I hadn’t figured out what I wanted to do with my life and I certainly didn’t feel adult enough to be settling down. I wanted an adventure. I went to many careers fairs and found out about graduate schemes, but it was the extra curricular activities during my degree that finally presented me with the opportunity I had been looking for.

During the summer vacation in my second year I completed a student work placement in India, and I spent the second semester of my third year on a work placement in China. Both of these opportunities were only open to students, and both came with funding for travel and living expenses. This second opportunity lead to me find out about a position teaching English at a university in China... it was perfect, and my work experience helped me get the job!

When I first started, many of my students had never seen a white person before and it was not uncommon when I first started for them to ask for my autograph! Campus life here is very different from university in the UK. I used to complain when I had to get up for a 10am lecture, but students here start lessons at 7am and don't finish until 8:30pm!

Also unlike university in the UK, it is compulsory to live on campus, and students share one room between six people. Student Accommodation in the UK has at least a private bedroom and optional communal or en-suite showrooms within the same flat; here the communal shower block is in a separate building! Students here think it is incredible that in the UK students have their own room and do not have to do military training every week!

The benefits of working in China mean that I am not only experiencing the culture first hand but I also get to travel in my holidays - 40 days off for Chinese New Year!

There are so many opportunities out there so it's a great idea to make the most of summer holidays to find out what's on offer. Go to as many places, meet as many people and have as many different experiences as you can, because you never know where they might lead you.