Tales from the Departure Lounge

#40 Ula Tang-Plowman (不入虎穴，焉得虎子)

• Andy Plant & Nick Cuthbert • Season 3 • Episode 40

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Nothing ventured, nothing gained for our tiger queen, Ula Tang-Plowman (University of Central Lancashire). Forged in the steel city of Wuhan, she came to the UK as a student with a pocket full of cash and a taste for the hottest chillies on earth. Little did she know how much her inner strength would be tested in life and how she would need her global network of friends and colleagues in the saddest of circumstances. Vulnerable, honest and inspiring - prepare to be amazed and moved in equal measure.

不入虎穴，焉得虎子 Chinese proverb:  If you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you catch the tiger's cubs?  aka it is impossible to achieve success without experiencing danger.

Final boarding call: Wuhan, China

This episode is brought to you in partnership with The Ambassador Platform, a leading peer-to-peer marketing and recruitment platform that connects your current students to prospective students for honest advice. Check out www.theambassadorplatform.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Andy:

So you're going to the nightclub after this, are you?

Nick:

What time, what time is

Andy:

Awesome. Let's get cracking.

Nick:

Welcome to Tales from the Departure Lounge. This is a podcast about travel for business, for pleasure, or for study. My name's Nick and I'm joined by my co-pilot, Andy. And together we're gonna be talking to some amazing guests about how travel has transformed their. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey. Welcome to the podcast.

Andy:

Today we're joined by Ula Tang Plowman. She's the Director of International Student Recruitment at UCLan.

Nick:

she's our tiger queen.

Andy:

She tells us of a different time growing up in China, Driving from the age of 10, drinking hard liquor

Nick:

forged in the steel city of WuhaN.

Andy:

Which has become famous for other things now.

Nick:

We talk about that.

Andy:

She came to the UK back in the early 2000s with a pocket full of cash, and she tells us this journey, that she's now creating for thousands of other students, where she was recruited by somebody like her, convinced her to study at Swansea University.

Nick:

it wasn't just the quality of the UK education system that attracted her. It was the fact that the person telling her about it sounded a little bit like Wallace, Gromit.

Andy:

I think I do a terrible impression in the episode. She has had a few hard knocks, she's really tough.

Nick:

There is a very tragic, Harrowing story, I would say in this one that Ula shared that's very, very personal to her. And I think a lot of people who already know her, will be interested in this insight into her life.

Andy:

credit to her for being so forthcoming.

Nick:

She's got a great illustration about how having contacts all over the world can serve a greater purpose,

Andy:

She really likes chilis.

Nick:

I mean, really likes chilies sadistic, send it back because it's not hot enough.

Andy:

Carolina Reaper or nothing. She's the tough tiger from Wuhan who loves hot food and hard liquor. From coughing up half a lung, to how to use a door wedge. And she wears her heart on her sleeve in this one. Let's get some tales from the departure lounge, from Ula Tang Plowman.

Ula:

I went to schools where all we did from 7 a. m In the morning to 10 p. m. In the evening was study because that was the only way out I met this person, from a university in the UK who came and gave a presentation and he sounded like Wallace in Wallace and Gromit. I'm a tiger. the tigerness in me just wakes up it was probably the most arduous journey that I've ever taken I really appreciate the perspective it has given me. I just. Wish it wasn't in such circumstance.

Nick:

So before we get into the episode, a quick word about our latest sponsor. Most of our listeners spend a lot of time traveling the world, staying in hotels or apartments, often where they haven't stayed before. I don't know about you, but whenever I'm choosing a hotel, I like to check out online reviews, or even better, ask friends or colleagues for recommendations. International students face the same uncertainty with their study choices, but the investment that they're making is much greater than the price of a hotel room. They'll be investing in that study destination for years. This is where the Ambassador Platform helps your prospective students. It links them up with your current students to receive honest, personalized advice and to answer any questions that they have. This is a direct and trusted source of information. It provides instant reassurance for students and improved conversion for your university. And it's not just messaging. Your ambassadors can generate their own content and videos to share, showing prospective students from anywhere on the planet what life is really like at your institution. And it gives them confidence and reassurance about their decisions. To find out more about this highly impactful peer to peer platform, or to book a demo with one of the friendly TAP team, please visit the link in the episode notes or go to the ambassadorplatform. com.

now let's get on with the episode

Andy:

Ula, welcome to the show. It's great to have you on.

