“They expected quality work from us” – Erika Balázs

I attended the English language and literature BA course at Partium Christian University (PCU) between 2014 and 2017. I have many great memories from these years. Perhaps the most important thing I remember is how some of my professors worked. Their standards were high: they expected quality work from us, but also provided a lot of inspiration by giving excellent presentations, showing how well one might prepare for a lesson, and keeping our interest alive. I got detailed, well-structured and clear feedback on several of my assignments, which was very useful for self-reflection and further improvement. I did not arrive to the university with a good knowledge of English, but I was highly motivated to work extra hours to comply with the requirements of the various modules. Sometimes this was really challenging and I felt exhausted. But it also prepared me for a year abroad in Ireland, where I worked as an au pair and simultaneously studied for an IELTS exam, and the subsequent MA course in English Language Teaching (ELT) at the Leeds Beckett University in the UK.

Besides the coursework, I was fortunate enough to be involved in various extra-curricular activities, such as Drama Translation Workshops, ELT training, and an internship with a translation office at the University of Debrecen. I also had a good time in Nagyvárad, not least because of the opportunity to participate in the intellectual and social life of PCU. We went to the theatre, went hiking, travelled to a TEDx conference in Budapest, and made short trips to Pécs and Temesvár with fellow students and some of my teachers. My links to the university are still strong: they supported me with very positive and personal recommendations when I applied for the MA course in Leeds and were helpful when I needed my BA degree for the same application. I hope that this connection will remain strong – I think there is a good chance for this as I made lasting friendships there and recently returned to Hungary to teach at a language school in Budapest.

Erika Balázs

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