DICE student, Katie, tells us about her placement year abroad.
Hi everyone, I am Katie, a final year conservation student. Last year, I completed my placement year. I spent my first 4 months living in Indonesia. This is what I got up to.
I flew to Singapore on the other side of the world. Instantly, the heat hits you, the roads are quiet, the public transport is on time, and you know you are not in the UK anymore. For this placement, I worked for Ecofield, an environmental field trip company that teaches biological monitoring skills across rainforest, mangrove, coral, freshwater, and intertidal ecosystems across Asia. As well as fun experience trips for students, think kayaking, sailing archery, adventure walks, and animal spotting.
On placement, I discovered the vibrant coral reefs of Tioman Island in Malaysia, spotted a colugo, a rare primate, and searched for fluorescent lichen at night. I got to remember my statistic courses by teaching stats to students. Then, I took students on intertidal walks and (just about) ensured they didn’t touch anything poisonous…
I lived on an Indonesian Island called Batam just across from Singapore and Malaysia, I could see both countries as I ate my dinner. The Indonesian staff showed us the best their country had to offer, including trying every Nasi padang shop we came across, taking the bus to explore night markets, and teaching us Indonesian. Our accommodation was an hour and a half bus into the main centre, so we spent our evening turning the office into a cinema, hosting game nights, and heading to an Ice skating rink at Christmas, which was a surreal experience, ice skating in thirty degree heat.
“Instantly, the heat hits you, the roads are quiet, the public transport is on time, and you know you are not in the UK anymore.”
I loved exploring Asia during my placement year, incredible nature, the food, the friendly people, the wonderful wildlife, and the most stunning nature. To anyone questioning going on a placement year at Kent go for it! It will be one of your best years at Kent, and you will make memories that will last a lifetime.
To find out more about study and work abroad opportunities alongside your degree programme at DICE, visit our Go Abroad Hub.