When you decide you want to study in UK

If you are one of the people who are dreaming of studying in UK, Then I think this post will help you with your mental preparation for few facts that would have more impact on the dreams. I don’t mean to say that it’s not worth coming here.

Life in India:

No one knows how you passed your exams from 1st year till final year . Because we are so busy with enjoying with friends, partying for no reason, Night outs and travelling. You suddenly realise that your final exam is finished and it’s been three months now and you have already started working. You come home from office (work) your mother has cooked the best dal sabji chapati But you disappoint your mother by telling her that I had something before coming home along with your friends. Along with your friends someone has mentioned that Mr X has gone to UK for further studies and he works there part time as well so he manages all his expense with that. You have that in mind and go to sleep.

You have finished your graduation some of your friends (engineers) who passed GRE with good score are in some university in USA, probably with financial Aid. You are doing your usual job though you may have the best package a fresher can get still you feel no it’s not enough. Then you try and are in touch with people who tried a different option like UK, Australia or perhaps New Zealand or Canada. You always visit the profile (on social networking site) of friends who are abroad and check their pictures. You start surfing internet more and check for the courses that interest you more finally you found one and 1st few months you are busy completing the documentation and waiting for IELTS score. You get decent score to get admission. After cramping all kind of complex ideas about going abroad you finally decide and you have confirmation letter from college.
You apply for visa with the help of some consultant who assures you that you will get visa definitely. Meanwhile your mother is so happy that during your application process she starts telling people that her loving son/daughter is going abroad to study. You are tensed that your mother is so happy and if you don’t get VISA that will be so disappointing.

After all the tensions and Day dreaming about going to UK the day finally arrives and you get the VISA for 3 months extra more then length of your course. You are happy and your mother is so excited as if you are getting married. Every thing seems to be like dream come true.


The Departure:

After visa stamping you feel like it’s some big function in your house all the relatives come and meet you and asked you some questions. And most of them will definitely tell you that their friend is there in UK and they give all the contact numbers and address who is well settled their and will definitely help you. Then you meet few people who criticise you that why have you selected UK . Australia was much better option as if they have been there for years, The truth is they never travelled beyond 1000KM of the place. You are at the airport all your family and friends and their friends are at the airport to say you goodbye. There are people around you In spite of that you feel alone in the crowd. Finally you hear the final call for people travelling from Mumbai to Heathrow. You say goodbye to everyone. You look at you father he blinks his eyes .You know he is worried about you and he is proud as well. You start walking along with you baggage. Finally you are in flight. By this time you have overcome the sadness which was in your mind .You look around probably looking for some English chic/stud but you realise you see only Indian students. You laugh in your mind and try to hide it. You enjoy everything in the flight.

The Arrival:
The flight captain announces ladies and gentleman we have arrived at London. We will be landing at Heathrow airport in next 15 min once we get clearance the temperature outside is 6 degree Celsius clear skies. To your left you can see London eye and after that!!Here we go to you right hand side you can see the famous Tower bridge. Ladies and gentleman we will be landing at Heathrow shortly. You are listening to the announcements eagerly and you feel like yes! This is it what I was waiting for.

Obviously you too have one of your friends who said he will come to receive you at the airport. You start looking for his contact number but these seat belts are so uncomfortable. Are they really made for safety? It’s like torture for passenger during flight.
You realise that the flight has started losing height. You try to comfortable check your belongings as if you are already landed. With a small jerk the flight has landed you feel are the International flight pilots more trained cause you don’t feel the same jerk what you felt in the flight when you were travelling from Mumbai to Delhi (or any other domestic flight).

You are the first one to remove your seatbelt once flight is landed. You try and get up from your seat but the air hostess announces please remain seated till the flight comes to complete halt. Since she is beautiful you promptly listen to her and sit down. The flight is still and you are ready with your all belongings but there are people who are walking you want to join the line to go out but... Now there is a beautiful Desi(Indian) Chic so you let her go first. She smiles at you. You start Blushing but try and control it. Then you look at the door now you are closer to the Air hostess she says thank you for flying with us you smile and say thank you again. You start walking, the lane is fairly longer then you thought. Now finally you see lots of people standing in the queue. You remember that someone told you have to go at the immigration counter. There is one lady officer standing and she is shouting Students please form a queue on the next counter. You try to go there and realise you see lot of asian people who are member of staff. Say Punjabi, Gujrati, you are at ease now you take out all the immigration documents passport from the special case which your mother bought. You realise how helpful that special case is. You are done with the immigration it was piece of cake. Which you thought would take longer.

You have your baggage you start looking for your friend and you are holding your mobile and his number already searched in the contacts but before you have to call him. Someone is shouting your name you look at your friend and are happy to see him. Then you come out and look at the taxi (Black cab) but you are not going in it your friend informs you. Going by tube is much cheaper option. He gives you one card which is blue in colour and has OYSTER printed on it. Your friend informs you about the card. The Oyster card can be used as ticket you can save your money with that rather then buying ticket. Finally you arrive near the tube station you like the tube and look around and your friend grabs one of the bag and drags it into the tube once you are inside you can hear “ Please mind the gap between train and the platform “ the tube’s doors are closed and there is announcement going in the tube. This is Piccadilly line service to Cockfosters and the next station is Hatton cross please mind the gap between the train and the platform

You reach your station you thought Tube is only underground but the station at which you get down is not underground.


.................................... Keep looking for new posts will be out soon
Cheers
Mayur