Ula:

Thanks for the invitation. Great to be here.. Finally, I got myself an invitation to come to this very popular podcast and make me a celebrity.

Andy:

Hey, we haven't published it yet. You have to do a really good job first. No pressure.

Ula:

I won't be offended. I don't know what I will say.

Andy:

Don't worry. We won't put anything out that puts you in a bad light. If it puts Nick into a bad light, that's okay. So, you know, the format, cause you've listened.

Ula:

every single one.

Andy:

wow, that's amazing. I don't think I've listened to every single one.

Ula:

Well, I've got a super long drive. I've listened to a lot of podcasts

Andy:

what you're saying is we're not special.

Ula:

Oh, I still choose,

Andy:

We're very flattered.

Nick:

we appreciate you have a choice and we thank you for flying with Tales from the Departure Lounge. Let's talk about this Ula quickly. you're commuting from your home in Derby, up to Lancashire or Lancaster. A long commute So you are listening to Tales from the Departure Lounge in the car,

Ula:

That's right,

Nick:

And English isn't your native language,

Ula:

yes, that's right.

Nick:

Can you understand what we're talking about all of the time? Because some people have written in to say it's quite difficult for non native English speakers to understand.

Ula:

Yeah, I understood, I think. I wouldn't say that I was paying 100 percent attention. attention to every single word you said. but I thoroughly enjoyed every episode. especially when someone sleeps with Michael Jackson in the UK for the last 18 years, I think I've got a reasonable of English to comprehend. Nick, Golding's episode about his life story. I mean, he's just, he's an icon. Such a fascinating experience after listening to Nick's episode, I was like, why are you inviting me?

Andy:

Everyone's got a story,

Nick:

Nick Golding will be loving this. His ego is out of control now. Okay, let's do

Andy:

The first question we always ask our guests is, final boarding call, if you could take them anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Ula:

I was thinking quite a lot about this question. Initially I did hope to avoid the most predictable answer. I did want you to come up with something weird and wonderful. however, having listened to all of your episodes, I think, it's probably about time that we take our listeners to China. It's not just a place that is a home, but also it really is an amazing country. I come from Wuhan, well known as the birthplace of COVID. But also well known as the Chicago of China, it's a transportation hub. It plays a really big part of China's economy and also the history.

Andy:

So what was it like Wuhan? Give us a snapshot of Ula's childhood.

Ula:

so I was growing up as a single child, in my era, most families have one child, because of the government's policy. And it's pretty,. standard childhood. I went to public schools, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I had this urge to go and explore the world, but I didn't even speak very good Mandarin. probably not as interesting as, some of the life stories that you've had on your podcast.

Andy:

I think it's all relative, isn't it? Nobody else has grown up in China. I've been to Chinese schools, and they are different to UK schools. Universal exercise in the morning. Huge amounts of basketball being played. tracksuits as uniform.

Ula:

Oh, that's posh schools. You've been to posh schools where there are uniforms. Yeah. I didn't go to any of those posh schools. I wasn't, from a very well off background. My, parents didn't go to, universities. My mom didn't go to high school. My dad went to What they call a ninth school, I was the only person in my family that ever went to, University, let alone study abroad. So that was quite a proud achievement I went to schools where all we did from 7 a. m In the morning to 10 p. m. In the evening was study because that was the only way out I would either go to iron steel factory and work as a worker on the production line, or being a school teacher or do something that is completely on scene. So what I have chosen was completely unseen

Andy:

You were forged in Wuhan, by the sounds of things.

