Chelsea spent her year abroad on a placement in Egypt

Did you have any problems whilst you were out there?
When I first arrived in Sharm I was really scared, as I just looked at the desert and it reminded me of the war zones which I had seen on television. But after my initial apprehension, I realised it was a safe place to be!

Did you struggle not speaking the language?
I had been learning Spanish at university, but obviously this was no use in an Arabic-speaking country! Luckily most of the people spoke some English. It was a massive culture shock as the Egyptian mentality is totally different to British, but eventually the more I found out about the country, the culture and Islamic religion, I began to feel safer, and ended up meeting many Egyptian friends.

How do you think your year abroad has benefited you for the future?
I have benefited so much from my experience as I can now apply things I learnt out there to my academic work. I am more open-minded about different religions and cultures, and find learning about them so interesting. My time abroad was absolutely amazing, it's also made me grow up as well.

Would you recommend going abroad to other students?
I would definitely recommend going abroad if you get the opportunity, as it is the best experience you will ever have, and you will see things in your own life differently! Although I will say it is hard to adapt to home life when you get back!