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Interview with Mika…| The adventure of Going Abroad to learn English
Hello Mika, tell us a little about yourself
I am a 35 year old guy from Seville who loves travelling whenever I have a chance. I guess that´s a kind of a heritage from my parents as they were also living abroad, in Belgium, where I was actually born in the 80’s.
I love Cinema (my strongest passion), comic books, social media and general culture.
Why did you decide to go abroad? When did you leave?
After finishing University (Audiovisual Communication, 2003) I quickly realized that my education was basically useless without a good level of English. That’s why I decided to move to London for a while, around 3 months.
But life is as it is and, well, 3 months turned into a whole decade (I came back to Sevilla in 2013).
What was your Living English Experience like? Did you find it tough?
It was definitely tough. Before leaving, several friends were telling me how easy it was to find a job in the UK.
The thing is they neglected to mention what sort of job a non- English speaker could expect.
What did you achieve while improving your English skills in London?
That’s the best part. I started from washing dishes to managing more than 50 properties across London (short stay renting) after 2 years. This was a huge step for me considering that I did not speak a word of English when I arrived back in 2003.
What is your fondest memory or experience while abroad?
That would be my first experience with several cultures. It is when you realize how interesting it is sharing your time with different people, with their own habits, religions, thoughts and points of view. I used to live in my hometown (a small village near Seville). You can imagine the impact of landing in a massive city like London…
Based on your experience, how would you encourage our students to be consistent and ambitious when learning English?
I guess the “secret” to stay motivated is thinking about it as something voluntary. It is all about communicating, negotiating, defending your point of view, and interacting.
Don´t view learning a language as an obligation, you are learning because you decided to do it and you know how important it will be for your career, your hobbies or whatever you will use it for. That way you will always find a reason to keep going!
Thank you Mika!
The What’s up! Team.