Ula:

The biggest company there at the time when I was growing up, is the iron and steel company. So everybody that I know either has worked Or is working for the iron steel company or is working somehow linked to the iron steel company So the fact that my mom and my dad at the time was working for iron steel company as the baseline production worker Was actually quite a significant thing for us because they are the official staff member So I got to go to the local schools. And then my dad got into a driving role. He was the driver for the security team leader. So he actually taught me to drive what, before I was 10 years old. My mom and dad would go out and meet with colleagues and then they would drink and then as I could reach the pedals they would ask me to drive them home. Growing up, I think my dad was incredible. He would allow me to try anything. He was not overly protective of me. I could drive, I could drink. white liqueur when I was really young. So he would give me like a sip of his white liqueur. If you have Andy, you must buy Joe. Yeah. I had, been trained on that since I was 10 years old.

Andy:

That stuff is definitely not for kids.

Ula:

No, so, however, I did have good education. I knew you shouldn't be drinking and driving. So my, when they drunk, I would drive them home. I met this person, from a university in the UK who came to my university. and gave a presentation and he sounded like Wallace in Wallace and Gromit. Um, this person is still working in the sector and he would know that I'm referring to him. And I was fascinated with this person who sounded exactly like Wallace, uh, and then.

Andy:

then, Ola, I think you should come to the UK to

Ula:

Yeah, but he's not even from Yorkshire, so I don't know. I, for some reason, I, to this day, I still remember. That was why I decided to go to Swansea University, because this guy that sounded like Wallace, we went through crowdfunding within the family and trying to show them that I can actually do this.. I got IELTS listening nine at the time, just to prove to my relatives that I can actually do it. My auntie land as. Most of the money for me to pay for my tuition fee, but I did come to the UK with cash You would not believe me in 2006. I came to the UK with 9, 000 pound cash.

Andy:

you're a target for a pickpocket at Heathrow

Ula:

Oh my god, I did not know fear I carried the cash with me onto the plane, I've never been to the UK before. I went on the train from Heathrow to Cardiff and then Cardiff to Swansea, went to the finance office. At Swansea University. At the time, there was no strict rules on, payment accepted in cash. I paid my first month's rent. and then First week I was starting to look for jobs. I was a bartender. I worked at McDonald's. I worked, as an intern in the marketing office as a student ambassador. I I worked a lot of jobs trying to make ends meet

Nick:

Tell me about social mobility in China do people recognize that, You came from Wuhan, is there prejudices? Do people accept you in every situation?

Ula:

One thing that I have always felt a bit embarrassed was at the time my accent because I didn't speak very good Mandarin and obviously Beijing is always one of the place that they said it's the BBC English or the BBC Chinese. It's the most kind of official Mandarin.

Andy:

So what was your regional dialect?

Ula:

Wuhan. I grew up speaking Wuhan dialect. but I am the type of people that I try really hard. If I see this is a barrier for me, I would just give it my all to really overcome it. So when I was leaving Beijing for the UK, there were people who could not believe that I was from Wuhan.

Andy:

A lot of people don't realize all the different languages, dialects, cultures, throughout China,

Ula:

there are 10 kind of main dialects, but the unofficial dialect, there's, so many more, but these 10 main dialects are the ones that you can't understand each other. They are like foreign languages.

Nick:

there is this constant perception around Chinese students that their English is poor, which is in some ways, It's understandable because it's so different to English, but you get a very academic view that they don't integrate, ula, you're literally proving this rule wrong. I mean, you've embraced British culture.

Ula:

There is no way we can generalize this huge, massive population of, people. but if we are to find some commonalities, the kind of need to find psychological safety for Chinese students. is very powerful. That is perhaps why you see a lot of Chinese students bond very quickly and stay in their little group.

Andy:

The hypocrisy of integration. Arguments that certain groups of students don't integrate when the British have spent a lot of their time going around the world and doing everything possible not to integrate with the cultures that they live in. You know, the first thing that British people tend to do is. club together, perhaps even build a club, a cricket club, make everything as British as possible.

