Ending

The end of my studies took an unexpected turn when the pandemic appeared. I am relieved I was able to complete my studies with success. I am grateful that the University was supportive and moved the exams online so we could do them from home. This greatly alleviated an already stressful situation and allowed all students – regardless of where in the world they found themselves in – to complete the academic year.

Overall, I appreciate having studied abroad and, in retrospect, Durham was an ideal place for me. It is a beautiful town which astonished me. The most imposing part of the historical centre, which occupies a meander of the river Wear, is an enormous 12th century cathedral and a castle, which is used today as a college by the University. I was also amazed by the lush green vegetation along the riverbanks and the surrounding countryside with dense forests, fields and meadows. I could enjoy long walks in nature and during exam periods I combined these walks with studying outdoors. Another great benefit of living in Durham is the fact that everything I needed was within walking distance, thus I didn’t have to use any other means of transportation. Occasionally, I felt the need to change environment and so I made a few daytrips to nearby cities like Newcastle, York and Edinburgh.

The experience of living on my own far from home in an unknown place has been an invaluable lesson for life. I got to know many interesting people from all over the world and I was introduced to different cultures. Furthermore, I was amazed by the huge choice of student societies, lectures and cultural events, all of which added variety and depth to my experience. On the academic side of the spectrum, I was satisfied with the support and facilities provided by my college and the University. I met many friendly and helpful people, both professors and other employees of the University. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to experience a different style of studying than the one I would get to know in the Czech Republic, discover which parts of Maths I enjoy and get used to communicating in English. The past 3 years have definitely been very pleasant and I collected many useful experiences that will be with me for the rest of my life. Finally, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude towards my family and The Kellner Family Foundation for supporting me through this journey.