The internet has made the lives of everyone on the planet so much easier. With the click of a button one can buy any product they desire and have it delivered to their home address just as quickly. Not only this, but staying in touch has never been easier to do. With the introduction of chat websites that include a microphone and webcam enabling function, meeting new people has never been easier. Not only this, but businesses and classrooms have incorporated the use of video conferencing to keep in touch with clients/students who are out of the country. I have highlighted the main advantages of video conferencing for international students and hope you find these useful and interesting.
Interaction
Have you ever typed to someone on the internet or on a mobile phone? Sending a message with only characters on a computer screen is much more difficult than it is to do face to face. It is far more time-consuming to type out a wall of text concerning the information you are trying to send than it is to just tell the person the same details. And if you are a native English speaker who only knows one language typing to someone who is from a non-English speaking country who is learning English, a lot can be lost in translation.
Sometimes native English speakers can get so used to using slang and figurative speech that it doesn’t come across in text to someone who is unfamiliar with those same mannerisms. Video conferencing removes this language barrier, allowing sentences to be exchanged without the otherwise unavoidable mincing of words. This is why video conferencing would help to assist in preventing misunderstandings which is why it would also be an effective tool to use when participating in student to student housing. For example, if you are a German student offering your room as you will be studying temporarily in the UK, then you may want to speak to the person you are sub-letting your room to. This is especially the case whereby you leave your furniture and other belongings at home. Video conferencing would help getting to know each other in a more personal manner, as opposed to simply writing each other e-mails or chatting with each other.
Learning a new language
I believe this is an advantage of video conferencing that is much overlooked. There is something about learning a language that is made much easier by actually hearing the language. This would explain why someone spending a year in France will pick up the language much faster than someone who spends that same amount of time in the classroom learning it. This is because learning the language is easier when it is relevant. Talking to native speakers of English would make learning the language a little easier to learn. This is because languages are much easier to learn when they are being used in context and with the quirks that only an accent can provide. Video conferencing allows this pronunciation to shine through in a way missed if the message is merely typed out.
Considering student to student housing is a great service mostly offered to international students, international students can already start learning the language when meeting the person who is sub-letting their room to you, in a video call.
Many students are worried about how they will find a job in this gloomy economic climate. There’s no need to be despondent though. There are many jobs available for graduates and others, but it is a challenging job market. If you’re about to start studying, you need to think about how to give yourself a strong competitive edge. Something that’s worth considering is studying abroad, or at least participating in a foreign exchange programme. This may sound a strange way to go about improving your future career prospects, but there are a number of compelling reasons why you should consider this approach.
International knowledge
By choosing to study abroad, you will increase your international knowledge. You will learn about another country’s history, economy and social structure. And perhaps most importantly of all, you will have the opportunity either to learn a new language or improve on the language skills you already have. Employers are very keen to recruit multilingual staff, so this will stand you in good stead when job hunting.
Learning about new cultures
Every country has its own customs and ways of doing things. Learning about these customs can be very interesting and it can also equip you for future interviews. Not only does it give you something interesting to discuss in interview, it also reassures the recruitment team that you are flexible and adaptable which are key skills in today’s job market.
International teamwork
Many businesses are multi-national and have staff employed all around the world, as well as clients from many different continents. Even smaller companies are likely to employ people from all walks of life and their customers are equally likely to come from varied backgrounds. The fact that you have immersed yourself in another country’s culture will demonstrate that you are someone who will work well with all different kinds of people from different cultures.
Being open-minded
Everyone says that travel broadens the mind and it’s true. By studying abroad, you will be exposed to new ideas and new ways of thinking and doing things. Sometimes, you might be exposed to quite challenging experiences which require you to examine your own patterns of thinking. A foreign exchange can provide you with the opportunity to become more independent and worldly wise. Employers will find your independence refreshing and reassuring.
So, before you finally decide where to study, give some serious thought to studying abroad or participating in the student exchange programme from Erasmus. In order to be eligible, you have to do a Bachelor and apply for a grant. You’ll not only get an excellent education, but you’ll be helping to kick-start your career.
This post was written by Susanna Cha on behalf of Guardian Jobs, including graduate jobs, marketing jobs and more.
Dear readers,
One of our users approach us to write a guest post with tips regarding accommodation search in the UK.
Finding a property to live in
If you are unsure of where to look then you may want to consider asking your university. Most universities in the UK have an office for international students where you can go to for advice about anything. When you ask for student accommodation, also ask which letting agencies to avoid because the international student office will know which agencies have got a well established reputation and which agencies do not. In addition to this, they can also advise you on the area where you’d like to live in. Some areas are safer than others so it’s worth checking this out.
