Next Stop: Sheffield

Lester Mascarenhas, India

The days building up to that eventful day in mid-September of 1997 were filled with excitement. I was flying off to the UK to start life as a medical student. No parents, no restrictions, easy access to pubs and clubs, this was going to be an easy life with a lot of freedom….or was it?

As I spied the Queen's necklace lighting up Bombay's Marine Drive from my place, I suddenly realised, that along with the anticipated freedom came doubts. How do I handle money? How will I get on with the British? What if I hate the course?

What if I don't like to food? Being greeted by the friendly Sheffield 'Meet and Greet' assistants at Manchester did little to lift my mood. I walked into my tiny room in Stephenson Hall and did not know whether I should sit on the bed and cry or be happy about the new and exciting life that lay ahead.

In my first month in Sheffield, I managed to ruin most of my clothes in the washing machines as I always had a servant to do the laundry at home. I survived on burnt dinners or hall food as I had never cooked before and working a vacuum cleaner proved more challenging than my advanced biochemistry classes. I soon found my feet and made a lot of friends and learnt to live independently. Juggling coursework, a social life and home life can be tricky but I soon got the hang of it.

Six years later as I approach the end of my course, I feel that I have settled well and integrated with the British. I have found that British culture has a lot to offer and the diversity of the culture meant that every time I longed for a masala dosa or a plate of samosas, I was never far away from a good Indian restaurant. My advice to any Indians who will be commencing their studies in the UK is, to get stuck in with life in Britain and integrate with the people. It has enriched my experiences and has provided an opportunity for me to share what being an Indian is all about.

Lester Mascarenhas, India