Interview at UK Embassy for Chevenning March 2016

The aim of this post is to share the experience of having an interview that is required to qualify for a Chevenning Scholarship in Mexico. I want to mention that this is the second step after submitting the application through the website http://www.chevening.org/mexico/ and after being qualified to the next step of this process.

First, I arrive early, about 1 hour before my scheduled time, I show my passport to the receptionist in order to check my appointment. Then a passed to a waiting room, there was another person waiting for his turn to be interviewed. He told me that he had some time waiting as well. Then a girl from the Chevenning program arrived and explain us what and how was going to be the interview. Basically, we were going to be in front a committee of three people who were going to ask questions about our application. Essentially, why we are good candidates to get the Scholarship. Fortunately, she spoke to us in Spanish, she asked us if we have any questions at this time due to the interview it was going to be conducted in English. I just asked what happen if I do not meet the requirements to complete the application in the deadline (July 2016), she told me that my application will be refused and I should apply up to the next period, which is in October-November.

Although my appointment it was at 12:30, I waited up until 1:00. I was really nervous, but I had enough time to read my application, which I printed before going to the embassy, and write some important points to highlight. At 1:05 the girl appeared again and took me to the interview room. Indeed, there was a table with 3 people and a chair in front of them to sit down. At my back, another person, perhaps taking notes about the reunion.

To start the session, they spoke in Spanish, which was a relief, they say their names and explained what they do. I remember one of them was something like a headhunter or a talent searcher working for a private institution, but for the British Embassy as well. The other two were almost the same. The important point was they were Mexico nationals. Nevertheless, they point out that the interview it was going to be conducted in English and they expected I answered in the same way.

Then we started the interview. One of them had a set of questions to me. However, the questions were almost the same that were in the application form, the difference was that I had to explain speaking. Basically, why you are going to study in the UK, why those universities, explain leadership and influencing aspects, how the UK and Mexico will benefit, examples of networking that demonstrates where to apply leadership aspects, how I will apply the knowledge in my country. I think one of the most important questions was about the master plan at my come back to my country. How I will the knowledge immediately and in within 5 years. I must acknowledge that I did my best trying to explain these topics in English. Although I felt comfortable talking, I had some hesitates with my spoken English. Despite of this, they were taking notes about what a was talking. I think it was a good interview for me. Good experience.

In this part, I want to mention that in the online application people must write down and explain points over four topics:
- Leadership and influence
- Networking
- Studying in the UK
- Career Plan
Then, the interview was almost the same, nothing difficult.

The interview lasted about 30 minutes. Including a short time at the end to ask some questions, both in English and Spanish. I also asked how many scholarships are given each year, they told me that it was about 18, and 120 applicants. However, this number of scholarships changes every year, could be less, could be more.

Finally, the results will be in early June. The person who was previously in the interview told me that I should take as soon as possible the IELTS for immigrants or UKVI in order to apply for a UK Tier 4 Visa (Student). My concern at the moment is that I am going to take TOEFL IBT. I will have to pay again for the IELTS. Anyway, the TOEFL test is good for some UK universities, however, not for applying for a UK VISA.

I hope this post would help someone to break the ice and encourage to apply for a Chevenning Scholarship.

Essay - Relationships with the classmates and teachers

For many students, having friends in the school can be a joyful experience, for others, can be boring.    From my point of view, it depends on the people´s personality and how others interact with them. But  not only depends on the personality, but also the place where things are happening, in the classroom, in the library, or in a party. In the next paragraphs I will give specific reasons and examples to clarify this point of view.

Being in the classroom, students can ask directly to the professor or someone else if any doubt. First of all, if someone did not understand due to he or she thinks that  it is a boring class, it is possible to ask to a classmate or to the teacher. Besides, if the question is not clear, he or she can stay listening the class to check if there is additional information.

On the other hand, the teacher is responsible to encourage students to work hard. He or she must do their best effort to achieve students get good grades. As a result, a student could also work hard after attending an enriching class.

In contrast, when people share moments outside the classroom, such as in a party, they can build good relationships. Although some people think that being in a party is not the best meeting, others think that it can be beneficial to share thoughts about school. For instance, meanwhile they are dancing or talking, they may be exchanging topics seen in the classroom.

To sum up, there are many ways in which students can learn in the school. Some of them can happen in the classroom, others in the library, and even in parties. Definitively, it depends on the motivations they have to learn new things.