Another way of finding the right property to live in is by simply scanning the internet. You can make use of a search engine like Google by typing in relevant keywords such as “Flats in London” or “Student Accommodation in London”. These websites often allow you click on the type of property and neighbourhood you’d like to live in, the price and whether you require the property to be furnished or not.
Erasmate student-to-student housing also offers profiles of students that are looking for a room and students that are offering a room. The drop down menu allows you to narrow down your search by clicking on the type of country, city, the rent you can afford to pay and the length of your stay. If you are an exchange student and you are looking for short term stays, it is worth considering the Erasmate student to student housing as most letting agencies in the UK require you to sign a 12 month contract.
Arranging viewings
It is important that you organise and plan your viewings carefully. Most likely, you will still be in your own country when making these appointments, so when you come to the UK, you might have many viewings to attend. In order to not get confused, make sure to write everything down, i.e. the letting agency, the person who is responsible for the viewing, the type of property, address, phone number and rent to be paid. By doing so, you will find it less stressful and easier to manage.
Viewing properties
It is very important that you take note of everything when you view a furnished property and to watch out for any damaged furniture or poorly installed showers and/or boilers. The UK has many old houses and unless the letting agency you arranged a viewing with is maintaining its properties, you might find yourself looking at properties that are in poor conditions. If this is the case then don’t be afraid of asking the letting agency what they can do to fix it.
Signing the contract
If you think you have found the right accommodation then it is time to negotiate on the rent. In most cases, letting agencies increase the price slightly to see if they can get away with it, so always ask. When you do sign the contract then you will have to pay a deposit. The deposit, by law, should be kept by a third party such as “my deposits”. If this is not the case, then ask your letting agency where they will hold the deposit. Also ensure that this is stated in the contract.
Also, prior to your departure for the UK, make sure that you have got a guarantor. A guarantor is someone who agrees to be held responsible for any damage a tenant might cause and bills, when the tenant cannot or refuses to pay. They usually require the guarantor to live in the UK. If you don’t know anyone in the UK who would take up this responsibility, then you can ask the letting agency if someone from your country is ok. Bring relevant documents as well, such as a payslip, copy of passport and a utility bill. In most cases, letting agencies will allow you to have a foreign guarantor.
If you are participating in student-to-student housing then it is essential to have a contract that includes all necessary information such as whether a deposit is required and the details about your guarantor. You can view a preview of the rental contract and purchase your rental contract here.
This post was written by Susanna Cha on behalf of Pearson PTE English Exam, approved for a tier 4 student visa.
Susanna, thank you for sharing your insides! Are YOU interested in sharing your knowledge on an Erasmus exchange program and/or tips regarding housing in Europe? Contact us here!
Hello Erasmates!
It has been quiet for the last months on our blog. Therefore, we’d like to give you an update on what we’ve been working on over the past months.
As you might have seen on our Facebook page, the Erasmate team was joined by a new partner repsonible for IT few months ago. Would you like to get to know Martin a little better? Check out his LinkedIn profile.
After a thorough analyses of the backend of our current platform, we decided to re-build the platform. Few important goals for the new platform are to increase speed of the website, limit fraud sensitivity and allow easy expansion of Erasmate’s services in the future.
Over the past months our team has been working on the development the new platform. Now, technically the platform is almost ready to go online and we’re really excited about this. However, we’d like to present you our new platform including a new look and feel. We have had various talks with designers and will decide on which designer to continue with beginning of January. From then, we expect about 1-2 months to entirely re-design the platform and implement the various design changes. Meaning, our target is to surprise you with Erasmate’s new platform and identity by the end of February 2012. From then we’ll inform you about the various changes made. A tip of the iceberg: we’ll implement an auto-matching system for all uploaded search-profiles and offered housing on our website.
After the launch of our new housing module, we’ll continue with the expansion of our services and build a ‘university module’. Curious on what that exactly is? Stay tuned and follow our blog.
Best regards,
Lars, Martin and Jorn
Dear reader!
Since the launch of Erasmate we have helped many people finding and renting rooms, unfortunately, we also received few emails reporting scammers on our platform. Although we have warned several times to be cautious when it comes to transferring money, some people became victim of scams.