Nick:

I feel like China is closed book. And that you're always trusting other people's perspectives of it. In the simon arnhold episode I Suggested that the people's republic of china was a bit of a branding misalignment and he really told me off for that and I felt a bit guilty about it afterwards

Ula:

I think, we are all realistic. we do understand. the geopolitics in play it will be a huge shame if, anything that the central government of China did resulted in,, the UK and say we're not sending students to China to learn about this amazing culture, this amazing language, this amazing country.

Nick:

I wondered if you had any funny stories around people getting it so wrong in China,

Ula:

A British colleague of mine Who is, learning Chinese as well, he likes spare ribs. So, spare ribs, in Chinese is a very common dish, and he loves it so much, so he wanted to learn how to order spare ribs, or praise when they've done a really good spare ribs dish. So the word spare rib is And he learned it and he wanted to show it off, and, for some reason he said this is very nice. So in Chinese means bum, instead of spare ribs. So, yeah, in the end he was praising, yeah, he was praising someone's bum. the other thing, I think a common perception is that We eat, everybody in China eats, weirdest things. I've been asked many times whether I eat chicken feet, or even I eat live, scorpions. some pig's brain, we probably will find people in China that do love these things, but given the size of the population, but I just wanted to say on records that I don't eat any of these things, and most of my friends don't eat these things either. If you go to China and people encourage you to eat these things and say it's tradition it probably is pulling on your leg.

Andy:

Yeah, that's every single trip I've had to China then. I've been fed the weirdest things ever. Just, just for sport.

Ula:

but donkey meat is a real thing, is a proper delicacy.

Nick:

I'm reluctantly at this stage, I've got to mention the Wuhan bat

Ula:

i've never seen any single bat I've never seen any people eating that so yeah going back to what we said about eating strange food again That is It's a total surprise to me. I was as surprised as my British husband who were totally disgusted, looking at the picture of a lady eating bat.

Nick:

I hate myself for asking it. The career

Ula:

Why? I'm sure there are people, somewhere, who have tried, but I stopped travelling for a while not because of COVID, not because of that bat, because I got incredibly ill when I was in China. I had bronchiectasis and coming back to the UK, I was coughing all the time. I coughed up blood. so I was taken to hospital and the hospital decided to remove half of my lung. And I went back to work six weeks after that major operation and told my boss that I wanted to stop traveling again. Then COVID happened. So at the beginning, When I said, I heard my mom talking about some pneumonia diseases spreading. I told my boss at the time, Oh, I think this is probably another SARS and it might impact our ability to travel. He thought I was making all this up so I could stay. stationary so I don't have to travel because of my lung operation. and then the world just gone crazy.

Andy:

Were you scared? I mean, you'd had half a lung removed.

Ula:

Yeah, I was really scared because before the vaccine or the test came out, my husband got COVID and he was really struggling. He couldn't breathe. His face was turning blue. So I called the ambulance. They came with very minimal protection. So they came with an apron that is made of plastic bags, there was no PPE at the time, I did not know what to expect, I had all sort of scenarios going through my mind I was really lucky I've not had COVID even being under the same roof with my husband when he was so poorly

Andy:

wow.

Nick:

They didn't factor in how tough you are.

Andy:

So the next section of the podcast is called any laptops, liquids, or sharp objects. What do you have to take with you when you go overseas or what travel hacks do you have?

Ula:

I do have quite a few things I can't live without. One of them is chili, uh, chili oil. I, um, um, An addict on all things spicy, so it's a little piece of home that I'm taking with me whenever I'm traveling and also countries where they have spicy food would always make it to the top of my travel list. For example, India, Thailand and, Indonesia, Malaysia, where we have, there are spicy food. I would always put them on the top of my, personal travel list. So yes, I always take chili oil and I can proudly say that I've probably never met anybody who can eat more spicy food than me. Then I do and my husband did want to put me into a chili eating competition.

