CULTURAL SHOCK
Camilla Country of Origin Italy Langauge Spoken Italian/German/ English Previous Education High school Processing to BA Fashion Jouralism
Introduction
PSEAD Experience
My name is Camilla and I’m 21 years old. I come from Udine, a small town in the northern part of Italy. I attended a Classic European High School, where I had the chance to learn new languages, such as English and German, as well as new customs and traditions, through school exchanges and language summer courses abroad. During high school as well as discovering my passion for fashion through magazines, online articles and movies I also discovered my enthusiasm for cultures through foreign literatures. As a consequence I chose culture and fashion, which I consider to be the most compelling means of expression as object of my future studies, in order to develop knowledge about their correlation.
During the course, while having the chance to interact with students from extremely different cultural backgrounds, I also had the chance to improve my negotiation skills through group work activities, in which, with a production required at the end of each assignment, the compromise was a must. Furthermore, I also challenged my flexibility, through expanding my knowledge on topics that normally I would not have deepened, as they were very far from my personal interests and fields; yet I discovered new realities and possible connections through opposite sectors, which turned out to be the most inventive and constructive. In addition, the stimulating seminars about art activism
and sustainable resources broadened my horizons, making me realize the importance of speaking up about things that matter, of raising awareness about controversial issues, and supporting environmental friendly solutions beyond every imagination to preserve our environment and limit any kind of waste.
My Future Path Ever since I was little, I had a passion for writing. I used to write
poems to every family member on any occasion and I always enjoyed writing school essays; so as I grew up and discovered my enthusiasm for fashion I just had to connect the dots in order to choose Fashion Journalism as my future path. Consequently, my aspiration for the future is to enhance and develop my passion for fashion, writing and cultures at the University. In addition, I’m also looking forward to experiencing work in the industry through internships in fashion magazines or companies, since I see them as a fundamental step to
be able to face a future career. My aim for the future is to work for a fashion magazine and promote the dialogue.
Introduction
Leonie Country of Origin Germany Langauge Spoken German/English Previous Education Fashion Design Processing to BA Fashion management and marketing
My name is Leonie Alba Mahler, I’m 22 years old and I’m from Freiburg in Germany, a city in the southwest part of Germany. I did spend the first six years of my childhood in China, these years influenced me and my work in many different ways, but I would like to explain this in more detail later. My family and I moved back to Germany, and I decided to attend a boarding school in the Black Forest. The Black forest is nearby the Swiss boarder, and the largest forested mountain range in the southwest part of Germany, well known for its cake, watches and ham. One of the main goals of the school was to improve the artistic skills of their students. I had the chance to express my ideas and develop my artistic work in every kind of way. As such, my housemother, who stayed with us every day and who was in charge of living in our house at the school dormitory taught me on how to sew. This was the first time that I had the opportunity to combine my passion of
fashion with the actual making of clothes. During my junior year at my school, I unfortunately failed in English, so that my school offered me a place at a partner boarding school in Scotland. Everything went really fast, and just one week after the offer, I found myself between sheep in nowhere. I stayed there for half a year, and it was the best what could have happened to me to improve my English. However, I decided that these 6 months were enough, and went back to my school in the black forest. After the final degree at my boarding school, I studied fashion design in Germany. I had a few projects over these three years, and the chance to realize my ideas from the design, to the realization (sewing). May be due to the impressions I picked up during my childhood, Chinese or Asian culture developed as the main influence of my work. For that reason I decided to choose Turandot, the Chinese Opera, as the theme of my final fashion show. I wanted
to build a bridge between east and west designs. It was clear to me that I wanted to stay in that business and to work as a fashion designer in the future. But I also wanted to learn the Management and Marketing skills, so that I could be able to run my own company one day. I therefore applied for the Fashion Management and Marketing course at the UCA.
PSEAD experience Five weeks have already past in this pre-sessional summer course, and we had the chance to deal with a lot of artistic works, things I wasn’t really
aware of before. What interested me the most was the art activism project. I never got into this matter before, and I really enjoyed the time to explore the different types and meanings of this subject. The UCA offers me a completely different surrounding compared to my university at home. Here it is more challenging and the last weeks have been honestly pretty tough sometimes, but also more open for new or creative ways of working. The teachers are supportive and encouraging and telling us that every single doing of our expression is valuable. I really appreciate this kind of work atmosphere and the feeling to be completely free.
Future path What am I expecting from the future? As I already touched on above, I will pursue the plan to own and run my own fashion company one day, which is the reason I decided to learn the business skills I need to, at the UCA. But my aim is to
be happy with whatever I’m doing- this is the most important thing for me personally. While I would love to run my own company, I’m also open and flexible to whatever the future offers to me.
Introduction
Nicolina Country of Origin Cyprus Langauge Spoken Russian/English Previous Education High School Processing to BA Fashion Desgin
Whenever I have set a goal in my life, my mind has always focused on the example set by Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Channel. She came from a poor French family, but with her talent, passion of fashion, willingness to succeed, she managed to become one of the world’s premier fashion icons. Her elegant fashions of the ‘little black dress’, her signature cardigan jacket, and her famous ‘Channel’ perfume are some of her achievements.
