"Here I am in the 'red' city", was my first thought when I found myself in Manchester. The impression was created because of the red brick buildings all around the City. Even the main colour of Manchester United, one of the best football clubs in the world, is red, but this was not the case with the main building of the university.

The campus is located on one of the main streets, Oxford Road. On both sides of the street there are schools, departments, institutes, libraries and computer labs.

To tell the truth, at first I was surprised by the lecturers. They asked us to address them by their first names only, notwithstanding their age and academic titles. We were free to go and talk to our lecturers, to explain them our fears, share our problems and ask their advice.

I have to admit that the academic year, which at beginning I perceived as something very long and extremely difficult, passed very quickly.

The three months that I was writing my dissertation passed even faster. The huge amount of work that scared me so much, and that I thought I would never be able to complete, was somehow over. "Was that a dream, or did it really happen?" I thought while waiting for my flight in Manchester airport. Even my friends, whom I met in Manchester, plus our pictures and small souvenirs that we gave one another before leaving and that now sit on my desk - everything seems so unreal.

It is all over for me now, but so many students are just at the beginnings of their journey. They probably also feel a bit scared, just as I did one year ago. However, I am sure one year from now they too will be looking back on their great year in a UK university. I wish them good luck!