Discovering Human-Computer Interaction

Since finishing my degree in Visual Communication, I had always had the idea of pursuing a master’s degree abroad. However, I was not sure what I wanted to study, so I chose to develop my career professionally in Mexico for nine years before making that decision. During that time, I worked in a variety of roles related to traditional graphic design. Although I enjoyed design, I felt that these roles did not allow me to explore other areas that also interested me, particularly technology and business.

I decided to take a UX/UI design bootcamp, which helped me rethink my portfolio and eventually led me to a job at a startup in Mexico City. There, I felt that I had found the area of design in which I wanted to develop my career. I was able to grow within the same company and eventually became the head of the product design team. This experience helped me better understand the kind of work I wanted to specialise in, but it also made me realise how much I still did not know. Towards the end of that same year, the company's situation worsened and several colleagues and I were made redundant. I found myself facing a decision: I could use my redundancy payment as a deposit towards buying a flat and continue with my life as it was, or I could use it to pursue a master’s degree abroad and expand my professional and personal horizons. I chose the latter.

I then began looking for an agency that could help me with the process of studying in London. At first, I was interested in UAL, mainly because of rankings that placed it as the best school in the world for studying design. However, an unforeseen problem with the agency handling my application made me reconsider that option. I started looking for a more technical programme, less focused on the artistic side of design and more on its cognitive and technological aspects. Thanks to the advice of Across the Pond, I discovered the Human-Computer Interaction Design programme at City St George’s, University of London. Originally, I knew very little about the university, but I discovered that the programme had a strong reputation in the UK and was also considerably more affordable than other options I had considered. So far, I have found the course very good and demanding. More importantly, it has answered many of the questions I had about my profession and that originally led me to look for a specialisation.

Another major advantage has been being able to study in London, a city I thought I knew before coming here, but which, after only a short time living in it, made me realise that much of the image I had of it was rooted in the world of Mary Poppins. In reality, not everyone drinks tea, it does not always rain, and certainly not everyone speaks with a posh accent. London has also allowed me to better understand the cultural diversity of Europe. It is a continent with an enormous amount of history, and in the UK, much of that history still shapes the way the country and its society are understood. On top of that, there are the differences between generations, as well as the perspectives brought by tourists and migrants. Experiencing all these different ways of understanding life has probably been one of the most enriching parts of this experience. I would also add all the museums, streets and historic buildings, as well as the cultural heritage that comes from having been such an important country to the rest of the world for centuries.

To be honest, there is nothing I wish I had known before coming that I would now consider essential. Personally — and I know this may be very different for other people — migrating has been much easier than I expected. If I had to mention one thing, I would say that Europeans tend to be more introverted than Latin Americans and that Londoners, in particular, can be very indirect in order to avoid coming across as aggressive. At first, these differences can feel strange, especially when you come from a culture where communication tends to be more expressive and direct, but it is not difficult to get used to. In fact, I think many of them are drawn to the more open and outgoing character that we Latin Americans tend to have. Lately, I have even started seeing quite a few British couples practising salsa in the parks, although without quite the same amount of pulling and mischief that can come with learning to dance it in Latin America… so, for those coming here single, perhaps there is a small opportunity there.

Above all, I can say that this is a culture that is very welcoming to strangers, and where it is remarkably easy to feel safe. Almost everything you think you know about Britain is true and, at the same time, falls short of the reality. There are already far too many songs and poems trying to capture everything this culture has to offer, so perhaps the best thing to do is simply come and experience it for yourself.

- Daniel Andres