I REP……………

Nottingham City, stand up for the Diva is here....

Hello guys…..How are you doing? I hope really good. As for me I am trying to cope with this weather. I am just getting over a cold that I got within three days that I was here. I had a sore throat about two days when I landed and it transform to a catarrh but as a proper pharmacist I came with a box load of drugs that even the immigration people asked me if I was planning on opening a pharmacy here. Anyways with my immediate attack, hot drinks morning and evening and lots of prayers, my cold is almost gone.

Anyway you guys know how I was supposed to be mysterious for a while and not give away my location for a while, welllllll two things have happened that have required I cancel that plan and rep my hood/university.

So let me give a resounding shout out to the awesomeness university in the world. Here we go…….I REP! I REP!! I REP!!! I REP, I REP, I REP……..DRUMROLLS PLEEEAAAASSSEEEEEE………..UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM!!!! WHOOP! WHOOP!! WHOOP!!! DANCING ETIGHI!.....ETIGHI, ETIGHI, ETIGHI…. DANCING SHOKI! AH SHOKI, AH SHOKI…….DANCING RIGHT TURR!! RIGHT TURR, RIGHT TURR………LOL. I  am crazy uhn……hahaha but sometimes you need some crazy moments in life. Besides my craziness brings some smiles to your face so it is worth it.

 Yes, I rep Britain’s best Global University……University of Nottingham. Let me tell you if you have ever come across my school’s advert or website or flyers believe every darn thing that is written. Mehn they are the definition of truthfulness. I have not been here for so long and I have not fully started lectures but all the student activities and places I have been to on the school campuses have shown me that they don’t sugar coat their words. They say it as it is.

 

Let me gist you on the very first reason why I decide to write this ‘I rep’ post. I had met one other Nigerian online that was given a full tuition fee scholarship prior to coming to the UK. We had been talking online during our visa applications, we shared what we were doing, our fears, how we never thought we could afford this program and other things even to flights we would take. However I thought that maybe the amount of Nigerians/Africans that were given the scholarships were few and maybe they lied. Only for there to be a graduate coffee and cake event at various graduate centres and I met some of my classmates. I found out that 8 of the 10 classmates I have met were given scholarships too. One (another pharmacist) was given 50% tuition fees like me, about 3 were given full tuition fees, another three from Ghana were given full tuition fees and living expenses. I am not sure what scholarship the other person was given.

The point is that when my school says that they have extensive scholarships for international students, they ain’t lying. When my classmates were discussing how University of Nottingham is international student friendly with the various types of scholarships available (either sponsored by them or in collaboration with the government, commonwealth and companies) I found out that some faculties also gave 25% tuition fee scholarships to some students that were given the 50% scholarships. So that was a 75% scholarship……not bad. Mine was like 66% with the bursary I was given.

As I listened to them, all I could think about was…..i need to write a post on how I applied for this scholarship/school. I need to help people achieve this. I need to write the steps I took and how I prepared. I would love to interview my classmates on their own experience so that you all have a concise post to help as many that are interested in furthering their studies. How since we really don’t know each other I am afraid to ask them. Maybe I would do that when I know them better. However I would still write based on my experience so watch this space for more.

So  since school has not fully started I am trying to settle down. I am sharing a two bedroom apartment with a Nigerian girl. It is small but then again I am not that big so what do I need a lot of space for…..lol. I have spent above my initial budget but I need to be comfortable at this initial stage because I am cold mehnnnnn. It is not funny o. I don’t know how I would manage in winter. I am on the lookout for online sales for warm clothing and shoes because I can’t seem to find my size in the shops I have gone to. Maybe I am not going to the right shops. 

I also need to find a flexible part time job o (i have other student related interests and school). I am not going to lie about it. I want to return the money I was lent (I hate borrowing money). It is not like it is an emergency but for someone who hates borrowing money, it is to me. I would also love a job that would involve me helping people and networking. This I feel would help improve my communication skills (it would be nice to interact with people of different races and backgrounds and accents).

Accents!! I apologise in advance in case I call you one day and speak in an oyinbo accent o. I am trying not to change my accent but when they begin to say…what? What did you say? Pardon? When you talk naturally but hear you when you speak in different way, nothing would tell you to change your accent o. So I am also apologising to people that I used to wonder why they changed their accent when they came here. I am so sorry o, I didn’t know. Sometimes it is not forming o, it is a necessity o! Before they carry you past your bus stop....lol. 

I have also been improving my culinary skills. It is so exciting to be able to try various dishes without so much thinking of how to get the ingredients and breaking a bank. Here are some of my experiments……

Dodo frittata before baking

After baking...

Egusi with spinach... 

Goat stew anyone....

And before I sign out, I just want to give an epic shout out to my friend and undergrad classmate…….KEMI!! She has been the bomb.com. You guys would not imagine all that happened to me when I arrived here. I was at a bus station with my luggage that weighed over 50 kg (heavier than me) at 11pm. 

The sim I bought went haywire on me. I couldn’t hear a darn thing. I missed the cab she called for me. I couldn’t browse on my phone, I was tired, i was cold, I was dejected and almost thinking I was not supposed to be here. She stayed up with me and made sure I made it safely to her house. 

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened to me that day if not for her. My earlier plans to go to school straight was a burst because I missed the bus hence all the problems I had. I am so grateful that she was here and she got my back that day and even till now. God bless you tremendously… My friend is totally AWESOME!! And her boys are totally MORE AWESOME!! I got people to try out my baking experiments with……yaaayyyyyyyyyy! *dancing shoki*. We have already tried banana split sundae……yum yum.

All of us were learners......lol

I got to go. I know I haven't given a full detail of my trip here but I recently received a mail from the international office of my school that gladdened my heart. 

Apparently my blog has been on their radar………Awesomeness. So they sent me a mail asking if I would be interested in writing for the international student blog. 


 

Can you all guess my answer? Yels ke!!! You don’t have to tell me twice. I am down for it. Locked down sef!! I sent them a big yes. I am waiting for their reply and what I should write on. So I am giving you guys a heads up o. If they accept me and publish my article, all of you (IT IS A MUST O) must go to the site and my article and read and comment o. 

Comment, tell your friends about it and ask them to comment on it. Make so much noise (better noise o, no fall my hand abeg o) that they would think I am a celebrity and request for my articles regularly. Imagine the Petite Diva as an official student blogger……*keepingmyfingerscrossed*.

Okay, bye o. Under my duvet I go. Thanks for stopping by and all your good wishes and prayers. God bless you all…..

Luv ya,

Petite Diva….