Nick:

That's because you were liquor at the age of 10. What?

Ula:

yeah, probably, um, there's a Chili's scale and my scale is Carolina Ripper, which is I think the top three most spicy chilies in the whole world and I have it in my food. other travel, essentials have been mentioned by guests on this podcast before, earplugs and, a door wedge alarm. I actually got one with me, here in this room. I've had, a weird experience when I was, Working in Beijing as an agent, so I took a group of summer school students to the UK and towards the end of the trip, we were in London. So I went out for a few cocktails. I was a little tipsy. I went back into my room, went straight to bed. And then in the middle of the night, a man came into my room. He opened the door and just, was saying something because I was in the middle of. The night I was half asleep. I couldn't understand him. I didn't think he was speaking English. I just got really scared and I started shout get out of my room, get out of my room. and then he left. I went back to sleep. The second day I told the receptionist story and they were adamant that I was dreaming. They said I was too drunk, I was, I dreamt of that. It never happened. but it had to happen. scarred me for the rest of my life. I always travel with a door wedge alarm that is, powered. So anybody who trying to mess with my door, the alarm will go off.

Nick:

I've not shared this actually, but I went to a wedding with my family and my brother had a room and we came back at two or three in the morning and there was a man asleep in his bed. And we went to reception and said, there's a strange man asleep in his bed. And they said, you must've let him in. You must've given him the card to let him in. and of course, big argument broke out and the night manager just said, I'm not giving you another room. So obviously my brother came and slept in my room, I was so outraged that that they wouldn't believe us

Andy:

hang on, so he, checked into the room after you'd checked in? Why didn't you just wake him up and chuck him out?

Nick:

because we were too polite, basically what this is too long a story, but we went in and he was literally in his pants on the bed out cold. So we were like, okay, back down to reception and they actually took the card offers. they took our card away, which was, and then we said, Oh, no, we're going to go up and wake him up. So we're banging on the door and cause all the other guests were waking up saying what's going on. and he didn't wake up. He didn't acknowledge or anything like that. So the hotel wouldn't go in and get him and we couldn't wake him and we were causing a disturbance trying to wake him up So it was outrageous. And then the next day The receptionist just said oh, yeah, he said that he was in that room So we just clocked a card for him and let him in

Andy:

Wow, he got a free room.

Nick:

Yeah,

Ula:

And you know, British people, this politeness, this obsession with,

Andy:

Not if you're from Wuhan. He would have got hit over the head with a door wedge, wouldn't he?

Ula:

Yeah,

Andy:

ha ha

Nick:

I think we apologized to him for disturbing his sleep in our bed

Ula:

no, no, no, that doesn't sit well with me. I'm not afraid to step my ground. And that is definitely a situation that calls for my Wuhan power. I think British people always say food is fine, even if they think it's cold or rubbish or bland. so I am obsessed with chili and spicy flavor. I've had a number of, very polite discussions with, restaurant staff, asking them politely to make my food as spicy as possible. When I ever go to Indian restaurant, for example, I would always ask them for foul, level of spice. spiciness. And obviously if they didn't know me before, they would always come out with something that is very lame and bland, like a Vindaloo or something that I would never hesitate to tell them it's not good enough. I want something that's serious. I think British people would just say, Oh, that's fine. don't worry about it.

Nick:

I want to make one of those YouTube videos with you. You know where you eat the increasingly spicy chili?

Ula:

I'm very dismissive. I'm not normally a rude person, but when it comes to Chile, I think something in me just doesn't work. Cause I'm a tiger. So I think the tigerness in me just wakes up and I am really serious with my chilies. I would tell them, no, this is not far off. This is not even what Vendaloo, this is a Madrid or something.

Nick:

Wow.

Ula:

but I think my taste bud is probably half dead. When people ask me, Is this spicy? I would say, Oh, I couldn't taste anything. And then the other person, if they're not used to any heat, Yeah, they would cry.

Andy:

You're gonna have to wean yourself off, So you can taste fish and chips again.

