My name is My Ngoc Tran, and I recently graduated from the University of Oxford (UK), majoring in Applied Linguistics and Educational Technology. Having completed my studies, I am currently working as a researcher and journal editor at the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences and at CB Centres – an English centre based in Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Soc Trang and Kien Giang, where I am head of academics.
I am genuinely honoured to have the opportunity to share with you my experience of studying in the UK. It was one of the best years of my life. When I first arrived in the UK, I encountered many cultural obstacles, which I subsequently managed to overcome. During the postgraduate programme, I learnt to improve my time management skills which helped me to still have plenty of fun while studying, interning, and working part-time. Personally, I believe that time management is key to achieving a work-life balance and creating positive experiences when moving to a new place. I was able to secure an internship at Oxford University Press and a full-time job at Busuu – one of the biggest global language learning apps based in London. Finally, I want to tell you that at times I felt lonely and frustrated, like giving up, and sometimes experienced a sense of not belonging. I say this not to frustrate or to scare you but to explain that at some point, we all experience feelings of cultural shock, social shock, and personal crisis, but what matters is how you choose to deal with them. I hope you will believe in yourself and the decisions you make, be willing to step out of your comfort zone and learn from your experiences. I hope you will have the best time in the UK, by loving both the good and bad days!