Andrea Calderon is 23 and comes from Colombia. She is studying general English for five months at English UK member Language Teaching Centres Eastbourne (LTC Eastbourne).

Why did you want to improve your English?

I wanted to improve my English as I would like to take a maths degree here. I'd like to study abroad somewhere and I'd be able to take a degree anywhere I like.

I've taken a break from my degree in chemical engineering at the Universidad Industrial de Santander. I've finished except getting the diploma. We have five-year courses but if you like you can spend longer and decide if you want to graduate sooner or later.

Why did you choose to come to the UK?

In Colombia the English we know is American English and I came here to get a British accent and enjoy the culture. I was attracted by that. I heard about Eastbourne from the agency, that it was a perfect place and they said it was very quiet very peaceful.

Also they said it's a wonderful place, and I agree. Most language schools are in modern buildings. The school is a great place with a garden. I knew about that before.

Do you like it here?

I like the culture here: people are very kind. Also it's very different to Colombia. Everybody respects things, everybody helps you. People help you all the time and it doesn't matter if you are lost in the street.

I knew it's pretty safe here. I like that you can walk without a problem. Eastbourne is very safe and small. You can walk everywhere without taking a bus.

I have been in many cities. London, Manchester, they are similar in the centre, I like the tradition, that kind of thing.

And I really enjoyed the snow!

What advice would you give to other students coming to the UK?

Having friends from different countries here in the school is good as we speak to each other all the time, and that's how it would be in real life with different kinds of people speaking English. I've made a lot of friends.

I would advise anyone to live in homestay with a family, that's really important. All the time you are listening to them. Here in the host family environment you know about different activities and if they have children that's useful, great for English. It helps you understand different ways people speak."

Would you recommend studying in the UK to your friends?

I'd recommend coming here. You are not going to feel a stranger here. You are going to feel familiar and that it is a nice place to live. Compared to Colombia there is a huge range of schools and most of them are good.

If you are interested in reading about other students' experiences of studying English in the UK, please click here to visit the student profile pages on the English UK website.