My grandmother was a fashion designer and she was the first person who brought leather into Morfou, Cyprus. I believe that my grandmother and my mother were the people who influenced me a lot. My mother always bought me the most expensive and the best pencils and color pencils because she understood my passion for art. Since early age, I admired my mother who had been always in fashion, she wore expensive and fashionable clothes, shoes and she always followed fashion. After doing research on schools, I have found
out that UCA provides the ideal course to become a qualified fashion designer. I am convinced that UCA can provide me everything I want to achieve my dream. I am eager to learn more, from the hands – on design and creation, through to the theory and history of fashion. I am looking forward to the challenges that studying for a degree in fashion designer will bring. I am confident that I will do my best and work hard in my academic studies in order to be one of the best designers not only in Cyprus, but also worldwide.
PSEAD experience
Future Path
At the start of the 5 week PSEAD course, I was really nervous about the projects but I realized I can do more than I excepted from my myself. When I first came here, it was awkward because I was alone as I didn’t know anyone here, but later on I met a lot of people and we became closer through working on our projects. I spent amazing time having fun with my new friends in Farnham, we travelled together everywhere.
My future plan is to be a famous fashion designer with my own brand and my dream is to live in Dubai which is famous for its luxurious lifestyle. I love it and I will believe in myself because my family, my friends support me in many different ways and this makes me stronger in my work. I also want to share with you a quote that I tell myself every day when people think that I’m dreaming too big “ You say I dream too big, I say you think too small “
ly, I had so many chances to make short films during the courses, also I am really lucky that I had a chance to participate a commercial film while it meant I had a chance to work with a professional team. Therefore, I gained so many skills about how to make a film and it was a really good opportunity for me.
Leo Man Country of Origin Hong Kong/Briitish Langauge Spoken Chinese/English Previous Education Film Production Processing to BA Film Production
Introduction
Experience in PSEAD
Hello, I am Leo and I studied Film Production & Script Writing HD in Hong Kong. Before Film, I was a surveying student who wanted to follow my father’s footsteps to be a surveyor but after a few months for the surveying course, I realized that I was mistaken and I needed to follow my heart for being a filmmaker, creator and artist. Fortunate-
PSEAD is an English course which is for international students who are going to progress within their main pathways at UCA. The lecturers provide us with practice about how to write an essay and proposal in our main subject areas. In addition, I can get to know about living in Farnham early as I am an international student that really needs a good
chance to adapt to the new surroundings. Also, I can meet many students who are in the same subject area and ready for the main course together. This is a great learning environment for us. Moreover, study and learning are really important in PSEAD but we also have time to do our own staff after the class, e.g. I have finished a short film during PSEAD. Thus, that is completely perfect to combine academic work and practical work. I appreciate
that I can have a great time in PSEAD.
My future pathway After 5 weeks, I will finish this course and I will start my main course Film Production. I am really excited to meet my classmates and create a team for making a film. These are just my first steps, also I will use all the skills that I gained from the HD into the course, it makes me understand
the lessons and share my knowledge with the classmate more easily. And I will actively join more film festival and earn my experience for making a film. All I need to do in my future pathway is ‘’keep practicing and learn from mistakes ’’.
Introduction
Bernard Chau
Country of Origin Hong Kong Langauge Spoken Chinese/English Previous Education Art based subject in Alevels Processing to BA Fashion Design
I’m Bernard. My major is BA Fashion Design. vI have always been fascinated by designs which are eye-catching. Art has been a part of my life since I was little, I started to learn drawing at the age of 5. I was always really interested in exploring all the different fields of art. So, I decided to study abroad to continue my education with art, graphic design and photography in a level, which I believe has enabled me to learn about the different kinds of skills that a fashion designer would require.
In these five weeks, PESAD gave me the chance to develop and improve my English. That is a really delightful thing to experience before I’m going to start my main course in Rochester. It provided me with a platform to work with people from different fields, such as working in groups, create proposals and presentations. I really enjoyed the art activism project, what I liked the most was the critical thinking and seeing more behind art. I learned from the different lecturers, such as Teza Sue, it impressed me how she talked about women rights in Myanmar and how her artwork can have an impact.
She is a great artist, who wants to go back to Myanmar one day and teach women photography. It shocked me that women had no rights and it’s forbidden for them to work in some jobs such as: photography, astronauts or police officers.
In the future,I want to explore my journey of art and improve my skills in my BA course. My main goal is to find myself in art, to keep up my passion and develop further as a creative person. I want to work with different people and get to know their experiences and ideas. I believe art can change the world and if everybody works together we can make a change.
Introduction
Xi Tan Country of Origin China Langauge Spoken Chinese/English Previous Education 3 years CSVPA Processing to BA Fashion Management and Marketing
I studied about 3 years in Cambridge, and I majored in fashion promotion before. During that time, I did lots of projects and also learnt different skills, they included drawing, media and software. And I want to show the final piece of my foundation exhibition.
Experience in UCA During the 5 weeks’ study, I did two projects. I enjoyed the teamwork and learnt how to communicate with the team members. And I also learnt to face and solve the problems when I did the independent work. So this was also a good opportunity for me to advance into the university
learning environment. Then for each week, we had two or three lectures. From this time, I could get to know about some designers’ or students’ work. They introduced their work very well, and I also took some notes, so I think this could be my secondary research for the project in my future. Finally, we had two trips in London. I really enjoyed that time, because I could take some primary images and get lots of inspiration. They were really helpful for me.
In the future For my main course, I think there will be lots of activities during our project, such as research and learning about fashion marketing and management and to be the volunteer to help the fashion show. And I will be positive to join in these activities, to make me experience even more.