On the spur of the moment, the idea of an unbiased competition which can offer such important prizes as the National Essay Competition organized by Shakespeare School with Main Partner Mirunette International Education may seem partly utopic. On the contrary, my experience may be regarded as a testimony for an initiative which encourages both creativity and the courage to express personal beliefs. For, as far as I am concerned, the essential element one must present in order to win the competition is sincerity, that is to say, the ability to write and attend the interview guided by their own personality, given the fact that only genuine expression is credible and it seems to me that this is what the members of the jury are looking for. The first prize came not only as a surprize, but also as a mind-broadening experience, keeping in mind that it was a chance of both visiting the UK and analysing with insight the option of living and studying there. Ridley Hall College can appear as a miniatural university term, spent in the permanent company of people from different cultures, who are enthusiastic and interested in connecting with each other. The two weeks lived up to the standards set by the environment of the world’s leading university and the courses were adapted to each student’s knowledge and abilities. In other words, the teachers were open-minded and showed a great desire to get to know each student, so that they could transform their classes in a contribution to our language skills, all-rounded culture and personality, through a relationship based on mutual friendship and respect. The task of putting into balance all the beautiful moments spent in the UK is a rather challenging one, but, in order to depict the atmosphere there, I chose to describe a bitter-sweer memory, namely the last day of courses. Ridley Hall seemed the scene of a graduation ceremony, which gave everybody a sense of pride and belonging, in that all the students were eager to take group photographs with all their teachers and guides, they were all exchanging addresses and telephone numbers with the friends they had made there(trust me, it is impossible to leave such a summer school without at least three foreign friends) and probably the most important aspect is that everybody felt the need to share promises of keeping in touch for the future. 

Raluca C.