Therefore we’d like to share a black list of users identified as potential scammers:
- Alex Guzman
- Daniela Andress Esser
- Dario Robles / Robles Liro
- Hooper Jane
- Jordan Cowell
- Julia Torrado
- Lea Ginette / Lea Gen / Lea Genetti
- Laureen Mourus
- Malleville Adrien
- Martina Spolini
- Mery Sankara
- Michael Cheng / Michael Ruben
- Roberto Lara / Roberto Lar
- Sonia Koneh
- Soren Wengerowsky
- Susan Rob / Rob James / James Robinson
- Sven Thorwarth
- Tessa Anouk
Although these users have been blocked from our system, they often re-register under other email accounts. Do you recognize part of their names in usernames or email addresses, stop your conversation!
How can you recognize a potential scammer?
* Invites to communicate via private email accounts (instead of via the Erasmate mailing system)
* Question to transfer X months of rent and deposit
* Telling some story about family members renting out the place
* Question to transfer money via WesternUnion
We recognize that all scammers ask for payments via WesterUnion. We recommend to only make payments to personal bank accounts.
In case you belief to be in touch with a scammer, quite your conversation and report to us!
We’re working hard on preventing scams. Soon our new platform with increased security standards will be launched in order to minimize scam activity.
Do not hesitate to spread this blog post to friends using our platform in order to increase awareness!
Best regards Your Erasmate Team
Dear all!
June and July are for most students the months in which they get to hear whether they can participate in the upcoming Erasmus exchange semester from September 2011 onwards.
Have you been accepted? Congrats! You’re awaiting one of the most beautiful experiences in your student life!
The Erasmate team notices an enormous increase in number of people visiting the website each day. Via this blog post we’d like to remind you of a few things:
* Please communicate via our mail functionality in order to minimize the risk of being scammed. We’re daily checking on the validity of our users and directly block users who appear to be unreliable lessors. When you communicate via the platform you’ll directly notice when someone is blocked.
* Next to the arrangements of your housing, you can book flights, arrange travel insurances, and buy your travel guides at Erasmate.com.
* Erasmate.com offers a legally binding rental contract in order to increase your security when renting or lessing an apartment. As we’re seeing an enormous increase in traffic the last months, we’d like to celebrate this and offer you our tenancy agreement for a 50% DISCOUNT until the end of August.
* We’d like to thank all of you who gave us input for the new website. We’re working hard in order to meet your wishes…Stay tuned!
Mates, live with passion and enjoy your journey!
Your Erasmate Team
Dear fans, friends, users!
Erasmate is a free platform to use for all of you. This unfortunately means that some people are using the website in order to try to earn a little extra money on the side. We recommend to never pay money in advance in case you’re asked to do so. Deposits can obviously be agreed upon, however, we recommend to only pay deposits after seeing the property.
In order to provide both lessor and lessee with extra security on the validity of agreements made, we offer a legally binding rental contract. As the ‘BuyNow’ button currently doesn’t function well, you can send an email to info@erasmate.com indicating to be interested in a rental contract and we’ll make sure to send you a PDF by email after receiving payment via bank transfer. As we realize it’s a bit more work to arrange the payment via bank transfer, we currently offer our rental contract for a discounted price of €24,95
We hope to have warned you and provided you a solution!
Best, Jorn
Planet Earth is an evil place. It happens everyday, people being asked to provide their bank account details in order for criminals to transfer money to their account. Although the offers might sound great, never provide your details. The police will always track you down and although it can appear as an innocent deal, in case of cooperation you’re an accessory and punishable!
This is how it works:
In case you’ll be approached by email via our system, inform us directly at info@erasmate.com. Stay cautious and be aware with personal details!
Dear readers!
On 8 March 2011 a press release about Erasmate appeared in Nuffic’s Transfer Magazine.
Nuffic’s motto is Linking Knowledge Worldwide. And everything we have done since our foundation in 1952 has been driven by this mission.
Transfer Magazine keeps you up to date on the development of internationalization of higher education.
In case you read Dutch and you’re interested in reading the article recently published, check out page 28/29 by clicking on the image below:
The Erasmus programme gives European students since 1987 the possibility to exchange for 3-12 months to another European university in order to get to know foreign people, culture and languages.
In order to increase international mobility of students further, the Bachelor/Master system was introduced in early 2000s. The system allows better comparison of the various study programmes in Europe and enables flexible learning pathways.
This BBC video gives an example of UK students doing their study in the Netherlands as universities in their home country are over subscribed and tuition fees are high.
The increase in student mobility calls for a webportal where students can easily find housing abroad! Welcome to Erasmate!
May 15, 2012 | 
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