Georgina Briggs
When it comes to experiencing the world, you can’t get a story to tell without going on a journey.
For Georgina Briggs, the year she spent abroad for her Education Studies degree not only changed her values and perspective on life, but she got an educational experience like no other while she was doing it.
“I was living in Nagoya,” says Georgina, who spent a year in the city on Japan’s pacific coast about two hours away from Tokyo by train.
One of the largest economic centres in Japan, with beautiful architecture, ornate gardens and 2.3 million people calling it home, it’s a world away from Worcester, where Georgina grew up.
In Worcester she spoke the language, she knew the best spots for a cup of coffee, and she could navigate public transport with ease.
“I considered travelling in a gap year,” says Georgina. “I had a mini gap year after sixth form before I came to uni. I was going to travel to Europe, but I got frightened at the thought of travelling alone when I didn’t really know how to do anything by myself.”
It was a totally different culture to move into, but Georgina was ready for the change. “I wanted to try and push myself to go to a country that didn’t speak English. We were told about things like culture shock in advance,” she says.
“The University put on sessions in the run up to the exchange where they helped with things like my budget, so I could manage finances. They also explained what I could expect from my host country.
“The only thing I had to sort out was when I went to London to get my visa, but little things in the planning process made a big difference. Having a two-day window for me to arrange my flight made it a lot less stressful, and the support didn’t stop there. When I was in Japan the team at the University of Worcester emailed me almost weekly and if there were any questions, they were there for me.
“Each Semester we picked 7 modules of our choice. We had the option to study the Japanese language but it wasn’t mandatory, and all of the classes were taught in English. I’d say half the teachers were Japanese, but their English was perfect so I never struggled to understand any of my classes.”
Still, Georgina had the experience of navigating life in a country which was totally different to what she was used to: “Sometimes it was tricky to translate menus in restaurants, or train timetables, but there’s always a way around things like this. I’d ask a friend, or there’s always Google Translate!
“I studied some really cool subjects,” says Georgina. “Japanese anime and pop culture, the Japanese education system and the country’s traditional fashion and dance. We even got to learn to play traditional Japanese instruments and study the nation’s literature. It made me fall in love with learning because it was modules which were all really closely linked to my hobbies.”
Travelling is a way to see the world, and studying abroad meant that Georgina was able to take in everything Japan had to offer: “I Travelled around Japan, I saw shrines in Osaka, I shopped in Tokyo, I saw castles, I made sure I did something new every single day, even if it was just trying a new food.”
Whenever you travel for learning, the experiences you gain and the things you learn about will be at the heart of the journey. Students travelling from the University of Worcester talk about watching ice hockey in Canada, learning leadership skills in Minnesota, making friends in Germany and learning about international co-operation in Finland.
Georgina says: “I made a lot of friends while I was over there, two of whom I still speak to daily, and we’re always meeting up. In one of my classes there were three British girls, including me, and a girl from Japan. We were put in a group together and we called ourselves “Team Wetherspoons” because we were missing home!
“A month after we came home, the Japanese member of the team came to visit England and finally managed to take her to see what a Wetherspoons actually is! It was very funny for us, especially after she had taken us to her favourite restaurants in Japan!
“Honestly, if you want to experience another country and studying abroad is an option for you, then just do it. The time I spent in Japan has changed my goals and the way I look at life. The University of Worcester will support you one hundred percent; it’s basically a year to live your best life and explore a new country.”
On the day Georgina arrived in Japan, her dorm held a fireworks party as a welcome, and a chance to mix with her new friends. Then, on the day she departed the country, they held another fireworks party as a farewell.
From each of those parties, Georgina has a photo fo herself in the same pose, holding a sparkler in her right hand.
“When I look at the two photos from the two fireworks parties, it always makes me remember how much I grew over that year. I became a lot more confident, and I spent my final day in Japan surrounded by all of the friends I’d made over that year there.”
Georgina’s time abroad has also inspired her plans for the future once she has finished her studies.
“I’m currently writing my dissertation on the benefits of studying abroad,” she says. “The experience has also given me the confidence to apply to workplaces which hire people from all over the world. I’m hoping to one day become fluent in Japanese so I can work in a multi-lingual environment.”