Graduation Year: 2017
Degree: BA (Hons) Join Education Studies and English Language
Scholarship: William A Gauld
How did you find out about the scholarship and why did you apply?
I found out about the scholarship through my care leaver adviser. They informed me about the scholarship and introduced me to what it was, what it included and what I would need to do to get it. I knew that I would need to complete an application, how much I would get and also gave me some time to think about what I actually wanted to do when I was abroad, and what I would do with the money.
I mainly applied for the scholarship because I knew that while the exchange was good in Japan, it would be an expensive 6 months if I wanted to see and do everything I wanted to. Especially if I wanted to travel and really see the country, the additional funding would be invaluable.
Where did you go as part of the study abroad program and why?
I went to Japan for my semester abroad, to Okayama in the West. Originally, I planned to go to Spain as I was interested in the language and the culture. Japan wasn’t something I actually considered. It was only after some long convincing from a friend that I realised that never again would I have the opportunity to go to Japan, to live there for 6 months, study and travel there. The culture seemed fascinating and I knew a number of others who planned to go. On top of that there was a society put together called Japanese zone which was really helpful in getting together my application, studying the language and preparing for my time abroad.
How did your experience of study abroad benefit you after graduation from YSJ?
Since looking through my original application, and having lived in Japan, I can see that the things I hoped would benefit me in the future did actually come true. I was able to use the experience in my CV and in interviews it was always an interesting topic to bring up. Originally, I wanted to teach English abroad, so working in English classes abroad and volunteering was perfect experience I could put on my CV. Since then, I’ve had a future career change to Speech Therapy! However, even then I know that the experience in Japan was still beneficial in that I still got to work in a variety of settings, with different people and I feel it really opened my mind to new cultures and different values and beliefs.
I believe going to Japan did improve my communication skills and confidence as well. Prior to Japan I wasn’t confident talking to others however, because very few individuals spoke English there it really helped me come out of my shell, be more confident in myself and my ability to communicate well with others. That’s really helped me now in my current job as a therapy assistant and through the interviews I really felt it made me stand out. As for my desire to travel and improve my navigation and travelling skills, my sense of direction is still dreadful! But again, my confidence in doing something new and unknown is a lot better now. If I can successfully catch a train across the country with 0 language skills, speaking to people who don’t understand a word I say, I can do a short interview with someone I can understand!
What advice would you give current York St John care leavers about the opportunity to take part in the study abroad programme?
I would advise them not to go to the place that seems the easiest. Go somewhere new and exciting and wonderful, it’s the new places that really give the best experiences. If it helps, go with a friend, but I always found the more I put myself out of my comfort zone the more I felt confident to do it the next time, and the next. Use the money wisely, save it for a big travelling trip or use it to try new experiences!