International student co-creates guide to studying at Chichester – from coping with the weather to finding favourite foods
Social work master’s student Uche Odunze has co-written a guide for other international students at the University of Chichester on adjusting to life in the UK, including how to cope with the weather, where to find international food and the best hairdressers to cut afro-textured hair.
She has also been recognised with an Outstanding Achievement award, chosen by fellow students in the Social Work Department.
Dr Denise Turner, Operational Head of Social Work at the university, said: “Uche has worked with me and UKSWA to create a booklet for international students which is widely available and covers practical issues like British weather, where to get favourite foods and cutting afro-textured hair. These are issues Uche faced herself when she came to England in a balmy September when she was so cold she could not think straight!”
Uche, who is the first of five children born to her parents in Jos, Nigeria, experienced financial hardship in her childhood after the early passing of her father. She helped to bring up her siblings, but despite a difficult start, she achieved a degree in economics, before embarking on an almost 20-year career in Human Resources Management (HRM).
But when the pandemic hit in 2020, the struggles in her local community and her own background put her on a different path.
Uche said: “As with many people, the Covid-19 pandemic changed a lot of things for me. The change in the usual way of working made me reflect deeply on the idea of living out my purpose through my work.
“I increasingly noticed the vulnerable people within my community who were in dire need of help. I continued to grapple with purpose and I formally resigned my employment in February 2021.”
Uche spent time volunteering at an orphanage while she sought a new career to give ‘a renewed sense of purpose and fulfilment’.
She decided to pursue social work and said: “I chose to study in the UK based on the excellent standard of education. The University of Chichester was one the schools I shortlisted after considering factors such as the success rate of its graduates, the overall ranking of the University, the ranking of its social work program and its research work. A bonus was finding out that Chichester city was rated as one the top five happiest places to live in the UK. I am very glad that I came to this school and to this city.”
Uche started her two-year MA Social Work degree at the University of Chichester in 2022, and soon set about making an impact on campus. She found certain challenges being an international student, and wanted to help others in a similar position.
She said: “The challenges range from teaching methods, weather conditions and cultural differences. I found that the teaching method in the UK was different from what I was used to, but it was relatively easy to adapt.
“Coming from Lagos, Nigeria where the annual mean humidity and temperature are 88% and 27oC respectively, navigating the volatile UK weather, especially the winter, was an experience and a half.
“Experiencing cultural differences was delightful. Just being aware of it helped me to communicate with people. It was an enriching learning experience.”
Uche volunteered to become an international student rep on her course and then inspired and co-created a booklet with a fellow international student Chidiebere Aguagwa and the UKSWA – a professional association for Black and ethnic minority social workers – to help others adjusting to life in the UK and Chichester.
She said: “I started thinking of information that would have eased my adjustment to my new environment and ways of improving the experience of future international students. I made notes from my experiences and garnered information from fellow international students. The booklet presents information and essential tips in an easily accessible manner and from the perspective of someone with a lived experience.
“Some of the areas covered include the weather and choosing the right attire, the diversity of British accents, a guide on things to do in Chichester, how to get around with public transport, tips on finding accommodation and accessing international food in Chichester. Many of these challenges may appear minor but, in my experience, they can impair mental and physical wellbeing if not well managed.”
On being recognised for her work with an award, Uche said: “It feels as exciting as it is humbling. It was a totally unexpected recognition for something that I set out to do to facilitate an easier adjustment experience for future international students.”
Now Uche looks to the future, as she embarks on her new career, and she shared: “I look forward to getting a job, starting my career as a newly-qualified social worker and impacting as many lives as I can. I can’t wait to practice what I have learned.
“One of my objectives when I left Nigeria is to learn as much as possible to one day return home to help with the development of the social work profession which is still at a fledgling stage at a time we need it to be well established. To be prepared for this may require experience from both practice and higher academic research. Time will tell.”
Dr Turner added: “It has been an absolute privilege to work with Uche. She came here to learn from us, and we have learned as much from her.”
