New friends embrace DMU's international welcome week

A feast of social gatherings, trips and organised events has been enjoyed by students who have travelled from all over the world to begin their studies at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).

The International Welcome Week has introduced hundreds of students to the DMU campus and the city through a string of events including a fun fair, the official welcome celebration, a karaoke evening, sports sessions, and a British tea party on Friday.

Nontawat Pattanajak, from Nong Khai in Thailand, will be studying Intelligence Systems. The 28-year-old said: “I’ve made so many friends this week. People here are very friendly and polite, much more than I expected.

“I was surprised at all the events organised for us this week and I don’t feel like I miss home at all now, it’s been so much fun.

“Leicester is a nice city; I like the atmosphere in the city centre and the way it’s a mixture of old and new.”

All the way from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, 35-year-old Tran Trong Trung arrived at DMU a week ago on Sunday and was hugely impressed with the Vijay Patel Building, where his studies will be based.

“I love it,” said the Design Innovation post graduate. “I can’t wait to start working there.

“I’ve been to lots and lots of events during the week and I’ve really enjoyed myself.”

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A trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, was one of the week’s highlights for many of the international students.

“I’ve been there twice now,” said Huan Su, 19, who arrived at DMU in June from Shenzhen in China to do an English language course in preparation for her Accounting and Finance degree.

“The first time it was raining so I really enjoyed going again. I also really liked the karaoke event this week with all my new friends, and walking by the river here is really beautiful.”

One of those friends, Yufan Hu, also 19 and studying Accounting and Finance, from Huizhou, China, added: “We’re looking forward to meeting lots more new friends from different cultures.”

Adham Nour aldean, 26, is from Alay in The Lebanon and is about to embark on his Master’s in Mechatronic Engineering. He chose DMU because of the course’s strong reputation.

He said: “I went on the Stratford trip and to the cinema. Stratford was so calm and classy. This week has been so great, I really love this country.”

Twenty-one-year-old Karolina Fialove is here from Prague in the Czech Republic to study Journalism through an Erasmus placement.

She said: “One of the best things this week was a meeting we had at the Soar Point pub, where I made some new friends.

“This week has been so different to what happens when you go to university in the Czech Republic,” added Bara Cechova, 24, also from Prague, a post graduate here to study Politics.

“You don’t have all these events organised for you when you arrive. I liked the karaoke.

“I haven’t found anyone else yet who will be studying politics but I’ve made friends from other courses and that’s what this week is all about, making new friends."