NYEMAHAME OKWU
Dear Eze,
How are you and how have you been sincethe last time we saw on that very good afternoon? I hope all is well with you and your family? It is with great joy that I write you this letter to tell you about my experiences in the city of Newcastle.
The city is a compact city with a wonderful night life. Being a compact city makes it easy for you to know the city very well. Telling you all about the night life would see me run out of paper but it is comparable to day time as you can find more people on the streets and the street lights just beautifies every corner of the city. Being a lover of football, I was inquisitive to find out about St. James’ Park and you would be surprised to hear that it is a magnificent fortress with a capacity of 52,000. The atmosphere during a home match in the stadium is electric!!! The city has several coastal areas and beaches which gives it a beautiful appearance during the summer. In general, the people I have seen are so wonderful and helpful. One very noticeable feature of the city is its cold weather. You would be surprised to know thatI have worn a jacket every single day of the week and even in the summer!!!
The University of Newcastle if I must say has exceeded my expectations and I can say that it is one of the best universities in the United Kingdom. The teachers here are wonderful and their mode of teaching is aimed at making you a complete student as this prepares you for life after university. We do practical laboratory sessions equipped with the latest machines in use today. After this, we write our essays or reports and I must say that it makes you think to the best of your ability. The teachers I have met along the way are someof the best you could ever find and no wonder it is ranked among the top 20 universities in the UK. I have made more friends in school and this has greatly enhanced my communication skills and made me more knowledgeable about the Newcastle and British culture. I must say that coming to Newcastle was one of the best decisions I ever made.
My school just like most schools in the England has a student union which was recently renovated with a huge sum of money. The student union has so many clubs and societies which you can enroll in. Due to my interest in learning new things, I have joined the Nigerian and Surgical societies. The experiences I have gained from the time I have spent in both societies were wonderful and I must say that I have met wonderful people. During one of the sessions, I learnt how to sew stitches. I have also met wonderful people from Nigeria and I have relied on the friends I have made in one way or the other.
My time table in school is well prepared and I have spare time on some lecture days. During my spare time, I have had extra classes in French. The reason for going back to French was because of my past interest in the language as you already know. I found out that I was slowly forgetting the language I once had a great interest in. I must tell you that since the first day of my registration and classes, I have not regretted a single minute.
I have volunteered for several organizations and this has been really helpful as it has built up my communication skills. I have had surprises along the way and one that surprises me the most is the attitude of the people here in Newcastle. When I first came, I saw an entirely different society from ours. The people I have met so far are willing to help you out when you have a problem in every way possible. Newcastle has a very strong history such as:building the world first locomotive, being the first city to manufacture light bulbs, being a super power on ship building in the 1900’s, and having the second biggest retail shop in the UK. There are lots of places to visit in Newcastle such as art museums, cinemas, beaches etc.
I have travelled to other cities such as Edinburgh, Birmingham and Wolverhampton which are all unique and different compared to the city of Newcastle. The cities I have travelled to have made me know that Newcastle is special in its own way.
Studying away from home as you might think is not very easy because I miss home, my friends, mummy’s food like crazy that I wish I was back home but I have discovered that this is a big step I must take.
I would be looking forward to seeing you again and to tell you more about this wonderful place I can now call a home away from home. Please pass on my greetings to our friends back home.
From your best friend,
Okwu.