My degree is different to anything I did at school - and took me to Malawi! AMA

OP

I will admit it was a big jump to everything I did at college, I was mainly focused on business and religious studies at A-level! But I have a real passion for making the world sustainable and because of the volunteering I'd done prior it just felt right? The good thing about my course at UEA is that there are different branches that relate more to what you could have studies before, so for example I focus on economics, media and gender at the moment. I would say to go for it, as long as you have that passion!

Reply 3

Anonymous #2

This sounds awesome!! i've read that malawi is really high in the happiness index which is cool.

does the internship pay? and did you organise it all yourself - was it stressful to organise it all?

Reply 4

Realitysreflexx

22

If you guy's want to actually have a full year abroad studying in the tropics as part of your degree at a Russell group, i can suggest the University of Nottingham :smile:

.

Reply 5

ozzyoscy

21

Did you try the infamous 'mice kebabs' or 'mice on a stick'?

And if so... how was the fur?

Video showing practice of eating mice in spoiler below:

Spoiler

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Anonymous

This sounds awesome!! i've read that malawi is really high in the happiness index which is cool.

does the internship pay? and did you organise it all yourself - was it stressful to organise it all?

Malawi is awesome, correct!
I found it on the database that UEA gives us to fine internships and things for our overseas experience! It doesn't pay but the experience is worth it. UEA actually give us £750 towards any expenses too :smile:

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Realitysreflexx

If you guy's want to actually have a full year abroad studying in the tropics as part of your degree at a Russell group, i can suggest the University of Nottingham :smile:

.

UEA also offer this too, they're actually one of the only uni's that offer so many year abroad options, such as Lebanon for my degree as well. I personally don't think a Russel Group makes any difference, UEA is higher than many uni's on the student satisfaction scale and that should be the only thing that matters. I decided not to take a year abroad as part of my degree, because I already did a gap year so didn't want an extra year added.

Thanks for your comment though :wink:

Reply 8

gscewhizz

13

Original post by Becca- student at UEA

My name is Becca and I’m a current second year student at UEA. As the title suggests, my degree has taken me many places, most recently given me an internship with an NGO.

I study International Development with Overseas Experience, a degree which many people wish they’d never asked me because they have no idea what it means! In simple terms, DEV is all about making the world a better place but firstly learning about that world and what challenges we face across the globe.

I did a gap year before university where I travelled to Malawi to teach girls about Sex education and help microfinance businesses owned by women. So, when I finally arrived at UEA I knew what I wanted to do on my Overseas Experience, go back to Malawi as I LOVE the country. However, due to COVID-19 that opportunity kind of went out the window! But, luckily, I managed to find an NGO working in Malawi who really wanted me for an intership this summer, working online and from home, which is where you find me now!

Right now, life is pretty hectic, despite being stuck inside on lockdown! I’m currently still finishing assignments, working as an intern, helping my school as DEV convenor and helping to make video blogs here!

So, why not ask me questions about life right now, how I managed to get an internship during COVID-19 or what university life is like!

hiya Becca,
your travels seem amazing but i wanted to ask are there other degrees you are aware of that allows travels like this! I am interested in medicine, pretty hands on, but i love travelling but i am not sure if a gap year will allow me to do such or possibly leave me behind

Reply 9

OP

Original post by gscewhizz

hiya Becca,
your travels seem amazing but i wanted to ask are there other degrees you are aware of that allows travels like this! I am interested in medicine, pretty hands on, but i love travelling but i am not sure if a gap year will allow me to do such or possibly leave me behind

Hi @gscewhizz,

A lot of medical degrees offer a sabatical in the middle where you can go and travel and get hands on medical experience, so thats definitely something worth looking at! As well as this, UEA offers a lot of different semester abroads or study abroad for the year which can be really cool too! I'd say for medical, look at doing a sabatical experience year 100%. There's a link here to one of the medicine courses which has a section on years abroad: https://www2.uea.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/degree/detail/mbbs-medicine :smile:

Reply 10

gscewhizz

13

Original post by Becca- student at UEA

Hi @gscewhizz,

A lot of medical degrees offer a sabatical in the middle where you can go and travel and get hands on medical experience, so thats definitely something worth looking at! As well as this, UEA offers a lot of different semester abroads or study abroad for the year which can be really cool too! I'd say for medical, look at doing a sabatical experience year 100%. There's a link here to one of the medicine courses which has a section on years abroad: https://www2.uea.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/degree/detail/mbbs-medicine :smile:

thanks so much, i am going to look upon the website and check it out because sabaticals look incredible! just a change of enivornment :smile:

your travels are amazing btw

Reply 11

OP

Original post by gscewhizz

thanks so much, i am going to look upon the website and check it out because sabaticals look incredible! just a change of enivornment :smile:

your travels are amazing btw

No worries @gscewhizz! glad I could help :smile:

Even just spending your summer abroad can be amazing, UEA have so many opportunities to help you out there too. Thank you, I caught the travel bug for sure!

Reply 12

ozzyoscy

21

Wow ignored my question. So much for AMA.

Reply 13

OP

Original post by ozzyoscy

Wow ignored my question. So much for AMA.

Whilst I was in Malawi I ate a lot of Nsima, which is maize and water that makes a mash potato side. And a lot of street chicken. Fresh Fruit there is great too, we had Banana's for days. The most exotic thing I probably ate was cold fish, not rats. As far as I know, they're not a food often found there. Sorry for the long reply!

Reply 14

Esimm03

13

Hey,
I'm a year 12 student, and at the moment I am thinking about studying Geography with Economics, I really want a job that I can travel with, more specific places such as Australia, South Africa, and the US, what sort of jobs does International Development lead into? and how does it compare to something such as Human Geography?

Thanks!,
Ethan

Reply 15

username3719046

11

Hey Becca! I've recently firmed my place at Dundee uni, but can i just say UEA seems lovely and I've only heard great things about it!! I completely agree with what you said about non-russell groups unis, both of our unis are massive underdogs and have just as much to offer! I hate that so many people put so much value in "russell groups" because genuinely good unis with amazing student satisfaction rates like ours get overlooked and laughed at for no reason. Just wanted to say thank you so much and good luck on your course!! :smile:

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 16

OP

Original post by Esimm03

Hey,
I'm a year 12 student, and at the moment I am thinking about studying Geography with Economics, I really want a job that I can travel with, more specific places such as Australia, South Africa, and the US, what sort of jobs does International Development lead into? and how does it compare to something such as Human Geography?

Thanks!,
Ethan

Hi @esimm003,
So the way that International Development works at UEA at least, is that we study 5/6 different 'disciplines': geography, economics, anthropology etc, and then go on to choose the ones you love! So you can choose to study both of those things and have a lot more flexibility on extra modules! Jobs in DEV can honestly, go ANYWHERE! We've had alumni that work in charities in the UK and abroad, DIFD or even the UN, the list is endless really! And in regards to human geography, that is the type which is studied as a module in DEV! I personally don't do any modules in geography bc its not my cup of tea, but I do economics, media and gender based ones :smile:

There's lots of variety and we even have modules focused on regions like Africa and latin America. I think it would be a really good option for you to look into for sure! Here's a link to our applicant day video for this year, where I actually do a section on student life: https://youtu.be/zGnj5xuqcPI

Any questions, please ask!!

Reply 17

OP