Ula:

I, I couldn't bear fish and chips. I'm sorry. 18, years in the UK, still that's one thing I do not accept. Sorry, I'm offended. All of your British listeners.

Andy:

I think anyone would accept it's not. It's not the height of culinary skill, is it,

Ula:

usually overrated.

Nick:

I've definitely learned with international visitors Do not give them fish and chips because they will not be impressed or satisfied.

Ula:

There's no chili sauce in the fish and chip shop.

Nick:

There's some in your handbag though, I bet.

Ula:

Yeah, self sufficient.

Andy:

the next section is called, What's the Purpose of Your Visit? why do you do what you do?

Ula:

so the story I've prepared would take this into a bit of a sad downturn. Is that okay with you?

Andy:

Yeah?

Ula:

Okay. So, in May 2017, I got a phone call from my mum that my dad has gone missing from a hiking camp. trip in Hainan. They've been separated for quite some time. My mom still stayed in Wuhan and my dad retired and found a passion in hiking. So he moved to Hainan. And my mom called me one day and told me that police has contacted her, they couldn't find my dad, and he's gone missing on, during a hiking trip. So, I immediately booked myself a flight back to China. It was probably the most arduous journey that I've ever taken. It's 36 hours long. Changeovers and when I got to Guangzhou, I had to find another flight to Haikou And then there was a four hour car journey from Haikou to the village where um, The hiking trip took place. So What? Um after that, unfortunately my dad was found drowned in the waterfall. when I got there, the rescue team was unable to reach the village because they are two hours away So I went back. crazily, we went searching for him, and, yeah, I found him in the water, and, So, long story short, the rescue team came, and they got his body out of the water, and because the temperature there was 38 degrees, we had to take him to the nearest crematorium, which, again, is two hours away, and, it was a journey that I have, never prepared for. I did not know what to do. I did not know how to register, my dad's accident. I don't know how to register deceased. And my mom, I did say that she didn't have a lot of education, so she did not have any experience of dealing with those paperwork and searching for my dad's travel insurance and in the end we Just had to call up for support from family and friends and to my surprise a lot of people who came to help me, were actually my professional connections. They were people who worked at universities, they were people who worked in agencies, who gave me advice, on how to deal with these sort of things. my dad had a flat in Haikou, so we had to, move his stuff out and take everything back to Wuhan. And that was only me and my mom at the time over there. So I wanted to say in this story is that I found true generosity and also the need to lend a hand to people who are in need. I always wanted to help people really recognizing the connections that we built in doing our professional and personal life are so valuable for us in, all aspects of life. Our life, sometimes in the most unforeseen or unpredicted. ways. I am really, really grateful for those people who came to help us at the time. Cause my dad wanted a sea burial. and we had no idea what to do. So someone came and help us book a boat. We took a boat out and scattered my dad's ashes in the ocean. In that moment, the sun was setting down and when I was scatting my dad's ashes into the ocean I just felt this Unexplained deep connection with the universe. I just feel like my dad is now everywhere cause he always wanted to travel. And every time when I go near the sea, I will feel connected to him.

Nick:

I mean, There'll be a lot of people listening to this who have experienced some of what you've said in terms of having a parent, a loved one who is sick or dying abroad and having to take that long journey home, and then in terms of, repaturation of a body making these preparations, and yeah, I just, I can't imagine what you, you went through you went to find your dad, were you completely alone at that moment?

Ula:

No, I was with my mom. She had already got there, but because she, Didn't know what to do. I've asked her to wait for me in the hotel. We called the rescue team on the way and was told that they don't start working on the day. Till 8 a. m. So I got there at 5 a. m. so I just said to my mom, I will go looking for him. I hadn't slept for more than 40 hours and have never been to that village before. We just went like crazy looking for, for him. And. It's just a harrowing experience that when I look back, I just thought, where did I get the energy? I carried on, I don't know how many hours, how many, because I then went with the rescue team to bring him out and then go to the crematorium and then go and move his stuff and do the paperwork. So it's probably at least two days that I, Just went straight, on without sleeping.

