In honour of refugee week, international student Kseniia Huba shares her experience.
My Experience at UHI
My name is Kseniia Huba and I was one of the Student Voice Representatives at UHI Perth for the past few months. Let me tell you a little bit about myself and how I got where I am today. I was born and raised in Ukraine. I studied back home before I started experiencing life abroad too. When I was 18, I moved to Poland and started working to save up some money for my future. Not long after that I decided it was time for a bigger challenge, moving to the UK. Moving wasn't easy but it certainly put me to the test. Once I arrived and settled down, I tried various jobs but I felt I wanted more and that feeling kept pushing me towards the thought, "I want to go to college!". This thought stuck with me for a good while until I gave in and signed up to UHI Perth to learn and improve my English skills. Unfortunately that meant I had to stop working but in return I was able to put everything into studying and participating in several activities during my time at UHI. I became one of the SVRs (Student Voice Reps) and that role gave me insight into what leading a team feels like. I was also highly commended as an SVR in HISA's OBI Awards at UHI Perth this year.
Through this time, I met a lot of amazing people with different backgrounds, both teachers and students. I heard stories from everyone about how they got there and how their lives were before coming to UHI, but most importantly I made friends. We created a small family within our group and going to classes never felt overwhelming. Preparing for the test was the hardest part of it all but definitely worth it!
I finished my studies and I am very grateful for everything I was taught, not only the language but I was shown Scottish culture and literature which were interesting and I was happy to learn about them too. I really enjoyed being a part of it and I consider this an unforgettable experience that I will always think back on with a smile. Thank you UHI.
If you are an international student, consider joining HISA's International Student Network on Discord!