Learning to Love Cov!

From a personal point of view as well as a that of a lot of people I have come into contact with, one thing stands out; being an international student is definitely an entirely different ball game. For most people, factors including the difference in lifestyle, cuisine, lack of friends (initially) and the predictable unpredictability of the British weather combine to produce a culture spasm. You will find it normally takes quite a while to getting used to how things work and for some others quite a while longer but fear not, hope is here. I’ll share a few tips about Coventry and how to be rid of this stigma.

1. Keep Warm.

A new start. That is what mainly dwells on the mind as soon as you move into your accommodation, followed closely by coming up with cheesy pick-up lines or laughing them off (largely depending on your gender……….. and nota bene I never did any of that) or  trying to find and purchase the latest piece of tech for the sake of trendiness. All the above seem fairly natural but one of the more pressing natural things to consider is the weather. You will find that the academic terms begin in both September and January and unless by a stroke of luck or even better by divine intervention there is sunshine and warmth in these two months, your understanding of the word ‘cold’ will be altered. 

Temperatures swing and most at times fall below the 0̊ mark with the UK being one of the coldest places to be in; especially during this time-frame  However, there are an adequate number of stores located all over the city’s shopping centre where warmth can be bought in the form of clothes, duvets or bed spreads and footwear. The weather should not be a problem if you stay warm.

2. Food.

I find that a lot of international students instantly miss home dishes as soon as they taste foreign food. Some, on the other hand, do not mind as much and to be honest and I agree with the notion that a full stomach cares not what filled it, it only revels in satisfaction. For the people who share different views and others that fancy a gastronomic adventure into other food cultures, Coventry provides an assortment of multi-cultural food establishments that serve anything from daoxiang paigu to calulu mufete.

Dishes that will make your eyes drool and your mouth cry. From personal experience, the special fried rice meal from the Chinese Kitchen is enough to liven up my mood in most circumstances, everyone should try it. Or do you prefer to have something African? You’ll find Nigerian restaurants like Calabash and Solace with meals that are really really good. Fancy Lebanese or Indian food? The Habibi and Aqua restaurants combined the Rupali and food from the Bombay Palace will leave you wondering why you’ve been missing out on Middle Eastern dishes.

Greek, Romanian, Icelandic, Turkish, Egyptian, Angolan, anything you can think of to satisfy your mouth and stomach’s pleasures, Coventry has it and I have made the most of such delicacies; everyone should.

Jerome Garbrah from Ghana

Studying Communications, Culture and Media