“My first English course in 2009 was my milestone of becoming who I am now.” Angela from Spain, who obtained a Master’s Degree at Chelsea College of Arts and is currently working for Central Saint Martins, shares how learning English in London became a life-changing experience for her.
A student working on a project at University of the Arts London
Could you tell us about your journey from Spain to study in London?
I first arrived in the UK in 2009 to study English at the English UK London member school, Tti School of English, looking for experiences to enhance my future career. My background was in fashion design. However, after studying History of Art focussing on museums and galleries, I discovered my passion: I wanted to be a curator. To achieve my goal, I completed the MA Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London (UAL), which further facilitated my dream to work for this university. After graduation, I started my first job at Central Saint Martins (CMS) as the Short Course Assistant. I then moved on to work as the PA to the Dean of Academic Programmes and recently got my current job as the External Liaison Coordinator for Drama and Performance at CSM.
What impressed you the most while studying your MA at Chelsea College of Arts?
One of the advantages of my MA programme was the opportunity to assist the Director of Exhibitions at Chelsea Space, which is an art gallery situated within the College to curate and install exhibitions taking place there. Students were able to use different spaces in the university to curate individual exhibitions. Another advantage was that the college gives students access to a special collection. We could take some original artworks out on loan, which are invaluable to curate our exhibitions. It was an excellent opportunity to grow as a curator and gain confidence when dealing with original artworks that belong to a collection.
What do you do in your current position at Central Saint Martins?
My current role looks after all public and internal events organised by the courses under the umbrella of ‘Drama and Performance’, both undergraduate and postgraduate. The subjects cover Acting, Performance Design, Directing and Character Animation. I project-manage the events, liaise with acting agents and external parties to develop new collaborations, create the graphics to promote the events, etc. It is a very busy but rewarding job, in which routine is never part of my life.
Was your English language course the springboard to your journey in London?
My first English course in 2009 was my milestone of becoming who I am now. It enabled me to be less dependent and more proactive in my life here in London, which had a direct impact on my career. Having said this, in my opinion, becoming a perfectly fluent speaker, writer and reader in a second language that you adopted as an adult, implies a life-long learning exercise and a constant strive for improvement. The English course gave me the vital foundation, and the practice, experience and resilience, which are equally important, made a solid combination to improve slowly and steadily.
Why is London a great city to study English?
When I came here, I couldn’t put two words together or have a basic conversation. It was frustrating. Luckily, London is a place where you can find thousands of others in the same situation, so you are not alone. As a result, I did not only learn to adapt to the British culture, but I also embraced it. Now, it is part of me, and I think this is the key to living here and using the language every day. I have seen how my English has improved hand in hand with my level of adaptation to the culture. I feel like I am a Londoner almost as much as Spaniard! This feeling is empowering, because it enriches my life, it keeps my mind open and diversifies my life options.
Where could an English language course take you? If you are ready to make your dreams come true, visit English UK London to find a list of the best language schools in London.