Andy:

These times are almost like a dream,

Ula:

but I remember every single thing that happened. I remember how rude the local government official and how unhelpful the rescue team was because he was in the water and he was, he needed to be brought up. But the rescue team came with no tools. And they wanted to charge us extra for that. So we ended up paying, I ended up negotiating with them the price of bringing my dad's body up and I ended up paying about 200 pound worth of money. Money to them for them to bring him up But I was like even if I what if I didn't pay would he would them just leave the body there? I will remember every generosity and also every angry moment of that event

Nick:

it's difficult To listen to you because you can't help, think about your own parents and put yourself in your situation. Um, I thought you were a strong person anyway, but having heard that story, you're literally off the scale. That's just such an incredibly difficult situation. I don't

Ula:

it was

Nick:

to respond to it without sounding patronizing.

Ula:

I surprised myself in terms of how resourceful that I could be in those situations. But I think the positive, from that whole event is everybody can find themselves in the very extremely vulnerable position. So build Those support system up before any any unforeseen situation happens is incredibly important.

Nick:

I realized we didn't say sorry for your loss. I'm so glad that you talked about your childhood at the start of this, because, it was so lovely to hear you talk about those times. and I know it must be very, very difficult for you to share that with us.

Ula:

it really has changed my perspective to everything. I will never be able to reconcile it, because I still don't understand why this happened and why it has happened to us. but I really want my family and my husband, my friends to make the best out of their, life experiences. I really appreciate the perspective it has given me. I just. Wish it wasn't in such circumstance.

Andy:

So then the, podcast is called anything to declare, and this is a free space for you to talk about whatever you'd like to.

Ula:

Something that I am really really passionate about which is the Association that I set up. In the same year, in 2017. I set up the British University's China Association. It comes from a place that I genuinely want people to be connected To each other. I see a lot of Chinese nationals working in UK higher education institutions in recruitment roles, in admissions roles, in partnership roles, Going through very similar journey, but fighting the same battle. at the beginning, Nick, you rightly pointed out that a lot of our Chinese nationals tend to stick together, and we are sometimes seen as, a little bit secretive, because of the language barrier, you hear a different side of China from different people that you're speaking to. The association I put together I just want people to come together and talk about their professional struggles at work and also the challenges that they're facing when it comes to language and culture barrier, even though these people have already studied in the UK, graduated from the UK universities and got themselves into a decent job at UK universities, they are still intrinsically Barriers that we all face. We have a lot of, pathway providers and government agencies in China and media providers coming to want to use us as a platform to communicate. directly to this, incredibly valuable group of people, because most of us are in recruitment roles and, putting us all together, we support more than half of the UK's international student recruitment.

Andy:

It's a great idea. How big is it now?

Ula:

I think we've got 44 university members now.

Andy:

brilliant. And, I've got a proposal for you. To move it onto the British University Chinese Chili Association.

Ula:

it will be even, uh, even more niche,

Andy:

One member so far, but we're growing.

Ula:

anyone wants to. Talk about chilies. I'm up for it

Nick:

you could do an amazing prank you could get, vice chancellors together and say, it's a great tradition in China that we eat, the chilies like this. And then you eat progressively hotter chilies Reputation wise they would have to

Ula:

being British. You guys are so polite to say no.

Andy:

Awesome. You know, thanks so much for coming on the show. It's been wonderful talking to you

Ula:

Thank you for having me. That's really therapeutic.

Andy:

here anytime.

Nick:

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for listening. As always I want to say a massive thank you to the ambassador platform I hope you're enjoying this series.

We have a new social media campaign. People are sending us their travel pictures and we're putting them all up online. Or you can send them to as sick bag tales from the departure lounge.com.

Nick:

Safe travels. Tales from the Departure Lounge is a type nine production for the pie.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Andy Plant

Host
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Nick Cuthbert

Host