EXCHANGE STUDENTS IN SUNDERLAND
Over 70 different nationalities are represented here at the University of Sunderland, making it one of the best international learning places in the area. Tefke van Dijk talks to some international students...

MORE than 16 per cent of students at the University of Sunderland are not of British origin. Some of them are here for just one semester, others for one year or a complete degree programme.

Why do they decide to study here? The reasons differ from person to person, but meeting people from other cultures and learning about yourself seem to be the most important reasons.

Often the choice of studying abroad is also study-related, like in the case of Chi Hang Yuen, 20, from Nijmegen, the Netherlands. He says: "For my study, International Business and Languages, it is compulsory to study abroad. That's why I studied in Germany for the first semester and in Sunderland during the second semester. Sometimes I miss my family and friends, but five months is not a very long time to be away from home. The food and culture here is a bit different, but I've experienced that these cultural differences are only small."

The culture-shock must be more intense for Ryan Carlsson, 22, from Illinois, USA. He decided to study abroad because of the opportunities to mix with other people and cultures from outside the States. The English culture and music hve always attracted him and this is like a dream come true for him. Before he came here he attended several workshops in the USA to learn what to expect in England.

He says: "We met students who had been before and got information from the Internet and traveller guides. My university helped me a lot." He expected to be enculturated with people in England and share experiences with people all over the world. So far his experiences meet these expectations.

Anke Richter,23, from Berlin, Germany studied here for the first semester of this year. She says she had several reasons for taking part in an exchange programme: "Back home I study English Literature and therefore it is a logical step to go to England. I chose to go to Sunderland, because I had a better chance of a placement here, it is close to the sea and Scotland and it's a small city and university compared to Berlin. Learning the language is an important reason to study abroad, but it's also about experiencing other cultures and countries, learning new skills about studying and most of all learning about myself."

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