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The london experience
- 1. The London Experience Lauren Williamson, M.A.
- 3. Deciding on and Financing Travels Scholarship applications Choosing postgrad, extra courses, MA? Admittance into a University, more bursary/scholarship apps Federal Student loans, applications for grants (some are need based) – Sallie Mae
- 4. Permission to Go, Permission to Stay Student visa: -have proof of living funds, -proof of university sponsorship -proof of school funding -undergrad academics proof -proof of housing or an address -paperwork 3-6mo beforehand due to backlogs + biometrics and Dallas based appointments Post Study Work visa: -have proof of living funds (not allowed unemployment benefits) -proof of MA and qualifications,
- 6. Trumped by the Benefits Keen! Spot on! Proper! Pubs! Lou!
- 9. The Professional Pursuit * Building a portfolio * Working for free * Working with various entities to build contacts
Editor's Notes
- Firstly thanks to Sam for inviting me to be here and speak to all of you. It’s an honor to get to do this and give back a little to the university that provided a lot of personal growth starting in 2003. Oh my god Mark, you’ve been a mentor to me nearly a decade! And congratulations on taking this exciting course! I myself never took it during college b/c I didn’t have the money… so maybe that’s what inspired my decision to move here… Basically three parts to the presentation My school and career path decision to go abroad and pursue a Master’s – how I did it, what I gained working abroad, trials, tribulations and successes as well as tips if you want to do the same – tips will also probably help in your job search back home, too STUDYING ABROAD is not for everyone – it’s really hard, and requires a lot of thought and planning – but it might be the greatest adventure you’ve ever had. It has been for me. So I hope this inspires you and maybe motivates you to think about it.
- Ok a quick bio on me – Went to UNT in 2003… changed my major a few times but immediately got involved with KNTU doing news volunteering. Got a job as public affairs director PAID experience, good for resume, build demo tape/CD/reel… news director later. Did end up with RTVF degree I worked with DTV for a while doing their Denton Newsbreaks… Meanwhile… took part time job anchoring at WBAP, associate producing at FOX 4 After school ended in 2007 worked as a reporter and fill in anchor at NBC affiliate in Corpus Christi…
- Decision to study abroad happened in college though. Member of the Rotaract club – service organization ROTARY – school club, study abroad programme got me interested, I wrote my essays about passion for journalism and media outreach and recommended via my mentors at KNTU and eventually won the scholarship in 2008 (to leave in 2009) Became more committed after going into the work world – learn what you like, what you don’t like, and I learned I had zero interest in local news media (except covering hurricanes and toranadoes) and was more interested in the international. I wanted more career opportunities than what I felt a BA offered – realizing that a lot of career growth is based on expertise… and credentials to show expertise include Master’s and doctoral degrees Why LONDON- multicultural city in the world, meet people from literally all over the globe, taxi driver last night Somali, Nigerian friends at an Indian bar… several English people – reason I chose the CISD program at London, the history and ease of travel to other places -- ALSO people here are more educated, they will challenge your knowledge about the world, politics, your own country – many of them will put your understanding of american politics to shame… you will be challenged about it
- Permission UK Border Agency is designed to trip you up in paperwork. It’s a points based system and they keep changing – lots of anti immigration sentiment at the moment in most developed countries, except Australia/New Zealand. Hardest part is saving up money – you have to show – if I remember for a year student its like 1thousand pounds or 2 thousand dollars … more money for post study work
- I thought going to an English speaking country would be easy… quite an assumption on my part WORDINGS, phrasings, people couldn’t understand my accent asking for things ‘to go’ instead of ‘take away’ – pants story, tatties and nips Pros and cons of NHS – ankle story, kidney infection immediate treatment… still have to pay for some medicines often at a discounted rate – never the $90 you see at pharmacies back home Miss wal mart – couldn’t even do laundry 24/7 at the student halls, vending mahines would turn off… yet you have stores selling alcohol all hours of the night? Frustrating, have to learn better time management; makes you examine the need for immediacy in your own culture No sun = getting lost, confused on directions… streets aren’t on a grid… esp after great fire in 1600s rebuilt by whomever, renamed on the same strips based on who built it, very confusing… still don’t get the bus system fully or 24 hour services…ridden wrong way on a night bus, took me 3 hours to get home Homesickness: not as many radio options as in DFW
- AND>>>>>>
- HISTORic buildings and sites POLITICAL activism, protests… liberal… gay friendly, more dialogue and grey spectrum than I feel American politics have – more Left vs Right, wider array here, opens you to new perspectives EVENTS… festivals…South African world cup on the big screen in trafalgar with south africans… SECRET CINEMA… Friends and people
- TRAVEL! I went from having never been outside of the states to have now travelled to Den, bel, neth, germ, it, france, spain, greece, ireland, south africa, libya Croatia OVER A DOZEN countries across the world… more plans for travel later this year Knowledge that can’t be gained any other way – its adventure, its mistakes, its opportunity… hands on experience and learning the world’s history and cultures… really rewarding All over UK too. – Job has me travel… next year have trips for Argentina and Qatar
- If you want to keep your options open for the future… you can never really stop pursuing your career and building your portoflio -BUILDING a local portfolio – local names, local work translates better plus keeping it current -WORKING FOR FREE -WORKING IN MANY PLACES to build a network While doing my master’s I worked at the student newspapers Took internship open democracy Internship with BBC World Affairs Unit – research division Research associate for UKDF – building portfolio Majalla internship which ended up with an ongoing freelance gig for me,
- Well…. Finding a job over here, compared to my relative ease for finding employment in the states, was an ego crushing experience…. It also made me that much more driven to succeed – b/c if you can succeed here, you can do it anywhere
- And just having a Master’s degree WILL NOT SET YOU APART in the UK or EUROPE Also your competition are all bilingual
- Web based portfolio to help translate US vs UK companies/projects HIGHLIGHT technical skills equipment, software, writing (news style US preferred) CVs with QR codes Joining specialist guildes/societies, clubs, listings Linked In and universities (BBC postgrad programme) DOCUMENTARY WORK Mandy.com Talentcircle.org Productionbase (paid) sign up
- My own decision from NGO/charity sector and INGOs to corporate Boyfriend similar story – where permanent positions are job security and better pay INTERVIEWS w/ major publishers: EuroMoney, Platts, and Reed Business Information – landed a job as a Markets Analyst and Reporter for ICIS INTERNATIONAL, PRIVATE BUSINESS oriented toward traders and investors, commissions a much higher price for the products – Challenging journalism b/c its not holding public officials to account, its trying to squeeze info from corporate sector which has no obligation to tell you the truth or tell you anything – analyze and sift through it Based in London is a necessity early part of day call China office, SE Asia E europe, Africa, and South America and North America towards end of work day
- THANKS FOR LISTENING – QUESTIONS???
- Just to recap Own personal school and career path Why and how I went abroad for pursuing a maters Difficulties of finding a job here and the sucesses and benefits of doing it in London For me, personally, it’s the best decision I ever made for myself. I’m very proud of my accomplishments and I’ve become a much stronger, more capable person because of the experience… and having lived and worked abroad is always considered a bonus by employers As I said, moving, studying and working abroad is not for everyone – but it might be right for you. So on that note, I want to say thanks again for having me here, it’s been a pleasure. And I am very happy to take questions now