International student Zaid shares his journey from Botswana to Aberdeen, and his experience settling in Scotland and at RGU.
Moving from Botswana to Aberdeen was a journey filled with dreams about what I was going to accomplish and new horizons to explore. Pursuing my education at Robert Gordon University was one of the best decisions I have ever made, every single day here has been an adventure in itself.
Why Engineering?
Ever since I was a boy, I was naturally inquisitive of the environment around me, particularly the everyday machines that I was surrounded by, whether it be the stove top or the laundry machine, I always wanted to know how they worked. I did my research on seemingly mundane everyday objects and I would be amazed by the complex systems behind them.
I always tried to recreate them using whatever was available to me whether it be out of Lego or even clay. Just having an inkling of similarity between my creation and its original inspiration would bring me immense joy. This had set my path in stone for my aspirations to be an engineer.
Why RGU?
I first heard about RGU through family members and previous alumni. They encouraged me to look in detail at the courses RGU provided. I discovered courses I liked and was impressed at the standard of the equipment and labs that the School of Computing, Engineering and Technology had. This prompted me to seriously consider applying to RGU.
Upon further research on the internet through videos and inquiries about student life, I was drawn to the ability to meet like-minded individuals and professors that enjoyed the same subjects I did and studied with passion in hopes of advancing technology to new fronts. After that realisation, there was no question that I had to apply to RGU in hopes of living my dream.
The UK was not always my first choice when it came to the idea of studying in a foreign country, but hearing about RGU and the extensive research I did about the University enticed me to give more thought to what life would be like studying in Aberdeen. As I have never been to Aberdeen or the UK, most of my information came from the internet or friends and family that have lived there or visited. They told me about their experiences exploring the granite city, visiting the shoreline, and the exceptional countryside that surrounded the city. After living here for about 5 months, I can truly say RGU and Aberdeen have exceeded my expectations.
My visa application process
The application process is a bit tedious at times but I had an extensive support network provided to me by the RGU team answering the hundreds of questions I sent through email. The responses were never too late and always thoroughly detailed and I couldn’t be more grateful for their guidance.
The RGU Website has detailed everything you would require to apply for a student visa including the documents necessary. An additional resource would be the UK immigration’s own website to calculate financial costs or additional requirements you need to satisfy to successfully receive the visa.
My journey to Scotland
On the 28th of August 2024, after being accompanied by my parents and having a heartfelt goodbye, I left from Sir Seretse Khama Airport and arrived at O.R Tambo international airport in South Africa where I would get onto my connecting flight to Hamad International airport Doha and from there onto my next connecting flight to Heathrow airport London where I would be joined by my grand aunt, who spent a considerable amount of time in the UK, on my final flight to Aberdeen international airport.
I had a lot of connecting flights and was exhausted after the nearly 24-hour journey. To my dismay, I was told that one luggage had not arrived yet, but the staff were so helpful and managed to get my belongings to me fast tracked onto the next flight. I finally exited the airport into an unbelievable view of a sunset and a cold refreshing breeze. I couldn’t contain my excitement that I was finally in Aberdeen. I lodged in a hotel that night and moved into my student accommodation the next day. The feeling was exhilarating.
Settling in Aberdeen
I was fortunate enough to have my grand aunt with me during the first two weeks in Aberdeen, but even if you don’t have anyone with you at the time, the goals are still the same: setting up your living situation, getting registered at a GP, collecting your BRP from the post office, and sorting your cellular plan. If you have doting parents such as myself, the cellular plan becomes quite a priority as I had to call them nearly four times a day when I first arrived.
Aberdeen is quite a walkable city, and if the distance is too far to walk, I can almost guarantee there is a bus heading to your desired destination. You can find Asian or African food stores on George street ,and I have so far not struggled to find something I needed that wasn’t a bus ride away.
Life at RGU
At RGU, I have met a plethora of wonderful people while going to my lectures or labs. My peers have been extremely friendly and welcoming, including the professors who are passionate about teaching and passing on their vast troves of knowledge onto their students. They are always helpful, so never be too afraid to ask a question while in a lecture. The University offers a hands-on learning approach, which has helped me develop both academically and professionally.
Advice to prospective students
Always have a positive outlook on things even when they aren’t going your way. Learn to navigate with the flow of the day and the challenges that come with it. Having a schedule for your social activities and academic duties to even simple day to day tasks such as cooking for yourself helps a lot. Get into a rhythm and I can testify that a lot of things that look difficult end up my easier.
Looking ahead
My Journey at RGU has only began and I look forward to the rest of my academic career but I’m steadfast in the opinion that this is where I belong. I have stepped out of my comfort zone but I’m always learning and adapting to whatever challenges may come my way. I hope that sharing my experience has helped prospective students looking at RGU with curious eyes take that bold step to studying in the UK and here at RGU.
Zaid Raza
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