Steve's sandbox

Tag: Sheffield Hallam University

  • Oliver de Planta – Case Study, Germany 2014 – 2015

    During my studies at Sheffield Hallam University I undertook a year abroad in Germany from June 2014 to March 2015.

    I began my year abroad in Munich, Bavaria working for Robert Bosch GmbH then for the second half I moved to Berlin to work at Siemens AG. The scholarship from the John Speak Trust afforded more freedom during my time abroad and assisted towards my day to day living and travel expenses.

    Me and Münchner Gaudiblosn a Bavarian band that play at, among other places, Oktoberfest

    The opportunity to work abroad in a different environment was full of advantages both personally and professionally. There was so much to organize like accommodation, bank accounts, registrations and paperwork and all this in two of the three largest cities in Germany.  It was a lot to deal with, I was on my own, but I managed to sort everything out single handed!

    Not knowing anyone in a city when you first arrive can be difficult and daunting, and ironically I personally found it more difficult meeting people in larger cities!  But it’s very rewarding when you finally make new friends and more importantly some good friends. Persevering with the language can also be difficult, especially if one is living in a city where many speak English and always try to use it when they find out you are a native speaker.

    Brandenburger Tor

     

    Being in Germany didn’t only help me immerse in the German culture but also the cultures of other countries and the people, which I found extremely interesting, a positive side effect of trying to improve my German language skills.

    The Reichstag, Berlin

     

     

    I’m pretty sure that anyone who spends some time studying abroad would recommend the experience to others, I certainly would!  If you were offered such an opportunity I would definitely recommend you take it; I cannot think of any reasons not to.  Many of my friends in England think it’s unbelievable that I have lived and studied another language abroad.

     

     

    I would certainly encourage others to apply for a John Speak Trust scholarship and take advantage of such a wonderful opportunity.

    Oliver de Planta

  • Amy Clark – Case Study France and Spain 2014-2015

    I can´t quite believe that my 18 months abroad are coming to an end, it only seems like 2 minutes since I was boarding the plane to Alicante in January 2014 to begin my Erasmus study period! I feel that my time abroad, in France and Spain has been the most beneficial part of my university course so far; not only has it allowed me to greatly improve my French and Spanish but I´ve also developed a variety of skills that are going to help me throughout the rest of my life! As a student from Sheffield Hallam University, now in my 3rd year, I jumped at this opportunity of being awarded a scholarship, as I knew it would be a big help towards various costs that travelling and working abroad would endeavor.

    My scholarship was split between my time in Montpellier, France and Palma De Mallorca, Spain, however during this time I was also able to travel to other places in Europe, making the most of the opportunities that I had. I managed to visit Bordeaux, Paris, Toulouse, Nimes and  Geneva whilst living in France, it´s been amazing to be able to travel and see so much in such a short time! As for my time here in Palma de Mallorca, I’ve spent my weekends exploring the beautiful island, hiring cars with new friends from all different backgrounds, visiting remote non-touristic places and generally experiencing the true Spanish culture. I´ve got to say that life on a Spanish island is definitely something I’d think about later on in life and Mallorca in particular is amazingly beautiful!

    Aside from all the exciting travelling, meeting new people and learning new things, there has of course been times when I’ve missed home, my friends and family and even once or twice when I have wished I could be back, but I know that this experience has had a huge impact on my life and on me as a person and I’m so grateful for the opportunity; I have no regrets about moving abroad and leaving my life in England behind as I know the positives have far outweighed the negatives! I’m looking forward to finishing my degree in Sheffield and moving on to bigger and better things!

    Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to the John Speak Scholarship Trust for giving me the great pleasure of being a part of their organisation for the last 10 months and would without a doubt, recommend it to anyone who is eligible to apply!

  • Alexander Arch – Case Study, Paris, France 2014 – 2015

    I am a student of French, Spanish qnd international business at Sheffiled Hallam University.   I have spent my year abroad in Noisy-le-Grand, just outside of Paris. Whilst in France, I worked for a holiday comparison website which allowed me to develop my French and Spanish skills in a professional environment. The placement also helped me identify the areas of business which interest me.   As I was working for a small company I was able to witness how it was run as well as seeing how my contributions affected income and views.

    Whilst living and working in France, I was fortunate to find a local rugby club which allowed me to meet many people from all over the country as well as hearing slang and very familiar French which I don’t encounter at work (or university!!).

    I discovered that spending as much time with locals as possible really helped develop my language skills.  When I arrived I found it difficult to understand many people due to their accents and because they spoke so quickly, but now I find it easier to understand most people- however I still struggle with the southern French accents!

    Over the past year I have had many unforgettable experiences, I’ve learned many things and I’ve made life-long friends.  I have really enjoyed this past year and would recommend undertaking a placement abroad to anybody.

     

    Finally, I would like to thank the John Speak Trust for their support during my time abroad.  The Trust has given me the opportunity to really embrace and make the most of my time in France, an experience that I’ll never forget.

    Alexander Arch – August 2014 to May 2015 (France)

  • Phoebe Ellis – Case Study: Jena in Germany, March – May 2015

    In March 2015 I travelled to Jena, a small city in the former Eastern part of Germany in order to study business and German at the local university.  I am currently a 2nd year student at Sheffield Hallam and initially I chose to take part in a study abroad period in order to enhance my German skills, but it has been so much more.  I have learnt so many valuable life skills, experienced real German culture; I have overcome barriers and been lucky enough to travel around many parts of Germany and Europe.

    Living abroad has been hard at times; the first few weeks were definitely an experience, a negative one at that.  However the good times have been enough to make it all worth it.  I would absolutely recommend studying abroad to any student.  I have made friends for life, from around the world and I have had an experience I could only dream about if I had stayed at my home university.

    I will now go on to work in Hamburg for 12 months as a marketing assistant in a chemical and disinfectant company.  As I have been lucky enough to study in Germany, my German has reached a standard that I feel comfortable in a professional environment, and obviously this will be a great advantage in placement in Hamburg and also my future career. I hope that once I graduate and start a career of my own I will still use my German, but I will certainly never let my skills fade.

     

    I would like to thank the John Speak trust for giving me this opportunity.  I have been able to properly immerse myself in the German way of life.