Ms Mika Tomita
130429407
Stage 1 B940
Dear Mom,
I’m sorry it’s been a while since I’ve updated you on how I’m doing over here in Newcastle. Don’t worry, I’m alive and doing well. I hope everyone back home is also happy and healthy.
I was reflecting on this past year as a freshman in university and realized that there were so many amazing experiences I had that I neglected to share with you. Also, I simply wanted to thank you for all the hard work you and dad put into raising me, and getting me to the point where I’m actually studying in a foreign country that seems millions of miles away from you guys.
For starters, to put your mind at ease, I have indeed successfully passed this first year. Despite arriving a couple of weeks late, I managed to catch up easily because the teachers were extremely knowledgeable and easy to approach. Additionally, a particularly helpful feature in this programme is that all students have an army of tutors to help them out. I have a personal tutor, student mentor, and advisor. They’re available to answer all questions whether it concerns my academics, my personal life, or simply if I feel like having a random chat. Another thing that really helped me with my studies was Recap. All lectures were recorded and conveniently posted online so that we could refer back to them if we had missed anything during the lecture.
In addition to the multiple lectures every day, we also had seminars and practicals every week. I loved them because they were a lot more interactive than the lectures, but simultaneously allowed us to apply the knowledge we’ve learned from the lectures. They were also held in much smaller groups than the lectures, which made it easier to ask a lot of questions. I tend to learn better in smaller groups, which is what made specializing next year in physiology so appealing. I’ll be able to study the subject I’m most interested in much more depth. I love the flexibility of this programme in which I can choose to change my degree to what I really want to study after learning a little about several subjects.
I really enjoyed the academic aspect of my past year here, but no, I didn’t become a complete hermit that only studies in the library or my room. I’ve met a lovely group of people that have helped me explore this new city and distracted me from my homesickness. Surprisingly, they come from all over the world; Nigeria, England, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia…etc. I could go on and on. Newcastle is unexpectedly a lot more international than I had thought it would be.
There are so many activities available here in Newcastle it’s astounding. The beach is only a quick metro ride away. It’s perfect to spend a sunny day there playing Frisbee, swimming, eating ice cream, and sunbathing. The water here is freezing in comparison with the beaches in Taiwan, but if it’s a really warm day, it’s bearable to swim in. There’s also a really nice market near the beach on Sundays with an interesting variety of food, clothing, and book stalls.
There are also lots of museums and sights to see. There’s actually one that’s basically on campus (the Hancock museum). There’s also an art gallery in the university that’s filled with beautiful artwork made by the students. Further out in Gateshead, there’s a larger museum called the Baltic. Right by the Baltic, there’s a nice river to walk along with the Millennium bridge that lights up at night. It’s honestly quite beautiful. Over the New Year, there was a magnificent display of fireworks near the bridge.
There are also parks and fields galore here in Newcastle. There is a particular park I like to frequent that’s really close to the medical building. Leazes park is perfect for having a barbeque or simply to play basketball in. I love playing basketball there because even though I’m usually the only girl there, I feel safe and not out of place at all. The people there are very amiable and great to play pickup games with.
The university also offers a wide variety of clubs and societies that cater to all interests. In the beginning of the year, out of curiosity, I joined the ultimate Frisbee club. It was great to be part of a team again, and meet people outside of my course. We even travelled to other places to compete with other universities in tournaments. I had a lot of fun in the indoor tournament in Liverpool.
The night life here is also great. There are numerous pubs and clubs each with a variety of music for all individuals. Interestingly enough, there was one time I went to a pub with some friends and found a bunch of board games in a corner, so we spent the night drinking and playing Jenga. This just goes to show how unique and pleasantly different Newcastle can be.
I also managed to travel a bit recently because I’ve been staying with some of my friends at their homes while I wait to move into our new place in July. They’ve taken me to Chester, Liverpool, and Blackpool. Guess what?! There’s a Friends themed café called the Central Perk Café in Chester and Liverpool. It’s set similar to the one in the TV show!
I’ve experienced a wealth of new experiences that have made me extremely grateful that I chose to study in Newcastle. I’ll have to take you to some of these places if you come and visit. I’m truly thankful that you encouraged all of your children to be brave enough to travel far to experience life to the fullest. I can’t wait to see what the next two years will have in store for me here in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Love and miss you,
Mika