My life as a student

I thoroughly enjoyed being a student at Lancaster University. The tutors were all very helpful and were always sensitive to our cultural differences. The faculty in the linguistics department at Lancaster University were very friendly and the staff constantly encouraged us to take part both in academic and social events. I attended many of the talks and seminars held at the university and was a member of two of the research groups who met on a weekly basis. On two occasions I participated in post graduate conferences, at Warwick and Lancaster University.  

My life in Lancaster

Although my initial intention had been to stay on campus, I finally stayed in town as accommodation on campus was no longer available. Personally, I believe it was much better in the end. To begin with, all the shops were at walking distance. In addition, staying in town offered me and my husband the possibility to socialize and integrate with the local community. We took part in many local activities, such as festivals in the market square, gigs, plays and workshops at the Adult Education Centre or the local library. We also made many English friends who invited us to birthday parties and other social events.   

My life as a Hornby scholar

Being a Hornby scholar enabled me to meet wonderful people from all over the world. It was amazing that despite cultural differences, we all had so much in common. We took part in many activities together and when the time came for us to meet the rest of the ‘Hornbies’ in Oxford, we had become a kind of family. It was there that we started preparing our IATEFL presentation in Harrogate.

All in all, my experience as a Hornby scholar could not have been better. I am hardly the same person that left Argentina a year ago. This rich experience has not only helped me grow professionally, but it has also shown me that there is a lot to be learnt from other cultures.