Olivia James

Please explain what your overseas opportunity was.

We had the opportunity to go to Vietnam for four weeks during July.

What interested you in an overseas opportunity?

I have always had the interest of going travelling. This was an opportunity that would help me enhance that wish whilst learning about Vietnamese culture.

How did you find out about the opportunity?

I saw a post on the Edge Hill twitter.

What did you gain from your experience?

I learnt more about Vietnamese culture, language and the people.

Where there educational elements to your opportunity, what did you learn? E.g., learn a new language, teach a session, participate in a short course?

Yes, we learnt basic Vietnamese words and phrases.

What has been the most memorable moment of your experience?

My most memorable moment was exploring the city with people from Van Lang University who, to this day, are still people I call friends.

Has this experience enhanced your employability?

This will make my CV stand out, so I would like to hope so.

Has this experience led to further opportunities for you?

Academically yes, as I want to continue learning Vietnamese. But I have also gained a bigger love for travelling the world.

What do you hope to do when you graduate?

I would love to teach English to foreign students abroad, or have my own Primary School class here in the UK.

Would you recommend this experience to other students and what advice would you give?

Say yes! Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I would encourage anyone and everyone to do it.