grateful, I'm really grateful for - and I'm really honored to be part of

NHS and be one of the people that are working for the research department.

And I contribute, as you said, in even a tiny bit of the research that's happening out there

for people with, even with dementia.

So, yes.

- Yes, and because dementia is increasing as well, you know.

We have an older population.

- Exactly.

- The average age, it's older.

So, you know, it's an important thing to have research on, so that's great.

Thank you.

So, I guess - I'm sure that you probably feel that your English must have improved a huge

amount over the years, because you'll have had so much more opportunity for conversation

and for speaking and listening.

So, I guess these things happen very gradually.

So, I don't know if you can tell, you know, that some area that you feel so much more

confident in now.

But, can you say a little bit about how your English has improved over the years, and how

that's happened?

- Yeah, of course.

I think, as you said, it's something that it's happening gradually.

I didn't wake up one day and I realize, "Oh my God, I'm speaking English!"

Of course, I'm still learning and I will always continue learning.

But I think I'm really proud of myself.

Like, I am able to speak a little bit -- compared to the past - fluently.

And also, I'm not that shy to introduce myself or do a presentation or join a conversation.

I'm more confident to speak to other people and I think being exposed to so many different

experiences living in the UK, I think, my vocabulary is better now.

And I have read - even just reading an article in the newspaper, I'm still learning new things,

new words every day.

And yes, I think that's the things I realize, especially when my family visits.

When my family visits, it's more obvious for them that, "Oh my God, you speak English so

good!"

And I'm like, "Yes, do I?"

But you know, because I don't realize that there is progress.

I'm sure there is progress, but you know, it's -

- It's something that happens so gradually that it's hard, you know, for you to notice.

- Yes

- And I think a lot of people say that, at some point, they realized, "My goodness, I'm

not just speaking in English, I'm thinking in it."

- Thinking in English, exactly.

- You found that happening at some stage?

- Yes.

I definitely - when - everything work related or everything that has to do with if I go

to the bank, or if I go for shopping, I think my brain thinks in English.

Of course, when I go back to Greece or when I speak in Greek, it's definitely Greek.

But yes, I can see that everything work related I can only think and speak in English.

I think I found it so hard to explain things I do in Greek, because I'm so used to presenting

myself as an NHS researcher and talking about my research in English that when I go back

to Greece, I'm trying.

"Oh my God, I do not know how to explain this!"

So, yes.

- Yes, that's a good point.

So, your technical vocabulary is, you know, in English.

- Yes.

- So, I can imagine that must be tricky to try to translate into Greek.

Yes.

So, what would you say - what's the most difficult thing about the English language in your experience?

- I think the hardest part was the pronunciation, because I - even if - sometimes, I know what

the word means and I can spell it correctly and I can use it correctly, when I try to

pronounce it, because you have so many silent letters, I'm getting really confused.

And I - especially when I am talking very fast or I'm nervous, sometimes my pronunciation

is not that good.

And also, being able to understand so many different accents.

Because you meet people from all over the world, everyone has a unique accent and even

people in the UK, British people, depending where they live in the UK, they have a different

accent.

So, yes.

I think that was the - I think that was the hardest thing about the English language that

I had to experience.

- Yes, yes, that's true that even within the English population, there's a wide range of

accents.

And, as you say, you get other accents from other countries in London and also, yes, English

spelling.

It's crazy!

English spelling, it doesn't give you any clue -

- No.

- About how to pronounce a word.

It's not phonetic.

- No, it's not!

- It's such a mixture.

But - you almost have to learn each word separately and how to pronounce it.

- Yeah, there is no rule for the pronunciation, so --

- No, no, that's right.

So, what advice would you give to someone who is thinking about coming to the UK to

live and work, or to live here and study?

What sort of advice would you give?

- I would definitely suggest just, if you, if it's possible to visit with friends or

family.

If you want to visit the city that you're planning to study or the city that you're

planning to move in, that would be great.

I think it would be so much easier.

Because, you know, when you don't know what - where you're going, you imagine things and

you're getting really intimidated about the unknown.

But if you go over there and you see the city, you realize it's not that scary and maybe

it's going to be easier for you to imagine your life there.

Also, I think now there are so many YouTube videos about English language.

You can see vlogs of other people visiting the city that you're planning to live.

So, I think you can do your own homework and you can watch a couple of videos.

You can watch a couple of videos around English language and accents and also just practice

your English.

I think I would suggest use English subtitles when you watch a movie.

And if you have friends that you can do Skype or Zoom meeting or anything like that, that

you can speak English, I think it's very, very helpful.

- That's really helpful advice.

That's true, and to actually just use the language and say it.

Even I say to people, you know, just talk to yourself in English.

- Yes, yes, I used to do that.

I used to do that.

I used to read aloud a book, a newspaper, something that I could find online, just to

get used to my voice also.

Because people sometimes, they are so shy and I think the more you speak English, the

more you're exposed to English, I think it's easier.

But the thing - people nowadays, they have the social media and YouTube is a platform

that people, they use a lot.

Sometimes even more than TV and anything else.

So, I think nowadays it's much easier to get an idea about English and life in the UK.

- Okay, well that's really helpful, thank you.

So, okay.

Well, Hara, it's been really fascinating.

Very enjoyable to hear your thoughts and information about your experiences in the UK.

And I'd like to wish you well with all of your ongoing work, and also let's hope we

get out of this lockdown soon and hopefully, you know, start to get back to some sort of

normality.

So - and I know you've been able to work from home during the lockdown.

- Yes, yes.

- So you can continue with your work, which is good.

- Yes, I was one of the lucky ones, and I'm really grateful that I have the change to

stay home, be safe, and work from home and yeah.

Now, there's people are using a lot of online programs and it's much easier to do things

online.

So, yes.

So, I'm still working from home.

- Great.

Well, all the best with your ongoing work and everything that you're doing and all of

your interests as well.

And thank you so much for taking time to come and to chat with me and help us to make this

interview possible.

- Thank you for inviting me, and I'm really happy that I had the chance to do this interview

with you.

And I'm really happy if I Can help anyone with my interview if someone sees something

or hears something, that they find it interesting or helpful, I'm glad.

I'm glad if I can help anyone with this interview, to motivate them to live in the UK or study

in the UK.

- Okay, that's lovely.

Thanks very much, Hara.

You're very, very welcome.

So, thank you for being here.

So, just to say to everybody watching, thank you for tuning in, and please subscribe to

my channel if you haven't already.

And please have a look at - there's another interview that we did some time ago, so - which

was also someone talking about what it's like to come work in the UK.

So, do look out for that.

We have another couple of interviews in the pipelines, so please look out for those as

they come through.

And also, if there are any questions you'd like me to ask people in the future, if we

carry on doing interviews like this, please put in the comment section on YouTube or on

the www.engvid.com website.

Please let us know if there are any particular questions you'd like us to ask.

So, okay.

So, there we are.

That's it for today.

Thank you for watching and please subscribe and I hope to see you again soon.

Okay, bye for now!

- Bye!