Hi everybody,
My name is Jonathan Prudent and I
come from France. I am 34 and (with modesty) I am the Student Ambassador in
Exeter.
I wanted to write this blog in order
to share my experience and my everyday life in Exeter.
First of all, going abroad is a
beneficial experience because when you return
home, you will return with a new perspective on culture, language skills, a new
work experience to add on your CV and a willingness to learn. Needless to say, all
of these are very attractive to future employers.
I have been in Exeter since the 13th
September 2015. Before coming to United Kingdom I have never heard about Exeter
before. If I could describe this city in a few words I would say “Calm”, “Enriching”
and “Lovely”.
Obviously Exeter cannot be compared
to London because it is smaller and the way of life is different. Nevertheless
if you like History, Nature and you want to discover the famous Devon Cream
Tea, come to Exeter!!!
I chose to live in a host family because
you have the chance to know the daily life of a typical English family and you
get more opportunities to speak English and they are able to correct your
mistakes. From the beginning they were very nice and made me feel comfortable. Thanks
to them I could taste different English dishes like the Sunday Roast and the
Meat Pie.
As I told you above, a work
experience abroad interest employers. I came to Exeter to improve my English
level and at the same time to gain some additional skills in Human Resources. I
was offered a work placement by TTPL in a Recruitment Agency called Blue Arrow.
This company is really a great place to work as I have learnt a lot about Human
Resources including Recruitment, Payroll, Human Resources Administration. My
first day in the company, they were welcoming, attentive and helpful. Moreover
they gave me responsibilities very quickly. To tell the truth the most
difficult thing for me was to understand their accent. I had to get accustomed
to all the procedures set up in the agency as well. That meant a lot of things
to know and new words to learn. But I didn’t lose hope. I was here to progress
and it was some another challenges to take up. Now everything is better as I
can understand my colleagues and I am autonomous in my role.
During almost 6 months, I got a deep
insight regarding the way of life in Exeter. For instance English people are really
polite and always ready to help you. They like using very often these words “Sorry”,
“Lovely”, “Cheers mate” or “Brilliant”. It is so funny to hear that. And sometimes
they can call you “Darling”. So you may feel embarrassed but I was told that is
common in UK…
I met a lot of people from Europe and
South America. What I like the most when you meet people is discovering the
culture and the story of each other. I had the chance to meet most of them
during the Conversational English café and the Student meetings organized by
TTPL every Wednesdays and Thursdays. I had the chance to make friends and to practise English.
United Kingdom is an interesting country to discover.
Since my arrival I have gone to several places: Birmingham, London, Bristol,
Bath, Exmouth, Dartmoor just no name a
few.
But above all Brixham was the best place I visited.
Some friends and I decided to go and see Brixham Harbour, Brixham Breakwater
and Berry Head National Park. How fabulous was the harbour! What an impressive
and astonishing landscape it was! You should go there because it is worth it.
I am leaving UK very soon and I know that I am going
to miss the awesome times I spent in this country. But I am bringing with me a
lot of good memories. I met incredible people, I visited lots of places.
It is not the end. A new page is turning and a new
life is starting somewhere else. That’s the way it is.
Jonathan Prudent