Essay - visit to the amusement park

In March, I went to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. When I was on the plane, I felt really bored for the simple reason that there was not nothing to watch on board. Screens to watch movies it would be very entertaining  for me. In addition, people had to pay for drinks and food on board. Despite the airline is called low-cost airline, it seems to me that they should to offer at least a cup of soda or a Japanese peanuts.

After 30 minutes flying, a boy started to feel sick and suddenly vomit on the chair. Consequently, there was a disgusting odor in the plane. As a result, some people get angry due to the situation. Fortunately, there was the only unpleasant incident during the flight.

Apart from this, the most scariest situation was when the airplane experienced some problems to land. Although nobody told us what was happening with a strange noise, the situation it was under control. It seemed to me that there was a failure in one engine. Consequently, it was a frightening situation.

Afterwards, the airplane landed in Orlando Airport. Then, we went directly to the hotel to check in and to have a rest.

At the next day, we went to the Universal Studios. We decided to take the Harry Potter attraction, which was really amazing. At the beginning, I must acknowledge I felt a little nervous, due to the frightening beginning when I saw people in the pictures speaking to the people. However, I was excited to see what is going on in the next stages. Nevertheless, it was a an exciting experience.

Essay - Visiting a zoo

The first time I went to a zoo it was an amazing experience because I have never seen those kind of animals. The tourist guide told us very interesting stories about the Lion, which is called the king of the jungle. I remember very well the tourist guide, which was a joyful person, he was always saying jokes about experiences he had with animals. For example, he told us that one day he was feeding the little bears, when he felt down into their food, then the little bears started to eat from him!. I want to point out that despite the zoo is very large, it was clean and ordered, it was a delightful trip to the zoo on vacations. As far as I am concern, it was a enriching experience.

Essay - Nature - Tsunamis in coastal communities

For centuries, humanity has experienced many nature challenges. One of the most catastrophic is the  called tsunamis. A tsunami can impact severely to the communities that live in the coasts.

Despite the fact that technology can help to detect a tsunami, there is no way to anticipate the effects of it when reaches the land. It is known, the power that a tsunami can unleash when the waves plunge on to the shore. Furthermore, it can be an eruption under the sea if two or more rocks collide in a moment.

On the other hand, a risk of flooding in the land near the coastal zones is constant during a tsunami. Not only during the tsunami and flooding there are alerts and warnings given to people to survive, but also after the effects of these nature disasters there is a risk of famine following the negative effects.

To sum up, as far as I am concerned, researchers must persevere to develop new technologies that bring more accurate predictions that save more lives before these nature disasters.

Essay - Food crops

Although in Mexico have been many efforts to intensify the grow of corn in some states, the situation is there has not enough precipitation in the last years.

Photosynthesis is a process which cultives make grow plants to get the corn. To enhance this process, it is necessary to fertilize the land, however farmers need better techniques to boost the aggregate production that meets demand. 

Nevertheless, many farmers have abandoned their crops because of the political situation that adversely stops the production of corn in the country.

In addition, to obtain new types of corn, it is necessary to intensify the fertilization of the crops and introduce new irrigation systems.

Finally, it is strongly recommended that not only farmers work hard to produce corn, but also the politicians should stop bad ways of working such as corruption.

1c - Finish the sentence

1. I like your essay, but I want to illustrate your points by providing some supporting examples.
2. What will the result be if in the future we  assume that nearly everyone has access to a motor car?
3. Students may be asked compare many alternative theories, from which they have to select the most convincing.
4. The Channel Tunnel between France and England was constructed at a cost of over 8 billion pounds.
5. Everyone wants to be happy, but we probably all define happiness in many different ways. (It might be a thesis statement).
6. Many universities now have language centres to facilitate language learning for international students.
7. Numbers and results are not particularly useful in themselves, we need to interprete them to understand what they actually mean.
8. In spite of warnings about cancer, many Westerns equate  a sun tan with health and youthfulness.
9. Advertisers use a variety of techniques to persuade consumers to buy products and services.
10. At first, the police viewed the crimes as random events, but realized later that there was a pattern linking them.
11. It may be the case that no solution is possible, given the magnitude of this problem.
12. Although computers are becoming increasingly complex, the programs they use are becoming much easier to operate.
13. The investigation was stopped because the witnesses could not identify the man they had seen commit the robbery.